DOCTRINAL DISTINCTIVES SCRIPTURES We teach that the Bible is God's complete written revelation to man, with the sixty-six books of the Bible all being fully inspired by the Holy Spirit. Scripture is, inspired by God whether or not the message is understood, trusted in, or obeyed. 2 Peter 1:20-21; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:16 We teach that the Word of God is inerrant in the original documents since the Holy Spirit superintended the human writers, working through their individual personalities and different writing styles, insuring that the precise literal message was communicated as God intended. We affirm the verbal plenary accuracy of all the facts recorded in scripture. 2 Peter 1:20-21; Matthew 5:18; 24:35; John 16:12-13; 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 4:12 We teach that scripture may have several applications of each passage but there is only one true interpretation. The meaning of God’s Word is determined through the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit as one applies the principles of the grammatical/historical method of interpretation (the normal meaning and usage of the words at the time they were written and in light of the same historical context). Therefore, the Bible is the only authoritative, infallible rule for faith and practice. As we ascertain its truths, it is our responsibility as believers to apply them to our lives. Psalm 19:7-14; John 7:17; 1 Corinthians 2:7-14; 1 John 2:20; 2 Timothy 2:15 GOD We teach that the one and only true God is Spirit: self-existent, infinite, personal, unchangeable, and eternal in His being; perfect in holiness, love, justice, goodness, wisdom, and truth; omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent; creator and sustainer of all things, visible and invisible; both present throughout the universe and transcendent to creation; eternally existent in three persons, one in substance and equal in power and glory – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Genesis 1:1-31; Exodus 3:14; 34:6; Deuteronomy 6:4; 32:4; 1 Kings 8:27; Nehemiah 9:6; Psalm 90:2; 103:8; 116:5; 147:5; Isaiah 6:3; 40:28; 57:15; Jeremiah 23:23-24; Malachi 3:6, Matthew 28:19; John 4:24; 14:16; Acts 17:28; 1 Corinthians 8:4; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Colossians 1:17; 1 Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 1:2, 12; 11:3; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 John 4:10-16 GOD, THE FATHER We teach that the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is the author of salvation, the Father who has graciously chosen from eternity past those whom He would have as His own. Genesis 1:1; Psalm 90:2; John 1:12; 13:3; 16:28; Galatians 4:5; Romans 8:15; Ephesians 1:3-6; Hebrews 12:5-9; 1 Peter 1:2-3; 1 John 2:23; 3:1 GOD, THE SON We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ as deity has eternal existence with the Father; in His incarnation was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, thus uniting the divine and human natures in their completeness into one unique person of Jesus Christ; He is sinless and His voluntary death on our behalf is the only atonement for the sins of the world; He bodily rose from the dead, guaranteeing a future resurrected life for all believers and ascended to the right hand of the Father where He NORTHWEST COMMUNITY CHURCH | WWW.NCCPHX.ORG | 602.978.2740 Revised 06.30.15 presently mediates as the believers’ Advocate and High Priest; He is sovereign in power and lordship as manifested in His miraculous works and wisdom; He will imminently return in power and glory. Isaiah 53:6; Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 1:35; John 1:1, 14, 18; 14:6; Acts 2:22, 24-32; Romans 1:3-4; 8:34; 2 Corinthians 5:18-19; Ephesians 1:19-22; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 3:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8; 4:15; 7:25; 1 Peter 1:18, 2:22-24; 3:18; 1 John 2:1-2 GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT We teach that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the triune God, possessing all the attributes of deity making Him co-equal with the Father and the Son. His office and work is to convict mankind of sin, righteousness, and judgment; to regenerate such as He enables to repent of their sins and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ; to sanctify, empower, teach, guide, and comfort the believer; to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. The scriptures reveal the work of the Holy Spirit in the Church to be that of uniting believers into the body of Christ, as the temple of God; having sealed them for the day of redemption; having given the body of inspired truth and imparting to them illumination and guidance into all truth, equipping them with gifts and graces for service and presiding over and guiding them into the will of God. Matthew 28:19; Luke 24:49; John 3:5-6; 14:16-18, 26; 15:26;16:7-14; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4; 13:2-4; 15:28; Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 2:10-12; 3:16; 6:19-20; 12:4-11; 12:13; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 1:13; 2:21-22; 4:30; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 John 2:20-27 MANKIND HIS CREATION We teach that man was created materially and immaterially by an immediate act of God and not by a process of evolution. He was created an immortal soul in the image and likeness of God, possessing personality and holiness; in his original state man enjoyed continuous, harmonious fellowship with God. The purpose of man’s creation is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Man having been created in the likeness of God was a self-conscious personality capable of free and rational choice, thereby unique, having been given dominion over the rest of God’s earthly creation. Genesis 1:27; 2:7, 15-25; Psalm 8; Ephesians 1:5-6; James 3:9; Revelation 4:11 HIS FALL We teach that man did not remain in the original state of creation, but, having been tempted by Satan, voluntarily disobeyed the revealed will of God; thereby man’s rebellion alienated him from God and subjected mankind to His wrath with the sentence of both physical and spiritual death. Even the earth was cursed because of man's sin. In consequence of this act of disobedience, and because all humanity was in Adam, every person is corrupted and has by nature an evil disposition which leads to responsible acts of sin and to just condemnation. All people are thus sinners by nature, by choice, and by divine declaration. Also through the fall of Adam, man has become so completely ruined that he has neither will nor power to turn to God and if left to himself apart from divine grace would remain in his sin forever. Genesis 3:1-19; Psalm 14:1-3; Isaiah 64:6; Jeremiah 17:9; John 3:36; Romans 3:9-18, 23; 5:10-12; 6:23; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Ephesians 2:1-3; 1 Timothy 2:13-14; 1 John 1:8 MARRIAGE We teach that the term “marriage” has only one meaning and that is a covenant sanctioned by God which joins one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in scripture. We teach that marriage was given by God as part of His common grace and that it has no meaning other than as He has provided in scripture. We teach that marriage is subject to the curse of the fall but that believers, living in obedience to the NORTHWEST COMMUNITY CHURCH | WWW.NCCPHX.ORG | 602.978.2740 Revised 06.30.15 scripture and under the control of the Holy Spirit, can begin to experience a peaceful, productive, and fulfilled marriage as intended by God. We teach that the marriages of believers are to illustrate the loving relationship of Christ and His church, with the husband loving his wife as Christ loves the church and the wife responding to her husband’s loving leadership as the church responds to Christ. We teach that as believers’ marriages are to illustrate Christ’s relationship with His church, believers should choose to marry those who share their faith and regenerate life. We teach that marriage is always a public, formal, and officially recognized covenant between a man and a woman. We teach that without such a covenant, which may include a “common law marriage,” where valid in specific cases under pertinent law, prolonged conjugal cohabitation does not establish, and is not equivalent to, marriage. We teach that where no such covenant exists, or can be discerned, between a cohabiting couple prior to coming to faith in Christ, family units should be preserved to the extent possible and, if otherwise appropriate, solemnization encouraged. We teach that where a valid marriage has been established prior to coming to faith in Christ, the couple should remain married. Genesis 2:18–24; 3:16; 1 Peter 3:7; Ephesians 5:22–33; 2 Corinthians 6:14; John 4:17-18; 1 Corinthians 7:24 DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE We teach that God hates divorce, permitting it only where there has been unrepentant sexual sin or desertion by an unbeliever.