Statement of Faith
UPTOHIM® believes:
(1) that the Scriptures, comprising the Old and New Testaments of the Bible, are the written Word of God, completely inspired, infallible, inerrant and authoritative.
(2) that there is only one perfect and almighty God, eternally existing in three distinct persons as the Father, Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit, and that this triune God created all, upholds all, and governs all.
(3) in the deity and the humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is at the same time fully God and fully man, as God’s only begotten Son, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, led a sinless life, performed miracles, taught, and voluntarily substituted Himself as the atoning sacrifice for our sins by dying on a cross, and through His shed blood, bodily resurrection, and ascension to heaven. We believe that He is now seated (enthroned) at the right hand of the Father, interceding for His people until His glorious, personal visible return (second coming) in power and glory to this earth.
(4) in the Holy Spirit, the third “person” of the Trinity, who convicts the world of sin and acts to regenerate, sanctify and empower lost and sinful people who believe in Jesus Christ, thereby equipping them for the work of ministry. We believe that the Holy Spirit lives within each believer in Jesus Christ and that He is our Helper, Teacher and Guide. We believe that the Holy Spirit’s ongoing ministry is active today and gives each believer special gifts to exercise to the glory of God.
(5) that a person is justified by grace alone, through faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ alone.
(6) in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ and His universal church, which is the living spiritual body of Christ, who is its Head. We further believe that this universal body of Christ subsequently forms itself into local expressions known as churches, fellowships, assemblies, etc.
(7) God “is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” (Ephesians 3:20).
(8) God is able to do the impossible (Luke 18:27).
(9) that “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
(10) that we are saved by grace, through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and not through our own works, lest any of us should boast. However, we are His workmanship, created by Jesus Christ for good works. (Ephesians 2:8-10).
(11) that the chief end of men and women is to glorify God.
(12) that Jesus Christ died on the cross, and thereby shed His blood for us and for our sins, and rose again from the dead to make us right with God. We believe that a person receives salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and not by being good enough or by working to deserve it. When a person receives Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, we believe God grants forgiveness of sins, the gift of eternal life and ultimately the resurrection of the body to live forever in the new heavens and the new earth. If a person rejects Jesus Christ and His provision for salvation and forgiveness of sin, we believe it results in the penalty of eternal death in hell. We believe that the presence of saving faith is revealed by a life lived in obedience to the will of God and results in the good works that God has prepared in advance for us to do.
(13) that God created the human being, male and female, in His own image. When Adam and Eve disobeyed and rebelled against God, they alienated themselves and mankind from Him and the perfect image of God became warped, marred, stained and corrupted. As a result, all people inherit a pervasive sinfulness that invades every part of their beings. We further believe that all people sin by their own willful choices, falling short of both their own personal standards and God’s moral laws. This moral depravity means that everyone is sinful and separated from God and needs to be redeemed and regenerated through Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.
