What We Believe

About God

We believe there is one God eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (the Trinity). We believe that God created the entire universe. We believe that sin exists in this world and that only because of God’s love can we be saved. We believe that each person will have a day of judgment and we believe that this judgment will result in eternal life in Heaven or hell. We believe that God is merciful, but His word shows us that each of us must choose to live our life for Him, be obedient to His will, and have a personal relationship with Him in order to receive all the rewards and promises He has for us.

About Jesus Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ is the second member of the Trinity (the Son of God). We believe that Jesus came in the flesh to Earth to facilitate a relationship between God and man and to become the Savior of the lost world. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, and the physical miracles He performed. We believe He died on the cross as a way for us to be forgiven of our sins, His resurrection, and His return to heaven to be with His father, God. We believe He will return again. We believe that faith and a personal relationship with God through His son Jesus is the only way to be forgiven of our sins and allow for us to live for eternity with Him in heaven.

About the Holy Spirit

We believe the Holy Spirit is the third member of the Trinity (God’s Spirit). We believe the Holy Spirit is a tremendous source of assurance, peace, wisdom, power, and strength. While the Holy Spirit lives about us, we also believe the Holy Spirit desires to live within us, and be shown through us. We believe the Holy Spirit brings conviction and guidance and also reveals an intimacy with God. We believe that following the baptism (to be completely spiritually immersed), the Holy Spirit can speak through us as described in the Bible as unknown tongues, for the glory of God, to bring revelation to the individual or God’s people. We believe the Holy Spirit directs us each day to examine our lives and our actions and to bring our whole person more in line with God’s word and Spirit.

About Mankind

Man was created good and without sin; however, man chose to be disobedient to God and allowed sin into all of mankind. Because of this choice, all people are born with sin in their lives and have been separated from God; while they are alive physically, they are spiritually dead. Man's only hope is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, His resurrection and faith in His grace for salvation. Each person must make a personal choice to accept God as his or her Savior and be born again spiritually by His love and mercy.

About Salvation

We believe that Jesus’ death on the cross, this act of true love and selflessness, and the blood that He shed, has the power to cover our sins. God’s Holy Spirit convicts us and draws us to moments of decision. Through our repentance, or begging for God’s forgiveness for our sins and our desire to begin to live our life for Him, His forgiveness leads to a change of heart, mind, and spirit. Therefore, salvation occurs only when people place their faith in the death and resurrection of Christ as sufficient payment for their sin. This gives us full righteousness in the presence of a Holy God. We believe that Salvation isn’t the end stage of our relationship with God, but the beginning. We believe that we must lose the desire to sin through sanctification, strive to live a holy life (pleasing to God), and must allow the Holy Spirit to live in and through us.

About the Scriptures

We believe the entire Bible is the inspired Word of God and that men were led by the Spirit of God to write down the words as God directed them. Because we believe the Bible was given by God, we believe the Bible is without error. We believe that the Bible gives us directions for our lives and that by reading the Bible, studying the scriptures, and applying these directions, we can begin living a life that is pleasing to God.

About the Church

We believe that God created or instituted the church for many reasons. One reason is so that there would be a place where people could come together to praise and worship Him. Another reason was to allow for people who have dedicated their lives to Him to come together as a community: a place to facilitate growth in our daily relationship with God; a place to learn and share in day-to-day life; and a place to receive support. The church is also a place where people who are hurting, unsure of who God is, or spiritually lost and searching for hope, can come and connect with people who will care about them, support them, and help teach them about God’s love. The church is also a place where people can connect to God’s Spirit with other believers. We believe the local church (21CC) is part of the kingdom of God. This simply means that there are many churches and believers who work together to impact this world. 21CC is voluntarily connected with an international organization to help facilitate the goals of the church or kingdom. The ultimate reason the church was created is to glorify God by loving Him and by making Him known to the lost world.

These are some simplistic explanations of complex beliefs, doctrines, and theology. Please contact us for more answers to your questions and also visit the international organization’s website at www.cogop.org/about/doctrine/ for more information about doctrines and beliefs.