What We Believe

The Articles of Faith of Hills Union Church 

*hyperlinks take the reader to the 1 verse of the quoted passage.  Please be sure to read all the referenced verses in order to gain the best understanding of the passage*

I. THE SCRIPTURE

We believe the Holy Bible is the everlasting Word of God. Authored by God, recorded by man as inspired and revealed through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Scriptures contain all things necessary for salvation and shows the principles by which God will judge us. Therefore, all scripture is heavenly instructions and is essential for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.

2 Timothy 3:16-17; 1 Peter 1:10-11; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Hebrews 4:12; Psalms 18:30, Psalms 119:97;

Matthew 24:35; John 1:1; Revelation 22:18-19; 1 Thessalonians 2:13

II. THE TRUE GOD

We believe there is one true and living God, the Alpha and Omega, the Father Almighty. The Creator of all things both visible and invisible; with absolute power and authority. God is holy, perfect in character, righteous and just, worthy of all praise, glory and honor. In unity of the Godhead there are three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Equal in divine perfection, while accomplishing distinct and harmonious acts in the Great Redemption.

Psalms 90:2, Psalms 147:5; Romans 1:20, Romans 11:33; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 John 1:5; 1 Timothy 6:15-16; 1 John 4:16; Hebrews 12:29; Revelation 1:8; Acts 17: 24-25; Colossians 2:9

III. THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe the Holy Spirit is sent by God in the name of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is the Great Comforter, the Spirit of Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Might, Knowledge and Fear of God. Through the one Spirit we are all baptized into the one body of Christ and endowed with gifts from the Father. In unity of the Godhead there are three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Equal in divine perfection, while accomplishing distinct and harmonious acts in the Great redemption.

Galatians 5:16-23; Psalms 51:10; Romans 8:15, Romans 8:26, Romans 15:13; Isaiah 11:2; 1 Corinthians 2:10-11, 1 Corinthians 12:7-11; John 3:6, John 14:26, John 16:7-8, John 16:13; Acts 1:17

IV. JESUS CHRIST

We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life; no one can go to the Father except through Jesus. Through his birth, death and resurrection Jesus made full atonement for the sins of all believers. Christ ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty and will come again to judge the living and the dead.

John 3:16, John 8:12, John 12:46, John 14:6; Isaiah 9:6; 1Timothy 1:15, 1 Timothy 2:5; 1 John 2:1-2, 1 John 6:37-40; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Philippians 2:5-11; Luke 2:10, Luke 4:18-19; Mark 10:45; Galatians 4:6; Hebrews 4:14-15; 2 Timothy 4:1

V. THE GREAT COMMANDMENT

We believe as God’s children we must love and obey Him placing nothing before Him, surrendering all to Him. “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind.” Matthew 22:37-38

VI. THE GREAT COMMISSION

We believe as God’s children we are called to make disciples and contribute to God’s Kingdom.

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” Matthew 28:19-20

VII. CREATION

We believe God is the creator of all things visible and invisible; that before time, God brought forth all matter out of nothing. God made all men and all women in his own likeness, breathing into them the Breath of Life.

Genesis 1:1-31, Genesis 2:1-25; John 1:1-5; Exodus 20:11; Hebrews 1:10

VIII. FALL OF MAN

We believe man was created in innocence and holiness. Through voluntary acts, choosing to go against the Lord’s command, fell from a perfect state of union with God. This introduction of death by mankind’s sin corrupted the nature of all humanity, in consequence all people are now sinners; prone to evil, void of righteousness, separated from God.

Genesis 2:16, Genesis 3:6-24; Romans 1:18-28, Romans 3:9-18; Romans 4:7-18, Romans 5:12-19, Ephesians 2:1-3, Ezekiel 18:19-21, Galatians 3:10-14

IX. SALVATION

We believe only through salvation can we be made righteous before God; transformed to the image of Jesus Christ, forgiven of sin, delivered from the wrath of God. Jesus, appointed by God, took human form, having no sin, upheld the divine law and by his death made full atonement for sin. By accepting the grace of salvation, we become adopted by the Father Almighty.

Ephesians 2:5; Matthew 18:11-14, Matthew 20:28; 1 John 4:10; Acts 15:11; John 1:6-14, John 3:16; Hebrews 1:8, Hebrews 2:9-14, Hebrews 7:25, Hebrews 9:13-15, Hebrews 12:24; 1 Corinthians 15:1-3; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 2:8; Galatians 4:4-5; Romans 3:21-26, Romans 4:25; Isaiah 53:4-6; Colossians 10-12; 2 Timothy 2:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11

X. GRACE

We believe grace is an underserved gift from God the Father. Grace is used to humble our souls so that we might fully repent of our sins and receive redemption through forgiveness. It is through God’s grace and not by works we obtain eternal life.

Genesis 6:8; Acts 15:11, Acts 20:32; Hebrews 4:16; Romans 3:21-24; Romans 5:15-17, Romans 11:5-6; 2 Timothy 1:8-11, 2 Timothy 2:1; Ephesians 1:3-14, Ephesians 2:5-8; 1 Thessalonians 1:4-10; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17; John 1:14; 2 Corinthians 8:9, 2 Corinthians 12:9; James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:10

XI. FAITH

We believe faith is the complete belief and trust in God the Father Almighty. In Jesus Christ we are justified through faith and gain access to grace. We walk by faith not by sight, trusting the Lord and His will. Faith is confidence in all things hoped for and assurance for all things beyond our control. Without faith it is impossible to please God.

Matthew 17:20, Matthew 21:21-22; Romans 1:17, Romans 5:1-8, Romans 10:17, Romans 12:3; Hebrews 11:1-7; Mark 9:23, Mark 10:52, Mark 11:22-24; James 1:5-8, James 2:19-24; Ephesians 2:8-9; Luke 1: 37, Luke 17:5; Proverbs 3:5-6; 1 Corinthians 2:5, 1 Corinthians 13:13 ; 2 Corinthians 5: 2 Corinthians 7-10; Philippians 4:13; Galatians 3:7-9; 2 Timothy 4:7; Psalms 46:10; 1 John 5:4; John 8:28; Galations2:16; Habakkuk 2:4; 1 Peter 1:7-9; John 20:29

XII. REBIRTH

We believe unless a person is born again, they cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The moment we repent, surrender to God and ask Jesus Christ into our lives we become born of the Holy Spirit. Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, everyone born of God overcomes the world. The life once lived in flesh; we now live by faith as Christ lives in us. God saves us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, generously given by Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17-21; John 1:11-13, John 3:1-8; 1 Peter 1:21-25; 1 John 4:7, 1 John 5:1-9, 1 John 5:18; Romans 2:28-29, Romans 8:9-11, Romans 12:1-2;  Galatians 2:20, Galatians 5:16-26; Hebrews 12:1-2; Psalms 27:4-5; Titus 3:4-7; Matthew 3:1-17, Matthew 7:20-27; Ephesians 3:14-21, Ephesians 4:20-24; Colossians 3:9-10; Ezekiel 36:26-29

XIII. Proclamation of Faith

We believe the Holy Spirit, sent from God Almighty, testifies through us. We must share the testimony of what Jesus Christ has done in our lives. Through baptism, testimony and service we proclaim our faith and announce our rebirth. The evidence appears in the fruits of repentance, faith and newness of life.

Romans 1:5; 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, 1 Corinthians 12:13-14; 2 Corinthians 1:12, 2 Corinthians 5:11-15; Deuteronomy 31:19-22; Nehemiah 9:29-31; Luke 3:3, Luke 16: 27-31; John 3:31-36, John 7:6-8, John 15:26-27; Matthew 3:11-17, Matthew 10:18; Psalms 119:46-59; Isaiah 8:20-22, Isaiah 61:1-3; 2 Timothy 1:7-10; Mark 1:4, Mark 16: 15-16; Acts 1:21-22, Acts 2:38, Acts 8:12, Acts 10: 44-48, Acts 19: 1-6, Acts 22: 15-16; Ephesians 4: 4-7; Hebrews 6: 1-3; Galatians 3:25-29

XIV. OF REVELATION

We believe in the vision that was given to the Apostle John by God the Father and that this Revelation to be the description of the end days, that Jesus Christ will return in the clouds to call forth from the grave those who died in Christ and that Jesus will call up the living saints of God immediately after the first resurrection. There will be a time of Great Tribulation on the face of the earth when Satan, the antichrist and the false prophet will deceive the multitudes of mankind. The Great Tribulation will be ended at the second coming of Christ at the battle of Armageddon where Christ is victorious, and Satan is bound for a thousand years. After Satan is released from the bottomless pit, he will lead another rebellion and be defeated and cast into the lake of fire the source of eternal torment. The dead will be called forth from the grave to stand before God at the Great White Throne of Judgment at which time they will be judged by their works and cast into the lake of fire for eternity. God will bring forth a new heaven and a new earth where God, Jesus Christ, The Holy Spirit along with all of God’s People will live out eternity.

Revelation 1:7, Revelation 9:14, Revelation 19:7-21, Revelation 20:1-15, Revelation 21:1-8, Revelation 22:5-21; Genesis 18:23; Proverbs 10:24,Proverbs 11:31, Proverbs 12:26, Proverbs 14:32; Isaiah 5:20, Isaiah 55:6-7, Isaiah 57:21; Jeremiah 15:19; Acts 10:34-35; Romans 1:17, Romans 6:16-18, Romans 7:6; 1 John 2:29, 1 John 3:7, 1 John 5:19; 1 Corinthians 7:29-31, 1 Corinthians  11:32; 1 Peter 4:17-18; 2 Peter 3:3-13; Galatians 3:10; John 3:36, John 5:28-29, John 6:40, John 8:21-24, John 12:25-26; Psalms 10:4; Luke 9:23-26, Luke 12:4-5, Luke 14:14, Luke 16:25; Ecclesiastes 3:17; Matthew 7:13-14, Matthew 24:35, Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 1:10-12, Hebrews 9:28; Acts 1:11, Acts 3:21, Acts 10:42, Acts 24:15; Daniel 12:2

XV. CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE

We believe Christian marriage is the union of one natural born male (XY) and one natural born female (XX). The two become one flesh in Christ. They should love each other as Christ loves the church, be equally yoked and honor one another.

Genesis 2:18-24; 1 Peter 4:8; Colossians 3:14-19; John 4:7-8, John 13:34-35, John 14:27; 1 Corinthians 7:2-11, 1 Corinthians 13:4-13, 1 Corinthians 16:13-14; 2 Corinthians 6:14; Ephesians 5:22-33; Matthew 5:32, Matthew 19:4-9; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; Mark 10:9; Psalms 85:10; Isaiah 62:5; Deuteronomy 24:5; Proverbs 12:4, Proverbs 18:22; 1 Peter 4:8; Proverbs 21:9, Proverbs 19:14, Proverbs 31:10; Mark 10:6-9; Romans 8:28; Hebrews 13:4

XVI. SEPERATION OF CHURCH AND STATE

We believe in the separation of church and state as related to the control of government to interfere with the practices of the church. In the interest of an orderly human society, government officials should be prayed for and obeyed, provided that the laws do not oppose God’s will.

Romans 13:1-7, Romans 14: 4-13, Deuteronomy 16:18, 1 Samuel 23:3, Exodus 18:23, Jeremiah 30:21, Matthew 10:28, Matthew 22:21, Matthew 23:10, Titus 3:1, 1 Peter 2:13, 1 Timothy 2:1-8, Acts 5:29, Acts 4:18-20 Daniel 3:15-18, Daniel 6:7-10, Revelation 19:16, Psalms 72:11