Throughout history Christians have clarified and summarized their beliefs in concise, definitive statements. Emmaus Church is no exception. As a congregation we want to be clear about what we believe. Rooted in the Scriptures, our Confession of Faith communicates orthodox Christian beliefs, demonstrates our unity in declaring and displaying the gospel, and guards us from theological error.
The covenant members of Emmaus gladly link arms with Christians across the ages in believing and confessing the Apostles’1 and Nicene Creeds.2 Emmaus is in “friendly cooperation” with the Southern Baptist Convention. Emmaus’s members also covenant together to believe, confess, and practice the following.3
I. The Lord Our God
We believe there is one living and true God—a pure, invisible spirit without body, parts, or passions. None is like the Lord our God; his essence is incomprehensible and his glory unsearchable; he is infinite and unchanging in all his perfections, and therefore truly all-knowing and all-powerful, timeless and eternal, most wise and most holy, possessing absolute sufficiency in himself. Being Creator and Lord of heaven and earth, all things visible and invisible are from him, through him, and to him; in him all creatures live and move and have their being.
Gen. 1–2; Ex. 3:14, 34:6–7; Deut. 6:4–5, 32:4; 1 Sam. 15:29; 2 Sam. 22:31; Job 26:14, 37:16; Ps. 24:1–2, 34:8, 41:13, 50:12, 51:6, 86:11, 90:2, 93:2, 97:2, 102:25–27, 103:6–12, 130:4, 139:1–18, 147:5; Prov. 16:1, 16:33, 19:21; Isa. 40:28, 43:15, 44:6–8, 46:10; Jer. 31:34; Dan. 9:9; Hos. 11:9; Mal. 2:10, 3:6; Matt. 5:48, 6:8; John 1:18, 4:24; Acts 17:24–29; Rom. 1:20–24, 2:4, 11:33–36; 1 Cor. 8:5–6; Eph. 1:19, 2:7, 4:6; Col. 1:15; 1 Tim. 1:17, 2:5; Heb. 11:3, 13:8; Jas. 1:17; Jude 25; Rev. 4:1–11
II. The Holy Trinity
We believe the doctrine of the Trinity bears witness to the mystery of the one true God in three persons. We glorify one God in trinity and trinity in unity, neither blending their persons, nor dividing their essence. From everlasting to everlasting, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are each of the same substance and perfections. The Father is unbegotten, the Son is eternally begotten from the Father, and the Holy Spirit eternally proceeds from the Father and the Son. Being one in essence, will, and power, the persons of the Trinity operate inseparably to accomplish the plan of redemption God determined for his people before the foundation of the world.
Gen. 1:1–2; Ps. 110:1; Isa. 48:16; Mic. 5:2; Dan. 7:13–14; Matt. 3:16–17, 28:19; Luke 1:35; John 1:1–4, 29, 10:30, 38, 14:7–26, 15:26 16:13–16, 28, 17:1–5, 21–22; Acts 7:55–56; Rom. 1:1–4, 5:5–8, 8:1–3, 9–11, 31–34, 15:13; 1 Cor. 1:9; 2 Cor. 13:14; Gal. 4:4–5; Eph. 1:3–14, 17, 4:4–5; Col. 1:12–20, 2:9, 3:1–3; 1 Thess. 1:3–5; 2 Thess. 2:16–17, 3:5; 1 Tim. 2:5–6, 3:16; Heb. 1:1–3, 9:14, 24, 12:2; 1 Pet. 1:2; 1 John 4:13–15, 5:9; Jude 20–21; Rev. 5:13–14, 22:1-2
III. The Scriptures
We believe Holy Scripture is the church’s ultimate authority for all doctrine and practice. The Scriptures are verbally inspired by God and are therefore inerrant, infallible, sufficient, and trustworthy. Everything we need for life and godliness is expressly written in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture. We believe the Scriptures because the Holy Spirit testifies in our hearts that they are from God, and because they prove themselves to be from God. The attributes of Scripture extend to both the Old and New Testaments in their entirety.4
Ex. 24:4; Deut. 4:1–2, 17:19; Josh. 8:34; Ps. 19:7–10, 119:11, 89, 105, 140; Prov. 30:5; Isa. 34:16, 40:8; Jer. 15:16, 36:1–32; Matt. 5:17–18, 22:29; Luke 21:33, 24:44–46; John 5:39, 16:13–15, 17:17; Acts 2:16ff., 17:11; Rom. 15:4, 16:25–26; 2 Tim. 3:15–17; Heb. 1:1–2, 4:12; 1 Pet. 1:25; 2 Pet. 1:19–21
IV. Humanity
We believe all human beings, though distinct from their Creator, are created in his image, equal in dignity, and wonderfully made either male or female with a material body and rational soul. Every human life is of eternal significance and is therefore inherently sacred from conception to death. The nature of humanity is fundamentally designed for relationship with God and others. At creation, God instituted marriage to be a covenantal, lifelong, exclusive, procreative union of one man and one woman, signifying the union of Christ with his church. Marriage ought to be held in honor and undefiled by adultery and sexual immorality, for God’s will is fidelity in marriage and chastity outside of marriage. Chaste, godly singleness is likewise to be honored.
Gen. 1:26–28, 2:15–25, 5:2, 9:6; Ps. 127:3–5, 139:13–16; Prov. 5:15–20, 18:22; Eccl. 3:11; Mal. 2:14–16; Matt. 5:31–32, 19:3–9; Mark 10:6–12; Rom. 1:18–32; 1 Cor. 6:9, 7:1–17, 11:7; Eph. 5:21–33; Col. 3:18–21; 1 Thess. 4:1–8; 1 Tim. 1:10, 5:8; Ti. 2:2–5; Heb. 13:4; Jas. 3:9; 1 Pet. 3:1–7; Jude 7; Rev. 19:7–9, 21:2
V. The Fall of Humanity
We believe Adam and Eve are real, historical persons who were created holy, righteous, and good but voluntarily transgressed the law of God. The wages of sin is death. In Adam, all human beings are—by nature and choice—under the dominion of sin and Satan, and are thus alienated from God, hostile toward him, and corrupted in body and soul. Apart from God’s intervention, sinners are utterly void of the righteousness required by his law. Therefore sinners are under his just and holy wrath to eternal ruin without defense or excuse. Even in humanity’s sinful state God’s law remains written on every person’s heart and their conscience bears them witness that a day of judgment is coming.
Gen. 1:27, 1:31, 2:16–17, 3:1–19, 6:12; Ps. 51:5; Eccl. 7:29; Isa. 53:6; Ez. 18:19–20; Hos. 6:7; Matt. 20:15; Acts 17:26–29; Rom. 1:18, 20, 32, 2:1–16, 3:9–19, 5:12–19, 8:7, 13a; 1 Cor. 6:9–10, 15:22, 50; Gal 3:2, 10, 5:19–21; Eph. 2:1–3, 5:5; 1 Tim. 1:9–10; Heb. 12:14; Jas. 1:13–15, 2:9–11; Rev. 21:8, 22:15
VI. Jesus Christ
We believe Jesus Christ is the sole Mediator between God and sinful humanity. He is God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made. He is also true man, born of a virgin in his incarnation. Therefore Christ is one person in whom two natures—divine and human—are without confusion, change, division, or separation. As God the Son incarnate, he perfectly fulfilled God’s law through his righteous life, and died as a substitute for sinners and a sacrifice that satisfies the wrath of God. On the cross he defeated Satan and death. Raised bodily after three days, Christ appeared to his apostles and many others before ascending to reign at the right hand of the Father. He will one day return in glory to judge the living and the dead. His kingdom shall have no end.
Gen. 3:15, 49:10; Pss. 1–2; Isa. 52:13–53:12; Matt. 1:22–25, 9:13, 14:33, 16:16–17, 27:54; Mark 1:1; Luke 1:35, 4:41; John 3:16–18, 5:26, 8:58, 11:38–41, 17:5, 20:31; Acts 2:22–33, 4:33, 13:33; Rom. 2:25, 5:8, 19, 6:5, 8:3; 1 Cor. 1:30, 15:1–8, 12–19; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 2:20; Phil. 2:5–11; Col. 1:15–22, 2:9, 13–15; 1 Tim. 1:15, 2:5–6, 3:16; Ti. 2:13–14; Heb. 1:1–13, 2:17, 4:14–15, 7:13 10:12, 26; 1 Pet. 2:22–25; 1 John 1:7–9, 2:2, 4:10, 5:10–13, 20; Rev. 1:13–20, 22:13
VII. The Gospel and Salvation
We believe the gospel of Jesus Christ is God’s exclusive means of delivering his children from sin, Satan, and death. Therefore sinners are commanded to believe the gospel, and the church is commissioned to proclaim the gospel to all nations. Sinners must be born again to new life through the power of the Holy Spirit. Salvation comes to those who repent of sin, confess that Jesus is Lord, and believe in their hearts that God has raised him from the dead. By God’s decree, our sin is imputed to Christ and his righteousness is imputed to us. His righteousness is the only righteousness that justifies in the sight of God. For no one can be made righteous by works of the law, but only by grace through faith in Christ.
Gen. 3:15; Ex. 3:14–17, 6:2–8; Matt. 1:21, 4:17, 16:21–26, 27:22–28:6; Luke 1:68–69, 2:28–32; John 1:11–14, 29, 3:3–21, 36, 5:24, 10:9, 28–29, 15:1–16, 17:17; Acts 2:21, 4:12, 15:11 16:30–31, 17:30–31, 20:32; Rom. 1:16–18, 2:4, 3:23–25, 4:3ff., 5:1–10, 6:1–23, 8:1–18, 29–39, 10:9–10, 13, 13:11–14; 1 Cor. 1:18, 30, 6:19–20, 15:10; 2 Cor. 5:17–20; Gal. 2:20, 3:13, 5:22–25, 6:15; Eph. 1:3–10, 2:8–22, 4:11–16; Phil. 2:12–13; Col. 1:9–22, 3:1ff.; 1 Thess. 5:23–24; 2 Tim. 1:8–12; Ti. 2:11–14; Heb. 2:1–3, 5:8–9, 9:24–28, 11:1–12:8, 14; Jas. 2:14–26; 1 Pet. 1:2–23; 1 John 1:6–2:11; Rev. 3:20, 21:1–22:5
VIII. Life in the Spirit
We believe all who are born of the Holy Spirit are adopted into God’s family and thereby receive access to the Father by virtue of union with Christ. This union is the basis for communion with the Trinity and advancement in holiness without which no one will see the Lord. By the Spirit’s power to produce the fruit of repentance and faith, believers persevere in being conformed to the likeness of Christ throughout their earthly pilgrimage, yet are perfected only in their final state of glorification. Every Christian is called to make regular use of those appointed means which correspond with sanctification into Christlikeness—particularly the word of God, self-denial, self-examination, watchfulness, and prayer.
Lev. 11:44–45; Num. 15:40; 2 Kings 6:16; Job 17:9; Pss. 91:11–12, 121:3; Jer. 32:40; Matt. 6:5–13, 30-33, 9:38, 13:18-23, 16:24, 26:41; Mark 8:34, 13:13; Luke 5:16, 11:1–13, 18:1–8; John 3:3, 6:56, 66-69, 8:31, 10:28, 13:18, 14:18, 15:1–17, 17:17–19; Acts 2:42, 20:32; Rom. 5:2, 8:5–8, 15, 23, 29–30 12:6, 12, 15:16; 1 Cor. 6:11, 11:28, 12:31; 2 Cor. 3:17–18, 13:5; Gal. 4:4–5, 5:16, 25–26, 6:10; Eph. 1:5, 2:10, 18–19, 3:11–12, 4:7, 5:27; Phil. 1:6, 10–11, 2:13; Col. 1:23, 3:5–10, 4:2; 1 Tim. 2:1, 3:15–16; Ti. 3:5; Heb. 1:14, 10:14, 12:14, 13:5; 1 Pet. 1:15–16, 23, 3:12, 4:10; 1 John 1:18, 2:6, 19, 27–28, 3:1–3, 9, 4:4, 5:18; Jude 24–25; Rev. 8:4, 22:11
IX. The Church
We believe the invisible church consists of all who are born again and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. God’s design is that believers would be joined in membership to local congregations that display his glory through the preaching of the gospel and the administration of the sacraments or ordinances according to Scripture. Christian discipleship includes the regular teaching, discipline, fellowship, and accountability of a congregation of fellow disciples, organized as a church and ministering through the gifts of the Spirit. Scripture establishes two primary offices of leadership for the congregation—overseers (also called elders or pastors) and deacons. While both men and women are gifted for ministry, the office of overseer is limited to qualified men.5 Scripture also establishes that God has given unique authority to the church which is separate from the authority of the state. Christians are called to honor all authorities, especially faithful leadership in the church.
Matt. 16:15–19, 18:15–20; Acts 2:41–42, 47, 5:11–14, 6:3–6, 13:1–3, 14:23,27, 15:1–30, 16:5, 20:28, 26:15–18; Rom. 1:7, 12:3–8, 13:1–7; 1 Cor. 1:2, 3:16, 5:4–5, 7:17, 9:13–14, 12–14; Eph. 1:22–23, 2:19–22, 3:8–11, 21, 5:22–32; Phil. 1:1; Col. 1:18; 1 Tim. 2:9–14, 3:1–15, 4:14; Ti. 1:5–9; Heb. 11:39–40, 13:7–17; 1 Pet. 4:10–11, 5:1–4; Rev. 2–3, 21:2–3
X. Baptism and Communion
We believe Christ, being Lord over his church, gave two sacraments or ordinances to be observed in local congregations—water baptism and Communion. Administered on the basis of a credible profession of faith, baptism is a means of grace which signifies and confirms God’s saving work in the believer by immersion in water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Baptism is also a rite of initiation into the church, an act of public identification with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection whereby those who believe in him become recognized as members of his body. Communion is a means of grace in which the baptized proclaim the Lord’s death and partake of his body and blood by faith through sacred use of bread and the fruit of the vine.
Matt. 3:5–6, 26:26–29, 28:19–20; Mark 14:22–25, 16:16; Luke 22:14–20; John 3:22–23, 6:52–59; Acts 2:38–42, 8:12, 36–39, 10:47–48, 16:32–34, 18:8, 22:16; Rom. 6:4; 1 Cor. 10:16–17, 11:17–32, 12:12–13; Gal. 3:26–28; Col. 2:11–12; 1 Pet. 3:20–21
XI. Last Things
We believe that in a timing and manner fixed by God’s authority Christ will bodily, visibly, and gloriously return to raise the dead, judge the world, and fully establish his kingdom. According to his perfect justice, unbelievers will be condemned to eternal punishment. All who put their faith in Christ will dwell with the Lord in the new heavens and new earth where they will be glorified with him for they shall see him as he is. The final state of believers and unbelievers will be eternally fixed.
Ps. 1:5–6; Isa. 65:17, 22; Dan. 12:2; Matt. 13:37–43, 49–50, 24:30–31, 25:31–46, 28:20; Mark 9:43–48; Luke 14:14; John 4:36, 5:28–29, 6:40, 11:25–26; Acts 1:11, 3:21, 10:42, 17:31, 24:15; Rom. 2:2–16, 3:5–6, 6:23; 1 Cor. 4:5, 6:9–10, 7:29–31, 15:12–58; 2 Cor. 4:18, 5:10–11; Phil. 3:19; 1 Thess. 4:13–18, 5:1–11; 2 Thess. 1:6–12; 2 Tim. 1:10; Heb. 1:10–12, 6:1–2, 9:27–28; 1 Pet. 4:7; 2 Pet. 2:9, 3:3–13; 1 John 2:17, 28, 3:1–2, 4:17; Jude 7; Rev. 1:7, 20:11–15, 22:11
What is distinctive about Emmaus’s beliefs? (A Summary)
- We are Christian. Emmaus identifies with the Christian tradition handed down to us from believers through the ages, beginning with Jesus Christ, his holy apostles, and the prophets (Eph. 2:19–20). Rooted in historic trinitarianism and Christology, we see ourselves as part of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church that our Lord has promised to build (Matt. 16:18).
- We are Protestant, committed to the five solas of the Reformation—Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone), Sola Fide (Faith Alone), Sola Gratia (Grace Alone), Solus Christus (Christ alone), Soli Deo Gloria (God’s glory alone). Emmaus believes and teaches that salvation comes from the Lord; it is not our doing (Jon. 2:9; Eph. 2:8–9).
- We are gospel-centered. The gospel is all we have. In everything, we declare and display the gospel of Jesus. He lived a perfect life without stain or trace of sin and died a death he didn’t deserve so that we may have life we don’t deserve (John 3:16; Rom. 5:8; Heb. 4:15).
- We are baptistic. Salvation comes to those who believe in their heart that Christ is Lord and confess with their mouth that he has been raised from the dead (Rom. 10:9). The sacrament of baptism is a sign and seal reserved for those who believe the gospel, credibly confess faith in Jesus, and are ready to belong to God’s church (Acts 2:38, 41; Rom. 6:4; Gal. 3:27; Col. 2:11–12).
- We are complementarian. God made humans male and female; both sexes are equally essential to the life, witness, and ministry of the church, yet the two are not interchangeable. While qualified men and women may both serve as deacons of the church, the office of overseer (also called elder or pastor) is reserved for qualified men (Acts 6:1–6; Rom. 16:1; 1 Tim. 3:1–13; Ti. 1:5–9).
Footnotes:
- “I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.” ↩︎
- “We believe in one God, the Father All Governing, creator of heaven and Earth, of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten from the Father before all time, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten not created, of the same essence as the Father, through Whom all things came into being; Who for us men and because of our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became human. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried and rose on the third day, according to the Scriptures; and ascended to heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father, and will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead. His kingdom shall have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and life-giver, Who proceeds from the Father [and the Son], Who is worshiped and glorified together with the Father and Son, Who spoke through the prophets; and in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. We confess one baptism for the remission of sins. We look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.” ↩︎
- In this Confession of Faith for Emmaus’s members, scriptural language and concepts are used throughout, sometimes at length. Additionally, words and phrases as well as concepts and ideas are indebted to the Apostles’, Nicene-Constantinople, and Athanasian Creeds, Chalcedon Definition, Augsburg Confession, Belgic Confession, Westminster Confession of Faith, London Baptist Confession, New Hampshire Confession, Nashville Statement, and T4G’s affirmations and denials. ↩︎
- Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi. New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, Revelation. ↩︎
- Emmaus teaches and practices male and female diaconate based on Rom. 16:1 and 1 Tim. 3:11. All covenant members are required to hold each of our deacons, both male and female, with equal honor. ↩︎