What the Glasgow Church of Christ Believe. Though we are not a fellowship that is bound by creeds or traditions outside of the Scriptures, we generally agree with the expressions contained in the Nicene Creed.
What We Believe As A Church
Outlined below is a further statement of some of our core beliefs:
- There is one true God, the only God that exists, the God of Abraham, Jacob and the sons of Israel, who reveals himself to the world as The Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Deuteronomy 6 : 4; Isaiah 45:5; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14).
- Jesus of Nazareth is the prophesied Jewish Messiah, the Son of God and the one and only Saviour of humanity (Mark 14:62; John 1:29-34; Acts 4:12, 1 Tim 2:5).
- Jesus was crucified and was resurrected bodily on the third day after his execution, and his resurrection was attested to by many contemporary eyewitnesses. (1 Cor 15:1-8).
- The Bible is the divinely inspired history of redemption and is sufficient for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. It is also the primary authority for the church’s life and doctrine (2 Timothy 3:14-17, John 5:39; 2 Peter 1:16-21).
- God’s plan of salvation through Jesus his son (Heb 1:1-3) is by Hearing the gospel (Rom 10:17), Believing it’s the message (Heb 11:6), Repenting (Acts 2:38), Confessing (Rom 10:9) and being Baptised (Acts 2:38, 1 Peter 3:21), for the forgiveness of sins and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:36-41; John 3:3-5; 1 Peter 3:20-21; Romans 6:3-7).
- The church is the body of Christ and the vessel of his continuing mission to the world, to reconcile men to God. Each Christian is a member of this body and a part of that mission (1 Cor 12:12; Ephesians 3:20-21, Matthew 28:18-20).
- Unity in the church is a Spirit-inspired effort forged around core essential elements of faith and teaching outlined in Scripture and a common vision to see the body of Christ mature and grow. (Ephesians 4:1).
- The life of the church is to be characterised by ‘Faith expressing itself through love’ (Gal 5:6, John 13:34-35) and by the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Lived out by each member’s individual devotion to God; to being like Jesus and by the Christians’ mutual responsibility to love one another (Galatians 5:16-25).
- Jesus will return in the future to bring the entire world into judgment, at which time there will be a bodily resurrection and final judgement. The Kingdom of God will at this time be finally actualised and the people of God reconciled to God forever (John 12:44-50; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 21-22).
This statement of beliefs is not an exhaustive list. There is a wide range of relevant and important topics pertaining to the Christian faith, and we invite you to contact us if you would like to learn more by engaging in some personal and interactive Bible studies.
The Gospel Message And The Plan Of Salvation
An incredible historical event is recorded in the book of Acts chapter 2. This event was a long time coming, prophesied about in the Jewish Scriptures for centuries, and Jesus’ work in his ministry culminated in this powerful event. This is the birthday of the Christian church!
The key highlights of Jesus’s life and teachings are recorded in the Gospels. Through his ministry, death and resurrection, Jesus was putting into place a plan for mankind’s salvation. But before Jesus ascended into heaven, He spoke to his followers about the coming of the Holy Spirit and how this would empower them to be his witnesses throughout the entire world (Acts 1:8). This last piece of the puzzle fell into place on the day of a Jewish Feast in Jerusalem called Pentecost and was recorded in Acts 2.
The Holy Spirit announced His arrival in truly miraculous fashion (Acts 2:1-13). Peter preaches the first-ever Christian sermon to a captive audience. After recounting the powerful evidence and witness of Jesus’ ministry, as the prophecies foretold, he calls the audience to faith in Jesus as “Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:14-36). They are convicted by this truth and eager to respond (Acts 2:37).
Peter replies with a very simple but powerful instruction: “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). He goes on to note that this promise applies to their descendants in the generations to come, and to everyone everywhere – it is the universal plan of salvation (Acts 2:39). Those who were convinced of their need to change, and desired a new life with Christ, accepted the message by being baptized (Acts 2:40-41), forming the first-ever Christian church community in Jerusalem (Acts 2:42-47)…and the rest is history!
Although this event occurred about 2000 years ago, its impact is still rippling throughout the world today. And it can also impact you.
Have you studied the Scriptures and embraced God’s plan of salvation? We invite you to come along with us and learn more.
Bible Study Series
Our Bible study series is topical and covers a variety of material based on the participant’s questions or needs. A regular collection of studies would cover the following:
Faith
How is faith defined in the Bible, works in our lives, and connects us to God?
- Hebrews 11:1-6
- Acts 17:16-31
Seeking God
Pursuing a relationship with God, who is reaching out to pursue a relationship with us.
- John 4:23-24
- Matthew 7:7-8
- Matthew 7:13-14
Word Of God
Embracing the authority, divine inspiration and practical application of the Scriptures to our lives.
- Hebrews 4:12-13
- 2 Timothy 3:14-17
Jesus
Exploring the identity and nature of Jesus Christ through His own words.
- John 8:12
- John 11:25
- John 14:6
Discipleship
Seeing how faith and commitment to following Christ work together as the basis for the Christian experience.
- Acts 11:26
- John 8:30-32
- John 14:34-35
Sin & Conviction
Coming to honest grips with the reality of man’s problem that separates us from God.
- John 16:7-8
- Romans 3:23
- Galatians 5:19-21
The Cross
How Jesus’s death and resurrection solves the problem of sin in the ultimate act of love and grace.
- Romans 5:8
- John 10:17-18
- Acts 2:36-37
Repentance
Realising change and transformation through a new mindset enlightened by the gospel.
- Matthew 4:17
- 2 Corinthians 7:10-12
- Romans 12:1-2
Baptism
Experiencing forgiveness and new life through the gift of the Holy Spirit.
- Acts 2:38-39
- Romans 6:3-6
- 1 Peter 3:21
Holy Spirit
Discover the powerful work of God’s Spirit in the life of a Christian.
- Galatians 5:22-25
- Ephesians 1:13-14
- Romans 8:26-27
The Church
A Biblical look at “church” and realising your purpose in God’s plan.
- Colossians 1:18
- Acts 2:42-47
- Romans 12:4-8
If you want to learn more about who we are and what we are like, the best thing you can do is come and meet with us and see for yourself!
