Our Beliefs

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”  

Eph. 2:8-9

Jesus never asked His disciples to remember His birth, but He did instruct them to remember His death and resurrection.  He gave the church two symbols or ordinances as ever-present reminders of His death.  They are:  Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

At North Point we practice two ordinances:

  1. Baptism
  2. The Lord’s Supper

The Importance of Being Baptized

 Why Should I Be Baptized?

1.To follow the example set by Jesus Christ.

      Mark 1:9 “At that time Jesus came from Nazareth and was baptized by John in the river.”

2. Because Christ Commands it.

      Matthew 28:19-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.”

Baptism after salvation publicly demonstrates to others that I really have become a Christian.

      Acts 18:8 “…many of the people who heard Him believed and were baptized.”

      1 John 2:3 “We know that we have come to know Him, if we obey His commands.”

What is the Meaning of Baptism?
  1. It illustrates Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. 

1 Corinthians 15:3-4  “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the  third day according to the Scriptures.

2. It illustrates my new life as a Christian.    

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

Baptism doesn’t make you a believer…it shows that you are a  believer.  Baptism does not save you, only your faith in Christ can do that.  

Baptism is like a wedding ring…

It is the outward symbol of the commitment you have already made in your heart.

At North Point, we require that every person seeking membership has been or be willing to be baptized the way Jesus demonstrated, by immersion, even if you were “confirmed” or “sprinkled” as a child.

The Importance of the Lord’s Supper

I Corinthians 11:23-29(NLT); For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed the Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it.  Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.” In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people-an agreement confirmed with my blood.  Do this to remember me as often as you drink it.”  For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.  So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.  That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup.  For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself.       

 

Based on 1 Corinthians 11:23-29:

  • The Lord’s Supper is to be taken seriously. (vs. 27)
  • The Lord’s Supper should be taken by those in an ongoing relationship with Christ.
  • The Lord’s Supper should cause us to remember what Christ has done for us. (vs24)
  • The Lord’s Supper should cause us to examine our lives. (vs. 27-29)