Statement of Faith
Defined
Here we present our doctrinal statment, or statement of faith.
The Scriptures
We believe the entire Bible is verbally and plenarily inspired of God in the original manuscripts and that it is the only infallible, authoritative Word of God. The Bible is true not only as it speaks of salvation, but also as it speaks of history, science, and philosophy. The Bible is completely true without any mixture of error ( IITimothy 3:16; IIPeter 1:20-21; John 10: 35).
The Triune God
We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28 :19; IICorinthians 13:14). God is the Creator of the universe and its inhabitants by direct action, the word of His mouth((Genesis 1:1-2:15).
The Father
He is the Father over all Creation (Acts 17:29). He saves all who come to Him through Jesus Christ (John 3:16; I Timothy 2:4).
The Son
We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, His virgin birth, His sinless life, His miracles, His substitutionary atoning death through His shed blood, His bodily resurrection, His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and His personal Pre-millennial return (John 1:1-2; John 3:16; Matthew 1:16-25).
The Holy Spirit
He convicts man of sin, righteousness, judgement, comforts man; indwells the believer, guides him, sets the believer apart, regenerates, and seals the believer unto the day of redemption (John 16:7-15; I Corinthians 6:19; Romans 8: 14; Romans 8:15, Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 4: 30).
Man
We believe that man was created holy, but that when Adam and Eve chose to disobey God, sin entered the world and passed upon all men (Romans 3:23; 5:12). Only by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ can man be saved from his state of depravity (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:15).
Salvation
We believe that salvation is granted by God to those who trust in the finished work of Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9). It is a free gift of Almighty God to all who believe. It is made possible through the love of Jesus Christ (Romans 5:8), and His vicarious atonement for sin, obtained by repentance of sin and faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour (Luke 24:47; 13:3).
The Church
We Believe that the Bible speaks of both a local church (I Corinthians 1:2)and a universal church(Colossians 1:18 ; Ephesians 3:19-21). The universal church is composed of all believers saved during New Testament times. The local church is composed of believers organized for the purpose of edification (Ephesians 4:11-13) and evangelism (IICorinthians 5:18-21). We further believe in the independence and absolute autonomy of the local church, free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations.
The Ordinances
The ordinances are two in number: believers' baptism by immersion and partaking of the Lord's Supper. Every born again believer is to be baptized by immersion in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). Every born again believer is to partake of the Lord's Supper only after self-examination, repentance of sins, and Scriptural Baptism. The elements served symbolize the sinless body and blood of our Savior (I Corinthians 11:17-34).
Last Things
We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost in their Scriptural order: The resurrection of the dead in Christ at the return of the Lord; the resurrection of the lost at the Great White Throne of Judgement at which time they are cast alive into the Lake of Fire forever.
Not all issues concerning the doctrine of future things are crystal clear, but we know that all men will spend eternity in either Heaven or Hell (I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 20:11-15).
