Statement of Faith
Statement of Faith
Scripture
We believe that the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, is the complete and revealed Word of God, fully inspired and without error in the original writings, and that it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct. (Psalms 19:7-11; Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 5:18; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:20, 21)
The Trinity
We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These are equal in every divine perfection and perform distinct but harmonious functions in creation, redemption, and providence. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 9:6, 7; Matthew 28:19, 20; Luke 3:21, 22; John 1:1-3; John 1:14; Acts 5:3-4)
The Father
We believe that salvation is a work of God’s grace, unearned and undeserved, and effected through faith in Jesus Christ as our substitute in suffering the punishment for our sin. It is Christ’s death that makes atonement for sin, the only sufficient provision for our restoration to a right relationship with God, and it is Christ’s resurrection that announces that His sacrifice was received by the Father as complete. It is through faith in Christ that we are born of the Holy Spirit, and so, become children of God. We believe in the eternal security of the believer in Christ. (John 3:6-7; John 10:28, 29; John 14:6; Acts 13:38, 39; Romans 3:10-18; Romans 6:23; Romans 10:9, 10; Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 3:3-7)
The Son
We believe in Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man, only begotten Son of the Father, 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 future personal visible return to earth. (John 1:14-18; Acts 1:11; Philippians 2:5-11; I Corinthians 15:3, 4; Hebrews 1:1-3; Hebrews 4:14, 15)
The Holy Spirit
We believe in the Holy Spirit who came from the Father and the Son, to glorify the Son, to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ as savior. We believe that the Holy Spirit permanently indwells every believer from the moment of salvation and that He is an abiding helper, teacher, and guide. (John 3:3-7; John 16:7-15; Romans 8:9-17; Acts 2:38, 39; 1 Corinthians 12:1-15; Ephesians 5:18)
Salvation
We believe that salvation is a work of God’s grace, unearned and undeserved, and effected through faith in Jesus Christ as our substitute in suffering the punishment for our sin. It is Christ’s death that makes atonement for sin, the only sufficient provision for our restoration to a right relationship with God, and it is Christ’s resurrection that announces that His sacrifice was received by the Father as complete. It is through faith in Christ that we are born of the Holy Spirit, and so, become children of God. We believe in the eternal security of the believer in Christ. (John 3:6-7; John 10:28, 29; John 14:6; Acts 13:38, 39; Romans 3:10-18; Romans 6:23; Romans 10:9, 10; Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 3:3-7)
Satan/Hell
We believe that Satan is a fallen angel and that hell is the place of eternal conscious punishment of all unsaved. (Job 1:6, 7; Matthew 25:46; Revelation 20:14, 15)
Man
We believe that man was created in the image of God, but that he rejected God’s rule and fell into sin. Man is, therefore, lost and facing eternal separation from God in hell, unless he repents and is regenerated by the work of God’s Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:26, 27; Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-3; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10)
The Church
We believe that there is one church, a living spiritual body of which Christ is the head, composed of people who through faith in Jesus Christ have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. We believe that the local church consists of believers in Jesus Christ, who have been bound together by the Holy Spirit for worship, Bible study, prayer, the ordinances, fellowship, mutual support and the evangelism of a lost world. (John 17:20-23; Acts 2:42; Ephesians 4:1-16; Colossians 1:15-23)
Christian
Conduct
We believe that a Christian should live for the glory of God and for the good of his fellow man. This is a life that is impossible to live apart from the empowering work of the Holy Spirit. As such, it requires that we deny fleshly desires and submit to the Spirit so that His character can be reflected in us. Further, we endeavor by the Holy Spirit to live blameless before the world and faithful before God, so that we along with other believers might together grow into the full stature of maturity in Christ. (Romans 6:12, 13; Romans 12:1, 2; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Galatians 5:16, 22, 23; Ephesians 4:11-16; Titus 2:11-14)
The
Ordinances
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the church to be observed until His return: believer’s baptism* and the Lord’s Supper. By baptism, a believer publicly declares his new life in Christ. In the Lord’s Supper, the believer is dramatically reminded of the sacrifice of Christ for our sin. We believe that these two ordinances are not means of salvation but acts of obedience for those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ. (Matthew 3:13-17; Matthew 26:26-29; Matthew 28:19, 20; Acts 2:37-39; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
Last Things
We believe in the personal and visible return of our Lord Jesus Christ to earth for the establishment of His kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the endless suffering of the wicked, and the eternal blessedness of the believer. (Matthew 24:1-51; John 14:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 20:1-5)