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Doctrinal Statement on God

The Essence and Nature of God

We believe in one Triune God, of one essence (Deuteronomy 6:4; John 17:3; 1 Corinthians 8:4), who is eternal, existing before all ages (Genesis 1:1; John 1:1-2), and whose dominion shall have no end (Daniel 4:3; 6:26). We affirm our belief in one Godhead, in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Genesis 1:2; Psalm 2:7; Matthew 28:19; 1 John 5:7). We hold that all three persons are eternally equal, possessing the same attributes intrinsic to the Godhead. Each person is fully God, yet each is distinctive from the others, with unique functions (Joel 2:28; John 1:1; 10:30; 15:26).

God’s Self-Revelation

We affirm that God is present, knowable, and fully active in his creation (Nehemiah 9:6; Jeremiah 23:24; Acts 17:27-28; Romans 1:19-20). God’s immanence is what creates and sustains all creation (Genesis 2:7; Job 27:2-4; 33:4; Psalm 104:29-30). We deny that God cannot or does not interact with his creation. We also affirm that God transcends all of his creation. He is infinitely superior to it, such that none of creation can fully comprehend, contain, or understand him (Isaiah 55:8-9; 57:15). He is separate from his creation (Genesis 14:19; Psalm 24:1). He neither needs nor depends on his creation in any way (Psalm 50:9-12). He existed before creation and is fully capable of existing without it (Job 38:4-5).

The Attributes of God

We assert that the Triune God possesses both communicable and incommunicable attributes. Communicable attributes can be shared by humanity to a limited extent (such as love, mercy), while incommunicable attributes cannot be shared by humanity (such as infinity, omnipresence). We affirm that all three persons of God fully and completely possess all of God’s attributes—communicable and incommunicable alike.

The Creative Work of God

We believe that God alone created the heavens and the earth and everything in them from nothing (Genesis 1:1; 2:4; Psalm 33:6; Hebrews 1:2; 11:3). We deny that God created the world from any pre-existing matter or substance (Matthew 24:21; Mark 10:6; 13:19; Hebrews 1:10). We affirm that everything in heaven and earth was created by God and that none of it evolved or came into existence from any other source (Colossians 1:16). We deny that any other entity assisted, participated, or shared in the work of creation with God (Isaiah 44:24). We declare that God, through his involvement, maintains his creation and keeps it from harm and total destruction (Psalm 104:5; 119:90; Ecclesiastes 1:4). We affirm that without God’s direct or indirect involvement, none of creation can be self-sufficient or self-sustaining (Psalm 147:8-9; Matthew 6:26, 30). All creation owes its origination and continuation to God’s creative work and activity (Job 38-39).

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