Statements of Our Faith
"...he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built." (Luke 6:48)
Immanuel OPC is Presbyterian in government and Reformed in theology. Everything we believe is grounded upon the inerrant, infallible, and inspired Word of God. We believe the Bible is our only rule of faith and the truths it teaches are God’s Word without reservation. We believe what is expressed in the Bible is summarized in the historic universal creeds (the Apostles' Creed and Nicene Creed,) and the confessions and catechisms of the historic reformed church (Westminster Confession of Faith and Westminster Larger and Shorter Catechisms.) The foundational summaries below further express our beliefs…
PresbyterianPresbyterian refers not so much to a particular set of doctrines but instead to a particular form of church government. For Presbyterians, the church is governed by a group of elders, or presbyters. There are teaching elders, who are the ordained ministers, and ruling elders who are elected from the body of church members. In each individual church, the elders are invested with authority in all spiritual matters.
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Reformed TheologyReformed theology challenged the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and returned it to a Biblically centered theological perspective focusing on the sovereignty of Scripture, the sovereignty of God, His election, redemption, and our securing in Christ's work. This began in the sixteenth century with Martin Luther, John Calvin, Huldrych Zwingli and other early Protestant Reformers. Simply stated… Reformed theology represents the restoration of the church to the basic principles of the authority of Scripture and is definitive of this local church.
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Our Principles...
Reformers teach that the marks of a true church are where the Word of God is truly preached and taught, the sacraments are rightly administered, and church discipline is faithfully exercised. At Immanuel Orthodox Presbyterian Church, the leadership (known as the Session) strives to hold fast to this high calling established through the person and work of Jesus Christ.
The Word of God is found in the Bible and in the Bible, alone. Though written by man, the Bible is inspired by God. It is holy, trustworthy, and infallible (without any errors). Through the Holy Spirit, Christians receive a special revelation from the Scripture. At Immanuel OPC, we believe the preaching of the Word should be accomplished through a verse-by-verse exposition, where it involves a systematic reading and explanation of a biblical text. On special occasions, such as Mother’s Day, Easter, and Christmas, the church leadership will allow for topical expository preaching to address that occasion, but the Word of God will remain the principle teaching.
The sacraments, which are visible signs and seals of the Word of the promises given to us by God, are baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Here, at Immanuel, we believe that baptism is a one-time act, through the use of water, which signifies and seals a cleansing from sin by the blood and Spirit of Christ. For an adult to be baptized, he or she must first make a public profession of faith before the congregation and receive proper instructions from the Session through a Confessing Christ class. Immanuel OPC also believes and encourages infant baptism; however, the leadership holds fast to the teaching that in order for a child to be baptized, at least one parent or guardian must be a communicant member of the church.
In addition, the Session of Immanuel OPC administers the Lord’s Supper twice a month, on the first and third Sundays. We believe that the elements of this sacrament, the bread and the wine, are signs of the body and blood of Christ. We do not believe they are the actual body and blood, but we do believe that Christ is present with us spiritually whenever we partake of this sacrament. With each administration of the Lord’s Supper, the leadership provides a proper fencing of the table, indicating who should and who should not participate in this sacrament.
Though we believe the Bible is the primary and foremost authority in all things, including discipline, the Session of Immanuel OPC utilizes the Book of Church Order to guide us through to proper and faithful church discipline. We believe the purpose of church discipline is to glorify God, maintain the purity of the church, and the restoration of the disobedient sinner. At Immanuel OPC, godly discipline can be accomplished through admonition, rebuke, the suspension from the sacraments, and/or excommunication. We also believe that discipline for our members should begin with the Session. From there, if necessary, disciplinary issues may be escalated to the New Jersey Presbytery then to the General Assembly, if need be.
Finally, the church is the bride of Christ, making Jesus the Head of the church. As Christians, we are told to make our calling and election sure. For the leadership of Immanuel OPC, we believe that in order for our congregation to accomplish this, Immanuel Orthodox Presbyterian Church will continue to preach the Word faithfully, perform proper administration of the sacraments, and provide consistent and godly church discipline.
The Word of God is found in the Bible and in the Bible, alone. Though written by man, the Bible is inspired by God. It is holy, trustworthy, and infallible (without any errors). Through the Holy Spirit, Christians receive a special revelation from the Scripture. At Immanuel OPC, we believe the preaching of the Word should be accomplished through a verse-by-verse exposition, where it involves a systematic reading and explanation of a biblical text. On special occasions, such as Mother’s Day, Easter, and Christmas, the church leadership will allow for topical expository preaching to address that occasion, but the Word of God will remain the principle teaching.
The sacraments, which are visible signs and seals of the Word of the promises given to us by God, are baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Here, at Immanuel, we believe that baptism is a one-time act, through the use of water, which signifies and seals a cleansing from sin by the blood and Spirit of Christ. For an adult to be baptized, he or she must first make a public profession of faith before the congregation and receive proper instructions from the Session through a Confessing Christ class. Immanuel OPC also believes and encourages infant baptism; however, the leadership holds fast to the teaching that in order for a child to be baptized, at least one parent or guardian must be a communicant member of the church.
In addition, the Session of Immanuel OPC administers the Lord’s Supper twice a month, on the first and third Sundays. We believe that the elements of this sacrament, the bread and the wine, are signs of the body and blood of Christ. We do not believe they are the actual body and blood, but we do believe that Christ is present with us spiritually whenever we partake of this sacrament. With each administration of the Lord’s Supper, the leadership provides a proper fencing of the table, indicating who should and who should not participate in this sacrament.
Though we believe the Bible is the primary and foremost authority in all things, including discipline, the Session of Immanuel OPC utilizes the Book of Church Order to guide us through to proper and faithful church discipline. We believe the purpose of church discipline is to glorify God, maintain the purity of the church, and the restoration of the disobedient sinner. At Immanuel OPC, godly discipline can be accomplished through admonition, rebuke, the suspension from the sacraments, and/or excommunication. We also believe that discipline for our members should begin with the Session. From there, if necessary, disciplinary issues may be escalated to the New Jersey Presbytery then to the General Assembly, if need be.
Finally, the church is the bride of Christ, making Jesus the Head of the church. As Christians, we are told to make our calling and election sure. For the leadership of Immanuel OPC, we believe that in order for our congregation to accomplish this, Immanuel Orthodox Presbyterian Church will continue to preach the Word faithfully, perform proper administration of the sacraments, and provide consistent and godly church discipline.
Historical - Confessional - Reformed
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Immanuel Orthodox Presbyterian Church 1221 Elm Avenue Haddon Township, NJ 08107 (856) 854-8323 |
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© 2016 Immanuel Orthodox Presbyterian Church