I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth; And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord: who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; the third day he rose from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy universal church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. (The Apostle's Creed)

God the Father

There is one true and living God. He is the Creator and Preserver of all things. His nature is love and holiness. He is all-powerful, all knowing, and present everywhere. He is the source of all goodness and wisdom (Isa. 45:21, 22; Deut. 6:4; Ps. 90:2). In the unity of the Godhead there are three Persons, equal in power and eternity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost (1 John 5:7; 2 Cor. 14:14; John 1:1, 15:26). 

Jesus Christ

Jesus, God the Son, the only begotten of the Father, became a man, conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of a virgin. He lived a sinless life and died on the cross, providing full atonement for sin. He rose from the grave, conquering death, and ascended into heaven where He intercedes on behalf of those who, by faith, receive His free gift. 

"Christ died for our sins, he was buried, and he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures." (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)

The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son as the true and eternal God, of one substance, majesty, and glory with the Father & Son (Mt. 28:19; Acts 5:3-4; Rom. 8:9-11). He convicts the world of sin (Jn. 16:8), regenerates those who repent (Jn. 3:5-9), sanctifies believers (Acts 15:8-9), and guides into all truth (Jn. 16:3). 

The Bible, God's Word

God's special revelation is contained in the Holy Scriptures. The sixty-six canonical books of the Old and New Testament, in the original Hebrew and Greek manuscripts, say exactly what God wants them to say and have not been corrupted by human mistakes. They are the inspired, inerrant Word of God, containing all things necessary for salvation (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:19-21; 3:1-2, 16; John 10:35).

Man & Sin

Man was created to glorify God and enjoy a love relationship with Him. He was given a free will to choose between right and wrong and thus made morally responsible. In original sin, man was corrupted in his nature and death passed onto all men. Since then, all have sinned, willfully transgressing the known law of God and falling short of His glory. The penalty for sin is death and eternal separation from God.

Salvation

Christ died on the cross, providing salvation for all who believe. Salvation is preceded by genuine repentance, which consists in a knowledge of, a sorrow for, and a confession and forsaking of sins. The believer is (1) justified, completely absolved from guilt and the penalty of sin (Ro. 3:23-25); (2) regenerated, imparted with Divine life, manifested in a radical change of moral character (2 Cor. 5:17; 1 Pet. 1:23); and (3) adopted as a son of God (Ro. 8:15).

Sanctification

God wants us to live a holy life, becoming more like Jesus each day. Original sin corrupted man's nature, creating a disposition towards sinning and making it difficult for the Christian to grow. Scripture calls this corruption the "carnal mind" (Ro. 8:7), the "old man" (Ro. 6:6), and "the flesh" (Ro. 8:5-8). God promises complete cleansing from this double-mindedness in a second, definite work of grace. This cleansing is preceded by consecration, total abandonment to the whole will of God, and received by faith, total confidence in and reliance on God for deliverance.

Heaven & Hell

Those who reject God's free gift of salvation are granted the freedom of their will in eternal separation from God and His restraining grace. The Bible describes a literal hell, a place of eternal punishment. Those who accept God's free gift of salvation will enter into the immediate presence of God in heaven, to worship Him forever.