SCRIPTURES
We believe the Holy Bible to be the revealed Word of God; supernaturally inspired; that it has truth for its matter without any admixture of error. The Holy Scriptures is and shall remain to the end of the age the only complete and final revelation of the will of God to man; and that it is the true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct creeds and opinions should be tried. We believe that God not only inspired every word, but preserved them through the ages.
By Holy Bible we mean that collection of sixty-six books, from Genesis to Revelation, which, as originally written and providentially preserved, does not only contain and convey the Word of God, but is the very Word of God.
By inspiration we mean that the books of the Bible were written by holy men of God as they were moved by the Holy Ghost in such a definite way that their writings were supernaturally and verbally inspired and free from error, as no other writings have ever been or ever will be inspired.
We believe the Authorized (King James) Version, Old and New Testaments, is the Word of God kept intact for English speaking peoples by way of God’s divine providence and work of preservation; and that the Authorized Version translators were not “inspired”, but were merely God’s instruments used to preserve His words for English speaking peoples.
By providentially preserved we mean that God through the ages has, in His divine providence, preserved the very words that He inspired; that the Hebrew Old Testament text, as found in the Traditional Masoretic Text, and the Greek New Testament text, as found in the Textus Receptus, are indeed the products of God’s providential preservation and are altogether the complete, preserved, inerrant Word of God.
We therefore believe that the Authorized Version (King James Version) be the only English version used for the purpose of teaching and preaching and in the use of any ministries of our church. We also declare the Authorized Version to be the only English version endorsed by our church or our pastoral staff, administrative staff, or educational staff including, but not limited to, Pastors, Missionaries, Sunday School Teachers, Deacons, Principals, and School Teachers.
Dt. 4:2; Ps. 12:6-7; Ps. 119:89, 105, 130, 160; Isa. 8:20; Isa. 40:8; Jer. 23:29; Ezk 12:25; Mt. 5:17-18; Mt. 22:29; Lk. 24:44-45; Jn. 12:48; Jn. 17:17; Jn. 20:30-31; Rom. 3:4; Rom 15:4; Eph. 6:17; II Tim. 3:16-17; Heb. 4:12; I Pt. 1:23-25; II Pt. 1:19-21; Rev. 22:18-19
THE GODHEAD
We believe there is one and only one living and true God, an infinite intelligent Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth; that He is inexpressible, glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, equal in every divine perfection and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.
Genesis 17:1; Exodus 20:2-3; 15:11; Psalm 83:18; 90:2; 147:5; Jeremiah 10:10; Matthew 28:19; Mark 12:30; John 4:24; 10:30; 15:26; 17:5; Acts 5:3-4; Romans 11:23; 1Corinthians 12:10-11; 8:6; 12:4-6; 2Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 2:18; 4:6; Philippians 2:5-6; 1Timothy 1:17; 1 John 5:7; Revelation 4:1
THE PERSON AND WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and, that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption.
John 16:8-11; Rom. 8:9; I Cor. 12:12-14; II Cor. 3:6; Eph. 1:13-14
We believe that He is the divine Teacher who assists believers to understand and appropriate the Scriptures and that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with Spirit.
Eph. 1:17-18; Eph. 5:18; I John 2:20, 27)
We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer. God uniquely uses evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip believers in the assembly in order that they can do the work of the ministry.
Rom. 12:3-8; I Cor. 12:4-11, 28; Eph. 4:7-12
THE PERSON AND WORK OF CHRIST
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men.
Isa. 7:14; Isa. 9:6; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-2, 14; II Cor. 5:19-21; Gal. 4:4-5; Phil. 2:5-8
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead.
Acts 2:18-36; Rom. 3:24-25; I Pet. 2:24; Eph 1:7; I Peter 1:3-5
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate.
Acts 1:9-10; Heb. 9:24; Heb. 7:25; Rom. 8:34; I John 2:1-2
THE DEVIL AND SATAN
We believe that Satan was once holy, and enjoyed heavenly honors; but through pride and ambition to be as the Almighty, fell and drew after him a host of angels; that he is now the malignant prince of the power of the air, and the unholy god of this world. We hold him to be man’s great tempter, the enemy of God and His Christ, the accuser of the saints, the author of all false religions, the chief power back of the present apostasy; the lord of the antichrist, and the author of all the powers of darkness – destined however to final defeat at the hands of God’s own Son, and to the judgment of an eternal justice in hell, a place prepared for him and his angels.
Isa. 14:12-15; Eze. 28:14-17; Matt. 4:1-3; 13:25; 25:41; 27:39; Mark 13:21-22; Luke 22:3-4; John 14:30; Eph. 2:2; II Cor. 11:13-15; I Thess. 3:5; II Thess. 2:8-11; I Peter 5:8; II Pt. 2:4; I John 2:22; 3:8; 4:3; II John 7; Jude 6; Rev. 12:7-10; Rev. 13:13-14; Rev. 19:11, 16, 20; Rev. 20:1-3, 10
CREATION
We believe in the Genesis account of creation, and that it is to be accepted literally, and not allegorically or figuratively; that man was created directly in God’s own image and after His own likeness; that man’s creation was not a matter of evolution or evolutionary change of species, or development through interminable periods of time from lower to higher forms; that all animal and vegetable life was made directly and God’s established law was that they should bring forth only “after their kind.” We reject any teachings that support evolution, the Gap Theory, the Day-Age Theory and Theistic Evolution as unscriptural theories of origin.
Gen. 1:1-2, 11, 24, 26-27; 2:21-23; Ex. 20:11; Neh. 9:6; Jer. 10:12; John 1:3; Acts 4:24; 17:23-26; Rom. 1:20; Col. 1:16-17; Heb. 11:3; Rev. 10:6
THE VIRGIN BIRTH
We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Ghost in a miraculous manner; born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born or can ever be born of a woman, and that He is both the Son of God, and God, the Son.
Gen. 3:15; Ps. 2:7; Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18-25; Mark 1:1; Luke 1:35; John 1:14; Gal. 4:4; 1Cor. 15:47; I John 5:20
TOTAL DEPRAVITY OF MAN
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God; but that in Adam’s sin the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God. Man is totally depraved and, of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition.
Gen. 1:26-27; Rom. 3:22-23; Rom. 5:12; Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:1-3; 4:17-19
THE FALL OF MAN
We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy state, in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, not by constraint, but of choice; and therefore under just condemnation without defense or excuse.
Gen. 3:1-6, 24; Eze. 18:19-20; Rom. 1:18, 20, 28,32; Rom. 3:10-19; 5:12, 19; Gal. 3:22; Eph. 2:1, 3
REPENTANCE AND FAITH
We believe that Repentance and Faith are solemn obligations, and also inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the quickening Spirit of God; thereby, 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 for mercy; at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ and openly confessing Him as our only and all-sufficient Savior.
Ps. 51:1-4,7; Isa. 55:6-7; Mark 1:15; Luke 12:8; Luke 18:13; Acts 2:37-38; Acts 20:21; Rom. 10:9-11,13
ATONEMENT OF SIN
We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace; through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God, Who by appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin, honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and by His death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins; that His atonement consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was the voluntary 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; that, having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in heaven and uniting in His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection, He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate and an all sufficient Savior.
Isa. 53:4-7,11-12; Matt. 18:11; John 3:16; 10:18; Acts 15:11; Rom. 3:24-25; Gal. 1:4; Eph. 2:8; Phil. 2:7-8; Heb. 2:14; Heb. 7:25; Heb. 9:12-15; Heb. 12:2
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, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel; that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life.
Luke 5:27; John 1:12-13; John 3:3,6-7; Acts 2:41; Rom. 6:23; II Cor. 5:17,19; Gal. 5:22; Eph. 2:1; Eph. 5:9; Col. 2:13; I John 5:1
THE FREENESS OF SALVATION
We believe in God’s electing grace; that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the gospel; that it is the immediate duty of all to accept them by a cordial, penitent and obedient faith; and nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but his own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the gospel; which rejection involves him in an aggravated condemnation.
Isa. 55:1; Matt. 11:28; John 3:15-18, 36; John 5:40; John 6:37; Acts 2:38; Rom. 8:29-30; Rom. 10:13; I Cor. 15:10; Eph. 2:4-5; Col. 3:12; I Thess. 1:4; I Tim. 1:15; Titus 1:1; I Peter 1:2; Rev. 22:17
THE ETERNAL SECURITY AND ASSURANCE OF BELIEVERS
We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever.
John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Rom. 8:1, 38-39; I Cor. 1:4-8; I Pet. 1:4-5
We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word, which however, clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh.
Rom. 13:13-14; Gal. 5:13; Titus 2:11-15
JUSTIFICATION
We believe 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 principles of 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 imputed unto us.
Isa. 53:11; Hab. 2:4; Zech. 13:1; Acts 13:39; Rom. 1:17; Rom. 4:1; Rom. 5:1-9; 8:1; Gal. 3:11; Titus 3:5-7; Heb. 10:38
THE CHURCH
We believe that a church is a congregation of baptized believers associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the gospel, said church being understood to be the citadel and propagator of the Divine and Eternal Grace; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word; that its officers of ordination are pastors or elders whose qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly defined in the scriptures; we believe the true mission of the church is found in the Great Commission: First, to make individual disciples; Second, to build up the church; Third, to teach and instruct as He has commanded. We do not believe in the reversal of this order; 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 true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel; that every church is the sole and only judge of the measure and method of its cooperation; on all matters of membership, of policy, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final.
Lev. 27:31; Mal. 3:10; Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; Acts 6:5-6; Acts 14:23; Acts 15:22-23; Acts 20:17-28; I Cor. 5:11-13; I Cor. 6:1-3; I Cor. 11:2; I Cor. 12:4, 8-11; I Cor. 16:1-2; Eph. 1:22-23; Eph. 4:11; Eph. 5:23-24; Col. 1:18; I Tim. 3:1-13
Furthermore, we believe the local church is the body and espoused bride of Christ; that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament.
I Cor. 12:12-14; II Cor. 11:2; Eph. 1:22-23; Eph. 5:25-27
ORDINANCES – BAPTISM AND THE LORD’S SUPPER
We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion in water of a believer, in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, with the authority of the local church, to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried and risen Savior, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that it is prerequisite to the privileges of a church relation and to the Lord’s supper, in which the members of the church, by the sacred use of bread and the fruit of the vine (grape juice) are to commemorate together the dying love of Christ; preceded always by solemn self-examination.
We embrace the biblical view regarding closed communion, in that, only members of our local assembly partake of the elements of the Lord’s Supper.
Matt. 3:6; 3:16; 28:19-20; John 3:23; Acts 2:41-42; 8:36-39; Rom. 6:3-5; I Cor. 11:23-28; Col. 2:12
We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion in water of a believer, in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, with the authority of the local church, to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried and risen Savior, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that it is prerequisite to the privileges of a church relation and to the Lord’s supper, in which the members of the church, by the sacred use of bread and the fruit of the vine are to commemorate together the dying love of Christ; preceded always by solemn self-examination.
Matt. 3:6, 16; Matt. 28:19-20; John 3:23; Acts 2:41-42; Acts 8:36-39; Rom. 6:3-5; I Cor. 11:23-28; Col. 2:12
THE PRESERVATION OF THE SAINTS
We believe that such only are real believers as endure unto the end; 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.
Ps. 121:3; Matt. 6:20; Matt. 13:19-21; John 8:31-32; John 10:28-29; John 16:8; Rom. 8:28,35-39; Phil. 1:6; Col. 1:21-23; Heb. 1:14; I Peter 1:5; I John 2:19
THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED
We believe that there is a radical and essential difference 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.
Gen. 18:23; Prov. 11:31; Prov. 14:32; Mal. 3:18; Matt. 7:13-14; Matt. 25:34; Luke 9:26; 16:25; John 8:21; John 12:25; Acts 10:34-35; Rom. 1:17; Rom. 6:16-18, 23; Rom. 7:6; I Cor. 15:22; Gal. 3:10; I Pet. 4:18; I John 2:7, 29; I John 5:19
CIVIL GOVERNMENT
We believe that civil government is of divine appointment, for the interests and good order of human society; that 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 Prince of the kings of the earth.
Ex. 18:21-22; II Samuel 23:3; Ps. 72:11; Dan. 3:17-18; Matt. 10:28; Matt. 22:21; Matt. 23:10; Acts 4:19-20; 23:5; Rom. 13:7; Phil. 2:10-11; Titus 3:1; I Peter 2:13-14, 17
THE RESURRECTION AND RETURN OF CHRIST AND RELATED EVENTS
We believe in and accept the sacred Scriptures upon these subjects at their face and full value. Of the Resurrection, we believe that Christ rose bodily “The third day according to the Scriptures”; that He ascended “to the right hand of the throne of God”; that He alone is our “merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God”; “that this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven,” bodily, personally, and visibly; that the “dead in Christ shall rise first”; that the living saints “shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump”; “that the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David”; and that “Christ shall reign a thousand years in righteousness until He hath put all enemies under His feet.”
Ps. 72:8; Isa. 11:4-5; Matt. 24:27, 42; Matt. 28:6-7; Mark 16:6,19; Luke 1:32; Luke 24:2, 4-6, 39, 51; John 14:3; John 20:27; Acts 1:9,11; I Cor. 15:4; Phil. 4:20; I Thess. 4:16; I Tim. 2:5; Heb. 2:17; Heb. 5:9; Heb. 8:1; Heb. 9:28; Heb. 12:2
MISSIONS
We believe that God has given the church a great commission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations so that there might be a great multitude from every nation, tribe, ethnic group, and language group who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. As ambassadors of Christ we must use all available means to go to the foreign nations and not wait for them to come to us. To fulfill the Great Commission bestowed upon the church we have established the Faith Promise Missions Fund to support missionaries that will be entrusted to propagate the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; II Cor. 5:20
GRACE-GIVING
We believe that every Christian, as a steward f that portion of God’s wealth entrusted to him, is obligated to support his local church financially. We believe that God has established the tithe as a basis for giving, but that every Christian should also give other offerings sacrificially and cheerfully to the support of the church, the relief of those in need, and the spread of the Gospel.
Gen. 14:20; Prov. 3:9-10; Acts 4:34-27; I Cor. 16:2; II Cor. 9:6-7; Gal. 6:6; Eph. 4:28; I Tim. 5:17-18;
I John 3:17
DISPENSATIONALISM
We believe that the Scriptures interpreted in their natural, literal sense reveal divinely determined dispensations or rules of life which define salvation. These dispensations are not ways of salvation, but rather are divinely ordered stewardships by which God directs man according to His purpose. Three of these dispensations – the law, the church, and the kingdom – are the subjects of detailed revelation in Scripture.
Gen. 1:28; I Cor. 9:17; II Cor. 3:9-18; Gal. 3:13-25; Eph. 1:10; Eph. 3:2-10; Col. 1:24-25, 27; Rev. 20:2-6
LOVE
We believe that we should demonstrate love for others, not only toward fellow believers, but also toward both those who are not believers and those who oppose us. We are to deal with those who oppose us graciously, gently, patiently, and humbly. God forbids the stirring up of strife, the taking of revenge, or the threat or the use of violence as a means of resolving personal conflict or obtaining personal justice. Although God commands us to abhor sinful actions, we are to love and pray for any person who engages in such sinful actions.
Lev. 19:18; Matt. 5:44-48; Luke 6:31; John 13:34-35; Rom. 12:9-10, 17-21; Rom. 13:8-10; Phil. 2:2-4; II Tim. 2:24-26; Titus 3:2; I John 3:17-18