Doctrinal Statement

God the Father

We teach that God the Father, the first person of the Trinity, orders and disposes all things according to His own purpose and grace. (Psalm 145:8-9, 1 Corinthians 8:6) He is the creator of all things. (Genesis 1:1-31, Ephesians 3:9) As the only absolute and omnipotent ruler in the universe, He is sovereign in creation, providence, and redemption. (Psalm 103:19, Romans 11:36) His fatherhood involves both His designation within the Trinity and His relationship with mankind. As Creator He is Father to all men, (Ephesians 4:6) but He is spiritual Father only to believers. (Romans 8:14, 2 Corinthians 6:18) He has decreed for His own glory all things that come to pass. (Ephesians 1:11) He continually upholds, directs, and governs all creatures and events). In His sovereignty He is neither author nor approver of sin, (Habakkuk 1:13, John 8:38-47) nor does He abridge the accountability of moral, intelligent creatures. (1 Peter 1:17) He has graciously chosen from eternity past those, whom He would have as His own, (Ephesians 1:4-6) He saves from sin all who come to Him through Jesus Christ; He adopts as His own all those who come to Him; and He becomes, upon adoption, Father to His own. (John 1:12, Romans 8:15, Galatians 4:5, Hebrews 12:5-9)