The most important truth of all truth is the gospel, the gospel matters most. It is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes. If you're just stopping by for a visit to Shepherd's Stream, please before you go, read the gospel of the blessed God, the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is the gospel of grace. It is the gospel of salvation.
Being a Christian is more than identifying yourself with a particular religion or affirming a certain value system. Being a Christian means you have embraced what the Bible says about God, mankind, and salvation. Consider the following truths found in the Bible.
God Is Sovereign Creator-Contemporary thinking says man is the product of evolution. But the Bible says we were created by a personal God to love, serve, and enjoy endless fellowship with Him. The New Testament reveals it was Jesus Himself who created everything (John 1:3 Colossians 1:16 ). Therefore, He also owns and rules everything (Psalm 103:19 ). That means He has authority over our lives and we owe Him absolute allegiance, obedience, and worship.
God Is Holy-God is absolutely and perfectly holy (Isaiah 6:3 ); therefore He cannot commit or approve of evil (Jas 1:13 ). God requires holiness of us as well. 1 Peter 1:16 says, You shall be holy, for I am holy.
Mankind Is Sinful-According to Scripture, everyone is guilty of sin: There is no man who does not sin (1 Kings 8:46 ). That doesn't mean we're incapable of performing acts of human kindness. But we're utterly incapable of understanding, loving, or pleasing God on our own (Romans 3:10-12 ).
Sin Demands a Penalty-God's holiness and justice demand that all sin be punished by death (Ezekiel 18:4 ). That's why simply changing our patterns of behavior can't solve our sin problem or eliminate its consequences.
Jesus Is Lord and Savior-Romans 10:9 says, if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. Even though God's justice demands death for sin, His love has provided a Savior who paid the penalty and died for sinners (1 Peter 3:18 ). Christ's death satisfied the demands of God's justice, and Christ's perfect life satisfied the demands of God's holiness (2 Corinthians 5:21 ), thereby enabling Him to forgive and save those who place their faith in Him (Romans 3:26 ).
The Character of Saving Faith-True faith is always accompanied by repentance from sin. Repentance is agreeing with God that you are sinful, confessing your sins to Him, and making a conscious choice to turn from sin (Luke 13:3-5 1 Thessalonians 1:9 ), pursue Christ (Matthew 11:28-30 John 17:3 ), and obey Him (1 Jhn 2:3 ). It isn't enough to believe certain facts about Christ. Even Satan and his demons believe in the true God (Jas 2:19 ), but they don't love and obey Him. True saving faith always responds in obedience (Ephesians 2:10 ).
The Church-The Bible tells us all who place their faith in Jesus Christ are immediately placed by the Holy Spirit into one united spiritual Body, the church (1 Corinthians 12:12-13 ), the bride of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2 Ephesians 5:23-32 Revelation 19:7-8 ), of which Christ is the Head (Ephesians 1:22 4:15 Colossians 1:18 ). We believe that the formation of the church, the Body of Christ, began on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-21 ) and will be completed at the coming of Christ for His own at the rapture (1 Corinthians 15:51-52 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 ). The church is thus a unique spiritual organism designed by Christ, made up of all born-again believers in this present age (Ephesians 2:11 3:6 ). The church is distinct from Israel (1 Corinthians 10:32 ), a mystery not revealed until this age (Ephesians 3:1-6 5:32 ).
The establishment and continuity of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures (Acts 14:23-27 20:17-28 Galatians 1:2 Philippians 1:1 1 Thessalonians 1:1 2 Thessalonians 1:1 ) and that the members of the one spiritual body are directed to associate themselves together in local assemblies (1 Corinthians 11:18-20 Hebrews 10:25 ).
If you need help finding a local church please don't hesitate to contact us or use our
Church Finder Here