Statement of Faith
Article IV -- Articles of Faith
I. The Scriptures:
We believe the Bible to be the verbally and plenarily Inspired Word of God, consisting of 39 books of the Old Testament and 27 books of the New Testament. We declare it to be the supreme standard and source of faith and practice, and the complete and final revelation of God’s will to man. 2 Timothy 3:16,17; 2 Peter 1:19-21.
2. God:
We believe the Scriptures teach that there is one, and only one, living and true God, the Creator and Supreme Ruler of the heavens and the earth, Who created the heavens and the earth in six, literal, twenty-four hour days; inexpressibly glorious in holiness 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, Who are equal in every divine perfection and executing distinct but harmonious offices of the great work of redemption. Genesis 1:1-31; Exodus 3:14; John 1:1-3, 14; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 1:3-14.
3. Jesus Christ:
We believe that Jesus Christ was God manifest in the flesh and was begotten of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, and that He is very God and very man, and is the only sufficient mediator between God and man. We believe He lived a sinless life, was crucified, buried, arose the third day, was glorified in the same body in which He suffered and died, ascended into heaven where He is now our High Priest and Intercessor in the presence of God, and that He could at any moment return in the air (i.e. the Rapture) for His bride, the Church. Isaiah 7:14; 53: 5,6; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1: 35; John 1:1-2,14; 1 Timothy 2:5; Romans 3: 24; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Romans 8:34/Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 4:15-16; 7:26; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.
4. Holy Spirit:
We believe the Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Godhead, possessing all the divine attributes. He convicts and regenerates sinners. He indwells, enlightens, empowers, guides, teaches, seals, places into the body of Christ, fills the submissive believer in Christ, and sanctifies all who become children of God through Jesus Christ. We believe that the gifts of the Spirit are operative today. However, we believe that the sign gifts, such as revelation, tongues, healings, & the performance of miracles ceased at the completion of the New Testament Scriptures. Romans 8:9,14; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; 13:8-13; 1 Peter 4:10; Ephesians 1:13,14; 5:18; Hebrews 2: 3,4; 9:14; John 14: 26; Acts 4: 29-31; Luke 5: 22-24.
5. Man:
We believe God created Man in His own image without any evolutionary process. We believe this creative act of God was separate and distinct from any other work of God. We believe the Scriptures record the fall of man through disobedience to God, and that by nature man is dead in trespasses and sins, totally corrupted in every aspect of his being, and totally unable to come to God, apart from a work of Divine grace in his life. Genesis 1:26; 3:6; Romans 3:23; 8:6-8; Ephesians 2:1-3,8-9.
6. Salvation:
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, as a substitutionary sacrifice, and that all who believe/trust in Him as Lord and Savior are justified before God on the grounds of His shed blood. We further believe that the recipients of this great salvation were sovereignly and unconditionally chosen by God, before the foundation of the world, to receive His salvation, which is totally by God’s grace and mercy. 1 Corinthians 15: 1-4: Matthew 20:28; Romans 3:24-26; 5:1-2; Ephesians 1:4; 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-6.
7. Angels:
Satan and Evil Angels
We believe that God created an innumerable company of angels, sinless spirit beings; that one, Lucifer, “son of the morning”, sinned through pride; that a great company of angels followed him in his moral fall, some of whom became demons and are active as Satan’s agents and associates in the performance of his unholy purposes, while others who fell are “reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.” Isaiah 14:12-27; Ezekiel 28: 11-19; 1 Timothy 3: 6; 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 5- 6.
We believe that Satan/Lucifer is a real personality working in the world among men; that he is the author of sin, evil, and unrighteousness, and that he is the enemy of all righteousness. 1 John 3:8; Matthew 4: l-4; 1Pet 5: 8.
Elect Angels--Ministering Spirits:
We believe that a great company of angels kept their first estate and are before the throne of God, from
which they are sent forth to be ministering spirits on behalf of those who shall be heirs of salvation.
Luke 15:10; Ephesians 1:21; 1 Timothy 5:21; Hebrews 1:14; Revelation 7:12.
8. Eternal State:
We believe in the eternal security of all believers and their subsequent and eternal bliss in heaven, as well as the conscious and endless punishment of the unsaved. John 10:28,29; Romans 8:35-39; Philippians l:6; 1 John 5:11-13. Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:22-26; Revelation 20:15.
9. The Church:
We believe that the Church is the Body of Christ, composed of all born-again believers since Pentecost, who are united by the Holy Spirit to the risen and ascended Son of God, that by the same Spirit we are all baptized into one body; and thus being members one of another, are ever responsible to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace; and love one another fervently with a pure heart . Acts 2:32-47; Ephesians 1:22,23; Romans 12:5; Colossians 3:14,15.
We believe that the local church is a sovereign, self-governing body of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, associated for worship, fellowship, and service. Acts 15; 2:42; 18:13; 1 Corinthians 5; Ephesians 4:12.
We also believe that persons should be admitted into church membership only after a credible confession of their faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and baptism by immersion. Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41; 1 Corinthians 1:16.
We believe that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will come again for His Bride, the Church, before the Tribulation, (i.e. at the Rapture), and following the Tribulation, He will return with His Church to rule and judge the earth for one thousand years (His Earthly, Millennial, Messianic Kingdom). 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 19.
10. Ordinances:
We believe God’s Word commands every believer (and believers only) to be baptized; that Biblical baptism is the immersion of the believer in water to show forth in solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life. Romans 6:3-5; Acts 8:36-39; John 3:23; 1 Peter 3:21.
We believe the Lord’s Supper (Communion) is a memorial service intended to commemorate and proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes, as well as serve as a means whereby the Lord cleanses and purifies the local church through self-examination and self-judgment. Its participants shall be believers only, who have been baptized by immersion, and who are members either of this church or a church of similar doctrine and practice. Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34.
We believe that these ordinances are local church ordinances and are, therefore, to be administered only by a local church when it is assembled. 1 Corinthians 1:2; 11:18,33.
11. Separation:
We believe in obedience to the Biblical commands to separate ourselves unto God from worldliness and ecclesiastical apostasy, and from churches and organizations who are either associated with them or who endorse them. 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1; 1 Thessalonians 1:9,10; 1 Timothy 6:3-5; Romans 16:17; 2 John 9-11.
We further believe that the Bible also commands us to separate ourselves from Christians who insist on living in willful disobedience to God and His Word . 1 Corinthians 5:1-13; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15.