WHAT WE BELIEVE
St Marks exists so that people can come to know more about Jesus, and learn how to get on board with his mission in the world. We don’t expect everyone to be a Christian; in fact, we love that many are coming to check out Jesus for the first time. As a Church, we seek to uphold the central truths of the Christian faith. Here is what we believe
About GOD
There is one unique and eternal God. He exists in an everlasting, loving relationship of Father, Son and Spirit – one God in three persons. God is sovereign in all things: including creation, revelation, redemption, judgment and the establishment of his kingdom. As a sovereign, loving creator and redeemer, he is worthy of all glory, honour and praise. (Deut 6:4; 2 Cor 13:14)
About HUMANITY
Men and women together are created in the image of God. Therefore they enjoy a unique dignity in creation and a unique relationship with God. Men and women together have dominion over the created order. Tragically, human nature is universally sinful since the Fall and all are guilty before God. This leaves us under the wrath and condemnation of God. We are unable, without the prior regenerative work of God’s Spirit, to turn ourselves to God. God gave humanity the gift of singleness (a reflection of humanities eternal state) and of marriage between one man and one woman (a reflection of Christ’s love for this bride the Church) (Gen 1:26-27; Rom 3:22-23; Eph 2:1-3)
About the BIBLE
The Bible is God’s revelation to us. It is divinely inspired and infallible as originally given, and has supreme authority in all matters of faith, conduct and experience. Scripture is sufficient for knowing God. It is not only central to the well-being of the church but is able to thoroughly equip the Christian community for life and godliness. There is no other way to know God unless he reveals himself to us. (2 Tim 3:16-17; 2 Pet 1:20-21)
About JESUS CHRIST
Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He is both fully God and truly human. Jesus entered fully into human experience. He endured temptation and he suffered and died. He was perfectly obedient to God his father. Jesus took on himself the consequences of human sin. He died and was buried. On the third day he rose from the dead bodily and is now exalted as ruler over all. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. (John 1:1-2, 14; Rom 3:24; 1 Pet 1:3-5; Acts 1:9-10; 1 John 2:1-2, 1 Pet 4:5; 2 Tim 4:1)
About SALVATION
Salvation is a free gift that comes only by God’s grace, through faith in Jesus Christ. Salvation is not by human merit or good works. There is only one name under heaven by which we can be brought into a relationship with God, the name ‘Jesus Christ’. Through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, our representative and substitute, the guilt, penalty and power of sin can be removed. In this death, God demonstrates his own love for us most perfectly and establishes his victory over Satan. The work of the Holy Spirit is necessary to make the death of Jesus effective in an individual’s life. The Spirit enables the sinner to repent and put their faith in Jesus Christ so that salvation is entirely of God’s grace and not of human merit or works. Although we enjoy now the blessing of union with Christ and a secure relationship with God, we await the final consummation of our hope with the return of Christ, the resurrection of our bodies, and life with him eternally. (Eph 2:8-10; 1 Peter 1:18-19; Rom 8:1, 38-39; Titus 2:11-15)
About the SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son and indwells all true believers. His role is to bring glory to Jesus Christ thus making Jesus Christ central in all things. The Spirit works to illuminate believers’ minds to grasp the truth of Scripture, producing in them his fruit, granting them his gifts and empowering them for service. He grants his gifts for the purpose of service, not self-indulgence. Their use is determined – not by personal desire for fulfilment, or satisfaction – but by the principle of building the church. (John 16:8-11; 1 Cor 12:7- 14; Romans 8:9; Eph 4:7-8)
About the CHURCH
We believe the universal church, the bride of Christ, is composed of genuine followers of Jesus Christ and exists to worship, serve and glorify God. All members of the universal church are to be vitally committed members of a local gathering
of believers. The visible, local church is a community of men and women gathering around God’s word, seeking to use their gifts to build the church in love and to bear witness to Christ. (Ephesians 1:22-23; Titus 1:5-11)
About the end times
We believe that the end of the world is approaching; and that at the last day Jesus Christ will return to the earth, visibly and personally, to establish his kingdom in the new heavens and the new earth. We believe in the bodily resurrection of both the saved and the lost – that a solemn separation will take place, the lost will be judged to endless punishment and the saved to eternal life with Christ. God will preserve and keep all who truly belong to Christ for that last and great day. (2 Thes 1:8- 10; Rev 21-22)