I. Doctrine of Scripture (The Holy Bible)
We believe that the Bible (KJV), both the Old and New Testaments, is the inerrant, plenary, verbally inspired Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; John 6:63) and is to be the sole rule of faith and practice (Psalm 19:7-11; Psalm 119:105; Matthew 4:4; John 17:17; Romans 10:17). It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter.
It is God’s infallible, completed revelation to mankind (Revelation 22:18-19). It is inspired (2 Peter 2:20-21) and illuminated (John 14:26; 1Corinthians 2:14) by the Spirit of God and should be interpreted literally.
Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy.
II. Doctrine of God
We believe that Jehovah is the one and only living and true God (Isaiah 44:6). He is perfect in power, wisdom and goodness; the Creator and Ruler of the universe. God is all powerful (Omnipotence – Jeremiah 32:17), ever present (Omnipresence – Psalm 139:7-12) and all knowing (Omniscience – 1 John 3:20); and His perfect knowledge extends to all things, past, present and future (Isaiah 48:3, 5).
Within the Godhead unity there are three eternal distinctions or persons: God the Father (Psalm 2:7; Matthew 11:25; 27:46; John 5:32, 37; Galatians 4:4), God the Son (John 1:1, 18; 20:28; Romans 9:5; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8; 1 John 5:20), and God the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14). These three persons of the Trinity are coexistent, coeternal, and coequal (Matthew 3:16-17; 1 Peter 1:2). This Trinity is without division of nature, essence or being.
We believe that God created the universe out of nothing (Genesis 1:1; Hebrews 11:3) in six literal days (Genesis 1-2) and continues to exercise His sovereign control over it (1 Chronicles 29:11; Daniel 5:21), preserving it until the day of judgment (Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 1:3, 2 Peter 3:7).
III. Doctrine of Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God (John 1:1, 14; Colossians 1:15-18; Galatians 4:4). He was conceived of the Holy Spirit (John 1:1, 14; Colossians 1:16-17; Galatians 4:4) and was born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:16, 22-23; Galatians 4:4). We believe in His incarnation (John 1:1, 14; Luke 2:1-20; Philippians 2:7-8) and at the time of His incarnation was entirely God and entirely man: one person with two distinct natures (Matthew 3:17; John 1:1-14; Romans 1:3-4).
Jesus honored the divine law by His personal obedience (Matthew 5:17) in that He never sinned (2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15). Through His substitutionary death on the cross, He shed His blood vicariously (Isaiah 53; 1 Peter 2:23-25) for mankind (John 8:46; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:22). He made a provision for the redemption of men from sin (Luke 19:10).
He died, was buried and arose bodily the third day from the grave (1 Corinthians 15:3-4), ascending back to heaven forty days after the resurrection (Luke 24:50-51). He currently makes intercession for believers (Hebrews 4:14; 7:24-25) and is the Head of the Church (Colossians 1:18-19).
He will physically return for His own at the rapture (1Thessalonians 4:15-17; Acts 1:11) and for unbelievers in judgment at His Second Coming (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10).
IV. Doctrine of the Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity (John 14:16, 26; Ephesians 4:30). He is coequal, coeternal, and coexistent with God the Father and God the Son (Luke 1:35; Matthew 28: 19-20; 2 Corinthians 13:14). He is not simply a force but is a person with characteristics such as intellect (Romans 8:27; 1 Corinthians 2:11), will (1 Corinthians 12:11), and emotion (Romans 15:30; Ephesians 4:30).
He was involved in inspiration (2 Peter 1:21) and creation (Genesis 1:2) and currently involves himself in reproving the world of sin (John 16:8-11), glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ (John 15:26; 16:12-14), imparting life (John 6:63), restraining sin (2 Thessalonians 2:6-7), regenerating unbelievers (John 3:6), convicting the hearts of men (John 6:44), indwelling believers (Romans 8:9), baptizing believers into the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13), sealing believers (Ephesians1:13-14), and filling or empowering believers for service (Acts 1:8; Ephesians 5:8). He gives gifts to men (1 Corinthians 12:1-14, 40; Romans 12:3-8; Ephesians 4:7-11) in order that they might serve Him and others.
We oppose any form of the modern Charismatic Movement and its teachings regarding tongues or other spiritual manifestations which detract from the Lord Jesus Christ, replace Biblical salvation, or are inconsistent with Scripture.
V. Doctrine of Man
Man is the special creation of God, created without sin (Ephesians 4:24) and in God’s own image (Genesis 1:27). He created them male and female (Genesis 1:27; Genesis 5:2) as the crowning work of His creation.
In the beginning man was innocent of sin and was endowed by his Creator with freedom of choice. By his free choice, Adam willingly chose to transgress God’s law (Genesis 2:16-17; 3:1-7), bringing sin, depravity, and judgment upon the entire human race (Romans 3:9-12, 23; 5:12, 19). Thus, man is born with a sinful nature (Romans 5:12) which, apart from the saving grace of Jesus Christ, will bring forth God’s eternal judgment (Romans 6:23; John 3:16).
Only the grace of God can bring man into His holy fellowship.
VI. Doctrine of Sin
We believe that sin began in heaven with Satan leading a rebellion against God among the angels (Isaiah 14:12-14; Ezekiel 28:14-19) and upon earth when Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden (Romans 5:12). We define sin as the transgression of God’s law or will (1 John 3:4). We believe that sin brings physical (Genesis 2:17; Romans 5:12), spiritual (Romans 5:21; Ephesians 2:1, 5), and eternal death (Matthew 25:41; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Revelation 21:8) upon man. We believe that men who reject God’s Son as Savior go to a literal place called hell (Matthew 11:23; Luke 16:23) to await the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11-13) and their eternal punishment in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:14-15).
VII. Doctrine of Salvation
We believe that salvation cannot be earned through merit or good works (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5) and that unless the Spirit of God convicts a man’s heart (John 6:44), he will not turn to Christ in saving faith. We believe that salvation is a gift that is freely offered to all, and a person must acknowledge his sinfulness before God and his belief in the resurrection of Christ and personally place his faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ in order to inherit eternal salvation (Acts 4:12; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Isaiah 53:5-6; 1 John 1:29; 1 John 2:2).
We believe at the time of a man’s conversion he is freed forever from the penalty of sin (Romans 5:1, 10; Hebrews 10:10). From that moment on, God seeks to transform him into the image of Christ (Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:8-12) and upon his death, or the Lord’s return, frees him from the presence of sin (1 John 3:2).
VIII. Doctrine of the Church
We believe the church is a “called out” assembly of believers from the world which began on the day of the Pentecost (Acts 2). We believe that membership of the local church is limited to individuals who truly know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and have been baptized by immersion (Acts 2:38-41). We believe the Bible is the sole rule of faith and practice. We believe in the priesthood of believers (1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 4:15-16; 1 Peter 2:9) and in the autonomy of the local church.
We believe in two church ordinances:
- Baptism by immersion after salvation for those truly receiving Christ as Savior (Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19; Acts 10:47-48). We believe that baptism is an outward picture of the new birth which identifies a believer with Christ (Romans 6:3-6; Colossians 2:12; 1 Peter 3:21). It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer's faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, the believer's death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus.
- The Lord’s Supper for all obedient believers (1 Corinthians 11: 23-26). The Lord’s Supper, through the partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, commemorates the death of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:23-26), symbolizing His sacrifice for our sins, and anticipating His second coming.
Neither baptism nor the Lord’s Supper possesses any power to save man from his sins.
We believe in two church offices: pastor (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9) and deacons (1 Timothy 3:8-13).
We believe in the separation of the believer from sin and the world (1 John 2:15-17; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Ephesians 5:11); in separation from false teachers (including all forms of unbelief), and in separation from disobedient brethren (Matthew 18:15-18; Titus 3:9-11; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13).
IX. Doctrine of Angels
We believe that God created spiritual beings called angels (Nehemiah 9:6; Colossians 1:16-17) who, because of Satan’s revolt in heaven (Isaiah 14:13-14; Jude 6; Revelation 12:3-4), became divided between good and evil angels. Angels are incorporeal (Hebrews 1:14), are without sex (Matthew 22:30), and are innumerable (Hebrews 12:22). Although neither omniscient nor omnipotent, they do possess superior knowledge and strength to man (Matthew 24:36; 2 Peter 2:11). They also exist in angelic ranks (Ephesians 6:12).
We believe that Satan is a real angelic being who exalted himself against God (Isaiah 14:12-14; Ezekiel 28:14-19). He is a wicked liar (John 8:44) and the great tempter (Matthew 4:1). He desires to have the worship of all beings (Matthew 4:9) and to destroy believers (Luke 22:31). Satan is the god of this world (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11) and the prince of the air (Ephesians 2:2; 6:12). He rules a host of demons who tempt believers (1 Thessalonians 3:5) and at times possess unbelievers (Matthew 12:22). In the end, God will cast Satan and his demons into the Lake of Fire for all eternity (Revelation 20:10).
X. Doctrine of the End Times
We believe Bible prophecy should be interpreted from the pre-tribulational, pre-millennial viewpoint (Daniel 9:26-27; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 5:1-10; Revelation 20:1-6).
We believe the next imminent event on God’s prophetic timetable is the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18; 5:1-6). Following the rapture, all believers will return to heaven for the Judgment Seat of Christ, receive their rewards according to their works (1 Corinthians 3:13-15; 2 Corinthians 5:9-11) and to celebrate the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:7-8).
After the rapture, the next event upon the earth will be seven literal years of the Tribulation Period (Daniel 9:27; Revelation 5:1-18:24). At the end of these seven years, Christ will physically return to earth in His Second Coming with His saints (Zechariah 14:4-5; Revelation 19) to judge the beast and false prophet and to initiate a literal Millennial Kingdom upon the earth (Revelation 19:19-20:6).
At the end of Christ’s Millennial Kingdom, Christ will release Satan “for a little season” to deceive the nations of the earth for a final time (Revelation 20:7-9). At the end of this “season,” God will cast Satan into the Lake of Fire for all eternity (Revelation 20:10) and will resurrect the unsaved dead to face the Great White Throne Judgment and to be cast into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:11-15).
However, God will cause believers to dwell with Him in the New Heavens and the New Earth for all eternity (2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1-22:5).
