Beliefs

Beliefs

1. THE WORD OF GOD

We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, fully inspired by the Holy Spirit who superintended human authors so that it is without error in the original manuscripts, and that it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct. (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:20,21; Mark 13:31; John 8:31,32; John 20:31; Acts 20:32)

2. THE TRINITY

We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons; that they are equal in every divine perfection, and that they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence, and redemption. (Gen. 1:1, 26; John 1:1,3; Matt. 28:19; John 4:24; Rom. 1:19,20; Eph. 4:5,6)

3. GOD THE FATHER

We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. We believe that He infallibly foreknows all that shall come to pass, that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of human beings, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. (Luke 10:21,22; Matt. 23:9; John 3:16; 6:27; Rom. 1:7; 1 Tim. 1:1,2; 2:5,6; 1 Peter 1:3; Rev. 1:6)

4. JESUS CHRIST

We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, and teachings. We believe in His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal visible return to earth. (Matt.1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; John 1:1; 20:28; Roman. 9:5; 8:46; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Peter 2:21-23; John 20:30, 31; Matt. 20:28; Eph.1:4; Acts 1:11; Rom. 5:6-8; 6:9,10; Heb. 7:25; 9:28; 1 Tim. 3:16)

5. THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe in the Holy Spirit who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify, gift and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ, and that He is an abiding helper, teacher and guide. (John 14:16,17,26; 15:26,27; John 16:9-14; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19; Gal. 5:22-26)

6. THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD

We believe that God, by his sovereign authority, ordains, upholds and governs all things throughout the universe in accord with His eternal, loving and all-wise purposes to glorify Himself, yet in such a way that He does not sin, or ever condemn a person unjustly. (Matt. 10:29, 30; Col. 1:16, 17; Job 37:6-13; Ps. 33:10, 11; Gen. 50:20; Ps. 104:24; Deut. 32:4; Rom. 1:20; 3:19)

7. REGENERATION

We believe that man was created by God in His own image; that he sinned and thereby incurred physical, spiritual and eternal death, which is separation from God; that as a consequence, all human beings are born with a sinful nature and are sinful in behavior and therefore under condemnation. We believe that those who repent and forsake sin and trust Jesus Christ as Savior have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and become new creatures, delivered from condemnation and receive eternal life. (Gen. 1:26; 5:2; Gen. 3; Gen. 2:17; 3:19; Eccl. 2:11; John 3:14; 5:24; John 5:30; 7:13; 8:12; 10:26; Rom. 9:22; 2 Thess. 1:9; Rev. 19:3,20; 20:10;14,15; 21:18; Psalm 51:7; Jer. 17:9; James 1:14; Rom. 3:19; 5:19; Prov. 28:13; 1 John 1:9; John 3:16; John 1:13; 2 Cor. 5:17; Rom. 8:1)

8. THE CHURCH

We believe in the universal church, a living spiritual body of which Christ is the head and all regenerated persons are members. We believe in the local church, consisting of a company of believers in Jesus Christ, baptized on a credible profession of faith, and associated for worship, work, and fellowship. We believe that God has called the members of the local church to give the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world. (Eph. 2:19-22; Acts 1:8; Eph. 5:19-21; Acts 2:42; Heb. 10:23-25)

9. CHRISTIAN CONDUCT

We believe that a Christian should live for the glory of God as his all-satisfying treasure and that he should labor for the joy of others; that his conduct should be blameless before the world; that he should be a faithful steward of his God-given resources; and that he should seek to realize for himself and others the full stature of maturity in Christ. (1 Cor. 10:31; Rom.12:1-3; Heb. 12:1-2; John 14:15,23-24; 1 John 2:3-6; 2 Cor. 9:6-9; 1 Cor. 4:2; Col. 1:9-10)

10. THE ORDINANCES

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the local church, baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of the believer into water in the name of the triune God as a picture of the work of the Holy Spirit in placing the believer into the death of Christ and the Body of Christ. We believe that the Lord’s Supper was instituted by Christ for commemoration of His death. We believe that these two ordinances should be observed and administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Matt. 28:18-20; Rom. 6:3-5; 1 Cor. 11:23-26; 12:13)

11. THE LAST THINGS

We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of His kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the eternal happiness of the righteous and the endless suffering of the wicked. (Matt. 16:27; Mark 14:62; John 14:3; Acts 1:11; Phil. 3:20; 1 Thess. 4:15; 2 Tim. 4:1; Titus 2:13; 1 Cor. 4:5; 15; 2 Thess. 1:7-10; Rev. 20:4-6, 11-15)