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WE BELIEVE
Scripture
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The Bible, consisting of the Old and New Testaments, is the verbally
inspired Word of God, is inerrant in the original writings, and is upheld as
the supreme and final authority in faith and life.
II Timothy 3:16,17; II Peter 1:19-21; Hebrews
1:1-2. |
Triune God
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There is one God, eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit, but one in essence, equal in every divine perfection and
attribute, and executing in distinct but harmonious offices the great work of
redemption. Genesis 1:26; Matthew 3:16,17; John
10:30; I Corinthians 12:4-6; II Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 2:18. |
Jesus Christ
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Jesus Christ, the
eternal Son, possesses all the divine excellencies, being co-substantial and
co-eternal with the Father and the Holy Spirit
(John 8:58; John 14:16-17) In
His incarnation He united to divine nature a true sinless human nature, and so
continues to be both God and Man in two distinct natures and one person
forever.
(Romans 1:3-4; Hebrews 2:14). He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary
(Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:20; Luke 1:35),
exhibited His deity by manifold miracles, fulfilled the requirements of the
law by His sinless life, (Matthew
5:17), suffered under Pontius
Pilate, poured out His blood as a vicarious and propitiatory atonement for sin
in satisfaction of divine justice
(Romans 3:24-26), and on the third day was raised from the dead
in the same body, now glorified
(Luke
24:1-9); I Corinthians 2:5). He
ascended into Heaven and now, seated at the right hand of God the Father,
intercedes in glory for His redeemed
(Acts 1:9-12;
I Timothy 2:5) |
Holy Spirit
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The Holy Spirit is God, possessing all the attributes of personality and of
deity, by whom believers are called, regenerated, baptized into Christ,
in-dwelt, sealed, and filled for service.
John
14:16,17; Acts 5:9; Romans 8:9,26,27; I Corinthians 6:19,20; I Corinthians
12:13; Ephesians 1:13,14. |
Angels, Demons and Satan
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The personal existence of angels, demons and Satan; that Satan is the
unholy ruler of this age and the author of all the powers of darkness, and is
destined to the judgment of eternal punishment in the lake of fire.
Matthew 4:1-11; II Corinthians
11:14; James 4:7; I Peter 5:8; Revelations 20:2,10. |
Creation
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The direct creation of the universe by God according to the Genesis account, and the
creation of man by God apart from any process of evolution.
Genesis 1 & 2; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16,17. |
Fall of Man
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That man was created in the image of God in innocence but by voluntary
transgression fell into sin, thus plunging the whole race into condemnation,
separation from God, and total depravity. In consequence of which men are born
sinners and are directed by their sin natures to willful acts of sin.
Genesis 1:26; Romans 3:23; 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-3. |
Atonement for Sin
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That the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace, a free gift of God,
received by faith alone, apart from human works or merit, coming to us 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 and accept Him as Lord and Savior are justified on the grounds
of His shed blood. Romans 5:8; Ephesians 2:8,9;
Titus 3:5; I Peter 2:24. |
Grace in the New Creation
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That in order to be saved, sinners must be born again. Through the new
birth the believer is a new creation in Jesus Christ; that it is instantaneous
and not a process; that in the new birth the one dead in trespasses and in
sins made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free
gift of God; that the new creation is brought about in a manner above our
comprehension, not by culture, not by character, nor by the will of man, but
wholly and solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine
truth, thus securing our voluntary obedience to the gospel; and that its
proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness
of life.
John 3:3; II Corinthians 5:17; I John 3:6,7; Acts
16:30-33; II Peter 1:4; Ephesians 2:1; II Corinthians 5:19; Colossians 2:13;
John 3:18; Ephesians 2:8,9. |
Faith and Salvation
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That faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation. Acts 16:31; Titus 3:5; Ephesians
2:8,9; John 3:16,18,36; 4:24. |
Justification
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That the great gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in
Him is justification; that justification includes the pardon of sin and the
gift of eternal life on the principles of Christ’s righteousness; that it is
bestowed not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have
done, but solely through faith in the Redeemer’s blood, His righteousness is
imparted into us.
Acts 13:39; Isaiah 53:11; Romans 4:25; 5:1-9. |
Sanctification
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The Scriptures teach that sanctification is a work of grace within the
life of the individual believer. That sanctification has three aspects: The
positional aspect whereby God sets apart those that are his; the progressive
aspect whereby man is cleaned from the defilement of sin as he yields to and
separates himself unto God; the ultimate aspect when the believer is in
perfect likeness to his Redeemer not only in soul but in body.
I Corinthians 1:2; Hebrews 10:9,10,14; II
Corinthians 7:1; I John 3:2; I Thessalonians 3:12,13. |
Repentance and Faith
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That repentance and faith are solemn obligations and inseparable graces,
wrought in our souls by the quickening Spirit of God. Being deeply convicted
of our guilt, aware of our condemnation and helplessness, and of the way of
salvation by Christ alone, we turn to God with sincere repentance, confession
and supplication of mercy, simultaneously receive the Lord Jesus Christ and
confess Him an all-sufficient Savior. Acts
2:37,38; Romans 10:13; Acts 20:20,21; Psalm 51.
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Ministry of Spiritual Gifts
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That God is sovereign in the bestowment of all His gifts and that the
gifts of evangelists, pastors and teachers are sufficient for the growth and
maturity of the saints today. That the speaking in tongues and workings of
sign miracles gradually ceased as the New Testament was completed and its
authors established; that they were primarily used to authenticate God’s
messenger and not a sign of super-spirituality.
I Corinthians 12:4-11; 13:1-3;
14:22,33; Ephesians 4:7-12. |
Eternal Security
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That true believers are eternally secure; that their persevering
attachment to Christ is the evidence which distinguishes them from superficial
professors; and that they are kept by the power of God though faith unto
eternal salvation. John 5:24;
6:47; Romans 8:1,38,39; Colossians 1:21,23; I John 2:19. |
Believer’s Two Natures
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That every believer has two natures with provision made for victory of the
new nature over the old through the indwelling Holy Spirit; and that all
claims of total eradication of the old nature in this life are unscriptural.
Romans 6:11-13; 8:2;
Galatians 5:16-25; Colossians 3:10; Ephesians 4:22-24; II Corinthians 5:17. |
Separation
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That those who are saved should live in such a manner as not to bring
reproach upon our Savior and Lord; and that separation from religious apostasy
and all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and associations is commanded
by God. II Timothy 3:1-5; Romans
12:1,2; 16:17,18; II John 9-11; II Corinthians 6:14-18; I John 2:15-17; James
1:27. |
The Church
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Universal Church
- That the True Spiritual Church is a New Testament
organism; unknown to the Old Testament prophets; established by Jesus Christ,
who is its sole Head; revealed, empowered and perpetuated by the Holy Spirit;
His "body" for service; and His "bride" for glory. It began with Pentecost,
after the ascension of Christ and will be consummated at the coming of Christ
in the Rapture. I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 1;22,23; Acts 1:8; I
Corinthians 12:12-28. |
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Local Church – That a local church is a congregation of believers that
have been baptized by immersion, associated by covenant of faith and
fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His
laws; and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His
Word, and that its officers are pastors and deacons whose qualifications,
claims and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures. That the true mission
of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as we have
opportunity. We hold that the local church, has the absolute right of
self-government free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or
organizations, and that the one and only superintendent is Christ through the
Holy Spirit. That it is Scriptural for the true churches to cooperate with
each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel
and that each local church by using scriptural principles, is the sole judge of
the measure and method of its cooperation. The will of the local church is
final on all matters of membership, of policy, of government, of discipline,
and of benevolence.
Act 2:41,42; I Corinthians
11:2; Ephesians 1:22,23; 5:23,24; Acts 20:28; I Timothy 3:15; Colossians 1:18;
Acts 15:13-18. |
Ordinances
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That Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water to show
forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem of his faith in the crucified, buried,
risen Savior. Water baptism is a picture of a believer’s death to sin and
resurrection to a new life. It is a prerequisite for church membership. |
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That the Lord’s Supper is the commemoration of His death until He comes
and should be preceded always by solemn self-examination.
Acts 8:26-39; John 3:23; Romans
6:3-5; Mathew 3:16; 28:19; Colossians 2:12; I Corinthians 11:23-28; Luke
22:14-20. |
Christian Day of Worship
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That the Scriptures teach that the first day of the week is the Lord’s Day
and is to be kept sacred for the gathering of the saints in worship, praise
and fellowship, abstaining from secular labor as much as possible.
Acts 20:7; I Corinthians 16:1,2;
Hebrews 10:25. |
Civil Government
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That civil government is of divine appointment for the interest and good
order of human society; that the magistrates are to be prayed for,
conscientiously honored and obeyed; except only in things opposed to the will
of our Lord Jesus Christ revealed in Scripture.
Revelation 19:16; Romans 13:1-7;
Acts 5:29. |
Marriage and the Home
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That the home was the first institution God provided for man and Marriage
is a sacred relationship and honorable for all. "What God hath joined together
let no man put asunder." Marriage is used as an emblem of the union of Christ
and His Church. Genesis 2:18-24; Hebrews
13:4; I Corinthians 7:2; Ephesians 5:21,23; Mark 10:9. |
Righteous and Wicked
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That there is radical and essential difference between the righteous and
the wicked; that only those who through faith are justified in the name of the
Lord Jesus and sanctified by the Spirit of God are truly righteous in His
esteem; while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His
sight wicked and under the curse; and this distinction holds true among men
both in and after death, in the everlasting joy and blessing of life with
Christ for the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost.
Malachi 3:18; Genesis 18:23; Romans 6:17; I John
5:19; Matthew 25:34-41; Romans 7:6; John 8:21; Proverbs 14:32. |
Last Times
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The second advent of Christ – The "Blessed Hope", the personal, imminent,
pre-tribulation and pre-millennial coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His
redeemed ones and in His return to earth after the tribulation with His saints
to establish the Millennial Kingdom.
I Thessalonians 4:13-18; II Thessalonians 1:6-12;
Revelation 20:1-6, 12-14. |
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The Judgment Seat of Christ
– That every saved person will appear before
the "Judgment Seat" to be judged by the Lord in regard to faithful service.
This judgment will determine rewards or loss of rewards only, not our final
destination which is secure in Jesus Christ.
I Corinthians 3:11-15; Romans 14:10; Matthew 6:2. |
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The Eternal State – The bodily resurrection of all men, the saved
to eternal life and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment. 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 forever glorified with the Lord. The souls of
the unbelievers after death remain in conscious misery until the second
resurrection, when with spirit, soul and body reunited they shall appear
before the Great White Throne Judgment and shall be cast into the Lake of
Fire, not to be annihilated but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment. Luke 16:19-26; Matthew 25:46; John 5:20-29;
Philippians 1:23; II Corinthians 5:8,10. |
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The Millennial Kingdom – That the Millennial Kingdom (1000 year reign of
Christ) on earth following the Tribulation Period will be ruled by Jesus the
King from the throne of David.
Luke 1:32; Acts 2:29-30; Isaiah 9:6-7. |
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