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What We Believe . . .
SCRIPTURE
The sole basis of our beliefs is the Bible, the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments. It was uniquely, verbally, and fully inspired by the Holy Spirit and is completely without error. It is the supreme and final authority in faith and life.
GOD
There is only one God, infinite in power, knowledge, goodness and love, the Creator of the universe eternally existing in three persons — Father, Son & Holy Spirit — each co-equally possessing all the attributes of deity.
HUMAN NATURE
God created man in His own image. Man, as he was originally created, was innocent before God. But man chose to sin by disobeying God and therefore was alienated from his Creator and came under divine condemnation. Thus, all mortal human beings are born with a corrupt nature and without spiritual life, and are totally incapable of pleasing God in and of themselves.
JESUS CHRIST
God the Father, by His own choice and out of love for sinful men and women, sent His Son Jesus Christ into the world to reconcile sinners to Himself. Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. He was God in the flesh, both fully God and fully man. He lived a sinless life and voluntarily suffered and died as our substitute to pay the penalty for our sins, thus satisfying God’s justice and accomplishing salvation for all those who trust in Him alone. He rose from the dead in the same body (though glorified) in which He lived and died. He bodily ascended into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God the Father, where He — the only mediator between God and man — makes intercession for His people. He will one day return to earth personally, visibly and bodily to judge all men and forever establish His eternal kingdom.
SALVATION
Men and women are freed from the penalty for their sins not as a result of their own works, goodness or religious ceremony — in whole or in part — but by the undeserved favor of God alone. God declares righteous all who put their faith in Christ alone for their salvation.
THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit has come into the world to reveal and glorify Christ, to convict men and women of their sins, and to impart new life to all who place their faith in Christ. He baptizes us in the Holy Spirit, and He indwells all believers when they ask the Father to fill them with the Holy Spirit. He seals them and empowers them to live a life pleasing to God.
RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD
At physical death, the believer enters into eternal, conscious fellowship with the Lord and awaits the resurrection of his or her body to everlasting glory and blessing. At physical death, the unbeliever enters into eternal, conscious separation from the Lord and awaits the resurrection of his or her body to everlasting suffering, judgment and condemnation.
SACRAMENTS
Jesus Christ has commanded those who believe in Him to be baptized in water as a symbol of their new birth in Christ. This sacrament is only for those who have personally believed in Christ. The Lord also instituted the Lord’s Supper as a sacrament to remember His suffering, death and resurrection. Neither baptism nor the Lord’s Supper has any merit in helping a person obtain eternal life.
THE CHURCH
All true believers make up the church worldwide and should assemble together in local churches for worship, prayer, fellowship, service and teaching. They will become conformed to the image of Christ and become equipped to carry out the Great Commission that Christ gave His followers in Matthew 28:19-20.
The sole basis of our beliefs is the Bible, the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments. It was uniquely, verbally, and fully inspired by the Holy Spirit and is completely without error. It is the supreme and final authority in faith and life.
GOD
There is only one God, infinite in power, knowledge, goodness and love, the Creator of the universe eternally existing in three persons — Father, Son & Holy Spirit — each co-equally possessing all the attributes of deity.
HUMAN NATURE
God created man in His own image. Man, as he was originally created, was innocent before God. But man chose to sin by disobeying God and therefore was alienated from his Creator and came under divine condemnation. Thus, all mortal human beings are born with a corrupt nature and without spiritual life, and are totally incapable of pleasing God in and of themselves.
JESUS CHRIST
God the Father, by His own choice and out of love for sinful men and women, sent His Son Jesus Christ into the world to reconcile sinners to Himself. Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. He was God in the flesh, both fully God and fully man. He lived a sinless life and voluntarily suffered and died as our substitute to pay the penalty for our sins, thus satisfying God’s justice and accomplishing salvation for all those who trust in Him alone. He rose from the dead in the same body (though glorified) in which He lived and died. He bodily ascended into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God the Father, where He — the only mediator between God and man — makes intercession for His people. He will one day return to earth personally, visibly and bodily to judge all men and forever establish His eternal kingdom.
SALVATION
Men and women are freed from the penalty for their sins not as a result of their own works, goodness or religious ceremony — in whole or in part — but by the undeserved favor of God alone. God declares righteous all who put their faith in Christ alone for their salvation.
THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit has come into the world to reveal and glorify Christ, to convict men and women of their sins, and to impart new life to all who place their faith in Christ. He baptizes us in the Holy Spirit, and He indwells all believers when they ask the Father to fill them with the Holy Spirit. He seals them and empowers them to live a life pleasing to God.
RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD
At physical death, the believer enters into eternal, conscious fellowship with the Lord and awaits the resurrection of his or her body to everlasting glory and blessing. At physical death, the unbeliever enters into eternal, conscious separation from the Lord and awaits the resurrection of his or her body to everlasting suffering, judgment and condemnation.
SACRAMENTS
Jesus Christ has commanded those who believe in Him to be baptized in water as a symbol of their new birth in Christ. This sacrament is only for those who have personally believed in Christ. The Lord also instituted the Lord’s Supper as a sacrament to remember His suffering, death and resurrection. Neither baptism nor the Lord’s Supper has any merit in helping a person obtain eternal life.
THE CHURCH
All true believers make up the church worldwide and should assemble together in local churches for worship, prayer, fellowship, service and teaching. They will become conformed to the image of Christ and become equipped to carry out the Great Commission that Christ gave His followers in Matthew 28:19-20.