Statement of Faith
Petra’s Statement of Faith concerns the Person and Work of Jesus Christ (the Gospel) as revealed in Scripture. It represents the basic principles upon which Petra was founded and continues to operate.
All Board members, teachers, and families attending Petra agree to abide by and not undermine the Petra Statement of Faith.
“Now may the God Who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus; that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 15:5-6.)
WE BELIEVE in the Triune God: God the Father, Christ the Son, and Holy Spirit.
God created the heavens and the earth, including animals, plants, and man in six days by the power of His Word. Everything God made was good. (Gen. 1:1-31, 2:1, Ex. 20:11, Heb. 11:3)
Man sinned by rebelling against God in the Garden of Eden. Sin brought a curse upon the earth and everything in it. This resulted in the separation of man from God and the death of man. (Gen. 1:31, 3:1-24, Rom. 3:23, 5:12)
Jesus Christ is the only Son of God and is God. Just like God the Father, He has always existed, and is the Creator of all things. Conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, Christ came to fulfill God’s Eternal Plan to save man from his sin and restore right relationship between man and God.
Jesus lived on earth, fully Man yet fully God. He faced all the temptations that we face and did so without sinning. He was crucified to pay the price for our sin and was buried. On the third day, He rose from the dead and ascended into heaven. He sits at the right hand of God the Father. He will return to earth and establish His eternal kingdom. He will judge both the living and the dead. (John 1:1-5, 14,34, 3:16-17, 8:38, 10:30, Matt. 1:18-23, Luke 1:34-35, Heb. 4:15, Luke 23-24, Eph. 1:20-23, Luke 21:27, Acts 10:42)
By repenting of sin and believing in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we have forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life in heaven. Salvation is entirely God’s gift according to His grace. It is received by faith, not works. (Heb. 7:26-27, Acts 4:12, Eph. 2:8-10, Rom. 1:16-17, Gal. 2:16-21)
After Jesus ascended, Holy Spirit was sent to live in all who believe. Holy Spirit gives us new birth. He unites us to Christ, equips us with spiritual gifts, instructs us in His ways, and empowers us to do God’s work on the earth. This includes spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ and discipling all who believe. (Matt. 28:19, John 14:26, 2 Cor. 13:4, Acts 1:8, Rom. 8:9-11, 1 Cor. 12)
The Bible is the Inspired Word of God. Jesus Christ is the Word. Therefore, all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Tim. 3:14-17, 2 Peter 1:20-21, Is. 8:20, Prov. 30:5-6)
The Church is the manifestation of the Body of Christ with Christ as the Head and believers as the body.
The Church is called to:
• teach, serve, encourage, admonish, and disciple believers
• fellowship with, love, and care for one another
• praise and worship God
• with thanksgiving, make our requests known to God.
• seek the mind of God through prayer
• practice baptism and the Lord’s Supper in obedience to Christ
• proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ in word and deed
(1Pe. 4:10, Eph. 1:22-23, 2:19-22, 4:11, Heb. 10:25, Acts 2:42-47, John 4:23-24, Gal. 6:10, Phil. 4:6, Matt. 28:18-20, Col. 3:16)
Christians should strive, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to live a life of love, holy, acceptable, pleasing to God – not conformed to the world and its wicked ways. (Col. 3:17, 2 Cor. 10:5, 1Pe. 1:14-15, Rom. 12:2)