GOSPEL CENTERED
BIBLE FOCUSED
MAKING DISCIPLES

We believe in Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Triune Godhead; that He was eternally one with the Father; that He became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and was born of the Virgin Mary, so that two whole and perfect natures, that is to say the Godhead and manhood, are united in one Person truly God and truly man, the God-man.

We believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins and that He truly arose from the dead and took again His body, together with all things appertaining to the perfection of man’s nature. He ascended into heaven and is there engaged in intercession for us until He returns to judge all humanity at the last day.

Matthew 1:20–25; 16:15–16; Luke 1:26–35; John 1:1–18; Acts 2:22–36; Romans 8:3, 32– 34; Galatians 4:4–5; Philippians 2:5–11; Colossians 1:12–22; 1 Timothy 6:14–16; Hebrews 1:1–5; 7:22–28; 9:24–28; 1 John 1:1–3; 4:2–3, 15

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Triune Godhead, who is co-equal with God the Father and Jesus the Son. He is ever present in the world making people aware of their need for salvation through Jesus Christ. He lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation, empowering them to live holy lives, and understand truth, as well as guiding them in what is right. As Christians, we seek to live under His control daily.

John 7:39; 14:15–18, 26; 16:7–15; Acts 2:33; 15:8–9; Romans 8:1–27; Galatians 3:1–14; 4:6; Ephesians 3:14–21; 1 Thessalonians 4:7–8; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 John 3:24; 4:13

We believe in the divine inspiration, truthfulness, and authority of both the Old and New Testaments, the only written Word of God, without error in all it affirms. The Scriptures are the only infallible rule of faith and practice, revealing the will of God concerning all things necessary to our salvation.

Luke 24:44–47; John 10:35; 1 Corinthians 15:3–4; 2 Timothy 3:15–17; 1 Peter 1:10–12; 2 Peter 1:20–21

We believe that human beings were created in the image of God. This image was marred in every part through the disobedience of our first parents, and fellowship with God was broken. As a result, all human beings are born with a sinful nature and choose to sin against God. God, in His prevenient grace, restores moral sensibility to all humankind and enables all to respond to His love and to accept His saving grace if they will.

Original sin: Genesis 3; 6:5; Job 15:14; Psalm 51:5; Jeremiah 17:9-10; Mark7:21-23; Romans 1:18-25; 5:12-14; 7:1-8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:1-4; Galatians 5:16-25; 1 John 1:7-8

Personal sin: Matthew 22:36-40 {with 1 John 3:4}; John 8:34-36; 16:8-9; Romans 3:23; 6:15-23; 8:18-24; 14:23; 1 John 1:9-2:4; 3:7-10;

Free grace and works of faith: Ezekiel 18:25-26; John 1:12-13; 3:6b; Acts 5:31; Romans 5:6-8, 18; 6:15-16, 23; 10:6-8; 11:22; 1 Corinthians 2:9-14;10:1-12; 2 Corinthians 5:18-19; Galatians 5:6; Ephesians 2:8-10; Philippians 2:12-13; Colossians 1:21-23; 2 Timothy 4:10a; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 2:1-3; 3:12-15; 6:4-6; 10:26-31; James 2:18-22; 2 Peter 1:10-11; 2:20-22)

Salvation is God’s free gift to us, but we must accept it. We can never overcome our sin- nature by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin’s penalty. When we return from our self-ruled and sinful life and turn to Jesus in faith, we are saved. Eternal life begins the moment we receive Jesus Christ into our lives by faith. God graciously justifies and regenerates all who trust in Jesus Christ. Believers become children of God and begin to live in holiness through faith in Christ and the sanctifying Spirit.

John 3:16; Isaiah 53:5-6, 11; Mark 10:45; Luke 24:46-48; John 1:29; 3:14-17; Acts 4:10-12; Romans 3:21-26; 4:17- 25; 5:6-21; 1 Corinthians 6:20; 2 Corinthians 5:14-21; Galatians 1:3-4; 3:13-14; Colossians 1:19-23; 1 Timothy 2:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 2:9; 9:11-14; 13:12; 1 Peter 1:18- 21; 2:19-25; 1 John 2:1-2

We believe that sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit by which a Christian is separated from sin unto God and is enabled to love God with all the heart and to walk in all His holy commandments blameless. Sanctification is initiated at the moment of justification and regeneration. From that moment there is a gradual or progressive sanctification as the believer walks with God and daily grows in grace and in a more perfect obedience to God.

Romans 12:1–2; Galatians 2:20; 5:16–25; Ephesians 3:14–21; 5:17–18, Philippians 3:10– 15; Colossians 3:1–17

The Church consists of all those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, are redeemed through His blood, and are born again of the Holy Spirit. Christ is the Head of the Body, the Church, which has been commissioned by Him to go into all the world as a witness, preaching the gospel to all nations. The local church is a body of believers in Christ who are joined together for the worship of God, for edification through the Word of God, for prayer, fellowship, the proclamation of the gospel, and observance of the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

Ephesians 1:22–23, Matthew 28:19–20, Acts 2:41–47

People were created to exist forever. The final destiny of each person is determined by God’s grace and that person’s response. Heaven with its eternal glory and the blessedness of Christ’s presence is the final abode of those who choose the salvation which God provides through Jesus Christ, but hell with its everlasting misery and separation from God is the final abode of those who neglect this great salvation.

John 3:16, I John 2:25; 5:11-13, Romans 6:23, Revelation 20:15

Adults and youth take the step of baptism as a public declaration of their own personal commitment to Jesus Christ. Baptism is done as an act of obedience to our Lord Jesus, because He asked that all His followers be baptized. Throughout the New Testament, it was the first step of those who placed their trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation.

Publicly testifying about your faith in Jesus Christ through the sacrament of baptism helps firm up your faith and makes it more real to you. It also provides an opportunity to let your friends and family know how Jesus is working in your life. The New Testament describes several truths that are symbolically expressed when a believer is immersed in the water of baptism: your sins have been washed away, you’ve died and risen with Christ, and you’ve joined a new family – your church community.

To begin the process toward baptism at Sicklerville Church, please contact Pastor Josh at: JoshM@sicklervillechurch.com.

Infant or child baptism is an opportunity for parents who are members or regular attenders of Sicklerville Church to publicly declare their trust in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and to invite the help of Christ and of their local church body as they commit to raise their child in a way that will most naturally result in that child following Christ.

In Acts 16:33-34, Luke describes the head of a household deciding to have his whole family baptized as a demonstration of his intention that they would now be a Christian household. In infant baptism the parents take vows to begin a covenant with God in the hope that their child will eventually complete it with his or her own personal commitment to Christ.

If you would like to have your infant or young child baptized, the first step is to reach out to Pastor Josh at: JoshM@sicklervillechurch.com.