STATEMENT OF FAITH

THE BIBLE

We believe the Bible to be the inspired and only infallible and authoritative Word of God. We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament as being completely inerrant in the original writings and of supreme and final authority in faith and life. We believe that God has not added to, deleted from, or altered the canon of the Bible with subsequent writings and revelations. (2Timothy 3:15-17, 2Peter 1:21)

TRINITY

We believe there is only one God, eternally existent in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, each distinct from the Other, and Each are fully God, yet They are perfectly harmonized in Their Triune Being. (Genesis 1:1, Deuteronomy 6:4, Matthew 28:19, John 10:30)

JESUS CHRIST

We believe in the deity of Christ (John 10:33); His virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23, Luke 1:34-35); His sinless life (Hebrews 4:15, 7:26); His miracles (John 2:11); His vicarious and atoning death (1Corinthians 15:3, Ephesians 1:7, Hebrews 2:9); His resurrection (John 11:25, 1Corinthians 15:4); His ascension to the right hand of the Father (Mark 16:19); His forthcoming personal return to earth in power and glory. (Acts 1:11, Revelation 19:11- 13, Revelation 19:14-16)

SIN & SALVATION

We believe in the exceeding sinfulness of the human nature - that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”, and that all are justified solely on the grounds of faith in the shed blood, substitutionary sacrifice, and atoning work of Jesus Christ, and that salvation is by grace, through faith, and is a free gift from God. It is not attained by our own works. Therefore, it cannot be earned by good works apart from faith. (John 3:16-19; John 5:24, Romans 3:23; Romans 5:8-9, Ephesians 2:8-10, Titus 3:5)

HOLY SPIRIT

We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, who convicts us of sin, points us to Christ for salvation and sanctification, and gifts us to accomplish Christ’s purposes in the world. We believe that the Holy Spirit is our Comforter, Teacher and guarantees our inheritance in Christ. (Romans 8:13-14; Romans 12; 1Corinthians 3:16, 6:19-20; 1Corinthians 12; 1Corinthians 14; Ephesians 4:30, Ephesians 5:18)

SPIRITUAL GIFTS

We believe that God utilizes ALL the spiritual gifts as given in Scripture, in accordance with His perfect will. We believe each Christian is endowed with both general gifts and specific gifts. Each believer is unique unto the Lord, and each is uniquely gifted. It is our job as believers to discover our gifts and use them in our service both to God and to each other. We believe in the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit by who’s indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a holy life. The primary fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. (1Corinthians 12, Romans 12, Galatians 5:22-23).

ETERNAL LIFE & JUDGMENT

We believe in the bodily resurrection of both the saved and the lost; those who are saved by faith in the finished work of Christ unto the resurrection of life, and the everlasting conscious punishment of the lost along with Satan and his fallen angels. (John 5:28-29, 2Thessalonians 1:8-10).

ESCHATOLOGY

We believe in the rapture of the church in which Christ will return to gather His bride to Himself in the air, and we believe that Christ will return to the earth physically to set up His kingdom (1Thessalonians 4:13-8, Revelation 11:15, Revelation 21).

DEVIL & DEMONS

We believe in a literal devil and his host of fallen angels, and that he is at work in the world today. We believe that Satan is a created being, and as such he is limited in presence and power (Revelation 12:9, Revelation 20:2-10, Matthew 4, John 13:2, 1John 3:8, John 8:44).

WORSHIP

We believe that God is worthy of all praise, reverence, and love; and that the highest calling of a Christian is to worship Him (John 4:23-24, Romans 12:2).

HOLINESS

Our supreme desire is to know Christ and to be conformed into His image by the power of His Holy Spirit (John 14:15, 1Peter 1:13-16, Leviticus 11:44).

EVANGELISM

We believe in, support, and participate in, both local and foreign mission efforts in order to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20).

MARRIAGE

Marriage has been ordained by God. Reliance church defines “marriage” as the exclusive covenantal union of one naturally born man and one naturally born woman in which such union is a lifetime commitment. A civil government’s sanction of a union will be recognized as a legitimate marriage by the church only to the extent that it is consistent with the definition of “marriage” found in this statement of faith and our church articles of incorporation and bylaws (Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:4-9, Matthew 5:32, Ephesians 5:22-33).

HUMAN SEXUALITY

Legitimate sexual relations are exercised solely within marriage. Hence, sexual activities outside of marriage (referred to in the New Testament as “porneia”) including but not limited to adultery, premarital sex, homosexuality, and pedophilia are inconsistent with the teaching of the Bible and the Church. Further, lascivious conduct, transgender behavior, and the creation and/or distribution and/or viewing of pornography, are incompatible with the biblical witness (Genesis 1:27, 1Corinthians 6:9-20, Leviticus 18:22, Romans 1:26-27, Deuteronomy 22:5).

Reliance Church is a Non-denominational Christian church

Our pastoral staff will not promote sectarian theology, but will uphold a conservative and orthodox theology agreed upon by the church for centuries. We will not promote hyper-charismatic teachings nor will we promote hyper-conservative teachings.

We do not adhere to the following doctrines:

1. The teaching of “positive confession” (we do not speak things into existence)

2. The belief that Christians can be possessed by demons (the Holy Spirit resides in all true believers)

3. “Dominion Theology” or “Kingdom Now Theology” (the belief that Christians can take over the

governments of the world and through this will usher in the Kingdom and return of Christ)

4. Prophesy that overrides or supersedes biblical scripture

5. The incorporation of humanistic psychology or philosophy that contradicts clear biblical teaching

6. The over-emphasis upon spiritual gifts, experiential signs and wonders

7. The teaching that Christians must speak in tongues as a sign of their sanctification or salvation

8. The belief that baptism is salvific

9. The teaching that God forces some, and won’t allow others, to believe in Christ for salvation

10. The teaching that God only desires for some people to be saved from their sins and created others

for the purpose of separation from Him and eternal damnation to hell.

DOCTRINES CONCERNING SEXUALITY

We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of the corporation as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a Biblical role model to the corporation and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by the corporation in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, should abide by and agree to the Statement on Marriage and Sexuality and conduct themselves accordingly. Furthermore, the marriages performed in this church shall follow these guidelines and no Pastor or staff of the corporation shall participate in any marriage except between one biological man and one biological woman. We believe that any form of sexual immorality, such as adultery, fornication, homosexuality, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, pornography, any attempt to change one’s gender or disagreement with one’s biological gender at birth, is sinful and offensive to God. We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual is to be repudiated and is not in accord with scripture or the doctrines of Reliance Church.

BAPTISM

Baptism in and of itself is not salvific and should be an act of volition by believing individuals in Christ, not something that is forced upon anyone of any age. Requiring anything in addition to faith in Jesus Christ for salvation is a works-based and false gospel. We are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone (Eph 2:8-9) and are justified and filled with the Holy Spirit, who is the deposit guaranteeing our inheritance, when we believe (Eph 1:14).

Baptism is an outward display of an inward truth and a public declaration of our faith in Christ. Paul tells us in Romans 6 that baptism is a picture of death & resurrection. As we are submerged under the water, baptism shows a spiritual truth: that our old sinful nature has died and been buried with Christ, and as we are raised from the water, that we have been spiritually raised with Him to newness of life. We are a new creation in Christ! The old has gone and the new has come (2Cor 5:17).

Also, when John the Baptist called the people to repentance, they came and showed a public display of their commitment to turn from sin and turn to God (Matthew 3, Luke 3). Believers’ Baptism, in a similar manner, is an act of loving obedience to identify oneself with Jesus and is a public confession of faith, repentance and submission to Christ as Lord.

Baptism is for believers who have confessed with their mouth and have believed in their heart that Jesus is Lord (Rom 10:9). It is an act of the will by one who is already saved, and through it, one publicly declares to the world that they are His.

Jesus commanded his followers to go make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, so as His followers we call people to repentance and faith, and to publicly identify themselves with Christ as an act of humble loving obedience to Him as Lord.

COMMUNION

In Matthew 26 and 1Corinthians 11, the Bible tells us:

While the disciples were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many, for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

Communion is the believer’s celebration and remembrance of Christ’s body broken for us and His blood that was shed for our sins. As we take the bread and the fruit of the vine, we commemorate and honor His sacrifice for us, and we proclaim His death and resurrection until He comes again.

THE FINAL AUTHORITY FOR MATTERS OF BELIEF AND CONDUCT

The statement of faith does not exhaust the extent of our belief. The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe. For the purposes of the church’s faith, doctrine, practice, policy and discipline, our Pastors are the church’s final interpretive authority on the Bible’s meaning and application