ARTICLES OF FAITH
I . OF THE SCRIPTURES
We believe that the Holy Bible (Scriptures) is that collection of sixty‑six books which are verbally (each word) and plenarily (the totality of the message) inspired of God, inerrant. and therefore our only authority in matter of faith and practice. (II Timothy 3:1‑17; II Peter 1:19‑21; Psalm 119:89)
II. OF THE TRUE GOD
We believe that there is only one living, true and infinite God, and that in the unity of the Godhead, there are three persons ‑ the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in every divine perfection and attribute, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption and all other divine undertakings. (Mark 12:29; I Corinthians 8:6; Matthew 3:16‑17; 28:19; Revelation 1:17
III. OF JESUS CHRIST
We believe that Jesus Christ was the only begotten of the Holy Spirit in a miraculous manner; born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man ever was or can be born of woman: and that He is both the Son of God and God the Son. (Genesis 3:15: Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18‑25; Luke 1:35; John 1:4)
We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace: through the mediatorial offices of the Son, who by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin, honored: the divine law by His obedience, and by His death made a full and vicarious (substitutionary) payment for our sins; that His death was a voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place, bearing our sins in His own body on the cross: that having risen from the dead; He is now enthroned in Heaven and is in every way qualified to be the suitable, compassionate, and all‑sufficient Savior. (Ephesians 2:8; II Corinthians 5:21; I Corinthians 15:3; Romans 3:24‑25; John 3:16; Matthew 18:11; Philippians 2:7; Hebrews 2:14; Isaiah 53:4‑7; I John 4:10)
IV. OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe in the personality, deity, and work of the Holy Spirit the third person of the Godhead We believe that He is the agent in the new birth; that He indwells, seals, guides, teaches, endues, witnesses, sanctifies, and helps the believer: that the gifts of tongues and healing were temporary until the Scriptures were completed and ceased at that time. (John 14:16.17,26; 16:8‑15: Acts 5:32; Romans 8:14,16, 26‑27; Ephesians 1:13‑14; I Corinthians 13:8)
V. OF MAN
We believe that Adam was created by a direct act of God, from the dust of the ground, and not by any process of evolution We believe that the days of Genesis were literal 24 (twenty‑four) hour days. (Genesis 1:1, 17; 2:7)
We believe that Adam was created in innocence, but by his own transgression fell from his sinless state. Consequently all mankind is sinful, totally depraved, by which we mean his natural utter inability to receive the things of the Spirit of God, apart from the quickening grace of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 1:18; 3:23; 5:12, 19; Genesis 3:1‑6; Ephesians 2:1‑3; Jeremiah 17:9)
VI. OF SATAN
We believe the devil, Satan, is a personal being, the malignant prince of the power of the world, and the unholy god of this world: whose final destination is the eternal lake of fire. (Job 1:6‑12; Matthew 4:1‑11; II Corinthians 4:4; Ezekiel 28; Isaiah 14; Revelation 20:1‑3,10)
VII. OF SALVATION
We believe sinners must be born again, that the new birth is a new creation in Jesus Christ: that it is instantaneous: that this birth is brought about solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth: that its proper evidence appears in the fruits of repentance, faith and newness of life. (John 3:3, 6‑8; II Corinthians 5:17,18; I John 5:1; Acts 16:30‑ 33; Acts 20:20‑21; II Peter 1:4; Colossians 2:13; Romans 10:9‑13)
The result and blessing of the new birth include being justified (pardoned from sin): being given the gift of eternal life; and being sanctified (being made clean, pure, holy, by divine action which positionally sets up apart from sin)(Acts 13:39; Romans 5:1,10, 8:1; I Thessalonians 4:3; II Corinthians 7:1; I Peter 1:1‑2)
VIII OF THE CHURCH
We believe that the universal church, which is the body of Christ, was established on the day of Pentecost and that believers from Pentecost to the rapture compose this church, which is the bride of Christ
The local church is a congregation of immersed believers, associated by covenant of faith and fellowship in the gospel, observing the local church ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s supper, and is governed by its only head, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the only authority in all matters of faith and practice is the Word of God The church’s officers are: Pastor and deacons and its ministry is the edification of the saints and the faithful spread of the gospel worldwide We believe that the local church is the agent for carrying out the purpose of God in this church age We believe that all true believers are kept by the power of God through faith. (Acts 2:41‑42; 13:1‑3; 20:17‑28; I Corinthians 11:2; 12:12‑13: Ephesians 1:1.22‑23; 4:11‑16; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:18; II Timothy 3:1‑16)
IX OF THE LAST TIMES
We believe that the soul and spirit of each believer who dies prior to the rapture go immediately into God’s presence. (I Corinthians 15; John 5:25‑29) We believe in the bodily, imminent, pre‑millennial, pretribulational rapture of the church to meet the Lord in the air, and in Christ’s coming with His church at the close of the tribulation to judge the living nations and to set up His millennial kingdom on earth. (I Thessalonians 4:13‑18; Matthew 25:31‑46; Revelation 19:11‑21)
We believe that those who have died in Christ will be raised bodily at His coming for His church and caught up with the living saints to meet Him in the air We believe the saved will spend eternity with the Lord in conscious joy in heaven
I . OF THE SCRIPTURES
We believe that the Holy Bible (Scriptures) is that collection of sixty‑six books which are verbally (each word) and plenarily (the totality of the message) inspired of God, inerrant. and therefore our only authority in matter of faith and practice. (II Timothy 3:1‑17; II Peter 1:19‑21; Psalm 119:89)
II. OF THE TRUE GOD
We believe that there is only one living, true and infinite God, and that in the unity of the Godhead, there are three persons ‑ the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in every divine perfection and attribute, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption and all other divine undertakings. (Mark 12:29; I Corinthians 8:6; Matthew 3:16‑17; 28:19; Revelation 1:17
III. OF JESUS CHRIST
We believe that Jesus Christ was the only begotten of the Holy Spirit in a miraculous manner; born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man ever was or can be born of woman: and that He is both the Son of God and God the Son. (Genesis 3:15: Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18‑25; Luke 1:35; John 1:4)
We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace: through the mediatorial offices of the Son, who by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin, honored: the divine law by His obedience, and by His death made a full and vicarious (substitutionary) payment for our sins; that His death was a voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place, bearing our sins in His own body on the cross: that having risen from the dead; He is now enthroned in Heaven and is in every way qualified to be the suitable, compassionate, and all‑sufficient Savior. (Ephesians 2:8; II Corinthians 5:21; I Corinthians 15:3; Romans 3:24‑25; John 3:16; Matthew 18:11; Philippians 2:7; Hebrews 2:14; Isaiah 53:4‑7; I John 4:10)
IV. OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe in the personality, deity, and work of the Holy Spirit the third person of the Godhead We believe that He is the agent in the new birth; that He indwells, seals, guides, teaches, endues, witnesses, sanctifies, and helps the believer: that the gifts of tongues and healing were temporary until the Scriptures were completed and ceased at that time. (John 14:16.17,26; 16:8‑15: Acts 5:32; Romans 8:14,16, 26‑27; Ephesians 1:13‑14; I Corinthians 13:8)
V. OF MAN
We believe that Adam was created by a direct act of God, from the dust of the ground, and not by any process of evolution We believe that the days of Genesis were literal 24 (twenty‑four) hour days. (Genesis 1:1, 17; 2:7)
We believe that Adam was created in innocence, but by his own transgression fell from his sinless state. Consequently all mankind is sinful, totally depraved, by which we mean his natural utter inability to receive the things of the Spirit of God, apart from the quickening grace of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 1:18; 3:23; 5:12, 19; Genesis 3:1‑6; Ephesians 2:1‑3; Jeremiah 17:9)
VI. OF SATAN
We believe the devil, Satan, is a personal being, the malignant prince of the power of the world, and the unholy god of this world: whose final destination is the eternal lake of fire. (Job 1:6‑12; Matthew 4:1‑11; II Corinthians 4:4; Ezekiel 28; Isaiah 14; Revelation 20:1‑3,10)
VII. OF SALVATION
We believe sinners must be born again, that the new birth is a new creation in Jesus Christ: that it is instantaneous: that this birth is brought about solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth: that its proper evidence appears in the fruits of repentance, faith and newness of life. (John 3:3, 6‑8; II Corinthians 5:17,18; I John 5:1; Acts 16:30‑ 33; Acts 20:20‑21; II Peter 1:4; Colossians 2:13; Romans 10:9‑13)
The result and blessing of the new birth include being justified (pardoned from sin): being given the gift of eternal life; and being sanctified (being made clean, pure, holy, by divine action which positionally sets up apart from sin)(Acts 13:39; Romans 5:1,10, 8:1; I Thessalonians 4:3; II Corinthians 7:1; I Peter 1:1‑2)
VIII OF THE CHURCH
We believe that the universal church, which is the body of Christ, was established on the day of Pentecost and that believers from Pentecost to the rapture compose this church, which is the bride of Christ
The local church is a congregation of immersed believers, associated by covenant of faith and fellowship in the gospel, observing the local church ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s supper, and is governed by its only head, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the only authority in all matters of faith and practice is the Word of God The church’s officers are: Pastor and deacons and its ministry is the edification of the saints and the faithful spread of the gospel worldwide We believe that the local church is the agent for carrying out the purpose of God in this church age We believe that all true believers are kept by the power of God through faith. (Acts 2:41‑42; 13:1‑3; 20:17‑28; I Corinthians 11:2; 12:12‑13: Ephesians 1:1.22‑23; 4:11‑16; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:18; II Timothy 3:1‑16)
IX OF THE LAST TIMES
We believe that the soul and spirit of each believer who dies prior to the rapture go immediately into God’s presence. (I Corinthians 15; John 5:25‑29) We believe in the bodily, imminent, pre‑millennial, pretribulational rapture of the church to meet the Lord in the air, and in Christ’s coming with His church at the close of the tribulation to judge the living nations and to set up His millennial kingdom on earth. (I Thessalonians 4:13‑18; Matthew 25:31‑46; Revelation 19:11‑21)
We believe that those who have died in Christ will be raised bodily at His coming for His church and caught up with the living saints to meet Him in the air We believe the saved will spend eternity with the Lord in conscious joy in heaven