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What We Believe
1. THE BIBLE We believe the entire Bible all 66 books
of the combined Old and New Testaments are
verbally inspired by God and are inerrant
in the original writings. Through the providence
of God, the Word of God has been protected
and preserved, and is the only infallible
and authoritative rule of faith and practice
(2 timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21)
2. GOD: We believe that there is only one true,
living sovereign, hotly and eternally existent
God. He exists in three co-equal persons-Father,
son, and Holy Spirit-each being a distinct
person and with a distinct function, but
all of one essence and all possessing the
same nature, perfection, and attributes.
The triune god is the creator and sustainer
of all things, the source of all truth, and
is worthy of worship, confidence, and obedience
(Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Genesis 1:31
3. JESUS CHRIST: We believe that Jesus Christ is God. He
was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of
a virgin, lived a sinless life, performed
many miracles, shed His blood on the cross
as a vicarious substitute, was buried, bodily
resurrected, ascended to the right hand of
the Father, and will return literally, visibly,
and personally in glory and power (John 1:1-3,14
; Matthew 1:18-25; Philippians 2:5-9; Colossians
15:1-8; Acts 1:11)
3a. The Resurrection
WE BELIEVE in the bodily resurrection of
Jesus Christ (Luke 24:39-43. John 20:24-29).
3b. Christ's Ascension and Beyond
WE BELIEVE that Christ Jesus ascended to
the Father arid is presently engaged in preparing
a place for His people arid interceding for
them (John 14:1-6, Romans 8:34).
3c. Christ's Return
WE BELIEVE in the visible, bodily return
of Christ Jesus to the earth and to rapture
His Church (Bride) and judge the world (Acts
1:10, 11, I Thessalonians 4:13-18, II Thessalonians
1:7-10, James 5:8, Revelation 1:7).
3d. Jesus Is God
WE BELIEVE that Jesus is God come in the
flesh and that He is both divine and human
(Luke 1:26-38, John 14:1-3. Acts 2:36, Acts
3:14, 15, Philippians 2:5-12, John 1:1, 14).
4. THE HOLY SPIRIT: We believe that the Holy Spirit is God, co-equal
and co-existent with the Father and the Son.
He is the chief convictor of sin, the chief
agent of regeneration and sanctification.
The Holy Spirit indwells every believer and
empowers every believer to live a godly life
(John 14:16-19; 16:7-15; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20;
Romans 8:9, 11; Titus 3:5).
5. THE TRINITY
WE BELIEVE in the One God revealed in three
Persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit (Matthew 3:16, 17, Matthew28:9, John
17).
6. MANKIND: We believe that in the beginning God created
mankind in His image, and is not in any sense
the product of evolution. Mankind was originally
created with the ability to live perfectly
for God's glory (Genesis 1:17, 31).
6a. Apart From God...
WE BELIEVE that man, in his natural state,
is a sinner, lost, undone, without hope,
and without God (Romans 3:19-23, Galatians
3:22, Ephesians 2:1,2, 12).
7. SIN: We believe that Adam, the first man, sinned
by willful disobedience. This act of open
rebellion resulted in the fall of all mankind;
therefore, all people have sinned and lost
their ability to live for the glory of God.
Mankind's fall has incurred both physical
and spiritual death on all until there is
forgiveness and salvation by the grace of
God (Genesis 3:1-24; Romans 3:10-23; 5:12-21;
6:23).
8. SALVATION: We believe the salvation of lost and sinful
mankind is a free gift of God's grace apart
from human works, based solely upon Christ's
vicarious and atoning death, effected by
the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit,
and received only through faith in the person
and finished work of Jesus Christ on the
cross (Ephesians 2:8-10; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
9. ETERNAL SECURITY: We believe that since God gives us eternal
life through Christ, the believer is secure
in that salvation forever. Our salvation
is maintained by the grace and power of God,
not by the efforts of the believer (John
10:29-30; 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 7:25; 1
John 5:11-13).
9a. ETERNITY: We believe man was created to exist forever.
He will either exist eternally separated
from God by sin, or in union with God through
salvation. To be eternally separated from
God is hell. To be eternally with God is
heaven. Heaven and hell are places of eternal
existence (John 3:16; 2:25; Romans 6:23;
Revelation 20:15).
10. THE CHURCH: We believe that the church is the body of
Christ and the family of God. It is made
up of saved and baptized believers, who regularly
join together on the Lord's Day for worship,
fellowship, and ministry (Matthew 16:18;
1 Corinthians 12:12-14; Hebrews 10:25).
11. EVANGELISM: We believe that it is the responsibility
and privilege of every Christian to proclaim
the good news of Jesus Christ and to seek
to make growing disciples (Matthew 28:18-20;
Acts 1:8).
11a. The Great Commission
WE BELIEVE that God has given the church
a great commission to proclaim the Gospel
to all nations (Matthew 28:18-20) so that
there might be a great multitude from every
nation, tribe, ethnic group, and language
group who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ
(Revelation 5:9).
12. BAPTISM AND LORD'S SUPPER: Jesus instructed His followers to remember
His death and resurrection. He gave tie church
two visible symbols (called "ordinances")
as reminders. These two ordinances are baptism
and the Lord's Supper. Baptism by immersion
is an act of obedient identification with
Jesus as Lord. It serves as an outward sign
of conscious confession of repentance and
faith. The Lord's Supper is an ongoing symbol
remembering our Lord's death, burial, resurrection,
and promised return (Matthew 26:26-29; 28:18-20;
1 Corinthians 11:23-32).
13. ORDINANCES
WE BELIEVE that the two ordinances of the
Church are WATER BAPTISM and COMMUNION (The
Lord's Supper).
13b. Water Baptism: Immersion in water in the Name of the Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:15, 16, Matthew
28:19, 20, Acts 8:38, Romans 6:1-4). A symbol
of identification with Jesus Christ in His
death, burial, and resurrection.
13c. Communion: A memorial of the death, resurrection,
and Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ
(Luke 22:13-20).
14. IN THE WORLD, BUT NOT OF THE WORLD
WE BELIEVE that believers should seek, as
the early disciples did, to practice the
separated life from the world and unto Christ
and to set standards of conduct, which shall
exalt our Lord and His, Church (Romans 12:1-3,11
Corinthians 6:17, Galatians 6:14, Ephesians
5:11, Colossians 3:17).
15. INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS
WE BELIEVE that God has commanded that no
intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside
of marriage between a man and a woman (Deuteronomy
22:22). We believe that any form of homosexuality,
lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality and incest
are sinful perversions of God's gift of sex
(I Corinthians 6:9-1 1).
16. STEWARDSHIP
WE BELIEVE that every Christian, as a steward
of that portion of God's wealth entrusted
to him, is obligated to support his local
church with his time, talent and treasure
(Malachi 3:8). We believe that God has established
the tithe as a basis for giving, but that
every Christian should also give other offerings
sacrificially and cheerfully to the support
of the church, the relief of those in need,
and the spread of the Gospel (II Corinthians
8 & 9). We believe that a Christian relinquishes
all rights to direct the use of the tithe
or offering once the gift has been made.
17. SATAN
We believe in the personality and depraved
character of Satan, who is the great enemy
of God and man. We believe that he, along
with the company of demonic beings serving
him, works out his evil plans through the
ungodly world system, limited only by the
sovereign rule of God. We believe that he
was judged by Christ at the cross and will
ultimately meet his doom in the lake of fire,
where he will remain eternally. Matt. 4:3-11; Gen. 3:1; John 8:44; Rev. 12:9,10:
II Cor. 4:4; I John 5:19; Job 1:6-12; I John
3:8; Rev. 20:10.
17b. Angels and Demons
We believe in the reality and personality
of angels. We believe that God created an
innumerable company of these sinless, spiritual
beings who were to be His servants and messengers
(Nehemiah 9:6; Psalm 148:2; Hebrews 1:14). We believe in the existence and personality
of Satan and demons. Satan is a fallen angel
who led a great company of angels into rebellion
against God (Isaiah 14:12-17; Ezekiel 28:12-15).
He is the great enemy of God and man, and
the demons are his agents in his unholy purposes.
He and his demons shall be eternally punished
in the lake of fire (Matthew 25:41; Revelation
20:10).
18. THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
We believe that God expects every believer
to live a life of obedience, in which every
area of his life is brought under the lordship
of Jesus Christ and the fruit of the Spirit
becomes increasingly evident in his life.
The goal of the Christian life is to be conformed
to the image of Christ. This life is characterized
supremely by self-giving love for God and
for others. The life and character of Christ,
which grows through the Holy Spirit, is noticeably
distinct from the life of the world. A believer
who resists the gracious working of the Holy
Spirit and fails to grow in obedience is
chastened in infinite love by his Heavenly
Father so he may learn obedience. John 14:21; II Cor. 10:4,5; Gal. 5:22,23;
II Cor. 3:18; Matt. 22:37-40; I John 2:15-17;
Heb 12:5-14. |
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