What We Believe

"What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us." - A.W. Tozer

Core Beliefs

The following are the core beliefs of First Christian Church of Wilmington  based on the foundational truths taught in the bible. All of our teaching and ministry is rooted in and flows out of these biblical doctrines.



Bible
We believe the Bible to be the inspired and only infallible, authoritative Word of God. Therefore, our ministry emphasizes the exposition of God’s Word from Genesis to Revelation, line upon line, precept upon precept. We believe the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments to be the full record of God’s self-disclosure to mankind. Different men, while writing according to their own styles and personalities, were supernaturally moved along by the Holy Spirit to record God’s very words, inerrant in the original writings. Therefore, those applying themselves to study its literal, historical-grammatical context can accurately understand God’s Word. Scripture is fully trustworthy as our final and sufficient authority for all of life (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21).
God
We believe in the one living and true God, eternally existing (John 17:3) in perfect unity as three equally and fully divine Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19–20). Each member of the Godhead, while executing distinct but complementary roles in redemptive history, has precisely the same nature, attributes, and being, and is equally worthy of the same glory and honor and obedience (John 1:1–4; Acts 5:3–4).

Deity of Jesus Christ
We believe in the deity of Christ (John 10:33); His virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23, Luke 1:34-35); His sinless life (Hebrews 4:15, 7:26); His miracles (John 2:11); His substitutionary and atoning death (I Corinthians 15:3, Ephesians 1:7, Hebrews 2:9); His bodily resurrection (John 11:25, I Corinthians 15:4); His ascension to the right hand of the Father (Mark 16:19); His personal return to earth in power and glory (Acts 1:11, Revelation 19:11-13, Revelation 19:14-16; His continuous intercession for believers (Hebrews 7:25). We believe that He was fully human and fully God (Colossians 2:9).
Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ during this age. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He draws the unredeemed to repentance and faith, and at salvation imparts new spiritual life to the believer, bringing that person into union with Christ and the Body of Christ. The Holy Spirit sanctifies, seals, fills, guides, instructs, comforts, equips, empowers, permanently indwells at salvation, and bestows spiritual gifts to the believer for Christlike living and service (John 16:8; 13:15; Titus 3:5; Ephesians 1:22; 4:11–12; Romans 8:9–17; 12:4–8; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 12:4–5, 11–13, 19; Galatians 5:25; Hebrews 2:1–4; 2 Corinthians 12:12).
Spiritual Gifts
The gifts of the Spirit are essential for the vitality of the church. Thus, the promise of the Spirit and His gifts are as true today as they were for the church in the New Testament. (1 Peter 4; Ephesians 4; Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12-14)
Salvation

We believe all people are by nature separated from God and responsible for their own sin, but that salvation, redemption, and forgiveness are freely offered to all by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We believe in the absolute necessity of regeneration by the Holy Spirit for salvation because of the exceeding sinfulness of the human nature, and that all are justified on the single ground of faith in the shed blood of Christ, and that only by God’s grace through faith alone are we saved (John 3:16-19; John 5:24, Romans 3:23;Romans 5:8-9, Ephesians 2:8-10, Titus 3:5
Church
We believe in the universal church, the body of Christ, of which Jesus Christ is the head. The members of the church are those who have trusted by faith in the finished work of Christ. The purpose of the church is to glorify God by loving him, obeying Him and bringing the gospel to the world (Romans 8:9, I Corinthians 12:12-13, Galatians 3:26-28).
Rapture
We await the pre-tribulation rapture of the church, and we believe in the literal Second Coming of Christ with His saints to rule the earth, which will be personal and visible. This motivates us to holy living, heartfelt worship, committed service, diligent study of God’s Word, regular fellowship, participation in adult baptism by immersion and Holy Communion. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)
Baptism and Communion
We believe that Christian baptism is a public declaration of the believer’s salvation in Christ, identifying with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection symbolized by immersion in water. The Lord’s Supper is the united commemoration by believers of Christ’s death until He comes and should be preceded by a careful self-examination (Acts 2:41; Romans 6:3–6; 1 Corinthians 11:20–29).

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