MY BELIEFS

On this I stand
(A) 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, and are therefore the final authority for faith and practice. The 66 books of the Old and New Testaments are the complete and final revelation of God to man. The Scriptures shall be interpreted according to their normal grammatical-historical meaning. We believe that God has preserved His inspired Word for the English-speaking world in the King James Version (1611). The King James Version shall be the official translation of the church, and will be the only translation used in preaching, teaching, or any other capacity in the church. (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21). 

(B) The Godhead (Trinity) - We believe in one Triune God, existing eternally in three Persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each coeternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections (Deut 6:4; Matt 28:18-20; II Cor 13:14; Jn 14:10,26).

(C) 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;9:6;     Luke 1:35; John 1:1-12; Philippians 2:5-8).
  • (2) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through 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.             (Acts 2:18-36; Rom 3:24-25; I Peter 2:24)
  • (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; Heb 9:24;7:25; Rom 8:34; I Jn 2:1-2).

(D) 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, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption. (Jn 16:8-11; Rom 8:9; II Cor 3:6; Eph 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 believers to be filled with the Spirit. (Eph 1:17-18; 5:18; I Jn 2:20,27).
  • (3) We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer. God uniquely uses pastors, evangelists and teachers to equip believers in the assembly in order that they might do the work of the ministry. (Romans 12:3-8; I Cor 12:4-11,28; Eph 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 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 Cor 1:22; 13:8; 14:21-22).

(E) The Depravity 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; and that man is totally depraved, and of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition (Gen 1:26-27; Rom 3:22-23; 5:12; 6:23; Eph 2:1-3; 4:17-19).

(F) Salvation - We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, Whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins. We believe that sinners must be born again, and that this new birth is instantaneous and not a process. There is no hope of salvation without Jesus Christ.  (Jn 1:12; John 3:1-20; Eph 1:7;2:8-10).


(G) The Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers
  • (1) We believe that the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God' s power and are thus secure in Christ forever. (Jn 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Rom 8:1,38-39; 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.      (Rom 13:13-14; Gal 5:13; Titus 2:11-15).

(H) The Church
  • (1) We believe that the Church is a called-out assembly of baptized believers, who have covenanted together in the faith for the purpose of carrying out the Great Commission. (I Cor 12:12-14; Eph 1:22-23; Acts 2:42).
  • (2) We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament. (Acts 14:27; 20:17; 20:28-32; I Tim 3:1-13).
  • (3) We believe in the autonomy of the local church free from any external authority or control. We will not join or become part of any convention. (Acts 13:1-4; 15:19-31; 20:28;  Rom 16:1,4; I Cor 3:9,16; 5:4-7; I Peter 5:1-4)
  • (4) We believe that the officers of ordination are pastors and deacons, and the Scriptural ordinances are water baptism and the Lord' s Supper.    (I Timothy 3; Romans 6; I Cor 11)
  • (5) We believe that the sole mission of the church is to win the lost, baptize them, and teach and instruct them in the Word of God so that they too will win the lost.         (Matt 28:19-20; Mark 16:15)

(I) Separation
  • (1) We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior. Every child of God should carefully guard their testimony and refrain from all worldly and sinful pleasures. (II Cor 6:14-7:1; Rom 12:1-2)
  • (2) We believe that the church and her members should be separate from all affiliation and fellowship with religious apostasy that deny the verities of the "faith which was once delivered to the saints." (Jude 3; II Jn 9-11; II Cor 6:14-7:1)
  • (3) We believe in the separation of church and state. 

(J) The Second Advent of Christ - We believe in that "blessed hope," the personal, imminent return of Christ Who will rapture all believers prior to the seven-year Tribulation period. At the end of the Tribulation Christ will return personally and visibly, with His saints, to establish His Messianic Kingdom on the earth. (Ps 89:3-4; Dan 2:31-45; I Thess 1:10; Rev 19:11-16)

(K) Heaven and Hell
  • (1) We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment.   (Mt 25:46; Jn 5:28,29; 11:25-26; Rev 20:5-6)
  • (2) We believe that the souls of the redeemed, at death, are 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.  (Luke 23:43;    II Cor 5:8; Philippians 1:23; 3:21)
  • (3) We believe that the souls of the unsaved 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.              (Mt 25:41-46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-26; Rev 20:11-15)

(L) 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. (Isaiah 14:12-17; Mt 25:41; Rev 20:10)

(M) Creation - We believe that God created the universe in six literal 24-hour periods. We reject evolution in any form. (Genesis 1-2; Ex 20:11; Jn 1:1-3)

(N) Civil Government - We believe that God has ordained and created all authority consisting of three basic institutions: 1) The Home; 2) the Church; and 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 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 their respective Biblically assigned spheres of responsibility under God. (Rom 13:1-7; Eph 5:22-24; Heb 13:17; I Peter 2:13-14)

(O) Human Sexuality / Unchaste Conduct - We believe that God has commanded that no intimate physical activity be engaged in outside of marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bestiality, bisexuality, incest, fornication, adultery, and pornography is a sinful perversion of God' s original intent for a physical relationship between a husband and wife.   (Gen 2:24; Lev 18:1-30; Rom 1:20-32; I Cor 5:1;6:9;  I Thess 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4)

(P) Abortion - We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being. Abortion constitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life. Abortion is murder. We reject any teaching that abortions of pregnancies due to rape, incest, gender selection, birth defects, birth or population control, or the mental well being of the mother are acceptable. (Job 3:16; Ps 51:5; 139:14-16; Is 44:24; Jer 1:5; Lk 1:44)

(Q) Missions - We believe that God has given the church a Great Commission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations. As ambassadors of Christ we must use every means available to go to the foreign countries and not wait for them to come to us. (Mt 28:19-20; Mk 16:15; Acts 1:8)

(R) Giving - We believe that every Christian, as a steward of that portion of God' s wealth entrusted to him, is obligated to support his 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.  (Gen 14:20; Prov 3:9-10; Acts 4:34-37; Malachi 3;  I Cor 16:2; II Cor 9:6-7; Gal 6:6)

THIS STATEMENT OF FAITH DOES NOT EXHAUST THE EXTENT OF OUR FAITH.   THE BIBLE ALONE IS THE SOLE AND FINAL SOURCE OF ALL WE BELIEVE.  

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