Doctrine
The Holy Scripture
We believe that the Scripture of the Old and New Testaments are inspired by God. The original writings were infallible, verbal, and plenary.
- Verbal: The very words are inspired.
- Plenary: Every word is inspired by God.
- Infallible: God’s Word is trustworthy.
II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1: 20-21; II Peter 3:2
We also believe that God preserved the Scriptures for present day use.
Psalms 119:89, 152; Matthew 5:18; I Peter 1:23, 25
The True God
We believe in only one God, but in the unity of the Godhead. There are three eternal and co-equal persons, the same in substance but distinct in subsistence.
Isaiah 44:6; Isaiah 48:16; Matthew 3:16,17; Matthew 28:19,20; I Timothy 2:5
God the Father
God the Father reigns with providential care over His universe, His creatures, and the flow of the stream of human history according to the purposes of His grace. He is all powerful, all loving, and all wise. God is Father in truth to those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
Genesis1:1, 2:7; Exodus 3:14, 6:2-3, 15:11, 20:1; Leviticus 22:2; Deuteronomy 66:4; Isaiah 43:3; Matthew 6:9, 7:11, 23:9; Romans 8:14-15; Ephesians 4:6; I John 5:7.
God the Son
We believe in the Deity of the Son of God and humanity of Christ. He was man but also divine, never ceasing to be God at any time. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, Mary.
Isaiah 7:14; Philippians 2:6-8; John 1:1,14, Titus 2:13; Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:18; Hebrews 1:8
God the Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Godhead, co-equal with the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit is the one that comforts, is the indweller of every believer, and seals the believer unto the day redemption of the body.
John 14:16-18, 26; Ephesians 4:30; Acts 5:3-4
We believe that He convicts us of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He is the agent of the New Birth. He gives assurance of salvation.
John 16:9-11; John 3:5; Romans 8:9, 14
Satan
We believe in the existence of a real personal being called the devil. Satan opposes all that God does and exalts himself above God. He is the god of this age whose end is the Lake of Fire.
Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:12-19; Matt. 4:1-3; I Peter 5:8; Revelation 20:10; II Corinthians 4:4
Heaven and Hell
Heaven
We believe in a literal heaven where all saved people will dwell for eternity with God
Revelation 21:1-7; I Timothy 3:16; Matthew 3:17; Acts 1:9, 10
Hell
We believe in a literal hell, a place of torment until the Great White Throne Judgment. All unsaved people will then be thrown into the Lake of Fire. We believe that it is a place of literal torment day and night, for eternity. We believe the individual will be conscious of the torment in the Lake of Fire.
Revelation 20:11-15; Matthew 25:41; Matthew 13:42; Luke 16:19-31; Matthew 25:46
Creation
We believe that God created heaven and earth and all living things by a direct act of His will. God did not use any form or process of evolution to create or maintain the universe.
Genesis 1:2; Colossians 1:16,17
The Fall of Man
We believe that God created man in His own image with emotions, will and intellect in a state of innocence; but Adam yielded to temptation and sinned against God of his own free will. Adam’s sin broke the relationship with god and man. Adam represented the whole human race when he sinned. Because of Adam’s sin the whole human race is under God’s judgment.
Gen 1-3; Romans 5:12; Psalm 51; Isaiah 53:6
Sin
We believe that sin originated with Satan and entered the human race through Adam. Death is a result of sin. We believe that man is lost and in need of a Savior. If man does not repent, he will go to the Lake of Fire for eternity. We believe that sin has affected all areas of our lives.
Isaiah 14:12-14; Romans 5:12; Genesis 3; Romans 6:23; John 3:18; Luke 13:3; Revelation 20:14,15
Salvation
We believe that Jesus Christ died for the sins of the whole world according to the Scriptures. There is no other way to be saved but through the precious blood of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation is a gift from God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
I Corinthians 15:1-4; I John 2:2; acts 4:12; John 14:1-6; Colossians 1:14; I Peter 1:18, 19; Ephesians 2:8, 9; Romans 6:23
We believe the only escape from condemnation of sin is through the atonement wrought by Jesus Christ, when He voluntarily took upon Him a human body and nature yet without sin, and by His suffering, death, and resurrection made full satisfaction to the justice of God for the sin of man.
I John 2:2; Galatians 4:4; I Corinthians 15:1-4; Philippians 2:8
We believe that salvation is for everyone.
Hebrews 2:9; I Timothy 2:4; II Peter 3:9; John 3:16
Regeneration
We believe that regeneration is a divine and instantaneous work of the Holy Spirit whereby God imparts life to one dead in trespasses and sin.
John 3:3; Titus 3:5; Ephesians 2:1-2; I Peter 1:23
Sanctification
We believe that sanctification is a divine once for all act and a progressive work of the Holy Spirit. God, upon the ground of the finished work of Christ on the cross, His present intercessory ministry, and His Divine Word, sets the believer apart in order to work through him by means of a submissive will which is pleasing to God.
I Peter 2:9; Hebrews 10:14; John 17:17; I Thessalonians 5:23; II Thessalonians 2:13
Separation
We believe in the Biblical doctrine of separation which encompasses the following:
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Separation of the local church from all affiliations, fellowships, and conventions with those who deny the Christian faith
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Separation of the individual believer from all worldly practices that would dishonor the Savior
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The church should refuse to be drawn into compromising alliances, even with well-meaning evangelical people whereby our testimony would be impaired and our position confused
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We reject the concept that our church should co-operate with unbelievers and apostate churches even if by so co-operating beneficial results may seem produced
II Corinthians 6:14; Ephesians 5:11; II Timothy 3:5; II John 9-11
Eternal Security/Assurance
We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever; that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word; but that God’s Word also clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to sin.
John 6:37-40; Romans 8:1; I Corinthians 1:4-8; I Peter 1:4-5; Titus 2:11-15; John 10:27-29; Romans 8:28-30
The Local Church
We believe that the church, the Body of Christ, is a New Testament institution established by Jesus Christ, who is its sole head, composed of believers from Pentecost to the Rapture of the Church. We believe the local church is an organization composed of regenerate church members who have been baptized by immersion and join the church for the purpose of fellowship, worship, and service.
Matthew 16:18; I Corinthians 12; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 5:23; Acts 2:41-47; Acts 8:35-39; Acts 1:8
We believe in the autonomy of the local church. We believe the church officers should be pastor and deacons. The church has the final say on its policy.
Matthew 18:15-17; I Corinthians 5:4; Acts 13; I Timothy 3:1-5
Baptism/Lord’s Supper
Baptism
We believe baptism is by immersion for those who have already trusted Christ as Savior. This is an ordinance of the church. It is a picture (identification) of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection.
Romans 6:3-4; Acts 2:41; Acts 8:12; Acts 8:35-40; Matthew 28:19
The Lord’s Supper
We believe the Lord’s Supper is an ordinance whereby believers show forth the Lord’s death till He comes.
I Corinthians 11:23-24
Civil Government
We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interests and good order of human society; and that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed, except in those things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the only Lord of the conscience and the coming King of Kings.
Daniel 3:17-18; Matthew 22:21; Acts 4:19-20; Acts 5:29; Acts 23:5; Romans 13:1-7
Israel
We believe in the sovereign selection of Israel as God’s eternal covenant people. We believe that she is now dispersed because of her disobedience, rejection of Christ, and completion of the church. Israel will be saved as a nation at the second advent of Christ.
Genesis 13:14-17; Exodus 37; Romans 11:1-32
The Rapture
We believe in the pre-tribulational, pre-millennial rapture of the church by Jesus Christ; an event which can occur at any moment and that at that moment the dead in Christ shall be raised in glorified bodies, the living in Christ shall be given glorified bodies without tasting death, and all of them shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air before the seven years of tribulation.
I Corinthians 15:42-44, 51-54; Philippians 3:20-21; I Thessalonians 4:13-18
Second Coming of Christ
We believe the second coming of Christ will take place after the Tribulation.
Revelation 19; Matthew 24; Matthew 25
The Righteous/The Wicked
We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked. Only those who are justified by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and sanctified by the Spirit of our God are truly righteous in His esteem, while all such as continue in unbelief are in His sight wicked and under the curse. This distinction holds among men both in this life and after death, in the everlasting contentment of the saved and the everlasting, conscious suffering of the lost in the Lake of Fire.
Genesis 18:23; Proverbs 14:32; Malachi 3:18; Matthew 25:34-41; Luke 16:25; John 8:21; Romans 6:17-18,23; I John 5:9; Revelation 20:14-15