Foundational Beliefs

Beliefs that we find particularly necessary for an orthodox christian faith.

• There is a God: (Romans 1:20; Acts 14:17)
• God is one: (1 Corinthians 8:4; Deuteronomy 6:4)
• He is Creator of all things: (Genesis 1:1; Hebrews 11:3)
• He is Governor of all things: (Proverbs 15:3; Matthew 10:30)
• God is distinguished into Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost: (Matthew 3:16-17; Matthew 28:19; 1 John 5:7)
• All men are wholly corrupted with sin: (Romans 3:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:23)
• The corruption came through Adam's fall: (Romans 5:12)
• Through sin we have become children of Satan: (Ephesians 2:2; Jn 8:42-44; Hebrews 2:14; 2 Corinthians 4:4)
• We are guilty of eternal damnation: (Galations 3:10; Romans 5:18)
• Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God: (John 1:14; Matthew 3:17; John 17:1)
• Jesus Christ became man: (Hebrews 2:16; Philippians 2:7)
• Christ died for us on the cross: (Isaiah 53:5; Matthew 27:50)
• We are made righteous because of Christ's righteousness: (Romans 5:19; 2 Corinthians 5:21)
• Christ alone has perfectly accomplished all things necessary for the salvation of mankind: (Acts 4:12; Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 2:2)
• A humble and contrite heart is required: (Isaiah 57:15; Psalm 51:17; James 4:6)
• Faith alone saves: (Mark 5:36; Numbers 21:9; John 3:14-16)
• Only after faith may we apprehend and apply Christ's merit onto ourselves: (John 1:12; John 6:35; Romans 4:5)
• We now stand justified before God: (Romans 4:3, 6-7; Ephesians 1:4; Colossians 1:22)
• God's will for our justified life is that we be sanctified: (1 Thessalonians 4:3; Acts 15:9; 1 Corinthians 1:30)
• Faith comes by hearing the word of God: (Romans 10:14; Proverbs 29:18)
• Our Lord's ordinances are Baptism and the Lord's Supper; they are the means of remembering the righteousness which comes through faith: (Romans 4:11-12; Romans 6:1-4; 1 Corinthians 10:1-2)
• Prayer is the means by which we partake of the faith: (James 5:16; Philippians 4:6; Ephesians 6:18; John 15:7; Romans 8:26; Matthew 21:22)
• All men shall be raised after death with their own bodies, to the judgment: (John 5:28; 1 Corinthians 15:20-21; Ecclesiastes 12:14; Matthew 12:36)
• The godly shall possess the kingdom of God, but unbelievers shall be tormented in hell with the Devil and his angels: (Matthew 13:30; Matthew 25:31-46; John 5:29; Daniel 12:2; Revelation 20:11-15)

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Overview of Doctrinal Teachings

Essential teachings that you can expect from Waterbrook:
*By no means is this an exhaustive list*

Holy Scriptures:

• We teach that God's revelation is verbally inspired in every word, as spoken by the mouths of God's Prophets and Apostles (Ephesians 2:20); the written Scriptures also being, "God-breathed, able to equip the man of God with every good work." (2 Tim 3:16-17).
• We teach that the 66 books of the Holy Bible contain the only reliable and trustworthy knowledge of God (Matthew 5:18; 2 Peter 1:20-21); through them alone are we able to understand and experience the power of God, which has granted us all things pertaining to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).
• ​We teach that while there are multiple applications of any given passage, there is but one interpretation. Under the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, one must come to that interpretation through the literal, grammatical-historical method (John 7:16-17; 16:13-15).

God:

• We teach that the God of the Scriptures is the only living and true God (Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Corinthians 8:4); He is perfect in all His attributes, infinite, and an all-knowing Spirit (John 4:24).
• We teach that God is one in essence, eternally existing in three Persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14); each equally deserving of worship and obedience.

Man:

• We teach that mankind was created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27); free from sin, rational, and with a moral responsibility to God. (Genesis 2:7, 15-25; James 3:9).
• We teach that mankind's fall into sin and rebellion took place in the Garden of Eden, where Adam disobeyed the revealed will and word of God (Genesis 3:6-7); while man still retains the image of God which Adam possessed, we also have each inherited his corrupted sinful nature as well (Romans 3:9-18; 5:12, 18-19).

Salvation:

• We teach that salvation is wholly of God by grace, on the basis of the redemption of Jesus Christ, the merit of His shed blood, and not on the basis of human merit or works. (John 1:12; Ephesians 1:4-7; 2:8-10).
• We teach that election is the act of God by which, before the foundation of the world, He chose in Christ those whom He graciously regenerates, saves, and sanctifies (Romans 8:28-30; Ephesians 1:4-11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 2:10; 1 Peter 1:2).
• We teach that regeneration is the work of the Holy Spirit, by which He gives spiritual life to the fallen sinner, causing them to be "born again" (John 3:3-8; Titus 3:5). The two marks of regeneration are: 1) Repentance: turning away from sin, and 2) Faith: trust in Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior (Acts 2:38).
• We teach that justification is one's ability to stand blameless before God. This only happens through applying Christ's righteousness by faith (Romans 5:1, 6-11).

Sanctification:

• We teach that every believer is sanctified (set apart) at the moment of salvation (1 Peter 2:9-10).
• We teach that God's purpose for our life is to be progressively sanctified, or, in other words, increasingly conformed to the image of Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:3; Romans 8:29).

Security:

• We teach that the redeemed are also kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ for eternity (John 5:24; 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Romans 8:31-39; 1 Corinthians 1:9).
• We teach that while believers ought to rest assured in their eternal salvation, the Scriptures also clearly prohibit using Christian liberty as the means to indulge in a sinful lifestyle (Romans 3:8; 6:15-22; Galatians 5:13, 16-17, 25-26; Hebrews 6:4-8).

Separation:

• We teach that believers ought to be separated unto our Lord Jesus Christ and therefore pilgrims in this world which hates Him (John 15:18-20; 1 Peter 1:1).

The Church:

• We teach that all who place their faith in Jesus Christ are simultaneously united into one universal, spiritual body (John 15:1-8; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13); the Head of this body is Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18).
• We teach that the establishment and continuity of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures (Acts 14:23; 20:17-18); the members of the spiritual body of Christ are directed to associate themselves together in local assemblies (1 Corinthians 11:18-20; Hebrews 10:25).
• We teach that Christ is the supreme authority concerning church regulations. He determines how the church ought to be organized, how it ought to worship, and who is appointed to assure the glorification of His name (Ephesians 1:22; Colossians 1:18). The biblically designated officers serving under Christ and over the assembly are: elders (males, also called "pastors" or "bishops") (Acts 20:28; Ephesians 4:11) and deacons, both of whom must meet biblical qualifications (1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-5). 
• We teach the autonomy of the local church; free from any external authority or control, with the right of self-government (Titus 1:5). It is scriptural for local churches to cooperate with each other, however, through their pastors and their interpretation and application of Scripture, they may determine their own level of involvement (Acts 15:19-31; 1 Corinthians 5:4-7; 1 Peter 5:1-4).
• We teach that the purpose of the church is to glorify God (Ephesians 3:21) by building it's members up in the faith by the interpretation of the Word (2 Timothy 2:2, 15; 3:16-17), by fellowship (Acts 2:47; 1 John 1:3), by keeping the ordinances (Luke 22:19; Acts 2:38-42) and by advancing and communicating the gospel to the entire world (Matthew 28:19; Acts 1:8).
• We teach that in order to accomplish His purposes in the world, God equips His saints with unique spiritual gifts. First, He gives chosen men to the church for the purpose of equipping the saints for the work of ministry (Ephesians 4:7-12), and He also gives specials spiritual gifts to each individual member of the body of Christ as well (Romans 12:5-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-31; 1 Peter 4:10-11).
• We teach that two ordinances have been committed to the local churches; baptism and the Lord's Supper (Acts 2:38-42). Christian baptism is executed by immersion and is administered only after one professes faith in Christ. The Lord's Supper is the commemoration and proclamation of Christ's death until He returns; it should always be preceded by self-examination (1 Corinthians 11:23-32). The elements of the Lord's Supper are only figurative of Christ's real blood and real body, nevertheless, there is actual spiritual communion with Christ in the ordinance (1 Corinthians 10:16).​​

Eschatology (Last Things):

• We teach that physical death does not put an end to our immaterial consciousness (Revelation 6:9-11), that there is a separation of soul and body (James 2:26), that the soul of the redeemed passes immediately into the presence of Christ (Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians 5:8), and that, for the redeemed, such separation will continue until the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17).
• We teach the bodily resurrection of all mankind, the saved to eternal life, the damned to eternal hell (John 6:39; Romans 8:10-11, 19-23; 2 Corinthians 4:14).
• We teach the personal, bodily return of our Lord Jesus Christ before the seven-year tribulation (1 Thessalonians 4:16; Titus 2:13) to translate His church from this earth (John 14:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-5:11) and, between this event and His glorious return with His saints, to reward believers according to their works (1 Corinthians 3:11-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10).
• We teach that there will be a tribulation period, 7 years in length. It will include the righteous judgments of God being poured out upon the earth (Jeremiah 30:7; Daniel 9:27; Revelation 16). These judgments will be climaxed by the return of Christ in glory to the earth (Matthew 24:27-31; 25:31-46; 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12).
• We teach that after the tribulation period, Christ will come to earth to occupy the throne of David (Matthew 25:31; Luke 1:32-33; Acts 1:10-11; 2:29-30).
• We teach that the kingdom itself. will be the fulfillment of God's promise to Israel (Isaiah 65:17-25; Ezekiel 37:21-28; Zechariah 8:1-17). 
• We teach that following the release of Satan after the thousand-year reign of Christ (Revelation 20:7), Satan will deceive the nations and gather them together in war against Christ and His saints; at which time Satan and his army will be devoured by fire from heaven (Revelation 20:9). Following this, Christ will resurrect and judge the great and small at the Great White Throne Judgment; the unsaved will be raised to judgment in physical bodies, whereupon they will be committed to an eternal conscious punishment in the lake of fire (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:11-15).
• We teach that after all these things have taken place, the saved will enter the eternal state of glory with God, after which the elements of this earth are to be dissolved (2 Peter 3:10) and replaced with a new earth wherein only righteousness dwells (Ephesians 5:5; Revelation 21-22). Following this, the heavenly city Jerusalem will come down out of heaven (Revelation 21:2) and will be the dwelling place of the Triune God and His saints forevermore.