What We Believe

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Section 1. We believe in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as inspired by God, inerrant in the original writings, infallible, a divine revelation, and that they are the final and supreme authority in faith and practice. (2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:19-21)

Section 2. We believe in one God, Creator and Sustainer of all things, eternally existing in three (3) persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Exodus 20:2-3; I Corinthians 8:6, Revelation 4:11)

Section 3. We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, lived a perfect and sinless life, and that He is truly God and truly man. (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; John 1:1-4, Hebrews 4:15)

Section 4. We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person, co-equal with God in all of His attributes, and is sent by the Lord Jesus Christ from the Father to convict the world of sin, to regenerate, indwell, guide and teach the believer and to empower the Christian to live in victory over sin. (John 15:26, 16:7-9)

Section 5. We believe that man was created in the image of God, but that he sinned and thereby incurred not only physical death, but also the spiritual death which is separation from God. We believe that all persons are sinners by nature and by choice, and are under condemnation and in need of regeneration. It is impossible for man, through works, to save himself. (Genesis 1:27, Romans 5:19; 3:23; 6:23, Ephesians 2: 8-9)

Section 6. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice, and that all who believe in Him are justified by grace, through faith, once and for all on the grounds of His shed blood. We believe that all who are truly "born again" are kept secure by God the Father for Jesus Christ. (Romans 3:24-25; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 1:3-5, Romans 8:29-30)

Section 7. We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, in His ascension into Heaven, and in His present life there for us as High Priest and Advocate. (1 Corinthians 15:16-21; 1 John 2:1-2)

Section 8. We believe that all who receive by faith the Lord Jesus Christ are born again of the Holy Spirit and thereby become children of God; and that each child of God is indwelt, led, sealed and empowered by the Holy Spirit. (John 3:3; John 1:12-13; Ephesians 1:12-14)

Section 9. We believe in "that blessed hope": the future, personal return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (Titus 2:13, John 14:3)

Section 10. We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and of the unjust; and in the everlasting blessedness of the saved as well as the everlasting and conscious punishment of the lost. (1 Corinthians 15:21-23; Revelation 20:11-15)

Section 11. We believe in the historic, Biblical teaching of the gifts of the Spirit. Every believer is granted spiritual gifts by the Holy Spirit. (Romans 12:6; 1 Corinthians 12:11) Any practice of spiritual gifts which causes dissension and division within the Body of Christ is contrary to the purpose of the Spirit's gifts. (Psalm 133:1-3; 1 Corinthians 12:13)

Section 12. We believe that Jesus Christ is King, and the only head of the church. (Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 5:23)

Section 13. The Bible verses referenced in Sections 1 through 12 above are not intended as exhaustive lists of Scripture passages supporting the text of the Articles of Faith.

Position Statements

Every Life is Valuable

The Norfolk Rescue Mission respects and values human life as a gift from God. Every child, including the unborn has been created in God’s image and has been esteemed valuable by God. We believe that life begins at conception and should be protected and preserved regardless of the circumstances of conception. (Psalm 139:13-16, Psalm 22:9-10, Job 31:15, Jeremiah 1:4-5, Luke 1:41-44)

Marriage and Sexuality

The Norfolk Rescue Mission recognizes God’s institution of marriage as the covenantal union of one man and one woman. Homosexuality has always been forbidden by God and identified as sinful in nature and practice. (Romans 1:26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Leviticus 18:22)

Furthermore, we believe that God created us to be either male or female (binary) and that our gender is determined at birth, according to our biological makeup and is unalterable. We regard transgenderism to be a rebellion against God’s original design for human sexuality. (Genesis 1:26-27, Deuteronomy 22:5, Romans 1: 26-27)

Individuals practicing a homosexual lifestyle and/or transgenderism are viewed as being in need of God’s merciful justification and are to be evangelized rather than persecuted.