What We Believe

THE BIBLE
We believe the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, to be the inspired Word of God. God so superintended the human authors that while retaining their own individual personalities and writing styles they chose the very words that God intended. Their original writings are free from error. The Bible is the believer’s only infallible rule for faith and practice (Ps. 19:7-9; 1 Cor. 2:13; 2 Tim. 3:15-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21).

THE GODHEAD
We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These three are identical in essence and equal in power and glory; they possess the same nature, attributes, and perfections, and are worthy of worship, confidence, and obedience (Matt. 28:19, 20; Mark 12:29, John 1:1-4; Acts 5:3, 4; 2 Cor. 13:14).

THE FATHER. We believe the Father is the First Person of the Trinity. He is the object of our prayers and to whom Jesus intercedes (Matt. 28:19-20, 6:9; Heb. 7:25).

THE PERSON AND WORK OF CHRIST.
We believe that Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God, being conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He came to reveal God to mankind and to redeem our sinful race by giving Himself as a sinless substitutionary sacrifice on the cross of Calvary, satisfying God’s righteous judgments against sin. He then arose bodily from the dead and ascended to the Father’s right hand where He intercedes on the believer’s behalf. All the
scriptures, from the first to last, testify of Him (Gen. 3:15; Isa. 53:1-12; Luke 1:34-35, 24:27; John 1:1-2, 14, 18; Rom. 3:24-26; 8:34).

THE PERSON AND WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. We believe that the Holy Spirit is the Divine Person who convicts the world of sin, gives eternal life to those who place their trust in Christ, and, at salvation, unites all believer’s to Christ in one body by His baptizing ministry, indwells them permanently, seals them unto the day of redemption, fills (controls) those who are yielding to Him, and empowers them for service. He seeks to direct their attention to Christ (John 3:5-8; 14:16-17; 16:8-11, 13, 14; Acts 1:8, 1 Cor. 12:13; Eph. 4:30; 5:18).

THE CONDITION OF MAN
We believe that man was originally created in the image and after the likeness of God, free from sin. He subsequently fell into sin by a voluntary act of personal disobedience to the revealed will of God, became dead in sins and corrupt in nature, and thus lost his spiritual life. These effects of sin have been transmitted to the entire human race, Jesus Christ excepted, and thus every person born into the world is alienated from a life with God and incapable of remedying his lost and depraved condition apart from divine grace (Gen. 1:26; 3:1-24; 6:5; Ps. 51:5; Jer. 17:9; Rom. 3:10-18; 5:12; Eph. 2:1-3).

THE MEANS OF SALVATION
We believe that salvation from the guilt and condemnation of sin is possible only as the gift of God’s grace. It cannot be gained by good resolutions, sincere efforts, or submission to the rules, regulations, or ordinances of any church, but is freely bestowed on all who put their faith in Christ and trust in the work which Christ accomplished on the cross of Calvary. Faith involves repentance from one’s sins and surrendering to the lordship of Christ. All who so trust the Savior pass from death unto life, are forgiven of their sins, accepted by the Father, and born into His family by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit through the Word of God (John 5:24; Eph. 1:6-7; 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; 1 Pet. 1:23; Acts 26:20; Luke 9:23).

THE BELIEVER’S ASSURANCE AND RESPONSIBILITY
We believe that all who have surrendered to the lordship of Christ, being born again by God’s transforming grace are secure in Him forever. It is their privilege to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation, not on the basis of their own worthiness, but on the basis of God’s faithfulness and the testimony of His Word. However, this assurance must not become an occasion for sin. The reality of their faith in Christ is demonstrated by subjecting their fleshy natures to the power of the Holy Spirit and by doing good works for which He saved them, especially by demonstrating a Christ-like love for one another (Matt. 7:20; John 10:27-29; 13:34-35; Rom. 6:13; 3:28-39; Gal. 5:16; Eph. 2:10; 1 John 3:14, 23; 5:13).

THE CHURCH
We believe that all who have placed their faith in Christ are united by the Holy Spirit into one spiritual body, the Universal Church, of which Christ is the Head. This body was formed on the day of Pentecost and will be completed at the coming of Christ for His own. The members of this one spiritual body are directed to associate themselves together in local assemblies for instruction, worship, prayer, fellowship, service, and the administration of the ordinances – baptism, and the Lord’s Supper. They are likewise to maintain unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Matt. 28:19; Acts 2:42-47; 1 Cor.
11:23-26; 12:13; Eph. 1:22-23; 4:3).

THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT
We believe that enabling gifts for service are bestowed according to God’s own will upon all believers by the Spirit of God to be exercised for the edification of the Church and for the glory of the Lord. These gifts are bestowed by God in His sovereignty in order to fulfill specific purposes in His program. We believe that, as a sign to unbelievers, the biblical language of speaking in tongues is speaking in existing languages which the speaker has never learned. (We recognize that there are differing views regarding the purpose and definition of the gift of tongues that are not without Scriptural grounds, and we make allowance for such views. We do not consider this issue to be central or crucial to the Christian faith. However, due to the potential for division and in the interest of unity, we will not condone the practice of “tongues”
or new revelations within our church functions. Nor do we permit the aggressive promotion or pressing of one’s views upon others within this body – 1 Cor. 12:28- 31; Eph. 4:1-3; Phil. 2:1-2). It is not the necessary sign of the baptism or filling of the Spirit. We believe that God may choose to heal supernaturally. We believe the healing of the temporal body, however, is not assured by Christ’s atoning work on the cross; the complete deliverance of the body from sickness awaits the consummation of our salvation in the resurrection (Rom. 8:23; 1 Cor. 12:4-11, 27-31; 14:9-12, 21-25; Acts 2:4-12; II Cor. 12:7-9; Eph. 4:7-13; Heb. 2:3-4; Jas. 5:14-16; 1 Pet. 4:10-11, II Tim. 4:20). : *condone—to give tacit approval to (Random House Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary): i.e. to give silent approval to.

THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST
We believe the return of Christ for all believers (the rapture) is imminent. At His return both living and dead believers will be rewarded each according to his works. There will be a seven year tribulation where God’s wrath is will be poured out on the earth. Following this, Christ will reign bodily on the earth with His saints for one thousand years (II Cor. 5:10; I Thess. 4:13-18; Rev. 3:10; 19:11-16; 20:1-6).

THE ETERNAL STATE
We believe that at death the souls of believers pass immediately into the presence of Jesus Christ. When Christ returns for the church they will be reunited with their glorified bodies and associated with Him forever in glory. At death the souls of unbelievers pass immediately in to torment. At the close of the millennium they will be reunited with their bodies, judged before the great white throne, then cast into the lake of fire, not to be annihilated, but to be separated from God forever in conscious punishment (Luke 16:19-26; II Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23; II Thess. 1:7-9; Rev. 20:11-15).

ORDINANCES
We believe that Christ commanded us to observe the two New Testament ordinances of water baptism and the Lord’s Supper. These two ordinances are observed in obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ as acts of love and devotion, and are not set forth in Scripture as a condition of salvation. We teach and practice immersion as the form of baptism for believers. We view the Lord’s Supper as a memorial of our Lord’s death and the elements as symbols of His body and blood (Matt. 28:19; Acts 10:47-48; I Cor. 11:23- 26).