Statement of Faith
This church holds the following statement of faith as being a summary of Christian doctrine whose authority exists only in its agreement with the Word of God.
THE SCRIPTURES
We believe the verbal, plenary inspiration (inspired equally in all parts) of the 66 books of the Old and New Testament (2 Timothy 3:16). We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, fully inspired and without error in the original manuscripts, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and that it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct. The Bible is an objective, propositional revelation of truth that comes to us through the careful superintendence of the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:20-21). We teach the literal, grammatical-historical interpretation of Scripture which affirms that the opening chapters of Genesis present creation in six literal days (Genesis 1:31; Exodus 31:17). While the Bible may have many applications, there is but one true interpretation to be found as one applies the literal, grammatical-historical method of interpretation under the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 2:7-15; 1 John 2:20). We believe that the Bible contains the only infallible rule of faith and practice (Matthew 5:17-18; 24:35; John 10:35; 17:17; 1 Cor. 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 4:12; Psalm 19:7-9).
THE TRUE GOD
We believe that one true, eternal God exists as a triunity of three Persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit; equal in every divine perfection, but executing distinct but harmonious offices (Matthew 28:19; II Corinthians 13:14).
God the Father
We believe in God the Father, the first Person of the Trinity, who is, perfect in holiness, boundless in love, infinite in wisdom, and measureless in power. He orders and disposes all things according to His sovereign purposes and grace (Ps. 115:3; 145:8-9; 1 Cor. 8:6). As Creator of all things and all things, He is Father to all people (Eph. 4:6), but He is spiritual Father only to those who believe (Rom. 8:14; 2 Cor. 6:18). He has decreed for His own glory all things that come to pass (Eph. 1:11). He has graciously chosen from eternity past those He would have as His own (Eph. 1:4-6). We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men, that He hears and answers prayers, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ, His Son (Isaiah 6:3; John 1:12; 1 John 3:6; Psalm 147:5; Revelation 19:6; John 3:16).
God the Son
We believe in Jesus Christ, God the Son, the second Person of the Trinity, preexistent with the Father, and is the only begotten by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary. He is coequal, consubstantial, and co-eternal with the Father (John 10:30; 14:9). It is by Him that all things were created and continue in existence and operation (John 1:3; Col. 1:15-17; Hebrews 1:2). We believe in the incarnation (becoming flesh) of the Son of God, and that He surrendered nothing of the divine essence, but accepted all the essentials of humanity and so became the God-Man (Col. 2:9; Phil. 2:6-8). He is sinless in His nature and life; infallible in His teaching; making atonement for the sins of the world by His substitutionary death on the cross. We believe in His bodily resurrection, His ascension into Heaven, His perpetual intercession for His people, and His literal pre-millennial, pre-tribulational return (John 1:1, 14; Matthew 1:18-25; I Peter 2:22; Acts 1:9-11; I Thessalonians 4:13-18). As the only Mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5), the Head of His body the church (Eph. 1:22; 5:23; Col. 1:18), the universal king who will reign on the throne of David (Isaiah 9:6; Luke 1:31-33), He is the final judge of all who fail to place their trust in Him as Lord and Savior (Matt. 25:14-46; Acts 17:30-31).
God the Spirit
We believe in the deity and the personality of the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity. He came forth from the Father to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, to be a witness to the truth, and for the glory of Christ (John 16:8-15). In all the divine attributes He is coequal and consubstantial with the Father and the Son (Matt. 28:19; Acts 5:3-4; 28:25-26; 1 Cor. 12:2-4; 2 Cor. 13:14). He is the agent of the New Birth, who at the time of salvation permanently indwells and seals every new believer (Romans 8:9; Ephesians 1:13, 14) and baptizes (places) him into the body of Christ (I Corinthians 12:13). He further ministers to the believer teaching (I John 2:27), interceding (Romans 8:16), guiding (Romans 8:14), filling (Acts 4:31), glorifying Christ and transforming all believers into the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29; Acts 1:5; 2 Cor. 3:18; Eph. 2:22), and imparting spiritual gifts (I Peter 4:10; I Corinthians 1:11). We believe that the gifts of healing, tongues, and other revelatory gifts served to point to and authenticate the message of the apostles as revealers of divine truth, and were never intended to be characteristic of the lives of believers (1 Cor. 12:4-11; 2 Cor. 12:12; Eph. 4:7-12; Hebrews 1:1-2; Hebrews 2:1-4, Acts 5:12).
CREATION
We believe the Genesis account of creation. We believe that man came by direct creation of God, not by evolution, and that the days of creation were literal twenty-four hour periods (Genesis 1; Genesis 2:7; Psalm 33:6-9; Colossians 1:16, 17).
MAN
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, free from sin, for the purpose of glorifying God, enjoying God’s fellowship, and living his life in the will of God (Is. 43:7; Col. 1:16; Rev. 4:11). But through Adam’s sin all people thereby incurred not only the physical death, but also that spiritual death which is separation from God and became subject to the wrath of God (Gen. 3:1-19; Rom. 3:23; 6:23). Because of sin, man became inherently corrupt and utterly incapable of choosing or doing that which is acceptable to God apart from divine grace (Rom. 7:18; Eph. 2:1-9). All people have a nature corrupted by Adam’s sin and transmitted to them, Jesus Christ being the only exception. All people are thus sinners by nature, but also by choice, and divine declaration (Psalm 14:1-3; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:9-18; Romans 5:10-12). Man’s salvation is thereby wholly of God’s grace through the redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ (Gen. 2:16-17; 3:1-19; John 3:36; Rom. 3:23; 6:23; 1 Cor. 2:14; Eph. 2:1-3; 1 Tim. 2:13-14; 1 John 1:8).
SALVATION
We believe that eternal life is offered by God as a free gift to man on the basis of the redemption of Jesus Christ, and that man can in no way contribute to this gift through good deeds or religious sacraments (John 1:12; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-9; Titus 3:5).
Salvation is the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit, through the instrumentality of the Word of God (John 5:24; 1 Peter 1:23; 2 Tim. 3:15). The Holy Spirit enables a repentant sinner to respond in faith to the Person and work of Jesus Christ. We believe in the sovereign election of God by which, before the foundation of the world, He chose in Christ those whom He graciously saves, sanctifies, and glorifies (Rom. 8:29-30; Eph. 1:4-11; 2 Thess 2:13; 2 Tim. 2:10; 1 Peter 1:1-2). This choice was made by God and was completely unrelated to any anticipation of what a person might do by their own will. It is solely of His sovereign grace and mercy (John 1:12; Eph. 1:4-7; Titus 3:4-7) We also believe that this election does not contradict or negate the responsibility of man to repent and trust Christ as Savior and Lord (Ezekiel 18:23, 32; 33:11; John 3:16-19, 36; 5:40; Rom. 9:22-23; 2 Thess. 2:10-12; Rom. 10:13). All whom the Father calls to Himself will come in faith, and all who come in faith the Father will receive (John 6:37-40, 44; Acts 13:48; James 4:8).
We believe that justification is an act of God by which He declares righteous those who, through faith alone in Christ alone, repent of their sins (Luke 13:3; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 11:18; Rom. 2:4; 3:21-26; 2 Cor. 7:10) and confess Him as sovereign Lord (Rom. 10:9-10; 1 Cor. 12:3; 2 Cor. 4:5; Phil. 2:11). This declaration of God involves the imputation of our sins to Christ (Col. 2:14; 1 Peter 2:14) and the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to us (1 Cor. 1:30; 2 Cor. 5:21).
We believe that every believer is sanctified (set apart) unto God by justification and is therefore declared to be holy. This sanctification is positional and instantaneous and should not be confused with progressive sanctification (Acts 20:32; 1 Cor. 1:2, 30; 6:11; 2 Thess. 2:13; Heb. 2:11; 3:1; 10:10, 14; 13:12; 1 Peter 1:2). But we also believe that there is the work of the Holy Spirit by which the believer is brought closer to the positional sanctification the believer enjoys through justification. Through obedience to the Word of God and work of the Holy Spirit, the believer is able to live a life of increasing holiness and increasing conformity to the life of Jesus Christ (John 17:17; Rom. 6:1-22; 2 Cor. 3:18; 1 Thess. 4:3-4; 5:23). It is in this regard that every saved person is involved in a daily battle with the flesh that will continue throughout this earthly life (Gal. 5:16-26; Rom. 7:13-25). The Holy Spirit provides everything necessary for victory over sin (1 Cor. 10:12; Eph. 4:22-24; Phil. 3:12; Col. 3:9-10; 1 Peter 1:14-16; 1 John 3:5-9). We believe that a Christian’s life will be characterized by a progressive growth in Christ-like character and conduct (Titus 2:11-14; Philippians 3:10-17; Ephesians 2:10; I Thessalonians 4:3). We teach the importance of discipleship (Matt. 28:19-20; 2 Tim. 2:2). We also believe that full maturity will not be complete until the glorification of the Christian at the rapture of the church (I Thessalonians 4:16-17; Philippians 3:20-21, I John 3:2).
We believe that all those who are saved are kept by God’s power and are secure in Christ forever (John 5:24; 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Rom. 5:9-10; 8:1, 31-39; 1 Cor. 1:4-8; Eph. 1:13-14; 4:30; 2 Tim. 1:12; Heb. 7:25; 13:5; 1 Peter 1:5; Jude 24).
THE CHURCH
We believe that the universal church is a New Testament institution, a spiritual organism, composed of all regenerated people from Pentecost to the Rapture, with Christ as its head (Acts 2:1-4; I Corinthians 4:13; Ephesians 1:22-23; I Thessalonians 4:14-17). We teach that all who place their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ are immediately placed by the Holy Spirit into one united spiritual body (Eph. 4:15; Col. 1:18). We believe thus that the church is a unique spiritual organism designed by Christ. The church is distinct from Israel (1 Cor. 10:32; Rom. 9-11), a mystery not revealed until this age (Eph. 3:1-6; 5:32).
We believe the local church is a congregation of believers, having two offices: elder (Acts 20:28; Eph. 4:11) and deacon, both of whom must meet biblical qualifications (1 Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-5). We believe in two ordinances for the church: believer’s baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Acts 2:38-42). The local church is sovereign in polity and is banded together for edification, worship, and worldwide evangelism under the sovereign headship of Christ (Acts 2:40-42; Acts 6:3-4; Philippians 1:1; II Corinthians 8:19; Eph. 1:22; Col. 1:18). Elders and deacons lead or rule as humble servants of Christ (1 Tim. 5:17-22) and have His authority in directing the church. The congregation is to submit to their leadership (Heb. 13:7, 17).
We believe that the purpose of the church is to glorify God (Eph. 3:21) by building itself up in the faith (Eph. 4:13-16), by instruction of the Word (2 Tim. 2:2, 15; 3:16-17; 4:2), by fellowship (Acts 2:47; 1 John 1:3), by keeping the ordinances (Luke 22:19; Acts 2:38-42), and by extending God’s kingdom through the faithful proclamation of the gospel to the entire world (Matt. 28:19; Acts 1:8; 2:42).
We believe in the priesthood of the believer (I Peter 2:9, I Timothy 2:5) and the responsibility of every believer to be equipped and ministering to others according to their spiritual gifts, for the edification of others and the maturing of the body (I Corinthians 12:7, Ephesians 4:12-16).
We believe that Christian baptism is the single immersion of a believer in water. This immersion is a solemn and beautiful emblem showing identification with the crucified, buried, and risen Savior through whom we died to sin and rose to a new life. It is a sign of fellowship and identification with the visible body of Christ (Acts 2:41-41; Rom. 6:1-7). We believe that baptism is to be formed under the authority of a New Testament church and that it is a prerequisite to the privilege of church membership (Acts 8:36, 38-39; Romans 6:3-5).
We believe that the Lord’s Supper is a commemoration of His death until He comes and should be preceded always by solemn self examination (I Corinthians 11:23-28; Matthew 8:18, 20; Acts 2:41-42). The elements used in Communion are only representative of the flesh and blood of Christ, but participation in the Lord’s Supper is nevertheless actual communion with the risen Christ (1 Cor. 10:16).
We believe in obedience to the biblical commands to separate ourselves unto God from worldliness, ecclesiastical apostasy, and religious compromise (II Corinthians 6:14-17; II John 7-11; II Thessalonians 3:6, 14-15; Romans 16:17).
ANGELS
We believe God created innumerable, sinless spiritual beings known as angels who were made to serve God and worship Him (Luke 2:9-14; Heb. 1:6-7, 14; 2:6-7; Rev. 5:11-14; 19:10; 22:9). They serve as God’s ministering messengers, advancing the cause of the Kingdom of God (Matthew 26:53; Psalm 148:2-5; Hebrews 1:14).
We believe that a number of these holy angels were led away into sin when they followed Satan in his rebellion against God (Matthew 12:24; 25:41; II Peter 2:4; Jude 6; Rev. 12:1-14). Satan is a created angel and the author of sin who incurred the judgment of God by rebelling against his Creator (Isaiah 14:12-17; Ezekiel 28:11-19
We believe in the personality of Satan, that he is the unholy prince of this age (Eph. 2:2; 6:12), the open and declared enemy of God and man (Isaiah 14:13-14; Matt. 4:1-11; Rev. 12:9-10), the originator of all the powers of darkness, and he is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire because he has been defeated through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Matthew 4:1-3; 25:41; Rom. 16:20; II Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:10).
LAST THINGS
We believe that physical death involves no loss of our immaterial consciousness (Rev. 6:9-11) and that the soul of the redeemed passes immediately into the presence of Christ (Luke 23:43; Phil. 1:23; 2 Cor. 5:8). That separation of soul and body will continue until the rapture which initiates the first resurrection when our soul and body will be reunited to be glorified forever with our Lord (Phil. 3:20-21; 1 Cor. 15:35-44, 50-54; Rev. 20:4-6)
We believe in the imminent, pre-millennial, and bodily return of Christ for His Church. At that moment the dead in Christ shall be raised in glorified bodies, and the living in Christ shall be given glorified bodies without tasting death, and all shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air before the seven years of tribulation (John 14:1-3; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; I Corinthians 15:42-44, 51-54; Philippians 3:20-21; Revelation 3:10).
We believe that immediately following the removal of the church from the earth the righteous judgments of God will be poured out upon an unbelieving world (Jer. 30:7; Daniel 9:27; 12:1; 2 Thess. 2:7-12; Rev. 6-19). These events will be culminated after the tribulation period by the revelation of Christ in power and great glory to sit upon the throne of David and to establish the literal, millennial kingdom (Daniel 9:25-27; Matthew 24:29-31; 25:31; Luke 1:30-33; Isaiah 9:6, 11:1-9; Acts 2:29-30; Revelation 20:14, 6). During this time the resurrected saints will reign with Christ over all the nations of the earth (Ezekiel 37:21-28; Daniel 7:17-22; Rev. 19:11-16; 20:1-7). We teach that the kingdom itself will be the fulfillment of God’s promise to Israel (Genesis 12:1-3; Isaiah 65:17-25; Ezekiel 37:21-28; Zech. 8:1-17) to restore them to the land that they forfeited through their disobedience (Deut. 28:15-68). Israel, who was temporarily set aside (Matt. 21:43; Rom. 11:1-26) will again be awakened through repentance to enter the land of blessing God promised them (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:22-32; Rom. 11:25-29).
We believe in the bodily resurrection of all the dead; the saved to eternal life and blessedness in Heaven, and the unsaved to eternal conscious suffering and woe in Hell (John 5:29; Rom. 8:10-11, 19-23; 2 Cor. 4:14; Daniel 12:2; Rev. 20:11-15).
WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A CHRISTIAN
Being a Christian is more than identifying yourself with a particular religion or affirming a certain value system. Being a Christian means you have embraced what the Bible says about God, mankind, sin, and salvation. We believe the following are essential truths about salvation found in Scripture:
God is Sovereign Creator
Man is not the product of evolution. Instead the Bible says we were created by a personal God to love, serve, and enjoy endless fellowship with Him. The New Testament reveals that is was Jesus Himself who created everything (John 1:3; Col. 1:16). That means He has authority over our lives and we owe Him absolute allegiance, obedience, and worship.
God is Holy
God is absolutely and perfectly holy (Isaiah 6:3) and therefore cannot commit or tolerate any evil (Nahum 1:3; Hab. 1:13; James 1:13). God requires holiness of us as well (Matt. 5:48; 1 Peter 1:16; Rev. 21:27).
Mankind is Sinful
According to Scripture, everyone is guilty of sin (1 Kings 8:46; Rom. 3:10-12, 23; 1 John 1:8).
Sin Demands a Penalty
God’s holiness and justice demand that all sin be punished, and God has ordained that the punishment for sin is death (Ezekiel 18:4; Rom. 6:23). That’s why simply changing our patterns of behavior can’t solve our sin problem or eliminate its consequences.
Jesus Is Lord and Savior
Even though God’s justice and holiness demands death for sin, His love has provided a Savior who paid the penalty and died as a substitute for sinners (John 3:161 Peter 3:18). Christ’s death satisfied the demands of God’s justice and Christ’s perfect life satisfied the demands of God’s holiness (2 Cor. 5:21), thereby enabling Him to forgive and save those who place their faith in Christ (Rom. 3:26).
The Nature of Saving Faith
True faith is always accompanied by repentance from sin. Repentance is agreeing with God that you are sinful, confessing your sins to Him, and making a conscious decision to turn from your sin (Luke 13:3, 5; 1 Thess. 1:9) and pursue Christ (Matt. 11:28-30; John 17:3) and obey Him (John 14:21; James 2:14-26; 1 John 2:3). It isn’t enough to believe certain facts about Christ. Even Satan and his demons believe in the true God, but they don’t love and obey Him (James 2:19). True saving faith always responds in obedience and is accompanied by God-ordained works (Eph. 2:8-10).
