Statement Of Faith
1. THE BIBLE We believe the entire Bible all 66 books
of the combined Old and New Testaments are
verbally inspired by God and are inerrant
in the original writings. Through the providence
of God, the Word of God has been protected
and preserved, and is the only infallible
and authoritative rule of faith and practice
(2 timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21)
2. GOD: We believe that there is only one true,
living sovereign, hotly and eternally existent
God. He exists in three co-equal persons-Father,
son, and Holy Spirit-each being a distinct
person and with a distinct function, but
all of one essence and all possessing the
same nature, perfection, and attributes.
The triune god is the creator and sustainer
of all things, the source of all truth, and
is worthy of worship, confidence, and obedience
(Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Genesis 1:31
3. JESUS CHRIST: We believe that Jesus Christ is God. He was
conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin,
lived a sinless life, performed many miracles,
shed His blood on the cross as a vicarious
substitute, was buried, bodily resurrected,
ascended to the right hand of the Father,
and will return literally, visibly, and personally
in glory and power (John 1:1-3,14 ; Matthew
1:18-25; Philippians 2:5-9; Colossians 15:1-8;
Acts 1:11)
3a. The Resurrection
WE BELIEVE in the
bodily resurrection
of
Jesus Christ (Luke
24:39-43. John 20:24-29).
3b. Christ's Ascension and Beyond
WE BELIEVE that Christ
Jesus ascended to
the Father arid is
presently engaged
in preparing
a place for His people
arid interceding
for
them (John 14:1-6,
Romans 8:34).
3c. Christ's Return
WE BELIEVE in the
visible, bodily return
of Christ Jesus to
the earth and to
rapture
His Church (Bride)
and judge the world
(Acts
1:10, 11, I Thessalonians
4:13-18, II Thessalonians
1:7-10, James 5:8,
Revelation 1:7).
3d. Jesus Is God
WE BELIEVE that Jesus
is God come in the
flesh and that He
is both divine and
human
(Luke 1:26-38, John
14:1-3. Acts 2:36,
Acts
3:14, 15, Philippians
2:5-12, John 1:1,
14).
4. THE HOLY SPIRIT: We believe that the Holy Spirit is God,
co-equal and co-existent with the Father
and the Son. He is the chief convictor of
sin, the chief agent of regeneration and
sanctification. The Holy Spirit indwells
every believer and empowers every believer
to live a godly life (John 14:16-19; 16:7-15;
1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Romans 8:9, 11; Titus
3:5).
5. THE TRINITY
WE BELIEVE in the
One God revealed
in three
Persons: The Father,
the Son, and the
Holy
Spirit (Matthew 3:16,
17, Matthew28:9,
John
17).
6. MANKIND: We believe that in the beginning God created
mankind in His image, and is not in any sense
the product of evolution. Mankind was originally
created with the ability to live perfectly
for God's glory (Genesis 1:17, 31).
6a. Apart From God...
WE BELIEVE that man,
in his natural state,
is a sinner, lost,
undone, without hope,
and without God (Romans
3:19-23, Galatians
3:22, Ephesians 2:1,2,
12).
7. SIN: We believe that Adam, the first man, sinned
by willful disobedience. This act of open
rebellion resulted in the fall of all mankind;
therefore, all people have sinned and lost
their ability to live for the glory of God.
Mankind's fall has incurred both physical
and spiritual death on all until there is
forgiveness and salvation by the grace of
God (Genesis 3:1-24; Romans 3:10-23; 5:12-21;
6:23).
8. SALVATION: We believe the salvation of lost and sinful
mankind is a free gift of God's grace apart
from human works, based solely upon Christ's
vicarious and atoning death, effected by
the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit,
and received only through faith in the person
and finished work of Jesus Christ on the
cross (Ephesians 2:8-10; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
9. ETERNAL SECURITY: We believe that since God gives us eternal
life through Christ, the believer is secure
in that salvation forever. Our salvation
is maintained by the grace and power of God,
not by the efforts of the believer (John
10:29-30; 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 7:25; 1
John 5:11-13).
9a. ETERNITY: We believe man was created to exist forever.
He will either exist eternally separated
from God by sin, or in union with God through
salvation. To be eternally separated from
God is hell. To be eternally with God is
heaven. Heaven and hell are places of eternal
existence (John 3:16; 2:25; Romans 6:23;
Revelation 20:15).
10. THE CHURCH: We believe that the church is the body of
Christ and the family of God. It is made
up of saved and baptized believers, who regularly
join together on the Lord's Day for worship,
fellowship, and ministry (Matthew 16:18;
1 Corinthians 12:12-14; Hebrews 10:25).
11. EVANGELISM: We believe that it is the responsibility
and privilege of every Christian to proclaim
the good news of Jesus Christ and to seek
to make growing disciples (Matthew 28:18-20;
Acts 1:8).
11a. The Great Commission
WE BELIEVE that God
has given the church
a great commission
to proclaim the Gospel
to all nations (Matthew
28:18-20) so that
there might be a
great multitude from
every
nation, tribe, ethnic
group, and language
group who believe
on the Lord Jesus
Christ
(Revelation 5:9).
12. BAPTISM AND LORD'S SUPPER: Jesus instructed His followers to remember
His death and resurrection. He gave tie church
two visible symbols (called "ordinances")
as reminders. These two ordinances are baptism
and the Lord's Supper. Baptism by immersion
is an act of obedient identification with
Jesus as Lord. It serves as an outward sign
of conscious confession of repentance and
faith. The Lord's Supper is an ongoing symbol
remembering our Lord's death, burial, resurrection,
and promised return (Matthew 26:26-29; 28:18-20;
1 Corinthians 11:23-32).
13. ORDINANCES
WE BELIEVE that the
two ordinances of
the
Church are WATER
BAPTISM and COMMUNION
(The
Lord's Supper).
13b. Water Baptism: Immersion in water in the Name of the Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:15, 16, Matthew
28:19, 20, Acts 8:38, Romans 6:1-4). A symbol
of identification with Jesus Christ in His
death, burial, and resurrection.
13c. Communion: A memorial of the death, resurrection, and
Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (Luke
22:13-20).
14. IN THE WORLD, BUT NOT OF THE WORLD
WE BELIEVE that believers
should seek, as
the early disciples
did, to practice
the
separated life from
the world and unto
Christ
and to set standards
of conduct, which
shall
exalt our Lord and
His, Church (Romans
12:1-3,11
Corinthians 6:17,
Galatians 6:14, Ephesians
5:11, Colossians
3:17).
15. INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS
WE BELIEVE that God
has commanded that
no
intimate sexual activity
be engaged in outside
of marriage between
a man and a woman
(Deuteronomy
22:22). We believe
that any form of
homosexuality,
lesbianism, bisexuality,
bestiality and incest
are sinful perversions
of God's gift of
sex
(I Corinthians 6:9-1
1).
16. STEWARDSHIP
WE BELIEVE that every
Christian, as a steward
of that portion of
God's wealth entrusted
to him, is obligated
to support his local
church with his time,
talent and treasure
(Malachi 3:8). We
believe that God
has established
the tithe as a basis
for giving, but that
every Christian should
also give other offerings
sacrificially and
cheerfully to the
support
of the church, the
relief of those in
need,
and the spread of
the Gospel (II Corinthians
8 & 9). We believe
that a Christian
relinquishes
all rights to direct
the use of the tithe
or offering once
the gift has been
made.
17. SATAN
We believe in the
personality and depraved
character of Satan,
who is the great
enemy
of God and man. We
believe that he,
along
with the company
of demonic beings
serving
him, works out his
evil plans through
the
ungodly world system,
limited only by the
sovereign rule of
God. We believe that
he
was judged by Christ
at the cross and
will
ultimately meet his
doom in the lake
of fire,
where he will remain
eternally. Matt.
4:3-11;
Gen. 3:1; John 8:44;
Rev. 12:9,10: II
Cor.
4:4; I John 5:19;
Job 1:6-12; I John
3:8;
Rev. 20:10.
17b. Angels and Demons
We believe in the
reality and personality
of angels. We believe
that God created
an
innumerable company
of these sinless,
spiritual
beings who were to
be His servants and
messengers
(Nehemiah 9:6; Psalm
148:2; Hebrews 1:14).
We believe in the
existence and personality
of Satan and demons.
Satan is a fallen
angel
who led a great company
of angels into rebellion
against God (Isaiah
14:12-17; Ezekiel
28:12-15).
He is the great enemy
of God and man, and
the demons are his
agents in his unholy
purposes.
He and his demons
shall be eternally
punished
in the lake of fire
(Matthew 25:41; Revelation
20:10).
18. THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
We believe that God
expects every believer
to live a life of
obedience, in which
every
area of his life
is brought under
the lordship
of Jesus Christ and
the fruit of the
Spirit
becomes increasingly
evident in his life.
The goal of the Christian
life is to be conformed
to the image of Christ.
This life is characterized
supremely by self-giving
love for God and
for others. The life
and character of
Christ,
which grows through
the Holy Spirit,
is noticeably
distinct from the
life of the world.
A believer
who resists the gracious
working of the Holy
Spirit and fails
to grow in obedience
is
chastened in infinite
love by his Heavenly
Father so he may
learn obedience.
John 14:21;
II Cor. 10:4,5; Gal.
5:22,23; II Cor.
3:18;
Matt. 22:37-40; I
John 2:15-17; Heb
12:5-14.
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