Statement of Faith

 

THE SCRIPTURES

We believe that the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, is the written revelation of God to mankind. The Scriptures are both fully and verbally inspired by God, and are therefore infallible and completely without error as originally written. We believe the Bible is the final authority in all matters of faith and conduct, and is sufficient, in conjunction with the Holy Spirit and the body of Christ, as our guide for church practice, counsel, and family life.

Deuteronomy 8:3; 2 Timothy 3:16, 17; 2 Peter 1:20, 21; 1 Corinthians 2:12, 13; Hebrews 4:12, 13; Psalm 19:7-11

GOD

We believe in one true and living God, an infinite, unchanging, self-existent spirit who is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, and perfect in holiness, righteousness, truth, and love. He is the creator and sovereign ruler over all things and has existed eternally as three distinct, yet inseparable persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are one in nature and essence and share all attributes of Deity.

Deuteronomy 6:4; Job 11:7-9; James 1:17; Exodus 3:14; John 4:24; Revelation 11:17; Psalm 139:1-12; Revelation 15:4; 1 John 4:8; Genesis 1:1; Isaiah 46:9,10; Matthew 28:19

God the Father

We believe that God the Father rules His universe with providential care for His creatures and guides the flow of human history according to the purposes of His grace. He saves from sin and death all who become His children through faith in Jesus Christ. He is faithful to all of His promises and works all things for good to those who love Him. He involves Himself mercifully in human affairs, both hearing and answering prayer. His intention is that all creation lives to the praise of His glory.

Isaiah 64:8; Matthew 6:9-13; 25-33; 7:11; Ephesians 1:11; Romans 8:14,15,28; Psalm 103:22

God the Son

We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, who, in His incarnation, became a man, supernaturally conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary. He is therefore both fully God and fully man. While on earth, He lived a sinless life of perfect obedience to the will of God, and voluntarily atoned for sin by His substitutionary, propitiatory, and redemptive death on the cross. He was buried, arose with a glorified body, and ascended into heaven where He is now exalted at the right hand of God as king, mediator, and intercessor. One day He will return in power to judge the world and complete His redemptive mission.

John 1:1,2; Psalm 2:7; Psalm 110:1-7; Matthew 1:18-23; Colossians 2:9; 1 Peter 2:22; John 4:34; John 10:15; Romans 3:24,25; Romans 1:4; Philippians 3:21; Acts 1:9-11; Hebrews 1:3; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 7:25; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10; Hebrews 9:28

God the Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit came forth from the Father and Son to glorify Christ, convict people of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify, help, teach, empower and guide all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe the Holy Spirit indwells believers from the moment of salvation and seals them until the day of redemption. He baptizes them into the Body of Christ at conversion and gives spiritual gifts to enable believers to serve God through His church.

John 15:26; 16:8-14; 3:5-8; Titus 3:5; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Galatians 5:16-23; John 14:16,17,26; 1 Corinthians 2:3-5; Ephesians 1:13,14; 4:30; 1 Corinthians 12:1-13

MANKIND

We believe that man was directly and immediately created by God in His own image and likeness. He created them male and female as the crowning work of His creation so that man would glorify God and enjoy fellowship with Him forever. Through the temptation of Satan, the first man, Adam, sinned against God by disobeying His will, thereby losing his innocence and incurring the penalty of spiritual, physical, and eternal death. As a consequence, all people are sinners by nature and choice, are guilty before God, and apart from a special work of grace, completely incapable of turning to God. Mankind’s depravity is radical and pervasive affecting his mind, will, and affections. Fallen, sinful people are lost and without hope apart from salvation in Christ, regardless of their character or achievements.

Genesis 1:26-30; Psalm 8:4-6; Isaiah 43:7; Genesis 2:16,17; 3:1-19; Psalm 51:5; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:9-18,23; 5:12; 8:7; Ephesians 2:1-3,8; John 3:19,20

SALVATION

We believe that salvation is wholly by God’s grace apart from the works of man, and that all who turn from their sin and trust Jesus Christ alone as Savior and Lord are saved from sin, given eternal life, and declared righteous with the imputed righteousness of Christ. This salvation is based on God’s sovereign purpose in election and includes the believer’s regeneration, justification, sanctification, perseverance, and future glorification.

Ephesians 2:8, 9; John 1:12; 3:16-18; Acts 3:19; Romans 10:9, 10; Colossians 2:14; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 8:28-30; Ephesians 1:4-11; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:23; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 1 Thessalonians 4:3, 4; Philippians 1:6

THE CHURCH

We believe that Jesus Christ is head of the universal church, which is His body, composed of all people who have been regenerated and united with Him through saving faith. We believe in the local church where believers gather for worship under the authority of Christ and the care of qualified men appointed as elders. We believe in the independence and autonomy of the local church while recognizing the benefit of cooperation with other evangelical churches or associations.

Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 1:22, 23; 1 Corinthians 12:12, 13; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Acts 1:8; 2:42; Ephesians 4:11-16; Galatians 5:13; Acts 14:23; 20:17, 28; 1 Timothy 3:1-7

THE ORDINANCES

We believe that Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to be observed by the church until He returns.

Baptism

We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in obedience to Christ’s command and as a public testimony of repentance from sin and union with Christ. This ordinance is not the cause of salvation, but is a visible sign of one’s personal faith in a crucified, buried, and risen savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Acts 8:12, 35-38; Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:37-41; Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 2:12

The Lord’s Supper

We believe that the Lord’s Supper is to be regularly observed by those who have become genuine followers of Christ as a commemoration of His death on the cross for sin. The elements of this ordinance, bread and the fruit of the vine are symbolic of Christ’s broken body and shed blood on behalf of His people. The Lord’s Supper is to be taken with an attitude of faith and self-examination, and with recognition of the unity of all members of Christ’s body, the church.

Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-26; 1 Corinthians 10:16, 17; 11:23-31

THE LAST THINGS

We believe in the future visible, personal, and glorious return of Jesus Christ to earth for the consummation of all things, when the dead will be raised and all people will be judged. The righteous, in their resurrected and glorified bodies, will receive their reward and will live forever with the Lord in the new heavens and new earth. The unrighteous will be consigned to hell, the place of everlasting punishment.

John 14:3; Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; Matthew 25:31-46; Hebrews 9:27, 28; 1 Corinthians 15:35-58; 1 John 3:2; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Corinthians 3:12-15; 2 Peter 3:10-13