What We Believe

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THE TRIUNE GOD

 

    The Holy Scriptures declare there is but one true and living God, an eternal being without a body, indivisible, of infinite power, wisdom and goodness. He is the Creator and Preserver of all things visible and invisible. He rules with gracious regard for the well-being and salvation of all men, to the glory of His name. In this Godhead there is a Trinity of one substance and power, and coeternal, namely the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Gen. 1:1; Ex. 3:14; Deut. 6:4; John 8:58 1 Tim. 1:17 Matt. 28:19; 11 Cor. 13:14

 

 

JESUS CHRIST - SON OF GOD

    The Holy Scriptures declare that Jesus Christ is truly God and truly man, in Whom the divine and human natures are perfectly and inseparably united. He is the eternal Word made flesh, the only begotten Son of the Father who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. As ministering Servant, He lived, suffered and died on the cross. He was buried, rose from the dead and ascended bodily into heaven to be with the Father, from whence he shall return. He is eternal Savior and Mediator, who intercedes for us, and by Him all men will be judged.
Acts 17:3; Col.2:9 Heb. 2:16; Acts 2:22; 4:10 John 1:14 Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:23 Acts 1:3; 1 Cor. 15:3-8 Acts 1:9-11; Acts 2:22-24 Heb. 4:14-16; 7:25; 1 Tim. 2:5 8. 11 Cor. 5:10; Rev. 20:11-15

 

 

THE HOLY SPIRIT

 

    The Holy Scriptures declare that the Holy Spirit proceeds from and is one Being with the Father and the Son. He convicts the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment. He leads men, through faithful response to the Gospel, into the fellowship of the Church. He comforts, sustains, empowers and sanctifies the faithful, and guides them into all truth. 
John 15:26,27; John 14:16,17 Acts 5:3,4 John 16:8-11 4. John 16:7,12,13; John 14:26

 

 

THE HOLY SCRIPTURES

    The Holy Scriptures in their entirety are the inspired, inerrant, written Word of God. They alone contain the will of God as far as it is necessary for us to know it for our salvation, so that whatsoever is not contained therein, nor can be proved thereby, is not to be enjoined on any as an article of faith, or as a doctrine essential to salvation. By the Holy Scriptures we understand those 66 canonical books of the Old and New Testament.
   

     In both the Old as well as the New Testament, everlasting life is offered to mankind by Christ Who being both God and man, is the only Mediator between God and man. Even though Christians are not bound by the ceremonies and rites of the Old Testament they are nevertheless not exempt from the keeping of, the moral laws.
11 Tim. 3:15-17; 11 Pet. 1:19-21; Gal. 1:8,9; Rev. 22:18,19 1 Tim. 2:5 Gal. 3:11,24,25; 4:9; Col. 2:16 Matt. 22:37-40; James 2:8; 1 Tim. 1:5

 

 

DEPRAVITY AND PREVENIENT GRACE

    The Holy Scriptures declare that through the transgression of Adam man is fallen from original righteousness and apart from the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, is not only entirely destitute of holiness, but is inclined to evil, and that continually, and except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. Man in his own strength, without divine grace, cannot do good works pleasing and acceptable to God. The Holy Scriptures further declare that man is a free moral agent and that he is responsible for his eternal destiny, and that, influenced and empowered by the Holy Spirit and due to the prevenient grace of God is enabled to exercise his will for good and to the glory of God.
Eph. 1; Rom. 3:10-18,23 John 3:3-7 2. Gen. 6:5; Ps. 51:5; 58:3 Rom. 2:4 5. Acts 17:24-28; Rom. 5:15-21; Phil. 2:13; Titus 2:11; Eph. 2:8,9

 

 

PROVISION FOR SALVATION

    The Holy Scriptures declare that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. The offering of Christ freely made on the cross through the shedding of His blood is the perfect and sufficient sacrifice for the sins of the world, both original and actual, so that no other satisfaction is required.
John 19:30; Heb. 7:26; 9:26; 10:12

 

 

JUSTIFICATION, REGENERATION, ADOPTION

    The Holy Scriptures declare that we are never accounted righteous before God through our works or merit, but that those who truly repent of their sins are justified or accounted righteous before God only by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

   

      Regeneration is the renewal of man in righteousness through Jesus Christ after the image of God by the power of the Holy Spirit, whereby we are made partakers of the divine nature and experience newness of life. This is initial sanctification. By this new birth the believer becomes a child of God, receives the spirit of adoption, and is made an heir of the Kingdom of Heaven. The Holy Spirit bears witness to this gracious work and immediately assures the regenerate believer that he has passed from death unto life, that his sins are all forgiven and that he is a child of God.
Isa. 64:6; Gal. 2:16 Eph. 2:8,9; Rom. 5:1,2; 4:3-5; Gal. 5:5,6 Titus 3:5; 11 Cor. 5:17; John 1:12 1 Jn.3:1; 11 Cor.6:18 Rom.8:14-16; Gal.4:4-7

 

 

SANCTIFICATION

 

    The Holy Scriptures declare that sanctification begins in the new birth and is the work of God's grace through the Word and the Holy Spirit, by which those who have been born again and delivered from the willful practice of sin are enabled to live in accordance with God's will, and to seek earnestly for holiness without which no one will see God.
 Acts 15:9; Rom. 8:1-4; 6:6; 1 Thess. 5:23,24 Heb. 12:14 Col. 1:9-14 Matt. 22:37; Gal. 5:22,23; 1 Pet. 1:22; 1 Jn.1:9 Rom. 6:1,2,11-14; 12:1,2 1 Jn. 3:3 Heb. 12:10-15; Phil.2:1-5 Phil. 2:2

 

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GOOD WORKS

    The Holy Scriptures declare that good works are the necessary fruits of faith and follow regeneration but they do not have the virtue to remove our sins or to avert divine judgment. We believe good works, pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ, spring from a true and living faith, for through and by them faith is made evident even as a tree is discerned by its fruit.
Eph. 2:10 Gal. 2:16 John 15:1-8; James 3:10-13; 2:17,18; Phil. 1:10,11

 

 

THE CHURCH

    The Holy Scriptures declare that the Church is the community of (born again) believers under the Lordship of Christ. It is the fellowship of the redeemed in which the Word of God is preached by men divinely called, and the sacraments are duly administered according to Christ's own appointment. Under the discipline of the Holy Spirit the Church exists for the maintenance of worship, the edification of believers and the redemption of the world.
Acts 2:47; 2:41-47; 1 John 1:7; Rom. 1:18,21

 

 

SACRAMENTS

    The Holy Scriptures declare that the sacraments, ordained by Christ, are not only pledges and symbols of the Christian's profession, but they are also signs of God's love and grace toward us, by which He works invisibly in us, quickening, strengthening and confirming our faith in Him. Two sacraments are ordained by Christ our Lord, namely Baptism and the Lord's Supper.
   

      Baptism signifies entrance into the household of faith, and is a symbol of repentance and inner cleansing from sin, a representation of the new birth in Christ Jesus and a mark of Christian discipleship, and is to be administered to those who receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
   

      The Lord's Supper is a representation of our redemption, a memorial of the sufferings and death of Christ, and a token of love and union which Christians have with Christ and with one another. Those who rightly, worthily and in faith eat the broken bread and drink the blessed cup partake of the body and blood of Christ in a spiritual manner until He comes.
Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 2:38-41; 8:36-39; 16:30-33 Luke 22:19-22; 1 Cor. 11:23-29

 

 

HEALING

    The Holy Scriptures declare that God is able to heal and that we ought to pray for the sick. Although healing cannot be demanded of God, it may be sought in accordance with the instructions in James. God heals in three ways: (1) through the natural processes of the human body which may be aided by medical help, (2) through the instantaneous intervention of God bringing healing to the body, and (3) through the death and resurrection of the body to a glorified state.
James 5:13-16

 

 

THE LORD'S DAY

    The Holy Scriptures declare that the Lord's Day is divinely ordained for private and public worship, for rest from unnecessary work, and should be devoted to spiritual improvement, Christian fellowship and service. It is commemorative of our Lord's resurrection and is an emblem of our eternal rest. It is essential to the permanence and growth of the Christian Church, and important to the welfare of the civil community.
Matt. 28:1; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2; Heb. 10:25; Rev. 1:10

 

 

PUBLIC WORSHIP

    The Holy Scriptures declare that divine worship is the duty and privilege of man, who in the presence of God, bows in adoration, humility and dedication. It is essential to the life of the church, and the assembling of the people of God for such worship is necessary to Christian fellowship and spiritual growth.

   

     The Scriptures further reveal that the order of public worship need not be the same in all places but may be modified by the church according to circumstances and the needs of men. It should be in a language and form understood by the people, consistent with the Holy Scriptures to the edification of all, and in accordance with the order and Discipline of the church.
Ps.95:1,2,6; Eph.5:19 Eph.4:11-16; I Thess.5:11 Acts 5:1-11;1 Cor.5:1-7

 

 

THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST

    The Holy Scriptures declare the coming of Christ to be a bodily return to the earth and that he will cause the fulfillment of all prophecies made concerning His final and complete triumph over all evil. Faith in the imminence of Christ's return is a rational and inspiring hope to the people of God.
Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thess. 4:15-18; Titus 2:11-13

 

 

RESURRECTION, JUDGMENT AND FUTURE STATE

    The Holy Scriptures declare that there is a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous. All men stand under the righteous judgment of God, both now and in that day. The Scriptures further teach an eternal state of rewards in which the righteous dwell in endless life in heaven and the wicked in endless punishment in hell.
Ecc. 12:14; Jn. 5:22; Acts 17:31; 11 Cor. 5:10 Isa. 35:8-10; 11 Cor. 5:8; Rev. 21:22 Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:11-15; 21:8

 

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