What We Believe

The following are the core beliefs of First Christian Church of Harriman 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.

There is one eternally existing God who has three distinct persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. He is the creator of all that exists, both visible and invisible, and is therefore worthy of all glory and praise.  God is perfect in love, power, holiness, goodness, knowledge, wisdom,  justice, and mercy. He is unchangeable and therefore is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

God has revealed himself to us through his son, Jesus Christ, who is the visible image of the invisible God, the holy scriptures, and through all of creation itself.

Humans, both male and female, were created in God's image for His glory. The first humans, Adam and Eve, were created without sin and appointed as caretakers of the rest of God's creations.

When Adam and Eve chose not to obey God, they ceased to be what they were made to be and became distorted images of God. This caused them to fall out of fellowship with God, and fractured all of creation ever since that time.

Salvation is God’s prepaid gift to us, but we must choose to receive it. We can never make up for our sin through self-improvement or good works. Only through faith in Jesus Christ—God’s offering of forgiveness—can anyone be saved from sin’s penalty. We can have assurance of our salvation when we turn from a self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith: a faith that believes with the heart, confesses with the mouth, repents through a transformed life, and is baptized (immersed) into Christ Jesus.

The Church is meant to be the visible body of Christ, sent into the world to glorify God and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Bible is God’s inerrant Word to us. It was written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because it is inspired by God; it is the truth without any measure of error. It is the sole written authority for all believers

God has ordained that elders provide spiritual leadership and guidance, exercising servant leadership over the entire congregation.

Jesus Christ will one day return, at which time He will pronounce the eternal fate of all people, both living and dead: the saved to eternal life in Heaven, and the unsaved to eternal separation from God in hell