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The basis for all our beliefs is the Bible,
which is the inspired Word of God

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  • We believe that God is the Creator of the world. He is a loving God who is sovereign over everything.
     
  • We believe that, because of our sins and rebellion against God, we live in a fallen world and deserve to be rejected by God.
     
  • We believe that God did not turn his back on the world because of our sin, but instead he is working out a plan of salvation that will reconcile us to him.
     
  • We believe that this salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ alone. He took the penalty for our sins upon himself, and, through his sacrifice on the cross, endured the awful penalty for our sins.
     
  • We believe that we are called to repent of our sins and turn to Jesus. He alone saves us and then calls us to a life of thankfulness to him.
     
  • We believe Jesus' promise to send the Holy Spirit to all who believe. The Holy Spirit works faith and repentance in our hearts.
     
  • We believe that God calls us to join a local, faithful church where believers can worship God together and where they will be strengthened through the preaching of God's Word and the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper (or communion).

As a Reformed church, we hold to the 5 following principles,
sometimes referred to as the "5 solas":

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1. By Scripture Alone - Sola Scriptura
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  • God's Word governs every aspect of our church. All our church's beliefs and teachings must come from the Bible as the inspired Word of God. The Bible contains God's revelation about himself and his plan of salvation through Jesus Christ.
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2. By Faith Alone - Sola Fide
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  • Salvation is a gift from God that is received through faith. We cannot earn our own salvation, and we must turn to Jesus Christ and put our faith in him.
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3. By Grace Alone - Sola Gratia
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  • Our salvation was earned by Jesus Christ. We cannot merit any favour with God through our own works; it is given to us only because of God's grace and love.
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4. Through Christ Alone - Solus Christus
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  • Jesus is the only mediator between God and man and is the only way to salvation.
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5. Glory to God Alone - Soli Deo Gloria
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  • We worship the triune God alone. No person or tradition can stand in the way of that, or take for themselves the glory that belongs to God. To him be all the praise and glory!
Refuge Church and Panah Mission are members of a federation of churches called “The Canadian & American Reformed Churches”.  Along with the other churches in this federation, we also adhere to the teachings found in these doctrinal standards:

Creeds:
 

  • Apostles’ Creed:
    This creed is called the Apostles’ Creed, not because it was written by the apostles themselves, but because it contains a brief summary of their teachings.
 
  • Athanasian Creed:
    This creed is named after Athanasius (293-373 A.D.), the champion of orthodoxy against Arian attacks on the doctrine of the Trinity.
 
  • Nicene Creed:
    The Nicene Creed, also called the Nicaeno-Constantinopolitan Creed, is a statement of the orthodox faith of the early Christian church.

Confessions:

 

  • The Belgic Confession:
    The first of the doctrinal standards of the Canadian Reformed Churches is a true Christian confession. It is usually called the Belgic Confession because it originated in the Southern Netherlands, now known as Belgium.
 
  • Heidelberg Catechism:
    The Heidelberg Catechism, the second of our doctrinal standards, was written in Heidelberg at the request of Elector Frederick III, for instructing the youth and for guiding pastors and teachers.
     
  • Canons of Dordt:
    The third of our doctrinal standards is the Canons of Dort, also called the Five Articles Against the Remonstrants, in view of the serious disturbance in the Reformed churches caused by the rise and spread of Arminianism.
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