This We Believe.

What we believe forms the ways that we live at Christ Church.

What We Believe

At the heart of Christ Church is the conviction that Jesus Christ is our Saviour and Lord. We believe that He saves us from the power of sin and guilt and rules over us by His Word and through His Holy Spirit. As we put our faith in Christ, we find forgiveness for the wrong we have done, and we also discover the power to change our lives to live like Jesus and advance God’s Kingdom.

As a congregation, we make it our aim to live for Christ not just on Sunday but on every day of the week and in every part of life. We hope that the witness of our words and our life will also attract our neighbours to the salvation which God gives in Christ.

At our core, we believe in the great evangelical truths:

  • By Scripture alone. The Bible alone is our authority for what we believe and for how we should live (see 2 Timothy 3:14-17, Matthew 4:1-11, Colossians 3:16).

  • By grace alone. Salvation is a free gift of God's grace (unmerited favour) given to us because of what Christ did and is in no way earned (see John 3:16, Ephesians 2:4-10, 1 Timothy 1:15).

  • In Christ alone. Jesus Christ is the only Saviour and Lord, and the only way to get to God. In Him and in Him alone, we have salvation (see John 14:6, Romans 1:1-6 & 6:23, 1 Peter 2:24-25).

  • By faith alone. We are justified (declared just by God) by faith alone, it is not given to us because of our goodness but only through faith in Jesus Christ (see Romans 1:16-17, 3:21-26).

  • To God alone be the glory. All the glory goes to God since it is His will and purpose to call us (see Philippians 2:5-11, 1 Corinthians 15:20-28).

If you are unclear about the key message of Christianity, known as the gospel, then check out Two Ways to Live

Basis of Faith

  1. We believe in the one true God who lives eternally in three persons – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

    (Deut. 6:4; Gen 1:1; Is. 40:28; John 1:3; John 4:24; Col 1:16; 1 Ti 2:5)

  2. We believe in the love, grace and sovereignty of God in creating, sustaining, ruling, redeeming and judging the world.

    (Ge 1:2; Ge 2:7; Psalm 103:1-22; Psalm 104:30; Job 34:14-15)

  3. We believe in the divine inspiration and supreme authority of the Old and New Testament Scriptures, which are the written Word of God – fully trustworthy for faith and conduct.

    (2 Pe 1:21; Mt 5:18; 2 Ti 3:16; Tit 1:2; 1 Th 2:13; Jer 1:9; Prov 30:56; 2 Sa 23:2; Mark 12:30; Acts 4:25; Rev 22:18-19)

  4. We believe in the dignity of all people, made male and female in God’s image to love, be holy and care for creation, yet sin corrupted our nature, which incurs divine wrath and judgement.

    (Ge 1:26; Ge 2:7, 16-17; Mt 19:4; Col 1:16; 1 Ti 2:13-14; Ge 3:1-24; 1 Ti 2:13-14; Eph 2:3; Psalm 58:3; Jer 17:9; Rom 3:10-23; Is 64:6)

  5. We believe in the incarnation of God’s eternal Son, the Lord Jesus Christ – born of the virgin Mary; truly divine and truly human, yet without sin.

    (Is 9:6; Mt 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-37; Joh 1:1-14; Rev 19:13; 1Ti 3:16; 1Jo 5:7; Is 7:14)

  6. We believe in the penal substitutionary atonement of Christ on the cross: dying in our place, punished instead of us, paying the price of sin and defeating evil, so reconciling us with God.

    (Ro 6:23; Ro 2:23-25; Ro 8:34; 1Jo 3:4; Is 53:4-8,10; Eze 18:20; Lev 17:11; Heb 7:25; Heb 9:11-28; Heb 10:1-18; 1Pe 1:18, 19; 1 Pe 2:24; 1 Cor 15:38; Luke 24:51; Act s1:10-11; Col 1:27; 2 Cor 13:5)

  7. We believe in the bodily resurrection of Christ, the first fruits of our resurrection; his ascension to the Father, and his reign and mediation as the only Saviour of the world.

    (Mt 28:1-10; John 20:1-9; Acts 1:1-10; 1 Cor 15)

  8. We believe in the justification of sinners solely by the grace of God through faith in Christ.

    (Ro 3:21-31; Ro 4; Ro 5:1-5; Eph 2:8-9; Titus 2:11-15)

  9. We believe in the ministry of God the Holy Spirit, who leads us to repentance, unites us with Christ through new birth, enables us to live a holy life, empowers our discipleship, imparts us with spiritual gifts, and enables our witness.

    (John 3:5; John 6:44; John 14:16-17, 26; John 15:26; John 16:6-11; Acts 1:8; Acts 5:34; 1 Co 2:11-14; 1 Co 12:13; Rom 6:9-11; Rom 8:1-39; 1 Jo 5:7)

  10. We believe in the church, the body of Christ both local and universal, the priesthood of all believers — given life by the Spirit and endowed with the Spirit’s gifts to worship God and proclaim the gospel, promoting justice and love.

    (Eph 3:10-11; Eph 4:11-13; Rom 12:3-8; John 12:44; Luke 10:16; Mt 5:13-14; Mark 16:20; 2 Ti 2:12; 2 Pe 2:1-3)

  11. We believe in the the divine institution of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

    (Mt 28:19; Acts 2:38; Gal 3:27; Mt 26:26-28; 1 Cor 11:23-25)

  12. We believe in the personal and visible return of Jesus Christ to fulfil the purposes of God, who will raise all people to judgement, bring eternal life to the redeemed and eternal condemnation to the lost, and establish a new heaven and new earth.

    (1 Th 4:13-18; John 14:1-3; Zec 14:1-9; Acts 1:10-11; Luke 11:39; Rev 20:6; 1 Co 15:51-2)

According to Christ Church Exmouth Trust Deed, 1897, we uphold the Declaration of Principles as a fundamental basis to the doctrine, discipline and worship of the Church according to the Constitution.