Articles of Faith
I. THE BIBLE
We believe the 66 Books that comprise the Old and New Testaments to be the only verbal plenary inspired Word of God, the final authority for faith and life, inerrant in the original writings, infallible and God-breathed. We believe that there are no other writings similarly inspired by God and that the Bible is the only written revelation of God given to men. ( II Tim. 3:16, 17; Pet. 1:20, 21; Matt. 5 :16; John 16:12;13 )
II. THE GODHEAD
We believe in one and only one true Triune God, who is living and holy, the creator of the universe, eternally 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 of deity and the characteristics of personality and perfection.
III. THE PERSON AND WORK OF CHRIST
A. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity and the eternal Son of God, became man through a miraculous conception and Virgin birth, was sinless in nature and possesses all attributes of deity, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men. ( John 1:1,2,14; Luke 1:30-35; Phil. 2:6-8 )
B. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His voluntary death on the cross as a vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice, the Just dying for the unjust; and, that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead. ( Rom. 3:24, 25 ; II Cor. 5:21; I Pet. 2:24; Eph. 1:7; I Pet. 1:3-5 )
C. We believe that the 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 Mediator, Intercessor, and Advocate. ( Acts 1:9,10; Heb. 9:24; 7:25; Rom. 8:34; I Tim. 2:5; I John 2:1,2 )
IV. THE PERSON AND WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
A. We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, the person of the Godhead who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and, that He is the supernatural agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the Body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption. ( John 16:8-11; II Cor. 12:12-14; Rom 8:9; Eph. 1:13, 14 )
B. We believe that the He is the Divine Teacher who guides believers into all truth and uniquely endows each believer with spiritual gifts for the building up of the Body of Christ; and, that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit. (John 16:13; I John 2:20, 27; Eph. 5:18 )
V. THE TOTAL DEPRAVITY OF MAN
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam's sin the race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and, that man is totally depraved, and of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. We believe that man, though fallen, is still loved of God and that human life from conception to death is of concern to God. ( Gen. 1:26, 27; Rom. 3:22, 23; 5:12; Eph. 2:1-3, 12 )
VI. SALVATION
We believe that salvation is the free gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of sins. We believe that Christ's death on the cross was for all mankind, making salvation available to all believe. ( Eph. 2:8-10; John 1:12; Eph. 1:7; I Pet. 1:18, 19 )
VII. THE ETERNAL SECURITY AND ASSURANCE OF BELIEVERS
A. We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ forever. ( John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Rom. 8:1, 38, 39; I Cor. 1:4-8; I Pet. 1:5 )
B. We believe that 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. ( Rom. 1:13; 8:12, 13; Gal. 5:13; Titus 2:11-15 )
VIII. THE TWO NATURES OF THE BELIEVER
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. ( Rom. 6:13, 8:12,13; Gal. 5:16-25; Eph. 4:22-24; Col. 3:10; I Pet. 1:14-16; I John 3:5-9)
IX. SEPARATION
We believe that the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord; and, that separation from all religious, apostate, and apostate organizations, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices, and associations is commanded of God. ( II Tim. 3:1-5; Rom. 12:12; 14:13; I John 2:15-17; II John 9-11; II Cor. 6:14-7:1)
X. MISSIONS
We believe that it is the obligation of the saved to witness by life and by word to the truths of Holy Scripture and to seek to proclaim the Gospel to all mankind. ( Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8; II Cor. 5:19,20)
XI. THE MINISTRY AND SPIRITUAL GIFTS
A. We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowment of all His gifts; and that the offices of evangelist, pastors, and teachers are sufficient for the perfecting of the saints today; and that speaking in tongues and the working of sign miracles gradually ceased as the New Testament scriptures were completed and their authority became established. ( I Cor. 12:4-11; II Cor. 12:12; Eph. 4:7-12)
B. We believe that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith, in accord with His own will, for the sick and the afflicted. ( John 15:7; I John 5:14,15)
XII. THE CHURCH
A. We believe that the Church, which is the body and espoused bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all born again persons from the day of Pentecost to the Rapture.
B. The local church is to be an autonomous body, answerable to God. The members consist of those born again believers who desire to identify with the covenant and beliefs of this local assembly.
C. We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament scriptures. ( Acts 14:27; 20:17, 23-32; I Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11)
XIII. CHURCH ORDINANCES
A. We believe that baptism is the immersion of the believer in water, to show forth in a beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior with its effect in our death to sin, and resurrection to a new life in Christ. (I Pet. 3:21; Matt. 28:19,20)
B. We believe that the Lord's supper is the commemoration of His death until He comes. ( I Cor. 11:23-32)
C. We believe that both of these ordinances are to be practiced in this present church age until His coming for the church.
XIV. DISPENSATIONALISM
We believe in the dispensational view of Bible interpretation, but reject the extreme teaching known as "hyper - dispensationalism", such as that teaching which opposes either the Lord's Table or water baptism as a scriptural means of testimony for the church in this age. (Matt. 28:19,20; Acts 2:41,42; 18:8; I Cor. 11:23-26)
XV. SATAN
We believe that Satan is a person, the author and cause of sin and the cause of the fall; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and, that he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire. (Job 1:6,7; Isa. 14:12-17; Matt. 4:2-11; Rev. 20:10)
XVI. THE RETURN OF CHRIST
We believe in the Blessed Hope, the personal, imminent, pretribulation, and premillennial coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His redeemed ones; and in His subsequent return to Earth with His saints, to establish His Millennial kingdom. ( I Thess. 4:13-18; Zech. 14:4-11; Rev. 19:11-16; 20:1-6; I Thess. 1:10; 5:9; Rev. 3:10)
XVII. THE ETERNAL STATE
A. We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment. ( Matt. 25:46; John 5:28,29; 11:25,26; Rev. 20:5,6,12,13)
B. We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await for the first resurrection, when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord. ( Luke 23:43; Rev. 20:4-6; II Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23; 3:21; I Thess. 4;16,17)
C. We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain after death, in conscious misery until the second resurrection, when with the 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. ( Luke 16:19-26; Matt. 25:41-46; II Thess.1:7-9; Jude 6,7; Mark 9:43-48; Rev. 20:11-15)
XVIII. 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, conscientiously honored and obeyed; except in those things that are opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the coming Prince of the kings of the Earth. (Rom. 13:17; II Sam. 23:3; Ex. 18:21,22; Acts 23:5)
We believe the 66 Books that comprise the Old and New Testaments to be the only verbal plenary inspired Word of God, the final authority for faith and life, inerrant in the original writings, infallible and God-breathed. We believe that there are no other writings similarly inspired by God and that the Bible is the only written revelation of God given to men. ( II Tim. 3:16, 17; Pet. 1:20, 21; Matt. 5 :16; John 16:12;13 )
II. THE GODHEAD
We believe in one and only one true Triune God, who is living and holy, the creator of the universe, eternally 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 of deity and the characteristics of personality and perfection.
III. THE PERSON AND WORK OF CHRIST
A. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity and the eternal Son of God, became man through a miraculous conception and Virgin birth, was sinless in nature and possesses all attributes of deity, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men. ( John 1:1,2,14; Luke 1:30-35; Phil. 2:6-8 )
B. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His voluntary death on the cross as a vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice, the Just dying for the unjust; and, that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead. ( Rom. 3:24, 25 ; II Cor. 5:21; I Pet. 2:24; Eph. 1:7; I Pet. 1:3-5 )
C. We believe that the 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 Mediator, Intercessor, and Advocate. ( Acts 1:9,10; Heb. 9:24; 7:25; Rom. 8:34; I Tim. 2:5; I John 2:1,2 )
IV. THE PERSON AND WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
A. We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, the person of the Godhead who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and, that He is the supernatural agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the Body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption. ( John 16:8-11; II Cor. 12:12-14; Rom 8:9; Eph. 1:13, 14 )
B. We believe that the He is the Divine Teacher who guides believers into all truth and uniquely endows each believer with spiritual gifts for the building up of the Body of Christ; and, that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit. (John 16:13; I John 2:20, 27; Eph. 5:18 )
V. THE TOTAL DEPRAVITY OF MAN
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam's sin the race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and, that man is totally depraved, and of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. We believe that man, though fallen, is still loved of God and that human life from conception to death is of concern to God. ( Gen. 1:26, 27; Rom. 3:22, 23; 5:12; Eph. 2:1-3, 12 )
VI. SALVATION
We believe that salvation is the free gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of sins. We believe that Christ's death on the cross was for all mankind, making salvation available to all believe. ( Eph. 2:8-10; John 1:12; Eph. 1:7; I Pet. 1:18, 19 )
VII. THE ETERNAL SECURITY AND ASSURANCE OF BELIEVERS
A. We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ forever. ( John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Rom. 8:1, 38, 39; I Cor. 1:4-8; I Pet. 1:5 )
B. We believe that 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. ( Rom. 1:13; 8:12, 13; Gal. 5:13; Titus 2:11-15 )
VIII. THE TWO NATURES OF THE BELIEVER
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. ( Rom. 6:13, 8:12,13; Gal. 5:16-25; Eph. 4:22-24; Col. 3:10; I Pet. 1:14-16; I John 3:5-9)
IX. SEPARATION
We believe that the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord; and, that separation from all religious, apostate, and apostate organizations, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices, and associations is commanded of God. ( II Tim. 3:1-5; Rom. 12:12; 14:13; I John 2:15-17; II John 9-11; II Cor. 6:14-7:1)
X. MISSIONS
We believe that it is the obligation of the saved to witness by life and by word to the truths of Holy Scripture and to seek to proclaim the Gospel to all mankind. ( Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8; II Cor. 5:19,20)
XI. THE MINISTRY AND SPIRITUAL GIFTS
A. We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowment of all His gifts; and that the offices of evangelist, pastors, and teachers are sufficient for the perfecting of the saints today; and that speaking in tongues and the working of sign miracles gradually ceased as the New Testament scriptures were completed and their authority became established. ( I Cor. 12:4-11; II Cor. 12:12; Eph. 4:7-12)
B. We believe that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith, in accord with His own will, for the sick and the afflicted. ( John 15:7; I John 5:14,15)
XII. THE CHURCH
A. We believe that the Church, which is the body and espoused bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all born again persons from the day of Pentecost to the Rapture.
B. The local church is to be an autonomous body, answerable to God. The members consist of those born again believers who desire to identify with the covenant and beliefs of this local assembly.
C. We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament scriptures. ( Acts 14:27; 20:17, 23-32; I Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11)
XIII. CHURCH ORDINANCES
A. We believe that baptism is the immersion of the believer in water, to show forth in a beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior with its effect in our death to sin, and resurrection to a new life in Christ. (I Pet. 3:21; Matt. 28:19,20)
B. We believe that the Lord's supper is the commemoration of His death until He comes. ( I Cor. 11:23-32)
C. We believe that both of these ordinances are to be practiced in this present church age until His coming for the church.
XIV. DISPENSATIONALISM
We believe in the dispensational view of Bible interpretation, but reject the extreme teaching known as "hyper - dispensationalism", such as that teaching which opposes either the Lord's Table or water baptism as a scriptural means of testimony for the church in this age. (Matt. 28:19,20; Acts 2:41,42; 18:8; I Cor. 11:23-26)
XV. SATAN
We believe that Satan is a person, the author and cause of sin and the cause of the fall; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and, that he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire. (Job 1:6,7; Isa. 14:12-17; Matt. 4:2-11; Rev. 20:10)
XVI. THE RETURN OF CHRIST
We believe in the Blessed Hope, the personal, imminent, pretribulation, and premillennial coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His redeemed ones; and in His subsequent return to Earth with His saints, to establish His Millennial kingdom. ( I Thess. 4:13-18; Zech. 14:4-11; Rev. 19:11-16; 20:1-6; I Thess. 1:10; 5:9; Rev. 3:10)
XVII. THE ETERNAL STATE
A. We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment. ( Matt. 25:46; John 5:28,29; 11:25,26; Rev. 20:5,6,12,13)
B. We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await for the first resurrection, when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord. ( Luke 23:43; Rev. 20:4-6; II Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23; 3:21; I Thess. 4;16,17)
C. We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain after death, in conscious misery until the second resurrection, when with the 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. ( Luke 16:19-26; Matt. 25:41-46; II Thess.1:7-9; Jude 6,7; Mark 9:43-48; Rev. 20:11-15)
XVIII. 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, conscientiously honored and obeyed; except in those things that are opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the coming Prince of the kings of the Earth. (Rom. 13:17; II Sam. 23:3; Ex. 18:21,22; Acts 23:5)