At the South Lake Church of Christ we seek to follow God’s Word, the Bible, and its teachings.  We consider at the foundation of its teaching is that “God is love.”  Jesus directed that the first and greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and the second is to love your neighbor as yourself.  God’s love for us is demonstrated in Jesus Christ and the sacrifice He made for us.  Our love for God is shown by our lives following these two great commandments. We love because He first loved us.

I John 4:8, 16 & 19; Hebrews 4:12; Matthew 22:37-39; John 3:16

The Bible is God’s Word and serves as our foundation and final authority on Christian beliefs and guide to living. It is divinely inspired by God and is without error. It was given to mankind so that we might know and understand God’s truth and love.

God has breathed life into all Scripture. It is useful for teaching us what is true. It is useful for correcting our mistakes. It is useful for making our lives whole again. It is useful for training us to do what is right.  By using Scripture, the servant of God can be completely prepared to do every good thing. ~ 2 Timothy 3:16-17 

There is one eternally existing God who has three distinct persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. He is the creator of all that exists, both visible and invisible, and is therefore worthy of all glory and praise.  God is perfect in love, power, holiness, goodness, knowledge, wisdom,  justice, and mercy. He is unchangeable and therefore is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He is the father of Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, and yet still one with both as God. The Father adopts believers into relationship with Him as he prunes/disciplines believers to strengthen them for His glory.

Genesis 1:1; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 3:17; Matthew 28:19; Luke 1:35; John 15:1-2; Romans 8:15-17; 

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
~ Isaiah 9:6

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We have seen his glory,  the glory of the one and only Son, who cam from the Father,  full of grace and truth.  ~ John 1:14

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ~ John 14:6

Rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! ~ Philippians 2:7-8 

The Holy Spirit is one with the Father and Jesus Christ and serves as our comforter, guide, and advocate. Those who accept Jesus as their Savior receive the Holy Spirit to live inside them. The Spirit gives Christians guidance in living, an understanding of the Bible, and prayerfully intercedes for them.

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” ~ Matthew 3:16

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” ~ Matthew 28:18-20

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. ~ Luke 14:26

For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit...  And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. ~ Ephesians 2:18, 22

We believe that humanity, created by God, willfully sinned, and as a result is lost and without hope apart from Jesus Christ.

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. ~ Genesis 1:27

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. ~ Ecclesiastes 12:13

Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter;
 we are all the work of your hand. ~ Isaiah 64:8

This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. ~ Romans 3:22-24

For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.
~ Colossians 1:16

We believe that Adam, made in the image of God, distorted that image and forfeited his original blessedness—for himself and all his progeny—by falling into sin through Satan's temptation. As a result, all human beings are alienated from God, corrupted in every aspect of their being (e.g., physically, mentally, volitionally, emotionally, spiritually) and condemned finally and irrevocably to death—apart from God's own gracious intervention. The supreme need of all human beings is to be reconciled to the God under whose just and holy wrath we stand; the only hope of all human beings is the undeserved love of this same God, who alone can rescue us and restore us to himself.

Genesis 2:17; Romans 5:18-21; Isaiah 53:6; Ecclesiastes 7:29; 2 Corinthians 11:3;  1 Corinthians 15:22; Romans 5:12

Jesus Christ came to reconcile us with God.  He lived a life without sin and willingly died on the cross to pay the penalty for our transgressions.  God raised him from the dead and now, by grace, offers as a free gift eternal life to all who follow Christ, by faith, as their Lord and Savior.  That is why salvation can be found in Christ alone.   We place our faith in that and then act that faith out in the way we live.   Every person has sinned, but every person can also be forgiven and saved by Christ.  When we’re baptized, through faith in that work of God in Christ, our sins are forgiven, we’re sealed by the Spirit and begin living out our faith.

Romans 3:23, 6:23; John 3:16; Romans 10:9; Acts 2:38-42; Matthew 28:19; Matthew 3:13-17

The Church is meant to be the visible body of Christ, sent into the world to glorify God and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.  The church is the Body of Christ on earth, empowered by the Holy Spirit to continue the task of leading others to faith in Christ and teaching followers of Christ to obey and serve Him. Involvement in a local church is critical to individual growth, fellowship, and support for life's day-to-day challenges.

Matthew 28:19-20; 1 Corinthians 12:1-2-27; Ephesians 4:1--16; Ephesians 2:19-22; 2 Timothy  3:16-17

Scripture teaches that the doctrines and commandments of men render our worship "vain" and worthless.  The evidence for the regular observance of the Lord's supper on, and only on, the first day of the week is overwhelming and compelling.  Since those in the church of Christ today seek to pattern their worship in every way after the examples given in the New Testament it is for this reason we hold to that pattern of worship today, continuing steadfast in the Apostles teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and the prayers just like they did as faithful Christians, worshiping and serving God in spirit and in truth.

Matthew 15:9; Romans 10:3; Acts 2:41-42; Acts 20:6;-7; Acts 2:46-47; 1 Corinthians 11:20-33; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2; Acts 14:23; Revelation 1:10; Psalm 118:22-23; Matthew 21:42; Acts 4:10-11; Zechariah 13:1; Mark 16:9; John 20:26; Acts 2:1-5

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. ~ Mark 16:16

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  ~ Acts 2:38

 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.’  ~ Acts 22:16

We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.  ~ Romans 6:4

People were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or eternally with God through the forgiveness of our sin.  To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally with God is eternal life. Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence.

John 3:16; John 14:17; Romans 6:23; Romans 8:17-18; Revelation 20:15; 1 Corinthians 2:7-9