Statement of Faith

ARTICLE II - DOCTRINAL STATEMENT

Section A: THE HOLY SCRIPTURES

We believe that the Holy Bible as originally written was verbally inspired and the product of Spirit-controlled men, and therefore is truth without any admixture of error. We believe the Bible to be the true center of Christian unity and the supreme standard for all human conduct, creeds, and opinions (II Tim. 3:16-17; II Peter 1:19-21).

Section B: GOD

We believe there is one and only one, living and true God, 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. In the unity of the Godhead there are three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption (Ex. 20:2-3; Mt. 28:19; John 10:30; I Cor. 8:6; II Cor. 13:14; Rev. 4:11).

Section C: THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person Who is equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; that He was active in creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world, He restrains the evil one until God's purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of righteousness and of judgment; that He bears witness to the truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent of the New Birth; that He regenerates, indwells, seals, and baptizes every believer; that He fills, sanctifies, reproves, intercedes, teaches, comforts, separates and otherwise helps the believer (Gen. 1:1-3; John 3:5; 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7-11; 17:17; Acts 5:3, 4; 13:2; Rom. 6:6; 8:26; I Cor. 1:30; 6:19; 12:13; Eph. 4:30; 5:18; I Thess. 4:3; 5:23; II Thess. 2:7; Titus 3:5; Heb. 9:14; I Peter 1:2).

We believe that since the completion of the New Testament canon, certain apostolic gifts of the early church, such as prophecies, tongues, knowledge (I Cor. 13), miracles, and healing (I Cor. 12) have served their purpose (Eph. 2:20); that the present emphasis of the church is not the phenomena involved in supernatural endowments but the enhancement of God-Creator-bestowed natural endowments and the manifestation of fruit (Prov. 11:30; Gal. 5:22, 23) through study (II Tim. 2:15) and the control of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18).

Section D: THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

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 that He is both the Son of God, and God the Son (Gen. 3:15; Isa. 7:14; Mt. 1:18-25; Luke 1:35; John 1:14).
ATONEMENT FOR SIN. We believe that salvation of sinners is wholly of grace, through the mediatorial office 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. Having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in Heaven, uniting in His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection. He is in every way qualified to be the only compassionate and all-sufficient Savior
(Isa. 53:4-7, 11, 12; Mt. 18:11; John 3:16; 10:18; Acts 15:11; Rom. 3:24, 25; I Cor. 15:3, 20; II Cor. 5:21; Eph. 2:8; Phil. 2:7, 8; Heb. 2:14; 7:25; 9:12-15; 12:2; I Peter 2:24; 3:18; I John 2:2; 4:10).
RESURRECTION. We believe in the bodily resurrection, ascension, and high priesthood of the Lord Jesus Christ (Mt. 28:6; Luke 24:39; John 16:23; Acts 1:9-11; I Cor. 15:3, 4; I Tim. 2:5; Heb. 7; 12:2; I John 2:1).
SECOND COMING. We believe in the personal, visible, pre-millennial, pre-tribulation, and the imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ (Mt.25:13; John 14:3; Acts 1:11; Rom. 5:9; I Thess. 1:10; 5:9; II Thess. 2:1-8; Titus 2:13; Rev. 3:10; 20:4-6; 22:20).

Section E: SALVATION

FAITH AND SALVATION. We believe that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation (John 1:12; Acts 16:31; Rom. 10:9).
GRACE AND 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 in sin is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives 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 to the gospel; that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life (John 1:12-13; 3:3, 6-8; Acts 16:30-33; Rom. 6:23; II Cor. 5:17, 19; Gal. 5:22; Eph. 2:1, 8-10; 5:9; Col. 2:13; II Peter 1:4; I John 5:12).
JUSTIFICATION. We believed that the great 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, whereby He becomes our Righteousness, and God declares the believer to be righteous forever (Isa. 53:11; Heb. 2:4; Zech. 13:1; Acts 13:39; Rom.1:17; 4:1-8; 5:1; 8:1; Gal. 3:11; Titus 3:5-7; Heb. 10:38; I Peter 1:18,19).
SECURITY OF THE SAINTS. We believe that all who are truly born again are kept by God the Father for Jesus Christ (John 3:16; 10:28, 29; Rom. 8:35-39; Phil. 1:6; I John 5:13; Jude 1).
CONFESSION AND CHASTENING. We believe in the common priesthood of the believer. We believe that confession to God secures God's forgiveness for sins and restores the confessor to fellowship and communion with God. We believe failure to confess known sins incurs the chastening hand of God (Prov. 28:13; I Cor. 11:28-32; Heb. 12:6-11; I John 1:9; 5:16; Rev. 1:5, 6).
ETERNAL DESTINY - RIGHTEOUS AND 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 our God, are truly righteous in His esteem; while all such as continue in 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 in Heaven and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost in Hell (Gen. 18:28; Psalm 1; Prov. 14:32; Mal. 3:18; Mt. 7:13-14; 25:34-41, 46; Luke 16:25; John 8:21; 14:2; Rom. 6:17-18, 23; 7:6; I John 5:19).

Section F: SEPARATION

PERSONAL AND SOCIAL. We believe that every believer within the local church should be separated from all appearance of evil and all worldliness both personally and socially (II Cor. 6:14-18; I Thess. 5:22; I John 2:15-17).
CHURCH. We believe in complete separation of Church and State. We also believe in complete separation of the Church from all forms of apostasy and worldliness (Mt. 22:21; II Cor. 6:14-18; II John 7-11).

Section G: CHURCH

LOCAL. We believe that a local church is a congregation of immersed believers, associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His Word; that its officers are pastors, and deacons whose qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures. We believe the true mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all the world as we have opportunity. We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government, free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; that the one and only 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. On all matters of membership, of policy, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final (Acts 1:8; 2:41-42; 14:13-18; 20:17-28; I Cor.11:2; Eph. 1:22-23; 4:11; 5:23-24; Col. 1:18; I Tim. 3:1-7).
ORDINANCES - BAPTISM AND 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 of our faith in the crucified, buried and risen Savior, with its effect in our life; that it is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership. 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 (Mt. 3:16; 28:19; John 3:23; Acts 2:41; 8:36-39; 18:8; Rom.6:3-5; I Cor. 11:23-38; Col. 2:12).

Section H: 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 the subject of prayer, conscientiously honored and obeyed; except only 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 (Gen. 9:1-6; II Sam. 23:3; Psa. 72:11; Dan. 3:17-18; Mt. 10:28; 22:21; 23:10; Acts 4:19-20; 5:29; 23:5; Rom. 13:7; Phil. 2:10-11; I Tim. 2:1-2; Titus 3:1; I Peter 2:13-14, 17).

Section I: SATAN, ANGELS AND DEMONS

We believe in the reality of angels and demons. We believe in the reality and 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 fate in the Lake of Fire (Mt. 7:22; 25:41; I Cor. 4:9; 10:21; II Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:2; 6:12; Heb. 1:13, 14; I Peter 5:8; Jude 6; Rev. 12:7; 20:10).

Section J: FUTURE THINGS

We believe in the following order of future events as related to the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ:

The translation of believers before the tribulation (I Cor. 15:51-58; Phil. 3:20; I Thess. 4:13-18; I John 3:1-3).
The tribulation (Mt. 24:21; Rev. 6-19).
The return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth with His saints (Jude 14,15; Rev. 19:11-16).
The complete and literal fulfillment of the prophecies and promises of the Scriptures which foretell and assure the future regeneration and restoration of Israel as a nation (Gen. 12:1-3; 15:18-21; 17:7, 8; Deut. 28, 29; Ezek. 37; Luke 1:32; Acts 15:13-18; Rom. 11).
The one thousand year millennial kingdom (Rev. 20:1-6).
Satan's doom (Rev. 20:10).
The resurrection and judgment of the wicked dead (John 5:29; Rev. 20:11-15).
The eternal state (Rev. 21, 22).

Section K: All member shall agree with the following statement on human sexuality and marriage. We believe that human sexuality as God designed and intends it to be is upheld, glorified and protected by the God-given institution of conventional marriage. Therefore,

We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside the marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery, and pornography are sinful perversions of God's gift of sex. We believe God disapproves of and forbids any attempt to alter one's gender by surgery or appearance (Genesis 2:24; Genesis 19:5, 13; Genesis 26:8-9; Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans 1:26-29; I Corinthians 5:1; 6:9; I Thessalonians 4:1-3; 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; I Corinthians 7:10; Ephesians 5:22-23), and that any attempt to redefine marriage, including a "civil union," is not recognized by God, is not in keeping with the Word of God, and therefore will not be recognized by this local church. God has called for fidelity in marriage and celibacy in singleness.