We believe the scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the supreme authority on all matters of faith and practice in the home and society as in the church and the standard of truth by which all beliefs in every other field of study must be evaluated. We further believe that our doctrine, polity, and worship are strictly regulated by Scripture. Only circumstantial matters are to be determined by the light of nature and the general rules of the Word of God. Accordingly, we profess that the principles set out in the Constitution of The Covenant Presbyterian Church are binding on us in the same way as are the historic confessions of faith, catechisms, and creeds of the church. For exceptions and clarifications, please see our Constitution, found at the beginning of our Book of Church Order.
We Are Confessional
We hold that the Westminster Confession of Faith (1647) and the Westminster Shorter and Larger Catechisms are accurate summaries of Christian doctrine and faith. The Covenant Presbyterian Church believes these Standards are the most complete, concise, and reliable statement of the Christian faith ever produced. As such, there is no need for us to pen another version.
To live faithfully as a follower of Christ, we believe that we must both think and love as Christians. This requires an understanding of the broader biblical narrative and an ability to use the Bible as an interpretive lens. The overarching narrative of the Bible reveals a story arc in four movements: Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Consummation. Running through these story arcs are humanity’s relationship with God, self, others, and the created order. This kingdom story provides a framework or an interpretive lens through which the Christian can better understand and engage the world as well as embrace the redemptive purposes of God.
Creation
God made this world and all that is in it: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…. God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Gen. 1:1,27). He created mankind to be like Him and to have unhindered fellowship with Him, and when His work of creation was finished, He saw that it was “very good” (Gen. 1:31). We affirm that God created the earth and heavens in six consecutive, ordinary days.
Fall
Tragically, man rebelled against God, reflecting his own purposes and intent rather than fulfilling his role as image-bearers of the Creator, and fell into sin (Gen. 3:6-24). Adam, the first man, forever changed the direction of history with his choice to rebel against God. When tempted by the serpent, Adam disobeyed God, and as the representative of all mankind, his sin plunged all humanity into sin, death, and condemnation (Rom. 5:12).
Redemption
God would have been perfectly just to leave matters there, with all human beings under His holy judgment, but He didn’t. God instead promised to save His people from sin and judgment and set free the entire creation from its subjugation to sin and the curse. How? By sending His Son as a true man who would bear the penalty for our sins and die in our place: “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3).
The best-known verse in the Bible summarizes the required response to this good news: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16).
To “believe in” Jesus includes both a wholehearted trust in Him for forgiveness of sins and a decision to forsake one’s sin or to “repent”: All who truly “repent [or turn from their sins] and believe [in Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins]” will be redeemed (Mark 1:15) and restored to a right relationship with God. To “believe in” Jesus also requires relating to, and putting trust in, Jesus as He truly is—not just a man in ancient history but also a living Savior today who knows our hearts and hears our prayers. To “believe in” Jesus is to acknowledge and submit to Him as Lord of your life.
Consummation
God not only rescues lost sinners but He restores all of creation. We read in Romans 8:21: “because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” The heavens and the earth will “pass away” and be radically transformed (2 Pet. 3:7-13; Rev. 21:1). We read of the glorious culmination of this in the book of Revelation, where God’s people, the redeemed, are brought into the presence of God to live (Rev. 21:1-22:6).