Our Beliefs

Our Beliefs

What St James West believes concerning:

1. God

We believe that there is only one true, living, and eternal God and that the Godhead is revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

  • One true and eternal God: Deut. 6:4; Jer. 10:10; Mark 12:29; I Cor. 8:4-6
  • The Godhead:
    • God as Father: Gen 1:1; Matt. 6:9; Eph. 4:6
    • God as Son: Isa. 9:6; Jn. 1:1, 3:16; I Cor. 15:28; Matt. 1:18-25; Lk. 1:26-38
    • God as Holy Spirit: Jn. 14:16, 26; Acts 1:5 and 8, 2:1-4

2. The Bible

We believe that the Holy Scriptures are the Old and New Testaments, the inspired and infallible Word of God, and therein is found the only reliable guide of Christian faith and conduct.

  • Inspired revelation: Lk. 24:44-46; II Tim. 3:15-17; II Pet.1:20-21
  • Infallible Word: Isa. 40:8; Jn. 17:17; I Peter 1:25
  • Reliable guide: Deut. 6:6-9; Rom. 10:14-15, 15:4

3. Man

We believe that God created man in His own image to bring Him honor through obedience, and that when man disobeyed, he became a fallen and sinful creature, unable to save himself.

  • Man's Origin: Gen. 1:26-27, 2:7
  • Man's Purpose: Gen. 1:28-31, 2:15-25
  • Man's sin: Gen. 3:1-24; Ps. 51:5; Rom. 1:18-3:23, 5:12-21
  • Man's accountability: Rom. 4:15, 5:13, 6:16

4. Salvation

We believe that salvation (regeneration, justification, sanctification, glorification, redemption) has been provided for all mankind through the redemptive work (life, death, resurrection, ascension, and intercession) of Jesus Christ and that this salvation can be received only through repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of the magnitude of salvation and the giver of salvation, our redemption is sure.

  • Salvation: I Thes. 5:9; Heb. 7:25
    • Regeneration: Jn. 3:3-8; Eph. 2:1-10; II Cor. 5:17
    • Justification: Rom. 5:1-2, 18; I Cor. 6:11; Rom 8:28-39
    • Sanctification: I Cor. 1:30; Heb. 10:9-10; I Pet. 1:2
    • Glorification: Rom. 8:17, 30; I Cor. 15:42-44, 51-52
    • Redemption: Isa 53:6; Col. 1:14; I Pet. 1:18-19
       
  • Christ's redemptive work: Jn. 3:16; Rom. 5:8; Jn. 14:6; Acts 4:12
    • Life and death: Heb. 9:12-15; Jn. 10:11
    • Resurrection: Rom. 4:25; I Pet. 1:3; I Cor. 15:14, 17
    • Ascension: Heb. 4:14-16, 6:19-20; 9:24
    • Intercession: Rom. 8:34; Isa. 53:12; I Tim. 2:5
       
  • Repentance: Isa. 55:6-7; Lk. 24:47; Acts 2:38
  • Faith: Jn. 3:16-18; Heb. 11:1, 6

5. Christian Duties

We believe that Christians should live faithfully by serving in and through the local church, praying diligently, witnessing earnestly, practicing tolerance, showing loving kindness, giving as God prospers, and conducting themselves in such a way as to bring glory to God.

  • Faithful service: I Chron. 16:11; Matt. 28:18-20; Jn. 15:7-14; I Cor. 13
  • Prayer: II Cor. 7:14; Matt. 6:1-13
  • Witnessing: Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 1:8
  • Tolerance: Matt. 18:15-17; Gal. 5:22-23
  • Loving kindness: Jn. 13:35
  • Financial stewardship: Matt. 23:23; I Cor. 16:2; II Cor. 9:6-7

6. The Church

We believe that the Church Universal is the Body of Christ, the fellowship of all believers, and that its members have been called out from the world to come under the dominion and authority of Christ, its head. We believe that a local church is a fellowship of Christians, a part of the Body of Christ, voluntarily banded together for worship, service, and nurture.

  • The Church Universal: Matt. 16:18; I Cor. 3:16, 12:12-24 and 27; Eph. 1:22-23
  • The local church: Matt. 18:17; Acts 2:38-47, 11:19-30; Rev. 1:4, 3:22
  • Worship and service: I Cor. 14:12; Heb. 10:25; Jas. 1:26-27
  • Nurture: Eph. 4

7. Ordinances

We believe that baptism and the Lord's Supper are ordinances instituted by Christ to be observed by Christians only. We also believe the Lord's Supper should be open to all Christians.

  • Baptism:
    •  Instituted & Purpose of: Matt. 28:16-20
    • Subjects: Acts 2:41, 8:12
    • Believer's Baptism: Matt. 3:11-15; Rom. 6:3-5; Col. 2-12: I Pet.3:21
  • Communion:
    • Instituted: Matt. 26:26-29; I Cor. 11:23-25
    • Subjects: I Cor. 11: 27-29
    • Purpose: I Cor. 11:26

8. The Lord's Day

We believe in the sanctity of the Lord's Day, the first day of the week, and that this day ought to be observed by worshiping God, witnessing for Christ, and ministering to the needs of humanity. We believe that secular work on Sunday would be limited to cases of necessity or mercy.

  • Sanctity: Ex. 20:8; Isa. 58:13-14
  • Observance: Mk. 2:27-28; Lk. 4:16, 14:1-6; Acts 20:7; I Cor. 16:2; Rev. 1:10

9. Last Things

We believe in the personal return of Jesus Christ, and in the bodily resurrection of the dead. We believe that God will judge all mankind by Jesus Christ, that He will reward the righteous with eternal life in heaven, and that He will banish the unrighteous to everlasting punishment in hell.

  • Return: Matt. 24, 25; Jn. 14:13; Acts 1:11; I Jn. 3:2; Rev. 1:7
  • Resurrection: Jn. 5:25, 28-29; I Cor. 15; I Thes. 4:16-17
  • Judgment and reward: Matt. 25:21; Acts 17:31; II Cor. 5:1, 10; Rev. 14:13, 20:10-15, 22:12.