God

God is the creator, ruler and sustainer of the universe. He is both infinite and personal. He exists in three persons as Father, Son and Holy Spirit; three distinct beings but one God.

HUMANITY

As the crown of God's creation, we are each created in His image, to be like Him and in relationship with Him. Although we have tremendous potential for good, we are marred by disobedience toward God, called "sin." Sin keeps us from having the type of relationship that God intended to have with us. In fact, because of sin, we stand condemned to death. We are incapable of removing that sin on our own, and restoring a right relationship with God.

Jesus Christ is God's Son.....He lived a sinless life and offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice through death on a cross, to pay the penalty for our sin.

JESUS CHRIST

Jesus Christ is God's Son, who although being divine, was born into this world of a virgin, as one like us. He lived a sinless life and offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice through death on a cross, to pay the penalty for our sin. This sacrifice restores a right relationship with God for those who put their faith in Him. Three days after dying, He rose from the dead to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended back to heaven where He serves as mediator between God and us. He will return again to earth to reign forever as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

SALVATION

Salvation is a gift God offers to us to be forgiven of our sin. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God's offer of forgiveness can we be saved from sin's penalty. Eternal life begins the moment we repent of our sin and receive Jesus Christ into our life by faith.

Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God's offer of forgiveness can we be saved....

ETERNITY

We are each created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or in union with God through forgiveness and salvation. The place of eternal separation from God is called Hell. The place of eternal union with God is called Heaven.

THE BIBLE

The Bible is God's word to us. He inspired human authors through the Holy Spirit to write His supreme truth. Each writer wrote from his own background, using his unique vocabulary and style. The Bible contains all that we need to know to have a living relationship with God. It is written without error in all that it teaches and is the final authority on all that it addresses.

The Holy Spirit enters our lives when we believe, and gives us the power to change....

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

The necessary sign of true repentance and salvation is that we become more like Jesus in every area of life. The Holy Spirit enters our lives when we believe, and gives us the power to change, as well as the gifts of wisdom, power and assurance of salvation. In addition, the Spirit gives us other personal gifts and abilities to extend Christ's reign here on earth. We yield to the Spirit's control as anexpression of our gratitude to God.

THE CHURCH

All those who profess their faith in Jesus Christ are members of His body, the Church, with Him as the head. Membership in the church stretches across boundaries of race, gender and time. As the body of Christ, the Church is involved in: reaching spiritually lost people, worshipping God, instructing followers of Christ in the Bible and the Christian life, caring for one another, helping believers discover and deploy their God given gifts. Among those gifts is the gift of leadership, which is given to elders who govern the Church.

Spring Valley Community Church is a ministry of the Reformed Church in America and holds to the basic creeds and doctrines of that denomination.