What We Believe

At One Church Joplin, we are committed to the gospel of Jesus Christ and the authority and sufficiency of God’s Word. Our beliefs emphasize God’s grace, the work of Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit to transform lives.

The Gospel

The Bad News

After the creation of Adam and Eve, mankind disobeyed God, and sin entered the world. That disobedience drove a wedge between God and mankind because every human born after Adam had the curse of death upon him and a rebellious nature toward God. Due to this rebellious nature, all of us have sinned and broken God’s laws. Everyone has lied, stolen, lusted, coveted, etc. 

As a result, God’s impending wrath abides on humankind; God, as a Just and Good Judge, must punish sinners, otherwise He would be corrupt and lacking integrity. Our good deeds and our works can never bridge the gap between us and God, our Creator. In the legal system, good deeds never outweigh the bad deeds. Criminals must have their day in court, and they must serve their sentence.

God is the Eternal Judge, and crimes against Him yield eternal consequences; the punishment is banishment from the goodness of God, eternal separation from God, spent in Hell. If any one of us is to die and stand before this Just Judge of the universe who must punish us for our crimes, the only option is for God to send us out from Him, banished to Hell for all of eternity.

The Good News

However, yes, God is just, and He is righteous, and He must punish criminals, but He is also loving and rich in mercy, because of His mercy, He has held off His wrath, and instead He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, the second Member of the Trinity, God Incarnate, to don human flesh. The Creator surrendered His crown and lived among us as a creature. 

Jesus Christ lived a sinless life, never once committing sin. He fulfilled the just requirements of the law; in other words, He was the perfect man. Then this sinless, perfect man who had never sinned became the embodiment of sin, and He was whipped, beaten, mocked, and humiliated. He was then hung on a cross and crucified, and the world bore witness.

In doing this, Jesus Christ, who is fully God and fully Man, bridged the gap between mankind and God. He was able to reconcile humanity with its Creator. Jesus served as the substitute for you and me. He took the wrath we deserved, and it pleased the Father to crush the Son. Why? Not because He loves cruelty, but so that God could be both just and the Justifier.

Now, if we will repent, come into agreement with God about our sinfulness, and thrust ourselves upon Christ, trusting wholly in Him to save us, then He will save us. God will credit the righteousness of Christ to your account, so not only will your penalty be paid by Christ, but He hands you His good works too.

By the grace of the one and only, holy, righteous, and just God of the universe, you can be spared the punishment you deserve, and when you pass from this life, you can go on to live with the Lord in Heaven, where there is no more pain, no more sorrow, and no more shame. We will be made whole, glorified, lacking nothing, and forever in the presence of our Lord, free from the effects of sin.

Walk In Faith

This is the Gospel, the good news presented in the Holy Scriptures. Search your conscience and ask yourself, “Am I a good person? Have I sinned?” Ask, if you were to stand before God and answer for your thoughts and deeds, what would the verdict of the Just Judge be?

Salvation is readily available; the free gift of God is eternal life, but following Jesus will come at a cost.

God and Mankind

God
We believe in one true and living God, eternally existing in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—equal in essence and glory. He is infinite in wisdom, power, and holiness, sovereign over all creation, and actively involved in the world today. God alone is worthy of all worship, trust, and obedience (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:5–7; Matthew 28:19; Revelation 4:11; Romans 11:33–36). He is the Alpha and Omega, who does all things according to the counsel of His will (Isaiah 46:9–10; Ephesians 1:11).

The Father
We believe God the Father is the Creator and Ruler of all things, who governs the world with perfect justice and fatherly care. He works all things together for the good of those who love Him. As Father, He adopts believers into His family and provides for their needs according to His perfect will. (Genesis 1:1; Matthew 6:9–13; Romans 8:28–30; Ephesians 1:3–6; James 1:17).

The Son
We believe Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, took on human flesh, being born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, and perfectly fulfilled the law. He died on the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice for sinners to appease the wrath of the Father upon sin, was buried, rose bodily from the grave, and ascended to the right hand of the Father where He reigns bodily and intercedes for His people. He will return in power and glory to judge the living and the dead and to establish His kingdom forever (John 1:1, 14; Philippians 2:5–11; Hebrews 1:3; 1 Corinthians 15:3–4; Romans 8:34; Acts 1:9–11).

The Holy Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit is fully God, co-equal with the Father and the Son. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, regenerates hearts, and indwells every believer. The Spirit empowers believers for obedience, grants spiritual gifts for the building up of the church, and leads us into truth. He is our Helper, Comforter, and seal of eternal inheritance (John 6:63; John 14:16–17, 26; John 16:7–14; Romans 8:9–11; Ephesians 1:13–14; Galatians 5:22–25; 1 Corinthians 12:4–7).

Mankind
We believe all people are created in the image of God and are therefore of infinite value and dignity. However, through Adam’s sin, all humanity inherited a sinful nature, becoming spiritually dead and alienated from God. All people are born in sin and by nature rebel against God, wholly unable to save themselves apart from divine grace (Genesis 1:26–27; Romans 3:10–23; 5:12–19; Ephesians 2:1–3). Only in Christ can human beings be restored to their original purpose: to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

The Salvation of Man

Salvation
We believe salvation is entirely a work of God’s free grace, accomplished through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is received by faith alone, not by works, and results in full forgiveness of sins, reconciliation to God, and the gift of eternal life. Salvation includes the whole scope of God’s redemptive plan—regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification (Ephesians 2:8–9; Titus 3:5–7; Romans 5:1; 8:29–30; John 1:12–13).

Election and the Free Agency of Man

We believe that before the foundation of the world, God sovereignly chose a people in Christ to be saved—not arbitrarily, nor based on anything they would do, but solely according to His own will, mercy, and grace. Election magnifies God’s grace and ensures that salvation is entirely of Him and not of us (Ephesians 1:4–6; Romans 8:28–30; Romans 9:10–24; 2 Timothy 1:9; Acts 13:48).

At the same time, God’s sovereign election does not negate human responsibility. Though He ordains who will be saved, He also commands all people everywhere to repent and believe the gospel. God’s sovereignty and human responsibility coexist without contradiction—a divine mystery revealed in Scripture. All who willingly turn to Christ will be saved, for no one is coerced; rather, by God’s grace, hearts are made willing to come (John 3:16–18; Romans 10:9–13; Acts 17:30–31; Matthew 11:28; John 6:37).

Regeneration
We believe regeneration is a supernatural, miraculous work of the Holy Spirit, in which He gives spiritual life to the spiritually dead. This new birth enables a person to repent of sin and trust in Christ. Regeneration is a sovereign act of God’s grace. All who repent of their sins and trust in Christ as their Savior are reborn. (John 3:3–8; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:3; Ezekiel 36:26–27; James 1:18; 2 Timothy 2:25-26).

Justification
We believe that justification is God’s legal declaration that a sinner is righteous through faith in Jesus Christ. It is not earned by works, but is granted by grace through the imputed righteousness of Christ, received by faith alone (Romans 3:21–26; Galatians 2:16; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 3:9). Through justification, believers are fully accepted before God and have peace with Him forever (Romans 5:1–2).

The Christian’s Life

Water Baptism
We believe baptism is a joyful act of obedience, publicly identifying a believer with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. Baptism is for those who have repented and believed the gospel and is practiced by immersion as the biblical pattern.  (Matthew 28:19–20; Acts 2:38–41; Romans 6:3–4; Colossians 2:12). Although the act of water baptism does not provide salvation, it is the initial act of walking in obedience. Any objection to water baptism for those confessing faith is out of sync with the character of a born-again believer. 

Sanctification
We believe sanctification is the process by which God sets believers apart and makes them more like Christ. It is both a definitive act at conversion and an ongoing work of the Holy Spirit throughout the Christian life. Believers cooperate by pursuing holiness through Scripture, prayer, and obedience, empowered by grace (Hebrews 10:10, 14; 1 Thessalonians 4:3–7; Romans 8:13; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Philippians 2:12–13).

Glorification
We believe glorification is the final and complete transformation of believers into the image of Christ—the final salvation from the effects of sin. At the resurrection, believers will receive imperishable, glorified bodies, prepared for eternity, and dwell with God in perfect joy and holiness forever. This is the ultimate hope of the Christian faith (Romans 8:29–30; 1 Corinthians 15:42–57; Philippians 3:20–21; Revelation 21:1–4).

Eternity
We believe Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly to judge the living and the dead. He will usher in the new heavens and new earth, where righteousness dwells. Believers will enjoy God forever; there will be no more pain and no more sorrow. Those who rejected Christ as Lord will suffer eternal separation in hell (Revelation 20:11–15; Matthew 25:31–46; 2 Peter 3:10–13; John 14:1–3).

Security
We believe all those who are truly born again are kept by God’s power and will never fall away, departing from the faith. This eternal security is grounded in the finished work of Christ, the sealing of the Spirit, and the unchangeable promises of God (John 10:28–30; Romans 8:38–39; Ephesians 1:13–14; Jude 24–25).

Perseverance of Believers
We believe that true believers with genuine faith will persevere in faith and obedience to the end. Though they may fall into sin, God disciplines His children and preserves them by His grace. Perseverance is both the evidence of genuine faith on the part of the believer and the fruit of God's sustaining work in their lives. (Hebrews 3:14; Philippians 1:6;1 Corinthians 11:32; 1 John 2:19; Revelation 14:12; Romans 8:30).

Obedience to God’s Commands
We believe that followers of Christ are called to live distinct, holy lives in obedience to God’s commands. This includes rejecting worldly values, fleeing sin, and walking in the Spirit. While we live in the world, we are not to be conformed to it. Instead, we strive to honor Christ in thought, speech, and conduct, pursuing purity, integrity, and love (Romans 12:1–2; 2 Corinthians 6:14–18; 1 Peter 1:14–16; Titus 2:11–14; 1 John 2:15–17). Obedience is not burdensome, but the joyful response of a heart changed by grace (John 14:15; 1 John 5:3; James 1:22).

Death
We believe that physical death is not the end of existence. The souls of believers immediately enter the presence of Christ, while unbelievers experience conscious separation from God. At the final resurrection, all will be judged and enter into eternal joy or eternal punishment (Philippians 1:21–23; 2 Corinthians 5:8–10; Luke 16:22–26; John 5:28–29; Hebrews 9:27).

The Church
We believe the Church is the body of Christ, made up of all believers in every age. The local church is a visible expression of that body, where believers gather for worship, teaching, fellowship, prayer, and mission. Christ is the Head of the Church, and every member is called to serve and grow together in love (Ephesians 4:4–16; Acts 2:42–47; Hebrews 10:24–25; 1 Corinthians 12:12–27; Colossians 1:18).

Sex, Gender, and the Sanctity of Life

Sex & Marriage
We believe marriage is a sacred covenant created by God between one man and one woman, meant to reflect the relationship between Christ and the Church. Sexual intimacy is a good gift from God to be enjoyed within the boundaries of marriage alone. Any sexual activity outside this covenant—including fornication, adultery, bestiality, and homosexuality—is sin (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4–6; Ephesians 5:25–33; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Corinthians 6:9–20).

Gender
We believe that God created humanity as male and female, both in His image and equal in dignity and worth. Gender is given by God at creation and is not subject to personal preference or change. We affirm the beauty and goodness of God’s design in male and female distinctions (Genesis 1:27; Deuteronomy 22:5; Psalm 139:13–16; Mark 10:6).

Life in the Womb
We believe that every human life, from the moment of conception, is sacred and created in the image of God. The unborn are fully human and worthy of protection, care, and love. Abortion is the unjust taking of human life, a fellow image bearer, and is a grievous sin against God, the Giver of life. Those who have committed the sin of abortion can find redemption by repenting and trusting in Christ as their Lord and Savior. (Psalm 139:13–16; Jeremiah 1:5; Exodus 20:13; Luke 1:41–44).