Question 1

GOD

Accepted Answer

There is one unique and eternal God, who exists in an everlasting loving relationship of Father, Son and Spirit - one God in three persons.
 
This means that God is sovereign in all things: including creation, revelation, redemption, judgement and the establishing of his kingdom.
As sovereign loving creator and redeemer, he is worthy of all glory, honour and praise.
 
Deuteronomy 6:4;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=deuteronomy&chapter=6) Isaiah 44:6;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=isaiah&chapter=44) John 1:1-3;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=john&chapter=1) John 10:30;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=john&chapter=10) John 16:13-15;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=john&chapter=16) Colossians 1:15-16;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=col&chapter=1) Hebrews 1:3;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=heb&chapter=1) Revelation 4:11(http://read.csbible.com/?book=revelation&chapter=4)

Question 2

THE BIBLE

Accepted Answer

There is no other way to know God except that He reveals himself to us.  The Bible is God’s revelation.  It is God-breathed, without fault as originally written, and has supreme authority in all matters of faith, conduct and experience.
 
This means that The Bible is sufficient for knowing God. It is not only central to the wellbeing of the 
church but is able to thoroughly equip the Christian community for life and godliness.
 
Psalm 33:4;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=psalms&chapter=33) Isaiah 1:17;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=isaiah&chapter=1) Acts 17:11;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=acts&chapter=17) 2 Timothy 3:14-17;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=2%20timothy&chapter=3) 2 Peter 1:20-21;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=2%20peter&chapter=1) Philippians 4:8;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=philippians&chapter=4) Colossians 3:5-17;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=colossians&chapter=3) 1 Corinthians 6:9-11;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=1%20corinthians&chapter=6) 1 John 5:20(http://read.csbible.com/?book=1%20john&chapter=5)

Question 3

HUMANITY

Accepted Answer

All people—men and women—are created in the image of God, and therefore enjoy a unique dignity in creation and a unique relationship with God.

Marriage is a gift of God and is modelled on the union of Christ and His church. It is the voluntary, lifelong union of one man and one woman. God has ordained marriage to be the right context for sexual intimacy.

Tragically, human nature is universally sinful since the Fall and all are guilty before God. This leaves us under the wrath and condemnation of God.

We are unable, without the prior regenerative work of God's Spirit, to turn ourselves yo God.
 
Genesis 1:26-28;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=gen&chapter=1) Psalm 145:17;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=psalms&chapter=145) John 15:12,(http://read.csbible.com/?book=john&chapter=15) Romans 3:9-23,(http://read.csbible.com/?book=romans&chapter=3) Isaiah 53:6;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=isaiah&chapter=53) Romans 1:18-20;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=rom&chapter=1) Ephesians 2:1-3(http://read.csbible.com/?book=ephesians&chapter=2)

Question 4

JESUS CHRIST

Accepted Answer

Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.

He is both fully God and truly human. He entered completely into human experience. He endured temptation and He suffered and died. He was perfectly obedient to God His father.

Jesus took on himself the consequences of human sin. He died and was buried. On the third day He rose bodily from the dead and was seen by many witnesses. He ascended to the right hand of God the Father and is now exalted as ruler over all.

Jesus will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead.
 
If you're interested in finding out more about Jesus, we’d love to suggest 2 things:
1. Read what the Bible says about Jesus. Books in the bible called Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John are all great places to start. If you don't have a bible you can read one here.(https://read.csbible.com)
2. Come along to EXPLORE,(javascript:void(0)) a weekly group designed to help anyone and everyone explore (or re-explore) Jesus and the claims he makes. Or just come along SUNDAYS (javascript:void(0))and ask any of the people you see up the front if they’d tell you about Jesus more. They’d love to speak to you.
 
Matthew 1:18-25;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=matt&chapter=1) John 1:1-2,(http://read.csbible.com/?book=john&chapter=1) 14;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=john&chapter=1) Acts 2:32-39;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=acts&chapter=2) Romans 3:24;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=romans&chapter=3) 1 Corinthians 15:1-8,(http://read.csbible.com/?book=1%20corinthians&chapter=15) 12-58;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=1%20corinthians&chapter=15) Colossians 1:15-20;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=col&chapter=1) 2 Timothy 4:1;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=2%20timothy&chapter=4) Hebrews 4:15,(http://read.csbible.com/?book=hebrews&chapter=4) 7:24-25;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=hebrews&chapter=7) 9:27-28;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=hebrews&chapter=9) 1 Peter 1:3-5,(http://read.csbible.com/?book=1%20peter&chapter=1) 18;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=1%20peter&chapter=1) 1 John 2:1-2(http://read.csbible.com/?book=1%20john&chapter=2)

Question 5

SALVATION

Accepted Answer

There is only one name under heaven by which we can be brought into relationship with God: the name 'Jesus Christ'.

It is only through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute, that the guilt, penalty and power of sin can be removed. In Christ’s death, God demonstrates his love to us most perfectly and establishes his victory over Satan and all his foes.

The work of the Holy Spirit is necessary to make the death of Jesus Christ effective in an individual's life. This work is only applied to those ‘appointed to eternal life’ by the Father; an appointment that occurred before the creation of the world and was not based on foreseen virtue, merit, or faith, in those appointed.

The Spirit irresistibly enables the sinner to repent and put their faith in Jesus Christ, and persevere in that faith, so that salvation is entirely of God's grace and not of human merit or works.

We enjoy now the blessing of union with Christ and secure relationship with God, while we await the final consummation of our hope with the return of Christ, the resurrection of our bodies, and life with him eternally. God has destined that there be only one people of God (Jew and Gentile) united by faith in Christ for all time.
 
John 1:12,(http://read.csbible.com/?book=john&chapter=1) 14:6;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=john&chapter=14) Acts 4:12;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=acts&chapter=4) Romans 5:1,(http://read.csbible.com/?book=romans&chapter=5) 6-8;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=romans&chapter=5) Ephesians 2:8-9;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=ephesians&chapter=2) Philippians 2:10-11;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=philippians&chapter=2) Titus 2:11-15(http://read.csbible.com/?book=titus&chapter=2)

Question 6

THE SPIRIT IN THE BELIEVER'S LIFE

Accepted Answer

The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son.

He personally indwells all true believers, enabling us to call on God as our Father and Jesus as our Lord.

The Holy Spirit brings glory to Jesus Christ, thus making Jesus Christ central in all things.

God’s Spirit enables people to grasp the truth of the Bible and brings them to faith and repentance. He works in these people to transform them into Christ’s likeness,producing in them godly fruit, granting them God’s gifts, and empowering them for God’s service and witness.

He grants his gifts for the purpose of service, not self-indulgence. Their use is determined - not by personal desire for fulfilment, or satisfaction - but by the principle of building the church. Not every gift of the Spirit is given to the church at every moment of its life.
 
John 14:15-17,(http://read.csbible.com/?book=john&chapter=14) 16:7-11;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=john&chapter=16) Acts 1:8;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=acts&chapter=1) Romans 8:1-9,(http://read.csbible.com/?book=romans&chapter=8) 26,(http://read.csbible.com/?book=romans&chapter=8) 12:1-2;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=romans&chapter=12) 1 Corinthians 2:10-15,(http://read.csbible.com/?book=1%20corinthians&chapter=2) 12:7-14;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=1%20corinthians&chapter=12) Galatians 5:22-25;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=galatians&chapter=5) Ephesians 1:17-19,(http://read.csbible.com/?book=ephesians&chapter=1) 4:1-7,(http://read.csbible.com/?book=ephesians&chapter=4) 6:17-18;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=ephesians&chapter=6) Titus 3:5-7;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=titus&chapter=3) 1 Peter 1:2(http://read.csbible.com/?book=1%20peter&chapter=1)

Question 7

THE PEOPLE OF GOD

Accepted Answer

The Lord Jesus Christ builds the church, his people, through the proclamation of Christ and the teaching of his word.

All who have been saved through the work of Christ are members of his church, united in Christ by God’s Spirit.

God has equipped his people with gifts to be used for mutual edification in the church and for the proclamation of the gospel to the world.

In church leadership, as in marriage, the roles of men and women are not fully interchangeable. Only biblically qualified men are to take on the role of pastor/overseer/elder or to preach in the regular public assembly. Within the church both men and women are to seek proper expression of their gifts as they work to build the body of Christ in love.
 
1 Corinthians 12:12-31;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=1%20corinthians&chapter=12) Ephesians 1:22-23;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=ephesians&chapter=1) Hebrews 10:24-25;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=hebrews&chapter=10) Titus 1:5-9(http://read.csbible.com/?book=titus&chapter=1)

Question 8

THE FUTURE

Accepted Answer

The Lord Jesus Christ will return from heaven. He will welcome his people into a life of eternal joy in fellowship with God, free from all sin, suffering and death, and he will execute God's eternal condemnation on all who have not received him. God will be glorified forever.
 
Matthew 25:31-46;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=matthew&chapter=25) Acts 1:10-11;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=acts&chapter=1) Romans 8:18-25;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=romans&chapter=8) 1 Thessalonians 4:16—5:11;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=1%20thessalonians&chapter=4) 2 Thessalonians 1:8-10;(http://read.csbible.com/?book=2%20thessalonians&chapter=1) Revelation 21-22(http://read.csbible.com/?book=revelation&chapter=21)

MBC / ABOUT US / OUR BELIEFS

WHAT WE BELIEVE

OUR BELIEFS ABOUT