Statement of Faith

We, the members of this church, having been led by divine grace to receive Christ as our Redeemer and Lord, deem it proper to make a declaration of our common faith, being assured that as "...with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Rom. 10:10.

I. Of the Scriptures

We believe that the Holy Bible was (a) written by men supernaturally inspired; (b) that it has truth without any admixture of error for its matter; and (c) therefore is, and shall remain to the end of the age, the only complete and final revelation of the will of God to man; the true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds and opinions should be tried. II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:16-21; Psalms 12:6; Psalms 119:10; Isaiah 40:8; John 10:35; Matthew 24:35.

(Explanatory)
1. By the "Holy Bible" we mean that collection of sixty-six books from Genesis to Revelation, which, as originally written, does not contain and convey the Word of God, but IS the very Word of God.
2. By "INSPIRATION" we mean that the books of the Bible were written by holy men of old, as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, in such a definite way that their writings were supernaturally inspired and free from error, as no other writings have ever been or ever will be inspired.

II. Of the True God

We believe that there is (a) one, and only one, living and true God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit, the maker and supreme ruler of heaven and earth; (b) inexpressibly glorious in holiness and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love; (c) that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost (or Spirit), equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. Deut. 6:4; Jer. 10:10; John 4:24; Ex. 20:2-3; Mark 12:29; Rev. 4:11; Ex. 15:11; John 14:16,18,23; 1 Cor. 8:6.

III. Of Jesus Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal second person of the Trinity; (a) that in His incarnation He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary; (b) that He took upon Himself a human nature in addition to His divine nature in such a way that these two natures were not mingled nor diminished; (c) that He lived a sinless life and performed miracles; (d) that He was indeed God in the flesh; (e) that He died for the sins of the world, was buried, arose bodily from the grave, appeared to His disciples, ascended into Heaven and is now seated at the right hand of the Father as Intercessor; (f) that He is the only Mediator between God and man. (g) We believe that He will return at any moment for all born-again believers; (h) that He will judge believer's works at His Judgment Seat and sentence all unbelievers to final perdition at His Great White Throne. Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; 22:14; Luke 1:34-35; John 1:1,14,29; 5:22; 8:58; 10:30,37,38; 16:28; Acts 1:9; 2:22-24; Rom. 8:34; 14:10; I Cor. 15:3-8; II Cor. 5:10; 21; Galatians 4:4; I Cor.3:11-15; Eph. 2:20 Phil. 2:6-8; I Thess. 4:13-18; I Tim. 3:5; Heb. 7:25; I John 3:3,5; Rev. 19:11-20; 20:11-15.

IV. Of The Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person; (a) equal with God the Father and (b) God the Son and (c) of the same nature; (d) that He was active in the creation; (e) that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the Evil One until God's purpose is fulfilled; (f) that He convicts of sin, of righteousness and of judgement; (g) that He bears witness to the Truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; (h) that He is the agent in the New Birth; (i) that He seals, baptizes, endues, guides, teaches, leads, witnesses, sanctifies, and helps the believer. Acts 5:30-32; John 3:3-6; 16:8; Gen. 1:1-3; John 14:26; 16:13; Luke 24:49; Acts 1:5; 1 Cor. 12:12-13; Eph. 1:13; II Thess. 2:7; Romans 8:14,16,17; I Pet. 1:2; II Thess. 2:13.

V. Of the Devil Or Satan

We believe that Satan was once (a) holy, and enjoyed heavenly honors, but through pride and ambition to be as the Almighty, (b) fell and drew after him a host of angels; that he is now (c) the prince of the power of the air, and the unholy god of this world. (d) We hold him to be man's great tempter, (e) the enemy of God and His Christ, (f) the accuser of the saints, (g) the author of all false religions, the power back of the present apostasy; (h) the lord of the anti-Christ, and (i) the author of all the powers of darkness - destined however (j) to final defeat at the hands of God's Son, and (k) to the judgement of an eternal justice in hell, a place prepared for him and his angels. Ezek. 28:12-19; Luke 10:18; Isaiah 14:12-15; Jude 6; Rev. 12:10; II Cor. 4:4; I Thess. 3:4-5; I Pet. 5:8-9; Rev. 2:13; Col. 1:1-3; Rev. 20:10.

VI. Of the Creation

The Scriptures are our sole authority with reference to creation, as in all other matters binding upon the conscience. They very clearly teach that "In six days God created the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all that in them is". Gen. 1:3-27; Ex. 20:8-11; Exodus 31:12-17.

The language implies that each of the six days were comparable to our own, each having its evening and morning, with alternating darkness and light, the result of the Diurnal rotation of the earth upon its axis in relation to a God-given source of light.

VII. The Fall of Man

We believe (a) that man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker, but (b) by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy state, (c) in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, not by constraint, but of choice; and (d) therefore under just condemnation without defense or excuse. Genesis 3:1-7, 24; Romans 5:12, 19; Romans 1:18-32.

VIII. The Virgin Birth

We believe (a) that Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Ghost in a miraculous and unique manner; (b) born of Mary, a Virgin, and (c) that He is the one and only Son of God, and God the Son. Matt. 1:18-25; Luke l:27, 35; Romans 1:4; Isaiah 7:14.

IX. The Atonement for Sin

We believe (a) that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace; (b) through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God, Who by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him 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; (c) that His atonement consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was the voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner's place, the just dying for the unjust, Christ the Lord, bearing our sins in His own body on the tree; (d) 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 every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate and an all-sufficient Savior. Eph. 2:8-9; Heb. 2:14, 18; I Pet. 3:18; 2:24; Isa. 53:6; Rom. 5:6-10; Phil. 2:6-8; Heb. 4:15; 1:3; 10:11-12; Luke 24:6; John 10:17-18.

X. Of Grace in the New Creation

We believe (a) that in order to be saved, sinners must be born-again; (b) that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; (c) that it is instantaneous and not a process; (d) 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; (e) that the new creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension, not by culture, not by character, nor by the will of man, but wholly and solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the Gospel; (f) that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life. John 3:3-5; 2 Cor. 5:17; Eph. 2:1-10; 2 Peter 1:4; Titus 3:5; John 1:12-13; Gal. 5:22-23.

XI. Of the Freeness of Salvation

We believe (a) in God's electing grace; (b) that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the Gospel; (c) that it is the immediate duty of all the unsaved to receive salvation by repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ; and (d) that nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but his own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the Gospel; (e) which rejection involves him in present and eternal condemnation. I Pet. 1:2; Eph. 1:7; Rom. 8:29-32; Rev. 22:17; 2 Cor. 6:2; Acts 20:21; John 6:37; 5:40; 3:18; Eph. 1:4.

XII. Of Justification

We believe that the great Gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is Justification; (a) it includes the forgiveness of sin, and the imputing of the righteousness of Christ, whereby one is justified in the sight of God from all things; (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. Rom. 3:24-26, 28; 4:5; 5:1, 9; Titus 3:5; Gal. 2:16.

XIII. Of Repentance and Faith

We believe that repentance and faith are (a) solemn obligations, and (b) also inseparable graces, (c) wrought in our souls by the quickening Spirit of God; (d) thereby, being deeply convicted of our guilt, danger and helplessness, and of the way of salvation by Christ, we turn to God with contrition, confession and a plea for mercy; (e) at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ and openly confessing the Lord Jesus Christ and openly confessing Him as our only and all-sufficient Savior and Lord. Luke 13:1-5; Acts 3:19; 20:2l; John 6:63-65; 16:7-8; Luke 18:13; Romans 10:9-10.

XIV. Sanctification

We believe that the believer is "set apart" unto God or sanctified and that such sanctification is threefold: (a) Initial, at the moment a person believes he is set apart in Christ. 1 Cor. 6:11; Heb. 10:10-14; Eph. 1:6. (b) Progressive, the gradual progress of the believer in growing in grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Pet. 3:18; 2 Cor. 3:18; 5:17; John 17:17. (c) Completed, at the coming of Christ for His own the state of every believer will match the perfect standing, which he has before God by virtue of his initial or positional sanctification. Then and only then will he be free from the presence of sin. 1 Thess. 3:12-13; 5:23.

We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowment of all His gifts, but, that the Charismatic Movement is in conflict with the teaching of the Bible; speaking in tongues and the working of sign miracles gradually ceased as the New Testament Scriptures were completed and their authority became established. 2 Cor. 12:12; 1 Cor. 12:4-11; 13:8; 2 Cor. 11:2.

We also believe that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith, in accord with His own will, for the sick and afflicted. John 15:7; 1 John 5:14-15; James 5:13-15.

XV. The Church (Local)

We believe that a local church is a congregation of born again, baptized believers, (a) associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the gospel; (b) observing the ordinances of Christ; (c) governed by His authority; (d) exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His Work; (e) that its officers are Pastor and Deacons whose qualifications and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures; (f) we believe that the true mission of the church is found in the great commission, first to make the individual disciples, next to baptize them and then to teach them; (g) 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; (h) that it is scriptural for true churches to cooperate with one another in standing for the faith and furtherance of the gospel, that every church is the sole and only judge of the measure and method of its cooperation; (i) on all matters of membership, polity, discipline and benevolence the will of the local church is final. Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 8:35-38; 2:41-42; Eph. 1:22-23; 4:7-16; 1 Cor. 11:23-32; Rom. 6:3-6; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9: Acts 15.

XVI. The True Church

We believe the true church to be composed of the whole number of regenerated persons from Pentecost to the first resurrection, united together and to Christ by the baptism with the Holy Spirit, and is the body of Christ of which He is the head. As such, it is a holy temple for the habitation of God through the Spirit, His "One Flesh" with Christ; and espoused to Him as a chaste virgin to one husband. Heb. 12:23; 1 Cor. 15:52; 1 Cor. 12:12-13; Eph. 1:22-23; 3:21-23; 5:30-31; 2 Cor. 11:2-4.

XVII. Missions

We believe that it is the obligation of the saved to witness by life and by word of mouth to the truths of Scripture, and to seek to proclaim the Gospel to all mankind. Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Acts l:8; Rom. 10:13-15; 2 Cor. 5:19-20.

XVIII. The Ordinances

We believe the ordinances of the church are two: (a) the baptism (immersion) of the believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost as his express testimony of identification with Christ in death, burial and resurrection; and (b) the Lord's Supper, or communion, a memorial feast indicating the believer's communion with his Lord and showing forth His death until He comes. Matt. 28:19-20; Rom. 6:3-5; Acts 8:35-39; 1 Cor. 11:23-32.

XIX. The Righteous and the Wicked

We believe that (a) there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; (b) that only those who place faith in Christ are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and sanctified by the Spirit of our God are truly righteous in His esteem; (c) while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked, and under the curse; (d) and this distinction holds among men both in and after death, in the everlasting blessedness of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost. Mal. 3:18; Gen. 18:23; Rom. 6:17-18; 1 John 5:19; 1 Cor. 6:11; Prov. 14:12; Matt. 25:34, 41; John 3:36.

XX. Civil Government

We believe that civil government is (a) of divine appointment, for the interests and good order of human society; (b) that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed; (c) except only in those things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ; (d) who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the coming prince of the Kings of the earth. Rom. 13; 1 Pet. 2:13; 1 Tim. 2:1-3; Matt. 22:21; Phil. 2:9-11; Dan. 3:16-18.

XXI. The Resurrection, Personal, Visible, Imminent, Premillenial Return of Christ, and Related Events.

(a)We believe in the bodily resurrection. Matt. 28:6-7; Luke 24:39; John 20:27; 1 Cor. 15:4; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:2-6.
(b) The ascension. Acts 1:9-11; Luke 24:51; Mark 16:19; Rev. 3:21; Heb. 12:2.
(c) The high priesthood. Heb. 2:17; 5:9-10; 8:6; 1 Tim. 2:5; 1 John 2:1.
(d) The Second Coming. John 14:3; Acts 1:11; 1 Thess. 4:16; James 5:8; Heb. 9:28.
(e) The resurrection of the righteous dead. 1 Thess. 4:13-18; 1 Cor. 15:42-44, 52.
(f) The change of the living in Christ. 1 Cor. 15:51-53; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Phil. 3:20-21.
(g) The throne of David. Luke 1:32; Isa. 9:6-7; Acts 2:29-30.
(h) The millennial reign. 1 Cor. 15:25; Isa. 32:l; ll: 4-5; Psa. 72:8; Rev. 20:6, 14.