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THE WORD OF GOD

 

The sixty-six books of the Bible were given by the inspiration of God’s Spirit and are not the product of human creativity or ingenuity (2 Pt 1:20-21). Every word of the Bible is inspired by God in the original manuscripts (2 Timothy 3:16; Mt 5:18). The Bible in its original manuscripts is without error and is completely accurate in all that it affirms (John 17:17; Ps 19:7). The Scripture is to be interpreted considering the literal, grammatical and historical aspects of a given text.

 

 

THE TRINITY

 

We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons; that these are equal in every divine perfection, and that they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence and redemption. (Matthew 28:19; John 1:1-4; I John 5:7)

 

 

GOD THE FATHER

 

We believe in God, the Father, an infinite personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. He is perfectly Omniscience (knows all things, even the future not yet realized by our decisions), Omnipotent (has and wields all power), and Omniepresent (in present everywhere at all times). We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men, that He hears and answers prayer, that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. (John 3:16-17, 4:24, 17:5)

 

 

JESUS CHRIST

 

We believe in Jesus Christ as God, the only begotten Son of the Father, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth as a human being, sinless life, miracles and teachings. We believe in His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal visible return to earth. (Isaiah 7:14; John 1:14; Philippians 2:5-11; I Thessalonians 4:16, 17; Hebrews 1:2, 3; I John 1:7)

 

 

THE HOLY SPIRIT

 

The Holy Spirit is coequal with the Father and the Son (Matthew 28:19; Acts 5:3-4, 28:25-26; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; 2 Corinthians 13:14). The Holy Spirit regenerates the Christian at conversion (Titus 3:5-7; John 3:3-8), places the Christian into the body of Christ at conversion (1 Corinthians 12:13), indwells the Christian at conversion (1 Corinthians 6:19), and is guarantee of the Christian’s redemption (Ephesians 1:13-14), and leads the Christian on a daily basis as he or she submits to His leadership (Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 5:18; Romans 8:14). The Holy Spirit is the Christian’s source of giftedness in ministering to the local church (1 Corinthians 12:7-11).

 

 

SALVATION

 

Salvation of individuals is wholly carried out by God’s grace, based on the redemptive work of Jesus on the cross and is in no way contributed to or accomplished by the merit or work of the individual (Eph.1:7; 2:8-10; 1 Pt.1:18-19). Those who repent and put their trust in Jesus as their provision for their sinful condition (Mk.1:15; Lk.24:46-47; Ac.3:19; 11:18; 20:21) are declared righteous by God (Rom.3:21-22; 8:33). From a human perspective one is saved after hearing the message of the gospel (Rom.10:14), being convicted by the Holy Spirit of sin (Jn.16:8-9), mentally turning from sin to God (2 Cor.7:9-11), placing one’s trust in Jesus as the complete and sole payment for sin (Jn.3:14-15). At this point God’s Spirit indwells the individual (Rom.8:9), resulting in new birth (Jn.3:3) which is often referred to as conversion (Mt.18:3; Ac.15:3; Rom.16:5). Each step in the process of salvation is granted by God including repentance and faith (Ac.11:18; Eph.2:8). The converted individual then naturally bears fruit in keeping with the internal transformation that has taken place (2 Cor.5:17; Mt.3:8; 7:17-23; Jn.3:36).

 

 

PEOPLE

 

The human race began by the direct and instantaneous creation of God (Gen.1:26-27). Men and women are created in God’s image (Gen.1:26-27) and exist to glorify God (Is.43:7). People forfeited their intended fellowship with God (Is.59:2), incurred the penalty of spiritual and physical death (Gen.2:16-17; Rom.5:12), became subject to the wrath of God (Jn.3:36), and lost the ability to be independently acceptable to God (Rom.5:6-10) through Adam’s one act of disobedience (Rom.5:12). People exist relationally separated from God and express that sinfulness in a variety of sinful acts (Is.59:2; Rom.3:10-18).

 

 

THE CHURCH

 

We believe in the universal church, a living spiritual body of which Christ is the head and all regenerated persons are members. The universal church is composed of all Christians from Acts 2 to the rapture and is considered the complete body of Christ (Eph.5:22-33; Mt.16:18; Jn.1:12-13). Christians gathered in geographical locations around the world with a biblical purpose (Ac.2:42-47; Phil.3:3; Heb.10:24-25; Ac.1:8), biblical leadership (Tit.1:5; 1 Tim.3; 1Pt.5:1-3), and practicing the biblical ordinances (Mt.28:19; 1Cor.11:23-26) is what the Bible most often refers to as the church—i.e. local churches (1Cor.1:2; Gal.1:2; 1Th.1:1). We believe that God has laid upon the members of the local church the primary task of giving the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world. (Matthew 16:16-18; Acts 2:38-41; Ephesians 2:19, 22, 5:25-27)

 

 

CHRISTIAN CONDUCT

 

We believe that a Christian should live for the glory of God and well-being of his fellowmen; that his conduct should be blameless before the world; that he should be a faithful steward of his possessions; and that he should seek to realize for himself and others the full stature of maturity in Christ. (II Corinthians 9:6-8; Ephesians 4:11-16, Philippians 2:14-16; Colossians 3:17-23; I Thessalonians 5:17, 18)

 

 

THE ORDINANCES

 

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the local church: baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of the believer in water in to the name of the Triune God. We believe that these two ordinances should be observed and administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:41, 42; Romans 6:3-5; I Corinthians 11:23-32)

 

 

RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

 

We believe that every human being has direct relations with God and is responsible to God in all matters of faith. Each church is independent and must be free from interference by an ecclesiastical or political authority; church and State must be kept separate as having fulfilling its duties free from dictation or patronage of the other.

 

 

CHURCH COOPERATION

 

We believe that local churches can best promote the cause of Jesus Christ by cooperating with one another in a denominational organization. Such an organization, whether a regional or district conference, exists and functions by the will of the churches. Cooperation in a conference is voluntary and may be terminated at any time. Churches, likewise, cooperate with inter-denominational fellowships on a voluntary independent basis.

 

 

THE LAST THINGS

 

All people will be physically resurrected (Ac.24:14-15; 1 Cor.15:22-23), the saved to blessing and reward (2 Cor.4:14), the unsaved to retribution and punishment (Rev.20:13-15; Dan.12:2). God has appointed Jesus to judge the world (Jn.5:22), both Christians, concerning rewards (1 Cor.3:11-15), and non-Christians, concerning punishment (Rev.20:6, 11-15; Mt.8:12; 25:41; Rev.14:10-11; 21:8). Christ will return for his church (Ac.1:11; 1Th.4:16-17). There will be a terrible time of Tribulation (Rev.chaps.4-19). Christ will establish his kingdom (Rev.20:1-9). God will ultimately provide a new heaven and a new earth where the redeemed of God will dwell forever (Rev.21:1-22:5).