The Youth United

STATEMENT OF FAITH

We believe that the Bible, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, was uniquely and fully inspired by the Holy Spirit of God without contradiction or error, and, as originally written, does not only contain and convey the Word of God, but IS the very Word of God. It is the supreme and final authority in all matters on which it addresses.

(Psalm 19:7-11; 119; Proverbs 30:5,6; Isaiah 8:20; Luke 24:25-27,44-45; John 5:39-47; 12:48; 16:7-14; 17:17; Romans 3:4; 15:4; Ephesians 6:17; II Timothy 3:16-17; I Peter 1:23; II Peter 1:19-21; Revelation 22:19)

One True God

We believe that there is one, and only one, living and true God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love; eternally existing in three equally infinite, excellent, and admirable Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, equal in every divine perfection.

(Genesis 1:1; 17:1; Exodus 15:11; 20:2-3; Psalm 83:18; 90:2; 147:5; Matthew 28:19; Mark 12:30; John 4:24; 10:30; 15:26; Acts. 5:3-4; I Corinthians 2:10,11; 8:6; 12:4-6; II Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 2:18; 4:6; Philippians 2:5-6; Colossians 1:16; I Timothy 1:17; I John 5:7; Revelation 4:11)

The Person and work of Jesus Christ

We believe the OT promised that the coming Savior would come from the seed of the woman (Eve) to destroy Satan (Genesis 3:15); that He would be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14); that He would come as King from the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10) through the line of David to reign over Israel and the world (2 Samuel 7:12,13; Isaiah 9:6,7; Micah 5:2; Zechariah. 14); that He would be sinless and die as a substitute for the sins of mankind (Psalm 22:1, 6-7, 14-18; Isaiah 52:13,14; 53); and that He would rise from the dead (Psalm 16:10,11; Micah 7:7,8). This promised Messiah (Anointed One of God) would be both God (Isaiah 9:6; Micah 5:2; Matthew 1:23; John 20:28; Philippians 2:6; Colossians 1:16) and man (Gen. 3:15; Matthew 10:30, 33). We believe that the promised Messiah of the OT has come in the person of Jesus Christ (Messiah) (Matthew 1; John 1:1-18; Romans 1:1-4; 2 Tim. 2:8; Hebrews 1-3). The NT testifies that Jesus Christ being both God and man (John 1:1,14; Revelation 1:17,18) has fulfilled the promise of the OT by being born of the virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:26-38); that He attested to His Messianic claims by performing miracles (John 10:37-38; 12:37); that He died as a substitute for man’s sins and rose physically from the grave on the third day in order to appease God’s wrath against mankind and satisfy His justice in reconciling man back into a relationship with a Holy God (Romans 5:8-21; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21;1 Peter 2:24; 3:18); and that He ascended to heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father waiting until the time of His return to earth to reign over the nation of Israel and the world (Ps. 2: 110:1-2; Zechariah 12:7-10; Matt. 25:31-46; Mark 6:19; Acts 1:9-11; 3:20-21; Heb. 1:3; 8:1; 9:28; 12:2).

The Holy Ghost

We believe the Holy Spirit is a divine Person; equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world, He convicts of sin, of judgment, and righteousness; that He bears witness to the Truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the New Birth; that He exalts Christ, regenerates, seals, guides, teaches, comforts, witnesses, indwells, seals, sanctifies and sets apart believers unto a holy life.

(Genesis 1:1-3; Matthew 3:11; 28:19; Mark 1:8; Luke 1:35; 3:16; 24:49; John 1:33; 3:5-6; 14:16,17,26; 15:26-27; 16:8-11,13; Acts 5:30-32; 11:16; Romans 8:14-16,26-27; Ephesians 1:13-14; II Thessalonians 2:13; Hebrews 9:14; I Peter 1:2)

Mankind

We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, to fellowship with Him and give Him glory. Human beings are therefore the crown of God’s creation, and thus distinct in kind from all other life on earth. Mankind was created in innocence, but due to Adam and Eve’s rebellion in the Garden of Eden, man’s thoughts, motives, emotions, words and actions – his nature – is corrupted, and he is thus totally unable to please God, and therefore under just condemnation without defense or excuse. The only remedy for mankind’s pitiful predicament is redemption through faith in Jesus Christ.

(Genesis 3:1-6,24; Ezekiel 18:19-20; Romans 1:18,20,28; 3:10-19; 5:12,19; Galatians 3:22; Ephesians 2:1-3)

Salvation

Salvation is solely a work of God’s grace, received exclusively through faith in Jesus Christ, and never by works of human merit. We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process – It is the deliverance from the penalty, power and presence of sin (Romans 6:11-12; 8:1, 31). Christ’s sacrifice was the voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place, the just dying for the unjust. He is every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate, and an all-sufficient Savior. Salvation is through personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; all who receive Jesus Christ are regenerated by the Holy Spirit and become the children of God. True salvation will be manifested by a changed life. Nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but their willful and voluntary rejection of the gospel. Upon physical death this rejection brings eternal, conscious separation from the Lord and awaits the resurrection of his body to everlasting judgment and condemnation.

(Matt. 18:11; John 3:16; 10:18; Acts 15:11; Acts 20:20-21; Rom 3:21-26; I Corinthians 15:3; II Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 1:4; Ephesians 2:8-10; Philippians 2:7,8; 2 Timothy 2:19; Titus 2:11-14; Titus 3:4-7; Hebrews 2:14-18, 7:25, 9:12-15; 12:2; I Peter 2:24; 3:18; I John 2:2; 4:10; 5:12; Revelation 20:15; 21:8)

The Resurrection and Return of Christ and related Events

We believe in and accept the sacred Scriptures upon these subjects at their face and full value. Of the Resurrection we believe Christ rose bodily “the third day according to the Scriptures” and that He ascended “to the right hand of the throne of God.” He alone is our “merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God”; “that this same Jesus which was taken up from you into Heaven shall so come in like manner as you have seen Him go into Heaven… “bodily, personally, and visibly; that the “dead in Christ shall rise first”; that the living saints “shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump”; “that the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His Father, David”; and “that Christ shall reign a thousand years in righteousness until He hath put all enemies under His feet.”

(Psalm 72:8; Isaiah 9:6,7; 11:4,5; 32:1; Matthew 24:27; 25:13; 28:6,7; Mark 16:6,19; Luke 1:32;24:2-6,39,51; John 14:3; 20:27; Acts 1:9,11; I Corinthians 15:4,25; Philippians 3:20,21; I Thessalonians 4:16-18; I Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 2:17; 5:9,10; 8:1,6; 12:2; James 5:8; I John 2:1; Revelation 3:21; 20:1-6)

The Church

We believe the church of Christ is a congregation of baptized believers associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word. We believe the true mission of the church is found in the Great Commission: seeking to extend the Gospel to the ends of the earth. The Church operates under the Lordship of Christ and that each member is responsible and accountable to Christ as Lord. We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government, free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and the one and only Superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit. We believe the New Testament speaks also of the church as the Body of Christ, which includes all of the redeemed of all the ages, believers from every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation.

(Matthew 16:18; 28:19-20; Acts 2:41,42; 6:5-7; 14:23; 15:22,23; 20:17-28; I Corinthians 5:11-13; 6:1-3; 16:1; II Corinthians 8:23,24; 12:4; Ephesians 1:22,23; 4:11; 5:23,24; Colossians 1:18, I Timothy 3:1-13; I Peter 5:1-4)

Baptism and the Lord’s Supper

We believe Christian baptism is the immersion in water of the believer in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as an outward sign of what God has already done in the individual’s life through faith in the effectual and all powerful work of Christ on the cross. We believe baptism is not a “sacrament” that imparts saving grace. We are not saved by baptism, but by faith in Jesus Christ. Water Baptism is by the authority of the local church to show forth, in a solemn and beautiful emblem, our faith in the crucified and risen Savior. It is symbolic of our death to sin and resurrection to a new life. The Lord’s Supper is a commemoration of the death of the Lord and is done in remembrance of Him, always preceded by solemn self-examination.

(Matthew 3:6; 28:19,20; John 3:23; Acts 2:41,42; 8:36-39; Romans 6:3-5; I Corinthians 11:23-34; Colossians 2:12)