What We Believe – West Park Church

About Us

A summary of the doctrines upheld by the leadership of West Park Church

All teaching and preaching will be consistent with the following summary of what we believe. All terms used are understood by the way they are used in the Bible and the 1689 2nd London Baptist Confession of Faith.

We believe in the one true and living God, in three Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, who is invisible, personal, omnipresent, eternal, dependent on none, unchanging, just, truthful, trustworthy, almighty, sovereign, omniscient, righteous, holy, good, loving, merciful, long-suffering and gracious.

We believe that Almighty God has revealed all that is necessary to life and salvation in the sixty six books of the Bible which are the Word of God. All Scripture is God-breathed, infallible and inerrant, and is the final arbiter in all disputes. Its authority is derived from its Author and not from the opinions of men.

We believe that God made our first father Adam perfect, holy and upright. He was appointed representative and head of the human race thereby exposing all his offspring to the effects of his obedience or disobedience to God’s commands.

We believe that Adam fell from his original righteousness into sin and brought upon himself and all his offspring guilt, death and condemnation. All Adam’s offspring being conceived with a sinful nature.

We believe it is utterly beyond the power of fallen man to love God, to keep his laws, to understand the gospel, to repent of sin or trust in Christ. However, this does not take away the individual’s accountability for their rejection of Christ.

We believe that God, before the foundation of the world, for his own glory did elect an innumerable host of men and women to eternal life as an act of free and sovereign grace. This election was in no way dependent upon his foresight of human faith, decision, works or merit.

We believe that God sent his Son into the world, conceived of the virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit, unchangeably sinless, both God and man, born under the Law, to live a perfect life of righteousness, on behalf of his elect people.

We believe that God’s Son died at Calvary to effect propitiation, reconciliation, redemption and atonement for his elect people. God bore testimony to his acceptance of his Son’s work by raising him bodily from the dead.

We believe that God’s Son ascended to the right hand of his Father and is enthroned in glory, where he intercedes on behalf of his people and rules over all things for their sake.

We believe that God the Son has poured out the Holy Spirit to work alongside the preached Word. The Spirit of God regenerates the elect sinner and draws him irresistibly to faith in Christ the Saviour. We believe that, by His Holy Spirit, God gifts His people for the edification of the church. We believe in the cessation of the revelatory gifts and those gifts associated with them.

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ shall come again to raise the dead, both righteous and unrighteous, and that the righteous shall enjoy everlasting life and the wicked endure everlasting punishment in hell. We believe that the death of Christ marked the beginning of the church age, symbolised in scripture by 1000 years of Christ’s rule. This millennium will be brought to its conclusion when Christ returns.

We believe the elect, who are called by grace, are justified in the sight of God on account of the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ which is received by faith alone.

We believe that such as are regenerated, called and justified shall persevere in holiness and never finally fall away.

We believe that baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Supper are gospel ordinances belonging only to regenerated believers.

We believe that each local church is under the authority of and accountable to Christ alone. The communion of saints, however, requires recognition of and fellowship with other likeminded churches as being part of the universal church.

We believe that the local church is made up of all those individuals who, as believers, are members of the body of Christ and who regularly gather for worship together. All such believers are members of the local church and responsible to attend the means of grace and to love and care for one another.

We believe that God gives elders (pastors) to oversee the church. The qualification for elders is clearly established in the Bible. Elders rule over the church for the good of God’s people, their authority being derived from the application of God’s word. Christ will hold each elder responsible for the welfare of those under his oversight. The Bible teaches that leadership as elders (including ministers) and deacons in the church is male, and that therefore only men will lead services of worship, and teach publicly and preach publicly. Elders are assisted by deacons. These being spiritual men whose lives match up to the qualifications established in scripture.

We believe that all authority in the church is derived from God’s word. This being the case, the life and structures of the church are to be patterned on the teaching of scripture. For this reason the meetings of the church focus on the exposition and application of God’s word for the edifying of the saints and the ingathering of those who are being saved.

The Bible teaches that God made humankind as male and female, each person being assigned at birth a fixed gender reflected usually by their biological make up. It further teaches that God’s will is for marriage to be a lifelong union between one man and one woman, and that it is His will and purpose that sexual activity is confined within this relationship. The Bible is clear that the union of one man and one woman in marriage is patterned upon the union of Christ and the Church, described in the New Testament as “the bride of Christ”.

We believe the three creedal statements attached to this document:

• Nicene Creed
• Chalcedonian Creed
• Apostles Creed

Therefore, following the holy fathers, we all with one accord teach men to acknowledge one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, at once complete in Godhead and complete in manhood, truly God and truly man, consisting also of a reasonable soul and body; of one substance with the Father as regards his Godhead, and at the same time of one substance with us as regards his manhood; like us in all respects, apart from sin; as regards his Godhead, begotten of the Father before the ages, but yet as regards his manhood begotten, for us men and for our salvation, of Mary the Virgin, the God-bearer; one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten, recognized in two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, without separation; the distinction of natures being in no way annulled by the union, but rather the characteristics of each nature being preserved and coming together to form one person and subsistence, not as parted or separated into two persons, but one and the same Son and Only-begotten God the Word, Lord Jesus Christ; even as the prophets from earliest times spoke of him, and our Lord Jesus Christ himself taught us, and the creed of the fathers has handed down to us.

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.

Who, for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.

And I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic faith. Which faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled; without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. And the catholic faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the Persons; nor dividing the Essence. For there is one Person of the Father; another of the Son; and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one; the Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is; such is the Son; and such is the Holy Ghost. The Father uncreated; the Son uncreated; and the Holy Ghost uncreated. The Father unlimited; the Son unlimited; and the Holy Ghost unlimited. The Father eternal; the Son eternal; and the Holy Ghost eternal. And yet they are not three eternals; but one eternal. As also there are not three uncreated; nor three infinites, but one uncreated; and one infinite. So likewise the Father is Almighty; the Son Almighty; and the Holy Ghost Almighty. And yet they are not three Almighties; but one Almighty. So the Father is God; the Son is God; and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet they are not three Gods; but one God. So likewise the Father is Lord; the Son Lord; and the Holy Ghost Lord. And yet not three Lords; but one Lord. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity; to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord; So are we forbidden by the catholic religion; to say, There are three Gods, or three Lords. The Father is made of none; neither created, nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone; not made, nor created; but begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten; but proceeding. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts. And in this Trinity none is before, or after another; none is greater, or less than another. But the whole three Persons are coeternal, and coequal. So that in all things, as aforesaid; the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity, is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved, let him thus think of the Trinity.

Furthermore it is necessary to everlasting salvation; that he also believe faithfully the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess; that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man; God, of the Essence of the Father; begotten before the worlds; and Man, of the Essence of his Mother, born in the world. Perfect God; and perfect Man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting. Equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead; and inferior to the Father as touching his Manhood. Who although he is God and Man; yet he is not two, but one Christ. One; not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh; but by assumption of the Manhood by God. One altogether; not by confusion of Essence; but by unity of Person. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man; so God and Man is one Christ; Who suffered for our salvation; descended into hell; rose again the third day from the dead. He ascended into heaven, he sitteth on the right hand of the God the Father Almighty, from whence he will come to judge the living and the dead. At whose coming all men will rise again with their bodies; And shall give account for their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting; and they that have done evil, into everlasting fire. This is the catholic faith; which except a man believe truly and firmly, he cannot be saved.

In addition, we subscribe to the following Statements:

1. The Statement on Social Justice and the Gospel (or the Dallas Statement): an evangelical Christian statement of faith addressing the perceived trend that some prominent evangelicals tend to mix the Christian Gospel with the social gospel.

2. The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy.

3. The Nashville Statement on Human Sexuality and Gender Roles.