What We Believe

At Temecula Hills, we have two documents that describe our doctrinal beliefs. Below is our “What We Believe” statement that offers a general statement of our beliefs. For our teaching team, elders, and leaders, we also have a more detailed statement that delineates specific positions our church teaches. To see this more detailed statement, please click here.

What We Believe

The Bible

We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, fully inspired and without error in the original manuscripts, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and that it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct. (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20,21; Mark 13:31; John 8:31,32; John 20:31; Acts 20:32 )

Nothing is to be added to or taken away from the Scriptures in any way such as new revelation or traditions of men. It is the standard by which all knowledge is tested (Deuteronomy 4:7, 12.32; Revelation 22:18,19; Galatians 1:8; Colossians 2:8).

God

We believe God, as revealed in the Bible, is the one and only living and true God. He is the holy, sovereign, self-existent and self-sufficient One (Deuteronomy 6:4; John 5:39, Isaiah 43:10, 11; Isaiah 6:3; Psalm 135:6; Exodus 3:14).

God reveals Himself to us in the Trinity as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each equal in His nature, essence, and being, yet each possessing distinct personal characteristics suitable to His person and work (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 Peter 1:2).

Jesus Christ

We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, and teachings. We believe in His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal visible return to earth. (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; John 1:1; 20:28; Romans 9:5, 8:46; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:21-23; John 20:30-31; Matthew 20:28; Ephesians 1:4; Acts 1:11; Romans 5:6-8, 6:9-10; Hebrews 7:25, 9:28; 1 Timothy 3:16).

The Holy Spirit

We believe in the Holy Spirit who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ, and that He is an abiding helper, teacher and guide. (John 14:16-17, 14:26, 15:26-27; John 16:9-14; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19; Galatians 5:22-26).

We believe that the Holy Spirit administers spiritual gifts to the church (John 16:13-14; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; 2 Corinthians 3:18). In this respect, God the Holy Spirit is sovereign in the bestowing of all His gifts for the perfecting of the saints today (1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 13:8-10; 2 Corinthians 12:12; Ephesians 4:7-12; Hebrews 2:1-4).

Man

We believe that man was created by God in His own image; that he sinned and thereby incurred physical, spiritual and eternal death, which is separation from God; that as a consequence, all human beings are born with a sinful nature, are sinners by choice, and are therefore under condemnation and subject to the wrath of God.

But God determined, by a covenant of grace, that sinners might receive forgiveness and eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. Faith in Christ has always been the only way of salvation.

We believe that those who repent and forsake sin and trust Jesus Christ as Savior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit and become new creatures, delivered from condemnation and receive eternal life. (Genesis 1:26, 5:2, 2:17, 3:19; Ecclesiastes 2:11; John 1:13, 3:14, 3:16, 5:24, 5:30, 7:13, 8:12, 10:26; Romans 8:1, 9:22, 3:19, 5:19; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Revelation 19:3, 19:20, 20:10, 20:14-15, 21:18; Psalm 51:7; Jeremiah 17:9; James 1:14; Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:9; 2 Corinthians 5:17).

The Church, local and universal

We believe that all those who have faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord are united by the indwelling Holy Spirit into one spiritual and physical body called the church, of which Jesus Christ is the head. This church is made manifest in each local church that recognizes Jesus as Lord and Savior and serves Him according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 1:1-2, 12:12-27; Romans 12:5; Ephesians 1:13b-14; Colossians 1:18).

God’s purpose in establishing His church is to glorify Himself by making known His manifold wisdom, which He demonstrated in Jesus Christ. This is accomplished when believers:

  1. Gather together in the power and unity of the Holy Spirit for worship by the proclamation of the Word, praise, prayer, and participation in the ordinances of the church (Hebrews 10:25; Acts 2:42-47);
  2. Mutually exercise the gifts of the Holy Spirit for the edification, equipping, and growth of the members for works of service (Ephesians 3:10-11, 4:11-13; 1 Corinthians 12:4-7; 1 Peter 4:10);
  3. Proclaim the good news of God’s saving grace in Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world (Matthew 28:19,20);
  4. Are salt and light in all of our various callings (Matthew 5:13-16).

The Ordinances

We believe that two ordinances have been committed to the local church: baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Acts 2:38-42).

Christian baptism by immersion (Acts 8:36-39) is the solemn and beautiful testimony of a believer showing forth his faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, and his union with Him in death to sin and resurrection to a new life (Romans 6:1-11). It is also a sign of fellowship and identification with the visible Body of Christ (Acts 2:41-42).

We believe that the Lord’s Supper was instituted by Christ for commemoration of His death, which is to be observed regularly to call into remembrance the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on our behalf, until He returns (Acts 2:38, 2:42; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).

Last Things

We believe that God has appointed a day when Jesus Christ will bodily return (Titus 2:13; John 14:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-5:11) in glory to judge the world in righteousness.

His justice will be displayed in the resurrection to eternal punishment of all unbelievers, who will be cast into Hell to experience separation from God forever. His mercy will be displayed by the gathering of all believers in resurrected and glorified bodies to everlasting life and fullness of joy in the presence of the Lord (Matthew 24:36, 25:31; John 5.28,29; Revelation 21:3; Mark 13.26-27; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; Revelation 19:11-16; Revelation 21:8).