What We Believe

What We Believe

God

We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: the three, one in essence and attributes, yet distinct in office and activity.

  1. Mark 12:29
  2. John 1:1-4
  3. Matthew 28:19-20
  4. Acts 5:3-4
  5. II Cor. 13:14
  6. Heb. 1:1-3
  7. Rev. 1:4-6

Bible

We believe in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as verbally inspired of God, inerrant in the original writings, and that they are of supreme and final authority in faith and life.

  1. Psalm 19:7-11
  2. II Tim. 3:16-17
  3. II Peter 1:16-21
  4. I Cor. 2:13
  5. Mark 12:26; Mark 13:11
  6. Acts 1:16, 24

Jesus

We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, and is true God and true man.

  1. John 1:1-2
  2. Philippians 2:6
  3. Isa. 7:14
  4. Matthew 1:18-25
  5. Luke 1:35
  6. John 1:14
  7. Gal. 4:4
  8. Matthew 2:11
  9. Heb. 10:5
  10. Matthew 16:16-17
  11. Acts 3:14
  12. I Cor. 2:8
  13. John 13:13
  14. John 1:3
  15. John 20:28
  16. Rom. 9:5
  17. Titus 2:13 to Titus 3:4

Man

We believe that man was created in the image of God, that he sinned, and thereby incurred not only physical death, but spiritual death, which is separation from God; that all humans are born with a sinful nature, are guilty and deserving of the wrath of God, and thereby are in need of salvation.

  1. Gen. 1,2
  2. Col. 1:16-17
  3. John 1:3
  4. Gen. 3:16
  5. Rom. 5:19; Rom. 3:10-19
  6. Eph. 2:1-3
  7. Rom. 1:18, Rom. 32; Rom. 1:20
  8. Gal. 3:22
  9. John 3:3, 5, 7
  10. Rom. 6:23
  11. Eph. 4:22-24

Marriage

We believe that God instituted marriage for the mutual fulfillment and  companionship of man and wife as heirs of the gracious gift of life, their partnership in life and service and their fruitfulness in bearing children and raising them in the fear of the Lord. Human sexuality is a gift from God and is intended by Him to be enjoyed only within the confines of a monogamous, heterosexual, marriage relationship. Homosexual behavior and any concept of marriage other than marriage between one man and one woman violate the design and purpose of God in His creation.

  1. Gen. 1:26-28; 2:23-24
  2. Psalm 127:3
  3. Romans 1:24-27
  4. I Corinthians 6:9-10
  5. Hebrews 13:4
  6. I Peter 3:7

Redemption

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died according to the Scriptures as the representative and substitutionary sacrifice, and that all who believe in Him and receive Him as personal Savior are justified on the ground of His shed blood and finished work on the cross.

  1. I Cor. 15:1,3-4
  2. I Peter 3:18
  3. Romans 4:25
  4. I Corinthians 5:7
  5. Galatians 3:13
  6. I John 4:10
  7. I Peter 2:24-25
  8. Romans 5:9
  9. Ephesians 1:7

Resurrection

We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord; His ascension into heaven, and His present life there for us as High Priest and Advocate.

  1. II Tim. 2:8
  2. Matthew 28:6
  3. Mark 16:6
  4. Luke 24:6
  5. I Cor. 15:4-8
  6. Rom. 1:4
  7. Acts 1:9-11
  8. Luke 24:51
  9. I John 2:1
  10. Heb. 5:1-2; Heb. 7:25; Heb. 8:1-3; Heb. 9:14

Salvation

We believe in the eternal security of the saved through the sacrificial death of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross: the bodily resurrection of the just to an everlasting life of blessedness; and the bodily resurrection of the lost to an everlasting conscious suffering.

  1. Eph. 4:30
  2. John 6:37-40; John 10:27-30
  3. I Cor. 1:4-8
  4. I Pet. 1:5
  5. Philippians 1:6
  6. Rom. 8:35-39
  7. I Thes. 4:13-18
  8. John 5:28-29

Ordinances

We believe that Christ instituted the ordinances of believers’ baptism, (which we believe is by immersion), and the Lord’s Supper, both to be observed until He comes.

  1. John 3:23
  2. Rom. 6:3-5
  3. I Cor. 1:23-32
  4. Luke 22:19
  5. Matthew 26:27

Church

We believe that the Church of Jesus Christ is composed solely of those who have been redeemed and washed in His blood, and regenerated by the Holy Spirit, and that they are saved to serve; that it is the responsibility and privilege of all who are saved to seek and win others to Christ, “to the uttermost part of the earth”: that they must seek to live a holy life, and to separate themselves from and forsake all that might dishonor God, cast discredit on His cause, or weaken their testimony.

  1. Acts 2:41-42
  2. I Cor. 11:2
  3. Eph. 1:22-23; Eph. 4:11
  4. Acts 10:17-18
  5. Col. 1:18
  6. Eph. 5:22-23
  7. Acts 15:13-18
  8. Eph. 4:12
  9. Acts 1:8
  10. I Cor. 6:14-17
  11. II Tim. 2:20-21
  12. John 17:15
  13. Gal. 6:1
  14. II John 1:9-11

 Spiritual Gifts

We believe in the administration of spiritual gifts through the operation of the Holy Spirit; the gifts of the evangelists, pastors, and teachers, (Eph. 4:7-12) are sufficient for the perfecting of the Church today. Sign gifts, including tongues, gradually disappeared as the Canon of Scriptures was completed and the authority of the Bible generally recognized. But God, being sovereign in the bestowment of all His gifts, does hear and answer prayer of faith according to His own will for the sick and the afflicted.

  1. Eph. 4:7-12
  2. Rom. 12:3-8
  3. I Cor. 12:4-11
  4. James 5:13-16
  5. I John 5:14-15

Future Events

We believe that the next prophesied event to be fulfilled will be the rapture of the Church, at which time all true believers, living and dead, will be caught up bodily to meet Jesus in the air. Following this event, God’s wrath will be poured out on unbelievers during a seven year period of tribulation, which will culminate in the physical return of Jesus Christ to the earth in power and glory, His victory over nations of the earth, His restoration of a believing remnant of Israel, and the establishment of His 1,000 year kingdom of justice and righteousness on the earth.

  1. I Thes. 4:13-18
  2. I Cor. 15:50-55
  3. Acts 1:11
  4. Titus 2:13
  5. I Thes. 5:4-10
  6. Rev. 3:10; Rev. 20:1-6,11-15
  7. Matthew 24:21, 29, 30; Matthew 25:46
  8. John 14:1-3
  9. Dan. 9:24-27