What We Believe

The following are the core beliefs of Calvary Chapel Fernley based on the foundational truths taught in the bible. All of our teaching and ministry is rooted in and flows out of these biblical doctrines.

We believe the Bible, including the Old and New Testaments, to be the God-breathed, inerrant in the original writings and infallible in accurate translations, Word of God that is our final authority for faith and life. (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21)

We believe that there is one Triune God, worshipped equally in balance, who exists eternally in three persons: FATHER, SON, and HOLY SPIRIT who are co-existent, co-equal, and co-eternal.
 (Deuteronomy 6:4; II Corinthians 13:14; Matthew 3:16-17; John 10:30)

We believe in God the Father, who is an eternal spirit, worshipped in spirit, who is the creator of all things, all powerful, all-knowing, ever-present.
(John 4:24; Revelation 19:6; Jeremiah 23:24; Hebrews 4:13;
Genesis 1:1; Psalm 139:7)

Jesus Christ was pre-existent and was the primary agent of creation. We believe in the incarnation through the virgin birth in order to reveal God and redeem sinful man. This redemption was accomplished through His death on the Cross as a substitutionary sacrifice. We believe in His literal bodily resurrection, His ascension and exaltation into Heaven, His present mediatorial High Priestly office and His ultimate kingdom and eternal reign. (John 1:1-5; Luke 1:26-38; I Peter 2:24; I John 2:1-2; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Colossians 1:17-20; Romans 3:24-26)

The Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment leading to salvation. He is the supernatural agent in the regeneration of believers. He indwells, seals, and fills believers; His comforting presence and conviction assures believers of salvation and enables us to live Godly lives. (John 16:8-11; I Corinthians 12:12-13; Romans 8:9; Ephesians 5:18)

The indwelling Holy Spirit bestows His spiritual gifts on members of the body according to His own will for the purpose of winning the lost and strengthening believers. Initially, some gifts were for signs as confirmation of the spoken word of the disciples. Gifts as signs are no longer a common purpose; today gifts are given for the building up and encouragement of the church.
(Mark 16:17-20, Acts 2:22, 2 Corinthians 12:12, Hebrews 2:4,
 Ephesians 4:11-12, 1 Corinthians 12-14)

Satan exists; neither as a force to be feared nor as a force to be ignored. He and his kind were angels cast out to earth as a result of their desire to be equal to God.  Defeated by the blood of Jesus Christ he now exists in enmity to
God and believers.
(Ezekiel 28:12-15; Isaiah 14:12-15; Revelation 20:1-3; 1 John 3:8)

Man, in his fallen condition, caused by sin, is totally helpless to do anything about his condition.
(Genesis 1:26-27, 3:6-13; Romans 3:22-23; 5:12, Ephesians 2:1-3, 12)

Salvation comes as a result of our accepting by faith the gift of His grace. The redeemed once saved are kept by the completeness of His sacrifice.
(Ephesians 2:8-10, Romans 8:1, 38-39, Galatians 5:13

In the life of every saved person dwell two natures, the old sin nature and the new nature created by salvation, with provision made for victory of the new over the old through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
      (Romans 6:13, 8:12-13, 1 John 1:8-10, 3:5-9)

The local church is a fellowship of born-again believers. It is sovereign and autonomous in deciding matters of church policy and affiliation.
      The universal church is a spiritual organism made up of all born-again persons of this present age and is the body and espoused bride of Jesus Christ.
We celebrate the following ordinances of the church:
The marriage between a man and a woman
The dedication of parents
The water baptism of believers
The celebration of communion as a remembrance
      (Eph. 1:22-23, Acts 14:20, 27, 17:28-32, 1Tim. 3:1-13, Luke 22:14-20; Mark 16:16; Matthew 28:19-20)

We believe in the “Blessed Hope” the imminent, personal and premillennial coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His redeemed ones; and His subsequent return to earth with His saints to establish His Millennial Kingdom.
      (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Zechariah 14:4-11, Revelation 19:11-16, 20:1-6)

There will be a bodily resurrection of all mankind of all time. The souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord; awaiting the first resurrection, when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord. The souls of the unbelievers at death are in conscious misery until the second resurrection when they shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment, and the condemned shall be cast into the Lake of Fire with Satan and all unbelievers to suffer
everlasting conscious punishment.
      (John 11:25-26, 2 Corinthians 5:8, Revelation 20:11-15)