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Statement of Faith |
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Statement of Faith |
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1. We believe that the entire Bible is the divinely inspired Word and revelation of God and, therefore, our only authority for faith and practice (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:16 - 21).
2. We believe that the Godhead eternally exists in three persons – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – and that these are one God (John 1:1-4; Matt 28:19-20; 2 Cor. 13:14; Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:18-20; Isaiah 43:10-11).
3. The Lord Jesus Christ has always existed with the Father and is eternal. The Scriptures declare the following about the Son of God: a. His virgin birth (Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:31, 35) b. His sinless life (Hebrews 7:26; I Peter 2:22) c. His miracles (Acts 2:22, 10:38) d. His substitutionary sacrifice on the cross for all the sins of man (I Corinthians 15:3; II Corinthians 5:21) e. His bodily resurrection from the dead (Matthew 28:6; Luke 24:39; I Corinthians 15:4) f. His exaltation at the right hand of God the Father (Acts 1:9, 11, 2:33; Philippians 2:9-11; Hebrews 1—3)
4. We believe in the person and Deity of the Holy Spirit to live in and bestow spiritual gifts upon each believer for the edification of the Body of Christ and that he empowers believers for effective life, witnessing and service. By His power we are able to obey the command, “Be ye holy, for I AM holy” (I Peter 15:16). He seals the believer with Christ and is a pledge of our eternal inheritance (Acts 5:3-4; John 15:26-27; I Corinthians 12:7-13; Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30).
5. We believe that man was created in God’s own image, good and upright. But man, by voluntary transgression, fell, incurring not only physical death, but also spiritual death, which is separation from God. This voluntary transgression ushered evil and death, both physical and spiritual, into the world (Genesis 1:26-31; 3:1-7; Romans 5:12-14; Ephesians 2:1-2).
6. We believe that every person can receive salvation - a free gift of God of eternal life, perfect righteousness, and the right to become an heir of God. Salvation cannot be earned, nor is it merited by works in any way, but rather, is received only by a personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:15-21; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 2:11).
7. We believe in Jesus’ physical resurrection from the dead and in His bodily presence at the right hand of God as our High Priest and advocate (Luke 24:30; Heb. 9:11; 1 John 2:1; Heb. 10:12).
8. We believe that the Church is the Body of Christ, composed of all who have been saved by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thus regenerated by the Holy Spirit. We believe in water baptism for all who have been saved as an outward testimony of the inner work done in him—showing the world that they have died with Christ, and have been raised up in Him to walk in newness of life. We believe in partaking of the Lord’s Supper, which is a symbolic remembrance of Christ's suffering and death for our salvation, and a prophecy of his second coming. We do not, however, believe that participating in either of these is necessary for, nor a means to, salvation. We believe that all members of the Body have been called to the “Great Commission”, to “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you…” (Matthew 28:19-20). (Matthew 26:26-29; I Corinthians II:23-26; 12:27; Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 2:19-22; Hebrews 12:22-24, II Peter 1:4)
9. We believe in a rapture of the saints and a pre-millennial, personal, visible return of Christ to the earth for the purpose of establishing His worldwide kingdom (1 Thessalonians. 4:13-18; Acts 1:10; Rev. 10:1-3; Titus 2:13; I Corinthians 15:51-52; Romans 11:26-27; Revelation 20:1-10).
10. We believe in a Heaven of eternal bliss for those who are saved and in the conscious and eternal punishment of those who have not accepted Jesus Christ as their personal savior (John 14:1-3; 2 Thessalonians. 1:7-10; Rev. 20:11-15; 21:1-5).
11. The Scriptures teach a life of holiness, to walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh. Entire sanctification is the will of God for all believers and should be earnestly pursued by walking in obedience to God’s Word (Colossians 1:28; I Peter 1:14-16; Romans 8:1-17; I John 2:15-17).
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