Providence Reformed Church heartily subscribes to the reformed confessions commonly called “The Standards of Unity”. These standards include the Heidelberg Catechism, the Belgic Confession of Faith, and the Canons of Dordrecht. These forms of unity also include a subscription to the historic church creeds: the Apostles Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed. Although we hold these confessions very dear and find them complete and suitable for the expression of our faith, yet we recognize that they are the writings of men. Therefore, we find our chief delight in the Holy Scriptures, the word of God, and find them perfect, inspired by God Himself and therefore inerrant, the only foundation for faith and practice.
Our primary mandate is to preserve this scriptural confession for our posterity and the world in which we live. Moreover, since the truth of God is best preserved by teaching, we hold very highly the preaching and teaching of the word of God. Our primary comfort is that the word of God, in the hands of the Holy Spirit, will always bring forth fruits of repentance toward God, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and a sanctified lifestyle, which brings glory to God. Moreover, since this light of the gospel can not be hid, we expect to be used by the Lord to hold forth the Word of Life to those who perish around us.
The Holy Bible is the word of God. 2 Peter 1:20-21 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
New birth in Jesus Christ is a real, living experience of misery, deliverance, and thankfulness. Romans 7:24-25 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
The death and life of Jesus Christ are both the reasons for a believer’s acceptance with God and the spring of a believer’s obedience to God. Galatians 2:19-20 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
The mission of Jesus Christ is fulfilled through the testimony of the church, unto the ends of the earth. Acts 13:47 For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.