Our Beliefs

This is what Ridgecrest believes:

1.      About God

God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe.  He has eternally existed in three personalities—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  The eternal triune God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature essence, or being.  (Genesis 1:1, 26, 27; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14)

2.      About Jesus Christ

Christ is the eternal Son of God.  He is conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross.  He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death.  He ascended to Heaven’s glory and will return again some day to earth to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  (Matthew 1:22, 23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5, 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14,15; 1 Corinthians 15:3; Romans 1:3,4; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Timothy 6:14-15; Titus 2:13)

3.      About the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, fully divine.  He inspired holy men of old to write the Scriptures.  He is present in the world to make men and women aware of their need for Jesus Christ.  He also lives in every Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right.  He gives every believer a spiritual gift when they are saved.  As Christians, we seek to live under His daily control.  (2 Corinthians 3:17; John 16:7-13, 14, 16, 17; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 5:18; 1 Corinthians 2:12, 3:16; Ephesians 1:13; Galatians 5:25)

4.      About the Bible

The Bible is God’s word to us.  Human authors wrote it, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit.  It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living.  Because it is inspired by God it is the truth without any mixture of error. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation. (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; 2 Timothy 1:13; Psalm 119:105,106, 12:6; Proverbs 30:5)

5.      About Human Beings

People are made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character.  People are the supreme object of God’s creation.  Although every person has tremendous potential for good, all of us are marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called “sin.”  This attitude separates people from God and causes many problems in life.  Every person of every race possesses full dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love. (Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:23; Isaiah 59:1-2)

6.      About Salvation

Salvation is God’s free gift to us.  We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works.  Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin’s penalty.  When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith, we are saved. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his or her life by faith. (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:9; John 14:6, 1:12; Titus 3:5; Galatians 3:26; Romans 5:1)

7.      About Eternal Security

Because God gives us eternal life through Jesus Christ, the true believer is secure in that salvation for eternity.  If you have been genuinely saved, you cannot “lose” your salvation.  We may fall into sin through neglect and temptation, but salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian.  It is the grace and keeping power of God that gives us this security. (John 10:29; 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 7:25; 10:10-14; 1 Peter 1:3-5)

8.      About Last Things

People were created to exist forever.  God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring the world to its appropriate end.  Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth.  We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation through Jesus Christ.  To be eternally separated from God is Hell.  To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life.  Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence (John 3:16; 1 John 5:13-15; Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:11-15; Matthew 16:24-28)

9.      About Evangelism and Missions

It is the duty and privilege of every follower of Christ and of every church to go and make disciples of all nations.  The Lord has commanded the preaching of the gospel to all people on earth.  Every believer is called to seek constantly to win the lost to Christ by verbal witness undergirded by a Christian lifestyle. (Genesis 12:1-3; Exodus 19:5-6; Matthew 9:37-38; 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; Romans 10:13-15; Ephesians 3:1-11; Revelation 22:17).

10.  About Education

Christianity is the faith of enlightenment and intelligence.  In Jesus Christ abide all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.  In Christian education there should be a proper balance between academic freedom and academic responsibility.  The freedom of a teacher in a Christian school, college, or seminary is limited by the pre-eminence of Jesus Christ, by the authoritative nature of Scriptures, and by the distinct purpose for which the school exists. (Deuteronomy 4:1,5,9,14; Nehemiah 8:1-8; Psalms 119:11; Proverbs 4:1-10; Matthew 5:2; Philippians 4:8; 1 Timothy 1:3-7; 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:14-17; James 1:5; 3:17)

11.  About Stewardship

God is the source of all blessings, temporary and spiritual.  All that we have and are we owe to Him.  We are under spiritual obligation to serve God with all of our time, talents, and material possessions; and we should recognize all these as entrusted to us for God’s glory and for helping others.  According to Scripture, we should contribute of our means cheerfully, regularly, systematically, proportionately, and liberally for the advancement of God’s cause here on earth. (Genesis 14:20; Leviticus 27:30-32; Malachi 3:8-12; Matthew 6:1-4; Luke 12:16-21,42; Acts 2:44-47;Romans 6:6-22; 2 Corinthians 8-9; 1 Peter 1:18-19)

12.  About Cooperation

Christ’s people should, as occasion requires, organize such associations and conventions as may best secure cooperation for the great endeavors of the kingdom of God.  Such organizations have no authority over one another or over the churches.  They are voluntary and advisory bodies designed to elicit, combine, and direct the energies of our people in the most effective manner.  Cooperation is desirable between various Christian denominations when the cause is worthwhile and it involves no violation of conscience or compromise of loyalty to Christ and His Word as revealed in the New Testament. (Exodus 17:12; Judges 7:21; Nehemiah 4; Matthew 10:5-15; Acts 1:13-14; 1 Corinthians 1:10-17)

13. About the Christian and the Social Order

All Christians are under obligation to seek to make the will of Christ supreme in our own lives and in human society.  In the spirit of Christ, Christians should oppose racism, every form of greed, selfishness, and vice, and all forms of sexual immorality, including adultery, homosexuality, and pornography.  We should work to provide for the orphaned, the needy, the abused, the aged, the helpless, and the sick.  We should speak on behalf of the unborn and contend for the sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death. (Exodus 20:3-17; Leviticus 6:2-5; Psalm 101:5; Micah 6:8; Matthew 5:13-16; Mark 1:29-34; Romans 12-14; 1 Corinthians 5:9-10; Galatians 3:26-28; James 1:27; 2:8)

14. About Peace and War

It is the duty of all Christians to seek peace with all men on principles of righteousness.  The true remedy for the war spirit is the gospel of our Lord.  The supreme need of the world is the acceptance of Christ’s teachings in all the affairs of men and nations.  Christians should pray for the reign of the Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 2:4; Matthew 5:9, 38-48; 6:33; Romans 12:18-19; Hebrews 12:14; James 4:1-2)

15. About Religious Liberty

God alone is the Lord of conscience and He has left it free from the doctrines and commands of men which are contrary to His Word or not contained in it.  No church should be favored by the state more than others.  Since God ordains civil government, Christians should obey all things that are not contrary to the revealed will of God in His Word.  A free church in a free state is the Christian ideal. (Genesis 1:27; 2:7; Matthew 6:6-7,24; John 8:36; Acts 4:19-20; Romans 13:1-7; Philippians 3:20; 1 Peter 2:12-117)

16. About the Family

God created the family as the foundational institution of human society.  Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime.  The marriage relationship models the way God relates to His people.  A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church.  He has the responsibility to provide for, to protect, and to lead his family.  The wife, being in the image of God as is her husband and thus equal to him, has the God-given responsibility to respect her husband and to serve as his helper in managing the household and nurturing the next generation.  Parents, if they have children, are to demonstrate to them God’s pattern for marriage.  Children are to honor and obey their parents. (Genesis 1:26-28; 2:15-25; 3:1-20; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Joshua 24:15; Psalm 51:5; Proverbs 1:8; Matthew 5:31-32; Romans 1:18-32; Ephesians 5:21-33; Colossians 3:18-21; Hebrews 13:4)

Source:  Excerpts from the 2000 revision of The Baptist Faith and Message