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Beliefs
WHAT IS GOD?
God is the creator and sustainer of everyone and everything. He exists in Trinity.
…He is eternal, infinite, and unchangeable in his power and perfection, goodness and glory, wisdom, justice and truth. Nothing happens except through him and by his will.
WHAT IS THE TRINITY?
The three persons in the one true and living God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They are the same in substance, equal in power and glory.
…though the same essence, the Bible presents them to us as responsible for different roles: the Father plans, the Son accomplishes, and the Spirit applies. Each person is distinct.
WHY DID GOD CREATE US?
God created us male and female in his own image to know him, love him, live with him, and glorify him.
…Because God created us in community, we further understand that our relationships with one another present both a context and recipient of our purpose (i.e. we image him to one another, make him known to one another, and know him through one another.).
WHAT IS THE CHURCH?
The true church is its persons. Together they are the living, active body of Christ on earth as well as the Temple of the Holy Spirit. Each member of the church is given spiritual gift(s) which are to be used in the fulfillment of our purpose.
The true church is represented through local congregations—though their makeup will inevitably be mixed, we hold each person who professes belief through physical membership accountable to the Christian life through preaching for conviction, wisdom, righteousness, and when necessary church discipline aimed toward restoration.
WHO IS JESUS?
Jesus is the second person of the Trinity: the Son. He took on human flesh while remaining fully God. He was born, lived in righteousness, was killed, lay dead three days, and raised to life again. Having defeated death he ascended to the right hand of the father where he is seated ruling over creation until his return when he remakes creation.
…Through the work he accomplished, he secured salvation for all who would believe.
WHAT IS SALVATION?
WHAT ARE BAPTISIM AND COMMUNION?
Salvation is currently spiritual and ultimately physical. It is forgiveness of sins and empowerment to righteousness. It is bringing together God and man. It is death to death and the promise of life eternal. It is the destruction of lonesomeness and the integration of community.
...These truths accomplished by the Son in the will of the Father are applied by the Spirit to those who have been renewed to spiritual life and believed in faith. This salvation is dependent upon covenant with God exclusively through the person of Jesus while those who remain outside of covenant do not have salvation because they do not have God.
Baptism and Communion (Lord’s Supper) are the symbols and rituals that Christ himself established among his followers. They are unique grace-acts of God by which the Spirit testifies and confirms faith in individuals and communities. East Hills practices "Believers’ Baptism" and “Open Communion.”
…In baptism we demonstrate outwardly our union with Christ through His death and resurrection. Through baptism with water we testify to the washing away of sin through blood and in that we have been buried with him and raised to new life. We are baptized into the name of the Triune God establishing covenant with each person of the Trinity who plans, secures, and applies our salvation. Communion is past, present, and future in that it remembers the body and blood of Jesus in flesh, currently sees itself in communion with Jesus’ living body (the church) in joy and self-sacrifice, and looks forward to the return of Christ in triumph. “Open Communion” indicates that you do not need to be a member of East Hills, only profess Christ as Lord and Savior.
The Bible is God’s word passed down to us through generations. It testifies to God as revealed through the person of Jesus, and teaches us what to believe. It is the final authority for life and godliness.
…We believe the phrase Verbal, Plenary Inspiration best describes the nature of the Bible—God’s perfect Word described through the hands of his prophets and church. It should be understood in its historical and literary context, but the spiritual truths are clearly discernable by those who look to see.
HOW DO WE KNOW AND BELIEVE THESE THINGS?
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