About St. Thomas Aquinas
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St. Thomas Aquinas is a multigenerational church that exists to help people find and follow God. We seek to provide a safe place for people of all walks of life to experience true life-change through authentic, biblical community with God. Regardless of your story, your doubts, or your struggles,you are welcome at St. Thomas Aquinas in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. So come as you are. We can't wait for you to visit and to welcome you home. We believe that the Holy Spirit dwells in all believers, and through the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, a distinct experience from salvation, believers are empowered for Christian service, and gifted for this service.
The Church consists of all who have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ for their eternal salvation and is the spiritual body of Christ. This includes all the redeemed of the ages, believers from among all peoples from every tribe, tongue, and nation. The primary purpose of the Church is to worship God and glorify Him by building up believers and effectively reaching the world with the gospel of Christ. We believe that Christ is the King, the High Priest, and a Holy Prophet of the church (Acts 3:22-23; Hebrews 4:14; 8:1). God ordained the ministry of the local church to include taking the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world and thereby accomplish His redemptive purposes among all peoples. The local congregation is a gathering of believers who are associated by the New Covenant in the faith and fellowship of the Spirit; observe the ordinances of Christ; are governed by His laws; and exercise the gifts, rights, and privileges within them by the power of the Word and the Holy Spirit. Its only proper officers are Elders and Deacons, whose qualifications, claims, and duties are defined in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus.
About Jesus Christ: Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father. He is 100% God and 100% man. His physical life was conceived through the power of the Holy Spirit. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, performed miracles, died on the cross for mankind and thus, atoned for our sins through the shedding of His blood. He rose from the dead on the third day according to the scriptures, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and will return again in power and glory to reign forever as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
About Salvation: We believe in salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ; that this salvation is based upon the sovereign grace of God; that it was purchased by Christ on the cross; that it is received through faith, apart from any human merit, works, or ritual; and that salvation results in righteous living, good works and biblically informed actions to bring about godly justice wherever we live.