Doctrinal Statement
The Bible
We believe in the 66 books of the Bible, and these Scriptures alone, as being the verbally inspired Word of God, infallible, and completely inerrant in the original writings, and of supreme and final authority in faith and life.
(Ps. 19:7-14; Ps 119; Matt 5:17-20; John 17:17; 1Thess. 2:13; 2Tim. 3:16-17; Heb. 1:1)
God
We believe in one God, eternally existing in three co-equal persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit – each equally deserving worship and obedience.
(Gen . 1:26;3:22; Deut. 6:4-5; Ps 91:2; Matt 1:23; John 1:1; 2Cor. 3:16-18).
God the Father
We believe that God the Father created all things out of nothing, solely by the power of His spoken word. In His goodness, wisdom, and power, He was and is sovereign in all of creation, providence*, and salvation. He is the spiritual Father of those who believe in Christ Jesus, who also, in love, adopts them into His family.
(Gen 1: 1-31; 1 Cor 8:6; Ps 103:19; Rom 11:36; Rom 8: 14-15; Jn 1: 12-13; Eph 1:4-6)
* Definition: Omnisciently directing the universe and the history/affairs of humankind with wise benevolence.
God the Son
We believe that Jesus Christ, through whom and for whom all things were created, is the eternal Son of God who sustains that which He has created; who was begotten by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary and is true God and true man.
(Jn 1:1-3; Col 1: 16,17; Matt 1: 18-25; Rom 8:3; Gal 4:4-5; Heb 2:17-18; Phil 2:6-8)
God the Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He regenerates sinners, and in Him they are baptized into union with Christ. He also indwells, illuminates, guides, equips, and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service.
(Jn 16: 14; Jn 16:8-11; Jn 3: 3-8; Rom 8:9; 1 Cor 12:13; Jn 14:26; Jn 16:13; Eph 5:18; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor 3:18)
The Nature of Man
We believe that man was created by God, and in the image of God He created him, male and female He created them; that man sinned after being tempted by that fallen angel Satan, and thereby incurred not only physical death, but also spiritual death which is separation from, and under the wrath of, a just and holy God. In union with Adam, all human beings are sinners by nature and by choice.
(Gen 1-3; Is 59:2; Ps 51:5; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 5:12-21; Luke 13:34; Eph 2:1-3; Jn 3:36; Ps 14: 1-3; Jer 17:9; Rom 3: 9-18; 1 Cor 15:21-22, 45).
The Work of Christ
We believe that God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love for us, gave His only begotten Son; and that this Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, died according to the Scriptures as the only, perfect, all sufficient representative and substitutionary sacrifice for our sins; and that all who believe in Him, and Him alone, are justified on the basis of His shed blood by God’s gift of grace alone to the glory of God alone.
(Rom 3:21-25; 1 Cor 15:3; 2 Cor 5:20-21; Heb 2:9; 1 Peter 1: 17-21; Jn 3:16; Jn 1:12-13; Jn 6:44, 65; Eph 2:8-9; Phil 1:29; 2:12-13).
The Resurrection
We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, as witnessed by many in His ascension into heaven, and in His present life there for us as High Priest and Advocate.
(Matt 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20; Acts in its entirety; Rom. 8:34; 1Cor. 15:3-8; Heb. 7:25; 9:24)
Salvation
We believe that all who receive the Lord Jesus Christ by faith, and faith alone, have been born of God and granted the repentance that leads to life. Having believed, they are free from divine condemnation, and are adopted as children of God, a relationship in which they are kept eternally secure by God.
(Jn 1:12-13; 3:16; Eph 2:1-10; 1 Jn 5:1; Titus 3:3-7; Rom 8:1; Eph 1:5; Rom 8:15, 23; Gal 4:4-5; Rom 8: 28-39; 1 Cor 1:8; Eph 1:13-14; Phil 1:6; 1 Peter 5:10-11; Jude 24-25; Acts 11:18; 2 Tim 2:25; Jn 17: 11-12).
Christian Living
We believe salvation in Christ will prove to be genuine in the believer (child of God) by a progressively maturing, supreme love for and delight in God, a faithful obedience to His commands, and sacrificial love for others. This is a confirmation of God’s working in the life of the believer as He conforms the child of God more and more into the image of Christ.
(Eph 4:1,6, 17; 5:2, 8, 15; Jn 15:1-17; Col 1:28-29; Rom 8:29; 12: 1-2; 1 Jn 5:1-5; James 2: 14-26; Titus 2: 11-14; 2 Peter 1: 3-11; Gal 5:22-25)
The Second Coming of Christ
We believe in “the blessed Hope,” the personal and imminent return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
(Matt. 24-25; John 14:1-6; Acts 1:11; Col. 3:1-4; 1Thess. 4:13-18; Titus 2:11-13; Rev. 2-3:19).
Eternal Destiny
We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and unjust, the everlasting blessedness of heaven in the unveiled presence of God for the saved, that is those who have believed in Christ, and everlasting conscious punishment of the lost, that is those who have rejected Christ.
(Matt 25:31-46; John 5:24-29; Rom 1: 18-23; 2Thess. 1:6-10; Rev. 20: 11-22:21)
February 10, 2017
We believe in the 66 books of the Bible, and these Scriptures alone, as being the verbally inspired Word of God, infallible, and completely inerrant in the original writings, and of supreme and final authority in faith and life.
(Ps. 19:7-14; Ps 119; Matt 5:17-20; John 17:17; 1Thess. 2:13; 2Tim. 3:16-17; Heb. 1:1)
God
We believe in one God, eternally existing in three co-equal persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit – each equally deserving worship and obedience.
(Gen . 1:26;3:22; Deut. 6:4-5; Ps 91:2; Matt 1:23; John 1:1; 2Cor. 3:16-18).
God the Father
We believe that God the Father created all things out of nothing, solely by the power of His spoken word. In His goodness, wisdom, and power, He was and is sovereign in all of creation, providence*, and salvation. He is the spiritual Father of those who believe in Christ Jesus, who also, in love, adopts them into His family.
(Gen 1: 1-31; 1 Cor 8:6; Ps 103:19; Rom 11:36; Rom 8: 14-15; Jn 1: 12-13; Eph 1:4-6)
* Definition: Omnisciently directing the universe and the history/affairs of humankind with wise benevolence.
God the Son
We believe that Jesus Christ, through whom and for whom all things were created, is the eternal Son of God who sustains that which He has created; who was begotten by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary and is true God and true man.
(Jn 1:1-3; Col 1: 16,17; Matt 1: 18-25; Rom 8:3; Gal 4:4-5; Heb 2:17-18; Phil 2:6-8)
God the Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He regenerates sinners, and in Him they are baptized into union with Christ. He also indwells, illuminates, guides, equips, and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service.
(Jn 16: 14; Jn 16:8-11; Jn 3: 3-8; Rom 8:9; 1 Cor 12:13; Jn 14:26; Jn 16:13; Eph 5:18; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor 3:18)
The Nature of Man
We believe that man was created by God, and in the image of God He created him, male and female He created them; that man sinned after being tempted by that fallen angel Satan, and thereby incurred not only physical death, but also spiritual death which is separation from, and under the wrath of, a just and holy God. In union with Adam, all human beings are sinners by nature and by choice.
(Gen 1-3; Is 59:2; Ps 51:5; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 5:12-21; Luke 13:34; Eph 2:1-3; Jn 3:36; Ps 14: 1-3; Jer 17:9; Rom 3: 9-18; 1 Cor 15:21-22, 45).
The Work of Christ
We believe that God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love for us, gave His only begotten Son; and that this Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, died according to the Scriptures as the only, perfect, all sufficient representative and substitutionary sacrifice for our sins; and that all who believe in Him, and Him alone, are justified on the basis of His shed blood by God’s gift of grace alone to the glory of God alone.
(Rom 3:21-25; 1 Cor 15:3; 2 Cor 5:20-21; Heb 2:9; 1 Peter 1: 17-21; Jn 3:16; Jn 1:12-13; Jn 6:44, 65; Eph 2:8-9; Phil 1:29; 2:12-13).
The Resurrection
We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, as witnessed by many in His ascension into heaven, and in His present life there for us as High Priest and Advocate.
(Matt 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20; Acts in its entirety; Rom. 8:34; 1Cor. 15:3-8; Heb. 7:25; 9:24)
Salvation
We believe that all who receive the Lord Jesus Christ by faith, and faith alone, have been born of God and granted the repentance that leads to life. Having believed, they are free from divine condemnation, and are adopted as children of God, a relationship in which they are kept eternally secure by God.
(Jn 1:12-13; 3:16; Eph 2:1-10; 1 Jn 5:1; Titus 3:3-7; Rom 8:1; Eph 1:5; Rom 8:15, 23; Gal 4:4-5; Rom 8: 28-39; 1 Cor 1:8; Eph 1:13-14; Phil 1:6; 1 Peter 5:10-11; Jude 24-25; Acts 11:18; 2 Tim 2:25; Jn 17: 11-12).
Christian Living
We believe salvation in Christ will prove to be genuine in the believer (child of God) by a progressively maturing, supreme love for and delight in God, a faithful obedience to His commands, and sacrificial love for others. This is a confirmation of God’s working in the life of the believer as He conforms the child of God more and more into the image of Christ.
(Eph 4:1,6, 17; 5:2, 8, 15; Jn 15:1-17; Col 1:28-29; Rom 8:29; 12: 1-2; 1 Jn 5:1-5; James 2: 14-26; Titus 2: 11-14; 2 Peter 1: 3-11; Gal 5:22-25)
The Second Coming of Christ
We believe in “the blessed Hope,” the personal and imminent return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
(Matt. 24-25; John 14:1-6; Acts 1:11; Col. 3:1-4; 1Thess. 4:13-18; Titus 2:11-13; Rev. 2-3:19).
Eternal Destiny
We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and unjust, the everlasting blessedness of heaven in the unveiled presence of God for the saved, that is those who have believed in Christ, and everlasting conscious punishment of the lost, that is those who have rejected Christ.
(Matt 25:31-46; John 5:24-29; Rom 1: 18-23; 2Thess. 1:6-10; Rev. 20: 11-22:21)
February 10, 2017