We want to provide you all the information you need in order to make an informed opinion about our church. The links below provide generic information about our purpose as well as our beliefs. We would be happy to discuss this further with you, and we invite you to attend one of our Newcomer's Classes where you can learn even more about this exciting church.
We believe membership in the body of Christ is a scriptural command and should therefore be taken seriously. In order to insure the purity and unity of the church, a person desiring membership must meet the following four requirements: (1) A person must demonstrate a life that has been committed to Jesus Christ, (2) A person must be willing to follow believers baptism by immersion if they have not already done so, (3) A person must attend and complete CCC's "Discovering Membership Class" which is offered several times throughout the year, and (4) A person must be willing to sign CCC's Membership Covenant.
The word salvation is defined as "deliverance from the power and effects of sin." All have sinned (Romans 3:23 ), but we cannot save ourselves, because only a sinless person can save a sinful person. The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ died for sinners (1 Timothy 1:15 ; Romans 5:6-8).
Provisions of Salvation
Certain provisions were necessary for salvation to be available to humanity: the death of Jesus Christ; the burial of Christ; the resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:3-4); the ascension of Christ (Mark 16:19 ; Acts 1:9); and the exaltation of Christ (Acts 2:33 ; 5:31 ; 1 Peter 3:22 ; Hebrews 1:3).
Process of Salvation: God's side
Through the divine side of salvation, God sovereignly acts to secure salvation for sinners through:
Regeneration: God makes us alive through Christ, enabling us to be born again, and to experience a new birth (John 3:3). Without a new birth, we are "dead in trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1).
Justification: When God justifies us, He declares us guiltless before Him and places all of the righteousness of Christ to our credit. Justification represents both God's forgiveness of our sins and the righteousness He has accounted to us (Romans 3:28 ; 5:1).
Adoption: Adoption means, "the placing of a son." God gives us the full rights of inheritance in His family as though we had been born into it (Galatians 4:4-5; Ephesians 1:5). Because we are God's children, we can call Him Abba, or Daddy (Romans 8:15 ). As God's children, we can be confident that He understands us, takes care of us, and will bless us.
Sanctification: When we become Christians, God sanctifies us, or sets us apart, positionally, practically, and permanently for Himself (1 Corinthians 6:11 ; 2 Thessalonians 2:13 ). Through sanctification, we become more and more like Jesus Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit.
Process of Salvation: Humanity's Side
Just as there is a divine side of salvation, there is also a human side that shows itself through "free will":
Belief: Acknowledging Jesus Christ not only in our heads, but also in our hearts (John 3:18 , 36; 5:24 ; 6:47 ; Romans 10:9).
Repentance: This is a sincere and thorough change of mind and heart toward sin (Psalms 51:3; 2 Peter 3:9). We must not only turn from our sins, but we must also turn to God (Acts 3:19 ; 26:18; 1 Thessalonians 1:9).
Faith: This is a confiding trust. It involves our intellect, emotions, and will (Mark 4:16 -17; Romans 10:9, 17; Ephesians 2:8-9; Hebrews 11:1, 6).
Product of Salvation
God created us, and Christ purchased us so that we might know Him, walk with Him, and glorify Him (Ephesians 1:11 -12). He also wants us to bear much fruit (John 15:8; 13:34 -35) as we invest our lives in service to Him (Matthew 16:24-26; Galatians 6:10).
We bear fruit by winning others to Christ by helping them grow spiritually (Romans 1:13 ; Proverbs 11:30 ); by sharing our blessings with others (Philippians 4:17 ); by giving praise and thanks to God (Hebrews 13:15 ); and by living a changed life through our conduct and character (Galatians 5:22 ).
Some people think that because they have "prayed to receive Christ," they can live as they please. But salvation brings about a changed life (2 Corinthians 5:17 ) and motivates believers to follow God's purpose for their lives.
Baptism is not a personal choice, but a command for believers. Jesus established baptism as an ordinance when He gave the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16 ).
Baptism is a public, outward testimony that indicates a personal, inward faith. It gives evidence of the inner change that has already occurred in the believer's life when he or she was "born again" through faith in Jesus Christ. Baptism identifies the believer with the message of the gospel, the Person of Jesus Christ, and other believers. It associates the believer with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and signifies the believer's death to the old life and his or her resurrection as a new creation in Christ (Romans 6:1-8; Colossians 2:12 ).
Why We Should Be Baptized?
We are to be baptized because Jesus Christ commanded it (Matthew 28:19), and because we love the Lord. Jesus said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15 ). Throughout the book of Acts, we read how the early church gave importance to baptism ( 2:41 ; 8:12 , 38; 9:18 ; 10:47 -48; 16:15 , 33; 19:3-5).
Who Should Be Baptized?
All born-again believers in Jesus Christ-and only believers-should be baptized (Mark 16:15 -16; Acts 8:12 , 36-38; 16:31 -33; 18:8).
Is Baptism Necessary for Salvation?
The Bible clearly teaches that we are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9) and according to God's mercy (Titus 3:5). The thief on the cross next to Jesus had no time to be baptized; yet Jesus promised that he would be with Him in Paradise that day (Luke 23:43 ). The Bible contains no record of Jesus baptizing anyone-a strange omission if baptism was essential for salvation. The Apostle Paul declared, "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel . . . " (1 Corinthians 1:17 ). This clearly indicates that salvation is a response of faith to the gospel-not the act of baptism. Therefore, baptism is not an act of salvation, but an act of obedience.
