I. The Holy Scriptures
We believe the Holy Scriptures, composed of the thirty-nine books of the Old Testament and the twenty-seven books of the New Testament, in their original form to be God’s eternal and infallible Word, verbally and plenarily (equally in all parts) inspired, and therefore inerrant in all its parts and our supreme and only authority for faith and practice. (Isa. 40:8; Ps. 19:7-11; Matt. 5:18; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:21)
II. The Godhead/Trinity
We believe that the Godhead eternally exists in three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and that these three are one God, having precisely the same nature, attributes and perfections, and worthy of the same honor, confidence and obedience. We believe that they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence and redemption. (Gen. 1: 1, 26; Deut. 6:4; Matt 3:16-17; 28:19; Jn. 10:30; 16:7-12; 2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 4:5,6; Heb. 1:1-3; 1 Pet. 1:2)
A. God the
Father
We believe in the person and work of God the Father, an infinite, personal spirit. We believe that He infallibly foreknows all that shall come to pass, that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. (Matt. 23:9; 24:36; Lk. 10:21,22; Jn. 3:16; 4:24; 6:27; Rom. 1:7; 1 Tim. 1:1,2; 2:5,6; 1 Ptr. 1:3; Rev. 1:6)
B. God the Son
We believe in the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ. We hold that as the eternal Son of God He became fully man without ceasing to be fully God. We believe He was conceived through the Holy Spirit (God’s only begotten Son) and born of a virgin (Jn. 1:1, 14; Matt. 1:23); His perfect, sinless life (Heb. 4:15; 5:9; 7:26); His substitutionary death on our behalf (Gal. 3:13; 1 Pet. 2:24); His shed blood atonement for sin (Col 1:20; Heb. 9:22; Rom. 5:9; 1 Pet. 1:18, 19; 1 Jn. 1:7); His bodily resurrection (Jn. 20:25-28; Lk 24:36-43); His ascension into heaven with a glorified body to minister as High Priest, Advocate and Intercessor (Jn. 20:19, 20; Acts 1:9-11; Heb. 7:25; Rom. 8:34; 1 Jn. 2:1); His personal visible return to earth (Rev. 20:1-6) and His ultimate reign forever with His Father (Rev. 22:5).
C. God the Holy
Spirit
We believe in the person and work of the Holy Spirit who was sent by the Father and the Son (Jn. 14:16, 17, 26; 15:26, 27) to convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. (Jn. 16:7-14) Simultaneously He regenerates (Jn. 3:5), baptizes, indwells and seals all believers. We believe that the baptism of the Spirit is an initial Christian experience simultaneous with conversion. In His ongoing work He guides, teaches, fills (Eph. 5:18), empowers (Acts 1:8) and sanctifies believers. (Rom. 5:5; 8:9; 1 Cor. 6:19; Gal. 5:22-26) We believe that one of the Holy Spirit’s functions is to glorify the Son. We believe the Holy Spirit sovereignly gifts the people of the church to build up the body (1 Cor. 12:7, 11).
III. Angels
We believe that God created a host of spiritual beings known as angels. Although they are of a higher order than man (Ps. 8:5) they are not to be worshiped because they are creatures. Angels were created to worship God and to carry out some of His plans (Ps. 103:20; 148:2). Angels also minister to those who would inherit salvation (Heb. 1:14). We believe that Satan is a created angel who rebelled against his Creator (Isa. 14:12-17; Ezek. 28:11-19) and took numerous angels with him in his fall (Matt. 25:41), known as demons. Although Satan and his demons are defeated, they are actively at work today. They are not the cause of all sin and their power is limited by God. Their destiny is eternal punishment in Hell. (Job 1:6-7; 1 Ptr. 5:8; Rev. 20:10)
IV. The doctrine of man
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God and for God’s glory. (Gen. 1:26-28; 5:1; 9:6; Eccl. 7:29) Through personal and voluntary disobedience man became a sinful creature. As a result of Adam’s sin, all people of the human race are born sinful (Rom. 3:9-18; 5:12), with the singular exception of Jesus Christ. The natural man is described by Scripture as being dead in trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1-3; Col. 2:13); he has a darkened mind and heart (Gen. 6:5: 8:21; Jer. 17:9; Jn. 3:19; Eph. 4:17-19; Ti. 1:15); he is unable to understand spiritual things (1 Cor. 2:14); he is unable to please God (Ro. 8:7, 8; Heb. 11:6); he is in bondage to sin and Satan (Jn. 8:31-34; Ro. 6:16-20; 2 Cor. 4:3, 4; 2 Ptr. 2:19; 1 Jn. 5:19); he does not seek God (Rom. 3:11); he actively practices evil (Eccl. 9:3; Mark 7:21-23); he has no inner ability to change his spiritual condition (Jer. 13:23; Isa. 64:6); he is an enemy of God (Ro. 5:10; Phlp 3:18; Col. 1:21; Jas. 4:4). As such, the natural man deserves eternal condemnation (Jn. 3:19; Eph. 2:3; Rom. 1:18-20).
V. Salvation
There is a past (justification), present (sanctification) and future (glorification) aspect of our salvation. We believe that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, apart from any meritorious effort on the part of man (Eph. 2:8-9). Eternal life is a present possession of those who have trusted in Christ. As such, believers are kept by God’s power and are thus secure forever (Jn. 1:12-13; 5:25; 6:37-40; 10:27-30; 1 Jn. 5:10-13; 1 Pet. 1:3-5). We believe that by the Holy Spirit a changed life is the result of being regenerated and that the progressive work of sanctification is a part of salvation. (2 Cor. 5:17; 2 Thess. 2:13). The final step of our salvation is that of glorification. For the saints who have passed away, their bodies will be raised incorruptible and re-united with their souls. For those who are alive when Christ returns, their bodies will be changed into a perfect resurrection body (Rom. 8:17, 23, 24, 30; 1 Cor. 15:12-58).
VI. Church
We believe in the universal church composed of all regenerated persons of all people groups (Heb. 12:23-24). We believe in the local church, an autonomous, self-governing body of baptized believers committed to one another in love and called out of this world into a worshiping, caring, and witnessing fellowship. Jesus Christ is the head of the church. (Matt. 16:18; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; Eph. 1:22-23; 5:25-27)
VII. Church ordinances
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the local church – baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
A. Baptism
We believe in the ordinance of water baptism, where immersion symbolizes the identification and union of the believers with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection and is valid only if received on the basis of the repentance of sin, the confession of faith in Jesus Christ for the remission of sin. (Rom. 6:3-5; Acts 2:38)
B. Lord’s
Supper
We believe in the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper as a memorial of the death of Christ for our sins, a symbol of the unending communion of the church with her Lord, and is to be observed until the return of Christ. (1 Cor. 11:25-26)
VIII. Christian life
We believe that a Christian should live for the praise of God’s glorious grace by living blamelessly before the world; by being a faithful steward of all possessions; and by separating ourselves from all that might discredit the cause of Christ or weaken our testimony as His ambassadors (Matt. 5:16; Rom. 12:1-3; 1 Cor. 10:31; Eph. 1:4; 1 Thess. 5:22; Titus 3:8). Furthermore, recognizing the fundamental nature of marriage in God’s economy, it is understood that marriage is between one man and one woman, that a believer should only marry a believer and that divorce is contrary to God’s will (Gen. 2:18-25; 1 Cor. 6:9; 2 Cor. 6:14-18; Matt. 19:5, 6). Christians should not settle disputes using civil courts (1 Cor. 6:1-9).
IX. The future
We believe in the personal, visible and bodily return of the Lord Jesus Christ for His own and the establishment of His kingdom. (John 14:1-3; Mark 13:32; Acts 1:11; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Rev. 19:11-16)
X. Eternal state
We believe in the bodily resurrection of the dead: of the believer to everlasting blessedness and joy with the Lord in Heaven, of the unbeliever to everlasting judgment and conscious punishment in Hell. (Lk. 16:19-26; 2 Cor. 5:8; Rev. 20:11-15)