What We Believe

The following are the core beliefs of Life Church of Clarksville 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. These three persons are co-equal and are one God. He is the Creator and Ruler of the Universe 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.

Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father. Jesus is the eternal Word made flesh, supernaturally conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He is perfect in nature, teaching, and obedience. He is fully God and fully Man. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven's glory and will return again someday to Earth to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son of God. He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. He gives every believer a spiritual gift when they are saved. As Christians, we seek to live under His control daily.

The Bible, including the 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament, is God's written Word to us. The Bible is an essential and infallible record of God's self-disclosure to mankind. 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 mixture of error.

Humans, both male and female, were created in God's image for His glory. People are the supreme object of God's creation. 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. Although every person has tremendous potential for good, all of us are marred by this attitude of disobedience toward God, called "sin." Sin separates people from God and causes many problems in life. The penalty for sin is death.

Jesus Christ came to reconcile us with God. He lived a life without sin and willingly died on a cross to pay the price for our transgressions. God raised him from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death.  He now, through grace, offers eternal life to all who follow Christ, by faith, as their Lord and Savior. That is why salvation can be found in Christ alone. Salvation is God's free gift to us, but we must accept it. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ, as God's offer of forgiveness, can anyone be saved from sin's penalty. When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith, we are saved. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into their life by faith.

People were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from Him is Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life in Heaven. Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence.

Because God gives us eternal life through Jesus Christ, the true believer is secure in that salvation is for eternity. If you have been genuinely saved, you cannot "lose" it. Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian. It is the grace and keeping power of God that gives us this security.

The Church is not a religious institution or denomination. Rather, the Church universal is made up of those who have become genuine followers of Jesus Christ and have personally appropriated the gospel. 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.

Jesus Christ is returning one day to judge both the living and the dead and to usher in the fullness of God's kingdom on Earth. Satan, with his hosts and all those outside Christ, will be finally separated from the benevolent presence of God, enduring eternal punishment, but the righteous, in glorious bodies, shall live and reign with Him forever, serving Him and giving Him unending praise and glory.