As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul thirsts for You O God...

Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.

About Us >What We Believe >

The following is what we believe to be the essentials of the Gospel.  By “essential” we mean that which must be believed for salvation. This statement is also the Agape Bible Church Doctrinal Statement

A Christian believes God to be:

  • Self-existent (eternal & independent) (Ex.3:14, Dt. 32:39, Isa.43:10, 46:4, 48:12)
  • The Creator  (Acts 17:24)
  • All-Powerful (2 Chrn.20:6, Isa.46:9-10) and active in human affairs  (“The God who…” passages)
  • All-knowing (Jer.10:7-14, Isa.46:9,10)
  • Perfect in every way  (Ex.15:11, Dt.32:3,4,16-18)
  • Triune - three distinct persons, one God (Jn.8:24, Acts 5:4, Mt.28:19)

One’s attitude toward Jesus reveals his attitude toward God (Jn.8:19, 14:6-7) 

A Christian believes all Jesus’ claims about Himself. (Jn.8:21-26)  Chief among these is His claim to be the self-existent God of the Old Testament. (Jn.8:24,28, 13:19)

He also claimed:

  • to do miracles (Jn.10:25,26),
  • to be the Messiah (Mt.16:17, 26:64)
  • to be without sin (Jn.8:29)
  • to be pre-existent before His birth (Jn.8:58)
  • to be from heaven (Jn.3:17, 8:21-26)
  • to be God’s unique Son (Jn.8:29)
  • to be the sacrifice for our sins (Jn.3:13-17).
  • to have been physically raised from the dead (Lk.24:39)
  • to being returning to save His people and judge the world (Rev.22:20)

One must not only believe in His full deity, but also His humanity (1Jn 4:2-3)

A Christian Approaches God:

  1. As a response to His revelation of Himself in Scripture  (Mk 16:16)
  2. As a response to Jesus’ words (Dt.18:17-20, Ac 3:19-26)
  3. Admitting the truth about himself/herself:
  • I am sinful & unable to save myself  (1Jn 1:8-10, Mt.5:20)
  • I must approach God on His terms (salvation by grace alone through faith alone) (Ro.4:5, Gal.4:8-11)

Faith involves believing the Gospel and joyfully entrusting yourself to Christ, and there are numerous implications to that.

Examples:

  1. If you have genuine faith, you will worship God.  (Jn.4:24)
  2. True faith will always be marked by love for God and for people. (1Jn 4:8, 1Co 16:22, 1Jn 3:14)
  3. If you have genuine faith, you will not love the world, but will be willing to turn away from it, preferring Christ as a far greater treasure.  (Mt.13:44, 1Jn 2:15, Jas.4:4, Eph.5:8-9, 1Pe 2:9, 1Jn 2:9, Ac 14:15)
  4. If you believe that Christ is Lord, you will approach Him as your Lord.  (Ro.10:9)
  5. If you believe God’s is telling the truth when He says His way is best, you will turn your back on your own way, and follow His way (repentance) (Ac 26:20, 1 Pe.3:10,11)
  6. Genuine faith is always marked by humility. (Mt.18:1, Lk.18:9-14)