STATEMENT OF FAITH
Section I. The Scriptures
We believe that the Bible, composed of the Old and New Testament, is the inspired and inerrant Word of God, and the supreme and final authority in all matters of doctrine, faith and conduct (John 17:17; II Timothy 3:16,17; II Peter 1:21).
Section II. The Godhead
We believe in one triune God, eternally existing in three persons known as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. They are co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and have the same attributes (Mathew 28:19; Titus 2:13; Acts 5:3-4).
We believe God’s existence is proved through nature, the Holy Scriptures, and the new birth experience (Psalm 19:1; II Timothy 3:15-16; I John 5:10). We believe God is spirit, perfect, infinite, eternal and immutable (John 5:24; Mathew 5:48; I Kings 8:27; Psalm 90:2; Malachi 3:6; Revelation 1:8).
1. God the Father: We Believe that the Father is all the fullness of the Godhead invisible. The Scriptures further indicate that God is the Father of creation and the Father of the redeemed (Ephesians 1:17; I Peter 1:3; Galatians 3:26; Hebrews 1:5; I Corinthians 8:6).
2. God the Son: We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary (John 1:1-14; Luke 1:35). We believe Jesus Christ was without sin and was, therefore, the perfect Lamb of God who died as a substitute and as a sacrifice for the sins of all mankind (John 1:29; I Peter 1:19; I Peter 2:22; I Peter 3:18; I John 3:5). We further believe He was buried and arose bodily from the dead the third day and ascended to the right hand of God as the believers’ intercessor and advocate (Romans 8:34; I Corinthians 15:1-4; I John 2:1; I Timothy 2:5). We believe in the personal, bodily, and imminent second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 1:11).
3. God the Holy Spirit: We believe that God the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. Although omnipresent from all eternity, He took up His abode in the world in a special sense on the day of Pentecost. According to Divine purpose, at conversion, He regenerates, seals unto the day of redemption, indwells, and baptizes every believer in one body in Christ. In addition, He reveals Christ, and by filling the yielded believer, He is the source of all power for acceptable worship, teaching and service. His ministries to the world include the restraining of evil and the convicting of sin, righteousness and judgment (John 14:16-17; John 16:7-15; I Corinthians 6:19; John 16:7-11; Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 4:30).
2. God the Son: We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary (John 1:1-14; Luke 1:35). We believe Jesus Christ was without sin and was, therefore, the perfect Lamb of God who died as a substitute and as a sacrifice for the sins of all mankind (John 1:29; I Peter 1:19; I Peter 2:22; I Peter 3:18; I John 3:5). We further believe He was buried and arose bodily from the dead the third day and ascended to the right hand of God as the believers’ intercessor and advocate (Romans 8:34; I Corinthians 15:1-4; I John 2:1; I Timothy 2:5). We believe in the personal, bodily, and imminent second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 1:11).
3. God the Holy Spirit: We believe that God the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. Although omnipresent from all eternity, He took up His abode in the world in a special sense on the day of Pentecost. According to Divine purpose, at conversion, He regenerates, seals unto the day of redemption, indwells, and baptizes every believer in one body in Christ. In addition, He reveals Christ, and by filling the yielded believer, He is the source of all power for acceptable worship, teaching and service. His ministries to the world include the restraining of evil and the convicting of sin, righteousness and judgment (John 14:16-17; John 16:7-15; I Corinthians 6:19; John 16:7-11; Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 4:30).
Section III. Man
We believe that man was created in the image of God; that he willfully sinned and was sentenced to physical death, spiritual death, and separation from God; that the entire human race inherited a sinful nature and became alienated from God; and that man is totally depraved so that he, of himself, is utterly unable to remedy his lost condition apart from divine grace (Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 2:17; 3:6-7, 19; Romans 3:10-23; Romans 5:12; I Corinthians 15:21-22; Ephesians 2:1).
Section IV. Salvation
We believe salvation is the gift of God, extended to sinful men by divine grace, and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9)
All who received Him are justified before God, possess eternal life, and shall never perish (John 3:16; John 10:27-28; Romans 5:1).
We further believe that those who are saved will reflect Christ in their walk and work (Ephesians 2:10; II Corinthians 5:17).
Section V. The Church
We believe that all who are united to Jesus Christ through personal faith, whether Jew or Gentile, are members of the true church, which is the body and bride of Christ, of which He is the Head. The Church, which is distinct from Israel, began at Pentecost and will be complete at the rapture of the church (I Corinthians 12:12-13).
Section VI. Ordinances of the Church
1. Believer’s Baptism: We believe that baptism is for the believer and is administered in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We further believe that in baptism the essential facts of redemption are set forth, namely, Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. By baptism the believer testifies to his new life in Christ (Acts 8:36-39; Romans 6:3-4; Mathew 28: 19-20). This church practices immersion as its mode of baptism.
2. The Lord’s Supper: We believe that the Lord’s Supper was instituted by Jesus Christ and that the bread and wine are symbols of His body and blood. The Lord’s Supper is to be partaken by His followers in commemoration of His death and is always preceded by solemn self-examination (I Corinthians 10: 16-17; 11:23-32). These ordinances are not to be regarded as a means to salvation or a means of gaining any measure of God’s grace.
2. The Lord’s Supper: We believe that the Lord’s Supper was instituted by Jesus Christ and that the bread and wine are symbols of His body and blood. The Lord’s Supper is to be partaken by His followers in commemoration of His death and is always preceded by solemn self-examination (I Corinthians 10: 16-17; 11:23-32). These ordinances are not to be regarded as a means to salvation or a means of gaining any measure of God’s grace.
Section VII. Satan
We believe that Satan, a fallen angel, is the god of this world, the spirit who works in the unbelieving (Isaiah 14:12-17; II Corinthians 4:3-4; Ephesians 1:1-3).
He is the adversary of Christ and His church. His final and eternal destiny is the lake of fire (Mathew 4:1-11; Ephesians 6:10-12; Revelation 20:10).
As believers we are exhorted to resist the devil (Ephesians 6:10-17; James 4:7).
Section VIII. Last Things
We believe in the rapture of the church (I Thessalonians 4:13-5:11) and in the personal, visible return of Jesus Christ with His Church to reign in power and glory for 1,000 years (Zechariah 12:10; 14:4-9; Revelation 19-20). We believe in the everlasting blessedness of the saved and the everlasting punishment of the lost (Revelation 20:22; Daniel 12:1-2).
Section IX. Separation
We believe that the Scriptures clearly teach that it is the will of God for every believer to be set apart from worldliness unto holy living (Galatians 5).
Section X. Marriage
We believe that marriage is a God ordained biblically based union between a man and a woman, as biblically referenced in Genesis 2:21-24, Matthew 19:4-6, and Mark 10:6-9.