Statement of Faith
The Avenue Village NZ joyfully affirms the historic, biblical Christian faith as revealed in Holy Scripture. This Statement of Faith summarizes what we believe, teach, and proclaim, and it governs our life and ministry as a church.
Scripture
We believe that the Bible, consisting of the Old and New Testaments, is the inspired, inerrant, and authoritative Word of God. Scripture alone is sufficient and final in all matters of faith and life, and everything we teach and practice must be tested by it.
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”
(2 Timothy 3:16–17)
“Your word is truth.”
(John 17:17)
God
We believe in one true and living God, eternally existing in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, equal in power, glory, and majesty. God created all things for His glory and sovereignly rules over all He has made.
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.”
(Deuteronomy 6:4)
“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!”
(Isaiah 6:3)
The True Jesus Christ
We believe in the True Jesus Christ as revealed in Scripture, not a Jesus shaped by culture, tradition, or imagination, but the Jesus testified to by the Word of God.
Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, fully God and fully man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, and perfectly obeyed the will of the Father. He came not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.
The Scriptures foretold both who He is and what He would suffer.
“As many were astonished at you— His appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and His form beyond that of the children of mankind.”
(Isaiah 52:14)
This suffering was not accidental, nor merely physical, but purposeful and redemptive.
“He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief… He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed.”
(Isaiah 53:3–5)
Jesus Christ died on the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice, bearing the wrath of God in the place of sinners. He rose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, and now reigns as Lord at the right hand of the Father. He will return bodily in glory to judge the living and the dead.
“For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”
(2 Corinthians 5:21)
“It is finished.”
(John 19:30)
This is the True Jesus Christ, the One who loves sinners, suffered in their place, and laid down His life to save them.
Concerning the Physical Appearance of the True Jesus Christ
We believe that Scripture also speaks clearly about the physical appearance and humiliation of the True Jesus Christ. The Bible does not present Him as outwardly impressive, physically attractive, or glorious according to human standards.
“He had no form or majesty that we should look at Him, and no beauty that we should desire Him.”
(Isaiah 53:2)
During His suffering, His appearance was so disfigured and marred that it astonished those who saw Him.
“His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and his form marred beyond human likeness”
(Isaiah 52:14)
For this reason, we reject the idea that the True Jesus Christ can be accurately represented or defined by human images, artistic portrayals, or religious icons. Scripture alone reveals who He is. The Jesus we proclaim is not known by paintings, statues, or visual traditions, but by the Word of God.
“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”
(Romans 10:17)
The True Jesus Christ is known not by outward appearance, but by His person, His work, His suffering for sinners, and His finished work on the cross. He is the Suffering Servant who loved His people and gave Himself for them.
Salvation
We believe that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Salvation is entirely the work of God, from election and regeneration to justification, sanctification, and final glorification. Sinners are justified by faith apart from works and declared righteous solely on the basis of Christ’s finished work.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith… not a result of works.”
(Ephesians 2:8–9)
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
(Romans 5:1)
Justification by Faith Alone
At the very heart of the gospel is this glorious truth:
God justifies sinners.
We believe that justification is a gracious and once-for-all act of God whereby He declares the ungodly righteous solely on the basis of the finished work of Jesus Christ. This declaration is not grounded in any merit, effort, or cooperation on our part, but entirely in the righteousness of Christ credited to us and received through faith alone.
Scripture teaches:
“The righteous shall live by faith.”
(Romans 1:17)
“We hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.”
(Romans 3:28)
“To the one who does not work but believes… his faith is counted as righteousness.”
(Romans 4:5)
“If it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.”
(Romans 11:6)
“A person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ.”
(Galatians 2:16)
We therefore confess that justification is:
- Forensic: a legal declaration before God (Romans 8:33).
- Complete and final: secured by Christ’s finished work (Hebrews 10:14).
- Grounded entirely in Christ’s righteousness: not infused into us as merit, but credited to us by grace (2 Corinthians 5:21).
- Received through faith alone: not by works, lest anyone should boast (Ephesians 2:8–9).
Good works are the necessary fruit of salvation (Ephesians 2:10; James 2:17), but they are never the ground of our acceptance before God. Our standing with God rests entirely in Christ and His obedience, not in our performance.
Because justification by faith alone safeguards the sufficiency of Christ’s atoning work and preserves the freeness of grace, we affirm that any teaching which makes justification increase through human cooperation, or which blends grace and works as the basis of our righteous standing before God, departs from the apostolic pattern set forth in Scripture.
Because the doctrine of justification by faith alone stands at the very heart of the gospel, we believe it is not a secondary or peripheral matter. The apostle Paul warns that to alter the gospel is to preach “another gospel” (Galatians 1:6–9), and he speaks of the danger of proclaiming “another Jesus” (2 Corinthians 11:4).
For this reason, we affirm that any teaching which blends grace and works in the ground of justification, or which redefines justification as something other than God’s once-for-all declaration of righteousness through faith alone, departs from the apostolic gospel. Such a deviation does not merely adjust theological vocabulary; it alters the structure of salvation itself and therefore affects the proclamation of Christ as Savior.
We say this not in a spirit of hostility, but out of reverence for the sufficiency of Christ’s finished work and a desire to guard the purity of the gospel entrusted to the Church (Galatians 1:8–9; 1 Timothy 6:3–4).
Our hope, assurance, and peace with God rest wholly in Jesus Christ:
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
(Romans 5:1)
We proclaim this truth not with hostility, but with gratitude and joy, for it magnifies the grace of God, exalts the finished work of Christ, humbles the sinner, and provides unshakable assurance to all who believe.
All glory belongs to God alone.
The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit applies the work of Christ to the hearts of God’s people. He regenerates, indwells, sanctifies, and empowers believers to live lives of obedience, holiness, and love, producing spiritual fruit for the glory of God.
“Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”
(John 3:5)
The Church
We believe that the Church is the body of Christ, composed of all true believers. The local church is to be governed by Scripture, led by biblically qualified elders, and devoted to the preaching of the Word, prayer, fellowship, the ordinances, and the making of disciples. Jesus Christ alone is the Head of the Church.
“And He is the head of the body, the church.”
(Colossians 1:18)
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”
(Acts 2:42)
The Christian Life
We believe that believers are called to deny themselves, take up their cross daily, and follow Christ. The Christian life is marked by repentance, faith, obedience, prayer, love for God and others, and joyful endurance in trusting Christ completely.
“If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.”
(Luke 9:23)
The Mission
We believe the mission of the Church is to proclaim the Gospel of the True Jesus Christ: who He is and what He has done, to make disciples in obedience to the Great Commission, and to plant faithful churches for future generations, all for the glory of God.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…”
(Matthew 28:18–20)
Last Things
We believe in the bodily resurrection of the dead, the final judgment, the eternal joy of the redeemed in the presence of God, and the eternal punishment of the unrepentant.
“And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
(Matthew 25:46)
This is the Jesus we proclaim, the True Jesus Christ, who loved sinners and gave Himself for them. There is salvation in no one else.
“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
(Acts 4:12)
To understand why we emphasize proclaiming the True Jesus Christ as revealed in Scripture, we invite you to read:
→ Why We Say “True Jesus Christ”
The Avenue Village NZ exists to proclaim the True Jesus Christ as revealed in Scripture, to make disciples through faithful preaching and teaching of God’s Word, and to plant biblical churches in New Zealand and beyond.