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This church accepts the Holy Scriptures as the revealed will of God, the all-sufficient rule of faith and practice, for the purpose of maintaining general unity.
The Scriptures Inspired
The Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, are verbally inspired of God and are the revelation of God to man, the infallible, authoritative rule of faith and conduct (II Ti. 3:15-17; I Th. 2:13; II Pe. 1:21).
The One True God
The one true God has revealed Himself as the eternally self-existent I AM, the Creator of heaven and earth, and the Redeemer of mankind. He has further revealed Himself as embodying the principles of relationship and association as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Dt. 6:4; Is. 43:10-11; Mt. 28:19; Lu. 3:22).
The Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ
The Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. The Scriptures declare: His virgin birth (Ma. 1:23; Lu. 1:31, 35), His sinless life (He. 7:26; I Pe. 2:22), His miracles (Ac. 2:22; 20:38), His substitutionary work on the cross (I Co. 15:3; II Co. 5:21), His bodily resurrection from the dead (Mt. 28:6; Lu. 24:39; I Co. 15:4) and His exaltation to the right hand of God (Ac. 1:9; 2:33; Ph. 2:9-11; He. 1:3).
The Fall of Man
Man was created good and upright; for God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” However, man by voluntary transgression fell and thereby incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death, which is separation from God” (Ge. 1:26-27; 2:17; 3:6; Ro. 5:12-19).
The Salvation of Man
Man’s only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Salvation is received through repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ. By the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, being justified by grace through faith, man becomes an heir of God according to the hope of eternal life (Lu. 24:47; Jo. 3:3; Ro. 10:13-15; Ep. 2:8; Ti. 2:11; 3:5-7). The inward evidence of salvation is the direct witness of the Spirit (Ro. 8:16). The outward evidence to all men is a life of righteousness and true holiness (Ep. 4:24; Ti. 2:12).
The Ordinances of the Church
Baptism in Water. The ordinance of baptism by immersion is practiced as taught in the Scriptures. All who repent and believe on Christ as Savior and Lord are to be baptized. Thus they declare to the world that they have died with Christ and that they also have been raised with Him to walk in newness of life (Matt. 28:19; Mk. 16:16; Ac. 10:47-48; Ro. 6:4).
Holy Communion. The Lord’s Supper, consisting of the elements (bread and the fruit of the vine) is the symbol expressing our sharing the divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ (II Pe 1:4); a memorial of His suffering and death (I Co. 11:26); and as a prophecy of His second coming (I Co. 11:26); and is enjoined on all believers “till He comes.”
The Baptism in the Holy Spirit
All believers are entitled to and should ardently expect and earnestly seek the promise of the Father, the baptism in the Holy Spirit, according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the normal experience of all in the early Christian Church. With it comes the enduement of power for life and service, the bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry (Lu 24:49; Ac 1:4,8; I Co. 12:1-31). This experience is distinct from and subsequent to the experience of the new birth (Ac. 8:12-17; 10:44-46; 11:14-16; 15:7-9). With the baptism in the Holy Spirit come such experiences as an overflowing fullness of the Spirit (Jo. 7:37-39); Ac. 4:8), a deepened reverence for God (Ac 2:43; He. 12:28), an intensified consecration to God and dedication to His work (Ac. 2:42), and a more active love for Christ, for His Word, and for the lost (Mk. 16:20). We recognize the operation of the Gifts of the Spirit in the Believer’s lives according to I Co. 12:4-11.
Sanctification
Sanctification is an act of separation from that which is evil and of dedication unto God (Ro. 12:1-2; I Th. 5:23; He. 13:12). The Scriptures teach a life of holiness “without which no man shall see the Lord” (He. 12:14). By the power of the Holy Spirit we are able to obey the command: “Be ye holy, for I am holy” (I Pe 1:15-16).
The Church
The Church is the Body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of her great commission. Each believer born of the Spirit is an integral part of the general assembly and Church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven (Ep. 1:22-23; 2:22; He. 12:23).
The Ministry
A divinely called and Scripturally ordained ministry has been provided by our Lord for a two-fold purpose: (1) the evangelization of the world and (2) the edifying of the Body of Christ through the maturing and training of believers for ministry (Mk 16:15-20; Ep. 4:11-12).
Divine Healing
Divine healing is an integral part of the Gospel. Healing from sickness is provided for in the atonement and is the privilege of all believers (Is. 53:4-5; Mt. 8:16-17; Ja. 5:14-16).
The Blessed Hope
The resurrection of those who have fallen asleep in Christ and their translation together with those who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord is the imminent and blessed hope of the Church (I Th. 4:16-17; Ro. 8:23; Ti. 2:13; I Cr. 15:51-52).
The Millennial Reign of Christ
The second coming of Christ includes the rapture of the saints, which is our blessed hope, followed by the visible return of Christ with His saints to reign on the earth for one thousand years (Ze. 14:5; Mt. 24:27, 30; Re. 1:7; 19:11-14; 20: 1-6). This millennial reign will bring the salvation of national Israel (Ez. 37:21:-22; Zp. 3:19-20; Ro. 11:26-27) and the establishment of universal peace (Is. 11:6-9; Ps. 72:3-8; Micah 4:3-4).
The Final Judgment
There will be a final judgment in which the wicked dead will be raised and judged according to their works. Whosoever is not found written in the Book of Life, together with the Devil and his angels, the beast and the false prophet, will be consigned to everlasting punishment in the lake of fire which is the second death (Mt. 25:46; Mk. 9:43-48; Rv. 19:20; 20:10-15; 21:8).
The New Heavens and the New Earth
We, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness (II Pe 3:13; Rv. 21:22).
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