Our Beliefs
As a member congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), Lakeland Presbyterian Church is a confessional church, fully committed to living out in today’s context the rich theology, piety, and practice of the historic Christian faith recovered at the Protestant Reformation, and best summarized in the Westminster Confession of Faith and its Larger (Part 1, Part 2) and Shorter Catechisms. We also follow and submit to the PCA Book of Church Order in the practical outworking of our theology in matters of church government and discipline. Because no summary can exhaust the extent of our beliefs, in the local church, the Session (Board of Elders) is the final interpretive authority on the meaning and application of the Bible for Lakeland Presbyterian Church’s faith, doctrine, practice, and discipline.
Below we offer a brief summary of our convictions:
We believe that the Bible is the written word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit and without error in the original manuscripts. The Bible is the revelation of God’s truth and is infallible and authoritative in all matters of faith and practice.
We believe in the Holy Trinity. There is only one true and living God, infinite and unchanging, who exists eternally in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This same God created all things, visible and invisible, and upholds his creation by the word of his power.
We believe that all people are sinners by nature, are guilty in God’s sight, and because of their guilt, corruption and actual sins, are totally unable to save themselves from God’s displeasure. His free grace alone provides a way of salvation.
We believe that this salvation is the work of God alone. He sovereignly chooses whom He will save. We believe that His choice is based solely on His grace, not on any merit found in his people, their foreseen faith, or their religious activity.
We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, who through His perfect obedience and sacrificial death as the representative and substitute of his people, atoned for the sins of all who would trust in Him alone for salvation.
We believe that the only way to acceptance with God is by God’s grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone.
We believe that God is gracious and faithful to His people not simply as individuals but as families in successive generations according to His covenant promises.
We believe that the church is the covenant community of God and the sphere within which the grace of God is available to all, through the preaching and teaching of the Bible, and the administration of the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Outside the church there is no ordinary possibility of salvation.
We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells God’s people and enables them to trust Christ and follow Him. Faith is the gracious gift of God.
We believe that having come to saving faith in Christ, believers can never be lost, but persevere to the end, being kept by the power of God through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This perseverance is both the responsibility of every believer, and the infallible promise of God to all his people.
We believe that at a time when he is not expected, Jesus will return at the last day, bodily and visibly, to judge all mankind and to receive His people to Himself.
We believe that all aspects of our lives are to be lived to the glory of God under the Lordship of Jesus Christ as we wait for the day of his glorious appearing.
Specific Beliefs
Some of our specific beliefs regarding our identity, our mission and vision, and the expression of those beliefs in our community can be found in the following FAQ’s: