Statement of Faith & Beliefs

AUTHORITY OF STATEMENT OF FAITH

This statement of faith does not exhaust the extent of our faith. The Bible itself is the sole and final source of all that we believe. We believe that this statement of faith accurately represents the teaching of the Bible, and therefore, is binding upon all members.

Contract All | Expand All

A. The Holy Scriptures

We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the verbally and plenary inspired word of God. The Scriptures are inerrant, infallible, God-breathed and preserved in the Authorized 1611 King James Version in the English language, and therefore are the supreme and final authority for faith and life. The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament are the complete and divine revelation of God to man.

B. Dispensations

We believe that the Scriptures interpreted in their natural, literal sense reveal divinely determined dispensations or rules of life, which define man's responsibilities in successive ages as they relate to his sin.

C. The Godhead

We believe in one triune God, eternally existing in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - each co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, coequal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfection.

D. The Person and the Work of Christ

(1) 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 sinful men.

(2) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through his death on the cross as the representative, vicarious, substitution by sacrifice; and, that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead.

(3) 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.

E. The Person and the Work of the Holy Spirit

(1) We believe that the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and, He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption.

(2) We believe that He is the Divine Teacher who assists believers to understand and appropriate the Scriptures and that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit.

(3) We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer. God uniquely uses evangelists, pastors and teachers to equip believers in the assembly in order that they can do the work of the ministry.

(4) We believe that the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing have been put aside temporarily as they are designed to assist the unbelieving Jew.

F. The Depravity of Man

We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam's sin the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and, that man is depraved, and, of himself completely unable to remedy his lost condition.

G. Salvation

We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins.

H. The Eternal Security and Assurance of the Believers

We believe that all who are truly saved are kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ forever.

I. The Church

(1) We believe that the church, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ, is solely made up of born-again persons.

(2) We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures.

(3) We believe in the autonomy of the local church free of any external authority or control.

(4) We recognize water baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper as the Scriptural ordinances of obedience for the church in this age. These ordinances are not the means of salvation, nor are they the maintenance or completion of our salvation. We do not practice a "closed" communion.

J. The Second Advent of Christ

We believe in that "blessed hope," the personal, imminent return of Christ who will rapture His Church prior to the tribulation period. At the end of the Tribulation, Christ will personally and visibly return with His saints, to establish His earthly kingdom of 1,000 years, which was promised to the nation of Israel.

K. The Eternal State

(1) We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment.

(2) We believe that the 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.

(3) We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious punishment and torment until the second resurrection, when with soul and body reunited 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 and torment.

L. The Personality of Satan

We believe that Satan is a person, and the author of sin; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and, that he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire.

M. Creation

We believe that God created the universe in six literal, 24-hour periods. We reject evolution, the Day-Age Theory, and Theistic Evolution as unscriptural theories of origin.

N. Missions

Because of men everywhere without Christ are lost and bound for the eternal punishment, and because men cannot believe in Him of whom they have not heard, we believe that we are debtors to all men and have the responsibility of giving them the gospel. Jesus left us the command that we should be witnesses for Him and should take the good news of the gospel to every place where men are to be found. We believe that to carry out this command we must ourselves be witnesses by life and word to tell all lost men about Christ and we must support by prayer and financial aid those who go out under missionary agencies to represent us in other parts of the world.




Statement of Faith AUTHORITY OF STATEMENT OF FAITH This statement of faith does not exhaust the extent of our faith. The Bible itself is the sole and final source of all that we believe. We believe that this statement of faith accurately represents the teaching of the Bible, and therefore, is binding upon all members. Contract All \| Expand All A. The Holy Scriptures We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the verbally and plenary inspired word of God. The Scriptures are inerrant, infallible, God-breathed and preserved in the Authorized 1611 King James Version in the English language, and therefore are the supreme and final authority for faith and life. The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament are the complete and divine revelation of God to man. B. Dispensations We believe that the Scriptures interpreted in their natural, literal sense reveal divinely determined dispensations or rules of life, which define man's responsibilities in successive ages as they relate to his sin. C. The Godhead We believe in one triune God, eternally existing in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - each co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, coequal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfection. D. The Person and the Work of Christ (1) 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 sinful men. (2) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through his death on the cross as the representative, vicarious, substitution by sacrifice; and, that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead. (3) 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. E. The Person and the Work of the Holy Spirit (1) We believe that the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and, He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption. (2) We believe that He is the Divine Teacher who assists believers to understand and appropriate the Scriptures and that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit. (3) We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer. God uniquely uses evangelists, pastors and teachers to equip believers in the assembly in order that they can do the work of the ministry. (4) We believe that the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing have been put aside temporarily as they are designed to assist the unbelieving Jew. F. The Depravity of Man We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam's sin the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and, that man is depraved, and, of himself completely unable to remedy his lost condition. G. Salvation We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins. H. The Eternal Security and Assurance of the Believers We believe that all who are truly saved are kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ forever. I. The Church (1) We believe that the church, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ, is solely made up of born-again persons. (2) We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures. (3) We believe in the autonomy of the local church free of any external authority or control. (4) We recognize water baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper as the Scriptural ordinances of obedience for the church in this age. These ordinances are not the means of salvation, nor are they the maintenance or completion of our salvation. We do not practice a "closed" communion. J. The Second Advent of Christ We believe in that "blessed hope," the personal, imminent return of Christ who will rapture His Church prior to the tribulation period. At the end of the Tribulation, Christ will personally and visibly return with His saints, to establish His earthly kingdom of 1,000 years, which was promised to the nation of Israel. K. The Eternal State (1) We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment. (2) We believe that the 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. (3) We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious punishment and torment until the second resurrection, when with soul and body reunited 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 and torment. L. The Personality of Satan We believe that Satan is a person, and the author of sin; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and, that he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire. M. Creation We believe that God created the universe in six literal, 24-hour periods. We reject evolution, the Day-Age Theory, and Theistic Evolution as unscriptural theories of origin. N. Missions Because of men everywhere without Christ are lost and bound for the eternal punishment, and because men cannot believe in Him of whom they have not heard, we believe that we are debtors to all men and have the responsibility of giving them the gospel. Jesus left us the command that we should be witnesses for Him and should take the good news of the gospel to every place where men are to be found. We believe that to carry out this command we must ourselves be witnesses by life and word to tell all lost men about Christ and we must support by prayer and financial aid those who go out under missionary agencies to represent us in other parts of the world.