Our Beliefs

The Scriptures

 

The Scriptures consist of the 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament. These 66 books of the Holy Bible were written by men through divine inspiration and is God's revelation of Himself to man. Every word of the Scriptures is fully inspired by God and each part is equally authoritative. The Scriptures are completely sufficient in their revelation of God – Nothing is to be added to them and nothing is to be taken away. They are completely free from error, trustworthy, and true; the supreme standard for all human conduct. 

Exodus 24:4; Deuteronomy 4:1-2; 17:19; Joshua 8:34; Psalms 19:7-10; 119:11,89,105,140; Isaiah 34:16; 40:8; Jeremiah 15:16; ; Matthew 5:17-18; 22:29; Luke 21:33; 24:44-46; John 5:39; 16:13-15; 17:17; 17:11; Romans 15:4; 16:25-26; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2; 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 1:19-21

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God

 

There is one God: infinite, eternal, almighty, and perfect in holiness, truth and love. In the unity of the Godhead, there are three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, each with distinct personal attributes but without division of nature, essence, or being – co-existent, co-equal and co-eternal.

 

The Father

 

God the Father sovereignly reigns with perfect providential care over His universe, His creatures, and the course of human history according to the purposes of His grace and the praise of His glory.

Genesis 1:1; Exodus 3:14; 6:2-3; Deuteronomy 6:4; Psalm 115:3; 135:6 Proverbs 16:4 19:21; Jeremiah 10:10; Matthew 7:11; 23:9; Acts 1:7; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 4:6; Colossians 1:15
 

The Son

 

Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is the eternal Word made Flesh, supernaturally conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary. He is fully God and fully man. Through Him all things came into being and were created. He was before all things, and in Him, all things hold together by the word of His power. He honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and in His substitutionary death on the cross He made provision for the redemption of men from sin. He was raised from the dead, ascended into heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of God, taking his place as the only mediator between God and man. He will return in power and glory to judge the world and to consummate His redemptive mission.

Isaiah 7:14; 53:1-12; Matthew 1:18-23; 3:17; 28:1-6; John 1:1-18; Acts 2:22-24; Romans 1:3-4; 3:21-26; 8:1-3, 34; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 8:6; 15:24-28; Galatians 4:4-5; Ephesians 1:20; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:13-22; 2:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Titus 2:13-14; Hebrews 1:1-3; 4:14-15; 1 Peter 3:22; 1 John 1:7-9; Revelation 5:9-14

 

The Holy Spirit
 

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, fully divine. He inspired men of times past to write the Scriptures. He exalts Christ. He convicts men of sin and brings about awareness of righteousness. He beckons men unto the Savior and effectually produces their regeneration, simultaneously baptizing every believer into the Body of Christ, the Church. It is He who leads the Church into a right understanding and rich application of the truth of God’s Word.

Genesis 1:2; Judges 14:6; Job 26:13; Psalms 51:11; Isaiah 61:1-3; Joel 2:28-32; Matthew 1:18; John 4:24; 14:16-17,26; 15:26; 16:7-14; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4,38; 4:31; 5:3; 6:3; 7:55; 8:17,39; 10:44; 13:2; 15:28; 16:6; 19:1-6; Romans 8:9-11,14-16,26-27; 1 Corinthians 2:10-14; 3:16; 12:3-11,13; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30; 5:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; 1 Timothy 3:16; 4:1; 2 Timothy 1:14; 3:16; Hebrews 9:8,14; 2 Peter 1:21; 1 John 4:13; 5:6-7; Revelation 1:10; 22:17

 

Man

 

God made man—male and female—in His own image, as the crown of creation so that man might glorify Him and enjoy perfect fellowship with Him. Tempted by Satan, man rebelled against God and fellowship with God was broken. All of mankind is now born under the curse of sin and death, naturally separated from God and living under the dominion of sin. Being estranged from his Maker yet responsible to Him, man became subject to divine wrath, inwardly depraved and, apart from a special work of grace, utterly incapable of renewing his fellowship with God.

Genesis 1:26-30; 2:5,7,18-22; 3; 9:6; Psalm 1; 8:3-6; 32:1-5; 51:5; Isaiah 6:5; Jeremiah 17:5; Matthew 16:26; Acts 17:26-31; Romans 1:19-32; 3:10-18,23; 5:6,12,19; 6:6; 7:14-25; 8:14-18,29; 1 Corinthians 1:21-31; 15:19,21-22; Ephesians 2:1-22; Colossians 1:21-22; 3:9-11

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Sexuality
 

Men and women are to understand their sexuality as ordained by God in the natural order of creation. Gender confusion as well as sexual preferences that stray from Biblical standards are understood to be a result of sin and are to be rejected by the church. Men are created as men and women are created as women. The proper expression of intimacy is to be reserved for one man and one woman within the constraints of the marriage relationship. 

Genesis 1:27-28, 31; 2:24; 3:18-24; Leviticus 18:22-23; 20:10-21; Matthew 19:12; Mark 7:21-22; John 8:3-11; Romans 1:25-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9; 7:1-16; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:25-27; 1 Timothy 1:10

 

Marriage
 

Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant relationship. It is God's unique gift to reveal the union between Christ and His church and to provide for the man and the woman in marriage the framework for intimate companionship, the channel of sexual expression according to biblical standards, and the means for procreation of the human race.

Genesis 1:26-28; 2:15-25; 3:1-20; Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Joshua 24:15; Proverbs 5:15-20; 12:4; 13:24; 14:1; 17:6; 18:22; 22:6,15; 23:13-14; 24:3; 29:15,17; 31:10-31; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; 9:9; Malachi 2:14-16; Matthew 5:31-32; 18:2-5; 19:3-9; Mark 10:6-12; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 7:1-16, 39; Ephesians 5:21-33; 6:1-4; Colossians 3:18-21; 1 Timothy 5:8,14; 2 Timothy 1:3-5; Titus 2:3-5; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Peter 3:1-7

 

Complementarity
 

Men and women are absolutely equal in essence, dignity, and value but are different by divine design. As part of God’s good created order, men and women are to have different yet complementary roles and responsibilities in the home and church, especially as it comes to teaching and authority. These role distinctions are God’s grace to man and woman and are to be protected, preserved, and practiced for His glory and our joy. 

1 Corinthians 11:2-16; 14:33-35; Ephesians 5:22-33; Colossians 3:18-19; 1 Timothy 2:8-15; 1 Peter 3:1-7

 

Salvation
 

The salvation of sinners is an act of divine grace whereby God, according to His purposes of election, regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners. Upon their repentance of sin and faith in Jesus Christ as Lord, the sinner will persevere until the end, kept in a state of grace by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Genesis 3:15; Exodus 3:14-17; 6:2-8; Matthew 1:21; 4:17; 16:21-26; 27:22-28:6; Luke 1:68-69; 2:28-32; John 1:11-14,29; 3:3-21,36; 5:24; 10:9,28-29; 15:1-16; 17:17; Acts 2:21; 4:12; 15:11; 16:30-31; 17:30-31; 20:32; Romans 1:16-18; 2:4; 3:23-25; 5:8-10; 6:1-23; 8:1-18,28-39; 9; 10:9-10,13; 13:11-14; 1 Corinthians 1:18,30; 6:19-20; 15:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17-20; Galatians 2:20; 3:13; 5:22-25; 6:15; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-22; 4:11-16; Philippians 2:12-13; Colossians 1:9-22; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24; 2 Timothy 1:12; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 2:1-3; 5:8-9; 9:24-28; 11:1-12:8,14; James 2:14-26; 1 Peter 1:2-23; 1 John 1:6-2:11; Revelation 3:20; 21:1-22:5

 

The Church

 

The visible church of Christ is a congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ (Baptism and The Lord’s Supper); governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His word. It’s only scriptural officers are Elders (pastors/overseers/bishops), and Deacons, whose qualifications, claims, and duties are defined in the New Testament Scriptures.

Matthew 16:15-19; 18:15-20; Acts 2:41-42,47; 5:11-14; 6:3-6; 13:1-3; 14:23,27; 15:1-30; 16:5; 20:28; Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 3:16; 5:4-5; 7:17; 9:13-14; 12; Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:19-22; 3:8-11,21; 5:22-32; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:18; 1 Timothy 2:9-14; 3:1-15; 4:14; Hebrews 11:39-40; 1 Peter 5:1-4; Revelation 2-3; 21:2-3

 

Baptism
 

Water baptism is only intended for the individual who has received the saving benefits of Christ’s atoning work and become His disciple. In obedience to Christ’s command and as a testimony to God, the Church, oneself, and the world, a believer should be baptized by water in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Water baptism is a visual and symbolic demonstration of a person’s union with Christ in the likeness of His death and resurrection. Being an ordinance of the church, it is a prerequisite to the privileges of church membership and to the Lord's Supper.

Matthew 3:13-17; 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; 8:35-39; 16:30-33; Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 2:12

 

The Lord's Supper
 

The Lord’s Supper is a memorial to the death of Christ as our perfect Passover lamb, the bread of heaven that gives life to all who “eat of his flesh” and “drink of his blood.” Along with eating the bread and drinking of the cup, the church participates in this meal by looking back to remember the life and work of Christ, looking forward to anticipate the future return of Christ, and looking inward to reflect on the one’s personal devotion to Christ. The participants of this ordinance must examine themselves in order to be considered “worthy” of eating and drinking. The Lord’s Supper is not a special means of grace in the life of its participants. The elements (bread and wine/juice) are symbolic representations of the body and blood of Christ, not the physical or even mystical spiritual presence of Christ.

Exodus 12:14; 13:9-14; Matthew 26:26-30; John 6:55-56; Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 10:16,21; 11:23-34

 

The Last Things
 

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; 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.

Isaiah 2:4; 11:9; Matthew 16:27; 18:8-9; 19:28; 24:27,30,36,44; 25:31-46; 26:64; Mark 8:38; 9:43-48; Luke 12:40,48; 16:19-26; 17:22-37; 21:27-28; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:11; 17:31; Romans 14:10; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 15:24-28,35-58; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Philippians 3:20-21; Colossians 1:5; 3:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18; 2; 1 Timothy 6:14; 2 Timothy 4:1,8; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 9:27-28; James 5:8; 1 John 2:28; 3:2; Jude 14; Revelation 1:18; 3:11; 20:1-22:13