Statements of Faith
Section 1. - The Scriptures. We believe in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the original autographs of the Bible and that the Bible is therefore reliable and inerrant in whatever it says on any subject
"Inspired" - Literally "God breathed". i.e. the Bible is the very breath of God - 2 Timothy 3:16.
"Verbal" - God chose the use of every word of the Bible, using the background and temperament of the individual authors - Matthew 5:18.
"Plenary" - All Scripture is inspired, not just that dealing with faith and practice - 2 Timothy 3:16.
"Inerrant" - Literally "without error". No statement in the Bible is wrong - in cases where it is quoting someone, that quote is accurate though the idea of the person making the statement may itself be wrong - John 17:17
Section 2. - God. We believe that there is but One God (Deuteronomy 6:4) consisting of Three Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). All Three possess all of the Divine attributes and were involved in the act of creation (Genesis 1:1, 2; John 1:3) a well as the provision of our redemption (Ephesians 1:3-14).
Section 3. - Person and Work of Jesus Christ. We believe in the Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ (John 1:1), His Virgin Birth (Luke 1:30-35); His Sinless Life (2 Corinthians 5:21); His Substitutionary Death on the cross for our sins (1 Peter 3:18); His Physical Resurrection from the grave (John 20:3-8); His Ascension to the right hand of the Father, and His present intercession there for believers (Romans 8:34); and His Imminent, Visible, Personal Return for the saints (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
Section 4. - The Holy Spirit - We believe in the Personality and Deity of the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4); that He reproves the world of sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16:8); that He seals (Ephesians 1:13-14), indwells (1 Corinthians 6:19), fills (Ephesians 5:18), guides (John 16:13) and comforts (John 14:26) the believer, and that His role is to speak of Christ (John 15:26; 16:13). While we believe that He is the giver of gifts to the believer for the service and ministry to the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:4-11), we do not believe that He gives the sign gifts any longer (1 Corinthians 13:9-10).
Section 5. - Man. We believe that man was directly created by God in His own image (Genesis 1:26-27) on the sixth literal day of creation (Exodus 20:11), that he sinned in disobedience to God (Genesis 3), fell and came by nature to be totally depraved (Romans 7:18, 23) and dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). We further believe that he is in this condition, in need of regeneration through the Holy Spirit of God and faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:3).
Section 6. - Salvation. We believe that salvation is wholly of grace through faith and wholly apart from human merit and that man, who by birth and choice are sinners, must exercise faith in Christ's redeeming work on Calvary.
Section 7. - Satan. We believe in the reality and personality of Satan, that he formerly occupied the position of a special angel, fell through pride and is presently Prince of the Power of the air and god of this age, and that he HAS BEEN JUDGED (John 16:11) and will at the last be cast by God into the Lake of Fire forever.
Section 8. - Heaven & Hell. We believe in a Heaven of eternal bliss for all believers and in a Hell and Lake of Fire reserved for those who reject Christ and die unforgiven of their sins, and who will suffer everlasting punishment.
Section 9. - The Church and its Ordinances. We believe a local New Testament Church is a voluntary association of baptized believers equal in rank and privilege, subject to the Word of God, and independent of any external ecclesiastical control whatsoever. We believe God's Word commands every believer and only believers, to be baptized and that the only scriptural mode is immersion. We believe the ordinance of the Lord's Supper should be observed and that it is a privilege peculiar to those who are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Section 10. - Evangelization. We believe in the great Commission of Christ to evangelize the world and that this is the great mission of the Church and the solemn obligation of every believer.
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Statements of Faith
