ON THE AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE

We believe in the Divine inspiration and authority of the Holy Scriptures, known as the Bible, composed of sixty-six books and divided into two departments, Old and New Testament, as the complete canon of God’s testimony to mankind. (2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21; John 10:35, 1 Thessalonians 2:13). 

ON GOD

We believe there is but one living and true God everlasting, of infinite power, wisdom and goodness; Maker and Preserver of all things, both visible and invisible. And in the unity of this Godhead there are three Persons of one substance of eternal being, and equal in holiness, justice, wisdom, power, and dignity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. (Matthew 3:16, 17; 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 John 5:7, John 14:16-17).

We are Trinitarian in our faith. We do not believe in “three Gods” or in “Jesus only” teachings, but we believe in One God subsisting in three persons, the Trinity in unity.

ON THE PERSON OF JESUS

We believe that the Son, Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, the very and eternal God, of one substance with the Father. Jesus Christ is the Word (Logos) of God. The Word was with God in the beginning,which states His pre-existence as one with God. (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; Matthew 1:23; Colossians 2:9, John 1:1-3).

We believe that Jesus Christ, who pre-existed with God, took man’s nature and emptied Himself to become a fully man that He might be the propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of mankind. Through His propitiatory sacrifice made on the cross, all who believe in Him and His sacrifice have their sins remitted and are restored to the fellowship with God lost by man’s transgression. (Phil 2:6-11; Matt. 26:28; Rom 3:25-26, 5:9; Eph 1:7, 2:13; Rom 6:22; 1 Pet. 1:18-19)

We believe Jesus was born of a virgin, by the seed of the Holy Spirit. His virgin birth is a testimony that only the Spirit can beget that which is Spirit. (Matt. 1:18-15; Luke 1:26-38; John 3:3-8; 2Cor. 5:17; Eph. 4:22- 24)

We believe that Jesus Christ did truly rise again from the dead, and took again His body, with all things pertaining to the perfections of man’s nature, and ascended into heaven and there sits until He shall return to judge all men at the last day. (Matt. 28:5-6; Mark 16:6-7; Acts 1:9-11, 4:33, 7:54-56; Rom 4:25; 1Cor.15:1-8; 1Thess. 4:14; 1Pet. 1:3)

ON THE HOLY GHOST

We believe the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit, proceeding from the Father and the Son, is of one substance, majesty and glory with the Father and the Son, very and eternal God. We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person and that He is the executive agent of the Godhead in the dispensation of grace. The Holy Spirit anoints the preaching of the Word, convicts of sin and applies the benefits of the atonement. He is our Teacher, Comforter, and Guide, taking the things of Christ and revealing them to us. He glorifies Christ, guiding us into all truth, and showing us the things to come; that all of these ministries are based upon and function in accordance with the written Word of God. (John 14:16, 17, 26; 15:26; 16:7-11, 13-15).

ON MAN

We believe that man was created by God from the dust of the earth, without sin or the knowledge of good and evil. The first man, Adam, transgressed the command of God, and as God had warned, the process of death entered him and all of his descendants because of that transgression. Therefore, all have sinned and are worthy of the sentence of death. Because of our unrighteousness, we are unable to approach a holy God, except through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus. (Gen. 1:26-27, 2:7-9; Rom. 3:23, 5:12,14-15,17-19)

ON SALVATION

Because all have sinned and are therefore under the sentence of death, all must trust in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus for the remission of sins. There is no other way to reconcile with God or escape from eternal judgment, except through the propitiatory sacrifice of Jesus. (Rom. 3:21-21-25, Heb. 2:17, 1John 2:1-2).

We believe in the efficacy and sufficiency of the shed blood of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins committed in the past: for the regeneration, or new birth from above, of penitent sinners, and for salvation or deliverance from sin and sinning. (Matthew 26:28; Luke 22:20; Acts 20:28; Romans 5:9; Ephesians 1:7; 2:13; Colossians 1:14, 20; 1 Peter 1:18, 19; 1 John 1:7)

We do not believe that any sort or degree of good works can procure or contribute toward our justification or salvation. This is accomplished solely and exclusively upon the basis of our faith in the shed blood, the resurrection and justifying righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 4:23-25; 5:1-11, 20; 1Corinthians 15:1-4). But we do believe in good works as a fruit or product of salvation. We are not saved by, but unto, good works (Ephesians 2:10). When we believe on Jesus Christ as our Savior, our sins are pardoned, we are justified and enter a state of righteousness, not our own, but His, both imputed and imparted (Romans 4:22, 25; 8:1-4).

ON THE NEW BIRTH

We believe in new creation or regeneration. Believing in our hearts that Jesus is the Son of God and in His propitiation made for our salvation results in a regeneration that constitutes our new birth into new creations. Regeneration is a change in state; that is, our inner nature. Being dead in sins, we are quickened to life by the impartation of the resurrection life of the glorified Christ. (Eze. 36:26; John 1:12-13, 3:3-8; 2Cor 5:17; Gal 6:15; Eph 4:22-24; Col 3:5-10; Titus 3:5)

ON SANCTIFICATION

We believe in Sanctification. Sanctification is an act of separation from that which is evil, and of dedication unto God (Romans 12:1,2; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 13:12). Scriptures teach a life of “holiness without which no man shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). By the power of the Holy Spirit we are able to obey the command: “Be ye holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:15,16).Sanctification is realized in the believer by recognizing his identification with Christ in His death and resurrection, and by faith reckoning daily upon the fact of that union, and by offering every faculty continually to the dominion of the Holy Spirit (Romans 6:1-11,13; 8:1,2,13; Galatians 2:20; Philippians 2:12,13; 1 Peter 1:5). It is not absolute perfection, not “sinless perfection,” if the term is used to imply the impossibility of a sanctified person’s falling into sin. We do not believe it is impossible for the sanctified to commit sin; but we do believe that it is possible for a sanctified person not to commit sin (Luke 1:73-75; Titus 2:11, 12; 1 John 1:7; 2:1, 6; 3:5-10; 5:18). The sanctified life is one of separation from the world, a selfless life, a life of devotion to all the will of God, a life of holiness in accordance with Romans 6:22; 12:1, 2; 2 Corinthians 7:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:7; 5:23; Hebrews 12:14; James 1:27; and 1 Peter 1:15, 16).

ON DIVINE HEALING

We believe in the divine healing as in the atonement. It is the deliverance form sickness and is the privilege of all believers (Isaiah 53:4, 5; Matthew 8:16, 17; Mark 16:15-18; James 5:14-16; Exodus 15:26). While we do not condemn the use of medical means in the treatment of physical disease, we do believe in, practice and commend to our people the laying on of hands by the elders or leaders of the church, the anointing with oil in the name of the Lord, and the offering of prayers for the healing of the sick.

ON THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe in the baptism with the Holy Spirit is an additional impartation subsequent to regeneration. We believe that this great blessing, is available to all believers whose hearts are cleansed from sin by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 2:38-39). We believe that the “initial” evidence of the reception of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is the speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance (John 15:26, 27; Acts 2:1-4; 8:17, 18; 10:44-46; 19:6; 1 Corinthians 12:7). We do not believe this is the only evidence of the Spirit’s baptism, but that it is the initial evidence just as it occurred in the repeated accounts of the Spirit’s outpouring in the Acts of the Apostles. The purpose of the baptism in the Holy Spirit is to impart spiritual power to the believer to be a witness (Acts 1:8, 5:32). This baptism is to be distinguished from being filled with the Spirit (Acts 4:31, 7:55, 13:9, 52), which can be a special and repeated empowering for specific purposes.

ON THE PRESENT MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8) and that His ministry in and through the church by the Holy Spirit has not changed from the beginning. We accept, acknowledge, encourage and seek all of the biblical gifts and ministries of the Holy Spirit as present and vital for the church to accomplish her full purpose today. (Rom 12:4-11; 1 Cor 12:12-31, Eph 4:4, 10-16).

ON THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST

We believe in the imminent, literal, premillennial, second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The second coming of Christ is near, that it is impending, likely to occur at any moment (Matthew 25:29-44; Mark 13:32-37; Titus 2:13). Christ coming is literal or personal, that the same Jesus shall return who was taken up into heaven. (1Thess 4:15-18; Acts 1:11). We believe that Christ will come before the millennium during which the “blessed and holy” of the “first resurrection” will live and reign with Christ “a thousand years” (Revelation 20:4-6).

ON THE FUTURE OF BELIEVERS AND UNBELIEVERS

We believe that eternal life with God in heaven is a portion of the reward of the finally righteous and that everlasting banishment from the presence of the Lord and unending torture in hell are the wages of the persistently wicked. (Matthew 25:46; Ps 9:17; Rev. 21:7-8). We believe that through faith in Christ we have eternal life (John 3:14-16, 36); and that Christ has prepared a place for His own in Heaven (John 14:1-31 Corinthians 2:9; Luke 16:23-25; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9; Revelation 14:9-11; 20:11-15; 21:7, 8). 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 which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death (Matthew 25:46; Mark 9:43-48; Revelation 19:20; 20:11-15; 21:8).

ON THE GREAT COMMISSION

We believe that every believer have a role and part in carrying out the work of the Great Commission as commanded by our Lord Jesus Christ. (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-20; Acts 1:8).