“The best things in life are not things”
Unknown
This short saying provides a good lead-in for sharing what we believe at Lakeview Chapel as a local church and as a part of the Alliance. We believe that the best thing (singular) in life is life lived in and through Jesus Christ.
In a “nut shell,” here is what we believe:
- There is one God,1 who is infinitely perfect,2 existing eternally in three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.3(1Deuteronomy 6:4, 2Matthew 5:48, 3Matthew 28:19)
- Jesus Christ is true God and true man.4 He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.5 He died upon the cross, the just for the unjust,6 as a substitutionary sacrifice,7 and all who believe in Him are justified on the ground of His shed blood.8 He arose from the dead according to the Scriptures.9 He is now at the right hand of the Majesty on high as our great High Priest.10 He will come again to establish His kingdom of righteousness and peace.11 (4 Philippians 2:6-11, 5 Luke 1:34-48, 6 I Peter 3:18, 7 Hebrews 8:1, 8 Romans 5:9, 9 Acts 2:23-24, 10 Hebrews 8:1, 11 Matthew 26:64)
- The Holy Spirit is a divine person,12 sent to indwell, guide, teach and empower the believer,13 and convince the world of sin, righteousness and judgment.14 (12John 13:15-18, 13John 16:13, Acts 1:8, 14John 16:7-11)
- The Old and New Testaments, inerrant as originally given, were verbally inspired by God and are a complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men and women. They constitute the divine and only rule of Christian faith and practice.15(15II Peter 1:30-21, II Timothy 3:15-16)
- Men and women were originally created in the image and likeness of God.16 They fell through disobedience, consequently, incurring both physical and spiritual death. All men and women are born with a sinful nature,17 are separated from the life of God, and can be saved only through the atoning work of Jesus Christ.18 The portion of the unrepentant and unbelieving is existence forever in conscious torment; 19 and that of the believer, in everlasting joy and bliss.20 (16Genesis 1:27, 17Romans 3:23, 18 I Corinthians 15:20-23, 19Revelation 21:8, 20Revelation 21:1-4)
- Salvation has been provided through Jesus Christ for all men and women; and those who repent and believe in Him are born again of the Holy Spirit, receive the gift of eternal life, and become the children of God.21 (21Titus 3:4-7)
- It is God’s will that each believer should be filled with the Holy Spirit and be sanctified wholly,22 being separated from sin and the world and fully dedicated to the will of God, thereby receiving power for holy living and effective service.23 This is both a crisis and a progressive experience wrought in the life of the believer subsequent to conversion.24 (22I Thessalonians 5:23, 23Acts 1:8, 24Romans 6:1-14)
- Provision is made in the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ for the healing of the mortal body.25 Prayer for the sick and anointing with oil are taught in the Scriptures and are privileges for the Church in this present age.26 (25Matthew 8:16-17, 26James 5:13-16)
- The Church consists of all those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, are redeemed through His blood, and are born again of the Holy Spirit. Christ is the Head of the Body, the Church,27 which has been commissioned by Him to go into all the world as a witness, preaching the gospel to all nations.28 The local church is a body of believers in Christ who are joined together for the worship of God, for edification through the Word of God, for prayer, fellowship, the proclamation of the gospel, and observance of the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.29 (27Ephesians 1:22-23, 28Matthew 28:19-20, 29Acts 2:41-47)
- There shall be a bodily resurrection of the just and of the unjust; for the former, a resurrection unto life;30 for the latter, a resurrection unto judgment.31 (30I Corinthians 15:20-23, 31John 5:28-29)
- The second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is imminent32 and will be personal, visible, and premillennial. This is the believer’s blessed hope and is a vital truth which is an incentive to holy living and faithful service.34 (32Hebrews 10:37, 33Luke 21:27, 34Titus 2:11-14)