What We Believe

1.  At Open Door, we believe that all Scripture is verbally inspired by God and is therefore infallible and inerrant. The Bible is the Word of God.

Matthew 5:18; 1 Corinthians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:21

2. There is one true and living God Who exists in three Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This means that the Father is God; the Son is God; and the Holy Spirit is God, yet there is but one God.

Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 28:19; John 1:1, 14; John 14:20; Acts 5:3-4; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Hebrews 1:8-10

3.  The Lord Jesus Christ was born of a virgin.

Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38

4.  Christ was crucified and rose from the dead on the third day. He rose bodily from the tomb and ascended to heaven with the Father.

Matthew 28; Mark 16; 1 Corinthians 15; Romans 1:4

5.  Jesus Christ will return bodily.

      a. The Rapture of the Church. He will appear in the air to catch away all those in Christ.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 5:9

b. The Coming in Glory. He will return to earth at the end of the Great Tribulation Period to establish His 1000-year Kingdom on earth.

2 Timothy 2:12; Revelation 20:1-6

6.  Since man first sinned, all men are born sinners and are in need of salvation.

Romans 3:9-19; Ephesians 2:1-3

7.  God has provided salvation by offering His Son Jesus as a substitute sacrifice for our sins.

Romans 3:25; Hebrews 9:22

8.  We receive salvation by faith in the finished work of Christ. Salvation is by God’s grace through faith alone.

Romans 3:24, 4:5; Ephesians 2:8-9

9.  God’s gift of salvation is forever since His promise is eternal life. Eternal life cannot be temporary.

John 3:16; John 10:27-29; Romans 8:38-39; Philippians 1:6

10.  God has given the church two ordinances; baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

       a. Baptism is immersion in water to publicly identify with Christ. A Christian is baptized on his public confession of faith in Christ.

Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41, 19:4-5

b. The Lord’s Supper is a memorial meal commemorating Christ’s death until He returns.

1 Corinthians 11:23-32

11.  The eternal destiny of the Christian is personal presence with God. The eternal destiny of the unbeliever is separation from God in the Lake of Fire, called Hell.

John 4:14, 5:24; John 5:28-29; Ephesians 2:7; Revelation 20:10, 15

12.The Christian should live in submission to God by obedience to His Word.

2 Corinthians 6:14-18