Statement of Faith
1.
We believe in the verbal plenary inspiration of the scriptures, inerrant in the original documents, and the final authority in all matters of faith and practice (II Tim 3:16-17; I Thess 2:13; II Peter 1:21). We believe God revealed, inspired, and has preserved His Word for us and therefore we should obey it (Psalm 19:7-10).
2.
There is one God (Deut 6:4; 33:27), eternally existent in Three Persons (Matt 28:19), Father (Eph 4:6), Son (John 1:1), and Holy Spirit (Heb 9:14).
3.
The Lord Jesus Christ is truly God and truly man (I Tim 3:16; 2:5-6), born of a virgin (Luke 1:35), and sinlessly perfect (Heb 4:15). Because of His sacrifice, the sinner finds in Christ a substitute (I Peter 2:24), and a representative who forever pleads His blood for our justification (Romans 5:19; Heb 7:25). He rose bodily from the dead (Luke 24:39), and ascended to His Father’s right hand (Eph 1:20), where He now ministers as our Great High Priest (Heb 4:14-16; 9:24). We believe that because of who He is and what He has done and is doing, He must have the pre-eminence (Col 1:18). All authority has been given to Him by the Father.
4
. Each member of the human race is fallen, sinful, and lost (Romans 3:23; 5:12). Regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential for the salvation of each man, woman, and child (Titus 3:5; Romans 8:9). Redemption is wholly by the blood of Christ (Heb 9:12-14; I Peter 1:18-19), and salvation is by grace, through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ (Eph 2:8-9). Every child of God possesses eternal life and is safe for all eternity (John 10:27-29; 3:16; 5:24). We believe that both eternal life and abundant life are available to all who repent and believe (John 10:10) and thus each believer can possess both the assurance and security of eternal life (John 5:24; I John 5:9-10).
5.
Each believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, who seals him unto the day of redemption (Eph 1:13-14; 4:30). It is through the power of the Holy Spirit that the believer can live a godly life (Gal 5:16; 22-23). We believe that we are to be holy and godly in our conduct (I Peter 1:15).
6.
We believe there is life after death and that preparation for eternity must be made before death (Heb 9:27-28). We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust (John 5:29; I Cor 15:51-55; Rev 20:12-13), and the everlasting blessedness of the saved (Phil 1:23; Rev 22:4-5), and the everlasting conscious punishment of the lost in the lake of fire (Rev 20:10-15; Matt 25:46).
7.
We believe in the personal, pre-millennial and imminent return of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ (I Thess 4:14 & 18; Titus 2:13; Acts 1:11; Heb 9:28). We believe that believers are saved from the wrath of God, which is to come upon this earth (Rom 5:9; I Thess 1:10; 5:9).
8.
The Church, as a whole, is not an organization but a living organism, known as the Body of Christ (Eph 1:22-23). The local church is composed of believers in a locality, who gather in Christ’s name as a corporate testimony to the Lordship of Christ (Col 1:18), and to the oneness of the Body of Christ (John 17:21). They gather to commemorate the Lords Supper (I Cor 11:23-26), for worship (John 4:23), for prayer (Acts 2:42), edification (Eph 4:12) and evangelism (II Tim 4:2). Government and discipline are the responsibilities of the local church (Matt 18:15-17). We believe that believers should be actively involved in the fellowship of a local church (Heb 10:23-25).
9.
There are two Christian ordinances – baptism by immersion (Matt 28:19; Acts 8:38; Col 2:12), and the Lord’s Supper, (communion) (Luke 22:19-20). Baptism is for believers upon confession of their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 8:35-39). It signifies that the one being baptized has been crucified with Christ unto sin, has been buried with Him, and is risen with Him to walk in newness of life (Rom 6:3-5). The early church commemorated the Lord’s supper on the first day of week (Acts 20:7), and we believe that it is the privilege of all true believers to heed and participate in the Lord’s Supper, “This do in remembrance of me”, (I Cor 11:20-34).
10.
We celebrate the Lord’s Supper in a gathering of true believers on the first day of each week (Sunday), breaking bread and drinking from a cup, the fruit of the vine, in remembrance of Him. Such scriptures as I Cor 10, 11, and 14 guide us in this.
11.
God has delegated the responsibility of the local church government to the oversight of the assembly (Acts 20:28; Heb 13:17). Following the pattern of the New Testament, we recognize the plurality of Elders among us as they display the characteristics set forth in such scriptures as I Tim 3 and Titus 1
Purpose Statement
Thessalon Bible Chapel is a Brethren community of Christians whose mission is to love and worship the Lord Jesus Christ, encourage Christ-like maturity through Bible study, prayer and relationship, and lovingly proclaim the Gospel through local evangelism and world missions.