Our Beliefs

God

At RED POINT Church we believe that the Bible is both true and authoritative. ( 2 Timothy 3:15-17 ) Rather than give our personal opinion of who we think God is we go to the pages of the Bible.

The Bible says a whole lot more about the character and nature of God but for our purposes the most important thing about Him is that He seeks to enter into a relationship with us and that we can KNOW him. This is possible because the Bible teaches us that the Creator God who is both infinite and eternal has “made us in His image” and so we can enjoy fellowship with Him.

However, the Bible also teaches us that humankind has rebelled against God and this has fractured the original relationship which existed between God and his created image bearers. This event is often referred to by the term “The Fall “ – we are a fallen people in need of rescue.

The Bible also teaches us that this personal, Creator God has revealed himself to us in three distinct persons – as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The orthodox doctrine of the Trinity describes how the one God has revealed himself to us as three persons. 

Jesus

When we say we believe in Jesus Christ we find ourselves agreeing with the Bible authors and Jesus own claims that here is one who was both “fully God and fully man.” Not only is Jesus “God with us” but the Bible teaches us that he is with us for a specific purpose. The writer of the Gospel of John captures it like this: “ The Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood.” John 1:14 (The Message)

One of many titles given to Jesus in the Bible is that of Saviour – and this title capures wonderfully the reason for Jesus mission to planet earth – he has come to save (rescue) us. We need rescuing because we are perishing. Again the Gospel of John helps us: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

This rescue mission culminates in the life, death (on a cross), resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. As a result God offers to everyone the “gift” of salvation. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8,9 

The Holy Spirit

It is easier to grasp God as a Father and Jesus as His Son – it is more difficult when we begin to talk of the Holy Spirit and there is a danger that we slip over into thinking of the Holy Spirit in non personal terms. However, the Bible clearly teaches that the Holy Spirit is indeed a person – the third person of the Trinity! Yet often we pay lip service to his personhood while experientially we lack a vibrant relationship with Him.

The Holy Spirit is the agent of God’s activity amongst us. He leads us (Galatians 5:18), he teaches us (1 Corinthians 2:13) and he can be grieved by our sinfulness (Ephesians 4:30) The moment we commit our lives to following Jesus Christ God takes up residence in our lives in the person of the Holy Spirit. Jesus referred to him as another Comforter/Counselor whom the Father would send to believers. Paul writing to the church in Rome sums it up like this: If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” Romans 8:9

So our new life in Jesus Christ is one which consists of “walking (keeping in step) with the Spirit”. (Galatians 5:25)