God

There is one true God who is eternal. He has revealed Himself in three distinct but equal persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; these are one God. God is infinite, invisible, independent, allknowing, perfectly wise, just and gracious; unchangeable in his holiness and love. He is the almighty Creator, Saviour and Judge who sustains and governs all things according to his sovereign will for His own glory.

The Bible

God reveals Himself to man by two means: first by a general revelation through His creation, secondly, through a special revelation in His word, the Bible consisting of the Old and New Covenant books alone. Every word of this Bible was inspired by God, communicated to human authors by the Holy Spirit, so that the Bible as originally given is in its entirety the word of God, without error and fully reliable in fact and doctrine. The Bible alone speaks with final authority and is always sufficient for all matters of belief and practice.

Creation, the Human Race and Sin

To rule over everything that God had created, God finally created man from the dust of the earth, woman from the man, and they received their life through His breath. He created them perfectly, in His image, for the purpose to worship and love Him.

Our first parents, Adam and Eve, disobeyed God's single command not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. As a consequence, every aspect of human nature was corrupted and man's life was made finite by death. Since, men and women are born with a corrupted spiritual life, being guilty sinners that are hostile to God and that must die. Every person is therefore under God's just condemnation and needs to be born again, have his sins forgiven and be reconciled to God in order to know and please Him.

The Lord Jesus Christ
 
God sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to earth as the mediator between Himself and man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin; therefore He is fully God and fully man. He lived a sinless life in obedience to the Father, perfectly explained and exemplified God's good nature. He taught with authority and all His words are true. On the cross He died in the place of sinners, descended into hell, bearing God's punishment for their sin, redeeming from eternal damnation by His blood those who believe in Him. He rose from the dead and in His resurrection body ascended into heaven where He is exalted as Lord of all. He intercedes for His people in the presence of the Father. At the end of times He will return to earth to judge the living and the dead.
Salvation

Salvation is entirely a work of God's grace and cannot be earned or deserved. It has been accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ and in the gospel (lit. “good news”) is offered to all. God in His love forgives sinners whom He calls, granting them repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour. All who believe in Christ are justified by faith alone, adopted into the family of God and receive eternal life.

The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit has been sent from heaven to glorify Christ and to apply His work of salvation. He convicts sinners, imparts spiritual life and gives a true understanding of the Scriptures. He lives in all believers, brings assurance of salvation and produces increasing likeness to Christ. He builds up the church and empowers its memebers for worship, service and mission.

The Church

The universal Church is the body of which Christ is the head and of which all who are saved, of all times and places, are the members. It is scattered over the whole earth, among all nations, tribes, peoples and languages, but nevertheless is united with heart and will in one Spirit through faith. The true church can be discerned by the true preaching of the Word, the right administration of baptism and the Lord's supper and the faithful exercise of discipline. The unity of the body of Christ is expressed within and between churches by mutual love, care and encouragement.

Baptism and the Lord's Supper

Baptism and the Lord's Supper have been given to the churches by Christ as visible signs of God's grace towards mankind. Baptism is a symbol of God's grace and entry into His church but does not impart spiritual life. The Lord's Supper is a commemoration and symbol of Christ's sacrifice on the cross offered once and for all. All its blessings are received in faith.

The Future

The Lord Jesus Christ will return in glory. He will raise the dead, and those who during their life have been justified righteous through, and continued in their faith in Christ as their Saviour, will be welcomed into a life of eternal joy in fellowship with God. Those, however, who during their life have continued in their sin and have not repented and been forgiven will be sent to eternal punishment. God will make all things new and will be glorified for ever.

A more elaborate and scholarly version of our articles of faith can be found in the following:

Heidelberg Catechism
Belgic Confession of Faith
Canons of Dordt

The Doctrines of Grace

The next are simply five key teachings found in the Bible that were written down as articles by the Synod of Dort in 1610. This was done to counter the five articles published by the followers of a man named James Arminius that were at variance with the Bible. These five articles underline the vitally important truth that God is in control of all things, not man; that God is the source of salvation; and that men and women can do nothing to save themselves. They glorify God, not man, and emphasise our total dependence as guilty sinners on the mercy and grace of God for salvation.

• Total Depravity
The Scriptures clearly teach that the effects of sin have extended to all parts of our being, rendering us incapable of spiritual understanding and love towards God. Despite the heading of this first article, it does not indicate that all people are as wicked as they could possibly be in all areas of belief and practice. However, sin has so fully and deeply affected our lives that, spiritually speaking, we are in a totally hopeless condition, unable to do anything to get ourselves out of this fallen state. Our natural spiritual incapacity prevents us from being able to respond by our own strength to the call of the gospel message, yet this does not remove our guilt. We choose to follow the natural inclinations of our depraved hearts because when left to ourselves that is all we want to do.

• Unconditional Election
God has shown us in his Word that from eternity past he has elected some sinners to be saved from the condemnation that is justly deserved by all, purely on account of his gracious mercy and love, not because of any foreseen merits in those sinners. Because of the fact of total depravity, salvation /must/ originate with God, and we read in the Bible that it is God's sovereign will alone that has determined the recipients of that salvation.
This doctrine does not render God unjust, for all are guilty and all deserve to suffer God's judgement. Rather, it emphasises the grace of God by the fact that he has chosen some for salvation.

• Irresistible Grace
When the gospel is preached, an invitation is issued by the Lord to all people to come to him for salvation. However, as the first article clearly states, the natural state of all people renders them incapable of responding to this invitation, except to reject it. So when God calls an elect sinner to repentance and faith in Christ Jesus, he does so by sending his Holy Spirit to work a great change in that sinner's heart, enabling them to see their sin and their need of a saviour and leading them to put their faith in Christ alone for salvation. The Lord, by his Spirit, irresistably draws his elect to himself, raising them to spiritual life and making themwilling to trust in Jesus.

Perseverance of the Saints
Once God has saved elect sinners, he continues to keep and preserve them by his power and grace and will never let them go. Thus, they persevere to the end and can never be lost. If God did not do this, we would inevitably turn back again to the world, because of the sin that is around us and within us. Thus God enables his children to continue in faith and obedience throughout their earthly lives, then to pass into God's presence forever.
This doctrine is not to be taken as a license to go on sinning, as if the believer is free to act in any way he chooses now that he is eternally secure in Christ Jesus. The true believer will show signs of a growing desire for holiness and an increasing loathing of sin. The one who attempts to use the grace of God as an excuse for sinful living is in all probability not a true believer, for where there is spiritual life, the fruit of the Spirit will become evident.