Foundations of Faith
Evangelical Covenant Church
What do we believe about the Bible?
We believe that the Holy Scriptures, Old and New Testaments, are the word of God and the only
perfect rule for faith, doctrine, and conduct.
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is
wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God’s way of
preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do. 2 Timothy 3:16-
17, NLT
Who is God?
God is personal, eternal Spirit, Creator of the universe, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and our
Father.
Lord, through all the generations, you have been our home! Before the mountains were created,
before you made the earth and the world, you are God, without beginning or end. Psalm 90: 1-2,
NLT
What is God’s relationship to the world?
God created the world by his Word, sustains it by his power, and entrusts it to the care of human
beings.
You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created
everything, and it is for your pleasure that they exist and were created. Revelation 4:11, NLT
What is sin?
Sin is all in thought, word, and deed that is contrary to the will of God.
Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, commits sin. James 4:17, NRSV
What are the results of sin?
The results of sin are broken relationships, a weakening of ability to obey God, and finally, eternal
separation from him.
But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so
that he will not hear. Isaiah 59:2a, NIV
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans
6:23, NIV
Who is Jesus Christ?
Jesus Christ is the Son of God, fully human and fully divine, the promised Messiah who came into
the world to redeem people from sin and establish his kingdom on earth.
“Who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living
God.” Matthew 16:15-16, NLT
What is the sacrament of baptism?
Baptism is the sacred use of water, commanded by Jesus Christ, to signify God’s cleansing of our
sins and our welcome into the family of God.
Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the
Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And
be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Matthew 28:19-20, NLT
What is the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper?
The Lord’s Supper is the sacred use of the bread and the cup as commanded by Jesus Christ. At the
Lord’s Table, believers recognize his presence, remember his suffering, proclaim his death until he
comes, and partake of him in faith.
For this is what the Lord himself said, and I pass it on to you just as I received it. On the night when
he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and
said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, he
took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and you,
sealed by the shedding of my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.” For
every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he
comes again.
1 Corinthians 11:23-26, NLT
What is salvation?
Salvation is the work of God through Christ by which God forgives us our sin, frees us from guilt,
and restores us to a right relationship with him.
I assure you, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They
will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. John
5:24, NLT
What was accomplished by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ?
By the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God conquered sin, death, and the devil, offering
forgiveness for sin and assuring eternal life for those who follow Christ.
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not
perish but have eternal life. John 3:16, NLT
How does one become a Christian?
A person becomes a Christian by trusting in what God has done through Christ’s death on the cross
and resurrection from the dead. This is God’s gift received through repentance of sin and faith in
Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God,
who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-
13, NRSV
What is the Christian Church?
The Christian Church is all who confess Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and who are united in one
body with Christ as head.
Instead we will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ, who is
the head of his body, the church. Under his direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly. As
each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy
and growing and full of love. Ephesians 4:15-16, NLT
What is the purpose of the Church?
The purpose of the Church is to glorify God, celebrate new life in Christ, build up one another in
faith and love, proclaim and teach the gospel everywhere, and care for the needs of the world.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you
may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 1
Peter 2:9, NRSV
What is meant by atonement?
Atonement means the work of God in Jesus Christ by which we, being guilty, are justified; being
enslaved to sin, are redeemed; being alienated from God are reconciled; and being unholy, are
sanctified.
. . . yet now he has brought you back as his friends. He has done this through his death on the cross
in his own human body. As a result, he has brought you into the very presence of God, and you are
holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. Colossians 1:22, NLT
Who is the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit is God, everywhere present and powerful, working in us, in the church, and in the
world.
But I will send you the Counselor-the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will
tell you all about me. John 15:26, NLT
How do we grow as Christians?
We grow as Christians as we devote ourselves to the spiritual disciplines of corporate worship,
participation in the sacraments, prayer, Bible study, service, stewardship, and Christian fellowship.
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in
him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Colossians
2:6-7, NIV