What We Believe

These beliefs are at the heart of all we say and do at Mount Pisgah Church.  We've included references from the Bible if you would like to study the Biblical basis for these beliefs
 

He said, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have life; and it is they that bear witness to me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life” (John 5:39-40). We believe in and through Jesus. Jesus is the Word of God for us, to us, and even in and through us (John 1:1-18; 1Corinthians 1:30; Galatians. 4:6). We believe in him and we believe He is God.

Jesus said, “Scripture cannot be broken.” We believe the Bible is the authoritative witness on all matters to which it speaks. The Bible is “self attesting.” In it we hear Jesus; God’s Word; “The Way, The Truth, and The Life.”

Scripture tells us that, “God is Love.” (1 John 4:8,16) and that, Jesus has “made Him known.” (John 1:18). God is not part Love and part Justice. God is one (Deuteronomy 6:4). He is Love and his love is Justice.

The most terrifying passages in the Bible seem contradictory to Love—until our hearts see “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God shining in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6). “For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell. And through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross” (Colossians 1:19-20). “Jesus Christ and him crucified” is the revelation of God’s heart, the meaning of all things and The Prince of Peace.  This same Jesus lives!  He conquered death!  “But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing; and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead? “He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.” (Luke 24:1-7)  “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures…” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)

The Church is the community of those people that have received the life of Jesus through faith, and as faith; that have come to believe “the Gospel” – the Good News that God has reconciled us to himself in Christ. The Church is called to bear witness to Christ through word and action and thus join God’s work of redemption. We have been blessed to be a blessing to “all the families of the earth” (Gen. 12:1-3).

Historically, the Church has felt the need to confess her faith through “creeds.” Creeds are never meant to replace Scripture, but to summarize and clarify Scripture. The two oldest creeds are the Apostle’s Creed and the Nicene Creed. At Mount Pisgah, we agree with both.

We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible:
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds;
God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God;
Begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by Whom all things were made:
Who for us men and for our salvation came down from Heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man:
And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered and was buried:
And the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures:
And ascended into Heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father:
And he shall come again, with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead:
Whose Kingdom will have no end:
And we believe in the Holy Ghost the Lord, and Giver of Life, Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son
Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, Who spake by the Prophets.
And we believe in One Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church,
We acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins.
And we look for the Resurrection of the Dead:
And the Life of the world to come.  Amen.
 

Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one!
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:
Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into death, The third day He arose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty,
whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy universal church of the Lord Jesus Christ,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.  Amen.