Section 1. THE HOLY SCRIPTURES
We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments in the original writings to be the inspired Word of God in both the verbal and plenary sense, and it is authoritative, infallible, sufficient, and God-breathed. (II Tim. 3:16-17; II Pet. 1:20, 21; Luke 24:27, 44; Acts 1:16)
Section 2. THE GODHEAD
We believe in one Triune God, 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 and perfections. (Deut. 6:4; II Cor. 13:14)
Section 3. THE TOTAL DEPRAVITY OF MAN
We believe man, originally created in the image and after the likeness of God, fell from his high and holy estate by eating the forbidden fruit, and as the consequence of his disobedience, the threatened penalty of death was then and there inflicted, so his moral nature was not only grievously injured by the fall, but he totally lost all spiritual life, becoming dead in trespasses and sins and subject to the power of the devil.(Gen. 1:26, 2:17; John 5:40, 6:53; Eph. 2:1-3; I Tim. 5:6; I John 3:8) We believe this spiritual death, or total corruption of human nature, has been transmitted to the entire race of man, the Man, Christ Jesus, the only exception; and hence every child of Adam is born into the world with a nature which not only possesses no spark of divine life, but is essentially and unchangeably evil, being at enmity against God, and incapable by any educational process whatever of subjection to His law. (Gen. 6:5; Psa. 14:1-3, 51:5; Jer. 17:9; John 3:16; Rom. 5:12-19, 8:6, 7)
Section 4. THE PERSON AND WORK OF CHRIST
We believe the Lord Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son of God became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man. We believe He accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross and a substitutionary sacrifice. We believe our redemption is made sure to us by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead. (John 1:1, 2, 14, 18, 3:16; Luke 1:30-35; Heb. 2:15; Phil. 2:5-8; Rom. 3:24-28, 4:25; I Pet. 3:18, 2:24) We believe the Lord Jesus Christ is now in Heaven, exalted at the right hand of God, where, as the High Priest for His people, He fulfills the ministry of representative, intercessor, and advocate. (John 20:20; Heb. 1:3; Eph. 1:22, 23, Rom. 8:34; Heb. 9:24, 7:25; I John 2:1, 2)
Section 5. THE PERSON AND WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin and righteousness (i.e. right and wrong) and of judgment; and 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. 3:6; I Cor. 12:12-14; Rom. 8:9; Eph 1:13-14) We believe He is the Divine Teacher who guides believers into all truth, and 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)
Section 6. SALVATION
We believe 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 for the remission of our sins; and in the instant that we believe we are immediately justified from all sin. To this finished work of Christ, it is impossible to add good resolutions, sincere efforts, obedience to the rules and regulations of any church, or anything else to help merit salvation; for salvation is not of works. Christ died to save us from the penalty of sin; Christ lives to save us from the power of sin; and Christ is coming back again to save us from the presence of sin. (I Pet. 2:24, 3:18; Col. 2:13-15; Gal. 3:10-13; John 10:27-30; Heb. 4:14-16; I John 2:1, 2;John 14:1-3; Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 6:23)
Section 7. THE SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER
We believe all true believers, once saved, are kept secure forever. The believer has eternal life, and Christ promised them that they shall never come into judgment for their sins and have passed from death into spiritual life in Christ. (John 3:16, 10:28; Rom 8:35-39; John 5:24; Ecc. 3:14)
Section 8. THE CHURCH
We believe 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.(Eph. 1:22-23, 5:25-27; I Cor. 12:12-14; II Cor. 11:2)
We believe the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures. (Acts 14:27, 20:7, 28-32; I Tim. 2:1-13; Tit. 1:5-11)
Section 9. THE PERSONALITY OF SATAN
We believe Satan is a person, the author of sin, and the cause of the fall. He is the open and declared enemy of God and man, and he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire. (Job 1:6-7; Isa. 14:12-17; Matt. 4:211; 25:41; Rev. 20:10)
Section 10. THE SECOND ADVENT OF CHRIST
We believe in the blessed Hope (the personal, pre-tribulation, premillennial, and imminent 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 Thes. 4:13-18; Zech. 14:4-11: Rev. 19:11-16, 20:1-6; I Thes. 1:10, 5:9; Rev. 3:10-13)
Section 11. THE ETERNAL STATE
We believe the souls of those who have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, at death, immediately pass into His presence and there remain in conscious bliss until the resurrection of the body at His coming when soul and body shall be united and shall be associated with Him forever in the Glory; but the souls of the unbelievers remain after death in conscious misery until the final judgment of the Great White Throne at the close of the millennium when soul and body reunited shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to be punished with everlasting destruction away from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His power. (Luke 16:19-26, 23:43; II Cor. 5:2; Phil. 1:23; II Thes. 1:7-9; Jude 6; Rev. 20:11-15)
Section 12. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF BELIEVERS
We believe all believers should seek to walk in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Lord and Savior. Separation from worldly pleasure and practices is the command of God.(Rom. 6:11-14; 8:2, 4, 12, 13, 12:1-2; Gal. 5:16-23; I John 1:4-7)
We believe it is the obligation of every believer to witness by life and by word to the truths of the Scriptures and to seek to proclaim the Gospel to the entire world. (Acts 1:8)
We believe it is the responsibility of all believers to remember the work of the Lord in prayer and support it with their means as the Lord has prospered them (II Cor. 16:2), and to faithfully attend the services of the Church.
Section 13. THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT
We believe the gifts of evangelist, pastor, and teacher are sufficient for the perfection of the saints today; and apostolic sign-gifts, including tongues, gradually disappeared as the canon of Scripture was completed, and the authority of the Bible generally recognized. But God, being sovereign in the bestowment of all His gifts, does hear and answer the prayer of faith according to His own will. (I Cor. 12:4-11; Eph. 4:7-I2; II Cor. 12:12; 1Cor. 13:8)
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