Bible

We believe in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as verbally inspired of God and infallible in their original writings, and that they are the supreme and final authority in faith and life.  (II Tim. 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21.)

 

God

We believe there is one God, who is self-existent, eternal, and infinite in every excellence, and who has revealed himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the same in essence, though distinct in personality.  (Isa. 45:21, 22; Jer. 10:10; Duet. 6:4; 32:4; John 1:1-13; I Tim. 3:16; Rev. 1:8; John 14:26; 15:26; I Cor. 3:16; 12:11; Matt. 18:19.)  We believe that God is the creator and sustainer of all things and people in the world.  We reject any and all forms of evolution.  (Gen. 1:1-27; Col. 1:16.)

 

Man

We believe that man was created innocent and that he sinned and thereby incurred not only physical, but also spiritual death, which is separation from God; and that all human beings are born with a sinful nature, and, in the case of those who reach moral responsibility, become sinners in thought, word, and deed.  (Genesis 1:26, 27; Gen. 3; Psalm 51:5.)

 

Savior

We believe in Jesus Christ as the only mediator between God and Man:

  1. That His personal manifestation or incarnation was by means of the virgin birth, the sinless life, the vicarious death, the bodily resurrection and the glorious ascension.
  2. That His heavenly ministry continues throughout this age as High Priest and Intercessor.  (I Tim. 2:5; Rom. 3:14-26; John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18-25; Heb. 7:26; I Peter 1:18,19; John 20:27-28; Heb. 4:15; I John 2:1.)

 

Salvation

We believe that salvation is by grace through and in the finished work of Jesus Christ.  To those who accept the gospel by sincere repentance and obedient faith, such believers are saved and are also eternally secure.  (Eph. 2:8-10; Isa. 55:1; Rom. 1:15-17; 16:25; Acts 17:30; Acts 20:21; 26:20; John 10:28,29; I John 2:19; Rom. 8:28; Matt. 7:22,23; Phil. 1:6.)

 

Holy Spirit

We believe also in the personal ministry of the Holy Spirit:

  1. As the one who convicts the human heart of sin by the word of truth, and brings about the divine work of regeneration.
  2. As the one who indwells and infills the believer’s life for holiness and service unto God.
  3. As the one who continually assures the believer of his relationship to God in Jesus Christ.
    1. John 3:1-21; 16:7-11; Titus 3:5-6.
    2. Rom. 8:9; I Cor.6:19-20; Eph. 5:18; Acts 1:8.
    3. Rom. 8:9-17, 26, 27.

We believe that during a period in the New Testament, prior to the completion of scripture, the Holy Spirit gave gifts to believers to aid them at that time.  These gifts included apostleship, prophecy, discernment of spirits, miracles, healings, tongues, and the interpretation of tongues.  We believe these gifts ceased with the completion of the canon of scriptures.  (I Cor.12-14; 13:10; Acts 2:1-4;3:1-8;9:40-41; 10:44-46.)

 

The Church

We believe in the church as the body of Christ.

  1. It is an autonomous congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel.
  2. That in its Spiritual ordinances are believers baptism by immersion, and the Lord’s supper.
  3. That its scriptural function is to build up the local church body of believers in the faith, and to extend that gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth.
    1. I Cor. 1:1-13; 5:12, 13; Matt. 18:15-18; Acts 2:41-47.
    2. Acts 8:38, 39; Rom. 6:3-5; Matt.15, 16; I Cor. 11:23-29.
    3. Eph. 4:7-16; Matt. 18:19-20; Acts 1:18.

 

Ordinances

Baptism

We believe that Christian Baptism is the immersion in water of believers, into the name of the Father, and Son, and the Holy Spirit; to show forth symbolically our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Saviour.

 

The Lord's Supper

The memorial in which the believer commemorates the broken body and the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, till He comes.  The elements used are bread and the unfermented fruit of the vine.  I Cor. 11:6.

 

Eschatology

We believe in the consummation of this present spiritual conflict; in the personal, premillennial, and imminent return of our Lord in His rapture for the saints, and in His revelation with His saints; in the eternal punishment of the sinner and Satan in the Lake of Fire; and In the eternal happiness of the redeemed.

  1. I Thess. 4:13-18; II Thess. 1-2; Acts 1:11.
  2. Rev. 20:11-15; 20:7-10.
  3. Rev. 21:1-8.

 

Miscellaneous

We also believe:

  1. The Lord’s Day is the first day of the week and should be kept sacred for spiritual purposes.  (Acts 20:7; I Cor. 16:2; Rev. 1:10, 11; Ex. 20:8; John 20:19-21; 19:26.)

  2. The Church and State should be separately maintained as they have been ordained of God, in order to prohibit the growth of either ecclesiastical or political totalitarianism.  (Rom. 13:1-7; Matt. 22:21; Titus 3:1-7; Acts 5:29; Dan. 3:15—18; 6:7-10.)