Core Beliefs
The following are the core beliefs of Zion • Clear Lake based on the foundational truths taught in the Bible. All of our teaching and ministry is rooted in and flows out of these biblical doctrines.
GOD
We believe in one God, who has eternally existed in three different persons eternally co-existing in one substance, we call God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit - called the Trinity. We believe God is the Creator and Sustainer of all life throughout our world and the universe.
(Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 44:6; Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; 2 Corinthians 13:13; Ephesians 4:4-6)
JESUS CHRIST
We believe Jesus is fully God and fully human. Jesus eternally existed with the Father and the Spirit, but chose to lower himself to become like us in flesh - we call this the incarnation. Jesus experienced the same limitations you and I have of being human: hunger, thirst, pain and even death. We believe He was the ultimate model of God’s love for the world and showed us what it means to truly love God, love others and self.
We believe He lived a sinless life, and chose to offer His life as a perfect sacrifice on the cross to show the Father’s love for the world and to make us right with God. His death paid the penalty for our sins and through His resurrection He conquered both sin and death, providing everlasting life for those who confess and believe in Him as Savior and Lord.
(Matthew 1:23, Luke 1:31,35; Acts 1; Romans 5:8; Colossians 1:15-20; I Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 7:26, I Peter 2:22; Isaiah 9:6)
HOLY SPIRIT
We believe the Holy Spirit is the one who calls and awakens faith within the believer. He lives inside of the believer and is the Helper, Guide and source of power in the life of the believer. The Holy Spirit also gives supernatural gifts to every believer to love and serve God, His Church and our neighbors and all of the gifts are available today by the grace and gift of the Holy Spirit.
All of God’s gifts are designed to point us back to God’s glory, fame and kingdom and therefore are cause for humility in the life of the believer, as they are gifts given not gifts earned.
(John 14:26, Acts 2, 11:16-17, Romans 8:1-17; I Corinthians 12:1-11, 28-31, 13:16, 14:1-12; I Corinthians 12:3; Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 1:13, 3:4-6; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; Hebrews 2:4; Joel 2:28-29)
THE BIBLE
We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God. It is without error in its original manuscripts. It reveals who God is, who we are as His creation, His heart and desire for His people and for the world.
The Bible is our ultimate and final authority when it comes to matters of faith, life, and the revelation of who God is and who we are to be as His people. We believe Jesus is the Word made flesh and He is the ultimate example of God to His people and to the world.
While we believe the Bible was not written to us, we do believe it was written for us. We believe the Bible is meant to be read in its historical context and while it is a collection of ancient books written through different people, in different languages, cultures, times, places and situations, it still speaks and has authority in all times and cultures.
(2 Timothy 3:16, Psalm 119:105, Matthew 4:4, 2 Peter 1:19-21, 1 Thessalonians 2:13, Revelation 22:18-19, John 17:17, 20:31)
HUMANITY & SIN
We believe all humans are made in the image of God and are worthy of dignity, honor and respect.
We believe all human beings, while created in the image of God, are affected by sin which separates us from God.
We believe all human beings are separated from a holy and sinless God because sin fractures relationships.
(Genesis 1:26-31; 1 John 1:5; Romans 3:23; Isaiah 59:2)
SALVATION, GRACE & FAITH
We believe salvation comes through faith in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus alone. Salvation is not something we earn; rather, it is a gift from God that is not deserved and in no way can be earned. This is God’s grace. Jesus’ sacrificial death was a once and final offering that covers all of the sins for those who confess and believe in Him. Just as the cross brought forgiveness for our sins, we believe His resurrection makes us new and provides for us the promise of eternal life with Christ.
Because of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, those who place their faith and hope in Him are made right with God. Through faith in Jesus, believers are adopted into God’s family and declared children of God - sons and daughters of the King. We call this justification.
We believe we are saved by Christ but are being continually transformed by the Holy Spirit for the rest of our lives here on earth. We call this sanctification, and this is the continued work of becoming like Jesus.
(Acts 4:12; John 14:6; 1 Peter 2:24; Hebrews 8:12, 9:26; Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 1:13-14)
THE CHURCH
We believe the Church is the body and bride of Christ which exists in the world to share the Gospel of Jesus with the world (Evangelism), to worship God and make and equip disciples of Jesus to live out their calling in the world.
(Matthew 28:16-20; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 4:11-16)
THE APOSTLES CREED
We believe and profess the truths of the Apostles Creed.
I believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen
GOD
We believe in one God, who has eternally existed in three different persons eternally co-existing in one substance, we call God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit - called the Trinity. We believe God is the Creator and Sustainer of all life throughout our world and the universe.
(Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 44:6; Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; 2 Corinthians 13:13; Ephesians 4:4-6)
JESUS CHRIST
We believe Jesus is fully God and fully human. Jesus eternally existed with the Father and the Spirit, but chose to lower himself to become like us in flesh - we call this the incarnation. Jesus experienced the same limitations you and I have of being human: hunger, thirst, pain and even death. We believe He was the ultimate model of God’s love for the world and showed us what it means to truly love God, love others and self.
We believe He lived a sinless life, and chose to offer His life as a perfect sacrifice on the cross to show the Father’s love for the world and to make us right with God. His death paid the penalty for our sins and through His resurrection He conquered both sin and death, providing everlasting life for those who confess and believe in Him as Savior and Lord.
(Matthew 1:23, Luke 1:31,35; Acts 1; Romans 5:8; Colossians 1:15-20; I Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 7:26, I Peter 2:22; Isaiah 9:6)
HOLY SPIRIT
We believe the Holy Spirit is the one who calls and awakens faith within the believer. He lives inside of the believer and is the Helper, Guide and source of power in the life of the believer. The Holy Spirit also gives supernatural gifts to every believer to love and serve God, His Church and our neighbors and all of the gifts are available today by the grace and gift of the Holy Spirit.
All of God’s gifts are designed to point us back to God’s glory, fame and kingdom and therefore are cause for humility in the life of the believer, as they are gifts given not gifts earned.
(John 14:26, Acts 2, 11:16-17, Romans 8:1-17; I Corinthians 12:1-11, 28-31, 13:16, 14:1-12; I Corinthians 12:3; Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 1:13, 3:4-6; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; Hebrews 2:4; Joel 2:28-29)
THE BIBLE
We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God. It is without error in its original manuscripts. It reveals who God is, who we are as His creation, His heart and desire for His people and for the world.
The Bible is our ultimate and final authority when it comes to matters of faith, life, and the revelation of who God is and who we are to be as His people. We believe Jesus is the Word made flesh and He is the ultimate example of God to His people and to the world.
While we believe the Bible was not written to us, we do believe it was written for us. We believe the Bible is meant to be read in its historical context and while it is a collection of ancient books written through different people, in different languages, cultures, times, places and situations, it still speaks and has authority in all times and cultures.
(2 Timothy 3:16, Psalm 119:105, Matthew 4:4, 2 Peter 1:19-21, 1 Thessalonians 2:13, Revelation 22:18-19, John 17:17, 20:31)
HUMANITY & SIN
We believe all humans are made in the image of God and are worthy of dignity, honor and respect.
We believe all human beings, while created in the image of God, are affected by sin which separates us from God.
We believe all human beings are separated from a holy and sinless God because sin fractures relationships.
(Genesis 1:26-31; 1 John 1:5; Romans 3:23; Isaiah 59:2)
SALVATION, GRACE & FAITH
We believe salvation comes through faith in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus alone. Salvation is not something we earn; rather, it is a gift from God that is not deserved and in no way can be earned. This is God’s grace. Jesus’ sacrificial death was a once and final offering that covers all of the sins for those who confess and believe in Him. Just as the cross brought forgiveness for our sins, we believe His resurrection makes us new and provides for us the promise of eternal life with Christ.
Because of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, those who place their faith and hope in Him are made right with God. Through faith in Jesus, believers are adopted into God’s family and declared children of God - sons and daughters of the King. We call this justification.
We believe we are saved by Christ but are being continually transformed by the Holy Spirit for the rest of our lives here on earth. We call this sanctification, and this is the continued work of becoming like Jesus.
(Acts 4:12; John 14:6; 1 Peter 2:24; Hebrews 8:12, 9:26; Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 1:13-14)
THE CHURCH
We believe the Church is the body and bride of Christ which exists in the world to share the Gospel of Jesus with the world (Evangelism), to worship God and make and equip disciples of Jesus to live out their calling in the world.
(Matthew 28:16-20; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 4:11-16)
THE APOSTLES CREED
We believe and profess the truths of the Apostles Creed.
I believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen