Statement of Faith
1. The Bible
We believe that the Bible, consisting of Old and New Testaments, is the inspired Word of God. It is without error in its original writings. It is the complete revelation of the will of God concerning salvation and all matters of life. (2 Peter 1:21, 2 Timothy 3:16-17)
2. God
We believe in one God, the Creator of all things. Yet this God is manifest in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God has limitless knowledge, limitless power and limitless presence. In His holiness He shares with us His grace and mercy. (Genesis 1:1, Psalm 90:2, Psalm 139: 2-4, 7-12, Deuteronomy 6:4)
3. Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and was born of Mary who was a virgin. He is both fully God and fully man. He came to die, purchasing our redemption upon the cross, being crucified by Pontius Pilate. He was buried and then arose on the third day, ascended into glory and is now seated at the Father’s right hand interceding for us. (Matthew 1:18, Luke 1:27, John 1:29, Hebrews 7:25)
4. The Holy Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. He glorifies Jesus Christ in all that He does. He convicts the world of sin, bears witness to the power of Jesus Christ, and intercedes on our behalf before the Father in heaven. He indwells, guides and empowers believers so that effective service for Christ can be accomplished. (Acts 5:3-4, John 16:7, John 15:26, Romans 8:26)
5. Man and Sin
We believe that man was created in the image of God. Being tempted by Satan, man sinned and was cast out of the Garden of Eden, thus infecting the entire human race with sin, resulting in our being separated from a holy and just God. (Genesis 1:26-27, Genesis 3:1-19, Romans 5:12, Isaiah 59:2)
6. Salvation
We believe that it is only through believing in the sacrificial death of Christ Jesus that one can experience salvation. In Christ we are set free from those sins that once enslaved us. We know this as “being born again.” We are adopted into the family of God, not by any means or actions of our own, but only by repenting of our sin and believing in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. (John 14:6, John 1:12, John 3:16-17, Romans 5:1, Ephesians 1:4-5, Ephesians 2:8-9, Mark 1:15)
7. The Universal Church
We believe the true Church is made-up of those who have experienced the forgiveness of sins and receive the gift of God's eternal life. They are empowered by the Holy Spirit to testify of Jesus Christ and to make disciples. (Romans 6:23, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Matthew 28:19, Acts 1:8)
8. The Local Church
We believe that God works today through the local church, carrying out the Great Commission and the Great Commandment in communities around the world. It is through the local church that God's compassion is shown to those in need. Through the celebration of baptism and the Lord's Supper, we declare a relationship with Jesus Christ, remembering Him until He comes. Membership in the local church is through a profession of faith in Christ Jesus. (Matthew 28:19-20, James 1:27, Romans 6:1-11, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
9. The End Times
We believe in the personal and bodily return of Jesus Christ. We believe that only God knows the moment of Christ's return, but the Scriptures clearly state that we are to joyfully anticipate His coming with watchfulness and careful living. (Acts 1:11, John 14:2-3, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 1 Corinthians 15:51-55, Matthew 24:42, 1 John 3:2-3)
10. The Eternal State of Man
We believe that God will raise the dead and judge the world. Those having believed in Jesus Christ as Savior, will receive rewards, resulting in their being received into eternal blessedness and joy with the Lord Jesus in the new heaven and Earth; those not having me leave will receive condemnation resulting in eternal conscious punishment in hell. (2 Corinthians 5:10, 1 Corinthians 3:12-15, Revelation 21:1-22:5, Revelation 20:11-15)
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SOCIAL STANCE - A STATEMENT CONCERNING HUMAN SEXUALITY
• We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male and female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God (Genesis 1:26-27). Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of a significant part of the image of God within that person.
• We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the unity of one man and one woman in a single exclusive union, as delineated in scripture (Genesis 2:18-25). We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other. ( 1 Corinthians 6:16; 7:2-5; Hebrews 13:4). We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.
• We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, sexual abuse, rape, and the use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God. (Matthew 15:18-20; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10)
• We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of Cornerstone Academy as representatives of the local Body of Christ and to provide a Biblical example to the community, it is imperative that all persons associated with Cornerstone Academy or who serve as volunteers, agree to abide by this statement on Marriage, Gender and Sexuality. (Matthew 5:16, Philippians 2:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:22)
• We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. (Acts 3:19-21; Romans 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11)
• We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31).Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture or the doctrines of Cornerstone Academy.
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A STATEMENT CONCERNING THE SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE
When does life begin? When it comes to the issue of the sanctity of life, that becomes the ultimate question. Does life begin at the moment of conception, or at the moment of birth, or at some time between?
• The Bible strongly declares that life begins at the moment of conception. David makes this statement in Psalm 139:13-16 — For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.
• This passage affirms that God is the Author of life. He is the one who designs each person uniquely. Therefore, every person is imprinted with the image of God. We believe that life does begin at the moment of conception, and we believe that every life has value in the eyes of God, and the value of every life is seen in the outpouring of God's love at the cross. Therefore, at Cornerstone Christian Academy, we will show respect toward every person and value every person as a special creation of God, made in His image.
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FINAL AUTHORITY FOR MATTERS OF BELIEF AND CONDUCT
• The foundational statements above do not exhaust the extent of our beliefs.
• The Bible itself – as the inspired and infallible Word of God, that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind – is the sole and final source of all that we believe. For purposes of Cornerstone Christian Academy's faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, our Board of Directors is Cornerstone Christian Academy's final interpretive authority of the Bible's meaning and application.