Our Beliefs
THE BIBLE
The sole basis of our belief is the Bible, composed of the Old and New Testaments. We believe that the Bible in its entirety originated with God and that it was given through the instrumentality of chosen men. We hold the Scriptures to be infallible and inerrant in the original manuscripts. They are the unique, full and final authority on all matters on which they bear, and there are no other writings similarly inspired by God.
Psalm 119.89; Isaiah 40.8; Matthew 5.18; 2 Timothy 3.16-17; 2 Peter 1.20-21
GOD
We believe in one True God, eternally existing in three Persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - each of whom possesses equally all the attributes of deity and elements of personality.
Deuteronomy 6.4; Matthew 28.18-20; 2 Corinthians 13.14
GOD THE FATHER
We believe that in the beginning God Father created out of nothing the universe and all it contains, thus manifesting the glory of His power, wisdom, and goodness. By His sovereign power He continues to sustain His creation. By His providence He is both active in the daily life of every Christian and He is operating throughout history to fulfill His redemptive purposes.
Genesis 1.1; Isaiah 46.10; Ephesians 1.11-19; Hebrews 1.1-4
GOD THE SON
We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal second Person of the Trinity, Who was united forever with a true human nature by a miraculous conception and virgin birth. He lived a sinless life, performed signs and miracles, and died on the cross as a perfect sacrifice for human sin. By His death as a substitute for sinners, He infinitely satisfied divine justice and accomplished salvation for all who trust in Him alone. He was raised from the dead in the same body, though glorified, in which He lived and died. He ascended to the Father's right hand where He is Head of the church and intercedes for believers. He shall return again to earth, personally, visibly, and bodily, to receive His Kingdom and to consummate the eternal plan of God.
Matthew 3.17; John 1.1,14; Luke 1.30-35; Romans 3.24-25; 2 Corinthians 5.21; 1 Corinthians 15.1-4; Romans 8.34; Acts 1.10-11; Hebrews 9.23-28
GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the Holy Spirit is the eternal third Person of the Trinity. He was sent by the Father and the Son into the world to apply to humanity the saving work of Christ. He enlightens the mind of sinners, and convicts them of their need for a Savior. He regenerates them and at the point of salvation permanently indwells every believer whom He also seals for the day of redemption. He guides, instructs empowers and gives gifts to believers for godly living and service in the body of Christ.
Matthew 28.19-20; John 14.16-26; John 16.7-15; John 3.5-8; Romans 8.9; 1 Corinthians 12.11; Galatians 5.22-23
HUMANITY
We believe that the first humans, Adam and Eve, were originally created in the image of God, holy and upright for the purpose of glorifying and enjoying God in unbroken fellowship. However, at the beginning of human history, they defied God by breaking the express command given to Adam in the Garden of Eden. By this transgression, they were alienated from God, lost all spiritual life, and suffered the corruption of their nature, rendering them unable to please God and liable to eternal punishment. The sin of the first humans, since they are the parents of the whole race, is imputed to all their descendants. As a result all individuals born since suffer these same consequences, are fallen, sinful, and lost, and are thus in need of the saving grace of God.
Genesis 3.1-9; Romans 3.10-20,23; 5.12-21; Ephesians 2.1-3
SALVATION
We believe that God, out of love for the human race, sent Jesus Christ into the world to save sinners. Salvation is wholly a work of God's free grace. It is not the result of any human works, ordinances, or church membership, and is personally received through faith and in the finished work of Christ. Any person who, in simple faith, trusts in Jesus Christ alone and in what He accomplished on the cross, refusing to trust in anything else, receives the gift of eternal life, which, once granted, can never be lost. The assurance of eternal salvation rests solely on the promise God makes in His word that everyone who trusts in Jesus Christ alone possesses eternal life.
1 Timothy 1.15; Romans 3.21-25; 1 Corinthians 1.18; Romans 13.11; Ephesians 2.1-10; Titus 3.3-7; John 5.24; John 10.27-30; Romans 8.38-39; John 3.16
SANCTIFICATION
We believe that it is the obligation of every Christian to grow in spiritual maturity and holiness through obedience to the Word of God by the power of the indwelling Spirit. Due to the power of remaining sin in the believer, progress to maturity is not automatic. A Christian can, through sin, lose his fellowship, joy, power, testimony and reward, and incur the Father's discipline. The relationship of the believer with the Lord is eternal, being established by the new birth; fellowship, however is dependent upon obedience to the Word of God. The indwelling holy Spirit is the available source of power, comfort, and teaching for all believers. His power and control are appropriated by faith, making it possible for the believer to live a life of Christ like character and to bear fruit to the glory of the Father.
1 Thessalonians, 4.3; 1 Corinthians 2.10-16; Galatians 5.15-26; Ephesians 5.18; Colossians 3.16; John 15.8; 1 John 1.5-2.2
THE CHURCH
We believe that there is one true and universal church, made up of all those who in every place acknowledge Jesus Christ as their only Savior. The Word of God commands believers to gather together in local, autonomous congregations to devote themselves to worship, prayer, the teaching of the Bible, the maintenance of holy lives, the observation of the ordinances of water baptism and Communion, the edification of the body through the development and use of gifts and talents, and an active ministry to an unsaved world. A local expression of the church is found wherever Christians meet regularly in obedience to these commands. Under the spiritual oversight of Elders and the supportive leadership of Deacons, members of the body of Christ are to work together in love, maintaining unity of spirit and intent on one purpose—to glorify Christ.
1 Corinthians 1.2; 12.12-14; Ephesians 1.22-23; Acts 2.42-47; 1 Timothy 3.1-13; Ephesians 4.11-16
HUMAN DESTINY
We believe that for all humankind there is a life to come, a resurrection of the body, and a future judgment. At physical death, the believer enters immediately into eternal, conscious fellowship with the Lord, and the unbeliever into eternal, conscious separation from the Lord. The bodies of all the dead shall be raised; some to a resurrection of glory, some to a resurrection of condemnation.
There are two aspects of the righteous judgment of God:
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The final judgment of all humankind at the Great White throne of God, revealing the depth of sin and the fairness of divine justice in consigning unbelievers to continue their own rejection of God in eternal punishment.
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The judgment of believers at the judgment seat of Christ, revealing the quantity and quality of works done in the body, not with reference to salvation, but for the purpose of bestowing rewards in His Kingdom.
John 5.28-29; Luke 16.19-31; 2 Corinthians 5.8; 1 Thessalonians 1.6-10; Revelation 20.11-15: 1 Corinthians 3.11-15; 2 Corinthians 5.10
We believe that this Statement of Faith represents an adequate and accurate summary of what Scripture teaches on these matters. All members shall refrain from advocating doctrines that are not included in the Statement of Faith in such a way as to cause divisions.
The Bible references listed here are to illustrate biblical themes. They are not intended to be used as isolated proof-texts, nor are they the only passages which deal with these objects.