What We Believe
Sola et Tota Scriptura
Scripture alone is our ultimate authority - and all of scripture together is that authority.
We know that a simple creation, like an iPad, testifies to the existence and skill of an engineer and a building to an architect, So too all creation testifies to the Creator, from which we can learn about His character and attributes (Romans 1:20). Yet creation does not reveal what is necessary for salvation (Romans 1:16). Therefore God revealed this in writing, which is better (Romans 15:4).
We know that these writings (or scriptures) are unlike all others, for God inspired them (2 Timothy 3:16). Therefore they are inerrant and authoritative - they speak with God’s voice, and even share His name: Word of God (1 Thessalonians 2:13). Which means that the Church does not make the Word of God, but is made by it (Acts 20:32), testifies to it (2 Peter 1:21), and obeys it (James 1:22).
We know that Scripture alone is the ultimate authority (1 Corinthians 4:7), yet there are derivative authorities (Romans 13:1-2). For example, tradition is instructive (2 Thessalonians 2:15), but if it obscures Scripture it is evil (Mark 7:8). Church officers have authority (Hebrews 13:17), but their authority is subordinate to Scripture (Isaiah 8:20). In all things, the Word of God has the last word (Matthew 24:35): It is the authority that gives authority to other authorities (2 Timothy 3:17).
Nevertheless, we know our sinful natures can misuse even God’s Word (2 Peter 3:16). That’s why God has given us the gift of the Holy Spirit, for Scripture requires not only our God-given intellect (1 Corinthians 2:12), but God’s indwelling (1 John 2:20). Yet even this indwelling does not make us self- sufficient (2 Peter 1:20), for the Spirit works through the church (Ephesians 4:11-12).
Sola et Tota Gratia
Our salvation is by grace alone - and all of it is grace
We know that God's grace alone is the source of our salvation (Romans 3:24). His love and favor are not given to those who deserve or have earned them (Romans 5:8). The great mystery is this: before time began, the Father chose us for His grace (2 Timothy 1:9); in time, He sent Christ to save us by that grace (Galatians 4:4-5); and now the Spirit renews us through this grace (Titus 3:5).
We know that this salvation was accomplished at the cross (John 19:30). Our sins were imputed to Christ, and He bore the full wrath of God for them (2 Corinthians 5:21). Likewise, His righteousness was imputed to us, so that all the promises made to the righteous in Scripture are “Yes” and “Amen” to those in Him (2 Corinthians 1:20). Thus, while all sinners seek to justify themselves, Christians are just before God only by the grace found in Christ (Titus 3:7).
We know that this salvation, accomplished at the cross, is applied to us by the Spirit (Ephesians 1:13). Through Whom we are crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20), given new hearts (Ezekiel 36:26), born again (John 3:3), led to confess Christ (Romans 10:9) obey Christ (Romans 1:5) and find God’s law gracious (Romans 7:22). This is the enabling grace that sanctifies us (Titus 2:11-12).
So when did this amazing grace save us? (Romans 8:30). When the Father chose us before time began? (Ephesians 1:4-5) At the cross, when the Son died for us? (1 Peter 2:24) Or when the Holy Spirit brought us to faith? (Romans 8:16) The answer is yes to all - in the economy of salvation, we have received grace upon grace from the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 1:2).
Sola et Tota Fide
We are justified by faith alone, and that faith is not alone.
We know faith alone is the instrument of justification before God (Ephesians 2:8). This faith is a living, daring confidence in God’s grace (Ephesians 3:12), so sure and certain, that a soul will stake his life on Christ (2 Timothy 1:12), trusting in the completed work of Christ, who lived, died, and rose again to save him, as stated in the Word of God (1 Corinthians 2:12).
We know that the Holy Spirit gives us this faith ordinarily through the hearing of the Word preached (Romans 10:17). This faith is not something we make in ourselves, it is a gift of God (Philippians 1:29). The grace of God gives us the faith to confess “He saved me” (Galatians 2:20).
We know that our own righteous work will not justify us before God (Isaiah 64:6). Christ’s work one does that (John 17:4, 2), for Christ's righteousness is imputed to us by the instrument of faith (Romans 4:22-24) . So faith is the hand that receives the gift of righteousness, but faith is not a work that earn righteousness (Romans 4:5).
We know that this saving faith produces faithfulness through the work of the Spirit as a body produces a shadow by the light of the sun (James 2:24). A saving faith is not only intellectual assent (James 2:19) or outward profession (Titus 1:16) but a faith that takes action (James 2:26) and perseveres to the end (Hebrew 10:39). For faith without the fruit of obedience and patience is a dead faith (James 2:20). So how do we recognize true faith? It works by love (Galatians 5:6).
Solus et Totus Christus
We are saved by Christ alone, and every part of our salvation is in Him.
We know that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12). The channel of this grace is God’s covenant, which is the Bible’s way of describing God’s relationship with man (Genesis 17:7). Adam broke covenant with God in Eden, but Christ kept covenant perfectly (Romans 5:19). Because of Him, we can have a restored relationship with God (Colossians 1:20) —but only in Christ (John 14:6). Apart from Christ, there is only wrath (John 3:36).
We know that before the cross, the covenant looked forward to Christ, who would undo the devil’s work (Genesis 3:15). Since the cross, the covenant looks back to Christ, who overcame the devil (1 John 3:8) and our sin (Romans 6:6). Christ is the center (Galatians 3:16) having kept the covenant Adam broke, He initiates a new covenant by renewing it in Himself as mediator (Hebrews 9:15).
We know that Jesus can be the mediator of the covenant because he is both fully God and fully man (1 Timothy 2:5). If He were not fully man, He could not represent us or bear the penalty for human sin (Hebrews 2:17). If He were not fully God, He could not overcome sin or bring us into true fellowship with God (Hebrews 1:3). Jesus is God and man.
For God is a Trinity (Matthew 28:19), one essence in three persons (2 Corinthians 13:14). Therefore, Jesus is God and could pray to God (John 12:28). He was not God pretending to be a man (1 Timothy 2:5), or a man adopted by God (Colossians 2:9). He had a fully human nature (Hebrews 4:15) and fully divine nature (Philippians 2:6), yet He is one person (John 14:9). So that in His person, He is the reconciliation of man and God (2 Corinthians 5:19). And because He is the covenantal head of his body, the church, the church is reconciled to God in Him (Ephesians 1:22-23)
Soli et Toti Deo Gloria
To God alone belongs all glory, in everything and for everything.
We know that creation (Psalm 19:1), salvation (Ephesians 1:6), and even damnation (Proverbs 16:4) exist for the glory of God alone (Romans 11:36). But as Christians, our particular job is to seek, whether in word or deed, to bring glory to God (Colossians 3:17) and his name (Matthew 6:9). Our chief way of doing this is through worship (John 4:23).
We know worship is more than personal devotion (Matthew 18:20); it is a corporate act (1 Corinthians 12:27). So we gather together to eat, pray (Acts 2:42), sing (Ephesians 5:19), confess (James 5:16), listen (1 Timothy 4:13), and that each Lord’s Day (Revelation 1:10) the Spirit seats us in Christ (Ephesians 2:6), where we join the worship above (Hebrews 12:22-24).
We know that worship is how the kingdom of God advances on earth (Psalm 22:27-28). This is why we are urged to not forsake gathering together (Hebrews 10:25), because worship is our warfare (Ephesians 6:12), expanding the kingdom here (Colossians 1:13). For Christ will rule from heaven (Matthew 28:18), conquering earth’s enemies (1 Corinthians 15:25), until the last enemy is destroyed (1 Corinthians 15:26), at the final resurrection (Acts 24:15) -- all for His glory.
Therefore, the ultimate goal of both cosmic history (Romans 11:36) and our personal lives is this: to glorify and enjoy God forever (Isaiah 43:7). So then, in this life, all that we are, all that we have, all that we do, all that we savor, and all that we suffer is for the Glory of God (Philippians 3:7-8).
Our Constitution
In submission to Scripture, we confess the purpose of our church is to glorify God through reverent worship, proclaiming Christ to sinners, and building up our members through preaching the whole counsel of God and observing Christ’s sacraments. To these ends, we establish the following Constitution, recognizing that a Constitution is not a substitute for godly worship but serves as an organizational guide.
Our Confessions
Our various creeds and confessions express an important part of who we are as a church. We confess and believe together with our fathers in the faith and our brothers throughout the world. We are baptized into their company as members of the same body, the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with them we eat of a common loaf and drink from a common cup. Their creed is our creed, even as their life is our life—one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. The Session of Trinity Covenant Church therefore subscribes to these creeds and confessions, holding them to be a faithful witness to what the Scriptures teach, and as a means of identifying with the broader Church.
With this in mind, when this Constitution refers to the Trinity Covenant Church Statement of Faith it is referring to the Book of Confessions which consists of the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, The Definition of Chalcedon, The Athanasian Creed, the 39 Articles of Religion, The Belgic Confession, The Heidelberg Catechism, the Canons of Dordt, the Westminster Confession of Faith, 1689 London Baptist Confession, and the (CREC) Confessional Statement on Sex, Gender, and Marriage. These confessions are to be used as specified in the Book of Confessions.