What We Believe

OUR MISSION

The mission of River Valley Church of Christ is to lead people in a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.

About God:

We believe in one God, almighty Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:1-2ff; Exodus 3:14; Deuteronomy 6:4; Psalm 19:1-3; Mark 1:9-11; Romans 8:1-11)

About People:

We believe that man and woman, created by God in His image, willfully sinned against God and are consequently lost and without hope apart from Jesus Christ. (Genesis 1:26-3:24; Romans 5:1ff; 1 Corinthians 15:1ff; Ephesians 2:1ff)

About Marriage, Gender and Sexuality:

We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male and female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person. We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other. We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, beastiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful & offensive to God (Genesis 1:26-27; 2:18-25; Mat 15:18-20; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,18; 7:2-5; Hebrews 13:4).  

About The Bible:

We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of humankind, and is the final source of all that we believe. (Deuteronomy 4:1-2; Psalm 119:1ff; Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 5:17-18; Luke 21:33; John 5:39; Hebrews 1:1-2; 4:12)

About Jesus Christ:

We believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Lord and only Savior, fully God, fully man, who was conceived from the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, who lived a sinless life, who suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified to pay for the sins of mankind, died and was buried, rose again from the dead on the third day, ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty, who will come again to judge the living and the dead. (Isaiah 7:1ff; Isaiah 53:1ff; Matthew 1:18-23, 16:16; 28:1-6,19; John 1:1ff; John 10:30; Acts 2:22-24; Romans 3:23-26; 5:6-21; 1 Corinthians 15:1ff; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:13-22; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Hebrews 1:1-3; 12:2; Revelation 5:9-14)

About Salvation: 

We believe that acceptance of Jesus Christ and the corresponding renewal of the Holy Spirit is the only path to salvation. We are saved by grace through faith. We receive salvation by putting faith in Christ, turning from sin, and confessing Christ (Matthew 1:21; 27-28; John 1:11-14; Acts 2:21; 6:30-31; Romans 3:1-6:1ff; 10:13; 2 Corinthians 5:17-20; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 2:8-22; Colossians 1:15-22; 1 Peter 1:3-9; 1 John 1:6-2:11; Revelation 3:20)

About The Holy Spirit:

We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit who convicts of sin, indwells every Christian, helps us in our weakness and intercedes for us in prayer, and Who empowers us to a fruitful Christian life. (Genesis 1:2; Psalm 139:1ff; Joel 2:28-32; Luke 4:18-19; 11:13; 12:12; John 14:16-17; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4,38; Romans 8:1ff; 1 Corinthians 2:10-14; Ephesians 1:13-14; 1 John 4:13)

About The Church:

We believe that the church is the community of believers who represent Jesus Christ to the world, the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ, and that all believers are members of His body, the Church, with Christ as its Head. (Matthew 16:15-19; 18:15-20; Acts 2:41-47; 1 Corinthians 12:1ff; Ephesians 3:8-11; Colossians 1:18; Revelation 21:2-3)

About Communion:

We believe that communion, or the Lord’s Supper, is an ordinance given to all believers by Jesus Christ to remember his sacrifice for us and to symbolize the new covenant. The elements of bread and wine or juice are symbols of Christ’s broken body and shed blood. Communion is not a means of salvation. Rather, it is a testament of a believer’s faith in the atoning work of the cross. (Matthew 26:26-30; Mark 14:22-26; Luke 22:19,20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29)

About Baptism:

Baptism by immersion symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus and is your public declaration that you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. Baptism does not save you, but shows the world that you have already been saved. And while baptism is not required for salvation, it is a biblical command and demonstrates your love and obedience to Christ. (Colossians 2:12; Acts 2:41; Ephesians 2: 8-9; Matthew 28:19-20)

About Eternity:

We believe in eternal life, and that through belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, we spend eternity with the Lord in Heaven. We believe that in rejecting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we receive eternal suffering in hell. We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation. (Matthew 25:31-46; John 3:3-21, John 3:36; John 5:24; 10:9,28-29; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Hebrews 5:8-9; Revelation 20:11-22:21)

About Final Authority:

We believe that while God’s Word is the ultimate authority, it is not always clear how Scripture should be applied. For purposes of River Valley Church of Christ’s faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, our elders and pastors are the final interpretive authority on the Bible’s meaning and application. (Acts 6:1-7; Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; 1 Timothy 5:17-20; Titus 1:5-9; James 5:14; 1 Peter 5:1-4)

This statement of beliefs is not an exhaustive list of our beliefs and faith. For an expanded view on our matters of beliefs and faith, please speak with one of the pastors or elders of River Valley Church of Christ. These statements were drawn from and inspired by the Nicene Creed, Apostles’ Creed, National Association of Evangelicals’ Statement of Faith, and other local churches).