Articles of Faith

We affirm our belief in one God, infinite Spirit, Creator, and sustainer of all things, who exists eternally in three persons, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. These three are one in essence but distinct in person and function.

 

Doctrinal Position
Of the Scriptures:

We believe the scriptures, being the 66 books of the old and new testaments, to be the inspired Word of God, completely inerrant in the original writings, and absolutely authoritative and infallible. (II Timothy 3:1 6, 17; II Peter 1:21; Proverbs 30:5, 6)

As to the extent of inspiration, we believe in "verbal" (i.e. every word) and "plenary" (i.e. complete) inspiration. (Exodus 4:12; I Corinthians 2:13)

Of the True God:

We believe there is one God; eternally existent in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. (Matthew 28:19; II Corinthians 13:14; I John 5:7)

  1. God the Father:
    We believe in God the Father, Creator and sustainer of all things visible and invisible, who is true holiness, eternal power, infinite love, perfect justice, and absolute truth. (Genesis 1:1; Leviticus 19:2; Romans 1:20; 3:26; Titus 1:2; I John 4:8-9)

  2. God the Son:
    We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, Creater of all things, the only begotten Son of God, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death on the cross, in the shedding of His precious blood for the remission of sin, in His bodily resurrection and ascension to the right hand of God the Father where He ever lives to make intercession for the saints, in His coming for His saints, and return to earth to reign in power and glory for a thousand years. (Zechariah 14:4-9; Matthew 1:18, 22, 23; 28:6; John 1:14; 3:16; Acts 1:9-11; 10:38; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Hebrews 4:15; 7:25)

  3. God the Holy Ghost:
    We believe that the Holy Ghost, or Holy Spirit, is the divine person who moved holy men of God to write the scriptures, who convicts of sin, who quickens in the new birth, who seals the true believer unto the day of redemption, who is the earnest of our inheritance, and who indwells the believer with power for holy living and service. (John 14:16, 17; 16:8, 9; Acts 1:8; Colossians 1:15-17; Romans 8:11; Ephesians 1:13, 14; 4:30; II Peter 1:21)
Of the Creation:

We believe that God created the heavens and the earth, including all life, by direct act and not by a process of evolution in any form. We believe in six literal days of creation, each being 24 hours in length. (Genesis 1 and 2; John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:16, 17)

Of the Fall of Man:

We believe that man, the person of the first Adam, was created in innocence in the image of God. By voluntary transgression Adam fell into sin, thus plunging the whole race into condemnation and death, so that now all mankind is born in sin and shapen in iniquity. Men become practical sinners with the first expression of personal choice, not by constraint, but by choice, and so are without excuse before God. (Genesis 3; Psalm 51:5; John 3:18; Romans 5:8-19; Revelation 20:11-15)

Of the Atonement for Sin:

We believe that the only escape from the condemnation of sin is through the atonement wrought by Jesus Christ when He voluntarily took upon Him a human body, yet without sin, and by His suffering, shedding of blood, death, and resurrection. In so doing, He made full satisfaction to the justice of God for the sin of man. The blessings of salvation are given on the ground of grace to all who repent and believe by faith, and that not of works, lest any man should boast. It is the duty of all to receive God's offer of mercy. We further believe that all who take Christ as Savior are born from above and are eternally secure in Christ. (John 1:1-3, 14; 3:1-7; 16; 10:28, 29; Philippians 1:6; Hebrew 10:4-14; I John 5:10-13)

Of Sanctification:

We believe that sanctification is an act and a process by which, according to the will of God, we are set apart unto God and made partakers of His holiness; that it is positional and practical; instantaneous in that it is carried on in the hearts of belivers by the presence and power of the Holy Ghost as the believer uses the appointed means, especially the Word of God, self-examination, self-denial, watchfulness, and prayer. (Proverbs 4:18; I Corinthians 1:2, 30; 3:1-3; II Corinthians 7:1; I Thessalonians 4:3; 5:23; I Peter 1:15, 16)

Of the Resurrection and the Second Coming:

We believe in the bodily resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His ascension to the right hand of God, in His continual intercessory ministry there on our behalf, in the rapture, and in His personal, bodily return from heaven at the end of the tribulation to execute judgment on them that know not God and obey not the gospel, and to set up the earthly millennial kingdom. (Matthew 28:1-7; Acts 1:10, 11; Romans 8:34; I Corinthians 15:4-7; I Thessalonians 4:13-17; II Thessalonians 1:7, 8; Revelation 19:11-16; 20:6)

Of the New Testament Church:

We believe a properly constituted local church is an assembly of regenerated believers who have been immersed on the confession of their faith, and having determined to observe standards of conduct worthy of the holy faith they profess, have voluntarily united for the worship of God, praise, prayer, testimony, the ministry of the Word of God, discipline, and the furtherance of the gospel throughout the world. We are a congregationally-ruled, pastor-led church. (Matthew 28:19, 20; Acts 2:41, 42; I Corinthians 1:1-13; 14:12; Ephesians 4:7; Philippians 1:27)

Of the Ordinances of the Church:

We believe that Christ instituted only two ordinances to be observed until He returns, those being baptism and the Lord's Supper.

Of the Saved and the Lost:

We believe that there is an essential difference between the saved and the lost. Those who have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sin and have righteousness imputed by His grace are saved eternally; those who continue in sin and unbelief are lost and condemned. This distinction holds among men both in life and after death. We believe in the everlasting blessedness of the saved and the everlasting punishment of those who die in their lost condition. (Matthew 24:34-41; Luke 16:25; John 3:18, 36; 5:24; Romans 6:17-23)

Of Biblical Marriage:

We believe that from the time of creation, God has ordained that marriage is a covenantal, physical union of a biological man and a biological woman. It is the expression of God's original creative intent concerning the human race (Genesis 1:27).