Statement of Faith
WE BELIEVE:
All
Scripture is verbally inspired as originally written
and therefore infallible and inerrant.
The Bible IS the
Word of God. We
do not accept the misleading
statement, "The Bible contains the Word of
God."
(2 Peter 1:21; 2 Timothy 3:16)
There
is one living and true God who exists in three
persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Father is God;
the Son is God; and the Holy Spirit is God.
(Matthew 28:19; Ephesians 4:4-6; John 14:16-17;
2 Corinthians 13:14)
Satan
is a created being, a Fallen Angel, under God the
Father’s authority, ruler of the world by God's
permission
at present and destined to be eternally
judged.
All men inherit a depraved nature and are lost sinners
in need of salvation.
(Romans 3:23; 5:12; Psalm 51:5; Isaiah 53:6)
The
Lord Jesus Christ was conceived of the Holy Spirit
and born of a virgin.
(Matthew 1:20-21; Luke 1:35; Isaiah 7:14)
God
has provided salvation by offering His sinless Son
on the cross of
as the atonement for our sins.
(2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Timothy 1:15; 2 Peter 2:1-2)
Jesus
rose bodily from the dead and ascended unto
God the Father at Whose right hand He sits interceding
for the Saints.
(Acts 1:9-11; Hebrews 9:24)
We
are saved and justified when we recognize ourselves
as sinners and believe in Jesus as the Son of God and
in
His completed and perfect redemptive work. Salvation is
by grace through faith alone.
(2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Timothy 1:15; 2 Peter 2:1-2;
Colossians 1:14; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 5:8-10)
Once
saved, we cannot be lost. We are
eternally secure
in Jesus.
(John 10:28-29)
Jesus
will return with the "dead in Christ," whose bodies will
be resurrected first and for those believers who are
alive at His coming.
His coming is known as the Rapture.
This resurrection precedes the Tribulation and His
subsequent second coming for a one thousand year rule
on the earth.
(1 Thessalonians 4:14-15; 1Corinthians 15:51-56)
All
the saved will enter into eternal blessedness and all
other mankind into eternal punishment.
(Acts 24:14-15; John 5:28-29; Luke 16:19-31; Revelation
20:12-15; 21:8)
The
Baptism of the Holy Spirit takes place at the time of
conversion and is God's work of placing the believer into
Christ. It is
not a "second work of grace."
It differs from
the "filling of the Holy Spirit," an ongoing
process in the
believer's life.
Neither of these aspects of the Holy
Spirit's presence is accompanied by unusual signs such
as "speaking in tongues."
(1 Corinthians 12:1-13; 14:21-22)
Water
baptism does not secure or complete salvation.
It is an outer testimony of God's inner work of
salvation.
We baptize by immersion.
(Romans 6:3-4)
The
Lord’s Supper is a memorial of Jesus’ death and the
elements are symbols of His body and blood. All believers
are invited to participate in our regular memorial of
the
Lord's Supper.
(1 Corinthians 11:23-32)
The
grace of God teaches us "to live soberly,
righteously, godly."
(Ephesians 2:10; 5:25-26; John 17:17; Galatians 5:16)
THIS
DOCTRINAL STATEMENT IS NOT MEANT TO BE A
FULL OR ADEQUATE EXPRESSION OF THE BELIEFS OF
THIS CHURCH BUT TO PROVIDE A TOOL TO AID THE
ELDER BOARD IN SELECTING DOCTRINALLY SOUND
TEACHERS AND LEADERS AND TO ANSWER THOSE
WHO MIGHT ASK THE BASIC DOCTRINAL TEACHINGS
EMBRACED BY THIS BODY.
Webpage prepared by Paul Coppinger