Transforming All People with the Love of Jesus
We have a mission of transforming all people with the love of Jesus, and we strongly believe that we cannot do that unless we stand on Scriptural truth. We hold to the scriptural truths listed below as the basis of our teaching.
The graphic to the right explains in more detail the mission of the church and the four different areas we implement that mission.
What We Believe
We have a mission of transforming all people with the love of Jesus, which we cannot do unless we stand on Biblical truth. We hold to the Biblical truths listed below as the basis of our teaching. Please note, however, that no man-made statement can contain all the richness of the Christian faith. The Bible itself is the sole and final source of all that we believe and teach. Nevertheless, we offer this Statement of Beliefs in the hope that it will give you a better understanding of the Auburn Church of Christ.
GOD
We believe in Yahweh, the One True God, Who is eternal and Who co-exists equally in three Persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit. Although each member of the Trinity serves different functions, they each possess equal power and authority.
GOD THE FATHER
God the Father is the Almighty, the Creator of all that is seen and unseen. He is all powerful, all knowing, ever present, unchanging, completely worthy of our trust, and above all, holy. It is in Him that we live, move and exist. God is good. He is our Father. He is loving, compassionate, and faithful to His people and His promises. He loves us greatly and wants every person to return to Him. God reveals Himself to us through His creation, His Word, His Son, and His Holy Spirit.
JESUS THE CHRIST
Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Jesus is fully God and fully man, the eternal Word full of grace and truth. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, died for our sins on the cross, was buried, and rose from the dead. Jesus currently sits at God the Father’s right hand, interceding for believers. Jesus will come to Earth again in victory to reign forever.
THE HOLY SPIRIT
Those who are baptized into Christ receive the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit lives in all Christians as Helper, Guide, and Comforter. He marks us as the possession of God. He gives us the strength to resist temptation, serve Jesus, and do what is right. He comforts and encourages us in times of trouble, gives direction for living life God’s way, and intercedes for us before God the Father. The Holy Spirit also blesses each believer with gifts that enable us to serve others for the building up of the church, the Body of Christ.
THE BIBLE
The Bible is the Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit. It is the written record of God’s supernatural revelation of Himself to man, absolute in its authority, complete in its revelation, final in its content, and without any error in its teaching. The Bible is “living and active,” ever speaking to our present circumstances. It reveals to us where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going. The Bible consists of the 66 books contained the Old and New Testaments.
SIN AND SALVATION
God created people in His own image, and as image bearers of God every person is valuable. As God has free will, so also has He granted every person free will, the ability to make their own decisions. Every person chooses to rebel against God’s authority; therefore, all people are guilty of sin. The penalty for sinning against God is death.
Fortunately, God has provided a way for us to escape this penalty by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die in our place. Jesus’ substitutionary death pays our penalty, satisfies the wrath of God the Father, and provides us a way to be reconciled to Him. Jesus’ resurrection from the dead also opens the way for us to live eternally.
God’s provision for our salvation is solely by His grace and reflects no merit on our part. We lay hold of God’s grace by choosing to place our faith in Jesus Christ, God’s Son, as Lord and Savior of the world, repenting of our personal sin, confessing Jesus as Lord before others, and being immersed into His death and resurrection through baptism.
THE CHURCH AND ITS PURPOSE
The Church of Jesus Christ was founded on the day of Pentecost and consists of all Christians everywhere. The New Testament refers to the church as the body of Christ, the bride of Christ, God’s household, and God’s flock. Jesus is the Head of the church, and every Christian is called to submit to Him.
The Church is organized into local congregations. The elders of Auburn Christian Church oversee its affairs and shepherd its members. They are accountable to one another and answerable to God as His stewards for the oversight, instruction, edification, discipline, and restoration of church members.
THE LORD’S SUPPER
On the night He was betrayed, Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper among His disciples. He commanded His followers to “do this in remembrance of Me.” Consistent with New Testament practice, we partake of the Lord’s Supper weekly, proclaiming the Lord’s death until He returns.
THE RETURN OF JESUS
The New Testament is clear that Jesus will return to the Earth in triumph. Recognizing that among believers there are several views regarding how and when this event will occur, we encourage each person to study the Scriptures and come to their own conclusion. We do not want to add to the unspiritual divisiveness that surrounds this topic. Rather, in accordance with Ephesians 4:2-3 we seek to live “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”