THIS WE
BELIEVE...
The Holy Scriptures.
We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and the New Testaments to be the verbally
inspired Word of God, the final authority for faith and life, inerrant in the original
writings, infallible and God-breathed.
2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Matthew 5:18; John 16:12-13.
The Godhead.
We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons - Father, Son and Holy
Spirit - co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and
having the same attributes and perfections.
Deuteronomy 6:4; 2 Corinthians 13:14.
The Person and Work of Christ.
( 1 ) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son of God, became Man without
ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary,
in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man. John 1:1-2,14; Luke 1:35.
( 2 ) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His
death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and, that
our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead. Romans
3:24-25; 1 Peter 2:24; Ephesians 1:7;
1 Peter 1:3-5.
( 3 ) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, and now is exalted at
the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of
Representative, Intercessor and Advocate.
Acts 1:9; Hebrews 9:4; Romans 8:34; I John 2:1-2.
The Person and Work of The Holy Spirit.
( 1 ) We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin,
righteousness and judgment; and that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration,
baptizing all believers into the Body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day
of the redemption.
John 16:8-11; 2 Corinthians 3:6; 12:12-14; Romans 8:9; Ephesians 1:13-14.
( 2 ) We believe that He is the Divine Teacher who guides believers into all truth;
and, that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit.
John 16:13; 1 John 2:20,27; Ephesians 5:18.
The Total Depravity of Man.
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam's sin
the race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and, that man is
totally depraved, and, of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. Genesis
1:26-27; Romans 3:22-23; 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-3:12.
Salvation.
We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man and received by personal faith
in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of
our sins. Ephesians 2:8-10; John 1:12; 1 Peter 1:18-19.
The Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers.
( 1 ) We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God's power and thus
secure in Christ forever. John 6:37-40; 10:27-30;
Romans 8:1,38-39; 1 Corinthians 1:4-8; I Pe 1:5.
( 2 ) We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of
their salvation through the testimony of God's Word; which, however, clearly forbids the
use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh. Romans 13:13-14; Galatians 5:13;
Titus 2:11-15.
The Two Natures of the Believer.
We believe that every saved person possesses two natures, with provision made for the
victory of the new nature over the old nature through the power of the indwelling Holy
Spirit; and, that all claims to the eradication of the old nature in this life are
unscriptural. Romans 6:13; 8:12-13; Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:10;
1 Peter 1:14-16; 1 John 3:5-9.
Separation.
We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not bring reproach upon
their Savior and Lord; and, and that separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly
and sinful pleasures, practices and associations is commanded by God. 2 Timothy 3:1-5;
Romans 12:1-2; Romans 14:13; 1 John 2:15-17; 2 John 9:11; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1.
Missions.
We believe that it is the obligation of the saved to witness by life and by word to the
truths of Holy Scripture and to seek to proclaim the Gospel to all mankind. Mark 16:15;
Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 5:19-20.
The Ministry and Spiritual Gifts.
( 1 ) We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowment of all His gifts; and, that the
gifts of evangelists, pastors and teachers are sufficient for the perfecting of the saints
today; and, that speaking in tongues and the working of sign miracles gradually ceased as
the New Testament Scriptures were completed and their authority became established. 1
Corinthians 12:4-11;
2 Corinthians 12:12; Ephesians 4-12.
( 2 ) We believe that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith, in accord with His
own will, for the sick and afflicted. John 15:7; I John 5:14-15.
The Church.
( 1 ) We believe that the Church, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ, is a
spiritual organism made up of all born-again persons of the present age. Ephesians
1:22-23; 5:25-27; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14;
2 Corinthians 11:2
( 2 ) We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly
taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures. Acts 14:27; 20:17; 28:28-31; 1 Timothy
3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11
Dispensations.
We believe that the Scriptures interpreted in their natural literal sense, reveal divinely
determined dispensations or rules of life which define man's responsibilities in
successive ages. However, we reject the teaching known as
"Hyper-Dispensationalism", which is opposed to believers receiving the Lord's
Supper or water baptism. We recognize the ordinances of water baptism and the Lord's
Supper as a scriptural means of testimony for the church in this age. Matthew 28:19-20;
Acts 2:41-42; 18:8;
1 Corinthians 11:23-26.
The Personality of Satan.
We believe that Satan is a person, the author of sin and the cause of the fall; that he is
the enemy of God and man; and he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire. Job
1:6-7; Isaiah 14:12-17; 25:41; Revelation 20:10.
The Second Coming of Christ.
We believe in that "Blessed Hope", the personal, imminent, pre-tribulation and
pre-millennial coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His redeemed ones; and in His
subsequent return to earth, with His saints, to establish His Millennial Kingdom. 1
Thessalonians 4:13-18; Zechariah 14:4-11; Revelation 19:11-16; 20:1-6; 3:10; 1
Thessalonians 1:10; 5:9.
The Eternal State.
( 1 ) We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the
unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment. Matthew 25:46; John 5:28-29; 11:25-26;
Revelation 20:5-6; 12-13.
( 2 ) We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and
present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await the first resurrection, when
the spirit, soul and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord. Luke 23:43;
Revelation 20:4-6; 2 Colossians 5:8; Philippians 1:23; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.
( 3 ) We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious misery
until the second resurrection, when with soul and body reunited they shall appear at the
Great White Throne Judgment, and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be
annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment due to their refusal of the
Son of God as their Savior. Luke 16:19-26; Matthew 25:41-46; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Jude
1:6-7;
Mark 9:43-48; Revelation 20:11-15. |