Why We Believe

Scripture tells believers to always be prepared to give an answer for the faith that lies within them. But it is a lot easier to ask questions than to answer them. 

 

We have prepared a number of answers for why we believe the things we do, going through the Statement of Faith listed on this website. It is a very long Statement of Faith, and so this is a very long page; and yet, we still have not answered even a fraction of the questions that may be asked. If your question has not been answered here, please feel free to reach out.

 

Concerning God

"God is self-existent: His name, I AM, means He depends on nothing but Himself, and everything else depends on Him, absolutely."

 

Why should we believe in God? The question can be answered in multiple ways, because our reason, intuition, moral conscience and experience all testifify to the reality of God.

 

Reason testifies to God by demanding a reason for things. By nature, reason desires a reason for everything; it seeks an answer to all questions. Only an eternal and infinite power could be the answer to all questions, because only an eternal and infinite power could explain itself, and every aspect of itself, as well as everything else.

 

Therefore, when Moses asked God what His name was, God replied, "I AM" (Exodus 3:14). By this He was saying much more than merely "I exist." God was saying that His existance is the end of the matter. Nothing caused Him. Nothing created Him. God is the first and the last. God is the ne plus ultra of all our enquiries. God is the summary of the whole matter. God is the foundation of all reality, the ultimate explanation for everything. "I AM" means "I exist of myself. I am the end of all questions, the beginning of all reality." 

 

Of course, the name I AM implies other things too: the word "I" tells us that God is personal. The word "AM" implies that God is a God of being, for it is translated from the Hebrew word for being. It could be translated "I BE," if it were not broken English. Combined with its other implications the name testifies that God is the God of all being. This in turn has implications for sin, or that which offends God, since sin is defined by its lack of being, its lack of truth, its polution of and detraction from God's good creation, and its complete inability to create or be anything new. This has great meaning in the doctrine of newness.

 

Lest it pass us by, the name "I AM" also implies that God speaks, for He speaks His name as a sentence. It means that God has words, that God communicates. Jesus is called elsewhere the "Word of God," that is the speech of God, the internal and very personal logic of God's mind.

 

It is a sentence Jesus repeated when He said, "Before Abraham was, I am." Jesus was telling Moses that He exists now, presently, before Abraham. He did not say "Before Abraham was, I was," but, "Before Abraham was, I am." Jesus is timeless, ever present. God is now, here, with each and every one of us, in existence. He is, always. "I AM" therefore implies God's presence, as well as God's existance.

 

"God is therefore the ultimate and immediate cause of all things, by definition."

 

 

 

  • God is creator
    • Having a creator provides us with an explanation for all there is.
    • A Creator implies that God is uncreated. It means that God is self-existant, meaning He has no cause outside Himself.
    • That implies that He is timeless, for One must be there before Oneself to account for Oneself, in an infinite regress, implying timelessness.
    • Since time is a creation, God must exist both outside and inside of time, being the first and the last, the beginning and the end:
      • Jesus did not say "before Abraham was, I was" but rather "before Abraham was, I am." He is, now, presently, before Abraham. He is the beginning and the ending.
    • And this also implies that everything exists inside God and by God: "For in him we live, and move, and have our being" (Acts 17:28); "And he is before all things, and by him all things consist" (Colossians 1:17)
    • It also implies that God is infinitely powerful, for only an infinite and timeless power could be the cause of everything.
    • But how do we know that God is the creator and maker of all things, not just the one who 'started it off' in the beginning? Scripture says, "For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen" (Romans 11:36).
    • We recognise the fullness of the scripture on this point. All things are:
      • of God in that He is the ultimate cause of all 
      • through God in that He is the immediate cause of all, bringing everthing to pass (even sin) by His omnipotant hand and council (Acts 4:27-28)
      • to God in that everything serves God's perfect plan and purposes.
  • God is King
    • We believe that God is King over all, but what does that mean?
    • It means that all things come God to pass by God's command.
    • A King rules by His command, giving commands to His servants, and those servants obey. But God is not merely the King of people, but also of sheep, and goats, and grass, and sky and air, as scripture says, "all are thy servants" (Psalm 119:91).
    • God is the governor among the nations, setting up empires, tearing down dynasties, and determining the whole course of human history as pleases Him best.
    • This means that God is not King because we reverence Him as King. We are to reverence Him as King because He is King whether we like it or not! He is King in an objective sense.
    • Scripture makes it clear that all things, even evil, comes to pass by God's command: "Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High     that good and bad come?" God predestines everything.
  • God is love
    • For God to be love means that the very nature of love is defined by God's nature and character.
    • It means that God is always motivated by love in everthing He does.
    • Even in predestining the wicked to hell, God is motivated by the love He has for His people.
    • Because the very nature of God is true love, it means that everything in life works together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose.
  • The Holy Trinity
    • We believe that God exists in Trinity, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, three persons in One Being.
    • We know this because Father, Son and Holy Spirit are personal names for God, used in scripture, for example where Christ spoke of "the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19) or where it speaks of each person using personal language, like "he", "us", "our": "when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth" (John 16:13), "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness" (Genesis 1:26).
    • The divine persons are therefore not different modes of God but full persons of God, which represents the fullness of meaning found in scripture.
    • We also believe that Christ is eternally the Son of God, for scripture speaks of "the kingdom of his dear Son... For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him. And he is before all things, and by him all things consist" (Colossians 1:13-17).
    • As proof of Christ's Sonship before the incarnation, we read, "Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?" (Proverbs 30:4)
    • This means that God is eternally the Father, and Christ was eternally begotten of Him. 
    • If it helps consider the overlap between Words and Sons, for Christ is said to be the Word of God from the beginning (John 1:1):
      • We speak words to accomplish a purpose; to pass on understanding; to achieve a goal; so fathers often send their sons to accomplish a goal. Scripture says “He sent his word, and healed them” (Psalm 107:20).
      • Our words proceed from us and so do Sons.
      • Words obey the one who speaks them and Christ, as Son, has always obeyed His Father. Proof of this is that the Father sent the Son and the Son obeyed. It is not the Father who obeys the Son, but the Son who obeyed the Father.
      • Sons are in one sense an expression of their fathers, in that a father’s joy and image is expressed in his son. Jesus said, “he that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (John 14:9)
      • Words carry a message, and sons are often sent by their fathers to bear a message.
      • So whether in accomplishment, or procession, or obedience, or expression, or message, Sons and Words are much alike, and this shows us that as the eternal Word, Christ was also God's eternal Son.
  • Christ's incarnation
    • While Christ is the Son of God from eternity, He is also fully man from the incarnation, posessing a human body, soul and spirit.
    • So we read, "the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us" (John 1:14).
    • This means that at the incarnation, the Word became flesh in His person, without ceasing to be divine; for God cannot cease to be God!
    • In other words, the sacred body of Christ was created, so that He could be fully man, fully God.
    • So Christ has two natures: humans and divine.
    • We know that as a full man, Christ has a human soul and spirit also, because He demonstrated His attributes of it such as limited knowledge during His ministry. In His divinity, Christ knows everything; but in His humanity, He is limited.
    • We also recognise that Christ is both the Son of God and the Word of God, in His humanity and divinity. In His humanity, He is a message and a Son of the Father, having no human father, and in His divinity, He is the full expression of the Father's heart, dwelling in His bosom and being eternally begotten of Him. 
  • Man is made in God's image
    • The Holy Trinity declared in unison: "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion" (Genesis 1:27)
    • This means that man is a representation of God, a picture, an image. And this is where he derrives all his moral value.
    • So man is creative, like the Father, he speaks, like the Son, and has a mysterious spirit, like God's Spirit.
    • Man also has dominion over the world, as God has dominion over all things.
  • The fullness of scripture
    • How are we to approach scripture? What meaning are we to attach to it? 
    • The answer is to look to God. God is aware of every possible connection when He speaks, every possible meaning, and as far as it conforms with the truth, He means all of it. 
    • This means that scripture has a divine fullness. It is not merely the word of man, but the word of God.
    • But like Christ, scripture is fully human, and fully divine. Everything the men meant when they spoke it, is the meaning of God. But God's meaning goes far beyond that. He meant far more than they could ever imagine.
    • So it is that we are not to interpret scripture according to other sources, or what we would like it to mean, but by comparing scripture with scripture, "not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual" (Colossians 2:13).
  • Man's duty to obey God
    • Man has a moral duty to obey God in everything
    • Man is under a moral law
  • Original sin
    • People originate in sin
    • At conception men are "concieved in sin" and "shapen in iniquity"
  • Eternal judgement
    • Men shall be judged according to their works
    • The wicked will experience eternal torment in hell
    • Either in the case of the saved, works that testify to the work of Christ in their lives, or, in the case of the lost, works that testify to the wickedness of their hearts
    • Works are a testimony to the heart
  • The doctrines of grace    
    • Man is totally depraved and without any ability whatsoever to save himself or contribute anything to his salvation
    • God's election of His people is unconditional
    • Christ's atonement is limited to His people
    • Saving grace is irresistible
    • God preserves His saints until the end
  • Wholistic redemption
    •  Redemption is penal, victorious, glorious and free
    • Salvation is entirely God's work
    • Justification is from eternity, from the cross and in life
  • The law-gospel distinction
    • The gospel is the law as it is fulfilled in Christ
    • Christ has fulfilled the law in being the body that cast the shadows of the lawin being the anti-type of so many pictures that came before Him
    • Christ has fulfilled the law in fulfilling the prophecies of the scriptures
    • Christ has fulfilled the law in being the perfect keeper of the law on His people's behalf
    • Christ has fulfilled the law in being the spotless lamb and substitute for His people
    • Christ has fulfilled the law in bearing the punishment of the law
    • Christ has fulfilled the law in filling up the full weight and measure of the commandment
    • Christ has fulfilled the law in elevating the moral commandment and the promises of God
    • Therefore the gospel is less applicable to the unregenerate than it is to those found in Christ.
    • Those outside of Christ have a lesser duty as concerning the gospel than the elect.
    • It is not the duty of the unregenerate to believe Christ has died for them, or to spiritually depend on His death for their salvation, yet it is their duty to believe everything God has ever said is true, and to trust in His righteous and loving attributes.
  • Monergistic regeneration & faith
    • Human choice has no part in saving faith
  • The full assurance of faith
    • Assurance may be had by looking to Christ alone and His work on the cross and in giving His people faith, hope and love
  • The five solas of the Reformation
    • Scripture alone: Scripture is the only infallible and inerrant authority in the Christian life
  • Covenant theology
    • Salvation unfolds in covenants
    • Charismatic gifts were for the foundation of the church and not for today
    • The law reflects the perfect righteousness of God
    • The law illuminates human sinfulness
    • The law is given to restrain evil
    • The law reveals what is pleasing to God
    • The moral aspects of the ceremonial commandments have an applicability and helpfulness to believers today
    • The moral aspects of the civil commandments are a helpful guide to governments today
    • Adam and Christ represent both federal and natural heads of their peoples, both representing them and being their progenitor in a full sense
  • The purity of the church
    • Christ's church is to keep itself pure
    • Seperating from unbelievers at the communion table
    • Not associating with disreputable persons
  • The infallibility and inerrancy of scripture
    • Scripture is infallible and inerrant
  • Mission through love
    • Bearing witness to the world through the love we show to one another within the fellowship (John 13:35; Matthew 5:16)
  • The return of Christ
    • Christ will return in power and glory
    • At the return of Christ the Lord's people will recieve new bodies, like unto His glorious body

    • God's people will live forever in eternal peace, joy and love in a renewed earth

Key attitudes and practices

  • Loving our neighbour

    • we believe in loving one another as ourselves, encouraging one another and exhorting one another daily, in laying down our lives for one another, dying daily for the sake of the brethren, mourning with those that mourn, weeping with those that weep, rejoicing with those that rejoice (John 13:34; Romans 12:15)

    • we believe in loving our neighbour (our spiritual brother or sister in Christ) as ourselves (Mark 12:31)

  • Loving our enemy
    • we believe in lending to wicked and unbelieving people who are in need, asking and expecting nothing in return (Luke 6:35)
  • Patience 
    • we believe that patience is the key to the Christian life
    • we believe that time exists to show the patience and longsuffering of God
    • we believe in centrality of patience and waiting on the Lord to the Christian life
    • we believe God will make all things beautiful in His time
  • Kindness
    • we believe in showing kindness out of a kind heart
  • Speaking graciously
    • speaking graciously
    • speaking softly
    • speaking humbly, which does not mean saying "in my humble opinion" or "I humbly submit" which are in fact examples of proud words
    • being slow to speak
  • Listening

    • being quick to listen

  • Prayer

    • we believe in praying for one another (James 5:16)

    • we believe the Lord's house is a house of prayer

  • Humility
    • we believe that walking with the LORD's people is a humbling experience, and that humility is vital for the Christian life (1 Corinthians 7:9-11)
  • Sharing
    • we believe in having all things common within the fellowship, and not claiming that anything we have is our own (Acts 4:32). Note that we do not believe in psychologically pressuring people into sharing their posessions with others, except to teach them what the Bible says about the subject. Only those within the fellowship may partake of or contribute to the daily ministration
    • we believe in a daily giving of help to the poor within the church (Acts 6:1; Romans 12:10-13)
  • Exhortation
    • we believe in meeting daily (informally and not as a legalistic requirement) and exorting one another daily (Acts 2:46; Hebrews 3:13)
  • Togetherness
    • talking together about the things of God
    • the kiss of charity
    • graciously greeting one another
    • following the example of the apostles
  • Communion
    • we believe it is good to have communion on the first day of each week with those of the same faith and order (Acts 20:7). If you would like to participate in communion please speak to one of the overseers
  • Spiritual symbolism
    • baptism
    • the Lord's supper
    • anointing with oil
    • head coverings and uncoverings
    • hair lengths
  • Family

    • we believe that being part of Christ's church means being a part of a family and all the responsibilities that come with that such as caring for one another (Matthew 12:49; Romans 12:10-13)

  • Hospitality

    • we believe in showing hospitality, recieving one another and strangers in a warm and welcoming manner (1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:8; 1 Peter 4:9; Romans 12:10-13; Hebrews 13:2)

  • Not judging
    • judging actions not people
    • recognising that regenerate people, such as Solomon, can commit heinous idolatry
  • Obedience to authorities
    • obedience to church leaders
    • obedience to local government
    • obedience to national government
  • Loose church government
    • each member of the body of Christ must decide for themselves whom they will listen to, invite to their house to speak, harken to, and fellowship with

 

For those who are historically minded, we also have an Distinctives of SGA section, where we expound our theological differences to other churches to a greater extent. If you would like to speak to us about anything we believe we would be happy to listen to you and try to answer questions.