Core Beliefs
The Authority of the Bible
We believe the Bible to be the direct and absolute Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16), given to us by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost as it moved upon the tongues and pens of men who had received special annointing of God for this express purpose (2 Peter 1:21).
Oneness of God
We believe that the one God who revealed Himself in the Old Testament as Jehovah revealed himself in His Son, Jesus Christ. Thus, Jesus Christ was and is God. In other words, Jesus is the one true God manifested in flesh, for in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (John 1:1-14; I Timothy 3:16; Colossians 2:9).
While fully God, Jesus was also fully man, possessing a full and true humanity. He was both God and man. Moreover, the Holy Spirit is God with us and in us. Thus God is manifested as Father in creation, in the Son for our redemption, and as the Holy Spirit in our regeneration.
While fully God, Jesus was also fully man, possessing a full and true humanity. He was both God and man. Moreover, the Holy Spirit is God with us and in us. Thus God is manifested as Father in creation, in the Son for our redemption, and as the Holy Spirit in our regeneration.
Salvation
God created mankind to have fellowship with Him, but they defied God by sinfully living life their own way. To rectify this, we need God's saving grace to end our separation from Him. As the Bible teaches, we believe that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, not by works. Faith in Jesus is the means by which a person is justified. At the same time, a sinner must believe the gospel; he is commanded to repent of his sinful life, to be baptized in water in the name of Jesus Christ, and to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit with the initial sign of speaking with other tongues (Acts 2:38; 4:12; 8:12-17; 10:43-48; 19:1-6). Thus the various aspects of faith and obedience work together in God's grace to reconcile us to God.
Living a Holy Life
We believe that God, who is holy, calls each of us into relationship with Him. This relationship with Him manifests itself in every aspect of our lives, including our families. As such, Bethlehem Church stresses and supports the family unit as God's primary institution. With the knowledge of His plan for salvation, the revelation of who He is, and the blessing of the life He equips us to lead, we believe in covenanting the Spirit -- anticipating the soon return of the Lord Jesus Christ.