What We Believe
The
Scriptures – The Bible is the inspired Word of God, the product of holy
men of old who spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
The New Covenant, as recorded in the New Testament, we accept as our
infallible guide in matters pertaining to conduct and doctrine (2 Tim.
3:16; I Thess. 2:13; 2 Peter 1:21).
The Godhead – Our God is
one, but manifested in three persons – the Father, the Son, and the
Holy Spirit, being co-equal (Phil. 2:6).
God the Father is greater than all; the Sender of the Word (Logos) and the begetter (John 14:28; John 16:28; John 1:14).
The
Son is the Word flesh-covered, the One Begotten, and has existed with
the Father from the beginning (John 1:1; John 1:18; John 1:14).
The Holy Spirit proceeds forth from both the Father and the Son and is eternal (John 15:26).
Man,
His Fall and Redemption – Man is a created being, made in the likeness
and image of God, but through Adam’s transgression and fall, sin came
into the world. “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of god.”
“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.” Jesus Christ,
the Son of God, was manifested to undo the work of the devil and gave
His life and shed His blood to redeem and restore man back to God (Rom.
5:14; Rom. 3:10; Rom. 3:23; I John 3:8).
Salvation is the gift
of God to man, separate from works and the law, and is made operative
by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, producing works acceptable to
god (Eph. 2:8).
Eternal Life and the New Birth – Man’s first
step toward salvation is godly sorrow that worketh repentance. The New
Birth is necessary to all men, and when experienced, produces eternal
life (2 Cor. 7:10; I John 5:12; John 3:3-5).
Water Baptism –
Baptism in water is by immersion, is a direct commandment of our Lord,
and is for believers only. The ordinance is a symbol of the Christian’s
identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection
(Matt. 28:19; Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12; Acts 8:36-39).
The
following recommendation regarding the water baptismal formula is
adopted; to wit: “On the confession of your faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ, the Son of God, and by His authority, I baptize you in the Name
of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen.”
Sanctification – The Bible teaches that without holiness no man can see the Lord. We believe in the Doctrine of Sanctification as a definite, yet progressive work of grace, commencing at the time of regeneration and continuing until the consummation of salvation at Christ’s return (Heb. 12:14; I Thess. 5:23; 2 Peter 3:18; 2 Cor. 3:18; Phil. 3:12-14; I Cor. 1:30).
Divine Healing – Healing is for the physical ills of the human body and is wrought by the power of God through the prayer of faith, and by the laying on of hands. It is provided for in the atonement of Christ, and is the privilege of every member of the church today (Mark 16:18; James 5:14,15; I Peter 2:24; Matt. 8:17; Isa. 53:4,5).
Resurrection of the Just and the Return of Our Lord – The angels said to Jesus’ disciples, “… this same Jesus… shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” His coming is imminent. When He comes, “… the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air…” (Acts 1:11; I Thess. 4:16,17).
Following the Tribulation, He shall return to earth as King of kings, and Lord of lords, and together with His saints, who shall be kings and priests, He shall reign a thousand years (Rev. 20:6).
Hell and Eternal Retribution – The one who physically dies in his sins without accepting Christ is hopelessly and eternally lost in the Lake of Fire and, therefore, has no further opportunity of hearing the Gospel or repenting. The Lake of Fire is literal. The terms “eternal” and “everlasting”, used in describing the duration of the punishment of the damned in the Lake of Fire, carry the same thought and meaning of endless existence as used in denoting the duration of joy and ecstasy of saints in the presence of God (Heb. 9:27; Rev. 19:20).
Giving and Receiving - “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8), “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” (Malachi 3:10) Our church tithes 10% of the money received back into various missionaries and outreaches in our local community.