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Statement of Faith And
Practices |
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The
Holy Scriptures
We believe in the verbal (every word) and plenary (complete) inspiration
of the Old and New Testaments; that they are the final authority for
faith and life, inerrant in the original writings, infallible and
God-breathed, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct,
creeds, and opinions shall be tried. Psalm 119:160; Romans 15:4; II
Timothy 3:15-17; II Peter 1: 19-21; Revelation 22:18-19
The Godhead
We believe in one triune God, the Creator, Preserver, and Ruler of all
things, eternally existing in three persons (Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit) co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power
and glory, each with distinct personal attributes, but without division
of nature, essence, or being. Genesis 1:26; II Corinthians 13:14;
Colossians 1:16-18; I John 5:7.
We believe in the deity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, perfect God
and perfect man; that He is God manifested in the flesh, conceived by
the Holy Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary; that He lived a sinless
life on earth; that he died on Calvary's cross, shedding His blood as
the only satisfactory sacrifice for sinners and payment for sin; that
His body was buried in and arose from the tomb; that He ascended to
Heaven and is now seated at the Father’s right hand in heaven making
intercession for us; and that He is coming again to establish His
Kingdom on earth. Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Mark 14:62; 16:19; Acts
1:9-11; Acts 4:10-12, 5:30-31; II Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 7:25
We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Holy Trinity
and is co-equal with God the Father and God the Son; that He convicts
the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment; that He is the
supernatural agent in regeneration; that He indwells all believers and
seals them unto the day of redemption; and that He empowers, teaches,
and guides believers. John 3:5-7; John 14:16-18, 26; John 16:7-8;
Ephesians 1:13-14
We believe that at the moment of salvation, the believer is indwelt by
the Holy Spirit, and that the believer does not seek the Spirit's
baptism as an evidence of salvation. It is the believer’s responsibility
to seek to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit. Matthew 3:11;
John 1:33; 3:5-7; Romans 6:3-5; Romans 8:9; Ephesians 5:18
Creation
We believe the Genesis account of creation as being neither allegory nor
myth, but a literal, historical account of the direct, immediate,
creative acts of God, in six, consecutive twenty-four hour days, without
any evolutionary process; that man, spirit, soul and body, was created
by a direct work of God and not from previously existing forms of life;
and that all men are descended from the historical Adam and Eve, first
parents of the entire human race. Genesis 1 and 2; Isaiah 45:18; John
1:3; Colossians 1:16, 17
Man
We believe that God created man in His own image, male and female,
breathing into him the breath of life, and gave them dominion over the
entirety of His creation. God formed Eve to be Adam’s helper, to
complement his character, and to be his companion for life. God joined
one man and one woman together in marriage, establishing a monogamous
pattern of spiritual, emotional, and physical union for all time. As the
first institution ordained by God, marriage pictures the union of Christ
and His Church. God specifically prohibits all sexual union between men
and women outside the bond of marriage. God also forbids incest,
bestiality, and same-sex relations between men or women. Genesis
1:27-28; 2:18; 2:22-24; Leviticus 18:6-18, 22; 20:15-16; Romans 1:26-27;
7:2-5; I Corinthians 5:1; 6:9-10; 15-20; Ephesians 5:22-32; I
Thessalonians 4:2-8
We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker;
but by voluntary transgression Adam fell from his sinless and happy
state, and all men sinned in him, consequently all men are totally
depraved, are partakers of Adam’s fallen nature, and are sinners by
nature and by conduct; and therefore are under just condemnation without
defense or excuse. Genesis 3:1-6, 24; Romans 1:18,32; 3:10-19; 5:12,19
Salvation
We believe that a person is saved when he repents of his sin and
exercises faith by accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal
Savior; that salvation is a gift of eternal life wholly by the grace of
God apart from merit or works; and that all who believe on Him are
justified (declared righteous) on the basis of His shed blood. John
3:16-18; Acts 16:31; Romans 6:23; Romans 10:9, 10; I Corinthians 15:3.4;
Ephesians 2:8, 9; II Peter 3:9
We believe that all the redeemed of God are kept by God's power and are
thus eternally secure in Christ forever, and that once a person is
saved, he will always be saved. John 10:27-29; Philippians 1:6; II
Timothy 1:12; I John 5:13
Sanctification
We believe that sanctification is the divine setting apart of the
believer unto God accomplished in a threefold manner: first, an eternal
act of God, based upon redemption in Christ, establishing the believer
in a position of holiness at the moment he trusts the Savior; second, a
continuing process in the saint as the Holy Spirit applies the Word of
God to the life; third, the final accomplishment of this process at the
Lord’s return. John 17:17; I Corinthians 1:30; II Corinthians 3:18;
Ephesians 5:25,26,27; I Thess. 4:3,4; 5:23,24; Hebrews 10:10-14; 13:12
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The Church
We believe that the local New Testament church is to be composed of
regenerated, immersed believers, voluntarily united together for the
purpose of worship, edification, ordinances, fellowship, and service;
that the officers of the local church are pastors and deacons whose
qualifications and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures; that
the mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all
men, in the local community, and to the uttermost part of the earth;
that the local church has the right to self-government, free from the
interference of any individuals or organizations, religious or
political; that the one and only Head is Christ, through the Holy
Spirit; that it is scriptural for churches of like faith and practice to
cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the
furtherance of the Gospel, with each local church as the sole judge of
the measure and method of its cooperation; and that on matters of
membership, policy of government, discipline, benevolence, etc., the
will of the local church is final. Acts 1:8; Acts 2:41-47; Acts 20:28-
31; Romans 1:7; Colossians 1:2; I Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9; I Peter
5:1-5
Baptism
We believe that the Biblical ordinance of baptism is by immersion, the
symbol of the believer's union with Christ in His death, burial, and
resurrection; that every believer should be baptized because of the
example and command of our Lord; and that while there is no saving power
in water baptism, it is an act of obedience and public testimony by
those who are already saved. Matthew 3:13-17; Matthew 28:19-20; Acts
8:36-39; Romans 6:3-5
The Lord's Supper
We believe that the Lord's Supper is an ordinance given to the church by
the Lord Jesus Christ to remember and show forth the Lord's death till
He comes; that the Lord's table should be open to all regenerated people
living in fellowship with and obedience to the Lord Jesus; and that the
elements representing the body and blood of Christ are symbolic and
render in themselves no means of grace. Luke 22:14-20; I Corinthians
11:25-32
Satan
We believe that Satan is a supernatural being, a fallen angel, the
author of sin, and was instrumental in the Fall; that he is the "god of
this world," the "prince of the power of the air," and the open and
declared enemy of God and man, and that his final destiny is eternal
punishment in the lake of fire. Job 1:6-9; Ezekiel 28:1-19; Matthew
4:1-11; John 8:44; II Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2; Revelation 20:10
Hell
We believe in a literal place called Hell, a place of torment, and that
the Lake of Fire and Brimstone shall be the final destiny for the
eternal punishment of Satan, fallen angels, demons, and unbelieving
mankind. Luke 16:22-26; Revelation 20:12-15
Heaven
We believe in a literal place called Heaven where God's immediate
presence is manifested, and where the redeemed and angels dwell; that it
is Heaven from which Christ descended and to which, after the completion
of His earthly ministry, He ascended bodily and there makes intercession
for the saints, and from which He shall come to judge the living and the
dead. John 14:1-3; Acts 1:9-11; Revelation 21
The Eternal State
We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men; the saved to
everlasting life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting
punishment. We believe that the souls of the unbelievers remain, after
death, in conscious misery and torment until the second resurrection
when, with spirit, soul, and body, they shall be cast into the Lake of
Fire, not to be annihilated but to suffer everlasting punishment. 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 a new body are united to
be glorified forever with the Lord. I Corinthians 15; II Corinthians
5:6-8; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 20
The Second Coming of Christ
We believe in the imminent, bodily, and premillennial coming of the Lord
Jesus Christ in the air to catch away all believers unto Himself; and in
the personal, visible, and glorious return of Christ to the earth, with
believers, to judge the nations and to set up His millennial Kingdom on
earth. Matthew 24:42-44; John 14:3; Acts 1:11; I Thessalonians 4:13-18;
Revelation 19:11-16; 20:4-6 |
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