A Statement Of Our Basic Beliefs.
1. The Scriptures.
The Bible is the Word of God (Deuteronomy 4:1-2). It was written by men who were divinely inspired (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21), and it is God’s revelation of Himself to man. The New Testament is the last will and covenant of our Lord (Hebrews 9:15), and is our final authority for faith and conduct. If one is to have a true understanding of the will of God, he must always accept the New Testament interpretation of the Old Testament. The New Testament builds upon the Old, fulfills the Old, and interprets the Old (Hebrews 1:1-2; Matthew 5:43-44).
The Bible is inerrant in the original writings, and is the supreme standard by which all human conduct and religious opinions should be tried (Acts 17:11; Psalms 19:7-11; Psalms 119:105).
2. God.
There is one and only one living and true God (Genesis 1:1; Hebrews 11:6; Ex. 20:3). He is an intelligent, personal, spirit Being (John 4:24). He is one God, eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
God the Father reigns with providential care over His universe (Acts 7:48-50), and the stream of human history moves according to the purpose of His grace. He is Father to those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:26).
God the Son (Jesus the Christ) was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary (Matthew 1:18). In His death on the Cross, He made provision for the redemption of men from sin by becoming the substitutionary sacrifice (Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 2:24). He was raised from the dead, ascended into heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of God (1 Corinthians 15:1-25; John 16:27-28). He will return in power and glory to receive His disciples, and then to judge the world (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).
God the Holy Spirit, as the third person of the holy Trinity of God, enables persons to understand truth (John 16:7-13), He imparts new life to those who meet the conditions of salvation (Titus 1:5), and He imparts gifts for service to every member of the church (1 Corinthians 12:7-11).
3. Man
Man was created by God, in His own image, and is the crowning work of God’s creation (Genesis 1:26-30). In the beginning man was innocent of sin, and was endowed by his Creator with freedom of choice. But by his free choice, through the temptation of Satan, man sinned against God, and thereby the doctrine of original sin and man’s inability to recover himself from the fallen state he is in by nature is brought into view (Genesis 2:16).
All human beings are born with a sinful nature (Psalm 51:5), and in the case of those who reach the age of accountability, become sinners in thought, word, and deed (Isaiah 6:5; Romans 5:12, 19; Romans 1:18-32).
4. Salvation
Salvation is the work by which God justifies sinners by the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ and thus become saints. Salvation is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (John 3:3-21; Revelation 3:20).
Justification is the gracious and full acquittal which is wrought by faith in the blood of Jesus Christ (Romans 3:23-25), and is symbolized by baptism (Romans 6:4-5).
Sanctification is the experience, beginning in regeneration, by which the believer is set apart to God’s purposes through the presence of the Holy Spirit who dwells in him (1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 2 Peter 3:18). Holiness is God’s standard of living for His people (Luke 1:74-75; 1 Peter 1:15).
Glorification is the culmination of salvation, and is the final blessed and abiding state of the redeemed (Romans 8:16-18; 1 Peter 1:3-4).
5. Church
A New Testament church is a local body (1 Corinthians 1:2) of baptized believers, composed of pastors, evangelists, deacons, and the saints (Philippians 1:1; Ephesians 4:11-12). The Church is the Body of Christ, which includes all of the redeemed of all ages (Matthew 16:15-19).
Evangelism: It is the duty and privilege of every believer, and of every congregation, to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20). Each child of God should seek constantly to win the lost to Christ by personal effort (Acts 1:8).
Ordinances: Ordinances are authoritative statutes, given by God, for the development of the Christian life. The Scriptures teach the three-part love feast — feetwashing, supper, communion — (John 13:1-20; Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34), the baptism by triune immersion of all believers (Matthew 28:19), the anointing with oil for healing and well-being (James 5:14-18), and the assembling together of the saints for worship (Hebrews 10:25).
Ideals: The ideals of temperance (1 Corinthians 9:25), purity (1 Corinthians 6:9-11), and simple living (Matthew 6:28-33), are to be taught and observed. Christians are stewards of their possessions, and should give of their means cheerfully, regularly, systematically, and proportionately for the furthering of Christ and His Gospel (1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 9:7).
6. Last Things
According to the Scriptures, Jesus Christ will first descend and “catch away” the redeemed, this is called the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18); then after a period of time called the Tribulation, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth, this is called the Second Coming; the time of His coming is unrevealed, but always imminent (Revelation 19:11-14). The resurrection “unto life” will occur at the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Daniel 12:2), where the righteous will receive their reward and will dwell forever in Heaven with the Lord (John 14:1-3). The resurrection “unto damnation” will occur after the millennial reign of Christ (Revelation 20:4-6; Daniel 12:2), where the unrighteous will be consigned to the Lake of Fire, the place of everlasting punishment (Revelation 20:11-15).
The Bible is the Word of God (Deuteronomy 4:1-2). It was written by men who were divinely inspired (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21), and it is God’s revelation of Himself to man. The New Testament is the last will and covenant of our Lord (Hebrews 9:15), and is our final authority for faith and conduct. If one is to have a true understanding of the will of God, he must always accept the New Testament interpretation of the Old Testament. The New Testament builds upon the Old, fulfills the Old, and interprets the Old (Hebrews 1:1-2; Matthew 5:43-44).
The Bible is inerrant in the original writings, and is the supreme standard by which all human conduct and religious opinions should be tried (Acts 17:11; Psalms 19:7-11; Psalms 119:105).
2. God.
There is one and only one living and true God (Genesis 1:1; Hebrews 11:6; Ex. 20:3). He is an intelligent, personal, spirit Being (John 4:24). He is one God, eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
God the Father reigns with providential care over His universe (Acts 7:48-50), and the stream of human history moves according to the purpose of His grace. He is Father to those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:26).
God the Son (Jesus the Christ) was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary (Matthew 1:18). In His death on the Cross, He made provision for the redemption of men from sin by becoming the substitutionary sacrifice (Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 2:24). He was raised from the dead, ascended into heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of God (1 Corinthians 15:1-25; John 16:27-28). He will return in power and glory to receive His disciples, and then to judge the world (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).
God the Holy Spirit, as the third person of the holy Trinity of God, enables persons to understand truth (John 16:7-13), He imparts new life to those who meet the conditions of salvation (Titus 1:5), and He imparts gifts for service to every member of the church (1 Corinthians 12:7-11).
3. Man
Man was created by God, in His own image, and is the crowning work of God’s creation (Genesis 1:26-30). In the beginning man was innocent of sin, and was endowed by his Creator with freedom of choice. But by his free choice, through the temptation of Satan, man sinned against God, and thereby the doctrine of original sin and man’s inability to recover himself from the fallen state he is in by nature is brought into view (Genesis 2:16).
All human beings are born with a sinful nature (Psalm 51:5), and in the case of those who reach the age of accountability, become sinners in thought, word, and deed (Isaiah 6:5; Romans 5:12, 19; Romans 1:18-32).
4. Salvation
Salvation is the work by which God justifies sinners by the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ and thus become saints. Salvation is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (John 3:3-21; Revelation 3:20).
Justification is the gracious and full acquittal which is wrought by faith in the blood of Jesus Christ (Romans 3:23-25), and is symbolized by baptism (Romans 6:4-5).
Sanctification is the experience, beginning in regeneration, by which the believer is set apart to God’s purposes through the presence of the Holy Spirit who dwells in him (1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 2 Peter 3:18). Holiness is God’s standard of living for His people (Luke 1:74-75; 1 Peter 1:15).
Glorification is the culmination of salvation, and is the final blessed and abiding state of the redeemed (Romans 8:16-18; 1 Peter 1:3-4).
5. Church
A New Testament church is a local body (1 Corinthians 1:2) of baptized believers, composed of pastors, evangelists, deacons, and the saints (Philippians 1:1; Ephesians 4:11-12). The Church is the Body of Christ, which includes all of the redeemed of all ages (Matthew 16:15-19).
Evangelism: It is the duty and privilege of every believer, and of every congregation, to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20). Each child of God should seek constantly to win the lost to Christ by personal effort (Acts 1:8).
Ordinances: Ordinances are authoritative statutes, given by God, for the development of the Christian life. The Scriptures teach the three-part love feast — feetwashing, supper, communion — (John 13:1-20; Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34), the baptism by triune immersion of all believers (Matthew 28:19), the anointing with oil for healing and well-being (James 5:14-18), and the assembling together of the saints for worship (Hebrews 10:25).
Ideals: The ideals of temperance (1 Corinthians 9:25), purity (1 Corinthians 6:9-11), and simple living (Matthew 6:28-33), are to be taught and observed. Christians are stewards of their possessions, and should give of their means cheerfully, regularly, systematically, and proportionately for the furthering of Christ and His Gospel (1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 9:7).
6. Last Things
According to the Scriptures, Jesus Christ will first descend and “catch away” the redeemed, this is called the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18); then after a period of time called the Tribulation, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth, this is called the Second Coming; the time of His coming is unrevealed, but always imminent (Revelation 19:11-14). The resurrection “unto life” will occur at the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Daniel 12:2), where the righteous will receive their reward and will dwell forever in Heaven with the Lord (John 14:1-3). The resurrection “unto damnation” will occur after the millennial reign of Christ (Revelation 20:4-6; Daniel 12:2), where the unrighteous will be consigned to the Lake of Fire, the place of everlasting punishment (Revelation 20:11-15).