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ARTICLES  OF  FAITH

The Bible

We believe that the Bible, consisting of sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, was given by Divine inspiration and is the Word of God (2 Tim. 3:16,17; 2 Peter 1:19-21; I Thess. 2:13).

That it constitutes the only perfect rule and final authority in all matters pertaining to Christian faith and practice (Acts 17:11; Isa. 8:20).

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The Godhead

Who is the Creator, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe (Gen. 1:1; Heb 11:3; Neh. 9:6; Heb. 1:2, 3; Psalm 103:19; Eph 1:11).

We believe there is only one living and true God, perfect, infinite, and eternal (Matt. 5:48: I Kings 8:27; Psalm 90:2).

Who is unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, love and truth (Mal. 3:6; I Tim. 1:17; Gen. 17:1; Is. 6:3; Psalm 19:9; Ex. 34:6; John 3:16).

Who eternally exists in three Persons, namely, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Who are equal in Their Divine perfection and harmonious in the execution of Their distinct offices (Matt. 28:19; John 5:17; John 14:16, 17; John 15:26; Eph 2:18).

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Humanity
(A)    Creation

We believe that man was created by a special act of God; that he was created in the image and likeness of God, possessing personality and innocence; that he was endowed with power of rational and responsible choice in view of moral ends; and that the purpose of his creation was to glorify God (Gen. 1:27; Col. 3:10; Acts 17:24-28).

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(B)    Fall

We believe man was subject to trial in the Garden of Eden, testing his loyalty to his Maker (Gen. 2:15-17).  Under trial, he lost his holy condition, was alienated from God, and became depraved physically, mentally, morally, and spiritually, by voluntarily transgressing His positive command and yielding to the enticement of Satan.  In consequence of the fact of disobedience, the entire human race became involved in guilt and in corruption so that in every heart there is, by nature, that evil disposition which eventually leads to rebellious acts of sin and to just condemnation (Gen. 3:1-6; Rom. 5:12, 18; 3:10-12, 23; 1:19-31; Eph. 4:18;  I John 1:8-10).

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The Son

We believe that, in the fullness of time, the eternally pre-existent Son humbled Himself and assumed man's nature by being born of the Virgin Mary, thus uniting organically and indissolubly during His Earthly life the Divine and human natures in their completeness in the unique Person of Jesus Christ (Isa. 9:6, Matt. 1:18-25; John 1:14; I Tim. 3:16; Heb. 2:14).

We believe that God has provided redemption for men through the mediatorial work of Christ, Who voluntarily offered Himself on Calvary as a perfect sacrifice for sin, the just suffering for the unjust, bearing sin's curse, and tasting death for every man ( Matt. 20:28: Heb. 9:11, 12; I Pet. 3:18; Gal. 3:13; Heb. 2:9; I Tim. 2:5, 6).

We believe that on the third day He rose from the dead in a glorified body which had been laid in the tomb.  He ascended to the right hand of the Father, where he intercedes for all believers.  He shall come again, personally and visibly, to complete His saving work and to consummate the eternal plan of God.

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The Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity.  He proceeds from the Father and the Son (John 15:26);

His principal ministry, since His advent at Pentecost, is:

 

  • To reprove or convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment (John 16:8-11 RSV);

 

  • To restrain the progress of evil until God's purposes are accomplished (2 Thess. 2:7);

 

  • To bear witness to the truth preached (Acts 5:30-32);

 

  • To regenerate those who are to repent of their sins and exercise faith in Christ (John 3:3-8; Titus 3:5);

 

  • To instruct, comfort and guide God's children (John 14:16-18,26; 16:13);

 

  • To sanctify them (2 Thess. 2:13; I Peter 1:1-3);

 

  • To empower them for life and service (Rom. 8:2; Acts 1:8; Eph. 3:16; I Cor. 2:1-4; I Thess.  1:5);

 

  • And to raise believers to life in the resurrection, giving them immortal bodies in place of their  mortal bodies (Rom 8:11);

 

  • To glorify Christ (John 16:14);

 

  • To give spiritual gifts (I Cor. 12:11).

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Salvation

We believe that salvation is wholly of grace (Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5);

Being planned by God, provided for by the blood of the Son, and effected by the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:1-3; John 3:3-5);

In justification, the believer is absolved of his guilt and declared righteous in the sight of God (Rom. 5:1, 9; 4:4, 5; Acts 13:39);

In adoption, he is constituted a member of the household of God (Rom. 8: 15, 23).

In regeneration, a new life is implanted in his heart (John 3:3; Titus 2:14).

In sanctification, the new life is strengthened and developed increasingly (Heb. 10:14, II Thess. 2:13);

In glorification, this work will come to its perfect culmination in an ultimate and complete renewal of human nature (I Cor. 13).

 Repentance and faith are essential elements existing in any person who rightly claims the blessing of salvation.  They emphasize the fact that it is not through human merit of any kind but through the grace of God that redemption is given (Mark 16:6, John 3:16).

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The Church

We believe that the church invisible and universal is an organism composed of the redeemed of all eras.  We believe that the church is manifest locally and visibly through companies of believers in Christ, voluntarily joined together and meeting at stated times for worship, to observe the ordinances (Acts 2:46, 47; 20:7; I Cor. 16:2; Acts 6:1-6; 14:23);

That it is the duty of the church to give the Gospel as a witness to all men (Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 1:8);

  • To build itself up in the most holy faith (Jude 20, 21; Eph. 4:11-12, 16; Acts 20:32);

  •  All to the glory of God (I Peter 4:11).

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Sacraments

We believe that Christian sacraments are outward rites appointed by Christ, not as a means of salvation, but as visible signs and seals of the facts and realities of salvation.

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(A)   Baptism

We believe that baptism by water is the public confession of Christ as Savior and Lord.  It is a symbol of one's union, by faith, with Christ in death, burial, and resurrection, and, therefore, is to be administered to those who have given evidence of faith in Christ as their personal Savior (Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38-41; Rom. 6:3-5; Col. 2:12; Acts 8:36-39).

 

(B)   The Lord's Supper

We believe that the Lord's Supper is a memorial feast where we are to remember the death of Christ for the remission of our sins. In obedience to our Lords command "This do in remembrance of Me", we partake of the consecrated emblems of bread and wine. These consecrated emblems symbolize Christ's broken body sacrificed in death and His shed blood for the new covenant of God’s grace.

The Lords Supper should be open to all believers who are in right relationship with one another, and with the Lord. (Matt. 26: 26-30, Luke 22: 19-20, I Cor. 11: 23-26).

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Last Things

We believe that at the end of the age, Christ will descend from Heaven, the dead shall be raised bodily, and believers who are alive shall also be raised up.  They all shall be judged by God, and that those who have been redeemed will enter into full possession of eternal bliss in the presence of God, and the wicked shall be condemned to eternal punishment.  (I Pet. 4:7; I Cor. 7:29-32; Heb. 1:10-12; Acts 1:11; Acts 24:15; Matt. 25:31-46, I Thess. 4: 13-18).

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