Monticello church of Christ

What we believe:

Fundamental Doctrines

Christian beliefs are not the product of our preferences or imaginations. God has revealed what we are to believe and how we are to live. As Christians, we endeavor to learn and understand God’s will. Below are short summaries of some of our more significant beliefs.

GOD

We believe in the God of the Bible who created and sustains all that is. Our God is a God of love and justice who continually reaches out to bring us close to Him in this life and for eternity. Since He is God and we are His children, we do our best to submit our will to His and live to His glory.

JESUS

We believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and that he is the only way to salvation and eternal life.
Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a perfect, sinless life, and then gave His life on the cross for our sins. On the third day He rose from the dead, and today reigns in heaven.

THE BIBLE

We believe that the Bible is the God-given guide that we must follow in order to get the most out of life. The Bible is the only objective source of information that we have to learn of God’s will for us and the church. The Bible tells us about God, Christ, the church and how to live as Christians. We believe that all that we do and believe must be taught or implied in the Bible.

GRACE & SIN

We believe that sin is the problem and that God’s grace is the only solution. It was God’s grace that sent Jesus to the cross for our sins, and it is God’s grace that offers the benefits of Christ’s sacrifice to us. When our trust (i.e., faith) in God’s grace leads us to accept salvation on His terms, our sins are removed and we are added to the family of God, the church.

THE CHURCH

We believe that the church is the gathering of God’s people on earth. All who respond to the gospel of Jesus Christ through faith in Him, repentance of sin, and immersion into Christ are members of the church, the body of Christ. The church has no clergy-laity separation. Each member plays a vital role in taking the gospel to the world, and in helping fellow Christians serve God faithfully.

SALVATION

Of all the things a church can and should do, none is more important than teaching and encouraging every person to accept the salvation from sin that Christ died to offer. Jesus came to save the lost. A person can attend church regularly, enjoy the fellowship of Christians, and experience heartfelt worship every Sunday, but none of this is important if one is still lost in sin.

We believe that to receive the benefits of God’s grace, we must respond according biblical instructions, because faith without obedience is not biblical faith. The response taught in the New Testament includes faith, repentance, baptism and ongoing spiritual growth.

FAITH is the foundation of any right relationship with God.Faith that saves is a conviction that God exists and that he rewards those who diligently seek Him. Faith acknowledges that God’s way is the right way, and that His wisdom is infinitely greater than ours. Therefore, we are to submit our lives to Him in humble, trusting obedience (Acts 8:36, 37; Romans 1:16, 17; Hebrews 11:6; James 2:26).

REPENTANCE is a recognition that we are guilty of sin (disobedience to God’s will) and, therefore, are in need of God’s forgiveness. Repentance is a sincere and profound commitment to avoid sin and to live according to God’s revealed will. This is a commitment that needs to be renewed daily as we face the various temptations of life (Acts 3:19; 11:18; 26:20).

BAPTISM is an essential part of our response to God because God has promised to remove the sins of believers who receive baptism. Through baptism, we show that we trust God to keep His promise. The New Testament speaks only of baptism by immersion, and gives no indication that one can be saved before or without baptism. (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Romans 6:3, 4; Galatians 3:27; Ephesians 4:5; 1 Peter 3:21)

SPIRITUAL GROWTH. Conversion is only the beginning. The new life in Christ is a lifelong process during which our obedience improves as our faith grows. We are helped and encouraged in this process by our participation in the activities of the church, by our relationships with members of the church, and by ongoing study of God’s word. (Ephesians 4:11-16; 2 Timothy 3:16, 17; Revelation 2:10)

We would welcome the opportunity to meet you and open our Bibles together to take a closer look at God’s offer of salvation. Please contact us through private message or email us at Monticello.church.christ@gmail.com.