Mission Possible! Austin Statement of Faith

Statement of Doctrine

The Holy Scriptures

We believe in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the verbally inspired Word of God. Inspiration is God's superintending of human authors so that, using their own individual personalities, they composed and recorded without error His revelation to man in the original autographs. All Scriptures are authoritative and without error in any category of knowledge, including science and history, and are of supreme and final authority in all matters about which they speak. We believe the Scriptures are to be interpreted in a literal and normal way. This means to consider history, grammar, context, and harmony with other Scriptures as guidelines for interpretation. We believe that the Holy Spirit guides the believer to understand the Bible. We believe that God's revelation to man is complete, and that He speaks to man primarily through the Scriptures. (Matthew 5:18; John 10:35; II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21; Revelation 22:18-19)

The Godhead

We believe in one Triune God, existing in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, eternal in being, identical in essence, equal in power and glory and having the same attributes and perfection. (Deuteronomy 6:4; II Corinthians 13:14)

The Alienated Condition of Man

We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam's sin the race fell, inherited a sinful nature, became alienated from God, and is totally unable without God's grace to regain its former position. (Genesis 1:26, 3:1-24; Romans 3:23, 5:12; Ephesians 2:12)

The Person and Work of Christ

We believe that the Lord Jesus, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man. We believe that He accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice. We believe that our redemption and salvation is guaranteed to us by His literal physical resurrection from the dead.(John 1:1, 14, 18; Luke 1:35; Romans 3:24-26, 4:25)

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is now in heaven, exalted to the right hand of God, where, as His people's High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of intercession and advocacy. (Hebrews 1:3, 3:1, 7:23-25, 9:24, 12:2; I John 2:1-2)

The Personality of the Holy Spirit

We believe the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. He also, in the present age, regenerates believers in Christ, baptizes them into the church, the body of Christ, indwells them permanently, seals them unto the day of redemption, bestows spiritual gifts upon each one, and fills those yielded to Him. (John 3:8, 14:16, 15:26-27, 16:7-15; I Corinthians 12:4-11, 13; Ephesians 4:30, 5:18)