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SUPREMACY OF THE SCRIPTURES

The Holy Scriptures as originally written were God breathed (verbally inspired) and the product of Spirit-controlled men, and therefore, is truth without error in the original manuscripts and has been preserved by God for us today. We believe the Bible to be the supreme standard by which all human thought, conduct, creeds, and opinions shall be tried, and it is sufficient to meet man’s every spiritual need (2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21, Psalm 19:7-11).

THE ONE TRUE GOD

God is a sovereign, living, intelligent, rational being and He has a plan for man and the universe. We believe God has the will, power, and authority and is actively engaged in carrying that plan to completion. (Romans 8:28-30, Daniel 4:34-35).

There is one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They are equal in every Divine attribute, and executing distinct but harmonious roles (Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Matt 28:19; Romans 1:20; 1 Corinthians 8:6, 12:4-6; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18; Hebrews 3:4; 1 Peter 1:15-16; 1 John 5:7).

God is absolute and sole Creator and Sustainer of the universe. Creation was formed by divine command, from nothing, in a literal six days, and not through a random evolutionary process (Genesis 1:1; John 1:3, 10; Acts 17:24-25).

God is inexpressibly glorious in Holiness, and worthy of all honor, glory and praise (Exodus 15:11; Psalm 83:18; 147:5; Isaiah 6:3; Jeremiah 10:10).

THE DEITY OF CHRIST & HIS VIRGIN BIRTH

Jesus Christ is truly God by whom and for whom “all things were created.” We believe that Jesus was begotten of the Holy Spirit in a miraculous manner, born of a virgin, without sin, and that He is both fully God and fully man (Luke 1:35; John 1:1-3, 14; Colossians 1:15-16; Hebrews 1:8, 4:15, 7:26).

THE DEITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit is a divine personage. He is equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature and was active in the creation. He restrains the Evil One until God’s purpose is fulfilled. He convicts of sin, judgment, and righteousness and bears witness to the truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony. He is the agent in the new birth and He seals, baptizes, fills, indwells, empowers, imparts spiritual gifts, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies, protects, comforts, and intercedes for the believer in accordance with the Scriptures (Genesis 1:1-3; John 3:5-6, 14:16-17, 26, 16:8, 16:13; Romans 8:14-16, 26-27; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18).

THE FALL OF MAN

Man was created from the dust of the earth in innocence and holiness, in the image of God, under the law of his Maker; but in choosing to disobey God, he sinned and fell from his sinless and happy state. As a consequence, physical, spiritual, and eternal death spread to all men. By Adam all mankind are now sinners not only by nature, but also by choice, and therefore under just condemnation without defense or excuse (Genesis 1:26-27; 2:7; 3:1-6; Job 15:14; 25:4; Psalm 14:1-3; Jeremiah 17:9; Ecclesiastes 7:20; Romans 1:18, 32, 3:10-12, 23, 5:10-19).

SALVATION

ATONEMENT FOR SIN

Salvation of sinners is through grace alone by faith alone in Christ alone, who by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Himself our nature, yet was without sin. Christ honored the Divine Law by His personal obedience, and by His blood made a full and vicarious atonement for our sin. His atonement was a voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place, the Just for the unjust. It was Christ, the Lord, bearing our sins in His own body on the cross. Having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in Heaven, and intercedes on our behalf (Isaiah 53:4-7; John 3:16, 10:17; Romans 3:24-25; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 John 4:10).

REGENERATION

In order to be saved, sinners must be born again through faith in the substitutionary atonement and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Such faith allows one dead in trespasses and in sin to immediately be made a partaker of the divine nature, Christ’s imputed righteousness, and eternal life, the free gift of God. This New Creation is brought about solely by the power of the Holy Spirit, in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel. This work is evident by repentance, faith and newness of life (Ezekiel 36:26-27; John 3:3, 6-8; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1-6; 2 Corinthians 5:17).

ELECTION

God, before the foundation of the world, in order that His glory be most evidently seen, chose those whom He would draw from the bondage of sin to repentance in Christ. God’s choice was not based on the merit of sinful man but solely based on His sovereign foreknowledge, grace and mercy. Though God’s sovereign plan will inevitably come to pass, man will be held responsible for his choice to repent and turn to Christ as both Savior and Lord. All whom the Father has chosen will come to Him, and He will not cast them out. God’s sovereignty in election works in harmony with the rest of His attributes, especially His love, grace, wisdom, justice, and holiness (Matthew 11:25-28; John 3:18, 6:37-40, 44, 65, 10:27; Acts 2:38, 16:31; Romans 8:28-29, 9:11-16, 10:13; Ephesians 1:4-11, 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Titus 3:4-7; 1 Peter 1:2).

JUSTIFICATION

Justification is a legal declaration of righteousness for all who believe. Justification provides the pardon of sin and the promise of eternal life based on Christ’s perfect and imputed righteousness. He justifies, not in consideration of any works of righteousness, which we have done, but solely through faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1, 9, 8:1-4; Titus 3:5-7).

FAITH

True faith is a gift from God, and involves both belief and repentance from sin. One must believe that they are sinful and need the perfect work of Christ as complete payment for their sins. They must also repent by turning from their sin, turning to Christ, and trust Him fully for salvation (Matthew 11:28-30; Luke 13:3,5; John 17:3; Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Thessalonians 1:9;Hebrews 11:1; James 2:19; 1 John 2:3).

SANCTIFICATION

At the point of conversion, the believer is positionally sanctified, in that he is set apart to God and declared righteous. Although believers continue to possess a sinful nature and struggle with sin, they are progressively being conformed to the image of Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit. This process of sanctification will only be complete when we see Christ (John 17:17, 19; 1 Corinthians 1:2, 6:11; 2 Corinthians 3:18, 7:1; Ephesians 2:8-9; Philippians 2:12-13, 3:21; 1 Thessalonians 3:3-4; 2 Timothy 2:21; Hebrews 10:10-14; 1 John 3:2).

ETERNAL SECURITY

Those who are truly regenerated cannot lose their salvation. Having been sealed by the Holy Spirit, they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. It is impossible for one truly born into the family of God to ever be lost again (Matthew 6:30-33; John 1:12, 5:24; 6:39-40; 10:27-29; 13:10, 18; Romans 8:38-39; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Philippians 1:6; Hebrews 1:14; 1 Peter 1:3-5; 1 John 2:27-28, 5:11-13; Jude 24-25).

THE CHURCH

THE LOCAL CONGREGATION

The local congregation is an organized body of believers, associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the gospel, observing the ordinances and carrying out the principles, practices, precepts and commission of Christ (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:41-47; 14:23; Colossians 1:18, 3:13-17; Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Timothy 3:14-15).

The one and only Head of the local congregation is Christ through the Holy Spirit. It is scriptural for the church to cooperate with each other in obeying His commands and for the furtherance of the Gospel. Each local congregation is the sole judge of the measure and method of its operation in all matters of membership, government, discipline, and benevolence.

UNIVERSAL BODY OF CHRIST

There is a universal body which is called the body of Christ or the bride of Christ, where Christ is the living groom and head. Believers in many countries and in many denominations are a part of this body (Romans 12:4-8; 1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 5:23-32; Colossians 3:1).

ORDINANCES

The scriptural ordinances of the church are baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism must be administered by the local congregation to believers only. It is a symbol of their belief in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and their spiritual death, burial and resurrection with Him. It is also a testimony to the world of their belief. The Lord’s Supper will be administered by the local assembly, to obedient believers who are walking in fellowship with Christ. No salvific grace is imparted through either of these ordinances (Matthew 3:16; Acts 8:35-39; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 11:23-28; Colossians 2:12).

HUMAN SEXUALITY

Marriage, which is sanctioned by God, is when one man and one woman are joined in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of marriage. Any form of sexual immorality, such as adultery, fornication, polygamy, homosexuality, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, pornography or any attempt to change one’s sex, or disagreement with one’s biological sex, is sinful and offensive to God (Genesis 2:18-25; 1 Corinthians 6:18; 7:2-5; Hebrews 13:4; Matthew 15:18-20; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

SPIRITUAL GIFTS

Every member of the body has been uniquely gifted by the Holy Spirit for service. All gifts are to be implemented in unity and love for the edification of the body of Christ. It is our goal to encourage our members to develop and use their spiritual gifts (John 14:16-18; 16:7-14; Romans 8:1-14, 12:4-8; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 12:12-27; Ephesians 5:18; 6:17; 1 Peter 4:8-11).

ANGELS

God created an innumerable host of sinless angelic beings. They have served Him in various ways and are specially appointed to watch over and minister to God’s people.

At some time in the past a large number of angels, under the leadership of Satan, rebelled against God and were removed from His presence. They now roam the universe and are especially active on earth, opposing God and His purposes and ruling over the spiritual darkness of this world. Satan, also called the Devil, is a real person who has tremendous power and is the enemy of God’s people. He is a deceiver, the father of lies, and a murderer. He is destined to be judged by Christ at His return and finally to be eternally incarcerated in the lake of fire (Job 38:4-7; Isaiah 14:12-17; Ezekiel 28:11-19; Matthew 25:41; Luke 2:13-14; John 8:44-45; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Hebrews 1:6-7, 2:7; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6; Revelation 5:11-14, 12:9).

END TIMES

We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord Jesus Christ. The resurrected Lord and Savior ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father where he reigns as king forever. We believe in “that blessed hope:” that it is the personal, and imminent return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We believe in the resurrection of the righteous dead at Christ’s second-coming and the change of the living believers in Christ. Those who have believed in Jesus will receive their eternal reward, while those who have rejected Him as Savior and Lord will face judgment and eternal conscious punishment in Hell (Matthew 25:46; John 14:1-6; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:11-13; 2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 20:11-15).