• We believe the Bible is the written word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit to be without error in the original manuscripts. The Bible is the revelation of God's truth and is authoritative to be the only rule of faith and life.

• We believe in the Trinity. There is one God, who exists eternally in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are the same in substance, equal in power and glory.

• We believe all people are created by God and in his image; yet, they seek to live self-centered lives alienated from God. This alienation, results in God's just displeasure, and can only be remedied by God's merciful intervention.

• We believe salvation is the work of God, as he chooses to show saving mercy to some that leads them to faith in Jesus. His choice is based only on God's grace and not on any person's individual merit or foreseen faith.

• We believe Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, fully God and fully man. Through his perfect life and sacrificial death, he restored the relationship between God and all who trust his work on their behalf.

• We believe the Holy Spirit enables people to understand the things of God, renews their wills, and draws them to Christ so they profess faith. The Spirit then indwells God's people, giving them the desire and ability to serve the Lord.

• We believe God voluntarily establishes a relationship with his creatures through a covenant. God shows favor not just to individuals, but also to families of those who put their trust in him. Those who are saved have a holy fellowship and communion with God and each other.

• We believe Jesus rose from the dead and will return bodily and visibly to judge the living and the dead. Those who trust in Christ will be raised to eternal life, and those who by their unbelief remain alienated from God will be raised to everlasting judgment.

• We believe all aspects of life are to be lived to the glory of God through faith and obedience to Jesus Christ.

Covenant Presbyterian Church of Fort Smith is a confessional church. As part of the Presbyterian Church in America (www.pcanet.org), we adhere to a written confession of faith that we believe to be a good and accurate summary of the Bible’s teaching: The Westminster Confession of Faith, including the Westminster Larger and Shorter Catechisms. We believe these standards are excellent summaries of the doctrines of the Bible.

We hold to the Solas of the Protestant Reformation:

Sola Scriptura

The Bible is the sole written divine revelation and alone can bind the conscience of believers absolutely (Matt. 4:4; 2 Tim. 3:16).

Sola Fide

Justification is by faith alone. The merit of Christ imputed to us by faith is the sole ground of our acceptance by God, by which our sins are remitted (Rom. 5:1; Gal 2:16).

Solus Christus

Christ is the only mediator through Whose work we are redeemed (John 14:6; John 3:16).

Sola Gratia

Our salvation rests solely on the work of God’s grace for us (Rom. 2:4; Eph. 2:8-10).

Soli Deo Gloria

To God alone belongs the glory (Isa. 42:8; Col. 3:17).

A helpful article on what we believe as Presbyterians by Dr. G. Aiken Taylor can be found here.