We are united in confessing these truths:
The Bible
God has revealed himself in the Bible, which consists of the Old and New Testaments alone. Every word was inspired by God through human authors, so that the Bible as originally given is in its entirety the Word of God, without error and fully reliable in fact and doctrine. As the Word of God, the Bible is the supreme and sufficient authority in all matters of belief and practice, and it is the duty and call of every believer and every gathered church to submit to the Bible’s teaching
Luke 24:27; Luke 24:44; Acts: 17:11; Acts 28:23; Ephesians 2:20; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21.
The One True God
There is one true and living God, infinite, eternal, unchangeable, and perfect in every way, who exists eternally in three distinct and equal Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and each Person is fully and truly God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory. God is the all-powerful creator, preserver and ruler of all things, visible and invisible, governing them according to his wise and holy will. As the Creator he is not a part of his creation, but sovereignly upholds and directs all things
Deuteronomy 6:4; Deuteronomy 32:4; Isaiah 40:28; Malachi 3:6; Matthew 28:19; John 1:1-2; Romans 8:9-11; 1 Corinthians 8:4-6; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 1:11; Colossians 1:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-3.
Creation and Humanity
God freely created all things in love, and for his own glory. He created humanity, male and female, in his own image, and he made us holy and good, to know him, to love him, and to reflect his glory. According to these two genders, men and women share equally in the image of God, bearing inherent value, dignity, and worth; and they are also distinct from one another, complementing one another by their difference, called to honour and uphold the differing roles within marriage and the church which God has appointed1.
Genesis 1:26-28; Genesis 2:20-24; Psalm 8:3-6; Ecclesiastes 7:29; Romans 11:36; Ephesians 5:22-33; 1 Timothy 2:11-15.
Sin and the Fall
Although created in righteousness and holiness, humans sinned against God and fell from their original righteousness and fellowship with him. Since the Fall, all human beings have been sinful and guilty, and are subject to God’s just wrath and condemnation. They are alienated from his life, and the inclinations of their minds, hearts, wills, and bodies are corrupted by sin, leading them to suppress the truth about God.
Ecclesiastes 7:29; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 3:23; Romans 5:12-21; Romans 7:14-25; Ephesians 2:1-3; Ephesians 4:17-19.
Jesus Christ
The Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Word of God made flesh. He is truly God and truly man, yet without sin. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, lived a perfect life, suffered and died on the cross, was raised bodily from death, and visibly ascended into heaven, where he now reigns over all things as Lord and King
Matthew 16:16; Luke 1:31-35; John 1:1, 14; Acts 1:9-11; Acts 2:33-36; Romans 5:19; 1 Corinthians 15:3-5; Hebrews 4:15.
In his substitutionary death Jesus bore the full penalty for sin, satisfying God’s justice so that those who believe are pardoned, credited with Christ’s righteousness, and justified (which means “declared righteous by God”). From this one act of atonement every spiritual blessing flows.
Romans 3:24-26; Romans 5:1-11; Galatians 3:13-14; Ephesians 1:3; Philippians 3:9; Colossians 2:13-14; 1 John 2:1-2.
By his resurrection from the dead, Jesus was declared to be the Son of God and the Christ, God’s promised Saviour-King, sent to redeem sinful human beings from the guilt, penalty, and power of sin, and welcome them into God’s kingdom as his own people. He is the only mediator between God and humankind, in whom alone salvation is to be found.
Romans 1:3-4; 1 Timothy 2v5-6; Acts 4:12.
The Lord Jesus Christ will visibly return in glory to judge the living and the dead, granting the fullness of eternal life to his people and eternal punishment to those who have not believed the gospel. God’s kingdom will then be fully consummated in the new heavens and new earth, where there will be no place for sin, evildoers, sorrow, suffering, or death, and where he will be glorified forever.
Matthew 25:31-46; John 3:18; Acts 1:10-11; Acts 10:42; Acts 17:31; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10; Revelation 20:11-21:8, 21:22-27.
The Gospel, Faith, and Justification
God’s purpose in the gospel is to glorify himself in his Son, by sending him to redeem a people to be his own, eager to do what is good, and by bringing all things under his rule. In the gospel, therefore, God calls all people to receive and honour his Son, submitting to him in everything. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the only means through which people can be saved: salvation is received solely through being united to Christ by faith in response to the gospel. We are saved by grace alone, not as a reward for moral or religious effort, and from the moment he or she first believes, the sinner is wholly justified and reconciled to God, with the sure and certain hope of eternal life.
Romans 4:1-5:11; Ephesians 1:3-6; Ephesians 2:1-10; Ephesians 2:22-23; Philippians 2:12-13; Philippians 3:1-9, Colossians 1:9-12; Titus 2:11-14.
The Work of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit alone makes the work of Christ effective, bringing individuals to new birth and faith. He indwells all believers, uniting them to Christ and to one another, and works in them through all of life, enabling them to grow in the true understanding of the Bible, bringing assurance of salvation, moving them to do good, growing them to maturity, equipping them for service, empowering them for mission, and so renewing them in the image of God, that the church might display the fullness of Christ.
John 3:5; Romans 8:9-17; 1 Corinthians 2:6-16; 1 Corinthians 12:1-14; 2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:15-2:10; Philippians 2:13-14.
The New Life
Those who are truly born again through the Holy Spirit, who place their faith in Christ, and who call on him for salvation, also will repent of their sins, submitting to him as Lord. Being renewed into his likeness, they strive to obey his will, which includes a rejection of all sin, including occult practices, other religions and spiritualities, blasphemy, hatred, bitterness, rage, violence, sexual immorality, adultery, homosexuality, crudity, dishonesty, slander, factionalism, jealousy, selfish ambition, drunkenness and greed, and so on.
Romans 6:1-11; Romans 8:12-13; Ephesians 4:20-5:12; Galatians 5:16-26; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Colossians 3:1-17; 1 Timothy 1:8-11.
The Church
The one, holy, universal church is the Body of Christ to which all true believers belong. It is made visible in local congregations of believers which are called to worship and serve God in the world, to proclaim and defend his truth, to administer the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, to exhibit his character, and to embody the reality of his coming kingdom.
Matthew 28:18-20; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Ephesians 4:4-6; Philippians 2:14-16; Colossians 1:18; 1 Timothy 3:15; 1 Peter 2:9-12, 21; Jude 3.
The unity of Christ’s body is expressed within and between local churches by mutual love, care, correction, and encouragement, all in accordance with the Bible. Fellowship within and between local churches is truly Christian fellowship insofar as they are faithful to Christ and his gospel.
Ephesians 4:1-16, 2 Corinthians 6:14-16; 2 John 7-11.
- The West Coast Scotland Gospel Partnership holds to a complementarian view of gender. It is not required for membership in the Partnership but is required to be on the Steering Group. For a more detailed exploration of our position on this matter, please contact the Steering Group. ↩︎
