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Our Articles of Faith
What do we believe about the Bible? We believe that all Scripture is given by verbal, plenary, inspired, inerrant inspiration by God so that the words written were the very words of God. The consequence is that the Bible is inerrant (without error) in its original autographs. As such it is our infallible guide in all matters of faith and life. II Timothy 3:16-17; Mark 12:26-36; II Peter 1:21; I Corinthians 2:13; Acts 1:16
What do we believe about God? We believe that the Godhead is unique and exists eternally in three persons -- the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit -- and that these three are one God, having the same nature, attributes and perfections and are worthy of the same homage, confidence and obedience. There is no other God besides this God. Matthew 28:18-19; Mark 12:29; John 1:14; Acts 5:3-4; II Corinthians 13:14; Hebrews 1:1-3; Revelation 1:4-6; Isaiah 63:8-10
What do we believe about the Lord Jesus Christ? We believe in the Deity, Humanity and the Virgin Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, that He was born, died and was bodily resurrected and presently sits at the right hand of God where He waits to return again to earth to fulfill all promises made by God. Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-23; Luke 1:35; Acts 26:22-23; Acts 28:23; John 5:39; Acts 17:2-3; Acts 18:28; Acts 1:11
What do we believe about the Holy Spirit? We believe that the Holy Spirit is not simply a force, but is a Divine Personality, the Third Person of the Trinity. He is now, throughout this age of grace, present in the true Church. He has been sent for the express purposes of revealing Christ Jesus to: 1. members of the church so that they may be comforted, instructed, sealed to the day of redemption and built up in their faith; and; 2. the world that sinners may be convicted of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. These purposes include the retaining of evil in the world to the measure of the divine will; the convicting of the world; the regeneration of all believers; the indwelling and anointing of all who are saved; the continuing filling for power, teaching and service of those among the saved who have yielded to Him and who are subject to His will. John 3:6; John 7:38-39; John 14:16-17; John 15:26; John 16:13-15; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:1-4; Romans 8:9; Ephesians 4:30; Ephesians 5:18; II Thessalonians 2:7; I John 2:20-27.
What do we believe about man? We believe that man, originally created in the image and after the likeness of God, sinned against God's commandments so that he totally lost all spiritual life. The consequence is that each individual is dead in trespasses and sins and under the control of Satan. This total depravity is passed on to the entire human race, the God man Christ Jesus being excepted. In addition, we believe that every person willfully sins against God rejecting the revelation available to them. Thus every person born into the world, the God man Christ Jesus being excepted, can do nothing to merit salvation before God. Genesis 1:26; Genesis 2:17; Psalm 19:1-5; Isaiah 64:6; John 3:6; John 5:40; John 6:53; Ephesians 2:1-3; I Timothy 5:6; I John 3:8; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 1:20; Romans 3:23; Romans 5:12-19
What do we believe about salvation? We believe that sinners are saved by Grace through Faith alone and that not of themselves; it is a gift of God, not of works. We further believe that every truly-saved person is justified from all things forever. There is nothing a person can do to earn or contribute to his salvation either before or after conversion. Repentance is a vital part of believing, but not an independent condition for salvation. We believe that salvation is accomplished solely through the sacrifice of Christ who died as a substitute acceptable to God and effectual for every sinner who receives Him. We believe that, due to universal depravity, that the regeneration by the Holy Spirit is necessary for a person to enter the Kingdom of God. This regenerating work of the Holy Spirit occurs at the moment of salvation. We believe that, due to the death of Christ and the sealing work of the Holy Spirit, that salvation is sure for all who have truly believed. John 1:12; John 3:16; John 3:18; John 3:36; John 5:24; John 6:29; John 10:28-30; Acts 13:39; Romans 1:16-17; Romans 3:22; Romans 3:26, Romans 4:5, Romans 5:1; Romans 5:6-9; Romans 8:29-39; Romans 10:4, Galatians 1:33; Galatians 3:22; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 2:11-14; Titus 3:5; James 1:18; I Peter 1:18-19; I Peter 2:24.
What do we believe about sanctification? We believe that sanctification, a setting apart to God, is threefold. It is already complete for every saved person because of his position of being "in Christ." We believe, in addition, that the believer maintains his sin nature, which cannot be eradicated in the present life. Therefore, while the standing of the Christian in Christ is perfect, his present state is no more perfect than his experience in daily life. There is a progressive sanctification wherein the Christian is to "grow in grace" and to be changed by the unhindered power of the Spirit. We believe that the child of God will yet be fully sanctified in his state as he is now sanctified in his standing in Christ when he shall see his Lord and be "like him." John 17:17; II Corinthians 3:18; II Corinthians 7:1; Ephesians 4:22-24; Ephesians 5:25-27; I Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 10:10; Hebrews 10:14; Hebrews 12:10; I John 1:7-9
What do we believe about gifts of the Holy Spirit? We believe that the Holy Spirit gives gifts to all believes as He deems best. The purpose is to glorify Christ in the building of His Church, not to edify one's self. Every believer has at least one gift, while no believer has all gifts. Wherever spiritual gifts are exercised, they are and they will always be within limits expressly delineated in Scripture. It is not our practice to speak in tongues during our church services. We believe that speaking in tongues and the working of miracles were sign gifts demonstrated in the early church to authenticate God's revelation through the Apostles. Speaking in tongues is not an evidence of Spiritual baptismal today, a mark of spiritual maturity or for the filling of the Spirit. We believe that special Divine revelation for authoritative Scripture ceased with the Apostolic age. John 14:26; Acts 2:11; Acts 10:44-48; Romans 12:3-8; Galatians 1:8-9; Ephesians 2:20; Hebrews 2:3-4; I Corinthians 12:4-11; I Corinthians 12:12-13; I Corinthians 12:18-21; I Corinthians 12:29-30; I Corinthians 14:6-15; I Corinthians 14:22; II Corinthians 3:18; II Corinthians12:12; Revelation 22:18-29
What do we believe about the Church and its mission? We believe that the Church -- beginning at Pentecost -- is composed of all who are united by the Holy Spirit to the risen and ascended Son of God, and that by the same Spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, thus being members one of another and knit together in love. The universal church finds local expression in a local body of believers known as the local church. We believe that the explicit message of the Lord Jesus Christ to those whom He saved is to know Christ and make Christ known. Matthew 28:28-29; John 17:18; Acts 1:8; Romans 12:5; I Corinthians 12:12-27; II Corinthians 5:18-20; Colossians 2:19; Ephesians 4:3-01; I Peter 1:17; I Peter 2:11
What do we believe about His return? We believe that the present church age will end with the physical return of our Lord Jesus Christ, first to receive His Church unto Himself and then to establish the throne of David upon the earth and to reign in righteousness over it for a thousand years. During this time all of the covenant promises made to Israel will be fulfilled. Genesis 12:1-3; II Samuel 7:16; Psalm 72:7-8; Isaiah 9:6-7; Micah 5:2; Luke 1:32-33; John 14:1-3; Acts 1.10-11; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 9:28
What do we believe about the Lost, and the Saved? We believe that at death the physical and material body of man dies, but that the immaterial part of man lives on. Those who have trusted Christ immediately proceed into His presence, remaining there in conscious bliss until the resurrection of the glorified body when Christ comes for His own. At that time the material and immaterial parts of man will be united to be with Christ forever. The souls of those who have not trusted Christ remain after death, conscious of just condemnation and in misery until the final judgment of the great white throne, based on the individual's deeds. Then the material and immaterial parts of man will be united to be cast into the Lake of Fire, not annihilated. They are to be punished with everlasting separation from the presence of the Lord with no remedial course of action. This judgment is just and deserved and will be acknowledged as such by all. Daniel 12:3; Romans 8:17; Philippians 1:23; I Thessalonians 4:17; II Thessalonians 1:7-9; II Peter 2.9; Jude 6-7; Revelation 20:11-15; Revelation 21:8; Revelation 22:11
What do we believe about Satan? We believe that Satan is a person, the Father of lies, a murderer from the beginning and the great deceiver of all nations; that he will be overcome by the Lord Jesus Christ and cast into the bottomless pit for a thousand years and finally committed to the Lake of Fire with all his angels to be tormented forever and ever. Genesis 3:15; Job 1:6-12; John 8:44; II Corinthians 11:13-15; Ephesians 6:12-16; Revelation 20:1-3; Revelation 20:7-10
These are the only two ordinances we practice
We believe that our Lord and Savior clearly prescribed for His believing disciples the simple rite of baptism as a symbol and proclamation of the sinner's death to sin and his resurrection in newness of life in Christ Jesus. We believe that believers should be baptized, after conversion by immersion. Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:38; Acts 8:12.
We believe that our Lord and Savior clearly prescribed for His believing disciples the sacred rite of the Lord's Supper as a memorial of the Lord's death to be kept by His disciples until He comes again, according to His promise and the Father's revealed plan. Luke 22:19-20; I Corinthians 11:23-27. |
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