We believe that the Holy Bible as originally written was verbally inspired and the product of Spirit-controlled men, and therefore, has truth without any admixture of error for its matter. We believe the Bible to be the true center of Christian union and the Supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions, shall be tried.
(2 Tim. 3:16,17; - 2 Peter 1:19-21)
Concerning the True God
We believe there is one and only one living and true God, an infinite Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth; Inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God's purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of righteousness and of judgment; that He bears witness to the Truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the New Birth; that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the believer.
(John 14: 16,17; - Matt. 28:19; - Heb. 9:14; - John 16: 7-11; - Acts 5: 30-32; - John 3: 5,6; - Eph. 1:13,14; - Mark 1:8; -John 1:33; -
We believe in the personality of Satan, that he is the unholy god of the age, and the author of all the powers of darkness, and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire.
(Matt. 4: 1-3; - 2 Cor. 4:4; - Rev. 20:10)
Concerning Creation
We accept the Genesis account of creation and believe that man came by direct creation of God and not by evolution.
(Gen. chap. 1 & 2; - Col. 1:16-17: - John 1:3)
Concerning The Virgin Birth
We believe that Jesus was begotten of the Holy Ghost in a miraculous manner, born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born or can ever be born of a woman, and that He is both the Son of God, and God the Son.
(Gen. 3:15; - Isa. 7:14; - Matt. 1:18-25; Luke 1:35; - John 1:14)
Concerning The Atonement For Sin
We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of Grace; through the meditorial offices of the Son of God, who by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon our nature, yet without sin, honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and by His death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins; that His atonement consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was a voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner's place, the just dying for the unjust; Christ, the Lord, bearing our sin in His own body on the cross; that having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in heaven, and uniting in His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection, He is in every way qualified to be a suitable and compassionate and all sufficient Savior.
We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth the one dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension, solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the Gospel; that it's proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life.
(John 3:3; - 2 Cor. 5:17; - 1 John 5:1; - John 3:6-7; -Acts 16:30-33; 2 Peter 1:4; - Rom. 6:23; - Eph 2:1; -2 Cor. 5:19; -
Col. 2:13; - John 3:8)
Concerning Justification
We believe that the great gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is justification.
(a) That justification includes the pardon of sin, and the gift of eternal life, on principles of righteousness;
(b) That it is bestowed not in consideration of any works of
righteousness which we have done; but solely through faith in the Redeemer's Blood, His righteousness is imputed to us.
We believe that faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of Salvation.
(Acts 16:31)
Concerning The Local Church
We believe that a local church is a congregation of immersed believers, associated by covenant of faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His Word; that its officers are pastors, and deacons, whose qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly defined in the scriptures.
We believe the true mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as we have opportunity. We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that the one and only superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit; that it is scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the sole judge of the measure and method of it's cooperation on all matters of membership, of policy, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final.
We believe that Christian Baptism is the immersion of a believer in water to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem or faith in the crucified, buried and risen Savior, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life, that it is pre-requisite to the privileges of a church relation. We believe that the Lord's Supper is the commemoration of His death until He comes, and should be preceded always by solemn self-examination.
We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that such only as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and sanctified by the spirit of our God, are truly righteous in His esteem; while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked, and under the curse; and this distinction holds among men both in and after death, in the everlasting felicity of the saved and everlasting conscious suffering of the lost.
(Mal. 3:18; - Gen. 18:23; - Rom. 6:17-18; - 1 John 5:19; -
Matt. 25:34-41; - Rom. 7:6; - Rom. 6:23; - Prov. 14:32; - Luke 6:25; John 8:21)
Concerning Civil Government
We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interest and good order of human society; that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored, and obeyed; except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the coming Prince of the Kings of the earth.
