Our Beliefs
• In non-essential beliefs – we have liberty.
“Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters…Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his master he stands or falls…So then each of us will give an account of himself to God… So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God.” Rom 14:1,4,12,22
• In all beliefs – we show love.
“… If I hold in my mind not only all human knowledge but also the very secrets of God, and if I have the faith that can move mountains, but have no love, I amount to nothing at all.” I Cor 13:2(PH)
It is the desire of Cornerstone Community Church to minister to any believer who holds to essential doctrines of the Christian faith and is supportive of the vision and leadership of this church. As a result we are committed to major on the majors and minor on the minors. A basic principle we follow is: “On the essentials we must have unity. On the non-essentials we must have liberty. On our differences we must demonstrate love.” We ask those with differing views on secondary issues and on which good, godly Christians have historically been unable to come to agreement, to refrain from being divisive, judgmental or overbearing in their conversation and attitudes. For staff members, elders, deacons and those in teaching positions, we also require support of the church’s official teaching positions.
• ESSENTIAL DOCTRINES
The Holy Bible: We believe the Scriptures, comprised of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, are the inspired Word of God, inerrant in the original writings, complete as the revelation of God’s will for salvation, and the supreme and final authority in all matters to which they speak. We believe Scripture must be understood through the literal, contextual, grammatical, and historical method of interpretation, and applied under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. (2 Samuel 7:28; Psalm 119:160; 2 Timothy 3;15-17; 1 Corinthians 14:37)
The Trinity: We believe in one God, creator and sustainer of all things, eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, that these are equal in essence. They execute distinct but harmonious roles in the work of creation, providence, and redemption. (Genesis 1:1-2; Job 26:13; Psalm 104; Mathew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; Ephesians 2:18; John 10:30; 14:23; 17:5; Acts 5:3-4)
God the Father: We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. We believe He concerns Himself both graciously and mercifully in the affairs of men, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. The Father does everything in accordance with His perfect will, though His sovereinty neither eliminates nor minimizes our personal reponsibility. (Matthew 28:19; John 15:26; Psalm 19:1; Exodus 3:14; Colossians 1:17)
Jesus Christ: We believe that Jesus Christ is God’s eternal Son. We believe further that He is not only true God, but true man, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. We also believe in His sinless life, His substitutionary atonement, His bodily resurrection from the dead, His ascension into heaven, His priestly intercession on behalf of His people, and His personal and visible, return from heaven. (Matthew 28:19; John 15:26; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Philippians 2:5,6; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17)
The Holy Spirit: We believe in the Holy Spirit. He was sent by God the Father and God the Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. The Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus Christ and implements Christ’s work of redemption and baptism. He regenerates, seals, gifts, and indwells all believers at conversion, progressively sanctifying, and securing them in Christ forever. The Spirit fills, leads, comforts, and intercedes for believers, empowering them for godly living and service. His presence is evident by the fruit of the Spirit and the building up of believers into the body of Christ, the Church. (Acts 5:3-4; 1 Corinthians 3:16,17; John 16:8-11; Ephesians 4:30; Exodus 31:3; 1 Samuel 16:13; John 14:26; Romans 8:26)
Mankind: We believe God originally created Adam and Eve in His image and free from sin. We further believe that all people are created in His image, but sinners by nature and choice and are spiritually dead. We also believe that those who repent of sin and trust Jesus Christ as Savior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit. We believe God established marriage to be a lifelong covenant relationship between one man and one woman. Marriage so defined is the only permissible context for intimate sexual expression and is the foundation for the human family. We believe that human life is sacred and precious from conception until death and should always be protected. We further believe that every human being is directly responsible to God in matters of faith and life. (Genesis 1:26-31; 2:7,22; 5:1-2; 9:6; Psalm 100:3; 119:73; Isaiah 45:12; Acts 17:26-28; Psalm 51:5; Psalm 139:13-16; Jeremiah 1:5; Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:31, 34-36, 41, 44; Genesis 2:23,24; Matthew 19:4-6; 1 Timothy 3:2)
Salvation: We believe in salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. We further believe that this salvation is based upon the sovereign grace of God, was purchased by Christ on the cross, and is received by faith, apart from any human merit, works, or ritual. All who repent and believe in Jesus Christ are forgiven of all their sins, baptized by Christ with the Spirit, justified in God’s sight by the merit of Christ’s righteousness, adopted into His family, eternally sealed by the Holy Spirit, and have equal access to God. We further believe salvation results in righteous living, good works, and proper social concern. (Acts 15:11; Romans 3:24,28; 1 Corinthians 3:5-7; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:5,8; Romans 4:4-5; 6:23; 8:29-30; 11:5-6; Galatians 1:15; Ephesians 1:3-6; 2:8-9; Philippians 3:7-9; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 7:10-11; Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8)
The Church: We believe that the Church is the spiritual body of which Christ is the Head. We believe that the true Church is composed of all persons who have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. We believe that this body expresses itself in local assemblies whose members have been immersed upon a credible confession of faith and who unite themselves for worship, fellowship, instruction, evangelism, and service. We believe that the ordinances of the local church are believers’ baptism by immersion and the Lord’s supper. We also believe in the interdependence of local churches and the mutual submission of believers to each other in unity and love. We believe that each local church is self-governing in function and must be free from interference by any ecclesiastical or political authority. (Acts 2:1; Corinthians 12:27; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Colossians 1:18; Matthew 18:15-17; 28:19, 20; Acts 2:38, 41-42, 47; 8:12, 36-39; 16:34; 18:8; 1 Corinthians 11:23-25; Ephesians 4:1-13)
Last Things: We believe in the bodily resurrection of the saved and lost, the eternal existence of all people either in heaven or hell, and in divine judgments, rewards, and punishments. (Isaiah 26:19; John 5:25-29; Acts 24:14-15; 1 Corinthians 6:14; Philippians 3:21; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17; Revelation 20:5-6; 21:6-7)