GOD

We believe that there is but one living and true God, Who is spirit in nature, existing eternally in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is the Creator of the universe, all creation, and supreme ruler thereof.

THE HOLY SCRIPTURES

We believe that the Bible is the inerrant, authoritative, verbal, plenary, inspired Word of God as represented in the original manuscripts. The Bible consists of 66 books written by men under the superintendence of the Holy Spirit. God’s Word has been delivered once and for all to the saints, and therefore the canon of Scripture is closed.

Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Corinthians 8:4-6; Exodus 20:1-3; Psalm 83:18. 1 Thessalonians 1:9; Jeremiah 10:10. John 4:24. Psalm 90:2; 1 Timothy 1:17; Revelation 22:13. Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 2:18. Genesis 1:1; Nehemiah 9:6; Job 38:4-7; Psalm 96:5; Isaiah 37:16. Colossians 1:16; Isaiah 66:2; Revelation 4:11. Psalm 103:19; 2 Chronicles 20:6; 1 Timothy 6:15. 8 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Matthew 5:18-19, 24:35; John 16:12-13; Psalm 119:89; Isaiah 40:8. 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; John 16:12-13. Jude 3; Revelation 22:18-19. 11

MAN

We believe that Adam and Eve were directly and immediately created by God in His image and likeness, free from sin, with the intent that they should glorify God, enjoy God’s fellowship, live in God’s will, and by this accomplish God’s purpose in the world. Through Adam’s sin of disobedience, man lost his innocence, incurred the penalty of physical and spiritual death, became subject to God’s wrath, and became corrupt. Man is thus hopelessly lost apart from salvation through the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST

We believe that Jesus Christ is the only Son of the Father, Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born unto the virgin Mary as fully God and fully man, two natures concurring in One Person, perfect and without sin. He was crucified, arose from the dead bodily on the third day and ascended to the right hand of the Father in heaven where He is now ministering as our Advocate and High Priest. 

Genesis 2:7-25. Genesis 1:26. Genesis 2:7-25, 3:6-24. Genesis 2:7-25; Matthew 5:16; Psalm 86:12; Philippians 2:10-11. Genesis 3:6.  Genesis 2:17; Romans 1:18-32, 3:9-18, 3:23, 6:23; Ephesians 2:1-3; Jeremiah 17:9. Ephesians 2:1-3. 18 Ephesians 1:7 Galatians 2:20; Colossians 1:14, 20-22; Romans 3:24-26; Titus 2:14. John 1:14, 3:16. Luke 1:31-35. Luke 1:35; Colossians 2:9; Romans 9:5; 1 Timothy 3:16. Hebrews 4:15. Philippians 2:8; Romans 4:25. Luke 24; Romans 4:25; 1 Corinthians 15:20, 23; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14. 25 Acts 1:9-11; Ephesians 1:20; Hebrews 4:14. 26 1 John 2:1. 27 Hebrews 4:14-15, 5:6, 9:24.

THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe that the Holy Spirit glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ in all that He does. He was sent at Pentecost to initiate and complete the building of the Body of Christ. His divine activity includes convicting the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ and, by His continual filling, transforming believers into Christ’s likeness. He baptizes all believers into the Body of Christ at the moment of salvation; indwelling, sanctifying, instructing, and empowering them for service through the giving of spiritual gifts; and sealing them unto the day of redemption. 

SALVATION

We believe that salvation of lost mankind is wholly of God by grace, through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, by the merit of His shed blood; not on the basis of human merit, or by works. It is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit by which we receive eternal life and share in the divine nature . Repentance which is by faith in the substitutional death of Christ is essential in it. On the basis of Christ’s substitutionary death which provided propitiation for our sins, God declares us righteous (justified) in Christ, having been reconciled to God. All the redeemed once saved are kept by God’s power and are secure in Christ forever. The assurance of our salvation is based solely upon the promise of God’s Word.

John 16:14. 29 Acts 1:8. John 16:7-11. 31 2 Corinthians 3:6, 18; Titus 3:5. 32 1 Corinthians 12:13. 33 John 14:16-17; 1 Corinthians 6:19; Romans 8:9. 2 Thessalonians 2:13. John 14:26, 16:13. 1 Corinthians 12:4-11. Ephesians 1:13, 4:30. 2 Timothy 1:9, 2:10; Ephesians 1:4-6, 2:8-10; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Romans 8:29-30. Ephesians 1:7; Romans 5:9-10. Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 2:14; 2 Timothy 1:9. Ephesians 4:30; Titus 3:5-7. 2 Peter 1:4. John 1:12, 5:24; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Mark 1:15; Matthew 4:17. 

SANCTIFICATION

We believe that every believer is “set apart” i.e., sanctified unto God by the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. Every believer is therefore declared to be holy and identified as a saint. In yielding to the Spirit in obedience to the Word of God, the believer is able to live a life of increasing holiness, becoming more and more like the Lord Jesus Christ, though never reaching sinless perfection in this life. There is a conflict between the new creation in Christ and the flesh that continues throughout this earthly life, but the Holy Spirit does provide victory over sin.

Romans 3:24-25; 1 John 2:2. Romans 5:1, 18; 2 Corinthians 5:21. 2 Corinthians 5:19. Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:30; Romans 8:31-39; John 6:39, 10:27-30.  1 John 5:13.  1 Corinthians 1:2, 30; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4, 5:23; Ephesians 5:26; Hebrews 10:10. 1 Corinthians 1:2, 30; Jude 3; 1 Peter 1:14-16. Romans 6:8. Romans 7:21-25; 1 Tim 1:16; 1 John 1:8-10. 53 Colossians 3:9-10; Romans 7:21-23. Romans 8:2; Ephesians 6:10-20. 

THE CHURCH

We believe that all who place their faith in Jesus Christ are immediately baptized by the Holy Spirit into one united Body, the Church, of which Jesus Christ is the Head, and which is His Bride. We believe the establishment of local churches is clearly taught, and that the members of this one spiritual Body are directed to associate themselves together in local assemblies. We believe that the Head of the Church is Jesus Christ and those serving as leaders in the Church over the assembly are elders (also called bishops, and pastors); and deacons, both of whom must fit biblical qualifications. We believe the purpose of the Church is to glorify God, and to build itself up in the faith, by instruction in the Word, by fellowship, by keeping the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and by advancing and communicating the Gospel to the entire world.

BAPTISM

We believe that Christian baptism is an act of obedience following a person’s salvation. It is the immersion of a believer in water that testifies of their faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, and their union with Him in death to sin, and resurrection to a new life. It is also a sign of fellowship and identification with the visible Body of Christ. Baptism is not a saving act of grace nor is it necessary for salvation.

1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Ephesians 1:22-23. 56 Ephesians 1:22-23, 4:15. Ephesians 5:23-32. Galatians 1:2; Philippians 1:1. Acts 2:38-47; Hebrews 10:25. Philippians 1:1; Ephesians 4:11-12; Acts 20:28; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-5; Hebrews 13:7, 17. Ephesians 3:10, 21. Acts 2:1-21, 2:38-47; Romans 12:5-8. Matthew 28:19; Acts 1:8. Acts 2:38-42, 8:36-39, 16:33. Romans 6:1-11. Acts 2:38-42, 19:1-7.

THE LORD’S SUPPER

We believe that all believers are welcome to share in the Lord’s Supper. It is a time of commemoration and proclamation of His death until He returns, and should be preceded by solemn self-examination. We also believe that the elements of bread and wine are symbolic of the body and blood of Christ. The bread symbolizes His perfect life and the body in which He actually bore our sin on the cross. The wine represents His blood which was shed for the remission of our sins, and is also a sign of the New Covenant of grace.

THE RETURN OF CHRIST

We believe the Lord Jesus Christ will return personally, visibly and unexpectedly. The dead will be raised, and Christ will judge all people in righteousness. The coming of Christ, our Blessed Hope, demands constant expectancy and motivates the believer to godly living, sacrificial service, and energetic mission.

Acts 16:30-31; Luke 23:39-43. Acts 2:38-42, 8:12, 16:33. Matthew 26:26-30; 1 Corinthians 11:24-25. Luke 22:19-20. 1 Corinthians 11:28-32. Luke 22:19-20. 1 Peter 2:24. Matthew 26:28. 1 Corinthians 11:24-25. Acts 1:11; Matthew 24:36. Hebrews 9:27; Romans 14:12. 2 Peter 3:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Corinthians 5:1-11.

DEATH AND THE FINAL JUDGMENT

We believe that physical death yields a separation of body and soul, with no loss of immaterial consciousness. The souls of the redeemed pass immediately into the presence of Jesus Christ, and are united with their resurrection bodies at the time of the first resurrection, to be glorified forever with the Lord Jesus. The souls of the unsaved descend immediately into Hades where they are kept under punishment and torment until the second resurrection, when the soul and resurrected body are united. They shall appear at the Great White Throne judgment and be cast into the Lake of Fire, cut off from the presence of God forever. Those who have put their faith in the Lord Jesus will receive their reward and will dwell forever on the New Heaven/Earth with the Lord where we will joyfully continue to serve and worship the triune God.

Matthew 10:28; Revelation 6:9-11; 2 Corinthians 5:8. Revelation 6:9-11; Philippians 1:21-24; 2 Corinthians 5:8. Luke 23:43; Philippians 1:21-24. 1 Corinthians 15:5-54; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-17. Job 3:11-19; Luke 16:22, 25. Revelation 20:10-15; John 5:28-29. John 5:28-29; Daniel 12:2. Revelation 20:10-15; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9. Revelation 21:1-27; 1 Corinthians 3:5-15.