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SCRIPTURES ~ What we believe about the Bible & Origins

       We believe that the sixty-six books of Holy Scripture as originally written are in their entirety the Word of God, verbally inspired and wholly without error in all that they declare and therefore are the supreme and final authority of faith and life. We accept the Genesis account of Creation and believe that man came by direct creation of God and not by evolution. (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Matthew 5:18; Genesis 1:1, Genesis 1:​​26-27​; Acts 17:23-26)

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TRINITY ~ What we believe about God
       We believe in one God, eternally existing in three Persons - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These Three are co-equal in power and glory, identical in their essential nature and worthy of the same honor, love, obedience, and worship. (Deuteronomy 6:4; 2 Corinthians 13:14; John 10:30)
        1. God the Father ~ We believe that God the Father is the Creator, Provider, and Sustainer of all things. He is Omniscient, Omnipotent, and Omnipresent. He possesses the moral attributes of Holiness, Justice, Eternality, Mercy, and Love. There are no gods besides Him and nothing can frustrate His will. All things are done for His glory and honor. (Psalm 139; 1 Corinthians 15:24-28; Genesis 1:1; 1 Peter 1:15-17; Isaiah 44:6-8)
        2. God the Son ~ We believe in the Virgin Birth, sinless life, and deity of Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, who is also Son of Man, with two distinct natures in one person. We believe that the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ on the cross made atonement for the sin of the world, sufficient for all who accept Him as their Savior. We believe in the bodily resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ which insures the resurrection of all believers who have received God's gift of eternal life. We believe that Jesus has now ascended into Heaven where He sits at the right hand of the Father interceding for us as our Advocate and High Priest. (John  1:1-14; Luke 1:35; Acts 1:9-11; Colossians 1:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-3; Hebrews 7:25​; Hebrews 8:6; Hebrews 9:24; Romans 8:34; 1 John 2:1-2)

       3. God the Holy Spirit ~We believe the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgement. He is the Divine Agent in the regeneration, indwelling, baptizing, and sealing of believers. He is also the One who accomplishes the ministries of leading, empowering, filling, and teaching in the believer's life. We believe that the signs/revelatory gifts of the Holy Spirit have fulfilled their purpose and are not applicable to the work of the Holy Spirit in this present age. (John 16:8-11; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; Ephesians 1:13-14; Ephesians 4:7-12; 1 John 5:14-15)



SALVATION ~ What we believe about how a person becomes righteous

       We believe that mankind was created perfect in the image of God, but that we were born into sin through the fall of the first Adam and are also responsible for our own sin. Sin causes us to be spiritually dead, separated from God and Jesus Christ, and eternally lost. (Genesis 3:1-6; Romans 1:18; Romans 1:32; Romans 3:10-19; Romans 5:12-19)

       1. God's Part ~ We believe that God initiates the process of salvation and draws the sinner to Himself - declaring the believer righteous upon the basis of the imputed righteousness of Christ. We believe this righteousness is given - not because of any works of righteousness which we have done - but solely by His grace though faith in Jesus' shed blood. (Titus 3:4-7; Ephesians 2:8; Romans 5:1)

       2. Man's Part ~ We believe that salvation from everlasting punishment and entrance into this new state of relationship with God is secured only by a personal belief that Christ bore our sins in His own body on the cross and by a definite receiving of Christ, though the person of the Holy Spirit, into one's inner being. (Romans 10:9-13; 2 Corinthians 5:20-21)

      3. Our Security – We believe that all those who are truly born again are kept forever by God the Father for Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit (Philippians 1:6; John 10:28-29; Romans 8:35-39)

      4. Our Sanctification – We believe that God sets the believer apart unto Himself in a three-fold manner; first as an eternal act, based upon our redemption in Christ, establishing us in a position of holiness at the moment we trust the Savior; second, as a continuing process in us as the Holy Spirit applies the Word of God to our life; third, as the final accomplishment of this process when we die or when the Lord returns. (Hebrews 10:10-14; Ephesians 5:25-27; John 17:17; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)

      5. Our Separation – We believe in obedience to the Biblical commands to separate ourselves unto God from ecclesiastical apostasy and worldliness – endeavoring to apply the principles of purity, wisdom and Christian liberty in the areas of questionable or detrimental practices that may not be specifically prohibited in Scripture such as the drinking of alcohol as a beverage, various forms of entertainment, personal habits or inappropriate relationships.

(Ephesians 5:18; 1 Corinthians 8; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; 2 Corinthians 7:1; 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10; 1 Timothy 6:3-5; 2 John 1:9-11)

 

THE CHURCH ~ What we believe about the Body of Christ

We believe that a local church is a congregation of baptized believers, enable by the Holy Spirit to spread God’s message of salvation to the world and to disciple believers to maturity. We believe that the establishment, government, and continuance of the local church is clearly taught, defined and ordained in the New Testament Scriptures. We believe its officers are pastors (elders) and deacons. We believe the local church has the absolute right of self-government, and is free from any hierarchy of individuals or organizations. We believe that the ordinances of baptism by immersion and communion are symbols of our relationship to Christ and are commanded by Scripture for the church to practice until He comes. (Ephesians 1:22-29; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; Acts 2:37-42; Acts 14:27; Acts 20:17, Acts 20: 28-32; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11; Acts 10:47-48; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

 

PERSONALITY OF SATAN ~ What we believe about our Enemy

We believe in the reality and personality of Satan, the Devil; that he was created by God as an angel, but through pride and rebellion become the enemy of his Creator; that he was cast out of heaven and become the unholy god of this age and ruler of all the powers of darkness. We believe he was judged at the cross and is constantly waging war against mankind by blinding unbelievers from truth about God, tempting believers to sin and accusing them before God. We believe he is destined for eternal punishment in the lake of fire. (Matthew 4:1-11; Isaiah 14:12-17;

1 Corinthians 2:14; Revelation 20:1-10)

 

FUTURE EVENTS & ETERNAL STATE ~ What we believe about the return of Christ

We believe in the imminent, visible and bodily return of Christ. We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men – the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to everlasting punishment.

     1. Rapture – We believe the Scriptures teach a personal, imminent, pre-tribulational and pre-millennial coming of Jesus Christ for His church; when the dead in Christ will be raised in glorified bodies and the living in Christ shall be given glorified bodies without tasting death; and that all believers will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air to receive rewards for faithfulness and enjoy Him forever. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 3:10; 1 Corinthians 3; 2 Corinthians 5:10)

     2. Tribulation – We believe that the Tribulation, which follows the Rapture of the Church, will be a time of great trouble and judgment on the world. We believe the nation of Israel will be re-gathered at this time. We believe that Anti-Christ, with the power and authority of Satan, will be allowed to reign and terrorize those on earth for a period of seven years, after which time he will be judged by Christ. (Daniel 9:25-27; Matthew 24:29-31; Revelation 19:11-16)

     3. Millennial Kingdom – We believe that after the tribulation, Christ the Messiah will come with His saints to rule and reign on the throne of David in Jerusalem with power and great glory for a thousand years. (Isaiah 9:6-9; Zechariah 14:4-11; Revelation 20:1-6)

     4. Eternal State – We believe that the saved are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss, they await the resurrection of their glorified bodies. WE believe that the souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious torture until the second resurrection after the millennium, when with soul and body reunited they shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment, and shall be cast into the lake of fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting and just punishment. (Matthew 25:46; John 5:28-29; Luke 16:19-26; Luke 23:43; Matthew 25:41-46; Revelation 20:11-15)

 

CIVIL GOVERNMENT ~ What we believe about our responsibility to our nation

We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interests and good order of human society; that elected and appointed leaders are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored, and obeyed – except in those things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ as revealed in the Scriptures. We believe Christians are to effectively engage the culture, to participate in all branches of government and society and to be salt and light in the community. (Romans 3:17; Romans 13:1-7; Acts 5:29; Acts 23:5; Daniel 3:17-18; Matthew 5:13)