What We Believe

Doctrine of The Journey Church of Marietta

Doctrine of The Journey Church

 

We at The Journey Church desperately want to live for what matters most.  We believe that to do this we must be rooted in who God has revealed himself to be in scripture.  The term "doctrine" is not popular and can sound narrow or non-inclusive, but it simply means a belief or system of beliefs accepted as authoritative.  Doctrine determines how one will practice religion.  Our doctrine is the root and the ministry that we do is the fruit. 

 

The Scriptures | We believe the Bible, consisting of the Old and New Testaments, is the verbally inspired word of God, his truth (John 17:17), his heart (John 3:16), and his purpose for the world (Psalm 46:10).  It is the final authority for faith and practice, inerrant in the original writings, infallible, and Godbreathed (2 Timothy 3:16-172 Peter 1:20-21Matthew 5:18John 16:12-13).

 

God | We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—co-eternal in being, co-eternal in nature, co-equal in power and glory, having the same attributes and perfections (Deuteronomy 6:42 Corinthians 13:14).  He is the Creator of the universe (Genesis 1:1Psalm 102:25).  He has always existed, never having a beginning, never ending (Revelation 21:6), and never changing (Psalm 102:27Malachi 3:6).  He is holy (Isaiah 6:3), merciful and forgiving (Daniel 9:9), compassionate (Exodus 34:6), just (Psalm 67:4), and will judge the world in righteousness (Psalm 9:8).

 

The Person and Work of Christ | We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God who became man without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that he might reveal God and redeem sinful man (John 1:1-2, 14Luke 1:35).

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through his death on the cross as a representative, substitutionary sacrifice and that our justification is made sure by his literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Romans 3:241 Peter 2:24Ephesians 1:71 Peter 1:3-5).

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our high priest, he fulfills the ministry of representative, intercessor, and advocate (Acts 1:9-10Hebrews 7:25, 9:24; Romans 8:341 John 2:1-2).

 

The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit | We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment and that he is the supernatural agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption (John 16:8-112 Corinthians 3:61 Corinthians 12:12-14;Romans 8:9Ephesians 5:18).  He is the one who comforts us in our pain, the one who counsels us in our trials, and the one who guides us to live in all truth (John 15:26).  He produces fruit in us that does not earn our salvation, but rather that is evidence that our salvation has and is taking place (Galatians 5:22-23John 15:8).

 

The Absolute Depravity of Humanity | We believe that humanity was created in the image and likeness of God, but that through Adam’s sin the race fell, inherited a sinful nature and became alienated from God, and that man is totally depraved and of himself utterly unable to remedy his lost condition (Genesis 1:26-27Romans 3:22-23, 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-3, 12).

 

Salvation | We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on the cross at Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins (Ephesians 2:8-10John 1:12Ephesians 1:71 Peter 1:18-19).

 

Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers | We believe that those who are truly redeemed are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever.  We don’t believe in “once saved, always saved”; we believe in “if saved, always saved” (John 6:37-40, 10:27-30;Romans 8:1, 38-391 Corinthians 1:4-81 Peter 1:5).

We believe it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s word which clearly forbids the use of Christian assurance as an occasion for the sin (Romans 13:13-14Galatians 5:13Titus 2:11-15).

 

The Ministry and Spiritual Gifts | We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowing of spiritual gifts.  It is, however, the believer’s responsibility to attempt to develop their sovereignly given spiritual gift(s).  The baptism of the Holy Spirit occurs at conversion and is the placing of the believer into the body of Christ.  We also believe that particular spiritual gift(s) are neither essential (proving the presence of the Holy Spirit), nor an indication of deep spiritual experience (1 Corinthians 12:7, 11, & 13; Ephesians 4:7-8).

We believe that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith, in accord with his own will, for the sick and afflicted (John 15:71 John 5:14-15).

We believe it is the privilege and responsibility of all believers to minister according to the gift(s) and grace of God given to them (Romans 12:1-81 Corinthians 131 Peter 4:10-11).

 

The Church | We believe that the church, which is the body and bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all born-again persons of this present age (Ephesians 1:22-23, 5:25-27; 1 Corinthians 12:12-142 Corinthians 11:2).  The church is not something we go to, nor is it something we do.  Instead, the church is something we are.  Jesus is the head of the church, and we are members of his body (Ephesians 1:22-23).

We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament scriptures (Acts 14:27, 18:22, & 20:17; 1 Timothy 3:1-3Titus 1:5-11). 

While the church is universal, comprised of all believers throughout history, we believe in the autonomy of the local church, free of any external authority and control (Acts 13:1-4, 15:19-31, & 20:28; Romans 16:1,41 Corinthians 3:9,16, & 5:4-7,13; 1 Peter 5:1-4). 

We recognize a believer’s baptism and the Lord’s supper as scriptural means of testimony for the church in this age (Matthew 28:19-20Acts 2:41-42Acts 18:81 Corinthians 11:23-26).

We believe that the church is meant to bear witness to the good news of the gospel and love of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:14-20).  This mission is not something that is just done overseas; rather mission is something that is done every day of our life (Matthew 28:19-20Acts 1:8).  As God is on a mission to redeem humanity, to bring hope out of desperation, to bring freedom out of bondage, to bring life out of death, so the church is on mission to be a light to all people (Matthew 5:14) of every race and every nation (Psalm 46:10).