Full Statement of Faith
The Scriptures
We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be verbally, plenary, inspired of God. We accept them as the only authority for faith and life, inerrant in the original writing, infallible and God-breathed. (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Heb. 4:12)
The True God
We believe there is one and only one living and true God, an infinite Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in every divine perfection, yet executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. (Deut. 6:4; Isa. 45:5; 1 Cor. 8:6)
The Person and Work of Christ
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been supernaturally conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of Mary, a virgin, in order that He might reveal God and redeem men. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as the representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical, resurrection from the dead. We believe that our Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of intercessor and advocate. (John 1:14; 1 Peter 2:24; Eph. 1:7; Heb. 7:25; 1 John 2:1)
The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
We believe that God the Holy Spirit is a divine person with God the Father and God the Son, one in essence and being; that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; that He bears witness of the truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; and that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and dealing them unto the day of redemption at the time of salvation. We believe the Holy Spirit is the divine teacher who guides believers into all truth, and that it is the privilege and duty of all saved to be filled with the Spirit. (John 16:8; 1 Cor. 12:13; Eph. 4:30; John. 16:13; Eph. 5:18)
Creation of the World
We accept the Genesis account as being a historic record of six, twenty-four hour days of creation and believe that God created the heavens and the earth including all life, “Each after its own kind”…that man came by direct creation of God and we do not believe in any theory of evolution. (Gen. 1:1-2; Col. 1:16-17; John 1:3)
Satan and his Work
We believe in the distinct personality of Satan, that he was created perfect, but because of pride, and rebellion against God, he became the originator of sin and later caused the fall of man. He is the “prince of the world” and has great power. He blinds the minds of unbelievers and opposes and accuses the believers. In the final judgment Satan and his angels are destined to an eternal just punishment in the Lake of Fire. (Ezek. 28:14-15; 2 Cor. 4:3-4; Rev. 20:10; Heb. 2:14; Matt. 4:1-4; Isa. 14:12-17)
The Spirit Realm
We believe that God created an innumerable company of sinless spirit beings known as angels; that many of these continued in their holy state and are the ministering agents of God; that many others rebelled against God; that these fallen angels, though defeated in the cross of Christ, still continue to oppose God and His work; that they will ultimately be judged by God and cast in the Lake of Fire to suffer everlasting punishment, which is their righteous due. (Heb. 1:14; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 1:6)
Man
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God; that through uncoerced disobedience Adam fell from his original state, became alienated from God, and since that time is totally depraved, and of himself utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. (Gen. 1:27; Eph. 2:1-2; Rom. 5:8; Rom. 3:10, 23)
Faith and Salvation
We believe that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation. The salvation of the sinner is wholly of grace and made possible only through the death of Jesus Christ upon the cross of Calvary, in our room and stead, and that there is salvation in none other than Christ, and that a personal acceptance of Him is absolutely essential. To be saved, a sinner must be born again. In the new birth the one dead in trespasses and sin is made a partaker of the divine nature, and received eternal life as the free gift of God. The new birth is instantaneous and not a process. Evidence of the new birth appears with visible fruit of repentance, and a walk of obedience according to God’s Word. (John 3:7; 2 Cor. 5:17; Acts 4:12; 16:31; Rom. 3:23; 5:8; 6:23; 10:9-13)
The Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers
We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s sealing power and are thus secure in Christ forever. 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. (1 Peter 1:5; John 10:28; John 5:13)
The Believer’s Two Natures
We believe that every saved person possesses two natures, with provision made for 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. (Gal. 5:16-17; 1 John 1:7, 8; Rom. 6:6-13)
Separation from the World
We believe that all saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord; and that separation from all religious apostasy (departure from faith once delivered unto the Saints), all worldly and sinful pleasures, all Ecumenical movements, practices and associations is commanded of God. (Rom. 12:1,2; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; 2 Cor. 6:17; Rom. 16:17; 2 John 1:9-11; 1 Thess. 1:9,10; 1 Tim. 6:3-5)
The Ministry and Spiritual Gifts
We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowment of all His gifts. We believe that speaking in tongues and the working of sign miracles gradually ceased as the New Testament scriptures were completed and their authority became established. (Eph. 4:7-12; 1 Cor. 13:10; 14:22; 2 Cor. 3:14,17; 12:12; Heb. 2:4; 1 Cor. 12:8-11, 28; Rom. 12:6-8)
The Church
We believe that the Church (which is His body) is a New Testament institution; unknown to the Old Testament prophets; established by Jesus Christ, who is its sole head, revealed through the holy apostles, empowered and perpetrated by the Holy Spirit; composed of believers in Jesus Christ as Savior both of Jew and Gentile, called out from the world and indwelt by the Holy Spirit; His “body” for service and His “bride” for glory. It began with the New Testament saints and will be consummated at the coming of Christ in the rapture. (Matt. 16:18; 1 Cor. 12:12-28; Eph. 1:22, 23)
We believe that the local church is a congregation of spirit filled believers, associated by covenant of faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His law; exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in it by His Word; that its scriptural officers are Pastors/Elders; that it has the absolute right of self-government directed by the Holy Spirit and is answerable only to Christ, and that in all matters of membership, policy, government, fellowship, discipline and benevolence, the will of the Board is final. (1 Cor. 1:2; 1 Tim. 3:3-15)
The Ordinances
We believe that there are two church ordinances: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism is the immersion of a believer in water and is properly called “Believer’s Baptism”. It portrays in a beautiful and solemn way our faith and identification with the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, with its picture in our lives of death to sin and resurrection to a new life. The Lord’s Supper is the commemoration of our Lord’s death until He returns and our continual fellowship with Him. (Acts 8:36, 37; Rom. 6:4; 1 Cor. 11:27,28)
The Return of Christ
We believe in the bodily, personal, imminent, pre-tribulational and pre-millennial coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His redeemed ones when He will catch away His church, coming only in the air, and that He will come to the earth with His church at the close of the tribulation, to judge the living nations and to set up His kingdom. (1 Thess. 4:13-18; Matt. 25: 31-46)
The Judgment Seat of Christ
We believe that every saved person will appear before the “Judgment Seat of Christ” to be judged by His Lord in regards to service. This judgment is not a judgment of sin; the believer’s sin has all been judged at the cross of Calvary; but for works. The result of this judgment is “reward” or “loss”. All our “bad” or “dead” works (works of the flesh) – represented by wood, hay, or stubble, will be consumed and only our “good” works shall remain. Christians will be rewarded for works (works by the Spirit) – gold, silver, and precious stones that have been judged worthy of reward by the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Cor. 5:10; 1 Cor. 3:13-15; Rom. 14:10)
The Eternal State
We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment. 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 spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord.
We believe that the soul of unbelievers remain, after death in conscious misery until the second resurrection, which will occur after the millennium 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. (Matt. 25:46; 2 Cor. 5:7, 8; 1 Cor. 15:49, 53; Rev. 20:6, 7, 15)
The Office of Civil Government
We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interests and good order of human society; that magistrates are to be prayed for, consciously honored and obeyed; except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ (as revealed in Scripture), who is the only Lord of conscience, and the coming King of Kings of the earth. (Rom. 13:1-4; 1 Tim. 2:1, 2)
Conclusion
We understand that the above articles do not by any means exhaust the content of our beliefs which is the whole Bible, and that they are not intended to set a limit beyond which faith cannot go within the Word of God; but we do believe that insofar as these articles extend they are a true presentation of the sound doctrine taught in the Scriptures, and are therefore binding upon us as Christian believers.
We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be verbally, plenary, inspired of God. We accept them as the only authority for faith and life, inerrant in the original writing, infallible and God-breathed. (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Heb. 4:12)
The True God
We believe there is one and only one living and true God, an infinite Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in every divine perfection, yet executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. (Deut. 6:4; Isa. 45:5; 1 Cor. 8:6)
The Person and Work of Christ
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been supernaturally conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of Mary, a virgin, in order that He might reveal God and redeem men. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as the representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical, resurrection from the dead. We believe that our Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of intercessor and advocate. (John 1:14; 1 Peter 2:24; Eph. 1:7; Heb. 7:25; 1 John 2:1)
The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
We believe that God the Holy Spirit is a divine person with God the Father and God the Son, one in essence and being; that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; that He bears witness of the truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; and that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and dealing them unto the day of redemption at the time of salvation. We believe the Holy Spirit is the divine teacher who guides believers into all truth, and that it is the privilege and duty of all saved to be filled with the Spirit. (John 16:8; 1 Cor. 12:13; Eph. 4:30; John. 16:13; Eph. 5:18)
Creation of the World
We accept the Genesis account as being a historic record of six, twenty-four hour days of creation and believe that God created the heavens and the earth including all life, “Each after its own kind”…that man came by direct creation of God and we do not believe in any theory of evolution. (Gen. 1:1-2; Col. 1:16-17; John 1:3)
Satan and his Work
We believe in the distinct personality of Satan, that he was created perfect, but because of pride, and rebellion against God, he became the originator of sin and later caused the fall of man. He is the “prince of the world” and has great power. He blinds the minds of unbelievers and opposes and accuses the believers. In the final judgment Satan and his angels are destined to an eternal just punishment in the Lake of Fire. (Ezek. 28:14-15; 2 Cor. 4:3-4; Rev. 20:10; Heb. 2:14; Matt. 4:1-4; Isa. 14:12-17)
The Spirit Realm
We believe that God created an innumerable company of sinless spirit beings known as angels; that many of these continued in their holy state and are the ministering agents of God; that many others rebelled against God; that these fallen angels, though defeated in the cross of Christ, still continue to oppose God and His work; that they will ultimately be judged by God and cast in the Lake of Fire to suffer everlasting punishment, which is their righteous due. (Heb. 1:14; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 1:6)
Man
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God; that through uncoerced disobedience Adam fell from his original state, became alienated from God, and since that time is totally depraved, and of himself utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. (Gen. 1:27; Eph. 2:1-2; Rom. 5:8; Rom. 3:10, 23)
Faith and Salvation
We believe that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation. The salvation of the sinner is wholly of grace and made possible only through the death of Jesus Christ upon the cross of Calvary, in our room and stead, and that there is salvation in none other than Christ, and that a personal acceptance of Him is absolutely essential. To be saved, a sinner must be born again. In the new birth the one dead in trespasses and sin is made a partaker of the divine nature, and received eternal life as the free gift of God. The new birth is instantaneous and not a process. Evidence of the new birth appears with visible fruit of repentance, and a walk of obedience according to God’s Word. (John 3:7; 2 Cor. 5:17; Acts 4:12; 16:31; Rom. 3:23; 5:8; 6:23; 10:9-13)
The Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers
We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s sealing power and are thus secure in Christ forever. 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. (1 Peter 1:5; John 10:28; John 5:13)
The Believer’s Two Natures
We believe that every saved person possesses two natures, with provision made for 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. (Gal. 5:16-17; 1 John 1:7, 8; Rom. 6:6-13)
Separation from the World
We believe that all saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord; and that separation from all religious apostasy (departure from faith once delivered unto the Saints), all worldly and sinful pleasures, all Ecumenical movements, practices and associations is commanded of God. (Rom. 12:1,2; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; 2 Cor. 6:17; Rom. 16:17; 2 John 1:9-11; 1 Thess. 1:9,10; 1 Tim. 6:3-5)
The Ministry and Spiritual Gifts
We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowment of all His gifts. We believe that speaking in tongues and the working of sign miracles gradually ceased as the New Testament scriptures were completed and their authority became established. (Eph. 4:7-12; 1 Cor. 13:10; 14:22; 2 Cor. 3:14,17; 12:12; Heb. 2:4; 1 Cor. 12:8-11, 28; Rom. 12:6-8)
The Church
We believe that the Church (which is His body) is a New Testament institution; unknown to the Old Testament prophets; established by Jesus Christ, who is its sole head, revealed through the holy apostles, empowered and perpetrated by the Holy Spirit; composed of believers in Jesus Christ as Savior both of Jew and Gentile, called out from the world and indwelt by the Holy Spirit; His “body” for service and His “bride” for glory. It began with the New Testament saints and will be consummated at the coming of Christ in the rapture. (Matt. 16:18; 1 Cor. 12:12-28; Eph. 1:22, 23)
We believe that the local church is a congregation of spirit filled believers, associated by covenant of faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His law; exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in it by His Word; that its scriptural officers are Pastors/Elders; that it has the absolute right of self-government directed by the Holy Spirit and is answerable only to Christ, and that in all matters of membership, policy, government, fellowship, discipline and benevolence, the will of the Board is final. (1 Cor. 1:2; 1 Tim. 3:3-15)
The Ordinances
We believe that there are two church ordinances: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism is the immersion of a believer in water and is properly called “Believer’s Baptism”. It portrays in a beautiful and solemn way our faith and identification with the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, with its picture in our lives of death to sin and resurrection to a new life. The Lord’s Supper is the commemoration of our Lord’s death until He returns and our continual fellowship with Him. (Acts 8:36, 37; Rom. 6:4; 1 Cor. 11:27,28)
The Return of Christ
We believe in the bodily, personal, imminent, pre-tribulational and pre-millennial coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His redeemed ones when He will catch away His church, coming only in the air, and that He will come to the earth with His church at the close of the tribulation, to judge the living nations and to set up His kingdom. (1 Thess. 4:13-18; Matt. 25: 31-46)
The Judgment Seat of Christ
We believe that every saved person will appear before the “Judgment Seat of Christ” to be judged by His Lord in regards to service. This judgment is not a judgment of sin; the believer’s sin has all been judged at the cross of Calvary; but for works. The result of this judgment is “reward” or “loss”. All our “bad” or “dead” works (works of the flesh) – represented by wood, hay, or stubble, will be consumed and only our “good” works shall remain. Christians will be rewarded for works (works by the Spirit) – gold, silver, and precious stones that have been judged worthy of reward by the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Cor. 5:10; 1 Cor. 3:13-15; Rom. 14:10)
The Eternal State
We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment. 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 spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord.
We believe that the soul of unbelievers remain, after death in conscious misery until the second resurrection, which will occur after the millennium 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. (Matt. 25:46; 2 Cor. 5:7, 8; 1 Cor. 15:49, 53; Rev. 20:6, 7, 15)
The Office of Civil Government
We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interests and good order of human society; that magistrates are to be prayed for, consciously honored and obeyed; except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ (as revealed in Scripture), who is the only Lord of conscience, and the coming King of Kings of the earth. (Rom. 13:1-4; 1 Tim. 2:1, 2)
Conclusion
We understand that the above articles do not by any means exhaust the content of our beliefs which is the whole Bible, and that they are not intended to set a limit beyond which faith cannot go within the Word of God; but we do believe that insofar as these articles extend they are a true presentation of the sound doctrine taught in the Scriptures, and are therefore binding upon us as Christian believers.