(Our Basic Beliefs)

Jesus the True God

Who is God? Did he really come into flesh as Jesus Christ? What is his relationship to human beings? The Bible holds answers to these questions, for it contains God’s self-revelation of his divine nature through his authoritative words and marvelous deeds.

CREATOR

Everything in this universe, from the tiny atom to the enormous galaxy, from the simplest cell to the most complex organism, testifies to the existence of an infinitely intelligent designer.

This designer is God. At his word, the sun, the moon, and the stars came into being; and by his command, oceans, mountains, and rivers were formed.

God is also the giver of life. He created fishes, birds, land animals, insects, and plants. Most importantly, he made human beings in his image. We are created to carry the divine nature of our Creator and share his glory. And yet, most of us have failed to acknowledge the Maker of all things and to live up to God's expectation of his children.

If you are willing to return to the God who has made you and entrust your life to him, he will create a new heart within you today so that you may become a new person and lead a new and meaningful life.

"You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you."

--Nehemiah (Nehemiah 9:6)

RULER

The God who created the universe also rules his creation with his sovereign power. God's universal and unchanging laws are seen from the microscopic to the astronomical realms. Through these laws, God sustains and holds together all things.

God rules over living things as well. His providence and care keep the entire ecosystem in a balanced structure; the existence of all species is always mutually supportive under the divine guidance. God supplies sufficient air, sends rain from heaven, and gives sunlight to maintain the food chain.

Today, God also rules in the hearts of those who believe and trust in him--not by force, but with love. Believers who obey God's rule find guidance in life and assurance of eternal bliss. It is the duty of Christians to proclaim God's Kingdom until the King of kings ultimately reigns over all nations and peoples with justice and righteousness. Then, he will receive all praises and exaltation as he deserves.

"For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the þock under his care."

--Anonymous (Psalm 95:3-7)

SAVIOR

Who would ever have imagined that the glorious God in heaven, surrounded by thousands upon thousands of angels, would humbly take the form of a human being, born in a manger and brought up in a carpenter's home?

Jesus, the incarnation of God, came to this world to preach the love and mercy of God and his Kingdom; he healed the sick, freed the demon-possessed, and comforted the destitute.

Despite his many compassionate deeds, he was slandered, envied, and scorned; he was arrested, mocked, spit at, whipped, and finally nailed to the cross. For our many transgressions, the Lord Jesus suffered the agony of crucifixion and tasted the bitterness of God's rejection. But he rose on the third day, boasting victory over sin and death, and completing his work of salvation for humankind.

The salvation that the Lord Jesus brought to us fully manifests the immense love of God. It is by his self-sacrifice that we are spared of the eternal punishment in hell. It is through his death that we have a chance to return to God and a hope of everlasting life in the joyous and glorious HeavenlyKingdom.

"...at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

--Paul (Romans 5:6-8)

JUDGE

God's mercy does not nullify his justice. Although God readily pardons sinners who truly repent and turn from their evil, yet he does not leave evil-doers unpunished.

Justice often seems obscured in a world filled with fraud, greed, oppression, and hatred. The absence of immediate reward and punishment makes us question the existence of an all-knowing judge in heaven.

However, God has promised in the Bible that justice will eventually prevail. The Lord Jesus will come one day as the Judge of the whole earth to repay everyone according to his deeds and reveal every sinful thought in his heart. He will also condemn those who refused to accept the salvation of Jesus Christ, and reward the righteous with honor, glory, and eternal life.

"The Lord reigns forever; he has established his throne for judgment. He will judge the world in righteousness; he will govern the peoples with justice.... Sing praises to the Lord, enthroned in Zion; proclaim among the nations what he has done. For he who avenges blood remembers; he does not ignore the cry of the afþicted."

--David (Psalm 9:7-8, 11-12)

God is . . .

Essence: Spirit, self-existing, eternal, transcendent (existing beyond the universe),
immanent (involved in the universe)

Attributes: omnipresent (all-present), omnipotent (all-powerful), omniscient (all-knowing), holy, jealous (detesting evil), loving, faithful,
just, merciful.