Our Beliefs
Summary of Our Core Beliefs
Scriptures
We believe the Holy Bible was written by men who were supernaturally inspired. The Bible is entirely inerrant and is, and will always be, the only complete and final revelation of the will of God to man. We believe the scriptures are the ultimate standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried. (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:19-21; Acts 1:16; Acts 28:25; Psa. 119:105; Psa. 119:130; Luke 24:25-27; John 17:17; Luke 24:44-45; Psa. 119:89; Prov. 30:5-6; Rom. 3:4; 1 Pet. 1:23; Rev. 22:19; John 12:48; Isa. 8:20; Eph. 6:17; Rom. 15:4; Luke 16:31; Psa. 19:7-11; John 5:45-47; John 5:39; Psa. 119:160)
God
We believe that there is only one living and true God who is an infinite, intelligent Spirit and is the maker and supreme ruler of heaven and earth. In the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, who are equal in every divine perfection and yet execute distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. (Ex. 20 2-3; Gen. 17:1; 1 Cor. 8:6; Eph. 4:6; John 4:24; Psa. 147:5; Psa.83:18; Psa. 90:2; Jer. 10:10; Ex. 15:11; Rev. 4:11; 1 Tim. 1:17; Rom. 11:33; Mark 12:30; Matt. 28:19; John 15:26; 1 Cor. 12:4-6; 1 John 5:7; John 10:30; John 17:5; Acts 5:3-4; 1 Cor 2:10-11; Phil. 2:5-6; Eph. 2:18; 2 Cor. 13:14)
Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Ghost in a miraculous manner. He was born of Mary, a virgin, and is both the Son of God, and God the Son. Jesus freely took upon Himself 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. Having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in heaven on the right hand of the Father. He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, compassionate, and all-sufficient Savior. (Gen. 3:15; Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18-25; Luke 1:35; Mark 1:1; John 1:14; Psa. 2:7; Gal. 4:4; 1 John 5:20; 1 Cor. 15:47. Eph. 2:8; Acts 15:11; Rom. 3:24; John 3:16; Matt. 18;11; Phil. 2:7; Heb. 2:14; Isa. 53:4-7; Rom. 3:25; 1 John 4:10; 1 Cor. 15:3; 2 Cor. 5:21; John 10:18; Phil. 2:8; Gal. 1:4; 1 Pet. 2:24; 1 Pet. 3:18; Isa. 53:11; Heb. 12:2; 1 Cor. 15:20; Isa. 53:12; Heb. 9:12-15; Heb. 7:25; 1 John 2:2)
Sin and Salvation
We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression he fell from his sinless state, in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, not by constraint, but by choice. We are therefore under just condemnation without defense or excuse. We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God, who freely took upon Himself 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. (Gen. 3:1-6,24; Rom. 5:12; Rom. 5:19; Rom. 3:10-19; Eph. 2:1,3; Rom. 1:18; Ezek. 18:19-20; Rom. 1:20; Rom. 1:28; Gal. 3:22; Eph. 2:8; Acts 15:11; Rom. 3:24; John 3:16; Matt. 18;11; Phil. 2:7; Heb. 2:14; Isa. 53:4-7; Rom. 3:25; 1 John 4:10; 1 Cor. 15:3; 2 Cor. 5:21; John 10:18; Phil. 2:8; Gal. 1:4; 1 Pet. 2:24; 1 Pet. 3:18; Isa. 53:11; Heb. 12:2; 1 Cor. 15:20; Isa. 53:12; Heb. 9:12-15; Heb. 7:25; 1 John 2:2)
Holy Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit is a divine person who is equal with God the Father and God the Son. He was active in the creation, and He restrains the evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled. He convicts of sin, of judgment, and of righteousness. He bears witness to the truth of the gospel in preaching and testimony, and He is the agent in the new birth. He seals, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies, and helps the believer. (John 14:16-17; Matt. 28:19; Heb. 9:14; John 14:25; Luke 1:35; Gen. 1:1-3; 2 Thess. 2:7; John 16:8-11; John 15:26-27; Acts 5:30-32; John 3:5-6; Eph. 1:13-14; Matt 3:11; Mark 1:8 Luke 3:16; John 1:33; Acts 11:16; Luke 24:49; John 16:13; John 14:26; Rom. 8:16; 2 Thess. 2:13; 1 Pet. 1:2; Rom. 8:26-27)
Creation
We believe that the Genesis account of creation is to be accepted literally, not allegorically or figuratively. Man was created directly in God’s own image and after His own likeness, and man’s creation was not a matter of evolution or evolutionary changes of species, nor of gradual development through interminable periods of time from lower to higher forms. We believe all animal and vegetable life was created directly, and God’s established law was that they should bring forth only “after their kind.” (Gen 1:1; Ex. 20:11; Acts 4:24; Col. 1:16-17; Heb. 11:3; John 1:3; Rev. 10:6; Rom. 1:20; Acts. 17:23-26; Jer. 10:12; Neh. 9:6; Gen. 1:26-27; Gen. 2:21-23; Gen. 1:11; Gen. 1:24)
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 His work in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life. We believe that it is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership. We practice the Lord’s Supper, in which believers, 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. (Acts 8:36-39; Matt. 3:6; John 3:23; Rom. 6:4-5; Matt. 3:16; Matt. 28:19; Rom. 6:3-5 Col. 2:12; Acts 2:41; Matt. 28:1-20; 1 Cor. 11:23-28)
Mission
We believe the command to give the gospel to the world is clear and unmistakable in scripture and that this commission was given to the churches. (Matt 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; John 20:21; Rom. 10:13-15)
Resurrection and Return of Christ and Related Events
We believe and accept the sacred scriptures on 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 alone is our “merciful and faithful high priest,” and “ 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. We believe 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 has put all enemies under His feet. (Matt. 28:6-7; Luke 24:39; John 20:27; 1 Cor. 15:4; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:2, 4-6; Acts 1:9-11; Luke 24:51; Mark 16:19; Rev. 3:21; Heb. 8:1; Heb. 12:2; Heb. 8:6; 1 Tim. 2:5; 1 John 2:1; Heb. 2:17; Heb. 5:9-10; John 14:3; 1 Thess. 4:16; Matt. 24:27; Matt. 24:42; Heb. 9:28; 1 Cor. 15:42-44, 51-53; 1 Thess. 4:17; Phil. 4:20-21; Luke 1:32; 1 Cor. 15:25; Isa. 11:4-5; Psa. 72:8; Rev. 20:1-4; Rev. 20:6)
