1. OF THE SCRIPTURES
We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men supernaturally inspired; that it is truth without any mixture of error for its matter; and therefore is, and shall remain to the end of the age, the only complete and final revelation of the will of God to man; the true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds and opinions should be tried.
- By “The Holy Bible” we mean that collection of sixty-six books, from Genesis to Revelation, which, as originally written, does not only contain and convey the Word of God but is the very infallible and inerrant Word of God
- By “Inspiration” (verbal, plenary inspiration) verbal inspiration means that the Spirit of God guided in the choice of words used in the original writings. Plenary means full inspiration. The books of the Bible were written by holy men of old, as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, in such a definite way that their writings were supernaturally and verbally inspired and free from error, as no other writings have ever been or ever will be inspired. (Matthew 5:18; John 10:35; 17:17; II Timothy 3:16: II Peter 1:21)
2. THE ONE TRUE GOD
We believe that there is one, and only one, living and true God, an infinite intelligent Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth, inexpressibly 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. (John 4:24; PS. 83:18; EX. 15:11; Mark 12:30; Matthew 28:19; John 10:30; Ephesians 2:16)
3. THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ who is the second Person of the triune God, the Eternal Word and only-begotten Son, our great God and Savior. Without any essential change in His divine person (Heb. 13:8) He became man by the miracle of the virgin birth thus to continue forever as the true God and true Man, one Person with two natures. As a Man, He was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin, and as the perfect Lamb of God, He gave Himself in death upon the cross, bearing there the sin of the world, and suffering the full penalty of divine wrath in our stead. He arose again from the dead and was glorified in the same body in which He suffered and died. As our great High Priest, He ascended into Heaven, there to appear before the face of God as our Advocate and Intercessor (John 1:3-16; Titus 2:13; Romans 9:5; Hebrews 13:8; John 1:14;Matthew 1:23;Colossians 2:9; Philippians 2:6-8; Hebrews 4:15; John 8:46; Isaiah 53:5-6; Matthew 20:28; Galatians 3:13; John 1:29; Luke 24:36-43; John 20:25-28; Hebrews 4:14; 9:24; I John 2:1)
4. THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; that He was active in the creation, and in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled, and He convicts of sin, of judgment and of righteousness; 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, witness, sanctifies, helps the believer and wants to full and control all believers. (I John 5:6-7; Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 3:16; John 3:5-8; Gal. 4:6; John 16:13; Ephesians 5:18)
5. THE DEVIL OR SATAN
We believe that Satan was once holy, and enjoyed heavenly honors, but through pride and ambition to be as the Almighty, he fell and drew after him a host of angels, that he is now the malignant prince of the power of the air, and the unholy god of this world. We hold him to be man’s great tempter, the enemy of God and His Christ, the accuser of the saints, the author of all false religions, the chief power back of the present apostasy, the lord of the Antichrist, and the author of all the power of darkness-destined however to final defeat at the hands of God’s Son, and the judgment of an eternal justice in hell, a place prepared for him and his angels. (Ephesians 2:2; Revelation 12:7-10; 20:10; Isaiah 14:12-14; Ezekiel 28:12-18; 31:8-9, 15)
6. OF THE CREATION
We believe in the Genesis account of creation, and that it is to be accepted literally, and not allegorically or figuratively; that man was created directly in God’s own image and after his own likeness; that man’s creation was not a matter of evolution or evolutionary change of species, or developments through interminable periods of time from lower to higher form; that all animals and vegetable life were made directly, and God’s established law was that they should bring forth only “after their kind”. (Hebrews 11:3; Genesis 1:1; 2:2; Proverbs 30:4; Ephesians 3:9; Colossians 1:16; Revelation 4:11; John 1:1-3)
7. 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 by constraint, but by choice, and therefore are under just condemnation without defense or excuse. (Genesis 1:27; 1:31; 3:6-24; Isaiah 53:6; Ezekiel 18:19-20; Romans 1:20; 5:19)
8. OF THE VIRGIN BIRTH
We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Ghost in a miraculous manner, born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born or can ever be born of woman, and He is both the Son of God and God the Son. (Luke 1:26-35; Isaiah 7:14; Jeremiah 31:22; Genesis 3:15)
9. OF THE ATONEMENT FOR SIN
We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace, through the mediatorial office of the Son of God, who, by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin, honored the 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 was the 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 ever way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate and an all sufficient Savior. (Ephesians 2:8; John 3:16; Isaiah 53:4-5; Hebrew 7:25;Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 2:18;)
10. OF GRACE IN THE NEW CREATION (REGENERATION)
We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Jesus Christ; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth the one dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receive eternal life, the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension, not by culture, not by character, nor by the will of man, but wholly and solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience of the gospel; that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life. (John 3:3; II Corinthians 5:17; Luke 5:27; I John 5:1; John 3:6-7; Acts 2:41; II Peter 1:4; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1; II Corinthians 5:19; Colossians 2:13; John 1:12-13; Galatians 5:22; Ephesians 5:9)
11. OF JUSTIFICATION
We believe that the great Gospel which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is justification; that justification includes the pardon of sin, and the gift of eternal life on principles of righteousness; that it is bestowed not in consideration of any works or righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in the Redeemer’s blood, His righteousness is imputed unto us. (Acts 13:39; Isaiah 53:11; Zechariah 13:1; Romans 8:1; 5:9; 5:1; Titus 3:5-7; Romans 1:17; Habakkuk 2:4; Galatians 3:11; Romans 4:1-8; Hebrews 10:38)
12. OF REPENTANCE AND FAITH
We believe that repentance and faith are solemn obligations, and also inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the quickening Spirit of God, thereby, being deeply convicted of our guilt, danger and helplessness, and of the way of salvation by Christ, we turn to God with unfeigned contrition, confession and supplication for mercy, at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ and openly confessing Him as our only and all-sufficient Savior. Not two separated acts, the two are inseparable and go together, as in (I Thessalonians 1:9) they turned to God from idols, when one truly turns to God they turn away from the old life. (Acts 20:21; Mark 1:15; Acts 2:37-38; Luke 18:13; Romans 10:9-11, 13; Psalms 51:1-4, 7; Isaiah 55:6-7; Luke 12:8; Romans 10:9-11; I Thessalonians 1:9)
13. OF THE BODY OF CHRIST AND THE LOCAL CHURCH
We believe in one church, the body and bride of the Lord Jesus which He began to build on the day of Pentecost, and will complete at His second coming, and into which all true believers of the present age are baptized immediately by the Holy Spirit. We believe that a local church is a company of born-again believers, immersed upon a profession of faith in Jesus Christ, and associated for worship, prayer, fellowship, world wide missionary work, teaching united testimony, and the observance of the ordinances of our Lord; baptism (immersion) of believers and the communion of the bread and the cup. We believe the true mission of the Church is found in the Great Commission: First, to make individual disciples; Second, to build up the Church; Third, to teach and instruct as He commanded. We believe that the superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit; that it is scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel; that every church is the sole and only judge of the measure and method of its cooperation; and that on all matters of membership, of policy, of government of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final. (Ephesians 4:4; 5:25-32; Matthew 16:18; I Corinthians 12:12-13; Acts 1:5; 11:15-17; I Thessalonians 4:16-17; I Corinthians 12:12-13; 1:2; Hebrews 10:25; Acts 2:41-47; Matthew 28:20; I Corinthians 11:23-24; Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:41-42; I Timothy 3)
14. OF BAPTISM AND THE LORD’S SUPPER
We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water, in the name of the Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost to show forth in a solemn and beautiful symbol of faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; salvation and baptism are the prerequisites to partake of the Lord’s Supper (open communion) open to all baptized believers weather member of our church or not, it is the Lord’s Supper not the churches. By the bread and the fruit of the vine we commemorate together the dying love of Christ and it is to be preceded always with solemn self-examination. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the ONLY two church ordinances. (Acts 8:36, 39; John 3:22-23; Matthew 28:19; Romans 6:3-13; I Corinthians 11:23-34; Acts 2:41-42.)
15. OF THE PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS
We believe that such only are real believers as endure unto the end; that their persevering attachment to Christ is the grand mark that distinguishes them from superficial professors; that a special Providence watches over their welfare; and that they are kept by the power of God through faith unto eternal salvation. (John 8:31; 10:27-29; Romans 8: 35-39)
16. OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT
We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interest and good order of human society; and that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored, and obeyed. (Romans 13:1-7; Matthew 22:21; Acts 4:19; 5:29; Matthew 23:10)
17. OF THE RESURRECTION AND RETURN OF CHRIST AND RELATED EVENTS
We believe in and accept the sacred Scriptures upon these subjects at their face and full value that the end of this age is fast approaching. Of the resurrection, we believe that Christ arose bodily “the third day according to the Scriptures”; that He ascended “to the right hand of the throne of God” “That this same Jesus which is taken from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven”—bodily, personally and visibly and that this return of our Lord is imminent; that the “dead in Christ shall rise first”; that the living saints “shall be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump”; that the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His Father David” and that Christ shall reign a thousand years in righteousness until He hath put all enemies under His feet”. We believe that seven years before Christ returns to set foot on the earth and to rule one thousand years over all the peoples of the earth, He will appear in the clouds in the air; “the dead in Christ shall rise”; that “We who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air”; that the rise and rule of Antichrist, and terrible judgment of God, shall come to pass during the seven years period of time between the appearing of Christ in the air to call out His saints, living and dead, and His return to earth to rule over all people for one thousand years. We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and of the unjust. (I Peter 4:7; Acts 1:11; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Acts 24:15; Matthew 24:31-46)
18. OF MISSIONS
We believe that the command to give the Gospel to the world is clear and unmistakable and this commission was given to the churches and all believers. We have the responsibility to preach the Gospel to every creature through believers at home and our support of missionaries on the field. (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; John 20 21; Acts 1:8; 13:1-4)
19. OF GIVING
We believe that God’s method of financing His earthly work of spreading the Gospel to all nations; the care of the churches and the support of the ministry are by the tithes and offerings of His people (believers only). Because giving is done unto the Lord, it is critical that the local church, handle the finances given with care and wisdom both for the glory of the Lord and for the testimony of the church. The time of giving is upon the first day of the week. That every believer is accountable to the Lord for at least one-tenth of his income and the tithing was instituted long before the law was even given and was practiced by the early church. (II Corinthians 9:6-7; II Corinthians 8:20-21; I Corinthians 16:2; Hebrews 7:1-2;)