EFC Believe…
- That the Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments, is the
inspired and infallible Word of God, the necessary and complete
revelation of His Will for the salvation of men, and is the ultimate
authority for Christian faith and life.
- In the one true and living God, eternally existing in three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- That the triune God is the Creator, the Sustainer and Ruler of the Creation, but is prior to, and distinct from the Creation.
- That the first man, Adam, was created by God in His image, but fell
from his original state by sinning against God, and hence incurred upon
himself and all his posterity the guilt of sin, condemnation, and death;
therefore, all mankind are in need of salvation, but are totally
incapable of saving themselves.
- That after the Fall, God, in His mercy and love, made provision for
men’s redemption through the establishment of the covenant of grace with
His people by the promise and the actual giving of the Savior Jesus
Christ, whom to believe is justification and life.
- That Jesus Christ is the Son of God, sent by the Father, begotten by
the Holy Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary; that He lived a sinless
and obedient life, suffered and died on the cross vicariously for the
sins of His people who believe in Him; that God raised Him from the
dead, exalted Him both as Lord and Christ, and gave Him the promise of
the Holy Spirit for His Church.
- That men are saved by grace through faith in Christ in response to
the Gospel preached, or otherwise presented, in the power of the Holy
Spirit, through whom ransomed sinners became the sons of God and heirs
of eternal life.
- That Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and men; through
His and only through Him the believer has access to the Father.
- That every believer is a new creature in Christ, and is called to
walk in the Spirit, to die unto sin, and to live unto righteousness, and
thereby manifest the fruit of the Spirit, conforming himself to the
image of Christ; that good works are the fruit of the Christian life,
and are not ways of justification.
- That God alone is the Lord of our conscience, and that the believers
are free from the commands of men which are contrary to, or in addition
to, the Scriptures in matters of faith and conduct.
- That the church, consisting of all true believers, being Christ’s
own and indwell by the Holy Spirit, is the Body of Christ, the invisible
church; that the church is holy, universal and one in Christ; that the
invisible church manifests itself in the visible church, the local
congregations consisting all who profess to believe in Christ and are
baptized; that as the people of God and a kingdom of priests, the church
is called to grow unto the stature of the fullness of Christ and to
fulfill her missionary work through the exercise of the gifts of the
Holy Spirit, in worship, sacraments, fellowship, discipline, and
services. In the priesthood of all believers, and the parity of the
ministers and the laity.
- That in the last day, as the consummation of redemption, Christ will
come again personally and visible to the earth to judge the living and
the dead; that there will be a bodily resurrection of the dead, of the
believers through the Holy Spirit unto the inheritance of eternal life,
and the unbelievers unto condemnation; and that a new heaven and a new
earth will be ushered in.