ARTICLES OF FAITH
The Scriptures (The Bible)
We believe that the Holy Bible: (a) was inspired by God; (b) written by men controlled by the Holy Spirit; (c) that it is truth without any admixture of error for its matter; and therefore, is, and shall remain to the end of the age, the only complete and final revelation of the will of God to man; the true center of Christian unity and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds and opinions should be tried.
The King James Version is the version that is the basis for faith and conduct and is the version that will be used in all of the public services.
Explanatory Definitions:
1.) By “THE HOLY BIBLE” we mean that collection of sixty-six books from Genesis through Revelation, which, as originally written, does not contain and convey the word of God, but IS the very word of God;
2.) By “INSPIRED” we mean that the books of the Bible were written by holy men of old, as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, in such a definite way that their writings were moved by the Holy Spirit, and were supernaturally inspired and free from error, as no other writings have ever been or ever will be inspired.
Biblical References: II Tim. 3:16-17; II Pet.1:19-21; Acts 1:16; 28:25; Psa. 19:7-11; 119:89, 105, 130, 160; Luke 16:31; 24:25-27, 44-45; John 5:39, 45-47; 12:48; 17:17; Prov. 30:5-6; Rom. 3:4; 15:4; I Pet. 1:23; Rev. 22:19; Isa. 8:20; Eph.6:17
The True God
We believe that there is one, and only one, living and true God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit, the maker and supreme ruler of heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, equal in very divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.
Biblical References: Ex.15:11; 20:2-3; Gen. 17:1; 1Cor. 2:10-11; 8:6; 12:4-6; Eph. 2:18; 4:6; Jn. 4:24; 10:30; 15:26; 17:5; Psa. 83:18; 90:2; 147:5; Jer.10:10; Rev. 4:11; I Tim. 1:17; Rom. 11:33; Mark 12:30; Matt. 28:19; I Jn.5:7; Acts 5:3-4; Phil. 2:5-6; II Cor. 13:14
The Lord Jesus Christ
We believe that, as provided and proposed by God and as pre-announced in the prophecies of the Scriptures, the eternal Son of God came into this world that He might manifest God to men, fulfill prophecy and become the Redeemer; that He was begotten of the Holy Spirit in a miraculous manner, born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born or can be born of woman; that He received a human body and a sinless human nature; and that He is both the eternal Son of God and God the Son–perfect God and perfect Man.
Biblical References: Gen. 3:15; Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18-25; Lk. 1:35; Jn. 1:14
We believe in the essential, absolute, eternal Deity, and the real and proper, but perfect and sinless, humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ; that Christ is the eternal Son of God, and God the Son, the Second Person of the Trinity, being co-equal, co-eternal and of the same essence as God the Father; and that He united in one person undiminished deity and perfect, sinless humanity.
We believe that our Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the third day in the same body, though glorified, and that His resurrection body is the pattern of that body which ultimately will be given to all believers.
We believe that in departing from the earth in His resurrection body, Christ ascended into Heaven as our great High Priest, and will come again in like manner. (Heb. 4:15)
We believe that He now sits in Heaven at the right hand of God the Father as our great High Priest, interceding for His own; that He became Head over all things to the Church which is His body; and that, in this ministry He ceases not to intercede and advocate for the saved.
Biblical References: Matt. 28:6-7; Mk. 16:6; Lk. 24:2-6, 39; Jn.20:27; Acts 1:9-11; I Cor. 15:4; I Tim. 2:5; Heb. 2:17; 5:9-10; 7:25; 8:6; 12:2; I Jn .2:1; Rev. 3:21
The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of judgment and of righteousness; that He bears witness to the Truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent of the New Birth; that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the believer; and that the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance) is the evidence of His indwelling rather than the speaking in tongues and other spectacular demonstrations.
Biblical References: Jn. 14:16-17; Matt. 28:19; Heb. 9:14; Jn. 14:26; Lk. 1:35; Gen. 1:1-3; II Thess. 2:7; Jn. 16:8-11; Jn. 15:26-27; Acts 5:30-32; Jn. 3:5-6; Eph. 1:13-14; Matt. 3:11; Mk. 1:8; Lk. 3:16; 24:29; Jn. 1:33; 16:13; 14:26; Rom. 8:14; 16:26-27; Gal. 5:22-23; Eph. 5:18-21; II Thess. 2:13
The Devil or Satan
We believe that Satan was once holy and enjoyed heavenly honors, but through pride and ambition to be as the Almighty, fell and drew after him a host of angels; that he is now the malignant prince of the power of the air and the unholy god of this world. We believe him to be man’s great tempter, the enemy of God and His Christ, the accuser of the saints, the author of all false religions, the chief power back of the present apostasy; the lord of the anti-Christ, and the author of all powers of darkness-destined, however, to final defeat at the hands of God’s Son, and to the judgment of an eternal justice in hell, a place prepared for him and his angels.
Biblical References: Isa 14:12-15; Ezek. 28:14-17; Rev.12:9; Jude 6; Eph. 2:2; I Thess. 3:5; Matt. 4:1-3; I Pet. 5:8; Zech. 1:3; Matt.13:25, 37-39; Lk. 22:3-4; Rev.12:10; II Cor. 11:13-15; I Jn. 2:22, 4:3; II Jn. 7; Rev. 13:13-14; II Thess. 2:8-11; Rev. 19:11, 16, 20; 20:1-3; Rev. 20:10; Matt. 25:41
The Creation
We believe in the Genesis account of creation – it is to be accepted literally; that man was created in God’s own image and after His likeness; that man’s creation was not a matter of evolution or evolutionary change of species. We believe the heavens and the earth were created in six literal days. (Gen 1:1; Ex. 20:11; Acts 4:24; Col. 1:16,17)
The Fall of Man
We believe that the natural man is totally depraved and unable in any way to justify himself before God by his own efforts. (Gen 3:1 – 6; Rom. 3:10 – 19; 5:12; 1:18, 32)
Salvation
We believe that Jesus Christ is man’s only Savior and that salvation is a free gift of God through faith in the substitutionary death and shed blood of Christ on Calvary; that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation. Those who are saved are eternally kept; the lost suffer eternal punishment in hell. (Eph. 2:8,9; Acts 15:11; Rom. 3:23, 24, 25; John 3:16; Isa. 53:4 – 7; I John 4:10; I Cor. 15:3; II Cor. 5:21)
Grace and the New Birth
We believe that in order to be saved sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth the one dead in trespasses and sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God. (John 3:3; II Cor. 5:17; I John 5:1; Acts 16:20 – 33; II Peter 1:4; Romans 6:23)
Sanctification
We believe sanctification is a divine setting apart of the believer unto God; first, by an eternal act of God, based upon redemption in Christ, establishing the believer in a position of righteousness at the moment he trusts the Savior at the new birth; second, by a continuing process in the saint as the Holy Spirit applies the Word of God to the life, third, by the final accomplishment of this process at the Lord’s return. (Heb. 10:10 – 14; 3:1; John 17:17; II Cor. 1:30; Eph. 5:25 – 27; I Thess 4:3,4)
The Church
We believe in the unity of all true believers in the Church which is the Body of Christ. It was established on the Day of Pentecost and will continue until the Rapture and includes both Jews and Gentiles. All who are part of this Church have been added through the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It is also the Bride identified in the Revelation of Jesus Christ.Biblical References: Acts 15:13-18; I Cor. 12:12-13; Eph. 1:22-23; 3:1-6; 4:11; 5:23; Col. 1:18; Rev. 19:7-8; 22:17
We believe that the local church is a congregation of immersed believers, associated by covenant of faith and fellowship in the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ (Baptism and the Lord’s Table); governed by His laws, and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested by them by His Word; that its called or given officers are Pastor (also called Bishop or Elder) and Deacons, whose qualifications, claims and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures.
We believe that the true mission of the Church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as we have opportunity. We believe that the local church has the absolute right of self-government, free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations, that the one and only superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit; that it is Scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel; that each local church is the sole judge of the measure of its cooperation; that on all matters of membership, of polity of government of benevolence, the will of the local church is final. We believe that the local church is God’s plan for accomplishing His mission in this age. We believe, therefore, that all other Christian institutions and agencies should have as their objective the aid and strengthening of the local church. We believe that it is the responsibility of each local church to have no fellowship with the unsaved or those involved in apostasy; to have no fellowship with those who are disobedient or are walking disorderly. Biblical References: Acts 2:41-42, 20:17-28, I Cor. 5:1-13, 11:2, II Cor. 6:14-18, II Thess. 3:6, 14, I Tim 3:1-13, 6:3-5, Titus 3:10, I Thess. 1:9-10, Rom. 16:17, II Jn. 9:11
The Two Ordinances: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper
We believe that Christian baptism is the single immersion of a believer in water to show forth our identification with the crucified, buried and risen Savior. Baptism is to be performed under the authority of the local church; that it is evidence of obedience to God’s Word and is pre-requisite to the privileges of church membership.
We believe that the Lord’s Supper is the commemoration of His death until He comes, and should always be preceded by solemn self-examination.
We believe that the Biblical order of the ordinances is first, baptism, then the Lord’s Supper, and that participants in the Lord’s Supper should be immersed believers. (Acts 8:36 – 39; John 3:23; Rom. 6:3 – 5; Matt. 3:16; Col. 2:12; I Cor. 11:23 – 28; Acts 2:41,42)
Civil Government
We believe that civil government is divinely appointed for the interests and good order of human society, that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed; except in those things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the only Lord of the conscience and the coming King of Kings. (Rom. 13:1 – 7; Acts 23:5; Matt. 22:21; Acts 5:29; 4:19 – 20; Dan. 3:17 – 18)
Rapture and Subsequent Events
We believe in the pre-millennial return of Christ, an event which can occur at any moment; and at that moment the dead in Christ shall be raised in glorified bodies. The living in Christ shall be given glorified bodies without tasting death, and all shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air before the seven years of the Tribulation.
We believe that the seven-year Tribulation will follow the Rapture of the believers. This will be culminated by the revelation of Christ in power and great glory to sit upon the throne of David and to establish the millennial kingdom. (I Thess. 4:13 – 18; I Cor. 15:42 – 44, 51 – 54; Rev. 3:10; Dan. 9:25 – 27; Matt. 24:29 – 31; Isa, 9:6,7; Acts 2:29,30; Rev. 20:1 – 4,6)