What We Believe

The following are eight Statements of Belief on which all members of Open Arms agree. These statements and the scriptures they flow from are elaborated on in more detail for new friends during our quarterly "Discovering Open Arms Church" workshop.
1.	God is the creator and ruler of the universe. He is revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
2.	Jesus is the Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father. He was virgin born, and He offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death.
3.	The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son of God. He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus as their Savior. He also lives in every believer from the moment of their salvation.
4.	The Bible is God's word to us. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian belief and living. Because it is inspired by God, it is the truth without any mixture of error.
5.	People are made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character. Yet, all of us are marred by an attitude of selfishness and disobedience toward God called "sin." This attitude separates people from God and results in many problems in life.
6.	Salvation is God's free gift to man, but we must accept it. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement, or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus as God's offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin's penalty.
7.	Because God gives us eternal life through Jesus Christ, The true believer is secure in their salvation for eternity. If one has been genuinely saved, he cannot "lose" his salvation. Salvation is maintained by the grace and keeping power of God.
8.	We will either exist eternally separated from God by our sin, or eternally with God through the forgiveness and salvation offered and accepted through Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is Heaven.