Statement of Faith

Our Statement of Faith does 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 the Church’s faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, our senior pastor and the board of elders is the Church’s final interpretive authority on the Bible’s meaning and application.

Trinity Church of Melbourne has been formed as a fellowship of believers in the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Our supreme desire is to know Christ and be conformed to His image by the power of the Holy Spirit. We are not a denominational church, nor are we opposed to denominations as such, only their over-emphasis of the doctrinal differences that have led to the division of the Body of Christ.

We believe that the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God, fully inspired without error in the original manuscripts, and the infallible rule of faith and practice. The Word of God is the foundation upon which this Church operates and is the basis for which this Church is governed. We believe that the Word of God supersedes any earthly law that is contrary to the Holy Scriptures. We believe that translations derived from the Majority Text are the most accurate. Thus, the King James Version and the New King James Version of the Bible are preferred. It is from these translations that we establish our doctrine and Statement of Faith (Isaiah 28:13; Nehemiah 8:8; John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12; 1 Peter 1:23-25; 2 Peter 1:3-4 and 1:21).

We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in power and glory; that this triune God created all, upholds all, and governs all things (Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 44:8 and 48:16; Matthew 28:19-20; John 10:30; Hebrews 1:3).

We believe in the person of God the Father, an infinite, eternal, personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and love; that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men; that He hears and answers prayer; and that He saves from sin and death all those who come to Him through Jesus Christ (Exodus 34:6; Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalm 90:2; Psalm 102:27; John 3:16 and 4:24; 1 Timothy 1:17; Titus 1:3).

We believe in the person of Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles and teachings, His substitutionary atoning death as the propitiation for our sins, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people and personal, visible return to earth. We believe in the deity and eternal existence of Jesus Christ, true God and true man (Isaiah 7:14; Micah 5:2; Matthew 1:23; Mark 16:19; Luke 1:34-35; John 1:1-2, 8:58 and 11:25; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 1:8; 1 John 1:2, 2:2; Revelation 1:8).

We believe in the person of the Holy Spirit, who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify and empower for ministry all who believe in Christ (Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 3:18; John 16:8-11; Romans 8:26 and 15:13, 16; Hebrews 9:14).

We believe the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Jesus Christ, and that He is an abiding helper, teacher and guide (John 6:13, 14:16-17 and 16:8-11; Romans 8:26).

We believe in the present day ministry of the Holy Spirit, active in the believers’ lives. The supreme evidence is the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control), especially love (Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 5:18; 1 Corinthians 13:13).

The Holy Spirit's power is necessary to make us bold and effective witnesses, providing a new dynamic in the life of the believer (Acts 1:8; 4:31; 13:52).

We believe that all people are sinners by nature and choice, falling short of God's standard and breaking His commandments and therefore are under God's righteous judgment. Yet God saves and gives new life to all who come to Him in repentance and faith, trusting in the Person and work of Jesus Christ. At the cross, Jesus Christ died in our place as our substitute, absorbing God's wrath that should have come upon us. Because Jesus died for the sins of the world the invitation to believe is open to all, and whoever desires may come unto Jesus for new life and the forgiveness of sins (Romans 3:23; Acts 3:19; Acts 20:21; Ephesians 2:1-3; Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 John 2:2, John 3:16; Matthew 11:28; Revelation 22:17).

Salvation is wholly of God by grace on the basis of the redemption of Jesus Christ, the merit of His shed blood, and not on the basis of human merit or works (John 1:12; Eph. 1:4-7; 2:8-10; 1 Pet. 1:18-19).

We believe in the pattern and principle of male leadership and responsibility in both the home and the church, according to the sacrificial example of Jesus. We believe this limits the roles of pastoral leadership and doctrinal authority to qualified men (1 Corinthians 11:1-12, 1 Timothy 2:1-15).

We believe in the universal church, the living spiritual body, of which Christ is the head and all who are born again are a part of the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Ephesians 4:15-16).

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ instituted two ordinances for the church: (a) full immersion water baptism of believers, and (b) the Lord's Supper (Matthew 28:19; Luke 22:19-20; Acts 2:38; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).

We believe in a literal Heaven and a literal Hell and that all those who place their faith, hope and trust in Jesus Christ will spend eternity in Heaven with the Lord, while those who reject Jesus' free gift of salvation will spend eternity separated from the Lord (Psalm 9:17; Matthew 5:3, 5:22, 18:9 and 25:31-34; Mark 9:42-49; Luke 12:5; John 3:18; Hebrews 12:23; 1 Peter 1:4; Revelation 14:10-11 and 20:11-15).

We believe in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, which is His personal, visible return to earth and the establishment of His millennial kingdom, in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment and eternal blessing of the righteous and endless separation of the wicked (Matthew 16:27: Acts 1: 11; Revelation 19:11-16, 20:11-15).

We believe in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture of the Church where all believers will meet the Lord in the air and be taken out of this world prior to the Tribulation that will come upon the earth (Isaiah 26:20; Matthew 24:29-31; Luke 21:36; Romans 1:18, 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 1:10, 4:13-16 and 5:9; 2 Peter 2:7-9; Revelation 3:10, 5:7-10 and 7:13-14).

We believe that God created mankind male and female. Men and women are both created in the image of God, and as such, they are equal in value, dignity, and worth, but different in function so as to complement and complete each other. God instituted monogamous marriage between male and female as the foundation of the family and the basic structure of human society. Therefore, we perform marriages in accordance with the Bible consistent with the Old and New Testament precepts (1 Corinthians 7:1-3; Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6).