Articles of Faith
I. OF THE SCRIPTURES
We believe in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Bible, being inerrant in the original autographs. Since the Scriptures are God-breathed in the original autographs, inspiration extends to the very words and wording of the Bible so all the entire sixty-six books of the Bible, and only the sixty-six books of the Bible, comprise the Word of God in its entirety. We can trust the Scriptures because God, in His sovereignty, has overseen the process of transmission over the centuries. As such the Bible is infallible, and our only authority on all matters of faith and practice. (Mat. 5:18; Matt 24:35; John 10:35; II Tim. 3:16-17; II Pet. 1:21; Rev. 22:18-19) We are committed to using Bible translations that best communicate a literal translation of the original languages so that the church may best understand the Scriptures without obscurity.
II. OF THE TRUE GOD
We believe there is one, and only one, living and true God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth; inexpressively glorious in holiness and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. (Exodus 20:2-3; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Revelation 4:11; 1 John 5:7)
III. OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a diving person; equal with God the Father and God the Son, and of the same nature; that He was active in the creation; that in His revelation to the unbelieving world, He restrains the evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of righteousness and of the judgment; that He bears witness to the Truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that he is the agent in the new birth; that he seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies, and helps the believer. (Genesis 1:1-3; Matthew 28:19; Mark 1:8; Luke 1:35, 24:49; John 1:33, 3:5-6, 14:16-17, 26, 16:8-11; Acts 5:30-32, 11:16; Romans 8:14, 16, 26, 27; Ephesians 1:13-14; Hebrews 9:14)
We further understand that the believer is baptized in the Holy Spirit at the time of his salvation (Romans 6:3-4; 1 Corinthians 12:13), and is controlled by the Holy Spirit as he yields his life daily (Ephesians 5:18). We also believe tongues to be a temporary gift that passed away with the completion of the Holy Scriptures. (1 Corinthians 14:22, 13:8, 6:17; 2 John 1:9-11)
IV. OF THE DEVIL OR SATAN
We believe in the personality of Satan, that he is the unholy god of this age, and the author of all the powers of darkness, and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire. (Matthew 4:1-3; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:10)
V. OF THE CREATION
We accept the Genesis account of creation and believe that man came by direct creation of God and not by evolution. (Genesis 1&2; Colossians 1:16-17; John 1:3)
VI. OF THE FALL OF MAN
We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression, fell from his sinless and happy state in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, not only by constraint, but of choice; and therefore, under just condemnation without defense or excuse. (Genesis 3:1-6, 24; Romans 1:18, 32, 5:10-19). We also adhere to the Scripture of Romans 1:26-32, and stand against the unnatural practice of homosexuality and the other sins included in these Scriptures.
VII. OF THE VIRGIN BIRTH
We believe that Jesus was begotten of the Holy Ghost in a miraculous manner; born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man ever born or can ever be born of woman; and that He is both the Son of God and God the Son. (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:35; John 1:14)
VIII. OF THE ATONEMENT OF SIN
We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace; through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God, who by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin, honored divine law by His personal obedience, and by His death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins; that His atonement consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but a voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place, the just dying for the unjust; Christ, the Lord, bearing our sins in His own body on the tree; that having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in Heaven, and uniting in His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection, He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate, and an all-sufficient Savior. (Isaiah 53:47; Matthew 18:11; John 3:16; Acts 15:11; Romans 3:24-25; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:8; Philippians 2:7; Hebrews 2:14; 1 John 4:10)
IX. OF THE GRACE IN THE NEW CREATION
We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth the one dead in trespasses and sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and received eternal life, the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension, solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel; that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life. (John 3:3, 6-8; Acts 16:30-33; Romans 6:23; 2 Corinthians 5:17, 19; Ephesians 2:1; Colossians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:4; 1 John 5:1)
X. OF JUSTIFICATION
We believe that the greatest gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is justification: (a) that justification includes the pardon of sin, and the gift of eternal life on principles of righteousness. (b) that it is bestowed, not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in the Redeemer’s blood; His righteousness is imputed to us. (Isaiah 53:11; Zechariah 13:1; Acts 13:39; Romans 5:1, 8:1)
XI. OF FAITH AND SALVATION
We believe that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation. (Acts 16:31)
XII. OF THE CHURCH
A. We believe believe in the Universal Church – a living, spiritual body of which Christ is the Head; and of which all regenerated people, since Pentecost, in this age are a part. We believe the Church is the body of Christ and is peculiar to the age of grace and entirely distinct from the nation Israel. Jesus Christ is the Head of the church and its Chief Shepherd. (Matthew 16:16-18; Ephesians 4:11-16; Colossians 1:18; I Peter 5:4)
B. We believe a local church is an organized assembly of baptized believers, voluntarily associated together upon a credible confession of faith, functioning as a spiritual body, for the purpose of glorifying Jesus Christ, edifying the saints into Christ-likeness, and evangelizing the lost. We believe the local church is autonomous and has the right of self-government and should be free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations, religious or governmental. We believe the church, both local and universal, is the center of God’s program for this age, and that every Christian is bound by Scripture to give his unhindered cooperation to the ministry of his local church. (Matthew. 16:16-18; I Corinthians 12:12-27; Acts 2:42-47; I Timothy 3:15-16; Ephesians 4:11-16; Colossians 1:15-20; 1 Peter 5:4)
XIII. OF BAPTISM AND THE LORD’S SUPPER
We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried and risen Savior, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that it is prerequisite to privileges of a church relation.
We believe that the Lord’s Supper is the commemoration of His death until He comes and should be preceded always by solemn self-examination. (Matthew 3:16; John 3:23; Acts 8:36-39; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 11:23-28; Colossians 2:12)
XIV. OF THE SECURITY OF THE SAINTS
We believe that all who are truly born again are kept by God the Father for Jesus Christ. (John 10:28-29; Romans 8:35-39; Philippians 1:6; Jude 1)
XV. OF THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED
We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that such only as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and sanctified by the Spirit of God, are truly righteous in His esteem; while all such as continue in the impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked and under the curse; and this distinction holds among men both in and after death, in the everlasting felicity of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost. (Genesis 18:23; Provers 14:32; Malachi 3:18; Matthew 25:34-41; Luke 6:25; John 8:21; Romans 6:17-18, 23, 7:6; 1 John 5:19)
XVI. OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT
We believe that civil government is of divine appointment, for the interests and good order of human society; that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed; except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the coming Prince of the Kings of the earth. (Exodus 18:21-22; II Samuel 23:3; Daniel 3:17-18; Matthew 22:21; Acts 4:19-20, 5:20, 23:5; Romans 13:17)
XVII. OF THE RESURRECTION, PERSONAL, VISIBLE, PRE-MILLENIAL RETURN OF CHRIST AND RELATED EVENTS
(a) We believe in the Bodily Resurrection – Matthew 28:6-7; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:2-6, 39; John 20:27; 1 Corinthians 15:4
(b) The Ascension – Mark 16:19; Luke 24:51; Acts 1:9-11; Hebrews 12:2; Revelation 3:21
(c) The High Priesthood – 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 2:17, 5:9-10, 8:6; 1 John 2:1
(d) The Second Coming – John 14:3; Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Hebrews 9:28; James 5:8
(e) Absences of the word church because it has been raptured – Revelation 6-18
(f) The Resurrection of the Righteous Dead – 1 Corinthians 15:42-44, 52; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
(g) The Change of the Living in Christ – 1 Corinthians 15:51-53; Philippians 3:20-21; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
(h) The Throne of David – Luke 1:32; Acts 2:29-39; Isaiah 9:6-7
(i) The Pre-Tribulation Rapture of the Saints – Revelation 3:10; 1 Thessalonians 3:4
(j) The Millennial Reign – Psalm 72:8; Isaiah 11:4-5, 32:1; 1 Corinthians 15:25; Revelation 20:6,14
XVIII. OF HUMAN SEXUALITY
We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, incest, fornication, adultery, and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex. We believe that God disapproves of and forbids any attempt to alter one’s gender by surgery or appearance. While the church cannot condone the sin, the objective of the church is to lead those involved to repentance, recovery, and restoration. (Genesis 2:24, 19:5; Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans 1:26-29; 1 Corinthians 5:1, 6:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4). We believe that the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman. (Genesis 2:24; Romans 7:2; 1 Corinthians 7:10; Ephesians 5:22-23; Galatians 6:1; 1 John 1:9)
XIX. OF FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
We believe that men and women are spiritually equal in position before God, but that God has ordained distinct and separate spiritual functions for men and women in the home and the church. The husband is to be the leader of the home, and men are to be the leaders (pastors and deacons) of the church. Accordingly, only men are eligible for licensure and ordination by the church. (Galatians 3:8; Colossians 3:18; 1 Timothy 2:8-15, 3:4-5, 12)
We believe that God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. The husband is to love his wife as Christ loves the church. The wife is to submit herself to the Scriptural leadership of her husband as the church submits to the headship of Christ. Children are a heritage from the Lord. Parents are responsible for teaching their children spiritual and moral values and leading them, through consistent lifestyle example and appropriate discipline, including Scriptural corporal correction. (Genesis 1:26-28; Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Psalm 127:3-5; Proverbs 19:18, 22:15, 23:13-14; Mark 10:6-12; 1 Corinthians 7:1-16; Ephesians 5:21-33, 6:1-4; Colossians 3:18-21; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Peter 3:1-7)
XX. OF DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE
We believe that God disapproves of divorce and intends marriage to last until one of the spouses dies. Although divorced and remarried persons or divorced persons may hold positions of service in the church and be greatly used of God for Christian service, they may not be considered for the offices of pastor or deacon. While the church cannot condone the sin, the objective of the church is to lead those involved to repentance, recovery, and restoration. (Malachi 2:14-17; Matthew 19:3-12; Romans 7:1-3; 1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:6; Galatians 6:1; 1 John 1:9)
XXI. OF ABORTION
We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being. Abortion constitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life. Abortion is murder. We reject any teaching that abortions of pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, birth or population control, or the physical or mental well-being of the mother are acceptable. While the church cannot condone the sin, the objective of the church is to lead those involved to repentance, recovery, and restoration. (Job 3:16; Psalm 51:5, 139:14-16; Isaiah 44:24, 49:1, 5; Jeremiah 1:5, 20:15-18; Luke 1:44; Galatians 6:1; 1 John 1:9)
XXII. OF LAWSUITS BETWEEN BELIEVERS
We believe that Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against other Christians or the church to resolve personal disputes. We believe the church possesses all the resources necessary to resolve personal disputes between members. We do believe, however, that a Christian may seek compensation for injuries from another Christian’s insurance company as long as the claim is pursued without malice or slander. (1 Corinthians 6:1-8; Ephesians 4:31-32)