WHAT WE BELIEVE

 
 
THE SCRIPTURES
The entire Bible, all 66 books of the combined Old and New Testaments are inspired by God and inerrant in the original writings. Through the providence of God, the Bible has been protected and preserved and is the only infallible, authoritative rule of faith and practice (2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Luke 24:27, 44; John 5:39; Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10:11; 1 Thessalonians 2:13).
 
 

THE TRIUNE GODHEAD

We believe in the one true and living God, the Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer, and Ruler of all things. He is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, and is revealed to us as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
 
 
1. God the Father:  God, as Father, reigns over all of His universe with providential care. He is all-powerful, all-loving, all-knowing, and all-wise. He is fatherly in attitude toward all men but is Father, indeed to those who have become children of God through Jesus Christ, who will deliver them into the Father’s hands. (Genesis 1:1; 1 Chronicles 29:10; Jeremiah 10:10; Matthew 6:9; Acts 1:7; Romans 8:14-15; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 1 Corinthians 15:24; Ephesians 4:6)
 
2. God the Son:  We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man. He accomplished this redemption by voluntarily giving Himself as a sinless, substitutionary sacrifice on the cross, thereby satisfying God’s righteous judgment against sin. After substantiating the accomplishment of that redemption and justification by His bodily resurrection from the grave, He ascended to the right hand of His Father, where He intercedes on behalf of those who trust Him. (Luke 1:34-35; John 1:1, 2, 14, 18; Romans 3:24-26; Romans 8:3)
 
3. God the Holy Spirit:  We believe that the Holy Spirit is the Divine Person who convicts the world of sin (righteousness and judgment); that He alone brings new life to those who are spiritually dead; that He baptizes (or places) all believers into the one true Church, which is the Body of Christ; that He indwells them permanently, seals them unto the day of final redemption, bestows spiritual gifts upon them, and fills (controls) those who are yielding to Him. Every believer is called to live in the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit so that he will not fulfill the lust of the flesh but will bear fruit to the glory of God. (John 3:3-8; 14:16-17; 16:7-11; 1 Corinthians 12:7-11, 13; Ephesians 4:30; 5:18)
 
 

CREATION

We believe that man was created directly by and in the image of God. We believe that God created the heavens and the earth, including all life, by direct act. (Genesis 1:1, 26-27; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17)
 
 

SIN

Adam, the first man, sinned by disobedience. This act resulted in the fall of all of humanity. Therefore, everyone has sinned and lost their ability to reflect God’s glory. Humanity’s fall has incurred both physical and spiritual death on all until an individual receives forgiveness and salvation by God’s grace. This is true of all men; and except a man be born again by the Holy Spirit, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (Genesis 3:1-24; John 3:3; Romans 3:10-23; 5:12-21; 6:23)
 
 

THE DEVIL – SATAN

We believe that Satan is real, inspires sin as evil incarnate, initiated the fall of man, and is destined to the judgment of an eternal punishment in the lake of fire. (Matthew 4:1-3; Acts 5:3; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:10)
 
 

ATONEMENT FOR SIN

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures as a substitutionary sacrifice and that all who believe on Him are redeemed by His shed blood. We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord Jesus Christ and in His ascension into heaven; He is our High Priest and Advocate. (John 1:1-3, 14; 3:1-7; Hebrews 10:4-14; 1 John 3:3)
 
 

SALVATION

We believe that salvation is the gift of God’s grace. It cannot be gained or made more secure by meritorious works. Salvation is based solely upon Christ’s vicarious and atoning death and is freely bestowed upon all who repent of their sins and put their faith in the person and finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross at Calvary. All who repent of their sins and so trust the Savior are forgiven of their sins and born into the family of God by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. (Luke 5:31-32; Matthew 4:17; Luke 24:46-48; John 1:12; Acts 16:30-33; Romans 10:9-10; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-10; 3 Corinthians 5:21)
 
 

PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS

Since God grants eternal life through Christ, believers are secure in that salvation forever. Our salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the efforts of the believer. Someone who is truly born again cannot become “unborn” at a later time but will persevere in their faith in Christ. (John 10:29-30; 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 5:11-13)
 
 

THE CHRISTIAN WALK

We believe that we have a holy calling to walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit, and so to live in the power of the indwelling Spirit in order that we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. The flesh is never eradicated in this life. Individuals must choose to keep the flesh in subjection to Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit, or it will surely manifest its presence in life and dishonor our Lord. (Romans 6:11-13; 8:2, 4, 12-13; Galatians 5:16-23; Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 2:1-10; 1 Peter 1:14-16; 1 John 1:4-7; 3:5-9)
 
 

EVANGELISM

Until the return of Christ, it is the responsibility and privilege of every Christian to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ and to seek to make growing disciples. We are to minister in His name to a needy world. We are to be instruments of Jesus Christ as the Holy Spirit ministers redemption and reconciliation in the world. (Matthew 25:31-46; 28:18-20; Acts 1:8)
 
 

ETERNITY

People were created for eternity, not time. They will either exist eternally separated from God by sin or in union with God through salvation. To be eternally separated from God is hell. To reside eternally with God is heaven. (John 3:16; Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:15)