BELIEFS
Of the Scriptures
We believe that the Holy Bible as originally written was verbally and plenarily inspired and the product of Spirit-controlled men, and therefore is truth without any admixture of error. We believe the Bible to be the center of true Christian unity and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions shall be tried.
2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21
Of the True God
We believe there is one and only one living and true God, an infinite Spirit, the Maker and supreme Ruler of heaven and earth; inexpressible glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence, 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 great work of redemption.
Exodus 20:2-3; 1 Cor. 8:6; Rev. 4:11; 1 John 5:7
Of Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus was begotten of the Holy Ghost in a miraculous manner, born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born or can be born of woman, that He is both the Son of God, and God the Son.
Gen. 3:15; Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18-25; Luke 1:35; John 1:4
We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace; through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God, Who by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Himself our nature, yet without sin, honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and by His death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins: that His atonement consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was a voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinners place, the Just dying for the unjust; Christ, the Lord, bearing our sin in His own body on the tree; that having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in Heaven, and uniting in His wonderful l Person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection, He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate, and an all-sufficient Savior.
Eph. 2:8; Acts. 15:11; Rom. 3:24; John 3:16; Matt. 18:11; Phil. 2:7; Heb. 2:14; Isa. 53:4-7; Rom. 3:25; 1 John 4:10; 1 Cor. 5:21
Of 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 was active in the creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of righteousness, and of judgement; that He bears witness to the truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the new birth; that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies, and helps the believer.
John 4:16,17; Matt. 28:10; Heb. 9:14; John 14:26; Luke 1:35; Gen. 1:1-3; John 16:8-11; Acts 5:30-32; John 3:5-6; Eph. 1:13-14; Mark 1:8; John 1:33; Acts 11:16; Luke 24:49; Rom. 8:14,16, 26-27
Of the Devil, or Satan
We believe in the personality of Satan, that he is the unholy god of this age, and the author of all the powers of darkness, and is destined to the judgement of an eternal justice in the lake of fire.
Matt. 4:1-3; 2 Cor. 4:4; Rev. 20:10
Of Creation
We accept the Genesis account of creation and believe that man came by direct creation of God and not by evolution. We believe that each day of creation was a literal 24-hour day.
Gen. 1-2; Col. 1:16-17; John 1:3
In light of God’s creative design, we believe that the Bible teaches that marriage is the joining of one man and one woman and that sexual intimacy is to be expressed only within the bonds of a Biblically defined marriage. Homosexuality, lesbianism or any other form of sexual intimacy outside of a Biblically defined marriage is immoral and a perversion of God’s gracious will.
Genesis 2:18, 24, 25; Matthew 19:4-6; Romans 1:24-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, 7:1-5; Ephesians 5:3; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8; Hebrews 13:4
We believe that our Creator established human gender biologically in fixed, binary categories: male and female. Seeking to confuse or change the God-given distinction of the two genders violates God's creative design and revealed will.
Genesis 1:27, 5:1-2; Mark 10:6
Of the Fall of Man
We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy state in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, not only by constraint, but by choice; and therefore under just condemnation without defense or cause.
Gen. 3:1-6, 24; Rom. 3:10-19: Rom. 1:18, 32
Of 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 Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth the one dead in trespasses and in sins 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; 2Cor. 5:17; 1 John 5:11; John 3:6-7; Acts 16:30-33; 2Peter 1:4; Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:1; 2Cor. 5:19; Col. 2:3; John 3:8
Of Justification
We believe that the greatest gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is Justification;
That Justification includes the pardon of sin, and the gift of eternal life, on principles of righteousness;
That it is bestowed not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done; but solely through faith in the Redeemer’s Blood, His righteousness is imputed to us.
Acts 13:39; Isa. 53:11; Zech. 13:1; Rom 8:1; 5:1-9
Of the Local Church
We believe that a local church is a congregation of scripturally 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; that its officers are pastor and deacons, whose qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly defined in the scriptures. We believe the true mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as we have opportunity. We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that the one and only Superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit; that it is scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the gospel; that each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation; on all matters of membership, of policy, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final.
Acts 2:41; 1 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 1:22-23; 4:11; Acts 20:17-18; 1 Tim. 3:1-7; Col. 1:18; Eph. 5:23-24; Acts 15:13-18
Of the Universal Church
We believe in the unity of all true believers in the Church, which is the Body of Christ, which was established on the Day of Pentecost, and that all believers, from Pentecost to the Rapture, both Jews and Gentiles, are added to this Church by the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18; Eph. 5:22-32; 1 Cor. 12:12-13
Of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper
We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of the 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 membership, we believe that the Lord’s Supper is the commemoration of His death until He comes, and should be preceded always by solemn self-examination.
Acts 8:26-39; John 3:23; Rom. 6:3-5; Matt. 3:16; Col. 2:12; 1 Cor. 11:23,28
Of the Security of the Saints
We believe that all who are truly born again are kept by God the Father for Jesus Christ. They are sealed by the Holy Spirit until the Day of Redemption.
Phil. 1:6; John 10:28-29; Rom. 8:35-39; Jude 1
Of the Righteous and the Wicked
We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that such only as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and sanctified by the Spirit of our God, are truly righteous in His esteem, while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked, and under the curse; and this distinction holds among men both in and after death, in the everlasting felicity of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost.
Prov. 14:32; Mal. 3:18; Gen. 18:23; Rom. 6:17-18, 23; 7:6; 1 John 5:19; Luke 6:25; Matt. 25:34-41; John 8:21
Of 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 conscience, and the coming Prince of the kings of the earth.
Rom. 13:1-7; 2 Samuel 23:3; Ex. 18:21-22; Acts 4:19-20; 5:29; 23:5; Matt. 22:21; Dan. 3:17-18
Of the Resurrection, Personal, Visible, Premillennial Return of Christ and Related Events
We believe in the bodily resurrection.
(Matt. 28:6-7; Luke 24:2-6, 39; John 10:27; 1 Cor. 15:4; Mark 16:6)
The Ascension
(Acts 1:9-11; Luke 24:51; Mark 16:19; Rev. 3:21)
The High Priesthood
(Heb. 2:17; 5:9-10; 8:6; 1 Tim. 2:5; 1 John 2:1)
The Second Coming
(John 14:3; Acts 1:11; 1 Thess. 4:16; James 5:9; Heb. 9:28)
The Resurrection of the Righteous Dead
(1 Thess. 4:13-18; 1 Cor. 15:42-44, 52)
The Change of the Living in Christ
(1 Cor. 15:51-53; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Phil. 3:20-21)
The Throne of David
(Luke 1:32; Isa. 9:6-7; Acts 2:29-30)
The Millenial Reign
(1 Cor. 15:25; Isa. 11:4-5; 32:1; Ps. 72:8; Rev. 20:6,14)
Of Separation
We believe that all saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon our Savior and Lord; and that separation from religious apostacy and all worldly and sinful pleasures and practices is commanded, as well as association with such, by the Word of God.
2 Tim. 3:1-5; Rom. 12:1-3; 16:17-18; 2 John 9-11; 2 Cor. 6:14-18; 1 John 2:15-19
Of Last Things
We believe in the imminent return of Christ for His Church preceding the Tribulation Period, when believers of this age shall be resurrected. Following this period, Christ will then return upon the earth to establish His Millennial Kingdom in which Israel will be the center of the nations.
1 Thess. 4:11-18; Heb. 9:25-28; Rev. 20:1-6; 1 Cor. 15:20-28
Of the Gifts of the Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit sovereignly gives at least one gift to each believer at the time of his salvation, and that the purpose of spiritual gifts is to build and edify His Church. Some of those gifts listed in scripture, such as tongues, healing, and prophecy, were given to certain individuals to be used until the completion of the Holy Scriptures and did cease with the completion of Scripture.
Rom. 12:4-8; 1 Cor. 12; Eph. 4:7-16; 1 Cor. 13:8-13
| Permanent Gifts | Temporary Gifts |
| Teaching | Healing |
| Evangelism | Miracles |
| Pastoring | Apostles |
| Exhorting | Prophecy |
| Giving | Tongues |
| Showing Mercy | Interpretation of Tongues |
| Administration | |
| Faith | |
