Eschatology
God is omniscient, sovereign, and providentially involved in the universe. Prophecy is the revelation of his plan and he will perfectly fulfill his prophetic word. In addition, prophecy is properly interpreted literally rather than allegorically.
- The nation of Israel and the church are distinct elect groups in Scripture. While all elect humans are saved through the efficacious work of Christ, a literal interpretation of prophecy understands that God is not finished with the nation of Israel. As such, we reject any form of replacement theology.
- The first coming of Christ was a display of perfect humility and sacrifice, in which he accomplished our salvation through his death and resurrection. His second coming is the event when he will return to this earth following the Great Tribulation, and will establish a literal millennial reign and will rule as King of kings from Jerusalem.
- There will be a literal, physical resurrection of every human being. The righteous will inherit eternal life in heaven, an experience of indescribable bliss and joy, while the unrighteous will incur conscious torment, along with Satan and his demons.
Statement of Faith
The Bible
The Scriptures, fully contained in the Old and New Testaments, are the inspired,
infallible word of God in their original autographs and remains the infallible standard
for salvation, theology, morality, and Christian living. The Bible is the highest
authority for the church. (John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 1 Peter 1:23-25)
The Trinity
There is one God who is the Creator and Sustainer of all created things. As God, he is
distinct from creation, being eternal, infinite, immutable, sovereign, and infallible in
all things. He is essentially love, holy, truth, life, and the source of morality. God is
relational, a Trinity who is one in being and three distinct Persons: Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19-20; Hebrews 1:3)
Creation
God is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. He created ex nihilo (out of nothing) by
the word of his power and with specified complexity. By his creative design living things
have the capacity to adapt and flourish. God exercises providential care for his creation,
with Christ upholding creation by the word of his power. We reject the views of an eternal
universe and naturalistic macroevolution as sufficient explanations for the existence and
complexity observed in the universe. We affirm that creation includes spiritual beings and
the physical universe, and that the purpose of creation is to glorify God. (Genesis 1:1;
Matthew 6:25-33; Psalm 19:1; Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 1:3).
Humanity
Every human is made in the image and likeness of God, having intellect, feelings, and free
will. We are morally responsible for our actions and their consequences. In addition,
since humans are communal, the actions of the individual affect the broader community.
Adam and Eve chose to sin, and their free will decision affected the whole of humanity.
All human descendants from Adam are born with a sin nature and are separated from
fellowship with God. We are spiritually dead, incapable of earning salvation from sin.
Salvation
Salvation is exclusively a work of God. He initiated its plan and accomplished salvation
through the virgin birth of Jesus, his sinless life, substitutionary death and
resurrection from the dead. Salvation is available to all people, and is the free gift of
God apart from any human work, and is received by the grace of God through faith in Jesus
Christ alone. The believer is sealed by the Holy Spirit, who works to transform the
believer toward Christ-like character. This process of sanctification is lifelong. (John
3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9)
The Church
The universal church is comprised of every person who has placed their faith in the death
and resurrection of Jesus Christ for salvation. The church is a living spiritual body, and
transcends all racial, ethnic, political, and geographical parameters. Christ is the head
of his church and every born again person is a member of his church. Through the Spirit of
God, every member of the church is equipped with gifts that are essential for the whole
church to flourish and grow in spiritual maturity. While the gifts differ in function,
every gift is equally necessary for the health of the universal church.
Angels and Demons
Angels are literal, created spiritual beings, who have significant influence in human
life. God created angels in perfection and with choice. Lucifer rebelled against God and
led one third of the angels in revolt. Their consequence is eternal torment. Satan and
demons are finite and have the capacity to negatively influence humans. Angels, in
contrast, have the capacity to influence human beings toward righteousness. Both angels
and humans will enjoy eternal life together, while demons are sentenced to an eternal
torment.
Eschatology
God is omniscient, sovereign, and providentially involved in the universe. Prophecy is the
revelation of his plan and he will perfectly fulfill his prophetic word. In addition,
prophecy is properly interpreted literally rather than allegorically.
We Affirm
We affirm that every human is made in the image and likeness of God, and life begins at
conception. From conception to death, every life is invaluable, worth protecting and
celebrating. Physical or mental disabilities do not diminish the innate worth and identity
of every human being.
We Reject
We reject any interpretation of Scripture or caricature of God that diminishes his love
for the whole of humanity and of his desire for every person to receive salvation.
Unity and Love
Christians are united in the essential truths of Scripture. These essential truths relate
to the nature of God, the Person and work of Christ, and the doctrine of salvation. Within
Christian thought are various views related to secondary doctrines. On these secondary
doctrines we extend liberty while maintaining our unity in Christ.
Politics
Calvary Tucson, as a church, is primarily committed to the sharing the gospel of Jesus
Christ both domestically and internationally. As a church we do not corporately endorse
any political candidate or political party. We are committed to equipping Christians to
live out their faith both privately and publicly, standing for biblical values and issues,
and encouraging them to vote in a manner that is consistent with biblical faith.