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Statement  of  Faith

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The Holy Scriptures:

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We believe the Holy Bible - both the Old and New Testaments - to be the verbally inspired (God-breathed) Word of God; written by holy men of God, who received the revelation from God and wrote the very words of God. The original manuscripts were inerrant and infallible. God in His sovereignty has preserved an accurate record of the original manuscripts, and are the final authority in doctrine, in faith and in practice. We accept the grammatical-historical system of interpretation of the Scriptures, and accept the historical record of the Bible as accurate and adequate. (2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Psalm 12:6; Psalm 19:7-9; Psalm 119:89, 140, 160; Proverbs 30:5; Matthew 5:18, 24:35; Luke 24:25-27, 44-45.)

 

The Godhead:

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We believe in one God (Deut. 6:4, Isaiah 44:6,8), eternally existing in three persons (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit [Matt. 28:19; John 10:30; Acts 5:3,4; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Hebrews 1:3]); who are identical in essence, and equal in power and glory, and possess precisely the same attributes and perfection.

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The Condition of Man:

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We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, in righteousness and holiness (Genesis 1:26,27; Ephesians 4:24). When Adam sinned the whole human race sinned in Adam (Genesis 3:1-14, Romans 5:12, 1 Corinthians 15:22), inherited a sin nature, became spiritually dead and alienated from God so that man is a sinner by both nature and practice (Romans 3:10-18, Ephesians 2:1-3, Mark 7:20-23). Man, of himself is incapable of remedying his lost and depraved condition (Galatians 2:16).

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The Person and Work of Jesus Christ:

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We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God (Matthew 1:23, John 1:1, Matthew 3:17) became man without ceasing to be God (John 1:14, Philippians 2:6-11, Hebrews 1:2-3), having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-56, 2:1-14), in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man (John 14:9, Matt. 1:21, John 1:29, 1 Peter 1:18,19). 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 3:21-25, 4:25; 1 Peter 2:24; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:3-5). We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended bodily to heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of the Father, where, as our High Priest, he fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate (Acts 1:9; Hebrews 9:24; Romans 8:34; 1 John 2:1,2).

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The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit:

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We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Triune Godhead who convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgement (John 16:7-11); that He is the Agent of the birth from above (John 3:3-8); that He baptizes (places) all believers into the true church, which is the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13); that he indwells them permanently and seals them unto the day of redemption (Romans 8:9-11, Ephesians 4:30); bestows spiritual gifts for the building up of the body of Christ (Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, Ephesians 4:11-16); and fills (controls) those who are yield to Him (Ephesians 5:18, Galatians 5:16).

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Salvation:

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We believe that salvation is the gift of God’s grace given to all who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (John 3:16, 36; Ephesians 2:8,9; Acts 16:31). He saves from the penalty sin (John 5:24, Romans 8:1); the power of sin (Romans 6:1-23); and ultimately from the very presence of sin (Romans 8:18-23, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). It cannot be gained by good works but is a free gift for all who put their trust in Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross (Romans 3:28, Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5). All who so trust in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord are forgiven, saved from their sins, made righteous before God, and are born into His family by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. God foreknew and predestined salvation through election. The election is available to everyone in all times, and anyone that meets the criteria of the election in (John 3:15-16; Acts 16:31; Ephesians 1:11-14 Titus 2:11-14) is chosen and considered a part of the elect. The method of salvation is specifically defined as those who believe in God and Jesus Christ who suffered and died for the sins of the whole world.

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Security:

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We believe that when a person receives Jesus Christ as Savior, he is given eternal life. Eternal life cannot be lost, otherwise it would not be eternal. So once saved, always saved. (John 3:16, 10:27-29, Romans 8:35-39, Ephesians 1:11-14)

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Sanctification:

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We believe that God has given us everything pertaining to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). This includes salvation from the penalty of sin (Romans 8:1, Acts 13:39), and just as surely the provision of sanctification (separation) from sin (John 17:17, 1 Corinthians 1:30, Romans 6:1-22). Sanctification from sin has both positional and practical aspects. Positional sanctification as a work of the Holy Spirit is complete at salvation (Romans 15:16, 1 Thessalonians 2:13, 1 Peter 1:2, Hebrews 10:10,14). Practical sanctification, however, is a result of the work of the Holy Spirit by the use of the Word of God that brings salvation and provides the nourishment for growth in maturity in Christ (Titus 2:11-14, 2 Timothy 3:16,17). While practical sanctification is assured by the Word and the Spirit, it is yet imperfect in this life. There is some element of corruption in every part of the fallen nature, which is the source for the war between the flesh and the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-18). The maturing to obedience is possible for believers as they feed on the Word, submit to the Spirit of God and fellowship with other believers for the purpose of service, edification, and accountability.

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The Church:

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We believe that the true Church, called in Scripture the Body of Christ is a living spiritual organism. Every person who has trusted Jesus Christ for salvation in this present age has been baptized (placed) into this organism (body) by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13). Christ is the head of the body (Ephesians 1:22,23; 5:23), and the body is to be in subjection to its Head (Ephesians 5:24 ). The universal Body of Christ on earth is to be organized into local organisms (churches) for worship (Philippians 3:3), instruction (2 Timothy 3:16,17; Ephesians 4:11-16), fellowship (1 John 1:3,7), service (Acts 2:42, 13:1,2; 1 Timothy 3;15).

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Ordinances:

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We believe that our Lord Jesus Christ instituted two ordinances to be observed by all believers until His return: baptism (Matthew 28:19, Acts 2:41, 8:38) and the Lord’s supper (1 Corinthians 11:23-26).

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Satan:

 

We believe in a literal Satan also called the devil. As the anointed cherub, he rebelled against God with at least a third of the angels (Ezek. 28:12-19, Isaiah 14:12-15, Rev. 12:7-9). He blinds the minds of the unbeliever concerning the gospel (2 Corinthians 4:3-4); he maintains a continual warfare against the believers in Christ (2 Corinthians 11:3-4, 13-15; Ephesians 6:10-17, 1 Peter 5:8-9; James 4:7).

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Future Things:

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We believe that the next major event in God’s program is the coming of Christ in the clouds, when the dead in Christ shall be raise and those who are alive with be caught up with them in the clouds, and will be forever with Christ (called the Rapture) (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17). Following this (the Rapture), the world will enter into the seven years of great tribulation called "Jacob’s Trouble" (Jeremiah 30:7, Matthew 24:3-51, Revelation 6:1-18:24). At the end of the Tribulation Jesus Christ will set up His one thousand year reign on earth, when God will literally fulfill all His promises to the nation of Israel; Satan will be bound in the abyss during that time (Revelation 20:1-6). At the end of the thousand-year reign, Satan will be cast into the Lake of Fire where the beast and false prophet are. All unbelievers will stand before God at the White Throne Judgment and whosoever is not found in the book of life will be cast into the lake of fire to be punished forever and ever (Revelation 20:7-10). All believers from the beginning of time will enter into the eternal state of bliss in the very presence of God (Revelation (21-22).

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Separation:

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We believe that the Scriptures call the believer and the local Church to a life of separation from all sin, worldly practices and ecclesiastical apostasy. We believe it is wrong to be involved with those movements and organizations that are not in harmony with the Word of God: such as the Ecumenism and New Evangelism. The call is to separation, not isolation. The Church is to be a witness to an unbelieving, Christ rejecting world. (Romans 13:12-14; 1 Corinthians 6:19,20; 2 Corinthians 14-18, Ephesians 4:17-5:12; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 13:13; Revelation 2:14,15; 20-23; Acts 1:8).

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