Newbold Community Church Rochdale

Newbold Community Church, Rochdale - What we believe

God created man so that he could have a relationship with him. Relationships can only flourish with freedom, you cannot force someone to have a relationship with you. So God gave man free-will.

Man disobeyed God, and so caused there to be a wide gulf between God and man.

"But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you so that he will not hear." (Isaiah Chapter 59 verse 2)

From Adam sinning, sin has continued, everyone has sinned.

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans Chapter 3 verse 23)

The Bible describes sinning as going astray like a sheep

"We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all."(Isaiah Chapter 53 verse 6)

This verse also foretells the part Jesus will play in carrying and being punished for our sins.

We know in everyday life, break the rules, the law and get caught and there is a punishment. As sure as we get paid wages for our work, so for our sin we get paid the wages of death.

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans Chapter 6 verse 23)

We believe that after we die there is a day of judgement.

"Just as man is destined to die once and after that face judgement." (Hebrews Chapter 9 verse 27)

We have sinned and for that we deserve to be punished. The good news is that when Jesus was crucified on the cross, he was bearing the punishment that we rightly should suffer. He was able to do this because he was sinless.

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans Chapter 5 verse 8)

"For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit." (1 Peter Chapter 3 verse 18)

We believe that none of us is good enough for heaven. It is through faith in believing that Jesus died for us that we are saved.

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works (what we do), so that no-one can boast." (Ephesians Chapter 2 verse 8 and 9)

"He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit." (Titus Chapter 3 verse 5)

We believe that we need to be born-again to be back in the relationship with Jesus as he was with the first man before he sinned.

Jesus replied, "Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again". (John Chapter 3 verse 3)

We believe that someone has to make a conscious decision to accept Jesus Christ into their life in order to become a Christian. By so doing they become children of God.

"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." (John Chapter 1 verse 12)

"Here I am ! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." (Revelation Chapter 3 verse 20)

We believe that someone who believes Jesus has died for them and has asked Jesus into their life is assured of eternal life.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." (John Chapter 3 verses 16 - 17 KJV)

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John Chapter 5 verses 11-13)

They are a new person

Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new. (2 Corinthians Chapter 5 verse 17 CEV)

We also believe that when someone asks Jesus Christ into their life that the Holy Spirit comes to live in their lives, God in them.

And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts Chapter 2 verse 38)

If you yourself have any desire to receive the free gift of God (forgiveness, salvation and eternal life) through Jesus Christ, please do get in touch.

For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the ‘right time’ is now. Today is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians Chapter 6 verse 2 NLT)

Credits:

All Bible verses taken from the New International Version (NIV) copyright Biblica used in accordance with their terms and conditions unless otherwise marked.

KJV indicates that the Bible verse is taken from the King James Version of the Bible which is in the Public Domain.

CEV indicates that the Bible verse is taken from the Contemporary English Vesrsion copyright American Bible Society subject to their terms and conditions.

NLT indicates that the Bible verse is taken from the Holy Bible - New Living Translation copyright Tyndale House Foundation used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.,