The Basics
In essentials …unity (Ephesians 4:4-6)
In non-essentials …liberty (Rom 14:1)
In all things …love (1 Corinthians 13:2)
* We believe that the Bible is the
inspired Word of God. As such,
this book accurately reveals to us God and his desires for those who
would be His people. Therefore, the Bible will serve as our final authority
for questions of faith and living.
* We believe in a God who has always
existed and will continue to exist for all time. This God is the God revealed in the Bible. He is
the Creator and controller over all that exists. God has chosen to
reveal Himself to humanity as Father, Son and Spirit.
* We believe in Jesus the Christ.
Jesus is not only totally God, but also totally human. He is the Son of God, yet born of the Virgin Mary.
He lived a sinless life in ancient Palestine, was crucified, rose from
the dead after three days, and ascended to the right hand of God in
Heaven. This same Jesus is alive today, seated at the right hand of
God in Heaven, acting as an advocate for his followers.
* We believe that all humans are created
in the image of God. Therefore,
God loves all people and would prefer that everyone join Him in heaven.
Yet in His wisdom, God have all people the freedom to accept or deny
Him. Thus, through disobedience we all choose to sin and become guilty,
thus incurring the punishment of death. This death is not only physically,
but also spiritual: a separation from God.
* We believe that salvation is found
only in Jesus Christ. Through
his death as a substitute for us, he paid for our sins. Thus all who
choose to acknowledge Him as their Lord and Savior can gain a pardon
for their sins and adoption as a child of God.
* We believe that Jesus desires to
have a personal relationship with us. This is done by believing in Him, choosing to change past habits
and attitudes in order to live as He did, publicly testifying to others
of ones belief and commitment to Jesus, and symbolically dying through
being immersed in water (baptism) to show our willingness to yield
our lives out of obedience to Him.
* We believe that God transforms people. Baptism illustrates how God
cleanses us of our sins, as well as how He raises us to a new life
as one of His children. Another result of our conversion is the gift
of God’s own Spirit, which He gives to every believer. The Spirit
serves as a mark of our acceptance into God’s family, a guide
to help us find God’s truth, and a link to God’s supernatural
power.
* We believe in the Church. Therefore, Jesus is the Head or the leader
of the Church, with His Word (the Bible) as the single authoritative
guide for what the Church believes and does. In areas where scriptures
do not give us direction, we believe that each believer is called to
follow his or her own conscience in love. We also believe that the
local Church, following New Testament principles, should be free and
autonomous, being governed by local leaders or elders. We affirm our
common bond in Christ by caring for each other, worshipping regularly
together, serving the world side-by-side, sharing the Lord’s
Supper every Sunday, and bearing one another’s burdens while
celebrating victories.
* We believe that God adds to His
church. Therefore, we require nothing
further of people once they establish a personal relationship with
Jesus following the New Testament example. Such a person is welcome
to be a member of Roxbury Road Church of Christ by publicly stating
this desire.
* We believe that every Christian
is a minister, a servant of Christ. This work is defined through various expectations which God clearly
states in the Bible. We are to use our talents and abilities for the
advancement of God’s church, as well as ourselves. We are to
grow in our understanding of the Bible and our implementation of its
principles in our lives. Finally, we are to return to God a portion
of the material wealth with which he blesses us.
* We believe that Jesus will return. This will occur on a date which only God knows. During the interim, God desires that we prepare others and ourselves for Jesus’ return father than become preoccupied with the details and schedule of His return. We also believe that when Jesus returns there will be a literal place of reward (Heaven) for those who have believed in Jesus, and a literal place of punishment (Hell) for all others.
