Mission Statement & Faith Statement

First Church recognizes Jesus Christ as the head of the Church and as Savior and Lord.

We are an independent, non-denominational congregation.

 

We are

A Community of Faith who engage Biblical truth
To provide an environment
Where people mature as disciples of Christ.

 

To accomplish our mission First Church will:

Encounter our Creator.
Embrace Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior to become His disciples.
Empower lives through God’s living Word, the Bible.
Engage with the Holy Spirit to provide guidance and direction.
Encourage others to know Christ and strengthen their relationship with God.
Enrich the body of Christ by going forth and supporting fellow disciples.

 

What We Believe

First Church of New Knoxville Statement of Faith

1. The Bible
   We believe the Bible, both the Old and New Testaments, is the inspired, inerrant Word of God. It is the complete and final revelation of God and is the ultimate authority for faith and life. The Bible provides encouragement, guidance, comfort, and instruction for training in righteousness.

Psalm 119; Isaiah 40:8; Isaiah 55:11; Matthew 5:18; John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Revelation 22:18-19

2. The Trinity
   We believe in the Triune God: One God existing in three distinct Persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). Each member of the Trinity is fully and equally God, possesses all the divine attributes, and is worthy of our worship and service.

Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 6:4; Psalm 18:30-31; Psalm 147:5; Matthew 28:19; Mark 12:29; Luke 3:22; John 1:14, 4:24, 5:23, 10:30, 14:9; Acts 5:3-4; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Hebrews 1:1-3

3. God the Father
   We believe in God the Father, the first member of the Trinity. He is eternal, all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-loving. He is the sovereign creator and sustainer of the universe. He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and of all who believe in Him.

Genesis 1:1; Psalm 147; Ephesians 4:6; John 1:12-13; John 5:19-23; John 17:1-5; Isaiah 40:21-28; Isaiah 43:10-13; Isaiah 46:8-11; Romans 8:14-17

4. God the Son
   We believe in Jesus Christ, the second member of the Trinity. He is the eternal Son of God. He became a human being, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, in order to save the world. Jesus is both fully God and fully man, united together in one person forever. Jesus lived a sinless life in perfect obedience to the Father, died on the cross as payment for our sin, completely satisfied the righteous wrath of God against sin, provided redemption and forgiveness for all who believe and was resurrected three days later. After appearing to his disciples, Jesus ascended into heaven and is now seated at the right hand of God the Father. He is the only mediator between God and man and will return again to establish his Kingdom.

Isaiah 7:14, 9:6-7; Matthew 1:18-25; Mark 14:61-62; John 1:1-3, 14, 29, 5:18, 8:58, 10:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:15-23, 2:9; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 1:2-9, 2:14-15; 1 John 5:20

5. God the Holy Spirit
   We believe in the Holy Spirit, the third member of the Trinity. Beginning at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit permanently lives in all born again believers and enables them to know, serve, and live for Christ. The Holy Spirit securely seals the believer for the day of redemption. The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin, gives believers gifts to be used for the edification of the church, and helps us to live more like Christ by producing spiritual fruit and good works.

Genesis 1:2; Joel 2:28-29; John 3:5, 14:16-17, 26, 15:26-27, 16:7-15; Acts 1:8, 2:1-13, 5:3-4; 1 Corinthians 2:10-11, 3:18, 6:11, 19, 12:4-13, 14:1-25; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:30, 5:18-20; Galatians 5:16-23; Romans 8:5-13, 12:3-8; 1 Peter 4:10-11

6. Man and the Fall
   We believe that God created man, male and female, in the image of God. Human beings were created to glorify God, worship and serve him, and to fellowship with him. Sin entered the world through the first act of disobedience, and human beings, along with the rest of creation, are now totally corrupted by sin and unable to save themselves. The result of sin is physical death and eternal separation from God.

Genesis 1:26-27, 2:16-17, 3:1-24, 9:5-6; Isaiah 59:1-2; Matthew 19:4; Mark 7:20-23; Luke 18:26-27; John 8:42-44; Romans 1:18, 3:9-19, 23, 5:1, 8, 12; Ephesians 2:1-3, 13

7. Salvation
   We believe that the shed blood of Jesus Christ and his death on the cross provide the sole basis for forgiveness of sins and salvation, which is the free gift of God’s grace. Salvation is affected by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit and cannot be secured by man’s works or personal merit and is based solely on man’s personal faith and belief in Jesus Christ. Repentance is turning toward God and away from sin, which is part of but not separate from believing faith. “The Gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” Those who receive Jesus Christ by faith are born again, have their sins forgiven, become children of God, are a new creation in Christ, and “are sealed by the Holy Spirit unto the day of redemption”, being kept by the power of God.

John 1:12-13, 3:1-7, 16-18, 5:24, 10:27-30, 14-16; Acts 16:31, 26:20; Romans 1:16, 3:21-26, 5:8, 6:23, 10:9-10, 8:14-17, 31-39, 14:5-9; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Ephesians 1:7, 13-14, 2:8-10; Titus 3:4-7; Hebrews 7:24-25; 1 Peter 1:3-5, 18-19; 1 John 5:11-13

8. The Destiny of Man
   We believe that all people will face judgement after they die. At death, believers immediately enter the presence of Christ and remain there in joyful fellowship, and unbelievers descend into Hades and are kept under punishment. When Christ returns, those who trust in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord will be resurrected to eternal life. Those who reject Christ will be resurrected to eternal damnation.

Job 19:25-27; Isaiah 26:19; Daniel 12:2; Luke 16:19-31, 23:43; 2 Corinthians 5:8-10; Philippians 3:10-11, 20-21; Hebrews 9:27-28; Revelation 1:17-18, 20:11-15

9. The Christian Life
   We believe that all Christians are called to live in obedience to Christ as Lord, not according to our selfish, sinful desires, and become more like him over the course of our lives. The Holy Spirit helps born again believers mature, including the increasing avoidance of sin, the pursuit of a holy life, obedience to God’s Word, and the use of spiritual gifts to glorify God, to serve others, and to edify the church. All Christians are called to fulfill the Great Commandment (love God and love others) and the Great Commission (make disciples of all nations).

Galatians 2:20-21; 1 Peter 1:14-16, 2:11, 4:10-11; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15; Romans 6:11-14; Ephesians 2:8-10, 4:11-13, 22-24; Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:18-20; Colossians 1:9-14, 3:1-14; John 15:7-8, 16-17; 1 Corinthians 12:3; Philippians 2:11

10. The Church
    We believe that the church is the body of Christ. Jesus Christ is the head of the church and those who have truly received Christ by faith are members. The local church is the tangible expression of the body of Christ in a particular location. Since born again believers all have the same Holy Spirit, the church should live united in purpose and in love for God and each other. The church exists to glorify God, spread the Gospel, and make disciples of all nations.

Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Ephesians 1:20-23, 4:1-6, 11-16; Matthew 28:18-20; John 17; Colossians 1:15-29; Matthew 16:18; Acts 2:42-47; Hebrews 10:24-25; Acts 6:1-7; 1 Corinthians 14:26, 40; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-5