Our Beliefs

Psalm 119:160; Proverbs 30:5-6; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21

Accepting fully the writings of the OLD and NEW TESTAMENTS as the very Word of God, verbally inspired in all parts and there-fore wholly without error as originally given of God, altogether sufficient in themselves as our only infallible and authoritative rule of faith and practice.

WE BELIEVE IN THE ONE TRUE GOD

Genesis 1:1; Exodus 15:11; Psalm 83:18; 139:7-9; Matthew 28:19; John 10:30; 15:26

Who is an intelligent, sovereign, spiritual, and personal Being; perfect, infinite, and eternal in His being, holiness, love, wisdom, and power. Who is absolutely separate from and above the world as its Creator, yet everywhere present in the world as the Upholder of all things. He is revealed to us as Father, Son (Jesus Christ) and Holy Spirit; three distinct persons, but without division of nature, essence or being, and each having a distinct ministry in God’s relation to His creation and people.

WE BELIEVE IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

John 1:1, 14; 3:16; Matthew 1:18-25; Galatians 4:4-5; Philippians 2:6-10; 1 Corinthians 15:3-7; Hebrews 4:14-16; 1 John 2:1-2

Who is the second Person of the Triune God, the eternal Word and Only Begotten Son; without any change in His divine Person, He became man by miracle of the Virgin Birth, thus to continue forever as both true God and true Man, one Person with two natures. As Man He was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin. As the perfect Lamb of God He gave Himself in death upon the cross bearing the sin of the world and suffering its full penalty of divine wrath in our stead. He arose from the grave in a glorified body as our great High Priest and ascended into Heaven, there to appear before the face of God as our Advocate and Intercessor.

WE BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

John 3:5; 14:16,17,26; 15:7-14; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:13; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 1:13; 5:18

Who is the Third Person of the Trinity and the Divine Agent in nature, revelation and redemption? He convicts the world concerning, sin, righteousness, and judgment. He regenerates, indwells, baptizes, and seals believers in Christ. He further empowers, guides, teaches, sanctifies, and fills believers who daily surrender to Him.

WE BELIEVE IN THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS, MINISTRIES, AND MANIFESTATIONS OF GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT

1 Corinthians 12:1-6; Gifts – Romans 12:5-8; Ministries – Ephesians 4:11-12; 1 Corinthians 12:27-28; Manifestations – 1 Corinthians 12:7-11.

That every believer has a Spiritual Gift evident in themselves; that Christ has appointed ministries in the church for every Christian. Each individual’s ministry is guided and directed by God’s Holy Spirit as one yields to His control. All believers have certain manifestations present in their lives, and these manifestations of God’s Holy Spirit are present in His Church today.

WE BELIEVE ALL MEN ARE BY NATURE AND CHOICE, SINFUL AND LOST

Genesis 1:27; 3:6; Psalm 51:5; Romans 3:23; 5:12, 19; Galatians 3:11

That man was the direct creation of God, made in His image and likeness. Man, by personal disobedience to the revealed will of God became a sinful creature, the father of a fallen race, which is universally sinful in both nature and practice. Man is thus alienated from the life and family of God, under the righteous judgment and wrath of God, and has within himself no possible means of salvation.

WE BELIEVE IN SALVATION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH

Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; John 1:12; 3:14; 10:28-29; Romans 8:1; Philippians 1:6; Romans 8:17

That salvation is the free gift of God, neither merited nor secured in part or in whole by any virtue or work of man, but received only by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. In Him, all true believers have as a present possession the gift of eternal life, the immediate indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit, a perfect righteousness, adoption in the family of God, heirs of God, deliverance and security from all condemnation. He provides every spiritual resource needed for life and godliness, and the divine guarantee that believers shall never perish. Salvation affects the whole (emotional, physical, spiritual) man and apart from Christ, grace, and faith there is no possible means of salvation.

WE BELIEVE IN RIGHTEOUS LIVING AND GODLY WORKS

Ephesians 2:10; Romans 12:1-2; Philippians 2:16

We believe in righteous living and godly works, not as a means of salvation in any sense, but as proper evidence and fruit of salvation. Therefore, as Christians we should obey the Word of our Lord, seek first the kingdom of God, walk as He walked, accept as our solemn responsibility the duty and privileges of bearing the gospel to a lost world. A victorious and fruitful Christian life is possible only for those who in gratitude for the infinite and undeserved grace and mercies of God have presented themselves as a holy and living sacrifice.

WE BELIEVE IN THE EXISTENCE OF SATAN

Isaiah 14:12-15; Matthew 4:1-Il; Ephesians 6:12-17; 1 Peter 5:8-11; 1 John 2:14-17; 3:8; Revelation 12:9-11; 20:10

Who originally was created a spiritual being, one of the highest angelic creatures, but through pride and wicked ambition rebelled against God becoming utterly depraved in character. He is the great adversary of God and His people, leader of all other evil angels and wicked spirits, the deceiver, a liar, and god of this present world. His powers are vast, but strictly limited by the permissive will of God Who overrules all his wicked devices for good. He was defeated and judged at the cross and Christ’s resurrection; therefore, his final doom is certain. We are able to resist and overcome him only in the Armor of God, by the Blood of the Lamb, the Word of God, and through the power of God’s Holy Spirit.

WE BELIEVE IN THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; James 5:8; Hebrews 10:37; Jude 14-15; Revelation 19:11-16; 20:4-7

That His coming to resurrect and gather His awaiting Church, which is our blessed Hope, is always imminent. He will pour out the righteous judgments of God upon the unbelieving world and together with His Church establish His glorious and literal kingdom over all the nations for a thousand years.

WE BELIEVE IN FUTURE LIFE, BODILY RESURRECTION, AND ETERNAL JUDGMENT

I Corinthians 15; 2 Corinthians 5:8-10; Luke 16:19-23; Revelation 20:11-15

That the spirit/soul of all believers goes immediately to be with Christ at death, that their spiritual work shall be judged before the Judgment Seat of Christ for the determination of rewards which will take place at the time when Christ comes for His own. The spirit/soul of each individual believer will be reunited with a glorified physical body and rule with Christ in His kingdom. The spirit/soul of the unsaved at death will descend immediately into Hades where they are kept under punishment until the final Day of Judgment, at which time their bodies shall be raised from the grave, that they shall be judged and cast into Hell, the place of final and everlasting punishment.

WE BELIEVE IN THE PRIESTHOOD OF ALL BELIEVERS

John 14:6; Hebrews 4:14-16; 2 Timothy 2:15; 1 Peter 2:1-9

That Christ is our Great High Priest and through Him every believer has direct access into God’s presence without the need of any human agency; that each believer has the right and responsibility to personally study and interpret the Scriptures guided by God’s Holy Spirit.

WE BELIEVE IN THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST

1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:11-15; Galatians 1:22

That He alone is Head of the Body (The Church), into which all true believers are baptized. All Christians are united in one universal spiritual body of which Christ is Lord; and that each believer should express the Lordship of Jesus Christ by assembly and identification with a local New Testament church.

WE BELIEVE IN THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LOCAL CHURCH

Acts 2:41-42; 1 Corinthians 11:2; Matthew 28:19-20

That a New Testament church is a local assembly of born again baptized believers united in organization to practice New Testament ordinances. All believers should unite for worship, praise, prayer, fellowship, teaching, service, and a unified testimony, and to actively engage in carrying out the Great Commission of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

WE BELIEVE IN THE INDEPENDENCE AND AUTONOMY OF THE LOCAL CHURCH

Matthew 18:17; Acts 1:1-28, 31

That each New Testament church is freed to govern itself without ecclesiastical interference and should cooperate with other New Testament churches as the Holy Spirit leads. It is responsible to follow the pattern of the New Testament church and is directly accountable to and only to the Lord Jesus Christ.

WE BELIEVE THE ORDINANCES GIVEN TO THE LOCAL CHURCH ARE TWO, BAPTISM AND THE LORD’S SUPPER

Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:38, 41; 8:38, 19; Matthew 26:26-30; Mark 14:22-23; Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11: 23-32

That these ordinances in no way effect an individual’s salvation, but are carried out by Christians in obedience to Christ’s command. Baptism is by immersion of believers, thus portraying the death, burial, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Lord’s Supper is the partaking of the bread and cup by the believer as a continuing memorial of the broken body and shed blood of Christ