What We Believe.

     The Reformed Churches hold to the historic Christian faith. We therefore believe the fundamental doctrines summarized in the Apostles’ Creed – the fact that there is one God in three Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This God is Creator – we believe in a literal, six-day creation – Provider and Ruler of all. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the Saviour of His sheep and our Lord. He accomplished our eternal salvation by dying on the cross and rising again from the dead. The Holy Spirit brings new, spiritual life and leads us into the truth. Jesus Christ is the Chief Cornerstone and Foundation of the church. He will come again to end this present age and to judge the world.

These beliefs are learned from God’s written revelation, the Bible. We accept that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant and infallible Word of God. Though God used human authors to write His Word in their own manner of expression, He ensured that it was exactly what He wanted it to be. Otherwise, the Bible would just be a human book, prone to the sort of errors men normally make.

We also believe that the Bible speaks with the authority of God. It is necessary to know the Gospel it proclaims in order for a sinner to be saved. It tells us clearly everything we need to know to be saved and to serve and worship God the way He wants us to.

We accept the Biblical teaching that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). The natural man does not know God or seek Him (Romans 3:11). He does not naturally do that which is good and acceptable in God’s eyes (Romans 3:10, 12). He cannot earn the right to heaven by his own good works. He needs to be given faith as a free gift and saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8-9), on the basis of Christ’s merits. God gives this gift to those whom He has chosen from before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:3-12). However God uses means to convert sinners – the proclamation of the Gospel. Only those who turn to Christ with repentance and faith will be saved. God will hold accountable those who reject His Son. They will be punished eternally in hell.

Creeds and Confessions.

     The Bible is the primary standard of our churches. However, we subscribe to secondary standards, systematic summaries of Biblical doctrine – creeds and confessions. Our churches have adopted three creeds from the early church – the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed and the Athanasian Creed; and four reformational confessions – the Heidelberg Catechism; the Belgic Confession; the Canons of Dort; and the Westminster Confession of Faith. Although we believe these creeds and confessions to be faithful summaries of the Word of God, they are subject to and tested by the Scriptures. It is possible for the church to change details of the confessions if they should be proven to be in error at any point.

Both existing and prospective members of our congregation are instructed in the Scriptures by means of the creeds and confessions, though not as a substitute for the study of God’s Word. The confessions also play a major role in our congregation in the acceptance of new members and attendance at the Lord’s Table.