Key Beliefs of Southside Christian Church

· We believe that God is the One True God who reveals Himself in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

Southside believes in the Trinity. A biblical concept of who God is. If the Father is called God, and the Son is called God, and the Holy Spirit is called God and if scripture teaches that there is only one God, then the Trinity is a true and biblical teaching. The following scriptures are the basis for this teaching:

The Father is called God - 2 Peter 1:17; The Son is called God - John 20:28 and Isaiah 9:6; The Holy Spirit is called God - Acts 5:3-4; There is only one God - Deuteronomy 6:4

· We believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God.

We believe the Bible is the very Words of God. Numerous times in the Bible we read a passage such as found in 1 Samuel 15:10 Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel. We believe that the Bible is reliable. The bible contains an unbelievable unity in the writing of the scriptures. 2 Timothy 3:16-17. We believe the bible to be understandable and useful. We believe that the Bible is our standard. We use it to answer our questions and direct our future. We use it to solve our problems and to correct our errors.

· We believe that Jesus is the only way of salvation.

Salvation comes only through Jesus Christ! Acts 4:12 states that, Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. Jesus himself stated in John 14:6, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no man comes to the Father but through me.”

· We believe that salvation comes in accepting the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. We accept that sacrifice through faith in Him, repentance of our sins and immersion into His name.

Salvation is accepting Christ through faith in Him and obedience to his Word. Paul stated in Ephesians 2:8, For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.

The bible teaches that we must accept the gift of salvation by placing our faith in Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:17, and Romans 8:1-2; by repenting of our sinful way of life – Acts 2:38 and 2 Peter 3:9; by being immersed into His name – Acts 2:38, Colossians 2:12-13, Romans 6:1-6, and Galatians 3:26-27.

· We believe that believers are gifted by the Holy Spirit to serve God through the local church body.

When a person accepts Jesus as their Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit lives inside of them. Acts 2:28. Through the presence of the Holy Spirit, believers receive special gifts to be used in service of Jesus. Romans 12:3-8 talks of some of the gifts that we have been given.

· We believe that some day Jesus will return and because we don’t know the day or hour, we had better be ready!

Jesus promised that he would return someday. Believers are encouraged to live each day as if Jesus would return today! Yet, scripture is very clear that no one knows when Jesus will return, so we must be ready!