- We believe that there is one
God (Deut. 6:4; Isa. 44:6; Joh. 17:3), eternally existent in three
Persons: Father (Isa.9:6; 63:16; Eph.1:2-3), Son (Matt. 1:20-21;
Joh.8:58; Rom.1:1-4; Heb.1:8), and Holy Spirit (Acts5:3-4; Heb.9:14).
- We
believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible,
authoritative Word of God, inerrant in the original writings.
(Psa.19:7; 2Tim.3:16; 2Pet.1:21).
- We
believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ (Joh.1:1,14,18; 8:58;
Rom.9:5; Col.2:9; Philip.2:6; Titus.2:13), in His virgin birth
(Isa.7:14; Matt.1:23; Lk.1:27,31), His sinless life (Heb.4:15), His
substitutionary – atoning death through His shed blood (Isa.53:6;
1Pet.2:24; 3:18; 2Cor.5:21), in His bodily resurrection(Lk.24:15,
34-39; Joh.20:14; Joh.21: Acts 4:33), in His ascension to the right
hand of the Father (Mk.16:19; Lk.24:51: Acts 1:9; Heb.10:12-13; 12:2;
1Pet.3:22), His visible, personal return in power and glory and the
establishment of His Kingdom on earth (Joh.14:3; Rev.1:7; 19:11-21).
- We
believe in the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Godhead, Who came
forth to convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment
(Joh.16:6-13); and to regenerate (Joh.3:5-8; Titus3:5), sanctify (Acts
13:2), to seal (Eph.1:13-14; 4:30) and empower for ministry, service
and witness (Acts 1:8) all who believe in Christ. We believe the Holy
Spirit indwells every believer in Jesus Christ (Joh.20:22; 1Cor.6:19),
and that He is our abiding Helper, Teacher, and Guide (Joh.14:16;
Joh.16:13). We believe in the present day ministry of the Holy
Spirit as recorded throughout the New Testament, which ministry
includes the exercise of all the Biblical gifts of the Holy Spirit in
the church. (Acts 2, 8, 9, 29, 29: Rom.12; 1Cor.12; Eph.4)
- We
believe that all people are sinners (Rom. 3:23) by nature (Gen.5:3;
Rom.5:12) and choice (Gen.3; 4:7; Josh.24:15) and therefore are under
condemnation (Rom.6:23); that God regenerates by the Holy Spirit
(Joh.3:5-8) and forgives those who repent (1Joh. 1:9) of their sins and
confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (Rom.10:9-11), and that by the
indwelling Holy Spirit (1Cor.6:19), God enables said believers to live
a godly life (Rom.8:9,14; Gal.5:16-25).
- We
believe in the bodily resurrection of both the saved and the unsaved
(Joh.5:28-29); the final judgment and eternal blessing of the righteous
and the endless suffering of the wicked (Joh.5:24-29).
- We
believe in the spiritual unity of all true believers in our Lord Jesus
Christ – called the body of Christ (Joh.17:11, 22; Rom.12:4-5;
1Cor.12:27; Gal.3:28; Eph.5:30).
- We
believe that the Lord Jesus Christ committed two ordinances to the
church: (1) Baptism (Matt.28:19-20; Mk.16:15-16); (2) The
Lord’s Supper (Matt.26:26-28; Mk.14:22-24, Lk.22:19-20;
1Cor.11:23-26). We believe that water baptism and communion (the
Lord’s Supper) are open only to those who have received and accepted
Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior (Matt.28:19; Mk.16:16,
1Cor.11:27,29). These ordinances are observed in obedience to our
Lord Jesus Christ as acts of love and devotion and are not considered
to be necessary for salvation (Acts16:30-31; Rom.10:9-11; Eph.2:8).
- We
await the pre-tribulation rapture of the Church (1Thess. 5:9; Rom. 5:9;
1Thess. 4:13-18; 1Cor. 15:51,52), and we believe that the second coming
of Christ with His saints to rule on the earth will be personal,
pre-millennial, and visible (Acts 1:11; Mt. 24:30; Zech. 14:4; Rev.
19-20). This motivates us to holy living, heartfelt worship,
committed service, diligent study of God’s Word, regular fellowship,
and participation in adult baptism by immersion, and Holy Communion.
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