We Believe ...

… the Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, to be the inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of God’s will for the salvation of human beings, and the divine and final authority for all Christian faith and life. (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21)

…  in one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit who are equal in every perfection, the same in essence and attributes, and who exercise distinct but harmonious functions. (1 Corinthians 8:4; Deuteronomy 6:4; Romans 15:6; John 1:1-2, 14, 18; Acts 5:3-4)

…  that Jesus Christ is God the Son of God Who, is eternal, was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, is true God and true man and is the only and sufficient mediator between God and man. (Matthew 1:20; 1 John 5:20; John 1:1-2, 14; 3:16; 1 Timothy 2:5)

…  that the Holy Spirit is God the Spirit. He has been eternally active in achieving the purposes of God. His present ministry is to convict the unsaved world of sin, righteousness and judgment, and to regenerate the unbelieving, baptize, seal, teach, sanctify and comfort those who believe in Jesus Christ; and to grant to these believers gifts to be used in their particular ministry to Christ’s body, the church. (Acts 5:3-4; Genesis 1:1-2; 1 Corinthians 1:23-24; John 16:8-11; Ephesians 2:1-7, 1:13, 4:30; 1 Corinthians 12:4-12; 1 John 2:20-27)

…  that man and woman were created by God in His own image and that they willfully chose to sin and thereby incurred both physical and spiritual death. We believe that all people by nature and by choice are sinners and, apart from Christ, shall be separated from God. (Genesis 1:26; Genesis 3:1-7; Ezekiel 18:20; Romans 1:18-25, 3:23, 6:23)

…  that the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice, and that all who believe in Him as Lord and Savior are justified on the grounds of His shed blood and His righteousness which is imputed to us. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 1 Peter 2:24; Hebrews 9:22; Romans 4 & 5)

…  that salvation is by grace through faith, not of works, and that all who receive by faith the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are born again of the Holy Spirit, thereby becoming children of God. We believe the true believer is eternally saved. (Ephesians 2:8-9; John 3:3, 7:1-2, 10:27-29)

…  that Jesus Christ rose from the dead in bodily form, ascended into heaven and is sitting at the right hand of the God the Father, where He acts as our High Priest and Advocate. We believe in His personal, visible, imminent return to set up His kingdom upon the earth. We believe that this “Blessed Hope” has a vital bearing on the personal life and service of the believer. (Luke 24:1-50; Acts 1:8-11; Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:9-18, 4:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17; Revelation 19:1-20:14, 21:1-8)

…  in the bodily resurrection of the dead; of the believer to everlasting blessedness and joy with the Lord, of the unbeliever to judgment and everlasting conscious punishment. (Matthew 25:31-46; Luke 16:19-31; 1 Corinthians 15:20-24; 2 Corinthians 5:1-20; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 John 3:1-2)

…  that the local church is a self-governing, voluntary association of baptized believers equal in rank and privilege, subject to the Word of God and must be free from interference by any ecclesiastical or political authority. (Acts 2, 6, 15)

…  Jesus Christ left His Church only two ordinances: baptism and the Lord’s Supper (or communion.) God’s Word commands every believer to be baptized by immersion in water. Though baptism has no saving merit, it symbolizes the believer’s faith in, and union with, the crucified, buried and risen Savior. The Lord’s Supper is a memorial observance using the bread and the cup as symbols of Jesus Christ giving His body and blood for the payment of our sins. It is to be partaken of by saved individuals in commemoration of Christ’s suffering and death and in anticipation of His coming again. Its observance is to be preceded by faithful Spirit led self-examination. (Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-30; Matthew 28:19:20)