Purpose

Desert Valley Church Statement of Faith

My Personal Union with Christ and His Church

I believe –

1. Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man, was obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Through faith in Him I am saved and enjoy eternal life now. (1 John 5:13) I do not come into comdemnation but have passed from death to life. John 5:24

2. There is one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of three co-eternal Persons, all working together for my salvation.

3. The Bible is the testimony of Jesus and is the only rule of faith and practice for the Christian.

4. Adam’s fall brought sin, condemnation, and death upon humanity. The Ten Commandment Law declares God’s will, reveals sin, and reminds all, including the saved, of their need of a Savior.

5. The Gospel proclaims that the one who is just by faith shall live. In justification, God declares believers righteous on the ground of Jesus Christ’s substitutionary life and death apart from works.

6. The fruit of the Gospel includes the new birth and a life of progressive sanctification, which is a deepening repentance and a growing Christ-likeness until glorification at the Day of Jesus Christ.

7. Under the New Covenant, God writes His character (Law), including learning to rest in Christ's finished work, the Fourth Commandment, upon the hearts and minds of believers in Jesus. Scripture is clear, no salvation is ever possible via law keeping. It is the tutor that bring us to Christ. He wants us to grow up and experience the joyous fruit of the Gospel of freedom, REST in Christ alone!

8. Joined by faith to Jesus Christ, I become a member of His body, the Church Universal.

9. Participation in His body includes baptism, corporate worship, the Lord’s supper, exercising discipleship and spiritual gifts – fulfilling the great commission to take the Gospel to the world.

10. The Christian life is a personal relationship with Christ – a commitment to His steadfast love of ourselves, our time, talents, possessions (including tithes and offerings), health, and influence.

The Christian disciple understands that his sins are already forgiven in Christ. Repentence and confession are important disciplines to help us recognize the insideous effect of sin, not salvation issues that may prevent us from seeing Him soon.

11. At the cross, Jesus stood in the Judgment for sinners and died in their place. Believers do not personally appear in Judgment because Jesus the Mediator presents them as righteous in Himself.

12. In the Final Judgment, the righteous receive immortality at Christ’s return, and the wicked, eternal death at the Millennium’s end as the new earth becomes the saints’ possession forever.

13. Seventh-day Adventist Christians are called to announce Christ’s return to the world by proclaiming the Gospel – it is our privilege to stand in the judgment as character witnesses, Christ did it all, justification, sanctification and soon glorification. We do nothing, He does everything!