Article I
THE SCRIPTURES
We believe in the authority and sufficiency of the Holy Bible, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, as originally written; that it was verbally and plenarily inspired and is the product of Spirit-controlled men, and therefore is infallible and inerrant in all matters of which it speaks.
We believe the Bible to be the true center of all Christian unity and the supreme standard by which all human conduct; creed and opinions shall be tried. 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:19-21
Article II
THE TRINITY
We believe there is one, and only one, true and living God; that there is indivisible unity in the Godhead, yet existing in three separate persons - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit - equal in every divine perfection, of the same essence and executing distinct, but harmonious, offices in the great work of both creation and redemption. Matthew 28:19, 3:16-17; John 6:27; Acts 5:3-4; 1 Corinthians 1:9-14; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 4:6; Hebrews 1:8
Article III
GOD THE FATHER
We believe God, the Father, is a spirit infinite, eternal and unchangeable in all of His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth. He is the Creator, Sustainer and Ruler of the universe, Giver of all life in sovereign authority over all His created beings, the Keeper over the nation Israel and the Father and Disciplinarian of His chosen in Jesus Christ. Psalm 139:7-10; Isaiah 46:9; Romans 11:33; Revelation 19:6
Article IV
THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary as no other man was ever nor can be born of a woman. He is very God of very God, being "God manifest in the flesh." He lived a life of absolute sinlessness and in His death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins, dying not as a martyr, but as a voluntary substitute in the sinner's place. He rose bodily from the dead on the third day and ascended into heaven where He now sits at the right hand of the Father as our High Priest, interceding and preparing a place for us. Matthew 1:18-25, 28:6; John 1:1, 14:3, 20:27; Acts 15:16; 1 Corinthians 15:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; 2 Thessalonians 2:6-8; Hebrews 7:25, 8:6, 12:2; 1 Peter 2:22, 3:18; 1 John 2:1; Revelation 3:21
Article V
THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; that He was active in creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God's purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of righteousness and of judgment, that He bears witness to the truth of the gospel in preaching and testimony; That He is the Agent in the new birth; that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the believer.
We believe the Bible disavows the authenticity of the sign gifts to individuals in this day such as the gift of miracles, healing, prophecy, speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues, word of knowledge, etc. We also believe the Bible repudiates the experience-orientated theology and ecumenically-orientated practice of the charismatic movement. Genesis 1:1-3; Matthew 28:19; Mark 1:8; Luke 1:35, 24:49; John 1:33, 3:5-6, 14:16-17, 26; 16:8-11; Acts 1:5, 5:30-32, 11:16; Romans 8:14,16,26-27, 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:8-13, 13:8-12, 28:31; Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:7-11; Hebrews 9:14; Revelation 22:18-19
Article VI
THE DEVIL OR SATAN
We believe in the reality and personality of Satan, the Devil; and that he was created by God as an angel but through pride and rebellion became the enemy of his Creator; that he became the unholy god of this age and the ruler of all the powers of darkness and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire. Matthew 4:1-11; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:10
Article VII
CREATION
We believe the Biblical account of the creation of the physical universe, angels and man; that this account is neither allegory nor myth, but a literal, historical account of the direct, immediate creative acts of God in six literal days without any evolutionary process; that man was created by a direct work of God and not from previously existing forms of life; and that all men are descended from the historical Adam and Eve, first parents of the entire human race. Genesis 1 and 2; Psalm 33:9; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 1:2
Article VIII
THE FALL OF MAN
We believe that man was created in innocence (in the image and likeness of God) under the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression Adam fell from his sinless and happy state, and all men sinned in him, in consequence of which all men are totally depraved, are partakers of Adam's fallen nature and are sinners by nature and by conduct, and therefore are under just condemnation without defense or excuse. Genesis 3:1-6; Romans 1:18-32, 3:10-19, 5:12, 19
Article IX
SALVATION
We believe that the salvation of sinners is divinely initiated and wholly of grace through the mediatorial offices of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Who, by the appointment of the Father, voluntarily took upon Himself our nature, yet without sin, and honored the divine law by His personal obedience, thus qualifying Himself to be our Savior; that by the shedding of His blood in His death He fully satisfied the just demands of a holy and righteous God regarding sin; that His sacrifice consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was a 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. We believe that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation. Repentance is a change of mind and purpose toward God prompted by the Holy Spirit and is an integral part of saving faith. Isaiah 53:4-7; Jonah 2:9; Matthew 18:11; John 3:16; Acts 15:11; Romans 3:24-25; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:8; Philippians 2:7-8; Hebrews 2:14-17; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 4:10
Article X
GRACE AND THE NEW BIRTH
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 by our sovereign God in a manner above our comprehension, 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, faith and newness of life. John 3:3,8; Acts 16:20-33; Romans 6:23; II Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:1,5; Colossians 2:13; 1 John 5:1
Article XI
JUSTIFICATION
We believe that justification is that judicial act of God whereby He declares the believer righteous upon the basis of the imputed righteousness of Christ; that it is bestowed; not in consideration of any work of righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in the Redeemer's shed blood. Romans 3:5,24, 5:1,9; Galatians 2:15; Philippians 3:9
Article XII
SANCTIFICATION
We believe that sanctification is the divine setting apart of the believer unto God accomplished in a threefold manner; first, an eternal act of God, based upon redemption in Christ, establishing the believer in a position of holiness at the moment he trusts the Savior; second, a continuing process in the saint as the Holy Spirit applies the Word of God to the life; third, the final accomplishment of this process at the Lord's return. John 17:17; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 5:25-27; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4, 5:23-24; Hebrews 3:1, 10:10-14; 1 John 3:2; Jude 24-25; Revelation 22:11
Article XIII
SECURITY OF THE SAINTS
We believe that all who are truly born again are kept eternally by God the Father for Jesus Christ. John 10:28-29; Romans 8:35-39; Philippians 1:6;
Jude 1
Article XIV
THE CHURCH
We believe the Scriptures teach that the Church of Jesus Christ began at Pentecost and will be completed at the Rapture. It must be considered in two aspects: the local church and the "church which is His body." The local church is a congregation of baptized believers, associated by a covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel, observing the ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word. Its Scriptural officers are pastors, sometimes called bishops or elders, and deacons, whose qualification, claims, and duties are defined in the epistles to Timothy and Titus. This definition of the local church leads to these Scriptural distinctives:
Article XV
BAPTISM AND THE LORD'S SUPPER
We believe that Christian baptism is the single immersion of a believer in water to show forth in a solemn and beautiful symbol our identification with the crucified, buried and risen Savior, through Whom we died to sin and rose to a new life; that baptism is to be performed under the authority of the local church; and that it is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership.
We believe that the Lord's Supper is the commemoration of His death until He come, and should be preceded always by solemn self-examination. We believe that the Biblical order of the ordinances is baptism first and then the Lord's Supper and that participants in the Lord's Supper should be immersed believers. Matthew 3:16, 28:18-20; John 3:23; Acts 2:41-42, 8:36-39; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 11:23-28; Colossians 2:12
Article XVI
PERSONAL AND ECCLESIASTICAL SEPARATION
We believe the Scriptures teach that every believer should be separated unto God from the world and by the aid of the Holy Spirit, should walk in Christian love and holiness, exhibiting qualities of honesty, integrity, forgiveness and loving-kindness. We further believe that any achievement in these characteristics will be evidenced by sincere humility and genuine zeal for the advancement of the cause of Christ. We also believe the Scriptures admonish every believer not to love the world or the things in the world, but rather to flee evil desires, avoid every kind of evil and refrain from questionable practices which destroy one's testimony, offend one's brother and fail to glorify God. Proverbs 15:33; Romans 14:19-21; 1 Corinthians 6:18-20, 8:9-13, 10:23,33; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Galatians 5:22-25; Ephesians 4:32, 5:1-2,7-17,15-20; Philippians 4:8; 1 Thessalonians 4:7; 1 Peter 5:5-6
We believe the Scriptures teach that the local church should be separated from churches and organizations which sanction theological compromise or teach and practice apostasy. This doctrine is based upon God's eternal principle of division between truth and error and His specific command to be separate from unbelievers. We further believe the Scriptures teach not only a separation from apostasy, but also to separate from disobedient brethren in Christ. This truth is to be practiced with an attitude of devotion to God, humility, compassion, and yet with conviction, to create the proper condition and atmosphere for the salvation of the lost through the gospel of God. We believe ecumenical evangelism and other endeavors, which involve apostates, violates the principles taught in God's Word. Matthew 10:34-39, 18:15; Romans 16:17; 1 Corinthians 5:7-13; 2 Corinthians 6:14, 11:4; Galatians 1:8-9; 2 Timothy 2:16-18; Titus 3:10-11; 2 John 9-11
Article XVII
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 in those things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ Who is the only Lord of the conscience and the coming King of Kings. Exodus 18:21-22; 2 Samuel 23:3; Daniel 3:17-18; Matthew 22:21; Acts 4:19-20, 5:29, 23:5; Romans 13:1-7
Article XVIII
ISRAEL
We believe in the sovereign selection of Israel as God's eternal covenant people, that she is now dispersed because of her disobedience and rejection of Christ, and that she will be regathered in the Holy Land and, after the completion of the Church, will be saved as a nation at the second advent of Christ. Genesis 13:14-17; Ezekiel 37, Romans 11:1-32
Article XIX
RAPTURE AND SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
We believe in the premillenial return of Christ, an event which can occur at any moment, and at that moment the dead in Christ shall be raised in glorified bodies, and the living in Christ shall be given glorified bodies without tasting death, and all shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air before the seven years of the Tribulation. 1 Corinthians 15:42-44, 51-54; Philippians 3:20-21; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 3:10
We believe that the Tribulation, which follows the Rapture of the Church, will be culminated by the revelation of Christ in power and great glory to sit upon the throne of David and to establish the millennial kingdom. Isaiah 9:6-7, 11:1-9; Daniel 9:25-27; Matthew 24:29-31; Luke 1:30-33; Acts 2:29-30; Revelation 20:1-4,6
Article XX
THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED
We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that only those who are justified by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ 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 in the lake of fire. Genesis 18:23; Proverbs 14:32; Malachi 3:18; Matthew 25:34-41; Luke 16:25; John 8:21; Romans 6:17-18,23, 7:6; 1 John 5:19; Revelation 20:14-15