OTLEY CHURCH STATEMENT OF FAITH

ESSENTIALS

THE WORD OF GOD | The Scriptures of the Old & New Testaments (the Bible) are the inspired Word of God and the foundational guide for our faith.[8]

THE TRINITY | The Creator of all things is one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Trinity shares a divine nature and are three separate Persons of the same substance and all are worthy of worship and praise.[9]

SIN | All human beings are sinners in need of a Savior.[10]

JESUS | Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ or Messiah, is fully God and fully human and thus able to be a mediator between God and humanity.[11]

THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS | After Jesus died on the cross for our sins, He was resurrected providing the way for new and eternal life to those who trust in Him.[12]

THE SECOND COMING | One day Jesus will return to earth in his glorified body as Judge and King to make all things right. Those united to the Lord will live and reign with Him forever.[13]

THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN | Jesus’ central mission was expressing and establishing the kingdom of    God on earth as it is in heaven.[14]

SALVATION | The proper response to the good news message is to repent (that is to turn). Turn toward God to receive forgiveness & the Holy Spirit, turn away from sin and evil in order to follow Jesus’ way with your whole life.[15]

THE CHURCH | Empowered by the Holy Spirit in the disciple-making community, Jesus’ followers are to express the Good News for the world that comes through Him. We are called to be part of   Christ’s body, the Church.

SACRAMENTS | We believe Jesus Christ institutes two sacraments in the New Testament: the Lord’s Supper (otherwise known as communion) and baptism. Sacraments are outward signs of an inner grace. These are means of grace but are not salvational. [16]

DISTINCTIVES

REFORMED THEOLOGY | Otley Church is a Reformed Church. Reformed came out of the Protestant Reformation and separated from the Roman Catholic Church. More specifically, Otley Church comes from the Calvinist tradition below are some of the basics of Calvinism in the TULIP form.

T-TOTAL DEPRAVITY | We believe that while God created mankind in His image, sin entered into the world as a result of the fall and sin has infiltrated and affected every area of our lives.[17]

U-UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION | We believe it is because of God’s sovereign grace and love we are saved and it is his choice. We are not chosen based on any merit or work of our own.[18]

L- LIMITED ATONEMENT | We believe while the death of Christ is fully sufficient to save, atonement is provided for the elect which God chose beforehand. In effect this means God has chosen both those who will go to heaven as well as those who will go to hell. [19]

I-IRRESISTIBLE GRACE | We believe that when God has chosen us, it means that he solely is the one that brings us to salvation. God begins the work of regeneration and produces the faith in us that allows us to joyfully embrace God and run the race with perseverance.[20]

P-PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS | We believe those who are the elect, will persevere in the faith because of the work of God and despite sin in their life (albeit potentially egregious sin) are still safe in the hand of God. [21]

CONFESSIONAL | Otley Church is a confessional church meaning we affirm specific statements of belief known as creeds and confessions. These statements further explain our beliefs and address specific concerns and situations. The following are a list of the creeds and confessions of Otley Church: The Apostles’ Creed, The Nicene Creed, the Athanasian Creed, The Heidelberg Catechism, The Belgic Confession, The Canons of Dort, and the Belhar Confession. 

[1] Matthew 22:37-40; Psalm 103:1-5; Colossians 1:9-10, 3:14-17, Psalm 72, 95:1-6, 96:9, Isaiah 12:5, Hebrews 13:15, John 4:23-24, Romans 12:1-2

[2] Ephesians 3:14-21; 2 Peter 3:18, Hebrews 5:12-14, 6:1, Luke 8:14-15, 1 Peter 1:5-8, 2:2-3, Colossians 1:9-10, 2:6-7; John 10:2-4;

[3] Romans 10:10-17; John 13:34-35; Matthew 5:15-16, 28:19-20; Luke 8:4-8; Acts 1:8, 13:47; Mark 16:15; 1 Peter 3:15;

[4] 1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17-19; Philippians 4:11-13; Mark 5:8; 1 Corinthians 6:12

[5] Luke 10:25-37, 21:1-4; James 2:1,8; Galatians 6:9-10;

[6] 1 Peter 3:8-12; John 17:20-23; Romans 12:15; Matthew 6:1-4; Ephesians 4:26-30;1 Corinthians 1:10; Galatians 6:2; James 5:16

[7] 1 Timothy 2:1-8; 1 John 5:14-16; James 5:13; Matthew 6:5-14; Psalm 17:6, Romans 12:12; Luke 11:2-4; Philippians 4:6; Colossians 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:17

[8] 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Hebrews 4:12, Psalm 119:105; Matthew 4:4; John 1:1 John 8:31-32

[9] Deuteronomy 6:4-5, John 10:30, Matthew 3:16-17, Matthew 28:19-20

[10] Genesis 3, Romans 3:23, Matthew 22:37-39

[11] John 1:1-18; Colossians 1:15-23; Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:14-18; Romans 5:6-8; Hebrews 4:14-16; 1 John 4:19

[12] John 3:16-17, 11:25, 14:6; 1 Corinthians 15:3-5, 20-28

[13] Acts 1:11; Matthew 26:64; Mark 13:32-33; Romans 8:18-21; Revelation 22:1-5

[14] This theme runs throughout the whole of the Gospels.

[15] Acts 2:38-41; Mark 1:14-18

[16] Baptism | Acts 2:38-9, 16:33, 22:16, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:4; Matthew 18:19-20; 1 Corinthians 12:13

     Lord’s Supper/Communion | Matthew 26:26-28; Luke 22:19-20; John 6:53-58; 1 Corinthians 10:16, 11:17-34;

[17] Romans 5:7-19; Psalm 143:2; Romans 3:23, 11:32; 1 John 1:8-10; John 3:20; Romans 8:7-8; Ephesians 2:3, 12-13; Proverbs 15:8-9

[18] Ephesians 1:4-5, 11; Romans 8:28-30; John 6:44, 15:16; 2 Timothy 1:9; 1 Peter 1:2, 20; Galatians 1:15;

[19] John 6:37-39, 17:6-12; Romans 5:8-10; 1 John 4:9-10; Revelation 5:9-10

[20] John 6:37-40, 10:3-4, 11:38-46; Galatians 1:15; Ephesians 2:1-10; Colossians 1:13; Psalm 3:8; 2 Corinthians 4:1-6; Acts 14:48, 16:14; Romans 8:29-30; Revelation 22:17

[21] Ephesians 1:13-14; Philippians 1:6; Romans 8:28-39; John 5:24, 10:27-30