We Believe

WE BELIEVE


The Bible


We believe in the Scriptures of the Old and the New Testaments as verbally inspired by God and without error in the original writings: that the Bible is reliable in science, history, and every other matter it discussed; and that the Bible is the supreme and final authority in faith and life. We believe God not only inspired every word, but has preserved them through the ages. We believe the King James Version is the preserved Word of God for the English-speaking people. (II Timothy 3:16,17; II Peter 1:19-21)


God


We believe in one Triune God, externally existing in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections. (Exodus 20:2,3; I Corinthians 8:6; Matthew 28:19,20; II Corinthians 13:14)



God the Father


We believe in God the Father, perfect in holiness, infinite in wisdom, measureless in power; that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from eternal death and Hell all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. (Psalm 22:3; John 17:11; Psalm 147:5; I John 3:20; Matthew 19:26; John 3:16; John 14:5; I Timothy 2:5; Psalm 65:2; Hebrews 11:6; Matthew 6:26,28-30; Romans 5:8)



God the Son


We believe in the absolute Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ; His eternal existence as God, coequal with the Father and the Holy Spirit; His incarnation by means of the virgin birth; His sinlessness; His vicarious death through the shedding of His blood as an atonement for the remission of our sins; His literal bodily resurrection from the dead; His ascension; His present high priestly ministry in Heaven for Believers; and His Personal return to earth. (I John 5:20; John 1:18; John 14:29; Hebrews 1:8; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-35; I Peter 2:22; Romans 3:25; Hebrews 9:14; Luke 24:36-43; Acts 1:9,11; Luke 24:51; Hebrews 8:1,2; Acts 10:40,41; I John 2:1; I Thessalonians 4:16)



Sin


We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person, co-equal with the Father and the righteousness, and judgment; that he bears witness to the Truth; that He is the Agent of the new birth; that He baptizes all true believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sanctifying all of them, sealing and thus securing them unto the day of redemption; that He endues, guides, teaches, and helps believers; and that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit, the evidence being soul-winning power and not speaking in tongues. (Matthew 28:19; II Corinthians 13:14; Acts 5:3,4)



Creation


We believe that God created the heavens and the earth, including all life, each after its own species, by the direct act and not by the process of evolution. (Genesis 1 & 2; Colossians 1:16,17; John 1:3)


Sin


We believe that man, in the person of the first Adam, was created in the image of God, in innocence under the law of his Maker, but by reason of his voluntary sin, fell from his high and holy state; that as a result, the whole race plunged into condemnation and death, so that now all human beings are born with a sinful nature; and that all who reach the age of moral responsibility become willful sinners in thought, work and deed, and so are without excuse before God. (Genesis 1:26,27; Genesis 3; Romans 5:10-19; Psalm 51:5; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 3:10-23)


The Means of Salvation


We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace through faith in the blood sacrifice, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ; that all who receive Him are regenerated by the Holy Spirit and become children of God; that no rite, ceremony, or work can avail one whit for the sinnerʼs salvation or make the believerʼs salvation more secure; that Christ is the only and all-sufficient Savior, and all who are truly saved are kept forever. (Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5-7; John 5:24; John 1:12; Romans 10:9-13; Acts 16:31; Acts 4:12; John 10:28,29; II Timothy 1:12; Romans 8:35-39; Philippians 1:6)


The Justification of Salvation


We believe that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the Gospel; that it is the immediate duty of all to accept them by a cordial, penitent, and obedient faith; and that nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but his own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the Gospel, which rejection involves him in an aggravated condemnation. (John 3:16-21; I Timothy 1:15; Hebrews 7:25; Revelation 22:17)


New Nature


We believe that every saved person possesses two natures; that he has the old nature for the duration of his earthly life; but that provision is made for victory of the new nature over the old nature through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. (Romans 7:15-25; Romans 6:11-14; Philippians 4:7-14; Philippians 3:7-1)


Sanctification


We believe that sanctification for the believer is immediate, upon acceptance of Christ as Savior, and Progressive, continuing to the end of earthly life; and that the progressive phase of sanctification is carried on in the hearts of believers by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in the continual use of the appointed means, especially study of Godʼs Work, self-examination, self-denial, faithfulness in and through a fundamental, local church, through prayer and soulwinning. (I Corinthians 1:2; I Corinthians 6:11; I Thessalonians 3:12,13; Hebrews 10:10,14; II Peter 3:18; I Thessalonians 4:1-12; Ephesians 4:11-16; Hebrews 10:25)


The New Testament Church


We believe that the local New Testament church is composed of regenerated baptized believers, voluntarily united together for the purpose of worship, edification, observing the ordinances, fellowship, and service; that the officers of the local church are pastor and deacons, who qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures; that the true mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as we have opportunity in the local community and unto the uttermost parts of the earth; that the local church has the absolute right of self government, free from interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations, religious or political; that the one and only superintendent is Christ, through the Holy Spirit; that it is scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel, with each local church as the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation; and that on all matters of membership, policy of government, discipline, benevolence, the will of the local church is final.(Acts 2:41-47; Romans 1:7; Colossians 1:2; Acts 4:4; I Corinthians 1:2; Hebrews 10:25; Acts 20:7; Acts11:26; Philippians 1:1; I Timothy 3:1-16; Titus 1:5-8; Hebrews 13:7, 17; I Peter 5:1-5; Acts 6:1-8; Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 1:22,23; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 5:23-26; Acts 15:1-27; Acts 11:29,30; Acts 13: 1-4; Philippians 4:14-16; Acts 20:28,31; I Corinthians 5:1-6,11)

Share by: