1.
We claim as our own the faith of the historic church as expressed in
the ancient creeds and reclaimed in the basic insights of the
Protestant Reformers.
THE HOLY SCRIPTURES
2. We believe the
Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, to be the verbally
(God-breathed) inspired Word of God, without error in the original
writing, the complete revelation of His will for the salvation of
men, and the Divine and final authority of all Christian doctrine,
faith, and life. The Bible has been translated into many languages.
We believe any translation should be translated from original
languages as far as possible. II Timothy 3:16–17
THE TRINITY
3. We believe in
one God, one in essence, three in persons. He is creator of all
things, infinitely perfect and eternally co-existing in three
persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Genesis 1:1; Colossians 2:9
GOD, THE SON
4. We believe that
Jesus Christ is true God and true man, of one substance and equal
with the Father, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born
of the Virgin Mary. He died on the cross a sacrifice for our sins
according to the Scriptures. Further, He arose bodily from the dead,
ascended into heaven where, at the right hand of the Majesty on
High, He now is our High Priest and Advocate. I Corinthians 15:3–4; I
John 2:1; Luke 1:35
THE HOLY SPIRIT
5. We believe that
the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ
and during this age to convict men, regenerate the believing sinner,
indwell, guide, instruct and empower the believer for godly living
and service. John 15:26; John 16:7–14
MAN, SIN, SALVATION
6. We believe that
man was created in the image of God, and through Adam, sin entered
the world and is passed on to all men so that all men are born with
a sinful nature and are under God’s wrath and curse. All men,
therefore, are lost and only through regeneration by the Holy Spirit
can salvation and spiritual life be obtained. Genesis 1:27; Romans
5:12; John 3:3
7. We believe that the
shed blood of Jesus Christ and His resurrection provide the only
ground for justification and salvation for all who believe, and only
such as receive Jesus Christ are born of the Holy Spirit, and thus
become children of God. We believe that salvation and justification
are by grace alone, through faith alone, because of Christ alone.
Hebrews 9:22; Romans 5:1; John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8–9
8. We believe that God is
the author of salvation. Those in whom God has begun a work of grace
can neither totally nor finally fall from the state of grace.
Because God gives man eternal life through Jesus Christ, the
believer is secure in the salvation for eternity. Salvation is
maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of
the Christian. It is the grace and keeping power of God that gives
this security. John 10:29; II Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 7:25; 10:10, 14;
I Peter 1:3–5; Philippians 1:6; 2:13; Romans 8:28–30; Ephesians
1:13–14
9. We believe that the
sinless life and substitutionary death of Jesus Christ alone are
sufficient payment for the justification of all who would believe.
Matthew 20:28; Hebrews 9:22
10. We believe a person
who is regenerated by the Holy Spirit receives Jesus Christ into his
heart and confesses him as Lord. Romans 10:9–10
11. We believe
sanctification is the work of God’s free grace whereby we are
renewed in the whole man after the image of God and are enabled more
and more to die unto sin and live unto righteousness. This
sanctification is throughout in the whole of man, yet imperfect in
this life. Romans 6:5–14; 7:18, 23; Galatians 5:17–18
ORDINANCES
12. We believe,
that during this present age, the Lord's Supper and Water Baptism
are ordinances to be observed by such as receive Jesus Christ. They
are, however, not to be regarded as means of salvation. I Corinthians 11:23–26;
Matthew 28:19–20
THE CHURCH
13. We believe
that the true Church is composed of all such persons who, through
saving faith in Jesus Christ, have been regenerated by the Holy
Spirit and are baptized into the body of Christ of which He is the
head. I Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 4:1–6; Titus 3:5
14. We believe that only
those who are thus members of the true and invisible Church shall be
eligible for membership in the local church. Acts 2:47
15. We believe that Jesus
Christ is the Lord and Head of the Church and that every local
church has the right under Christ to decide and govern its own
affairs. Ephesians 1:22; Colossians 1:18
ESCHATOLOGY
16. We believe in
the physical and imminent coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and that
this "Blessed Hope" has a vital bearing on the personal
life and service of the believer. Acts 1:11; I Thessalonians 4:14–16;
I John 3:1–3
17. We believe in a heaven
and a hell. Heaven is the place of eternal conscious happiness for
all who accept by faith the merits of Christ’s atoning sacrifice.
Hell is a place of eternal conscious torment for all who reject
Christ. John 14:1–6; Philippians 3:20; Psalms 9:17; II
Thessalonians 1:7–9; Revelation 20:10–15
18. We believe in the
bodily resurrection of the dead; of the believer to everlasting
blessedness and joy with the Lord; of the unbeliever to judgment and
everlasting conscious punishment. II Corinthians 5:10; Revelation
20:15; II Thessalonians 1:7–9
19. We believe that Satan
is a created angel and the author of sin. He incurred the judgment
of God by rebelling against his Creator, by taking numerous angels
with him in his fall, and by introducing sin into the human race by
his temptation of Eve. He is the open and declared enemy of God and
man, the prince of this world who has been defeated through the
death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and that he shall be
eternally punished in the lake of fire. Isaiah 14:12–17; Ezekiel
28:11–19; Revelation 20:7–10
|
