 |
SECTION A - The Scriptures
We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men who were supernaturally
inspired by God. It is truth without error and therefore is, and shall remain to
the end of the age, the only complete and final revelation of the will of God to
man, everywhere centering in, and pointing to, the Person and work of our Lord
Jesus Christ of whom all scripture testifies. The Holy Bible is the true center
of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds
and opinions should be tried.
* By the "Holy Bible" we mean that collection of sixty six books from Genesis to
Revelation which, as originally written, does not only contain and convey the
Word of God but IS the very Word of God.
* By "inspiration" we mean that the books of the Bible were spoken first by holy
men of old as they were moved by the Holy Spirit in such a way that their
writings were supernaturally and verbally inspired and free from error as no
other writings have ever been or will ever be.
Psalm 19:7-11; Proverbs 30:3-6; Romans 15:4; II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:21
SECTION B - The True God
We believe that there is one, and only one living and true God; who is an
infinite, intelligent spirit, the maker and supreme ruler of heaven and earth,
inexpressibly glorious in holiness and worthy of all possible honor, confidence
and love. We believe that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons;
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in every divine perfection and
executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.
Genesis 1:1; II Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 4:6; I Timothy 1:17; I John 5:7
SECTION C - God the Father
We believe that, although God is the Creator of the universe and of the human
race, He is the Father only of those who accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their
personal savior. We do not believe in the universal fatherhood of God nor the
universal Brotherhood of man.
Genesis 1:1,26,27; 2:7,21,22; Acts 17:28,29; John 1:12,13; 8:42-44; Galations
3:26; I John 3:2; 5:12
SECTION D - God the Son
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the second person of the Triune God, the
Eternal and only begotten son of God, came into the world, as provided and
purposed by the Triune God, and as pre-announced in the prophecies of the
Scriptures, that he might become the redeemer of a lost world; that without any
essential change in His divine person, He was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
became man through the miracle of the virgin birth, received a human body and a
sinless human nature, and thus continues forever as both true God and true man.
He is one person with two natures; that as man He was in all points tempted as
we are, yet without sin, that as the perfect lamb of God, He gave Himself in
death upon the cross, shedding His own precious blood, bearing there our sin and
suffering its full penalty of divine wrath as our substitute; that He arose from
the dead and was glorified in the same body in which He suffered and died; that
as our great high priest He ascended into heaven, there to appear before the
face of God as our advocate and intercessor; that He will come again first to
receive from the earth His own and then to establish His righteous kingdom upon
the earth.
Matthew 1:18,23; 20:28; 28:19; Psalm 2:7; John 1:14,18, 29; 8:46,58; 14:3;
20:25-28; I Peter 1:10,18,19; 2:22,24; Acts 1:9,11; 2:23,32,33; 15:14-16;
Genesis 3:15; Luke 19:10; Hebrews 2: 14,17;4:14,15; 7:25; 9:24; 13:8;
II Corinthians 5:21; I Timothy 2:5; 3:16; I John 2:1; 3:5; Colossians 2:9;
Revelation 22:16; Romans 1:3,4; Philippians 2:8; Isaiah 53:5,6; Galatians 3:13.
SECTION E - The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, of the same nature , and
equal
with God the Father and God the Son, and was active in the creation. We believe
that in His relation to the unbelieving world, He restrains the Evil One until
God's purpose is fulfilled, and He convicts of sin, judgment and of
righteousness. He bears witness to the truth of the Gospel in preaching and
testimony. He is the agent in the new birth and He seals, provides, guides,
teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the believer.
Genesis 1:1-3; Matthew 28:10; John 16:8-11; Ephesians 1:13-14;
II Thessalonians 2:6-8, 13.
SECTION F - The Devil, or Satan
We believe that Satan was once holy and enjoyed heavenly honors, but through
pride and ambition to be above the Almighty, fell and drew after him a host of
angels. We believe that he is now the malignant prince of the power of the air
and the unholy god of this world. We hold him to be man's great tempter, the
enemy of God and Christ, the accuser of the saints, the author of all false
religions and the chief power behind the present apostasy. He is the lord of the
antichrist and the author of all the powers of darkness - destined for final
defeat at the hand of God's own Son and for the judgment of eternal justice in
Hell, a place prepared for him and his angels.
Isaiah 14:12-15; Ephesians 2:2; I Peter 5:8; Revelation 12:7-9; 19:16-20; 20:10.
SECTION G - Creation
We believe in the Genesis account of creation; that it is to be accepted
literally, not allegorically or figuratively. We believe that man was created
directly in God's own image and after His own likeness. Also, we believe that
man's creation was not a matter of evolution or evolutionary change of species,
or development through interminable periods of time from lower to higher forms.
All animal and vegetable life was created directly. God's established law was
that they should bring forth only "after their own kind."
Genesis 1:1,24; John 1:3; Hebrews 11:3; Revelation 10:6
SECTION H - The Fall of Man
We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of his maker, but by
voluntary transgression, fell from his sinless and happy state. The consequence
of which is that all mankind are now sinners, not by constraint but of choice,
and are therefore under just condemnation without defense or excuse.
Genesis 3:6,24; Romans 1:32; 3:10-19; 5:12,19
SECTION I - The Virgin Birth
We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Spirit in a miraculous
manner, born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born of a woman, and
that He is both the Son of God and God the Son.
Isaiah 7:14; Mark 1:1; Luke 1:35; John 1:1,14
SECTION J - The Atonement of Sin
We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace through the Son of
God, Who, by appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him the nature of a
man, yet without sin. He honored the divine law by His personal obedience
through His death and the shedding of His blood, and made a full and vicarious
atonement for our sins. His atonement consisted not in setting us an example by
His death as a martyr, but was the voluntary substitution of Himself in the
sinner's place, the just dying for the unjust, the Lord Jesus Christ bearing our
sins in His own body on the cross. Having risen from the dead, He is now
enthroned in heaven. He is in every way qualified to be the suitable,
compassionate and all sufficient Savior.
II Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:8-9; Philippians 2:8; Hebrews 7:25; 12:2;
I John 2:2.
SECTION K - Grace in the New Creation
We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again. The new birth
results in a new creation in Christ Jesus. It is instantaneous, not a process.
In the new birth, the one dead in trespasses and sin is made a partaker of the
divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God.
We believe creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension, not by
culture, nor character, nor by the will of man. It was done entirely by the
power of the Holy Spirit in connection with the divine truth, so as to secure
our voluntary obedience to the Gospel. We believe that its proper evidence
appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life.
John 3:6-8; Acts 16: 30-33; Romans 6:23; II Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 5:22.
SECTION L - The Freeness of Salvation
We believe in God's electing grace and that the blessings of salvation are made
free to all by the Gospel. It is the immediate duty of all to accept them with
heart-felt penitence and obedient faith. We believe that nothing prevents the
salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but his own inherent wickedness and
voluntary rejection of the Gospel which involves him in severe condemnation.
Isaiah 55:6-7; Matthew 11:28; John 3:15-16, 18.
SECTION M - Justification
We believe that the great Gospel blessing which Christ secures to those who
believe in Him is justification and includes the pardon of sin and the gift of
eternal life on principles of righteousness. Justification is not given in
consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but solely
through faith in the Redeemer's blood. His righteousness is bestowed upon us.
Habakkuk 2:4; Acts 13:39; Romans 4:1-8; Galatians 3:11; Titus 3:5-7.
SECTION N - Repentance and Faith
We believe that repentance and faith are solemn obligations and inseparable
graces, brought about in our souls by the Spirit of God. Being deeply convicted
of our guilt, danger and helplessness, and realizing the way of salvation by
Christ, we turn to God with genuine repentance, confession and supplication for
mercy, heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ and openly confessing Him as our
only and all-sufficient Savior.
Psalm 51:1-4,7; Isaiah 55:6-7; Acts 20:21; Romans 10:9-11,13.
SECTION O - The Church
We believe that a New Testament church is a congregation of baptized believers
joined together by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel. We observe
the ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws, exercising the gifts, rights and
privileges invested in them according to His word. The officers of ordination
are pastors or elders whose qualifications, claims and duties are clearly
defined in the Scriptures. We believe the true mission of the church is found in
the Great Ministry, Matthew 28:18-20, and the Great Commandment, Matthew
22:36-40.
We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government, free
from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations. We
believe that the one and only superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit.
It is scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending
for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel and that every church is the
sole and only judge of the measure and method of its cooperation. On all matters
of church membership, policy, government, discipline and benevolence, the will
of the local church is final.
Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:41-42; Ephesians 4:11; 5:23-24; I Timothy 3:1-15.
SECTION P - Eternal Security
We believe that the new birth is a one time event just as physical birth is a
one time event. Eternal life is the result of being born into an eternal
family.; the words, "eternal", "everlasting", and "forever" are used to describe
our redemption, our life with God, and how long the Holy Spirit abides with us.
Because our salvation is entirely God's work, and our keeping is entirely God's
work, we can have full confidence that nothing "...shall be able to separate us
from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
John 10:28-29; Romans 8:28, 35-39; Colossians 1:21-23; I Peter 1:5.
SECTION Q - The Righteous and the Wicked
We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the
righteous and the wicked. The righteous are justified through faith in the name
of the Lord Jesus and sanctified by the Spirit of our God, and are truly
righteous in His esteem. All those who continue in pride and unbelief are wicked
in His sight and under the curse. This distinction holds among men in both life
and after death - the everlasting happiness of the saved and the everlasting
conscious suffering of the lost.
Matthew 7:13-14; 25:34; Romans 6:17-18, 23; I Peter 4:18; Luke 16:19-31;
Revelation 20: 15-20.
SECTION R - Civil Government
We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interests and
good order of human society. Those in civil authority are to be prayed for,
conscientiously honored and obeyed, with the exception only of things opposed to
the clear teaching of Scripture.
Matthew 10:28; 23:10; Acts 5:29; 23:5; Romans 13:7; Philippians 2:10-11; Titus
3:1.
SECTION S - The Resurrection and Return of Christ and Related Events
We believe in and accept the sacred Scriptures upon these subjects at their face
and full value. Of the resurrection, we believe that Christ rose bodily the
third day according to the scriptures and that He alone is our merciful and
faithful high priest in things pertaining to God.
Regarding the return of Christ, we believe "that this same Jesus which is taken
up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into
heaven"' bodily, personally and visibly.
On related events, we believe that the dead in Christ shall rise first, that the
living saints shall all be "changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at
the last trump." Christ shall reign a thousand years in righteousness until He
hath put all enemies under His feet and "the Lord God shall give unto Him the
throne of His Father David."
Mark 16:19; Acts 2:29-30; I Corinthians 15:4,25; I Thessalonians 4: 16-17
SECTION T - Missions
We believe this church shall be missionary in spirit and practice, contributing
to the support of missions at home and abroad. We believe that the command to
give the Gospel to the world is clear and unmistakable and this ministry is
given to every scriptural church.
Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; John 20: 21; Romans 10:13-15
SECTION U - The Grace of Giving
We believe that God's method of financing His earthly work of spreading the
gospel to all nations, the care of the churches and the support of the ministry
is by the tithes and offerings of His people. We believe giving is to be done
cheerfully and not under compulsion and that joy will be a reward of giving.
Giving is to be done to the Lord through His church, to be distributed as
directed by the Board of Elders as the need arises. We believe the time to bring
tithes and offerings is upon the first day of the week and everyone is
accountable to the Lord for one-tenth of his income.
Malachi 3:10; I Corinthians 16:2; II Corinthians 9:7; Matthew 23:23.
ORDINANCES
SECTION A - Baptism
We believe that Christian baptism of the believer, who confesses belief in Jesus
Christ as Savior, is by immersion in water, done in the name of the Father, the
Son and the Holy Spirit. Baptism is performed under the authority of the local
church to show a solemn and beautiful picture of our faith in the crucified,
buried and risen Savior. Baptism pictures our death to sin and resurrection to a
new life. It is a prerequisite to the privileges of church membership. Baptism
shall be administered only after due examination by a pastor.
SECTION B - The Lord's Supper
The Lord's Supper commemorates the death of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The bread represents His body that was broken for us. The fruit of the vine
represents His blood that was shed for us. Before partaking of these elements,
each person should examine himself, "For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy
manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body."
Matthew 3:16; 28:19-20; John 3:23; Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 2:12;
I Corinthians 11: 23-28.
|
|
|
