What We Believe

What We Believe

The Holy Scriptures


We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the verbally inspired Word of God. The Scriptures are inerrant, infallible and God-breathed; therefore, they are the final authority for faith and life. The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments are the complete and divine revelation of God to Man. The Scriptures shall be interpreted according to their normal grammatical/historical meaning. Therefore, the King James Version of the Bible shall be the official and only translation used by the church in all ministries to English-speaking people. All Bibles in foreign languages shall be of an equivalent nature from the Textus Receptus.

(II Timothy 3:16-17 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.") See also II Peter 1:20-21.


The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

 

  1. We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and, that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption. (John 16:8-11 "And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged." See also Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 12:12-14; II Corinthians 3:6; Ephesians 1:13-14)
  2. We believe that He is the Divine Teacher who assists believers to understand and appropriate the Scriptures, and that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit. (Ephesians 1:17-18 "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints," See also Ephesians 5:18; I John 2:20, 27)
  3. We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer. God uniquely uses evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip believers in the assembly in order that they can do the work of the ministry. (Romans 12:3-8 "For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness." See also I Corinthians 12:4-11, 28; Ephesians 4:7-12)
  4. We believe that the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing, were temporary. We believe that speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of the baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit and that ultimate deliverance of the body from sickness or death awaits the consummation of our salvation in the resurrection, though God frequently chooses to answer the prayers of believers for physical healing. (I Corinthians 13:8 "Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away." See also I Corinthians 1:22, 14:21-22)

 


Dispensationalism


We believe that the Scriptures interpreted in their natural, literal sense reveal divinely determined dispensations or rules of life which define man's responsibilities in successive ages. These dispensations are not ways of salvation, but rather are divinely ordered stewardships by which God directs man according to His purpose. Three of these dispensations (the age of law, the age of the Church, the age of the kingdom) are the subjects of detailed revelation in Scripture. (I Corinthians 9:17 "For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me." See also Genesis 1:28; II Corinthians 3:9-18; Galations 3:13-25; Ephesians 1:10, 3:2-10; Colossians 1:24-25, 27; Revelation 20:2-6)


The Person and Work of Christ

 

  1. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men. (Isaiah 7:14 "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." See also Isaiah 9:6; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-2, 14; II Corinthians 5:19-21; Galatians 4:4-5; Philippians 2:5-8)
  2. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through the shedding of His blood; His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and, that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead. (Romans 3:24-25 "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;" See also Acts 2:18-36; I Peter 2:24; Ephesians 1:7; I Peter 1:3-5) 
  3. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate. (Acts 1:9-10 "And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;" See also Hebrews 9:24, 7:25; Romans 8:34; I John 2:1-2)

 


The Godhead


We believe in one triune God, eternally existing in three persons--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each co-eternal in being co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections. (I John 5:7 "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." See also Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; II Corinthians 13:14; John 14:10,26)


The Sin Nature of Man


We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam's sin the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; this incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death, and that man, in and of himself, is utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. (Romans 5:12 "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" See also Romans 3:22-23; 6:23; 10:9-10; Ephesians 2:1-3, 4:17-19; Genesis 1:26, 27)


Salvation

 

  1. We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that salvation of sinners is wholly of grace through the mediatorial work of the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for our sins according to the Scriptures as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice, and that all who believe in Him are justified on the basis of His shed blood and are in possession of a salvation which is eternally secure. (Romans 3:24-26 "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." See also Romans 5:6; I Corinthians 15:1-3; Ephesians 1:7)
  2. We believe the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is a supernatural work wrought by the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, and thereby all who receive by faith the Lord Jesus Christ become children of God. (Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." See also Ephesians 2:8-9; John 1:12; Romans 10:9-10)

 


The Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers

 

  1. We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ forever. (John 6:37-40 "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day." See also John 10:27-30; Romans 8:1, 38-39; I Corinthians 1:4-8; I Peter 1:4-5)
  2. We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God's Word, which, however, clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh. (Romans 13:13-14 "Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof." See also Galatians 5:13; Titus 2:11-15.)

 

The Church

  1. We believe that the local church, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ, is solely made up of born-again persons. (I Corinthians 12:12-14; II Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22-23, 5:25-27)
  2. We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures. (Acts 14:27, 20:17, 28:32; I Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11)
  3. We believe in the autonomy of the local church free of any external authority or control. (Acts 13:1-4, 15:19-31, 20:28; Romans 16:1,4; I Corinthians 3:9,16, 5:4-7,13; I Peter 5:1-4)
  4. We recognize water baptism and the Lord's Supper as the only two Scriptural ordinances of obedience for the Church in this age. (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42, 18:18; I Corinthians 11:23-26)
  5. We believe Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water to show forth symbolically our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, and that it is a prerequisite for church membership. (Romans 6:4, 8:32; Colossians 2:12; Acts 2:41-42)
  6. We believe communion is the commemoration of our Lord's death until He comes, and should be observed on a regular basis. (I Corinthians 11:24-25 "And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.")

 

The Second Advent of Christ


We believe in that "blessed hope," the personal, imminent return of Christ who will rapture His Church prior to the seven-year Tribulation period. At the end of the Tribulation, Christ will personally and visibly return, with His saints, to establish His earthly Messianic kingdom which was promised to the nation of Israel. (I Thessalonians 4:16-17 "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." See also Daniel 2:31-45; Zechariah 14:4-11; Psalm 89:3-4; I Thessalonians 1:10; Titus 2:13; Revelation 3:10, 19:11-16, 20:1-6)


Separation


We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Saviour and Lord; and separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and associations is commanded of God. (Romans 12:1-2 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." See also Roman 14:13; II Corinthians 6:14-7:1; II Timothy 3:1-5; I John 2:15-17; II John 9:11)


The Eternal State

 

 

  1. We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men: the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment. (Matthew 25:46 "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal." See also John 5:28-29, 11:25-26; Revelation 20:5-6, 12:13)
  2. We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await the first resurrection, when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord. (II Corinthians 5:8 "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." See also Luke 23:43; Philippians 1:23, 3:21; I Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 20:4-6)
  3. We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious punishment and torment until the second resurrection, when with soul and body reunited they shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment, and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment and torment. (Luke 16:22-23 "And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom." See also Matthew 25:41-46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-26; Jude 6-7; Revelation 20:11-15)

 


Angels


We believe in the personal existence of angels, both the faithful ministers of God, and the fallen angels(demons) lead by Satan, the unholy god of this world and the author of all the powers of darkness. (Ezekial 28:13-17; Isaiah 14:13; I Timothy 3:7; Revelation 20:10)


The Personality of Satan


We believe that Satan is a person, the author of sin and the cause of the Fall of Man; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and that he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire. (Job 1:6-7 "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them. And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking down in it." See also Isiah 14:12-17; Matthew 4:2-11, 25:41; Revelation 20:10)


Creation


We believe that God created the universe in six literal 24-hour periods. We reject evolution, the Day-Age Theory, and Theistic Evolution as unscriptural theories of origin. (Exodus 20:11 "For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it." See also Genesis 1-2)


Civil Government


We believe that God has ordained and created all authority consisting of three basic institutions: 1) the home: 2) the Church: 3) the state. Every person is subject to these authorities, but all (including the authorities themselves) are answerable to God and governed by His Word. God has given each institution specific Biblical responsibilities and balanced those responsibilities with the understanding that no institution has the right to infringe upon the other. The home, the Church, and the state are equal and sovereign in the respective Biblically-assigned spheres of responsibility under God. (I Peter 2:13-14 "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well." See also Romans 13:1-7; Ephesians 5:22-24; Hebrews 13-17)


Missions


We believe that God has given the Church a Great Commission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations so that there might be a great multitude from every nation, tribe, ethnic group, and language group who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. As ambassadors of Christ, we must use all available means to go to the lost and not wait for them to come to us. (Matthew 28:19-20 "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." See also Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; II Corinthians 5:20)


Giving


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 financially. 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. We believe that a Christian relinquishes all rights to direct the use of the tithe or offering once the gift has been made. (Genesis 14:20 "And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all." See also Proverbs 3:9-10; Acts 4:34-37; I Corinthians 16:2; II Corinthians 9:6-7; Galatians 6:6; Ephesians 4:28; I Timothy 5:17-18; I John 3:17)

Share by: