NCJM Doctrinal Statements
1. Inerrancy and the Authority of Scripture
We believe that Bible is the inspired Word of God, written by men directed by the Holy Spirit. We believe in the plenary inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible and that the Bible is fully sufficient and authoritative in all matters of faith and conduct. (Ps. 119:89; Ps. 119:105; Is. 40:8; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; Heb 4:12; 2 Tim 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:19- 21)
2 Nature of God
We believe in one God, Creator of all things, holy, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, infinitely perfect, who exists in unity as three, co-equal, eternal Persons: namely the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in every divine perfection and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. God’s character is unassailable and unchangeable, and His Word is immutable. He is trustworthy and faithful to keep all His promises (Gen. 1:1; Deut. 6:4; Is. 45:5; Job 33:4, John1:1; Col. 1:16; 1 Tim. 1:17; Heb. 9:14; 13:8; Matt. 28:19)
3. Nature of Christ
We believe that Christ is the eternal Son of God, through whom and for whom all things were created. We believe that Christ became incarnate through the virgin birth, led a sinless life, died on the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice for our sins, resurrected to life bodily the third day, and ascended to heaven. We believe in Christ's high priestly intercession for His people, and that He will return again visibly and bodily according to His promise. (Col. 1:16-17; Rom. 5:8; Rom. 6:9; Rom. 8:34; 1 Cor. 15:1-4; Jn 14:3; Acts 1:11; 1 Thess. 4:16)
4. The Holy Spirit
We believe in the Holy Spirit who came forth to convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. The Holy Spirit regenerates (make alive the spirit which was formerly dead), indwells, sanctifies, comforts, and instructs those who believe in Christ. Moreover, the Holy Spirit empowers believers to walk according to God’s ways when they walk in step with Him and empowers them to be Christ's witnesses. (Jn. 14:26, 15:26; Lk. 12:12; Jn 3:5; Acts 1:8; Titus 3:5)
5. Man's Depravity
We believe that all people are sinners both by nature and by choice, that sin causes separation from God, and sin incurs physical and spiritual death. We believe that mankind is created in God's image, but man is fallen due to sin. Adam and Eve were ancestors of us all. They heeded the devil’s temptation, and their original sin initiated the cycle of sin, decay, and death in our world. Without Christ, a person is alienated from God, under His wrath, and spiritually dead. (Gen. 1:26-27; Is. 59:2; Jer. 17:9-10; Rom. 3:10-3:23; 5:12; 6:23; 1 John 5:12)
6. Penal Substitutionary Atonement
We believe that Christ bore the punishment we deserve at the cross. We are saved by Grace alone through Faith in Christ alone, whose finished work at the cross provides complete forgiveness of sin and His righteousness to be credited to our account. His shed blood covers our sins and justifies all who trust in Him as Lord and Savior. His sacrifice was enough for all time. His atoning death and victorious resurrection constitute the only ground for salvation.We believe that those who accept Christ as Savior shall rejoice forever with God and those who refuse will be experience eternal torment. (Is. 53; John 1:29; John 3:16; John 10:10; Rom. 3:24-26; Rom. 5:8-10; Col. 1:20; Titus 2:11; John 6:40; Lk. 12:5; 1 Cor. 6:9-11; 1 John 2:2)
7. Exclusivity of Christ & Repentance
We believe what Scripture affirms: Faith in Jesus Christ is the only Way to salvation and the only way to be reconciled to God. We believe that God commands everyone everywhere to believe the gospel by turning to Him in repentance and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ by faith. Those who believe in Christ are adopted into God’s family and given eternal life. (John 1:12; John 14:6; Acts 2:38; Rom.10:9-11; 1 John 1:9; 1 John 5:12)
8. Christ's Return
We believe in the imminent personal and bodily return of our Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that Christ will raise the dead and judge the world. The coming of Christ demands constant expectancy and motivates the believer to godly living. We believe that the saints will all be given incorruptible resurrection bodies like Christ’s. (1 Cor. 15:51-54; 1 Thess. 1:2, 9; Rev. 22:20)
9. Nature of Heaven and Hell
We believe that heaven and hell are literal locations. Believers will be united with Christ in heaven and one day reign with Him on the New Earth following the resurrection. The unrepentant who be separated from God’s blessings in hell and after their bodies are resurrected, they will be cast into the lake of fire, a place of eternal, conscious torment. (Heaven: John 14:2-3; Rev. 21-22; Hell: Matt. 25:41, 46; 2 Thess. 1:9; Rev. 20:15; 21:8)
10. Nature of Angels and the Devil
We believe that angels are spiritual beings created by God to serve Him and minister to the saints (Heb. 1:7). The devil, or Satan, is the primary adversary of God and the accuser of the saints. He is the “father of lies,” and his agenda is to deceive people and steal, kill, and destroy what God has made. He is also a created angelic being, but in his pride, he desired to be worshiped like God. Other angels that followed in his rebellion became the demons. The devil is a powerful force in this world, but his doom is sure, and he will ultimately be defeated by Christ and cast into the lake of fire. (Is. 14:12-15; John 8:44; John 10:10; 2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 6:12, 1 Peter 5:8, Rev. 12:9; Rev. 20:10)
11. Ordinances of the Church
We affirm that Christ established two ordinances: Baptism & Communion/Lord’s Supper. While not redemptive, these ordinances are important steps of obedience whereby believers identify themselves with Christ and actively illustrate the gospel. This organization supports Believers’ baptism, since the Scriptures show that baptism is a conscious and public profession of faith and an act that that symbolizes the new life in Christ. (Matt. 26:26-28; Matt. 28:19; Rom. 6:3-4; Acts 2:238; Acts 8:35-38; 1 Cor. 11:23-26)
12. Creation
We believe that God created the heavens and the earth and everything in them in six literal, twenty-four-hour periods of time as the Son spoke the universe into being. This is fundamental because all that God made was declared good prior to “the Fall.” Prior to the Fall there was no bloodshed, no death, and no decay. Furthermore, Jesus taught that Adam and Eve were created “at the beginning” just as Genesis states. Adam sinned and all creation was subjected to the curse of sin and death and awaits the redemption of Christ. The Sabbath rest is also based on the example of Genesis 1. We further believe that God designed all creatures, and we reject Darwinian evolution, billions of years, and views that would contradict the authority of the Bible (Exodus 20:8-11; Matthew 19:4; Rom. 8:20-22; Col 1:16; Heb. 1:2).
13. Marriage & Sexuality
We believe that God has established marriage as a covenant; a lifelong, exclusive relationship between one man and one woman and that all sexual activity outside the marriage relationship, whether heterosexual, homosexual, bi-sexual, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery, pornography or otherwise, is immoral and sinful and is a perversion of God's gift of sex (Gen. 2:24-25; Ex. 20:14, 17, 22:19; Lev. 18:22-23, 20:13, 15:16; Matt. 19:4-9; Rom. 1:18-31; 1 Cor. 6:9-20; 1 Tim. 1:8-11; Jude 7).
14. Gender
We believe that God created the human race male and female and that all conduct with the intent to adopt a gender other than one’s birth gender is immoral, sinful and in direct opposition to God’s desire for mankind (Gen. 1:27; Deut. 22:5).
15. The Unborn
We believe that since human life begins at the moment of conception, the unborn child is a living human being made in the image of God. Aborting an unborn child is therefore immoral, sinful and in direct opposition to God's desire for mankind (Job 3:16; Ps 51:5, 139:14-16; Isa. 44:24, 49:1; Jer. 1:5, 20:15-18; Lk. 1:44).