First Congregational Church of Barrington

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 the revelation of God’s will for salvation , and the supreme and final authority and standard of truth in all matters to which they speak. Isa. 59:21; 2 Pet. 1:19‑21; Mt.5:18; 1 Thes. 2:13; Eph. 3:5; 1 Cor. 2:10‑16; Rev. 22:18‑19; Jn. 17:17; 2 Tim. 3:16‑17; Mt. 22:29.

The Trinity: We believe in one God, creator and sustainer of all things, eternally existing in three Persons, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, that these are equal in every divine perfection and that they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence, and redemption. Deut. 6:4; Gen. 1:1; Heb. 11:3; Col. 1:16‑17; Rev. 4:8, Mat. 28:19; Is. 9:6, Is. 48:16; 2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 1:13‑14.

God the Father: We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. 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. Jn. 12:49; 1 Jn. 1:3; Jn. 4:24; 1 Pet. 1:15‑16; 1 Jn. 1:5; Jn. 3:16; Rom. 5:8; Mt. 6:25‑32; Jas. 4:8; Jn. 17:3.

Jesus Christ: We believe that Jesus Christ is God’s only eternal Son, and has precisely the same nature, attributes and perfections as God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. We believe further that He is not only true God, but true man; conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. We also believe in His sinless life, His substitutionary atonement, His bodily resurrection from the dead, His ascension into heaven, His priestly intercession on behalf of His people, and His personal, visible, premillennial return from heaven. Jn. 1:1, 14, 17:5; Heb. 1:3; Jn. 8:58; Col. 2:9; Heb. 1:8; Phil. 2:5‑7; Lk. 1:35; Mt. 1:18; Heb. 4:15; 1 Pet. 1:18‑19; Mt. 28; Acts 1:9; Heb. 9:24; Rev. 19, 20.

Holy Spirit: We believe the Holy Spirit has precisely the same nature, attributes, and perfections as God the Father and God the Son. We believe in His personality, and His work in regeneration, sanctification, and preservation. His ministry is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, to implement Christ’s work in redeeming the lost, and to empower the believer for Godly living and service. Jn. 16:7‑11; Titus 3:5; Jn. 3:3‑8; 1 Cor. 6:11; Rom. 15‑16; Eph. 4:30; 2 Cor. 1:22; Jn. 16:13‑15.

Man: We believe God created man, male and female, in the image of God and free from sin. However, because of Adam’s choice to willfully disobey God, man is now a sinner by nature and choice and is therefore spiritually dead. Gen. 1:27; Eph. 4:23‑24; Gen. 1:26, 31; Rom. 5:12, 14, 19; Rom. 3:23; Eph. 2:1.

Salvation: We believe in salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. We further believe that this salvation is based upon the sovereign grace of God, and was purchased by Christ on the cross, and is received by man through faith, apart from any human merit, works, or ritual. We believe that saving faith includes a recognition of and a repentance from sin. We further believe salvation results in righteous living, good works, and proper social concern. Eph. 2:8‑9; Jn. 14:6; Rom. 5:8; Lk. 13:5; 2 Pet. 3:9; Eph. 2:10; Jas. 2:14‑26.

The Church: We believe that the Church is the spiritual body of which Christ is the head. We believe that the true Church is composed of all persons who through faith in Jesus Christ, have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. We believe that this Church has many local assemblies whose members have made a credible confession of faith, sought baptism, and have associated themselves for worship, for instruction, for evangelism, and for service. We believe the ordinances of the local church are believer’s baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We also believe in the interdependence of local churches and the mutual submission of believers to each other in love. Eph. 2:14‑16; Eph. 5:23; Mat. 28:19‑20; Acts 2:41‑42; Titus 3:5; 1 Cor. 1:2; Heb. 10:25; Acts 2:41; Acts 18:8; Jn. 3:23; Lk. 22:19; Eph. 5:21.

Christian Conduct: We believe that the supreme task of every believer is to glorify God in his life; that his conduct should be blameless before the world and in accordance with the authority of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments and that he should seek to realize for himself the full stature of maturity in Christ. Ecc. 12:13‑14; Jn. 14:21; 1 Pet. 1:14‑16; 2 Tim. 3:16; Rom. 2:17‑24; Eph. 4:11‑12.

Last Things: We believe in the bodily resurrection of all persons who ever lived, both those saved by Jesus Christ and those who are not; and the eternal, conscious existence of all persons, in heaven or hell. Those who are not saved will endure eternal torment in the endless lake of fire with Satan and his angels. Those who are saved will enjoy eternal joy and happiness in the presence of God. We believe God will reward each believer according to his or her works here on Earth. 1 Cor. 15:20‑58; Mat. 25:31‑46; Rev. 20:6‑15; Rev. 14:9‑13; 1 Cor. 3:10‑15; Rev. 22:12.