THE SCRIPTURES
We believe that the Bible, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, is the infallible Word of God, verbally inspired by God, without error, deception, or contradiction. We believe the Bible has God for its author, redemption through Christ as its theme, and salvation for its end. We believe that God’s intentions, commands, and truth as revealed in the Bible, are the supreme and final authority in all areas that it addresses, both directly and indirectly. Therefore, we believe the teachings of Scripture are the supreme standard by which all human conduct, truths, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried.
2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:20-21, 2 Peter3:15 and Deut 17:18-20.
The Trinity, One God as Three Persons
We believe in one infinitely perfect, eternal, and personal God, the transcendent Creator and sovereign sustainer of the universe. The all-glorious God, eternally existing in three equally infinite, excellent, and admirable Persons: God the Father, source of all life and existence; God the Son, eternally begotten, not made, without beginning or end, being of one essence and nature with God the Father; and God the Holy Spirit, existing in the full, divine essence of God the Father and God the Son, thus each Person in the Godhead is fully, completely and equally God.
John 1:1, Rev. 1:11, Rev. 22:13, Isaiah 6 w/John 12:40-41, John 8:58, Heb. 9:14, Rom. 8:9 and John 15:26
THE PERSON AND WORK OF JESUS CHRIST.
We believe the OT promised that the coming Savior would come from the seed of the woman (Eve) to destroy Satan (Gen. 3:15); that He would be born of a virgin (Is. 7:14); that He would come as King from the tribe of Judah (Gen. 49:10) through the line of David to reign over Israel and the world (2 Sam. 7:14; Is. 9:6-7; Mic. 5:2; Zech. 14); that He would be sinless and die as a substitute for the sins of mankind (Ps. 22:1, 6-7, 14-18; Is. 52:13-14; 53); and that He would rise from the dead (Ps. 16:10). This promised Messiah (Anointed One of God) would be both God (Is. 9:6; Mic. 5:2) and man (Gen. 3:15). The NT pronounces that the promised Messiah of the OT has come in the person of Jesus Christ (Messiah) (Matt. 1; Jn. 1:1-18; Rom. 1:1-4; 2 Tim. 2:8 ). Therefore the NT testifies that Jesus Christ being both God and man (Jn. 1:1 &14; Rev. 1:17-18) has fulfilled the promise of the OT by being born of the virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit (Lk. 26-38); that He attested to His Messianic claims by performing miracles (Jn. 10:37-38; 12:37); that He died as a substitute for man’s sins and rose physically from the grave on the third day in order to appease God’s wrath against mankind and satisfy His justice in reconciling man back into a relationship with a Holy God (Rom. 5:8-21; 1 Cor. 15:3-8; 2 Cor. 5:18-21;1 Pet. 2:24; 3:18); and that He ascended to heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father waiting until the time of His return to earth to reign over the nation of Israel and the world (Ps. 2: 110:1-2; Zech. 12:7-10; Matt. 25:31-46; Acts 1:9-10; 3:20-21; Heb. 1:3; 9:28).
THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead, is fully divine and co-equal with the Father and the Son. He exalts Christ, convicts men of sin, regenerates, baptizes, indwells, seals, and sets apart believers unto a holy life. We believe that He keeps and empowers believers day-by-day. We believe the Holy Spirit bestows spiritual gifts on believers by which they serve God for His kingdom, divine will, and the Church. He also enlightens and empowers the believer and the Church in worship, evangelism, and service. We believe that the Holy Spirit is the Teacher of the Word of God and the ultimate Guide for daily living. Acts 1:8, 5, John 14:26 &15:26, 1 Cor. 12:3-7, Gal. 4:6
Rom. 8:2-13, 27, 1 Cor. 2:10-14.
MANKIND
We believe man was created in the image of God, possessing a mind, volition (will) and emotions in order to have a relationship with the living God. Due to Adam and Eve’s rebellion in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3) man was judged by being separated from their chief Source of satisfaction and joy and placed under divine judgment (Rom. 5:12-14). As a result, man has a sin nature because he was viewed as participating in Adam’s rebellion (Rom. 5:12), which means that every aspect of his humanness is corrupted - his thoughts, motives, emotions, words and actions (his entire character) (Matt. 15:18-20; Rom. 3:10-20; Eph. 2:1-3; 4:17-19). Man is depraved (lacking a sincere desire or ability to rightfully please God) and thus is unable to deliver himself from God’s righteous wrath against his sins (Rom. 8:6-8). Man, in his lost state cannot perform self-conversion in order to save himself because he is “dead in trespasses and sins” (Prov. 21:10; Eph. 2:1). Therefore, man can do good things but his good works have no merit towards God nor can it alter his sinful condition (Job 14:4; 15:14-16; Jer. 13:23; 17:9; Matt. 7:11). The only remedy for mankind's condition is redemption through faith in what Jesus Christ accomplished for him personally on the cross.
SALVATION
We believe God has acted sovereignly to bridge the gap that separates people from Himself. He sent His Son, born of a virgin, attested by miracles and by a sinless life, to bear the full penalty for humanity's sin. We believe Jesus Christ suffered and died in the place of sinners, thus satisfying the Father's just wrath against human sin, accomplishing true reconciliation between God and all those who accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. We believe that (1) Salvation is the deliverance from the penalty, power and presence of sin (Rom. 6:11-12; 8:1, 31) (2) salvation is by grace, a free gift of God apart from works, (3) salvation involves repentance, a change of mind and action in respect to sin. (4) salvation is through personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, (5) all who receive Jesus Christ are regenerated by the Holy Spirit and become the children of God, and (6) true salvation will be manifested by a changed life. 1 Pet. 3-9, 19 Rom. 3:21-26, Eph. 2:8-10, Titus 3:4-7, Titus 2:11-14, 2 Cor. 5:14-15, 1 Tim. 3:16, 2Tim 2:19, Rom. 4:4, Acts 20:20-21
THE FUTURE
We believe the Lord Jesus Christ will return to this earth, personally, bodily, and visibly to establish his glorious reign in a kingdom that will never end. As the sovereign Lord, He will resurrect and judge all humanity. Those who have received His offer of life through the Gospel will go to eternal blessings in heaven and enjoy everlasting life in the presence of God; those who have rejected it, to an eternally conscious punishment in hell. We look forward to the blessed hope, Christ's Second Coming in glory. Acts 1:11, Matt. 24:30, 1 Thess. 4:16-18, Rev. 21:4, Rev. 20:11-15, 2 Cor. 5:1-9.
THE CHURCH
We believe the Church is a living, spiritual body in which Christ is the Head and of which all born again believers are members. We believe the church is a congregation of believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the two ordinances of Christ (baptism and the Lord’s Supper), governed by His laws, exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word, and seeking to extend the Gospel to the ends of the earth. The Church operates under the Lordship of Christ and that each member is responsible and accountable to Christ as Lord. We believe the New Testament speaks also of the church as the Body of Christ, which includes all of the redeemed of all the ages, believers from every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation. Eph 4:11-13, 4:15-16, 2Cor 5:17, John 3:3, Acts 2:38-40 & 2:42-45, 1Cor 11:24-26, Matt 28:19, Rev 7:9-10,
BAPTISM AND THE LORD’S SUPPER
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ instituted two ordinances. The first, water baptism, as an outward sign of what God has already done in the individual's life through faith in the effectual and all powerful work of Christ on the cross. We believe baptism is not a "sacrament" that imparts saving grace. We are not saved by baptism, but by faith in Jesus Christ and His blood..."cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). The Lord's Supper is a commemoration of the death of the Lord and is done in remembrance of Him, until He comes again, and is a sign of our participation in Him. Both institutions are restricted to those who are believers. Matt 28:19, Acts 2:41, 1 Cor. 11:23-26
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