Riverside Church is a Baptist church with a Reformed view of salvation.
Statement of Faith
I. The Word of God
We believe that the Bible, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament, is the authoritative and powerful word of God, written by men under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is without error in the original manuscripts, and that it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.
2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20–21; Mark 13:31; John 8:31–32; Acts 20:32
II. The Trinity
We believe there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit; and that these are of the same divine essence, are equal in every divine perfection, and they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence and redemption.
Genesis 1:1–26; John 1:1–3; Matthew 28:19; Romans 1:19–20; Ephesians 4:5–6; 1 Peter 1:2
III. God the Father
We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in holiness, justice, wisdom, power, and love. We believe that he infallibly foreknows all that shall come to pass, 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 who come to him through Jesus Christ.
Gen 1:1–2; Luke 10:21–22; Matthew 23:9; John 3:16; 6:27; 1 Timothy 2:5–6; 1 Peter 1:3; Revelation 1:6
IV. Jesus Christ
We believe in Jesus Christ, God's unique and eternal Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in his virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, and teachings. We believe in his substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for his people, and personal, visible return to earth.
Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; John 1:1; Romans 9:5; 8:32; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:21-23; John 20:30–31; Matthew 20:28; Ephesians 1:4; Acts 1:11; Romans 5:6-8; 6:9–10; Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 9:28; 1 Timothy 3:16
V. The Holy Spirit
We believe in the Holy Spirit sent by the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ, distributing gifts as he wills for the edification of the church, and that he is an abiding helper, teacher, and guide.
John 14:16–7,26; 15:26–27; John 16:9-14; Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; Galatians 5:22-26
VI. Regeneration
We believe that man was created by God in His own image; that he sinned and thereby incurred physical, spiritual and eternal death, which is separation from God; that as a consequence, all human beings are born with a sinful nature and are sinners by choice and therefore under condemnation. We believe that those who repent and forsake sin and trust Jesus Christ as Savior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit and become a new creation, delivered from condemnation, and receiving eternal life.
Genesis. 1:26; 5:2; Genesis 3; Genesis 2:17; 3:19; Eccl. 2:11; John 3:14; 5:24; John 5:30; 7:13; 8:12; 10:26; Romans 9:22; II Thessalonians 1:9; Rev. 19:3,20; 20:10;14,15; 21:18; Psalm 51:7; Jeremiah 17:9; James 1:14; Romans 3:19; 5:19; Proverbs 28:13; I John 1:9; John 3:16; John 1:13; II Corinthians 5:17; Romans 8:1
VII. The Church
We believe in the Universal Church, a living spiritual body of which Christ is the head and all regenerated persons are members. We believe in the local church, consisting of a company of believers united in Jesus Christ, baptized on a credible profession of faith, and associated for worship, work, discipleship, and fellowship. We believe that God has laid upon the members of the local church the primary task of proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world.
Ephesians 2:19-22; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 5:19-21; Acts 2:42; Hebrews 10:23-25; Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8
VIII. Christian Conduct
We believe that Christians should live for the glory of God and the well-being of all peoples; that their conduct should be blameless before the world; that they should be faithful stewards of their possessions; and that they should seek to realize for themselves and others the full stature of maturity in Christ.
I Corinthians 10:31; Romans 12:1-3; Hebrews 12:1-2; John 14:15,23-24; I John 2:3-6; II Corinthians 9:6-9; I Corinthians 4:2; Col. 1:9-10
IX. The Ordinances
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the local church, baptism and the Lord's Supper. We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of the believer in water in the name of the triune God, following a profession of faith. We believe Christ instituted the Lord's Supper for commemoration of his death. We believe that these two ordinances should be observed and administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Matthew 28:18-20; Romans 6:3-5; I Corinthians 11:23-26
X. The Last Things and Two Destinies
We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the final establishment of His kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgement of all people, the endless misery of the wicked and the eternal joy of the righteous in God’s presence.
Matthew 16:27; Mark 14:62; John 14:3; Acts 1:11; Phil. 3:20; I Thessalonians 4:15; II Timothy 4:1; Titus 2:13; I Corinthians 4:5; I Corinthians 15; II Thessalonians 1:7-10; Revelation 20:4-6,11-15
We are also in agreement with the Baptist Faith and Message 2000