What We Believe
God
We believe there is only one true God. He reveals himself to us on the pages of Scripture. He is the triune (three persons in one) God-Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He is holy, all-powerful and completely full of wisdom. He is everlasting and eternal. He created the world in which we live. He rules over all things.
God's Word
The Vine bases its entire ministry on the Word of God. We believe that the Bible is God’s Word (2 Timothy 3:16). That means that every single word in it is true and without error (John 17:17). Although God used human beings to write down the words, we know that he is the author (1 Thessalonians 2:13, 2 Peter 1:21). God, in his great love for us, gave us The Bible in order that we would know him better, know what he has done for us, and know what that means for everyone. God’s Word is a gift. It guides us through life. It assures us of salvation. It strengthens our faith. It points us to a savior that has won heaven for us.
Sin
We believe that sin exists. We believe that sin originated in the garden of Eden with Adam and Eve when they disobeyed God and ate of the fruit (Genesis 2:17). This destroyed the perfect image in which man was made and the perfect relationship between God and mankind. Sin separates us from God. God tells us that the primary punishment of sin is death. (Romans 5:12). On our own there is nothing we could do to answer for our sins. One sin is enough to deserve judgment and we all commit sin daily. To make things even simpler: Sin is doing what God tells us not to do, and not doing what God tells us to do.
Jesus Christ
We believe that God solved our problem of sin by sending his own son, Jesus Christ (1 John 5:20). We believe that Jesus sacrificed himself on the cross to pay for the sins of the whole world (John 3:16). Jesus left heaven for us to be born in this sinful world (John 1:14). He lived the perfect life that was demanded of us in our place (Hebrews 4:15). He died an innocent death, taking on the full punishment for sin and making a once and for all payment (John 19:30). Three days after he was crucified, he conquered death and rose from the grave (Matthew 28:6). He also promises resurrection to all those who believe in him. Because he lives, we also will live (John 14:19, John 11:25-26). There is no other way to heaven than through Jesus (John 14:6).
