The Bible, both Old and New Testament, was verbally inspired by God and written through human authors, without error in the original manuscripts. Only the Bible is infallible and the complete Word of God and is the final authority in all realms of human knowledge and living.
There is only one God. He is the Creator of all things, holy, unchangeable, and eternally existing in a loving unity of three equally divine Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. He has complete limitless knowledge and power and has chosen from eternity to redeem a people for Himself.
Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man - one Person in two natures. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He is Israel's promised Messiah and lived a sinless life. He was crucified by Pontius Pilate on a cross, where He died as a substitutionary sacrifice for the unjust. He arose bodily from the dead according to the Scriptures and is now seated at the right hand of God the Father as the Advocate and great High Priest for humanity. He will come again to establish His kingdom.
The Holy Spirit glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ by convicting the world of its guilt, regenerating sinners, and in Him they are baptized into union with Christ and adopted as heirs in the family of God. He also indwells, illuminates, guides, equips, and empowers believers to become more like Jesus.
Salvation: Humans are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Salvation is a gift from God, not a result of our good works or of any human efforts. By repenting of sin and believing in the finished work of Jesus Christ, humans can be forgiven of sins, become born again as children of God, and receive the gift of everlasting life.
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is manifested through a variety of spiritual gifts to build and sanctify the church, demonstrate the validity of the resurrection, and confirm the power of the Gospel. The Bible lists of these gifts are not necessarily exhaustive, and the gifts may occur in various combinations. These gifts always operate in harmony with the Scriptures and should never be used contrary to the Bible.
Baptism and the Lord's Supper: Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer's faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior, the believer's death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. A time of communion in the presence of God when the elements of bread, grape juice or wine, symbolizing the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, are taken in remembrance of Jesus' sacrifice on the Cross and believers are encouraged to participate regularly. These ordinances are not a means of salvation but are commanded by the Lord.
Our Lead Pastor, Jeff Conner, would be happy to provide you with more information or answer any questions you might have about our beliefs or anything else about Refuge. You can email him at jeffc@refugemn.org.