What We Believe

 Regarding the Holy Bible, The River Church believes the Holy Bible is the authoritative Word of God. It alone is the final authority in determining all doctrinal truths. In its original writing, it is inspired, infallible and inerrant.

(2 Tim  3:16;  2  Pete  1:20-­21;  Pro.  30:5;  Rom.  16:25-­26)

Regarding Jesus Christ, The River Church believes Jesus Christ is God the Son, the second person of the Trinity. On Earth, Jesus was entirely God and entirely man. He is the only man ever to have lived a sinless life. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, performed miracles, died on the cross for mankind and thus atoned for our sins through the shedding of His blood. He rose from the dead on the third day according to the Scriptures, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and will return again in power and glory.

(John  1:1,14,  20:28;  1 Tim  3:16;  Isa.  9:6;  Philp.   2:5-­6;  1 Tim 2:5)

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Regarding the blood of Jesus Christ, The River Church believes the blood Jesus Christ shed on the Cross of Calvary was sinless and is totally sufficient to cleanse all people of sin. Jesus allowed Himself to be punished for both our sins and our sinfulness, enabling all who believe to be free from the penalty of sin, which is death. 

(1  John  1:7;  Rev.  1:5,  5:9;  Col.  1:20;  Rom,  3:10-­12,  23,  5:9;   John  1:29)

Regarding regeneration, The River Church believes, because of the state of humanity, regeneration by  the  Holy Spirit is absolutely essential for anyone to know God.

(John  6:44,  65)

Regarding the Lord’s Supper, The River Church believes a unique time of communion in the presence of God with the elements of bread and grape juice (the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ) are taken in remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross.

(Matt  26:26-­29;  Mark  16:16;  Acts  8:12,   36-­38;  10:47-­48;  1 Cor.  10:16,  11:23-­25)

Regarding the resurrection of Jesus Christ, The River Church believes Jesus Christ was physically resurrected from the dead in a glorified body three days after His death on the cross. In addition, both the saved and the lost will be resurrected; they that are saved to the resurrection of life and them that are lost to the resurrection of eternal damnation.

(Luke  24:16,  36,  39;  John  2:19-­21,  20:26-­28,  21:4;  Acts   24:15;  1  Cor.  15:42,  44;  Philip.  1:21-­23,  3:21)

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Regarding Heaven, The River Church believes Heaven is the current dwelling place of Jesus, where He is honored at the right hand of the Father and making intercession for the Church on Earth.

(Luke 22:69, Acts 7:55, Rom. 8:34)

Regarding the Trinity, The River Church believes there is one  God, eternally existent in three persons:  Father,  Son, and  Holy  Spirit. These three are co-­equal  and co-­eternal. 

(I  John  5:7;  Gen.  1:26;  Matt  3:16-17,  28:19;   Luke  1:35;  Isa.  9:6;  Heb.  3:7-­11)

Regarding the Holy Spirit, The River Church believes the Holy Spirit is manifested through a variety of spiritual gifts to build and sanctify the Church, demonstrate the validity of the resurrection, and confirm the power of the Gospel. The Biblical lists of the Spiritual gifts are not necessarily exhaustive, and the gifts may occur in various combinations. Also, all believers are commanded to earnestly desire the manifestation of the gifts in their lives. And finally, the gifts always operate in harmony with the Scriptures and should never be used in violation of Biblical parameters.

(Heb.  2:4;  Rom.  1:11,  12  :4-­8;  Eph.  4:16;  2  Tim  1:5-­16,  1 Tim 4:14;  1  Cor.   12:1-­31,  14:1-­40;  1  Pete  4:10)

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Regarding redemption, The River Church believes Man was created good and upright, but by voluntary transgression, he fell; his only hope of redemption is in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 

(Gen.1:26-­31,  3:1-­7;  Rom.   5:12-­21)

Regarding sanctification, The River Church believes sanctification is the ongoing process of yielding to God’s Word and His Spirit in order to complete the development of Christ’s character in  us.  It is through the present ministry of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God that the Christian is enabled to live a godly  life.

(Thess.  4:3,  5:23;  2  Cor.  3:18,  6:14-­18,  2  Thess.  2:1-­3,   Rom.  8:29,  12:1-­‐2)

Regarding the healing of the sick, The River Church believes the healing of the sick is illustrated in the life and ministry of Jesus and included in the commission of Jesus to His disciples. It is given as a sign which is to follow the Spirit.

(Psalm  103:2-­3;  Isaiah 53:5;  Matt  8:16-­17;  Mark  16:17-­18;  Acts  8:6-­7;  James  5:14-­16;  1   Cor.  12:9,  28;  Rom.  11:29)

Regarding the indwelling of Jesus Christ in Christians, The River Church believes Christians are people who have invited the Lord  Jesus Christ to come and live inside them by His  Holy  Spirit.  They relinquish the authority of their lives over to him, thus making Jesus the Lord of their life as well as  Savior. They put their trust in what Jesus accomplished for them when He died, was buried, and rose again from the dead.

(John  1:12;  14:17,  14:23;  15:4;  Rom.  8:11;  Rev.  3:20)

Regarding the New Earth, The River Church believes, often confused for Heaven, the New Earth is the eternal destination for all believers where we will live in physical, glorified bodies under the reign of Jesus.

(Isa. 66:22, 2 Pete 2:13, Rev. 21:1-3)

Regarding the virgin birth of Christ, The River Church believes Jesus Christ was conceived by God the Father, through the Holy Spirit (the third person of the Trinity) in the Virgin Mary’s womb; therefore, He is the Son of God.

(Matt  1:18,  25;  Luke  1:35;  Isa.  7:14;  Matt  1:18,  23-­25;  Luke  1:27-­35)

Regarding the provision of God, The River Church believes it is the Father’s will for believers to become whole, healthy, and successful in all areas of life, but because of the fall, many may not receive the full benefits of God’s will while on Earth. However, that fact should never prevent all believers from seeking the full benefits of Christ’s provision in order to better serve others. Below are listed specific examples of provision found in scripture.

 Spiritual (John  3:3-­11;  2  Cor.  5:17-­21;  Rom.  10:9-­10). Mental  and  Emotional  (2  Tim  1:7,  2:11;  Philip. 4:7-­8;  Rom.  12:2;  Isa.  26:3, Eph. 4:23-­24).  Physical  (Isa.  53:4-­5;  Matt  8:17;  1  Pete  2:24).  Financial  (Josh  1:8;  Mal.  3:10-­11;  Luke  6:38;  2  Cor.  9:6-­10;  Deut.  28:1-­14;  Psalm  34:10,  84:11)

Regarding repentance, The River Church believes repentance is the commitment to turn away from sin in every area of our lives and to follow  Christ, which allows us to receive His redemption and to be regenerated by the Holy  Spirit. Thus, through repentance, we receive forgiveness of sins and appropriate salvation.

(Acts  2:21,  3:19;  1  John  1:9)

Regarding salvation, The River Church believes Christians are saved by grace through faith in Jesus  Christ; His death,  burial, and resurrection, and salvation is a gift from God, not a result of our good works or of any human efforts.

(Eph.  2:8-­9;  Gal.  2:16,  3:8;  Titus  3:5;  Rom.  10:9-­10;  Acts  16:31;   Heb.  9:22)

Regarding water baptism, The River Church believes, following faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the new convert is commanded by   the Word of God to be baptized in water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

(Matt  28:19;  Acts  2:38)

Regarding the Church, The River Church believes the Church is the Body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of Jesus’ great commission. Every person who is born of the Spirit is an integral part of the church as a member of the body of believers. There is a spiritual unity of all believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.

(Eph.  1:22,  2:19-22;   Heb.  12:23;  John  17:11,  20-23)

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Regarding Hell, The River Church believes after living one life on earth, the unbelievers will be judged by God and sent to Hell where they will be eternally tormented with the Devil and the Fallen Angels.

(Matt.   25:41;  Mark  9:43-­48;  Heb.  9:27;  Rev.  14:9-­11,  20:12-­15,  21:8)