Our Beliefs

The doctrine and theology of Science Hill Trinity Church is founded upon the Holy Scriptures as contained in the 66 books of the Old and New Testament. There is only one true God, existing eternally as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Any other god or variation is not the true and everlasting God. All religions do not profess the One true God. God is not known by other names and worshipped in different ways by other religions.

God the Father

  • God exists as Triune Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; Three-in-One. (Matthew 28:18-20, Matthew 3:13-17, John 15:26)

  • God is creator, redeemer, and sustainer of all His creation. (Psalm 104. Nehemiah 9:6, Isaiah 40:28, Colossians 1:15-17)

  • As creator, God spoke into existence all that is. All three members of the Trinity were present at the creation event. (Genesis 1:1-2, John 1:1-5, 14)

  • As creator, God has the authority, power, and right to establish all systems or nature and laws as it pertains to what is good and what is evil. (Hebrews 4:13)

  • God dwells outside the bounds of time and space and therefore is not limited by either. (Psalm 139:7-12, Revelation 1:8, 2 Peter 3:8)

  • God is all present and all knowing. However, all knowing does not mean predetermined. Just because God is all knowing does not mean that God predestined all things. (Hebrews 4:13, Psalm 139:1-18, Isaiah 40:28, Isaiah 46:9-10, 1 Kings 8:39)

  • God is sovereign and does not rely on anything or require anything from anyone. (Daniel 2:21, Job 12:10, Romans 11:33, Psalm 115:3)

  • God can be known, yet not fully known; understood, yet not fully comprehended by his creation. (Jeremiah 9:23-24, Jeremiah 29:11-13, Jeremiah 33:3, Romans 11:33-36)  God is love. (1 John 4:8, 16)

  • God is holy, and worthy of our praise. (Revelation 4:8. Revelation 15:4, Exodus 15:11, 1 Samuel 2:2, John 17:11, 1 Timothy 1:17)

God the Son, Jesus

  • Jesus is the second member of the Holy Trinity, and is our sole source of salvation. There is no other means of salvation beyond Jesus. (John 14:6, Acts 4:12)

  • The pre-incarnate Son of God stepped away from heaven and was born of a virgin according to the Scriptures and dwelled among his creation. This event is referred to as the incarnation. (Luke 2:6-7, John 1:1, 14)

  • Jesus lived a sinless life, performing many miracles, signs, and wonders during his earthly ministry. (2 Corinthians 5:21, Matthew 4:23-24)

  • To see and read of Jesus is to know the Father. (John 14:8)

  • When Jesus’ earthly ministry was complete, prior to his death, Jesus was went to Jerusalem where he was handed over to the custody of the Roman Empire. (Matthew 27:1-2)

  • He was rejected by his own, betrayed by his followers, and was sentenced, crucified, and died for the sins of humanity. (Matthew 20:17-19)

  • On the third day following his death, Jesus rose from the dead, conquering death, hell, and the grave. (Luke 24:2-3)

  • He was seen by his disciples and many others following his resurrection. (Luke 24:15)

  • After a short period, he ascended back to his rightful place at the right hand of God the Father in heaven. (Matthew 28:16-17)

  • Jesus right now is in heaven, bodily, interceding on behalf of his followers against the lies and accusations of Satan. (Romans 8:34)

  • One day, Jesus will return and call his church to be with Him eternally. (Hebrews 9:28, Matthew 24:36)

God the Holy Spirit

  • The Holy Spirit, our Paraclete (Helper), was sent by the Father on the day of Pentecost to empower believers and establish the Church. (Acts 2:1-13)

  • Just as the Holy Spirit filled and empowered the disciples and believers on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit fills and empowers those who ask the Father by faith. (Matthew 3:11, Luke 11:9-13)

  • The Spirit empowers the believer with gifts for the purpose of equipping, training, and releasing believers into ministry. When a believer becomes empowered, spiritual gifts are released so they might minister to the body of Christ and the world around them. (1 Corinthians 12-14, Ephesians 4:11-16)

  • The Holy Spirit convicts people of sin and reminds them of the teachings of Jesus. The Spirit guides and directs followers of Jesus to understand Scripture and deepen their faith. (John 16:12-15)

  • The Spirit endows believers with the fruit of the Spirit as evidence of the indwelling presence of Jesus in their lives. Their lives become a reflection of the presence, grace, and character of Christ. (Galatians 5:22-23)

  • The Holy Spirit helps believers to pray even when they don’t know how. (Romans 8:26- 27)

The Holy Scriptures

  • Scripture is the divine Word of God inspired by the Holy Spirit and given to humanity as a means of inspiration, instruction, correction, guidance, and understanding of God. (2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:21)

  • The Holy Scriptures exist in the form of 66 books of the Old and New Testament. There are no additional texts to be held with the same authority as the Old Testament (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon (Song of Songs), Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habbakuk, Zepheniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi) and the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1-3 John, Jude, and Revelation). (Revelation 22:18-19)

  • Followers of Jesus are to live by the authoritative standard of Scripture. Scripture is the living Word of God and does not ever become irrelevant or less authoritative over time. (Isaiah 40:8, 1 Peter 1:24-25).

  • Any religious teaching or doctrine that is not supported by Scripture or is contradictory to Scripture is unacceptable to the Church and false teach, also called heresy. (Galatians 5:9- 10, 2 Peter 2:1-2)

Humanity

  • All people are created imago Dei, in the image of God, and as such are the utmost value to God and His Church. (Genesis 1:26-27)

  • Life begins at conception. Therefore, abortion is not compatible with the Scriptures. Regardless of things such as disability or age, all life is a sacred gift from God. Therefore, God alone determines and appoints when a person’s life ends. Euthanasia (assisted suicide) is incompatible with the Scriptures. (Psalm 139:14-16)

  • Every person that has ever existed or will ever exist is made in God’s image, but that does not mean every person is a child of God. That privilege is reserved for those who place their trust in Jesus Christ for salvation. (John 1:12)

  • Discrimination against anyone with regard to gender, ethnicity, race, education, or socioeconomic status is not acceptable according to the teachings of Christ. (Galatians 3:28, Mark 12:30-31)

  • God created humanity male and female. Adam was the first male, and Eve was the first female. While Adam was created first, both he and Eve are of equal value in God’s eyes and share equal responsibilities and duties as assigned by God, yet are distinctly male and female. (Genesis 2:23-24)

  • God created man to be with woman to live in the monogamous covenant of marriage. If a person is not married, they are to live celibately and not engage in physical relations of any kind outside the bond of marriage. (Hebrews 13:4)

  • The practice of homosexuality and cohabitation (regardless of sexual orientation) is not compatible with the Scriptures or will of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9, 1 Corinthians 6:18, Colossians 3:5)

  • God does not make mistakes. Any attempt to alter or modify either one’s appearance or their physical structure in an attempt to live as the opposite gender is not compatible with the Scriptures or the will of God. Men are to live as men, and women as women. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

  • The ultimate desire of God for humanity is to be in relationship with all through the sacrifice of Jesus and God’s offer of salvation. God desires all to be saved. To that end, people are to love God, love their neighbors, and serve God in any and every way they can throughout their lives. (John 3:16-17)

  • There are no lost causes. All people without regard of past wrongs are redeemable to God. All people can be saved as long as they live. (1 Peter 3:18, 1 John 2:1-2)

Salvation

  • A person is saved by grace through faith alone and not by works. There are no works that can earn salvation. We are totally reliant on the grace of God for salvation. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

  • All have sinned and are in need of saving. Salvation is open to anyone who would receive it through faith in Jesus Christ. No one is beyond hope or too far gone. (Romans 3:23)

  • When one sins, they are worthy of death. As sinners, all of humanity has earned death, or eternal separation from God. However, God makes a way for salvation through the person and work of Jesus. His sacrifice made a way for us to have salvation. (1 John 1:9)

  • No other religion or god has the authority to offer eternal life except for Jesus. He paid the price for all the world’s sin by dying on the cross and shedding his blood. (Acts 4:12)

Grace, God’s Unmerited Favor

  • Prevenient Grace- the grace of God that is available to all people. It is experienced throughout life until the moment of justification. It is God working in our life to lead us to the moment of salvation. Prevenient grace is “the grace that goes before”, blazing a trail that we might accept Jesus. (John 12:32, John 16:8)

  • Justifying Grace- the grace of God that everyone experiences the moment they follow Jesus and trust in His loving grace to save them from sin. In that moment, they are justified and their sins are washed away. They now stand whole before the Lord, not based on their merits, but on Jesus. Their names are now written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 3:24)

  • Sanctifying Grace- the grace of God that a person experiences as they continue to grow in faith and their knowledge of the Lord. This grace allows a person to grow and develop spiritual fruit. This grace begins a holy pursuit of total surrender and holiness unto God, becoming like Jesus fully. (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, Romans 3:22)

  • Salvation is not stagnant. We are not meant to just achieve eternal life and wait for heaven. Salvation is a life lived pursuing Jesus, a relationship started on earth and extending through all eternity. It is God’s desire that all should be saved, but not all will accept salvation. (Matthew 25:31-46, 1 Timothy 2:3-6)

  • The gift of salvation can be rejected by the free will of humanity. A person chooses to repent and believe in Jesus or reject him and be damned. A person can choose after a time of following Jesus to reject him, thus losing salvation. (Hebrews 6:4-6, Hebrews 3:12, 2 Peter 3:17)

Heaven and Hell

  • There is life after the one we are currently living. We were created with an everlasting soul that will go beyond this life. (John 14:2, 1 Thessalonians 4:6-17, Philippians 3:20-21, 2 Corinthians 5:1)

  • One day God will reclaim his creation and cast Satan, his demons, and those who rejected His Son into the lake of fire where they will spend eternity apart from God and tormented. (Revelations 19:20, Revelation 21:6-8)

  • There are two eternal destinations: heaven or hell. (Revelation 20:11-15)

  • Heaven is the dwelling place of God. (Isaiah 66:1)

  • Jesus promised that he was going on into heaven to prepare a place for his followers, so they might be where he is. (John 14:2-3)

  • Heaven is a place of eternal bliss and peace, free from all evil or sin. Eventually, this will be the dwelling place of all believers. (Revelation 21:3-4, 1 Thessalonians 4:13- 18).

  • Hell is also eternal, and reserved for Satan, demons, and all who reject following Christ in this life. (Matthew 7:13, Revelation 20:14-15)

  • Ultimately, God will restore His creation and establish a new heaven and new earth where those who are faithful to Him will dwell throughout eternity. (Revelation 21:1)

Satan (the devil) and demons

  • Satan is a created being. He was called Lucifer, the head angel of worship, until he was filled with pride and rose against God. He was cast out of heaven along with a third of the heavenly lost, now known as demons. (Colossians 1:6, 2 Corinthians 11:14, Revelation 12:7-9, 2 Peter 2:4)

  • Satan is not equal to God in any way. His power is limited. (Job 2:1)

  • Satan was given the right to reign on earth temporarily after the fall of humanity, when humanity chose sin rather than the way of God. He is the source of evil and exists in opposition to God and His Church. (Job 1:7, John 12:31)

  • Satan is a liar and deceiver who desires to separate people from God. He delights in deception and destruction. (John 8:44, Matthew 4:3)

  • In the end, Satan and his legions of demons will be cast into the lake of fire for all eternity. (Revelation 20:10)

The Body of Christ, the Church

  • Jesus Christ is the head of His Church and runs His Church under the guidance of the Holy Scriptures and the Holy Spirit. (Colossians 1:18)

  • The Church exists regardless of location or space and is not limited by denomination or theological differences, so long as they exist under the teaching of the Word and the historic Christian faith as professed in the Creeds. (Ephesians 2:21-22)

  • The Church is a visible representation of the Kingdom of God. Therefore, the purpose of the Church is to properly represent God and live according to His will and word. The mission of Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ. (Matthew 28:18-20)

  • All followers of Jesus Christ are called and gifted for ministry through the Holy Spirit. The Church exists as a priesthood of all believers. As such, we all are to be connected to a church community and actively involved according to our individual gifting. (1 Peter 2:4-5, Ephesians 4:11-16)

  • The Church exists of laity and clergy both working together to glorify God, bear fruit for the Kingdom, and to advance God’s Kingdom until the return of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 4:10)

Sacraments

  • There are two sacraments given in the Scriptures to the body of Christ: baptism and Holy Communion (The Lord’s Supper).

  • These are outward and visible signs of an inward and invisible grace given by God. The sacraments are not a means to salvation and do not grant salvation.

    • Baptism o Baptism is a means of grace following justification. It is the proper response to becoming a follower of Jesus and is obedient to Christ’s command. (Luke 3:21- 22, Matthew 3:16, Mark 1:4-5, John 1:29-33)

    • Baptism is a sign of acceptance and profession of faith as well as a sign of new birth and regeneration. (Colossians 2:12-13, Galatians 3:27, 1 Peter 3:21)

    • Baptism is to be done in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19)

    • Parents may present children to the congregation to be dedicated or christened, demonstrating a desire to raise their children in the Church.

    • Upon following Jesus, a believer should then take the step of faith and be baptized in the believer’s baptism. (Acts 2:38-41)

    • Holy Communion (The Lord’s Supper)

    • The elements used (bread and grape juice) do not contain the actual body and blood of Christ, but should be handled with the utmost respect and dignity. (Matthew 26:26-29, Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22:19-20, John 6:48-51, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

    • The church practices open communion, meaning anyone who seeks to follow Jesus and live in love of their neighbor is invited to the Table, regardless of denomination or membership. (Acts 2:42, 46)

    • Communion is a time of reflection, repentance, remembrance, and renewal in the life of a follower of Jesus. (1 Corinthians 11:27-29)

Creeds

  • The church recognizes the value of the Apostle’s Creed and the Nicene Creed as effective and concise statements of the Christian faith. The value of the creeds is found in the ability to memorize aspects of the Christian faith as well as a means of proclaiming those statements as a means of confirmation and hope.

  • The Creeds mentioned are the Apostles’ Creed (180 AD) and the Nicene Creed (381 AD).