What we believe

The following is a CLC statement of faith
We believe

1. In one Almighty and Eternal God revealed to us in Scripture as Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Deut 6:4, Mal 2:10, Matt 28:19.
2. In the verbal and plenary inspiration of the Bible. As such it is God's infallible Word and totally without error. It is the only authoritative standard for Christian doctrine and as such is our only rule of faith. *2Tim 3:15-16, 2 Pet 1:19-21.
3. In the total depravity of man, i.e. that fallen man is totally incapable of saving himself by works of righteousness or law. Eph 2:8-9.
4. That Jesus Christ is the Almighty God manifest in the flesh. He is the Son of the Father and the eternal Word of God. He is fully God and fully man. Salvation is only possible through the atoning blood of God's Son, shed at Calvary. Is 9:6, Matt 1:23, 1 Tim 3:16, Jn 1:1, 14.
5. That Salvation is available to all men by the grace of God through living faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. *Eph 2:8:9.
6. In the necessity of repentance from known sin.
7. In water baptism by full immersion into Christ
8. In the baptism of the Holy Spirit evidenced by speaking with tongues as the Spirit gives the utterance as constituting the normal conversion experience of a believer in the New Testament. *Acts 2:38, Jn 3:5, Rom 6:1-5.
9. In the baptism and gifts of the Holy Spirit recorded in the New Testament as a normal part of the Christian experience. Acts 1:5, 2:1-4, 1 Cor 12:1-11.
10. In the great commission of Jesus Christ to evangelize the world. Matt 28:18-20, Mk 16:15-20, Lk 24:45-48, Acts 1:8.
11. In the imminent, bodily return of Jesus Christ. We believe that the kingdom of God is present with us and has been since Christ's first advent. With His second advent, the weeds will be separated from the wheat and the kingdom will enter its final state. The precise meaning of the millennium described in Revelation has left scholars divided on the subject of future events. We have decided not to join this debate and therefore could be considered pan-milleniallists. i.e. we believe it will all pan out in the end! Jn 14:3, 1 Thes 4:16-17. Rev 20:1-7
12. In the resurrection of the dead, the final punishment of the wicked in the lake of fire and the eternal salvation of believers. Rev 20-22.

(* = See footnote)

Footnotes:

*The Holy Bible is God's infallible Word. As such, it is a complete accurate and adequate statement of the Christian faith. Later man-made creeds are subject to human error. Whereas many of the creeds do successfully summarise areas of the Christian faith, they are at best a human attempt to encapsulate Divine truth. They are not infallible and should not be placed on the same level as the Bible.

*The Bible distinguishes between living and dead faith. Jas 1 & 2. Real faith is obedient faith. There are no examples in the Bible of disobedient faith.

*The normal conversion experience in the New Testament can be seen in the Acts of the Apostles.