What We Believe

The following are the core beliefs of Castine Church 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 to be complete truth, completely inspired by God (God oversaw every aspect of the Bible's writing and fully endorses every aspect of its content as His truth) without error in the original writings, and the supreme and final authority (power or right) in Castine's faith and practice.

The Trinity refers to God as three persons: God the Father, God the Son Jesus, and God the Holy Spirit. We acknowledge that the term "Trinity" is not found in the Bible and therefore we are open to different terms. However, we firmly believe the Bible speaks of one God existing eternally (without end) in three persons with equality in nature, glory and purpose. (See, Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Corinthians 8:4, which express one God). The three persons representing one God are:

1. God the Father, completely equal in power and authority with Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit (see, Matthew 6:10-13; John 10:30; Acts 5:3-4). 
2. Jesus Christ, completely equal in power and authority with the Father and the Holy Spirit (see, Matthew 6:10-13; John 10:30; Acts 5:3-4).
3. Holy Spirit, completely equal in power and authority with Jesus Christ and the Father (see, Matthew 6:10-13; John 10:30; Acts 5:3-4).

We believe that the Holy Spirit is personal (He may be lied to, Acts 5:3; blasphemed (to speak without respect about or to God), Matthew 12:31; grieved, Ephesians 4:30), and that He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, John 16:8. He is one who makes it possible for each believer to live the Christian life, Romans 8:1-2. He also distributes supernatural gifts (those that can only come from God) to each believer to serve God and the church, 1 Corinthians 12:11.

We believe that salvation is first understood in a person's relationship to God before salvation. The Bible teaches that all have sinned (Romans 3:23), resulting in an adversarial (opposing) relationship to God (John 3:36). Sin makes it impossible for someone to have peace with God and ultimately a place in heaven. Jesus brings reconciliation to one's sinful position. Jesus satisfied God the Father's required payment for sin, eternal separation from Him, and freely offers eternal life to all that will accept Jesus' payment for his or her personal sin.

1. Salvation can only be obtained through Jesus Christ's payment for sin, John 3:36; 14:6. 
2. Salvation is a willful surrender (repentance) from living by one's current way of life to a commitment to live by God's requirements as taught in the Bible. In other words, there is a decisive change in the way one understands life. No longer is the first question, "What do I want," but, instead, "What does God want" (Acts 3:19; 17:30-31; 2 Corinthians 5:17). 

We believe that baptism is for anyone who has experienced the repentance of sin and received salvation through Jesus Christ. We baptize, by immersion (under water), based on the formula given by Jesus in Matthew 28:19 and explained in Romans 6:1-5.  Since we do not baptize infants, those unable to understand salvation, we offer services of dedication for infants.

1. We understand baptism to be a response of obedience to the teaching of the New Testament. 
2. We understand baptism to be a sign indicating one’s saving relationship with Jesus Christ. 

We believe that all who have accepted the payment of Jesus Christ, for personal sin, are immediately adopted into God’s family as children of God. Further, all children of God will spend eternity in heaven with God, Romans 8:14-17. Just as heaven is eternal, likewise is hell (Matthew 25:46). The Bible teaches that there will be an eternal, everlasting conscience suffering (torment) for those dying without acceptance of Jesus Christ.

We believe that just as Jesus bodily arose from the grave, victorious over sin and death, He ascended into heaven to return to the earth in bodily form as He left, Acts 1:11; Revelation 1:7. At this time, Jesus will receive all that belong to Him into heaven and pronounce judgment on all others to eternal-conscience suffering, Matthew, 25:31-46.

We believe him to be a personal being (Matthew 4:1-11), powerful (Jude 9), and eternally defeated (Revelation 20:10). His mission is to promulgate or teach lies that confuse and destroy the people of God (John 8:44, John 10:10)

We believe, by sincere conviction and by God’s divine precepts that the gift of a sexual relationship is exclusive to one man and one woman in a lifelong marriage. 1 Corinthians 6:13; 1 Corinthians 6:18-20; Hebrews 13:4

Lord’s Supper is open to all that share a salvation experience with Jesus Christ. We share in Lord’s Supper four times each year, two of which take place during the Sunday morning worship. Participants share in the Bread and Cup by coming forward to the front of the church to receive them. Two additional times (1st Sunday in October and Maundy Thursday) we dedicate an evening service to the Lord’s Supper. The service begins with Self-examination, Feet washing, Fellowship meal, and ending with the celebration of the Bread and Cup.

We believe that Jesus Christ was born of God the Father, God the Holy Spirit, and the Virgin Mary. “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. . .” “So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us’” Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:22-23.

The scriptural basis for the ordinance of anointing is strong, especially as contained in the direct command of James 5:13-16. We believe all healing has its source in God, and recognize that sometimes miraculous healing occurs which defies medical explanation. God also uses human skill and wisdom to heal. We believe there is physical, emotional, spiritual and psychological healing. We believe in anointing with anointing oil and the laying on of hands