Absolute truth has been given to us by God.
We know that the Bible can be hard to understand and people seem to argue over just about everything nowadays. Below is a list of what we believe are the non-negotiable truths in Scripture. The rest is open for discussion through the filter of God’s Word.
About God
We believe in one God, Creator and Sustainer of the universe, who is eternally existent in three persons— Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:1; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14)
About Jesus
We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, His sinless life, His substitutionary death, His bodily resurrection, His ascension to the right hand of the Father where He intercedes for us, and His personal return in glory and power. (John 1:1-2, 14; Luke 1:26–27; 1 Corinthians 15:20-21; Acts 1:9; Acts 7:55; 1 Thessalonians 4:16)
About Humanity
We believe in the fall of man from innocence, rendering all mankind sinners, separated from God. (Genesis 3:1-24)
About Salvation
We believe in the salvation of the sinner by grace through faith alone in the work of Jesus Christ alone--totally apart from human works. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
About Faith
We believe that all who by faith receive Jesus Christ are then born again of the Holy Spirit, therefore children of God and eternally saved, and that the Holy Spirit dwells within to regenerate, seal and secure every believer. (2 Corinthians 1:22; Romans 3:21-22; John 1:12)
About the Bible
We believe that the Bible was written by men who were inspired by God. Because it is inspired, the original documents are infallible. It is authoritative in all matters of faith and conduct. (2 Peter 1:20-21; John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16,17)
About the Church
We believe that the Church is composed of all who place faith in Christ and should assemble themselves together in local churches for worship, prayer, fellowship and teaching to equip them to reach the World with the love of Christ. (Ephesians 1:22-23; Hebrews 10:25; 1 John 4:21)
About the Resurrection
We believe in the bodily resurrection of the saved to the eternal presence of God and of the lost to conscious eternal separation from Him. (1 Thessalonians 4:16; 1 Corinthians 15:42; Revelation 20: 11-15)
About Baptism & The Lord's Supper
We believe that baptism and The Lord’s Supper are the two pictorial ordinances of the Church. Baptism is the public identification with the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord’s Supper is a remembrance of the broken body and shed blood of Jesus Christ looking forward to the second coming. (Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 11:23–26; Matthew 26:26–28)
About Our Mission
We believe that love for one another, as Christ loves us, manifest whom God is and proves our love for God. The manifestation of His love is shown in our desire to Love one another, Reach the Lost, and Teach the Believer. (1 John 4:7, 12, 21; Matthew 22:37–40; Acts 1:8; Hebrews 5:13–14)
About Gifts of the Spirit
Living Water Church is a fellowship of believers who are saved by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus. All are welcome. We enjoy the fellowship of all who know Christ as Savior. We believe the Christian walk is indeed supernatural and that the Lord continues to work miracles today. We believe the gift of tongues was a sign for unbelievers to authenticate the proclamation of the gospel and the authority of the apostles (1 Cor. 14:22). There may be some benefit to believers, but only with an interpreter (1 Cor. 14:27-28). We believe that speaking in tongues is not scripturally linked to evidence of personal salvation or of one being Spirit-filled (1 Cor. 14:5 and see Statement of Beliefs #5). We believe one is indwelt by the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation and there is no extra or secondary baptism of the Spirit to authenticate one’s salvation (Eph. 1 :13), nor is speaking in tongues to be sought out above the many other wondrous works of the Spirit that produces a holy life (1 Cor. 12:7-11 and Gal. 5:22-23).
We do not wish to control one’s personal and individual interactions with the Lord, and we certainly do not believe this issue to be a test of faith or fellowship. However, Living Water Church does not seek to overtly express tongues at church meetings (1 Cor. 14:28).
