Doctrinal Statement
1. We believe in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament as verbally inspired of God inerrant in the original writings, and that they are of the supreme and final authority in faith and life. (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Matthew 24:35)
2. We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 3:13-17 and 28:19; John 1:1-3 and 14:25-26)
3. We believe that in His incarnation, Jesus Christ was conceived of the Holy Spirit, was born of the Virgin Mary, truly God and truly man. (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; Romans 9:5; Titus 2:13)
4. We believe that man was originally created in the image of God as a sinless being. By voluntary transgression, he fell from that sinless state by rejecting God’s word and submitting to the deception of Satan. As a result, all mankind are now sinners by nature and by conduct and thereby incur not only physical death, but also that spiritual death, which is separation from God and are justly under His condemnation. (Genesis 1:26-27, 2:16-17 and 3:6-7; Psalm 51:5; Romans 1:18-23, 3:9-18, 23 and 5:12-19)
5. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scripture as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice, that He arose victorious from the grave on the third day, that He ascended into heaven, and that His present life there for us is as High Priest and Advocate. (Isaiah 53; Matthew 28:6; John 3:16; Acts 1:9; Romans 3:24-25; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:14-16)
6. We believe that all who receive by faith the Lord Jesus Christ are born again of the Holy Spirit, and that all who believe in Him are justified on the grounds of His shed blood and thereby become children of God. True faith is always accompanied by repentance from sin. Repentance is agreeing with God that you are sinful, confessing your sins to Him, and making a conscious choice to turn from sin and pursue Christ and obedience to Him. (John 1: 12-13 and 3:3, 5; James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; Luke 13:3, 5; 1 Thessalonians 1:9; Matthew 11:28-30; John 17:3; 1 John 2:3)
7. We believe that every saved person is involved in a daily conflict – the new creation in Christ doing battle against the flesh – but adequate provision is made for victory through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. The spiritual struggle never completely ends. Eradication of sin is not possible in this life, but the Holy Spirit does provide for victory over sin. (Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 4:22-24; Philippians 3:12; Colossians 3:9-10; 1 Peter 1:14-16; 1 John 3:3-9)
8. We believe that God has instituted marriage as the union of one man and one woman as husband and wife in a covenant commitment for a lifetime. (Genesis 2:15-25; Matthew 19:3-9)
9. We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever. (John 5:24, 6:37-40, 10:27-30; Romans 5:9-10, 8:1 and 31-39; 1 Corinthians 1:4-8; Ephesians 4:30; Hebrews 7:2; 1 Peter 1:5; Jude 24)
10. We believe that God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring the world to its appropriate end. According to His promise, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth which is our blessed hope; the dead will be raised; and Christ will judge all men in righteousness. The unrighteous will be consigned to Hell, the place of everlasting punishment. The righteous in their resurrected and glorified bodies will receive their reward and will dwell forever in Heaven with the Lord. (John 5:28-29; Acts 1:11; 1 Corinthians 15; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Titus 2:13; Matthew 25:31-46; Revelation 20: 11-15)