1. The Word of God:
We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the inspired Word of God, inerrant in the original writings, complete as a revelation of God’s will for salvation, and the supreme and final authority in faith and life. (2 Tim. 3:16, 17; John 10:34-35; Matt. 5:17-18; 1 Cor. 2:13)
2. The Trinity:
We believe in one God (Mk. 12:29), creator and sustainer of all things, eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit; that these three persons are equal in every divine perfection and that they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence and redemption. (Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; Gen. 1:26)
3. God the Father:
We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and love (Is. 40). We believe He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. (Eph. 1:3-10; John 16:23-24)
4. Jesus Christ:
We believe that Jesus Christ is God’s only Son, and has precisely the same nature, attributes and perfections as God the Father and God the Holy Spirit (John 14:6-14). We believe that He is not only true God, but true man, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary (Luke 1:26-38). We believe in His sinless life (John 8:46; 2 Cor. 5:21), His substitutionary atonement (Rom. 5:9-11), His ascension into heaven (Acts 1:9-11), His priestly intercession on behalf of His people (John 17), and His personal, visible return from heaven (1 Thes. 4:13-18; Matt. 24:30-31). We believe that Christ is coming again to rule the earth in righteousness and truth (Rev. 11:15; 1 Cor 15:24-28; 2 Peter 3:11-13). His coming may occur at any time, a truth which is a purifying hope (1 John 3:1-30; 2 Peter 3:10-13).
5. Holy Spirit:
We believe in the Holy Spirit, His personality, and His work in regeneration, sanctification and preservation. His ministry is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and implement Christ’s work of redeeming the lost and empowering the believer for godly living and service (John 16:5-15; Rom. 8:9-17; Gal. 5:16-18, 22-26; 1 Cor. 12:1-11).
6. Man:
We believe God created man, male and female, in the image of God and free from sin (Gen. 1:26-27), and that man subsequently fell through a disobedient act and as a consequence of his sin, lost his spiritual life. We believe man is a sinner by nature and by choice and, therefore, is spiritually dead. We believe that those who repent of sin and trust Jesus Christ as Savior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit (Gen. 3; Rom. 5:12-14; Titus 3:5; Rom. 8:1-17).
7. Marriage and Sexuality:
We believe that marriage has been ordained by God to be the covenantal union by ceremony between one genetic man and one genetic woman to become husband and wife. It should be a lifelong monogamous commitment. Legitimate sexual relations are exercised solely within marriage. A civil government’s sanction of a union will be recognized only if it is consistent with Marriage as defined above. (Gen. 2:24; Mt. 19:4-6; I Cor. 5:11; 6:9; 6:18-20; 7:1-3; 7:8-9; Rom. 1:18-32).
8. Salvation:
We believe in salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. We believe that this salvation is based upon the sovereign grace of God, was purchased by Christ on the cross, and is received by man through faith apart from any human merit, works or ritual. We believe salvation results in righteous living, good works and proper social concern. (Eph. 2:8-10; Gal. 2:20-21; Gal. 5:16-26).
9. The Church:
We believe that the church is the spiritual body of which Christ is the head (Eph. 1:22). We believe that the true church is composed of all persons who, through saving faith in Jesus Christ, have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:13). His body expresses itself in local assemblies whose members have associated themselves for worship, for instruction, for evangelism and for service (Eph. 4:1-16). We believe the ordinances of the local church are baptism and the Lord’s Supper. The practice of Calvary Church is to baptize believers by immersion (Rom. 6:1-4; Matt. 28:20; 1 Cor. 11:23-26).
10. Religious Liberty:
We believe that each local church is self-governing in function, and must be free from interference by any ecclesiastical or political authority (Acts 17:11). We believe that every human being is directly responsible to God in matters of faith and life, and that each should be free to worship God according to the dictates of his conscience (1 John 3:21-24). We believe in the interdependence of local churches, and the mutual submission of believers to each other in love (1 Cor. 16:1-4; 2 Cor. 9:15; Eph. 5:21).
11. Christian Conduct:
We believe that the supreme task of every believer is to glorify God in his life (Phil. 2:12-13; 3:12-14); that his conduct should be blameless before the world; that he should be a faithful steward of his possessions (Rom. 12:1-2; 1 Thes. 4:1-8); and that he should seek to realize for himself the full stature of maturity in Christ (Eph. 4:11-16).
12. Last Things:
We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust, the everlasting blessedness of the saved, and the everlasting punishment of the lost (Luke 16:19-31; Matt. 22:31-32; Job 19:23-27; Rev. 20:12; 22:12).