What We Believe

Articles of Faith

                    God The Father
                    The Lord Jesus Christ
                    The Holy Spirit

 

The Holy Scriptures

We believe that the Holy Bible as originally written was verbally inspired of God and the product of Spirit controlled men, and therefore has truth without any admixture of error for its matter. We believe the Bible to be the true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions shall be tried. II Timothy 3:16,17; II Peter 1:19-21; Matthew 5:18

 

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God The Father

We believe there is one true God, an infinite Spirit, the Creator, Sustainer and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth; inexpressively glorious in holiness, and worthy of all honor, trust and love; - that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the work of redemption. Exodus 20:2,3; I Corinthians 8:6; Revelation 4:11; I John 5:7

 

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The Lord Jesus Christ

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man. John 1:1,2,14; Luke 1:35; 2:10,11

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead. Romans 3:24,25; I Peter 2:24; Ephesians 1:7; I Peter 1:3-5

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 Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate. Acts 1:9,10: Hebrews 9:24; 7:25; Romans 8:34; I John 2:1,2

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ will come again; first, in the air, the believers "blessed hope", the personal, imminent, pre-tribulation and pre- millennial coming for His redeemed ones both dead and living; and second, on the earth, with His saints to establish His Millennial Kingdom. I Thessalonians 4:13- 18; I Corinthians 15:51-53; Philippians 3:20,21; Zechariah 14:4-11; Revelation 19:11-16; 20:1-6; I Thessalonians 1:10, 5:9

 

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The Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person; equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; that He convicts the world of sin, of righteousness and judgment; that He bears witness to the Truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; 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 16:7-11; II Corinthians 3:6; I Corinthians 12:12-14; Romans 8:9; Ephesians 1:13,14

We believe that the Holy Spirit is the Divine Teacher who guides believers into all truth; 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; Ephesians 5:18

 

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The Devil or Satan

We believe in the personality of Satan; that he is the author of sin and the cause of the fall; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; that he is the unholy god of this age and the author of all powers of darkness; and that he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire which is hell. Job 1:6,7; Isaiah 14:12-17; Matthew 4:1-11; 25:41; Revelation 20:10

 

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Man -- Creation and Fall

We believe in the Genesis account of creation, and that man came by direct creation of God and not by evolution. Genesis 1 & 2; Colossians 1:16,17; John 1:3

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;

that man is totally depraved, and, of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. Genesis 1:26,27; 3:1-15; Romans 3:22,23; 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-3,12

 

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Salvation -- By Grace

We believe that salvation is the 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's cross for the forgiveness of our sins. Ephesians 2:8-10; John 1:12; Ephesians 1:7; I Peter 1:18,19

 

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Grace in the New Creation

We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Jesus Christ; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth the one dead in trespasses and in sin is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension, solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with Divine Truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the Gospel; that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life. John 3:3; II Corinthians 5:17; I John 5:1; John 3:6,7; Acts 16:30-33; II Peter 1:4; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1; II Corinthians 5:19; Colossians 2:13

 

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The Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers

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; Romans 8:1,38,39; I Corinthians 1:4-8; I Peter 1:3-5

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. Romans 13:13,14; Galatians 5:13;Titus 2:11-15

 

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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. Romans 6:13; 8:12,13; Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 4:22-24

 

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Justification -- By Faith

We believe that the great Gospel blessing which Christ secures for all those who have faith in His is justification;

It includes the pardon of sin, and the gift of eternal life on principles of righteousness;

It is bestowed - not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done - solely through faith in Christ and His shed blood on the cross, - His righteousness is imputed to us. Acts 13:39; Isaiah 53:11; Romans 8:1; 5:9; 5:1

 

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Sanctification and Separation

We believe that believers are sanctified (set apart) by the Holy Spirit and the Holy Scriptures to godly lives and works in Christ Jesus. John 17:17,19; I Corinthians 1:2; 6:11; Hebrews 2:11; 10:10,14

We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as to not bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord; that separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices, and associations is commanded of God. II Timothy 3:1-5;Romans 12:1,2; 14:13; I John 2:15-17; II John 9-11; II Corinthians 6:14-7:1

 

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The Church

We believe that the Church, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all born again persons of this present age. Ephesians 1:22,23; 5:25-27; I Corinthians 12:12-14; II Corinthians 11:2

We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures. Acts 14:27; 20:17,28-32; I Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9

We believe that a local church is: (1) a congregation of immersed believers, associated by covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His word; (2) that its officers are pastors and deacons whose qualifications, claims and duties are clearly defined in Scriptures; (3) we believe the true mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as we have opportunity. (4) We believe that the local church has the absolute right of self government, free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; (5) and that the one and only superintendent is Christ, through the Holy Spirit; (6) that it is scriptural for true churches to co-operate with each other in "contending for the faith" and for the furtherance of the Gospel; (7) that each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its co- operation; (8) and, on all matters of membership, of policy, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final.

Acts 2:41,42; I Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22,23; 4:11; Acts 20:17-28; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 5:23,24; Acts 15:13-18

 

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The Ministry -- Spiritual Gifts

We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowment of all His gifts, and, that the gift of evangelists, pastors and teachers are sufficient for the perfecting of the saints today; that speaking in tongues and the working of sign miracles (as by the apostles) gradually ceased as the New Testament Scriptures were completed and their authority became established. I Corinthians 12:4-11; II Corinthians 12:12; Ephesians 4:11,12

We believe that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith, in accord with His own will, for the sick and afflicted. John 15:7; I John 5:14,15; James 5:14,15

 

 

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The Ordinances -- Baptism and the Lord's Supper

We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water to show forth in a solemn and 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; - that it is a prerequisite to the privileges of a church relation. Acts 8:36-39; John 3:23; Romans 6:3-5; Matthew 3:16; Colossians 2:12

We believe that the Lord's supper is the commemoration of His death until He come, and should be preceded always by a solemn self-examination. I Corinthians 11:23-28

 

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The Righteous and the Unrighteous

We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; (1) that such only through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and sanctified by the Spirit of God, are truly righteous in His esteem; (2) while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked, and under the curse; (3) that this distinction holds among men both in and after death - in the everlasting felicity of the saved with the Lord in Heaven and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost with Satan in Hell. Malachi 3:18; Genesis 18:23; Romans 6:17,18; I John 5:19; Romans 7:6; 6:23; Proverbs 14:32; Luke 16:25; Matthew 25:24-41; John 8:21

 

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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 things 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. Romans 13:7; II Samuel 23:3; Exodus 18:21,22; Acts 23:5; Matthew 22:21; Acts 4:19,20; 5:17-20; Daniel 3:17,18

Last Things

We believe in:

  • The Bodily Resurrection - Matthew 28:6-9; Luke 24:39; John 20:27; I Corinthians 15:4; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:2-6

  • The Ascension - Acts 1:9-11; Luke 24:51; Mark 16:19; Revelation 3:21; Hebrews 12:2

  • The High Priesthood - Hebrews 8:6; I Timothy 2:5; I John 2:1; Hebrews 2:17; 5:9,10

  • The Second Coming - John 14:3; Acts 1:11; I Thessalonians 4:16; James 5:8; Hebrews 9:28

  • The Resurrection of the Righteous Dead - I Thessalonians 4:13-18; I Corinthians 15:42-44,52

  • The Change of the Living in Christ - I Corinthians 15:51-53; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Philippians 3:20,21

  • The Throne of David - Luke 1:32; Isaiah 9:6,7; Acts 2:29,30

  • The Millennial Reign - I Corinthians 15:25; Isaiah 32:1; 11:4,5; Psalm 72:8; Revelation 20:1-6 

     

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