Scripture

We believe that the Holy 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.

True God

We believe in one God, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. I John 5:7; Revelation 19:6; Romans 11:33; Isaiah 46:9; Psalms 139:7-10.

Jesus Christ

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God, having been supernaturally conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man. Matthew 1:23; John 1:1,2; Luke 1:35.

Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person equal with the Father and Son and of the same substance and nature; that He was active in the creation; that in His relationship to the unbelieving world, He restrains the evil one until God's purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, righteousness and judgment, bears witness to the truth, is the agent of the New Birth; and that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses to, sanctifies and helps the believer, indwelling every true child of God in this Church age. John 16:7-11,13,14; John 14:16,17; Romans 8:14,27; II Thessalonians 2:7.

Angels, Demons and Satan

We believe in the personal existence of angels, demons and Satan; that Satan is the unholy god 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 4:1-3; II Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:10.

Creation

We believe that God created the heavens and the earth including all life, "each after its own kind," by direct act, according to the Genesis account; and not by the process of evolution, and that man was created in the image and likeness of God. Genesis 1:2; Colossians 1:16,17; John 1:3.

Fall of Man

We believe that man, in the person of the first Adam, was created in innocence but by voluntary transgression fell into sin, thus plunging the whole race into condemnation and total depravity. In consequence of which all men are born sinners and are directed by their sin natures to willful acts of sin. Genesis 3; Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:1.

Atonement for Sin

We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God, who, by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our sin, yet was without sin. He honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and by His death made a full and vicarious substitution of Himself in the sinner's place, the Just dying for the unjust, -- Christ the Lord bearing our sins in His own body on the tree. Having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in Heaven, uniting in His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection. He is in every way a compassionate and an all-sufficient Savior. Ephesians 2:8; Acts 15:11; Romans 3:24; John 3:16; Matthew 8:11; Hebrews 2:14; Isaiah 53:4-7; Romans 3:25; I John 4:10; I Corinthians 15:3; II Corinthians 5:21; I Peter 2:4.

Grace in the New Creation

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 in sins is 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 5:1; 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

We believe that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation. Acts 16:31; Titus 3:5; Ephesians 2:8,9; John 5:24; John 3:16,18,36.

Justification

We believe that the great gospel blessings 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 unto us. Acts 13:39; Isaiah 53:11; Romans 5:1-9; Romans 4:25.

Repentance and Faith

We believe 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, danger and helplessness, and of the way of salvation by Christ, we turn to God with unfeigned contrition, confession and supplication of mercy, at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ and openly confessing Him as our only and all sufficient Savior. Acts 2:37,38; Romans 10:13; Luke 18:13; Acts 20:20,21; Mark 1:15; Psalm 51.

Sanctification

We believe the Scriptures teach that sanctification is a work of grace within the life of the individual believer. We believe that sanctification has three aspects: the positional aspect whereby God sets apart those that are His; the progressive aspect whereby man cleanses himself from the defilement of sin 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 Thessalonians 3:12-13.

Ministry of Spiritual Gifts

We believe 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. We believe that the speaking in tongues and the working of sign miracles gradually ceased as the New Testament was completed and its authority established; that they were to convince the weak in faith and unbelievers and were not a sign of super spirituality. I Corinthians 12:4-11; I Corinthians 13:1-3; I Corinthians 14:22,23,33; Ephesians 4:7-12.

Eternal Security

We believe that true believers are eternally secure; that their persevering attachment to Christ is the grand mark which distinguishes them from superficial professors; that a special providence watches over their welfare; and that they are kept by the power of God through faith unto eternal salvation. John 8:31,32; Colossians 1:21,23; I John 2:19; Matthew 13:19,20; Romans 8:28; Matthew 6:30.

Believer's Two Natures

We believe 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 claim of eradication of the old nature in this life are unscriptural. Romans 6:11-13; Romans 8:2; Galatians 5:16-25; Colossians 3:10; Ephesians 4:22-24; II Corinthians 5:17.

The Church

A. Universal Church -

We believe 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.

B. Local Church -

We believe that a local church is a congregation of immersed believers, 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. We believe 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 interferences 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; that each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation; on all matters of membership, of polity, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final. Acts 2:41,42; I Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22,23; Ephesians 4:11; Acts 20:28; I Timothy 3:15; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 5:23,24; Acts 15:13-18.

Ordinances

We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem of our faith in the crucified, buried, risen Savior, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; and that it is a prerequisite for church membership. We believe 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; Matthew 3:16; Colossians 2:12; I Corinthians 11:23-28; Luke 22:14-20; Matthew 28:19.

The Christian Day of Worship

We believe that the Scriptures teach that the first day of each week is the Lord's Day; and is to be kept sacred for religious purposes, by abstaining from all secular labor, except works of mercy and necessity, by the devout observance of all the means of grace, both private and public; and the preparation for the rest that remains for the people of God. Acts 20:7; I Corinthians 16:1,2; Hebrews 10:25.

Civil Government

We believe 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, who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the coming King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Revelation 19:16; Romans 13:1-7; Acts 5:29.

Marriage and the Home

We believe that the home was the first institution God provided for man and that 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 12:4; I Corinthians 7:2; Ephesians 5:21,23; Mark 10:9.

Righteous and Wicked

We believe that there is radical and essential differences between the righteous and the wicked; that such only as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and sanctified by the Spirit of our 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 among men both in and after death in the everlasting felicity of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost. Malachi 3:18; Genesis 18:23; Romans 6:17,18; I John 5:19; Matthew 25:34-41; Romans 7:6; John 8:21; Proverbs 14:31.

Last Things

A. The Second Advent of Christ -

We believe in the "Blessed Hope" the personal imminent, pretribulation and premillennial 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 20:1-6,12,13,14.

B. The Judgment Seat of Christ -

We believe that every saved person will appear before the "Judgment Seat" to be judged by the Lord in regard to faithful service. I Corinthians 3:11-15; Romans 14:10; Matthew 6:2.

C. The Eternal State -

We believe in 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 the 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 5:28-29; Philippians 1:23; II Corinthians 5:8,10.

D. The Millennial Kingdom -

We believe that the Millennial Kingdom on earth will be ruled from the throne of David. Luke 1:32; Acts 2:29-30; Isaiah 9:6-7.