Our Core Beliefs
Cedar Ridge joyfully embraces its Biblical, Reformational roots, affirming the same fundamental truths that were so important to the Protestant Reformers: Martin Luther, William Tyndale, John Calvin, John Knox, and others. With them, we affirm:

• Scripture Alone - The Bible alone is the final authority on all matters of faith and life.
• Christ Alone - We are saved solely by the merits of Jesus Christ, who died for our sins on the cross and who alone has the perfect righteousness we need to stand uncondemned in the holy presence of God Almighty.
• Faith Alone - Christ's perfect righteousness is imputed to all those, but only those, who trust in His work alone as the basis of their acceptance with God.
• Grace Alone - Salvation is a sovereign act of almighty God. He must change our hearts and create faith within us before we will ever be willing to come to Christ for salvation.
• Glory to God Alone - Since salvation is purely an act of God, and not a cooperative act of man plus God, God deserves all the glory for our salvation. God works all things together in a grand symphony, for our ultimate good and His ultimate glory.

Our Confessional Beliefs
Together with the other churches of our denomination, we believe ...

1. The Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, to be the inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men, and the Divine and final authority for all Christian faith and life.

2. In one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

3. That Jesus Christ is true God and true man, having been conceived of the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary. He died on the cross a sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures. Further, He arose bodily from the dead and ascended into heaven, where at the right hand of the Majesty on High, He is now our High Priest and Advocate.

4. That the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and, during this age, to convict men, regenerate the believing sinner, and indwell, guide, instruct, and empower the believer for godly living and service.

5. That man was created in the image of God, but fell into sin and is therefore lost and only through regeneration by the Holy Spirit can salvation and spiritual life be obtained.

6. That the shed blood of Jesus Christ and His resurrection provide the only ground of justification and salvation for all who believe, and only such as receive Jesus Christ are born of the Holy Spirit, and thus become children of God.

7. That water baptism and the Lord's Supper are ordinances to be observed by the Church during the present age. They are not, however to be regarded as means of salvation.

8. That the true Church is composed of all such persons who, through saving faith in Jesus Christ, have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and are united together, in the body of Christ, of which He is the Head.

9. That only those who are thus members of the true Church shall be eligible for membership in the local church.

10. That Jesus Christ is the Lord and Head of the Church, and that every local church has the right under Christ to decide and govern its own affairs.

11. In the personal and premillennial and imminent coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and that this "Blessed Hope" has a vital bearing on the personal life and service of the believer).

12. In the bodily resurrection of the dead: of the believer to everlasting blessedness and joy with the Lord; of the unbeliever to judgment and everlasting conscious punishment.



Ancient Creeds
We agree with these ancient creeds of the Christian church...

The Apostles' Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
the Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:

Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.

He descended into hell.

The third day He arose again from the dead.

He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty,
whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy *catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.

Amen.

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The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God,
begotten of the Father before all worlds,
God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God,
begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father
by whom all things were made;
who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven,
and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man,
and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried,
and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures,
and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father.
And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead,
whose kingdom shall have no end.

And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life,
who proceedeth from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified,
who spoke by the prophets.

And we believe one holy *catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins.
And we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.
Amen.

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Protestant Confessions
On the doctrines of Scripture, Creation, the Attributes of God, the Character of Man, God's Sovereignty, Human Will, Final Judgment, Redemption, Justification, and the Nature of Salvation, we are in full agreement with the Protestant confessions listed below. (On other issues, we are not necessarily in total agreement)...

• Belgic Confession (1561)
• The Heidelberg Catechism (1563)
• The Canons of Dordt (1619)
• The Westminster Confession of Faith (1646)
• The Westminster Larger Catechism (1646)
• The Westminster Shorter Catechism (1646)
• The London Confession (1689)
• The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy (1978)
• The Cambridge Declaration (1996)
• The Gospel of Jesus Christ: An Evangelical Celebration (1999)