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The Holy
Scriptures
We believe in the plenary (complete) verbal
inspiration of the Bible and that “all Scripture is given by inspiration
of God” and that it is inerrant (without error) in its original
writings, being communicated by the Holy Spirit to men of God. (II
Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21;
Matt. 5:18; John 16:12-13)
The Godhead
We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons (Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit) coeternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power
and glory, and having the same attributes and perfection. We believe that God
is sovereign (supreme), but He honors the free will of man as it pertains to
man’s salvation. (Gen. 1:1,26; Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; John 4:29; John 10:30; II Cor. 13:14)The Person and Work of Christ
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal
Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God, having been conceived
by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary in order that He might
reveal God and redeem (to regain possession by purchase) sinful men.
(John 1:1,2,14; Luke 1:35)
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died on the
cross for all mankind as vicarious (substitutionary) sacrifice; we
believe that the sufficiency of this atoning sacrifice to accomplish the
redemption and justification of all who trust in Jesus is guaranteed by
His literal, physical, resurrection from the dead. (Rom.3:24,25; Eph.
1:7; I Tim. 4:10; Heb. 2:9;
I Peter 1:3-5, 2:24)
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to
heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High
Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor and
Advocate. (Acts 1:9; Heb. 9:24; 7:25; Rom. 8:34; I John 2:1-2)
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The Total Depravity of Man
We believe that man was created in the image of
God; that he sinned and thereby incurred not only physical death but
also spiritual death which is separation from God; and that all human
beings are born with a sinful nature, are totally depraved, and that
they must be born again to be accepted of God. (Rom. 3:10-19; 3:23;
5:12; John 3:1-21)
We believe that, because of Adam’s sin, every
person born into the world inherits a fallen sin nature and is thereby
totally depraved. (Rom. 3:10-19, 23; 5:12)
Salvation
We believe that God sent Jesus Christ as the Savior
of mankind. Through the offering of Himself on the cross, He reconciled
(brought back to harmony) the sinner and became the substitute for every
man who by faith accepts Him as his personal Savior. However, even
though God does draw men “unto Himself,” He does not impose His
grace upon them in choosing some to be saved and others to be lost.
(John 3:14-16; Heb. 9:14; Rom. 3:24-25; Col. 1:21-22; II Cor. 5:19)
We believe that all who thus receive Him are born
again and become members of the family of God, eternally secure because
of the promise of the unchangeable Word of God.
(John 1:11-12; I Peter 1:23; John 5:24; Eph. 3:11;
I John 5:11-13; John 10:28,29)
We believe that Scripture clearly forbids the use
of either the assurance of our salvation or Christian liberty as an
occasion to sin. (Rom. 13:13,14; Gal. 5:13)
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Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person
who, at the moment of a believer’s salvation, baptizes him into the body
of Christ and takes up permanent residence in the believer, sealing him
unto the Day of redemption. (I Cor. 12:13; Eph. 1:13,14; Eph .4:30)
We believe that it is the purpose of the Holy
Spirit to glorify Christ and not Himself.
(John 16:13,14)
We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowal of
all His gifts; we believe that the giving of evangelists, pastors, and
teachers is sufficient for the perfecting of the saints today; we
believe that speaking in tongues and the working of sign miracles
gradually ceased as the New Testament Scriptures were completed and
their authority became established.
(I Cor.12:4-11; 13:8-10; Eph.
4:7-12)
We, therefore, hold that the modern charismatic
movement, including speaking in tongues and so called “Divine Healers”
should neither be sought nor indulged in by members of this
congregation. Any member embracing these concepts shall be counseled
and, upon refusal to reject this teaching, shall be asked in love to
withdraw from membership and service in the Church.
The Blessed Hope
We believe the next great event in God’s program is
the Blessed Hope, the pre-tribulation rapture, when the dead in Christ
shall be resurrected and the living saints translated and caught up
together to meet Him in the air. (Titus 2:13; I Thes. 4:13-17)
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The Reign of Christ
We believe in the personal, pre-millennial and
visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth, when He will sit
upon the throne of His Glory and judge the nations, after which He will
reign for one thousand years in righteousness and peace. (Matt. 24:
29-30; 25:31-33;
Acts 1:11; Rev. 19:11-16)
The Eternal State
We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men,
the saved to eternal life with Christ and the unsaved to judgment and
everlasting punishment. (Matt. 25:46; John 5:28,29; 11:25,26; Rev.
20:5, 6,12,13)
We believe that souls of the redeemed are, at
death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in
conscious bliss they await the first resurrection, when spirit, soul and
body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord. (Luke 23:43;
Rev. 20:4-6; II Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23; 3:21; I Thes. 4:16,17)
We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain,
after death, in conscious misery until the second resurrection, when
they shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment and shall be cast
into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting
conscious punishment. (Luke 16:19-31; Matt. 25:41-46; II Thes. 1:7-9;
Jude 6,7; Mark 9:43-48; Rev. 20:11-15)
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The Personality of Satan
We believe that Satan is a personal being, a fallen
angel and the author of sin; we believe that he is the open and declared
enemy of God and man, and that he shall be eternally punished in the
Lake of Fire. (Job 1:6,7; Isaiah 14:12-17; Matt. 4:2-11; 25:41; Rev.
20:10)
We believe that he is the “prince of the power of
the air,” and the “god of this age,” who is now “blinding the minds of
those who believe not, lest the light of the Gospel of Christ should
shine unto them.” (II Cor. 4:3,4; Eph. 2:2)
The Ordinances
We believe in Scriptural baptism by immersion as an
ordinance of this Church and that each member of the Body of Christ
should be baptized. (Acts 8:38,39; 10:47; 16:33; Rom. 6:3,4)
We believe that the Lord’s Table was instituted by
the Lord Jesus Christ, and that all believers should assemble themselves
together to remember Him in His death until He comes again. (Matt.
26:26-28; I Cor. 11: 23-32)
The Church
We believe that the Church, which is the body and
the espoused bride of Christ, is a spiritual body made up of all
born-again persons of this present age.
(Eph. 1:22, 23; 5:25-27; I Cor.
12:12-14; II Cor. 11:2)
We believe that believers should not forsake the
assembling of themselves together.
(Heb. 10:25) We believe that the
establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and
defined in the New Testament. (Acts 14:27; Acts 20:17; I Tim. 3:1-13;
Titus 1:5-11)
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