HOLY SCRIPTURES/THE BIBLE

We believe that the Bible consisting of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments is the only written word of God given to people and that the Bible uniquely speaks to the nature of God and the human condition with absolute authority and truth. We believe that the whole Bible was originated by God and given to us through the writing of chosen people whom God inspired to write His word.

We believe that the Scriptures are infallible and inerrant in their original manuscripts and that they are the unique, full, and final authority on how we should live and act both in the church and in our lives. 

We believe that the Bible clearly establishes the creator's standard of acceptable human conduct, is binding upon all people of all generations, and is the standard by which He will judge the world in righteousness. 

We believe the Holy Scriptures record God's direct intervention into human history and that its central purpose is to lead people into a life-changing relationship with God through His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, in whom alone we have forgiveness of sin and eternal life.

We believe the Bible should never be used to abuse or manipulate people. This has happened in the past and we should resist all efforts to abuse God's word and God’s people in this way.

Scripture References:
Psalm 119:105; Matthew 24:35; John 5:39; John 8:31-32; Acts 17:30-31; II Timothy 3:16-17; John 3:6; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Hebrews 4:2; Acts 13:3; Hebrews 1:5-5:5; Psalm 2:7

GOD 

We believe there is one and only one living and true God. He is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal being, the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe. God is infinite in holiness and all other perfections. To Him we owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience. The eternal God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being.

God the Father

God as Father reigns with providential care over His universe, His creatures, and the flow of the stream of human history according to the purpose of His grace. He is all-powerful, all-loving, and all-wise. God is Father in truth to those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. He is fatherly in His attitude towards all people.

Scripture References:
Genesis 1:1; Genesis 2:7; Exodus 3:14; Exodus 6:2-3; Exodus 15:11; Exodus 20:1; Lev 22:2; Deuteronomy 6:4; Deuteronomy 32:6; I Chronicles 29:10; Psalm 19:1-3; Isaiah 43:3; Isaiah 15; Isaiah 64:8; Jeremiah 10:10; Jeremiah 17:13; Matthew 6:9; Matthew 7:11; Matthew 23:9; Matthew 28:19; Mark 1:9-11; John 4:24; John 5:26; John 14:6-13; John 17:1-8; Acts 1:7; Romans 8:14-15; I Cor. 8:6; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 4:6; Colossians 1:15; I Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 11:6; Hebrews 12:9; I Peter 1:17; I John 5:7

God the Son

We believe Christ is the eternal Son of God. In His incarnation as Jesus Christ, He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. Jesus perfectly revealed and did the will of God, taking upon Himself the demands and necessities of human nature and identifying Himself completely with people yet without sin. He honored the divine law by his personal obedience, and in His death on the cross He made provision for the redemption of people from sin. He was raised from the dead with a glorified body and appeared to His disciples as the person who was with them before His crucifixion. He ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where He is the One Mediator; partaker of the nature of God and of man, and in whose person has effected the reconciliation between God and people. He will return in power and glory to judge the world and to consummate His redemptive mission. He now dwells in all believers as the living and ever-present Lord.

Scripture References:
Psalm 119:105; Matthew 24:35; John 5:39; John 8:31-32; Genesis 18:1; Psalm 2:7; Psalm 110:1; Isaiah 7:14;53; Matthew 1:18-23; Matthew 3:17; Matthew 8:29; Matthew 11:27; Matthew 14:33; Matt 16:16;27; Matthew 17:5; Matthew 27; Matthew 28:1-6,19; Mark 1:1; Mark 3:11; Luke 1:35; Luke 4:41; Luke 22:70; Luke 24:46; John 1:1-18, 29; John 10:30, 38; John 11:25-27; John 12:44-50; John 14:7-11; John 16:15-16, 28; John 17:1-5,21-22; John 20:1-20; John 28; Acts 1:9; Acts 2:22-24; Acts 7:55-56; Acts 9:4-5, 20; Romans 1:3-4; Romans 3:23-26; Romans 5:6-21; Romans 8:1-3, 34; Romans 10:4; I Cor. 1:30; I Corinthians 2:2; I Corinthians 8:6; I Cor. 15:1-8; I Cor 15:24-28; 2 Cor. 5:19-21; Galatians 4:4-5; Ephesians 1:20; Ephesians 3:11; Ephesians 4:7-10; Philippians 5-11; Colossians 1:13-22; Colossians 2:9; I Thes.4:14-18; I Tim. 2:5-6; I Timothy 3:16; Titus 2:13-14; Hebrews 1:1-3; Hebrews 4:14-15; Hebrews 7:14-28; Hebrews 9:12-15; Heb. 9:24-28; Hebrews 12:2; Hebrews 13:8; I Peter 2:21-25; I Peter 3:22; I John 1:7-9; I John 3:2; I Jn 4:14-15; I John 5:9; 2 John 7-9; Rev. 1:13-16; Rev. 5:9-14; Rev. 12:10-11; Revelation 13:8 ; Rev. 19:16

God the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God. He inspired people of old to write the scriptures. Through illumination, He enables people to understand truth. He exalts Christ. He convicts of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. He calls people to the Savior and effects regeneration. He cultivates Christian character, comforts believers, and bestows the spiritual gifts by which they serve God through His church. He seals the believer unto the day of final redemption. His presence in the Christian is the assurance of God to bring the believer into the fullness of the stature of Christ. He enlightens and empowers the believer and the church in worship, evangelism, and service.

Scripture References:
Genesis 1:2; Judges 14:6; Job 26:13; Psalm 51-11; Psalm 139:7; Isaiah 61:1-3; Joel 2:28-32; Matthew 1:18; Matthew 3:16; Matthew 4:1; Matthew 12:28-32; Matthew 28:19; Mark 1:10,12; Luke 1:35; Luke 4:1, 18-19; Luke 11:13; Luke 12:12; Luke 24:49; John 4:24; John 14:16-17,26; John 15:26; John 16:7-14; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:1-4,38; Acts 4:31; Acts 5:3; Acts 6:3; Acts 7:55; Acts 8:17,39; Acts 10:44; Acts 13:2; Acts 15:28; Acts 16:6; Acts 19:1-6; Rom. 8:9-11; Romans 8:14-16; Romans 8:26-27; I Cor. 2:10-14; I Corinthians 3:16; I Cor. 12:3-11; Galatians 4:6; Eph. 1:13-14; Ephesians 4:30; Ephesians 5:18; I Thes. 5:19; I Timothy 3:16; I Timothy 4:12; II Timothy 1:14; II Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 9:8; Hebrews 14:2; 2 Peter 1-21; I John 4:13; I John 5:6-7; Revelation 1:10; Rev 22:17

PEOPLE 

People were created by the special act of God, in His own image, and are the crowning work of His creation. In the beginning, the first man and woman were innocent of sin and were endowed by the creator with freedom of choice. By free choice, the first man and woman sinned against God and brought sin into the human race. Through the temptation of Satan the first man and woman transgressed the command of God, and fell from their original innocence; whereby his posterity inherits a nature and an environment inclined towards sin, and as soon as they are capable of moral action become transgressors and are under condemnation. Only the grace of God can bring people into His holy fellowship and enable people to fulfill the creative purpose of God. The sacredness of human personality is evident in that Christ died for people; therefore every person possesses dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love. We therefore reject any abuse of people including racism, sexism, classism, and religious persecution and we should work against such abuses. We also believe that Christ's followers should work to end the suffering of people from poverty, tyranny, and injustice.

Scripture References:
Genesis 1:26-30; Gen. 2:5,7, 18-22; Genesis 3; Genesis 9:6; Psalm 1; Psalm 8:3-6; Psalm 32:1-5; Psalm 51:5; Isaiah 6:5; Jeremiah 17:5; Matthew 16:26; Acts 17:26-31; Romans 1:19-32; Rom.3:10-18; Romans 3:23; Romans 5:6, 12, 19; Romans 6:6; Romans 7:14-25; Rom. 8:14-18, 29; I Cor. 1:21-31; I Cor. 15:19; I Cor.15:21-22; Eph. 2:1-22; Colossians 1:21-22; Colossians 3:9-11

SALVATION

We believe Salvation involves the redemption of the whole person, and is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, who by His own blood obtained eternal redemption for the believer. In its broadest sense salvation includes regeneration, sanctification, and glorification.

Regeneration (The Beginning)

Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of God's grace whereby believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus. It is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds in repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of grace. Repentance is a genuine turning from sin towards God. Faith is the acceptance of Jesus Christ, his sacrificial death on the cross, and commitment of the entire personality to Him as Lord and Savior. Justification is God's gracious and full acquittal upon principles of His righteousness of all sinners who repent and believe in Christ. Justification brings the believer into a relationship of peace and favor with God.

Sanctification (The Journey)

Sanctification is the experience, beginning in regeneration, by which the believer is set apart to God's purposes, and is enabled to progress toward moral and spiritual perfection through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in him. Growth in grace should continue throughout the regenerated person's life.

Glorification (Completion)

Glorification is the culmination of salvation and is the final blessed and abiding state of the redeemed.

Scripture References:
Genesis 3:15; Exodus 3:14-17; Exodus 6:2-8; Matthew 1:21; Matthew 4:17; Matthew 16:21-26; Matthew 27:22; Matthew 28:6; Luke 1:68-69; Luke 2:28-32; John 1:11-14,29; John 3:3-21, 36; John 5:24; John 10:9; John 10: 28-29; John 15:1-16; John 17:17; Acts 2:21; Acts 4:12; Acts 15:11; Acts 16:30-31; Acts 17:30-31; Acts 20:32; Romans 1:16-18; Romans 2:4; Romans 3:23-25; Romans 4:3; Rom. 5:8-10; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-18; Romans 8:29-39; Romans 10:9-10,13; Romans 13:11-14; I Cor. 1:18, 30; I Cor 6:19-20; I Cor. 15:10; 2 Cor.5:17-20; Galatians 2:20; Galatians 3:13; Galatians 5:22-25; Galatians 6:15; Ephesians 1:7; Ephesians 2:8-22; Ephesians 4:11-16; Philippians 2:12-13;Colossians 1:9-22; Colossians 3:1

THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH

We believe a New Testament Church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomous assembly of baptized believers who are associated by covenant in the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We believe that Jesus Christ is the head of the church, the church being his body.

We believe that the church should seek to know and carry out the will of Christ and that it is the church's commission to bring the gospel to and make disciples of all people and all nations.

We believe that the scriptures in addition to speaking to a local body do at certain times refer to the church as a body that includes all people having been saved through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Scripture References:
Acts 2:38, 41; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 1:22; Ephesians 5:23; Mark 16:15,16; Matt. 28:19,20; I Cor. 1:2; Romans 3:21-26. 

LASTING TRADITIONS

Baptism

We believe Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer's faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior, the believer’s death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. It is a testimony to his faith in the final resurrection of the dead. Baptism is a prerequisite to the privileges of the church membership.

Lord's Supper

We believe The Lord's Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby Christ's followers, through partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His Second Coming. It is also a reminder of the binding relationship we share with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are reminded to love one another and bear one another’s burdens during this celebration.

Scripture References:
Matthew 3:13-17; Matthew 26:26-30; Matthew 2819-20; Mark 1:9-11; Mark 14:22-26; Luke 3:21-22; Luke 22:19-20; John 3:23; Acts 2:41-42; Acts 8:35-39; Acts 16:30-33; Acts 20:7; Rom. 6:3-5; I Cor 10:16; I Cor. 10: 21; I Cor 11:23-29; Col. 2:12; I John 4:7-8; Ephesians 4:2

LAST THINGS

God in His own time and in His own way, will bring the world to its appropriate end. According to His promise, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth; the dead will be raised; and Christ will judge all people in righteousness. The unrighteous will be consigned to Hell, the place of everlasting separation from God. The righteous in their resurrected and glorified bodies will receive their reward and will dwell forever in Heaven with the Lord.

Scripture References:
Isaiah 2:4; Isaiah 11:9; Matthew 16:27; Matthew 18:8-9; Matthew 19:28; Matthew 24:27, 30; Matt 24:36,44; Matthew 25:31-46; Matthew 26:64; Mark 8:38; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 12:40, 48; Luke 16:19-26; Luke 17:22-37; Luke 21:27-28; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:11; Acts 17:31; Romans 14:10; I Corinthians 4:5; I Cor. 15:24-28; I Cor. 15:35-58; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Philippians 3:20-21; Colossians 1:5; Colossians 3:4; I Thes. 4:14-18; I Thess 5:1; 2 Thess. 1:7; 2 Thess. 2; I Timothy 6:14; 2 Timothy 4:1, 8; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 9:27-28; James 5:8; 2 Peter 3:7; I John 2:28; I John 3:2; Jude 14; Revelation 1:18; Revelation 3:11; Re 20:1-22:13

EVANGELISM & MISSIONS

We believe that the Lord gave the commission to proclaim his gospel and make disciples throughout the world. We will participate with other churches in the advance of the Gospel throughout the world.

Scripture References:
Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8; II Corinthians 5:11-21

THE CHRISTIAN COVENANT OF MARRIAGE

We believe the Christian covenant of marriage, by which one man and one woman establish a lifetime partnership for the protection and wellbeing of the spouses and the procreation and bringing up of offspring in a godly manner, is to be honored as holy. This covenant should only be entered into by two professing followers of Jesus Christ. This is a binding covenant between the man, the woman, and God.

Jacob’s Well Church believes that the Bible clearly instructs that sexual activity is to be enjoyed exclusively between a man and a woman who have been joined together in holy matrimony. All other sexual activity violates the biblical standard for Christians. 

This covenant may only be broken in the extreme cases of marital infidelity, abuse, or abandonment. The spouse who was abused, abandoned, or treated with infidelity is free from the obligation of the covenant. However, reconciliation may be possible even after times of deep hurt and betrayal. Divorce is a painful experience and those who go through divorce will be loved and supported as they seek the Lord for healing and forgiveness to live a whole and healthy life.

We acknowledge and celebrate that some are called to singleness for a season or for their entire life. The calling to singleness is a call to celibacy and is considered a gift from God.

Scripture References:
Genesis 1:1-3:24, Matthew 19:1-12, Ephesians 5:21-6:4, Colossians 3:18-20, Leviticus 18:1-30, Matthew 5:27-32, Romans 1:1-24:1; I Corinthians 6:9-11, I Timothy 1:8-11 Jude 1:3-4 

*Adapted from The Baptist Faith & Message