OUR BELIEFS
We believe* in one God, the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father, God from God,
Light from Light, true God from true God,
begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation* he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate
from the virgin, Mary, and was made man.
For our sake* he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.*
We believe in one holy universal* and apostolic* Church.
We acknowledge one baptism* for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.
Valley Footnotes:
*1 "We believe" – We affirm the statements of belief articulated in the Nicene Creed (325 A.D.), which is the most widely accepted statement of Christian Faith in the world.
*2 “For us and for our salvation” and “For our sake” – In His wisdom, God gave all people the freedom to accept or deny Him. Through disobedience we all sin and become guilty, thus incurring death—both physical and spiritual. Salvation from the results of sin and bondage to sin is found only in Jesus Christ and is available to all people. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus Christ saves all who confess him as Lord and Savior.
*3 “Spoken through the Prophets” – The Old Testament Scriptures have prophetic authority and are inspired by God.
*4 “Universal” – There is one Church, the Body of Christ. Christ is the head of this one Church, which is comprised of all persons who have been joined to him through saving faith. The Church is not limited to any particular time, place, ethnic group, language, religious heritage, denomination, or institution.
*5 “Apostolic” – As Christ was sent into the world, he has sent (apostello) his followers into the world (Jn. 17). The teachings of the first Apostles—those called and sent by Jesus himself—are authoritative for the Church. The New Testament Scriptures have Apostolic authority and are inspired by God.
*6 “One baptism” – The baptism that gives witness to a person’s faith, repentance, and submission to Christ.
maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father, God from God,
Light from Light, true God from true God,
begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation* he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate
from the virgin, Mary, and was made man.
For our sake* he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.*
We believe in one holy universal* and apostolic* Church.
We acknowledge one baptism* for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.
Valley Footnotes:
*1 "We believe" – We affirm the statements of belief articulated in the Nicene Creed (325 A.D.), which is the most widely accepted statement of Christian Faith in the world.
*2 “For us and for our salvation” and “For our sake” – In His wisdom, God gave all people the freedom to accept or deny Him. Through disobedience we all sin and become guilty, thus incurring death—both physical and spiritual. Salvation from the results of sin and bondage to sin is found only in Jesus Christ and is available to all people. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus Christ saves all who confess him as Lord and Savior.
*3 “Spoken through the Prophets” – The Old Testament Scriptures have prophetic authority and are inspired by God.
*4 “Universal” – There is one Church, the Body of Christ. Christ is the head of this one Church, which is comprised of all persons who have been joined to him through saving faith. The Church is not limited to any particular time, place, ethnic group, language, religious heritage, denomination, or institution.
*5 “Apostolic” – As Christ was sent into the world, he has sent (apostello) his followers into the world (Jn. 17). The teachings of the first Apostles—those called and sent by Jesus himself—are authoritative for the Church. The New Testament Scriptures have Apostolic authority and are inspired by God.
*6 “One baptism” – The baptism that gives witness to a person’s faith, repentance, and submission to Christ.
