SECTION 1: THE DOCTRINE OF SCRIPTURE
We believe in the authority and sufficiency of the Holy Bible, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, as originally written; that it was verbally and plenarily inspired (God-breathed), and is the product of Spirit-controlled men, and therefore is infallible and inerrant in all matters of which it speaks.
We believe the Bible to be the true center of Christian unity and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds and opinions are to be tried. John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16, 17; 2 Peter 1:19-21.
SECTION 2: THE DOCTRINE OF 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; inexpressibly glorious in holiness, infinite in all his attributes, 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 Spirit, equal in every divine perfection and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of creation, providence, and redemption. Genesis 1:1-2, 26, 6:3; Exodus 20:2-3; Nehemiah 9:20; Job 33:4; John 1:1-4; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Colossians 1:12-20; Hebrews 1:1-3; Revelation 4:11.
A. The Doctrine of God the Father - We believe that God is the Father of all those who trust in Him. As our Father He answers our prayers, forgives our sins, disciplines us, and is the giver of every good and perfect gift. I John 3:1-2; John 14:23, 16:23; I John 1:9; Hebrews 12:5-15; James 1:17.
B. The Doctrine of God the Son - We believe that Jesus Christ is co-eternal and co-equal with the Father and Holy Spirit; that He was God manifest in the flesh, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin; that, being sinless, He died for the sins of all mankind and rose bodily from the dead; and that He ascended into heaven where He is now our Advocate and Great High Priest. John 5:18; Philippians 2:6; I Timothy 3:16; Matthew 1:20-25; Hebrews 4:14-15; I Corinthians 15:1-6; I John 2:1.
C. The Doctrine of God The Holy Spirit - We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person, co-eternal and co-equal with the Father and the Son, possessing intellect, will and emotion; that He is the Agent in the new birth; that He convicts the world concerning sin, righteousness and judgment; that He regenerates, indwells, baptizes, seals and anoints all who become children of God through Christ; that He empowers, guides, teaches, sanctifies and fills believers who are continually surrendered to God. We believe that God the Holy Spirit is sovereign in the bestowing of all His gifts. We believe the sign/revelatory gifts during the founding of the church were for the purpose of pointing to and authenticating the message of divine truth, and were not intended to be characteristic of the lives of believers beyond that initial purpose. John 3:5; 14:16-17, 26; 16:7-14; Romans 8:9, 14, 16, 26-27; 1 Corinthians 12:13, 13:8-10; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Eph 2:20; 4:7-12, 30; Heb 2:1-4.
SECTION 3: THE DOCTRINE OF ANGELS, DEMONS, AND SATAN
A. The Angels: We believe that there is an innumerable host of personal, spirit beings, who were created by God and who minister to God and believers. Hebrews 12:22; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:14; Revelation 5:11-13.
B. The Demons: We believe the demons are angels who have sinned against God, who are actively working against Christ and His Church, and who are destined to eternal judgment in the lake of fire. Revelation 12:4; Ephesians 6:12; Matthew 25:41.
C. The Devil or Satan: We believe in the reality and personality of Satan, the Devil; and that he was created by God as an angel but through pride and rebellion became the enemy of his Creator; that he became the unholy god of this age and the ruler of all the powers of darkness and is destined to eternal judgment in the lake of fire. Ezekiel 28:12-19; Isaiah 14:12-15; Matthew 4:1-11; John 8:44; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2; Revelation 20:10.
SECTION 4: THE DOCTRINE OF CREATION
We believe the Biblical account of the creation of the physical universe, angels, and man; that this account is neither allegory nor myth, but a literal, historical account of the direct, immediate creative acts of God without any evolutionary process; that man was created by a direct work of God and not from previously existing forms of life; and that all men are descended from the historical Adam and Eve, first parents of the entire human race. Genesis 1:1-2:25; Colossians 1:16, 17; John 1:3; John 1:1-5; Colossians 1:15-19.
SECTION 5: THE DOCTRINE OF THE FALL OF MAN
We believe that man was created in innocence, in the image and likeness of God, under the law of God. Adam, as head of the human race, transgressed that law, and in him all mankind fell from a state of innocence, resulting in sin, condemnation and death. Adam's fallen nature was passed on to all his posterity, affecting the body, mind and soul. Thus men are sinners by nature, choice and conduct. Therefore they are under just condemnation without defense or excuse, alienated by sin from fellowship with God. Genesis 1:26-31; 3:1-7, Psalm 51:5, Romans 1:18, 32, 3:10-19, 23; 5:12-13, 18-19; 1 Corinthians 15:21-22; Ephesians 2:1-3, 12.
SECTION 6: THE DOCTRINE OF SALVATION
We believe that the salvation of sinners is divinely initiated and wholly of grace through the mediatorial offices of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Who, by the appointment of the Father, voluntarily took upon Himself our nature, yet without sin, and honored the divine law by His personal obedience, thus qualifying Himself to be our Savior; that by the shedding of His blood in His death He fully satisfied the just demands of a holy and righteous God regarding sin; that His sacrifice consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was a voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner's place, the Just dying for the unjust.
We believe that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation. Repentance is a change of mind and purpose toward God prompted by the Holy Spirit and is an integral part of saving faith.
We believe that the blessings of salvation are freely offered to all by the gospel; that it is the immediate responsibility of all to accept these blessings by a whole-hearted, penitent, and obedient faith.
Ephesians 2:1-10; Acts 15:11; Romans 3:24, 25; 9:16; John 3:16; Philippians 2:7, 8; Hebrews 2:14-17; Isaiah 53:4-7; 55:1; 1 John 4:10; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians. 5:21; Mark 1:15
A. Election: We believe election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He chose, regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners. It is consistent with the free agency of man, and comprehends all the means in connection with the end. It is the glorious display of God's sovereign goodness, and is infinitely wise, holy, and unchangeable. It excludes boasting and promotes humility. Acts 13:48; Romans 8:7-8; Ephesians 1:4-11; 2:1-5; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Revelation 22:17; Matthew 11:28-29; John 6:37, 44, 65; 1 Corinthians 1:27-29; 1 Peter 1:1-2
B. Regeneration: We believe that in order to be saved sinners must be regenerated, that is be born again into the family of God. This new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus, in which the one dead in trespasses and sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life (the free gift of God). It is an instantaneous event and not a process. Our sovereign God, in a manner above and beyond our comprehension, brings about this new creation. It is accomplished solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel. The proper evidence of the new birth is the fruit of the Holy Spirit and doing the will of God. John 3:3; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 2 Peter 1:4; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1-5; Colossians 2:13; Titus 3:3-7; John 3:8; James 1:18; Galatians 5:22-23; Matthew 7:21-23; Mark 3:35; 4:20; 1 John 2:3-4; 3:14; 5:1-3
C. Repentance and faith: We believe that repentance is a change of mind about God, self and sin. It is granted by God and prompted by the Holy Spirit and results in changed desires, motivation and behavior. Repentance is a real turning from sin to God and is an integral part of saving faith. Faith is the acceptance of Jesus Christ and commitment of the entire personality to Him, trusting Him as Lord and Savior. We believe that repentance is a universal obligation, and that genuine faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation. Repentance: Matthew 3:2; 18:3; Luke 13:1-5; 15:7; Acts 2:38; 5:31; 11:18; 17:30 Faith: Ephesians 2:8-10; Acts 16:30-34; Romans 5:1; 10:8-13; Hebrews 11:6 John 1:12; 3:18; Rom. 3:21-26; 4:5; 1John 3:23; 5:1
D. Justification: We believe that justification is that judicial act of God whereby He declares the believer righteous on the basis of the imputed righteousness of Christ; that it is bestowed, not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in the Redeemer’s shed blood. Justification brings the believer into a relationship of peace and favor with God. Romans 3:20, 24; 4:5; 10:10; Galatians 2:16; Luke 18:9-14; Titus 3:3-7; Romans 5:1, 9
- God the Father planned it as He sovereignly chose to save all believers to be recipients of His grace from before the foundations of the world. John 1:12,13; 6:35-39; 1 Timothy 2:3-4; 2 Peter 3:9.
- God the Son provided it by His substitutionary death for our sins and His resurrection from the dead. As a result, God has been propitiated and the believer is redeemed and reconciled. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Romans 3:25; Ephesians 1:7; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21.
- God the Spirit applies it by convicting men of sin, by giving them faith to believe, and by causing them to be born again. John 16:7-11; Ephesians 2:8,9; John 3:1-7.
- Man receives it by faith, believing that Jesus Christ died for our personal sins, was buried, and bodily rose from the grave as the living Savior. I Corinthians 15:1-7. The result being that man possesses eternal life, having been saved from a literal hell. 1 John 5:11-12.
Since salvation is by grace, it is impossible for any believer to lose his salvation. John 10:27-29; Ephesians 1:13-14; 1 Peter 1:3-5; Romans 8:35-39.
SECTION 7: THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH
A. The Universal Church. We believe that the universal church, the body of Christ, is comprised of all believers from the Day of Pentecost to the rapture. At the point of salvation, every believer was baptized into the body of Christ and received spiritual gifts for service. Acts 1:5; 2:33-47; 1 Corinthians 12:11-13.
B. The Local Church. The local church is an organized group of baptized believers in a particular place who meet to observe the ordinances, to worship God, to edify the saints, and to fulfill the great commission. The ordinances are Baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Supper, both of which are symbolical. Every believer is responsible to use his spiritual gifts to edify the Body of Christ. Acts 2:41-42; 8:35-39; 1 Corinthians 11:23-34; Ephesians 4:11.
SECTION 8: THE DOCTRINE OF FUTURE EVENTS
We believe in the bodily resurrection of the dead in Christ and the glorification of all saints at the rapture of the Church. The rapture takes place just prior to the seven years of the tribulation. The Second Coming of Christ refers to His coming back at the end of the seven years of tribulation to judge, rule, and reign over the whole earth for 1,000 literal years. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Matthew 25:29-31; Revelation 20:1-6; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Ezekiel 20:37-38; Revelation 20:7-15.
SECTION 9: THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAMILY
God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. It is composed of persons related to one another by marriage, blood, or adoption.
A. Marriage
Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. It is God's unique gift to reveal the union between Christ and His church and to provide for the man and the woman in marriage the framework for intimate companionship, the channel of sexual expression according to biblical standards, and the means for procreation of the human race. Genesis 1:26-28; 2:15-25; Proverbs 5:15-20; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; Malachi 2:14-16; Matthew 5:31; 19:3-9; Mark 10:6-12; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 7:1-16; Hebrews 13:4.
B. Roles within the Family
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Husband and Wife - The husband and wife are of equal worth before God, since both are created in God's image. The marriage relationship models the way God relates to His people. A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. He has the God-given responsibility to provide for, to protect, and to lead his family. A wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ. She, being in the image of God as is her husband and thus equal to him, has the God-given responsibility to respect her husband and to serve as his helper in managing the household and nurturing the next generation. Genesis 1:26-28; Proverbs 12:4; 14:1; 18:22; 31:10-31; Ecclesiastes 9:9; Ephesians 5:21-33; Colossians 3:18-21; 1 Timothy 5:8, 14; 1 Peter 3:1-7.
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Parents and Children - Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and heritage from the Lord. Parents are to demonstrate to their children God's pattern for marriage. Parents are to teach their children spiritual and moral values and to lead them, through consistent lifestyle example and loving discipline, to make choices based on biblical truth. Children are to honor and obey their parents. Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Joshua 24:15; 1 Samuel 1:26-28; Psalm 78:1-8; 127; 128; 139:13-16; Proverbs 1:8; 6:20-22; 13:24; 17:6; 22:6, 15; 23:13-14; 29:15, 17; Matthew 18:2-5; Ephesians 6:1-4; 2 Timothy 1:3-5; Titus 2:3.
C. Human Sexuality
We believe that sexual intimacy is the design of God that is to be expressed only between one man and one woman within the love and bonds of marriage. Therefore, we believe that any other form of sexual intimacy is both immoral and a perversion of God's gift. Other forms include, but are not limited to, fornication, adultery, homosexuality, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, and pedophilia. God takes sexual misconduct seriously, yet He lovingly offers complete forgiveness to and restoration of those who have disobeyed the Bible's teaching and repented. Jesus Christ powerfully reveals the "good news" of God's love for all people. Genesis 2:23-24; Matthew 19:4-6; 1 Corinthians 7:3-5; Hebrews 13:4; Genesis 19:5, 13; Leviticus 18; Proverbs 6:32; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:9-11, 18; Romans 1:24-32; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; 1 Timothy 1:9-10.
SECTION 10: CIVIL GOVERNMENT
We believe that governmental authorities are the ministers of God, to be terrors of evil, and to allow us to live a quiet and peaceful life; that they are to be prayed for, honored, and obeyed except in things contrary to God’s Word. Romans 13:1-7; Daniel 4:17-18; 1 Timothy 2:2.
