What We Believe

The statement of faith of this church is as follows:

 

The Bible

We believe the Bible to be the  complete Word of God, as originally written, comprising of the Old and New Testaments,  were verbally inspired by the Spirit of God and were entirely free from error; that the Bible is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice and the true basis of Christian union.

Exodus 24:4; Deuteronomy 4:1-2; 17:19; Joshua 8:34; Psalms 19:7-10; 9:11,89,105,140; Isaiah 34:16; 40:8; Jeremiah15:16; 36:1-32; Matthew 5:17-18; 22:29; Luke 21:33; 24:44-46;John 5:39; 16:13-15; 17:17; Acts 2:16ff.; 17:11; Romans 5:4;16:25-26; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2; 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 1:19-21.

God

We believe in the one and only living and true God, creator of all, glorious in holiness, sovereign ruler of the universe, eternal, omniscient, omnipotent, omni-present, and worthy of all honor, confidence and love.  In the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.

Exodus 20:2-3; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19-20; John 4:23-24; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 John 5:7; Revelation 4:11

God the Father

God as Father reigns with providential care over His universe, His creatures, and the flow of the stream of human history according to the purposes of His grace. He is all powerful, all knowing, all loving, and all wise. God is Father in truth to those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. He is fatherly in His attitude toward all men.

Genesis 1:1; 2:7; Exodus 3:14; 6:2-3; 15:11ff.; 20:1ff.; Leviticus 22:2; Deuteronomy 6:4; 32:6; 1 Chronicles 29:10; Psalm 19:1-3; Isaiah 43:3,15; 64:8; Jeremiah 10:10; 17:13; Matthew 6:9ff.; 7:11; 23:9; 28:19; Mark 1:9-11; John 4:24; 5:26; 14:6-13; 17:1-8; Acts 1:7; Romans 8:14-15; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 4:6; Colossians 1:15; 1 Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 11:6; 12:9; 1 Peter 1:17; 1 John 5:7.

God The Son

Christ is the eternal Son of God. In His incarnation as Jesus Christ He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus perfectly revealed and did the will of God, taking upon Himself human nature and identifying Himself completely with man yet without sin. 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 with a glorified body and appeared to His disciples as the person who was with them before His crucifixion. He ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where He is the One Mediator, fully God, fully man, in whose Person is effected the reconciliation between God and man. He will return in power and glory to judge the world and to consummate His redemptive mission. He now dwells in all believers as the living and ever present Lord.

Genesis 18:1ff.; Psalms 2:7ff.; 110:1ff.; Isaiah 7:14; 53; Matthew 1:18-23; 3:17; 8:29; 11:27; 14:33; 16:16,27; 17:5; 27; 28:1-6,19; Mark 1:1; 3:11; Luke 1:35; 4:41; 22:70; 24:46; John 1:1-18,29; 10:30,38; 11:25-27; 12:44-50; 14:7-11; 16:15-16,28; 17:1-5, 21-22; 20:1-20,28; Acts 1:9; 2:22-24; 7:55-56; 9:4-5,20; Romans 1:3-4; 3:23-26; 5:6-21; 8:1-3,34; 10:4; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2:2; 8:6; 15:1-8,24-28; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21; 8:9; Galatians 4:4-5; Ephesians 1:20; 3:11; 4:7-10; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:13-22; 2:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 3:16; Titus 2:13-14; Hebrews 1:1-3; 4:14-15; 7:14-28; 9:12-15,24-28; 12:2; 13:8; 1 Peter 2:21-25; 3:22; 1 John 1:7-9; 3:2; 4:14-15; 5:9; 2 John 7-9; Revelation 1:13-16; 5:9-14; 12:10-11; 13:8; 19:16.

God the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, fully divine. He inspired holy men of old to write the Scriptures. Through illumination He enables men to understand truth. He exalts Christ. He convicts men of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. He calls men to the Savior, and effects regeneration. At the moment of regeneration He baptizes every believer into the Body of Christ. He cultivates Christian character, comforts believers, and bestows the spiritual gifts by which they serve God through His church. He seals the believer unto the day of final redemption. His presence in the Christian is the guarantee that God will bring the believer into the fullness of the stature of Christ. He enlightens and empowers the believer and the church in worship, evangelism, and service.

Genesis 1:2; Judges 14:6; Job 26:13; Psalms 51:11; 139:7ff.; Isaiah 61:1-3; Joel 2:28-32; Matthew 1:18; 3:16; 4:1; 12:28-32; 28:19; Mark 1:10,12; Luke 1:35; 4:1,18-19; 11:13; 12:12; 24:49; 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; 1Timothy 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 created man in His own image, and free from sin; but, through the temptation of Satan, he transgressed the command of God, and fell from his original holiness and righteousness; whereby his posterity inherit a nature corrupt and wholly opposed to God and His law, are under condemnation, and as soon as they are capable of moral action, become actual transgressors.

Genesis 1-3, Romans 1:18-32, 5:12-21, 6:23, 8:20.

Salvation

We believe that salvation is by the sovereign, electing grace of God; that by the appointment of the Father, Christ voluntarily took upon Himself our nature and our sin.  He suffered a vicarious and propitiatory death for sinners.  Having borne our sin in His own body on the cross and having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in Heaven providing justification by faith alone to all who believe on the in  the Lord Jesus Christ.  Those whom God has effectually called shall be divinely preserved and finally perfected in the image of the Lord.

Ephesians 2:8; Acts 15:11; 16:31; Romans 3:24; 10:9; John 3:16; Matthew 18:11; Philippians2:7; Hebrews 2:14; Isaiah 53:4-7; Romans 3:25; 1 John 4:10; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21.

Justification

We believe justification is an act of God's free grace whereby He pardons our sins and accounts us righteous in His sight.  This is based not on anything we have done but only on the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and received by faith alone.

Romans 3:24, 4:5,24-25, 8:33, Galatians 2:16.

Sanctification

Those who are united to Jesus Christ are by regeneration renewed in their whole nature after the image of God, and are set apart by God to share in His holiness: this is definitive sanctification.  But because of the remaining effects of the former corrupt nature there is a progressive aspect to sanctification, whereby the Holy Spirit, indwelling the believer, promotes true holiness of life. 

Romans 8:28, 12:1, I Corinthians 1:30,6:9-11, Philippians 2:13, 1 Peter 1:15-16, Hebrews 10:10.

The Local Church

We believe that a church is a company of immersed believers,  called out from the world, separated unto the Lord Jesus, and voluntarily associated to glorify God, edify one another and make disciples of all nations.  The church is to preach God’s Word, administer the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper and practice discipline among its members which profess faith in Jesus Christ in evidence of regeneration.  The local church is an autonomous body, exercising its spiritual gifts, precepts, privileges and ministries under the Lordship of  Christ, the Head of the church.  We believe that its officers are pastors and deacons.

Matthew 16:18, 28:18-20, John 10:16, Acts 2:42, 8:1, Ephesians 3:21, I Timothy 3:1-15

Ordinances

We believe that there are only two ordinances for the church regularly observed in the New Testament in the following order:

      1. Baptism: which is the immersion of the believer in water, whereby he  obeys  Christ's command and sets forth his identification with Christ in his death, burial and resurrection.

Matthew 28:19, Acts 2:41, 8:26, Romans 6, Galatians 3:3, Colossians 2:12

      2. The Lord's Supper: which is the covenant  memorial wherein the believer partakes of the two elements,  bread and the cup which symbolize the Lord's body and shed blood, proclaiming his death until He comes.

Matthew 26:26, Mark 14:22, Luke 22:14, 1 Corinthians 10:16-17, 20-32

The Church and the State.

We believe in the entire separation of church and state.  Civil government is ordained by God for the good of society.  As such it is the duty of Christians to render loyal obedience in all things that are not contrary to the revealed will of God.  As well, it is the duty of the government to enforce laws in keeping with God’s will.

Exodus 18:13-24; Matthew 22:21-17-21; Acts 4:19-20; Romans 13:1-7; 1  Timothy 2:1-2

Religious Liberty

We believe in religious liberty and that individuals have the right to choose their own beliefs.  We believe that Christians are under compulsion by God to preach the gospel to all men and that Christians are to endeavor to win men by persuasion through the power of the gospel and the Holy Spirit.  No religion, in the practice and propagation of its beliefs, has the right to coerce, threaten, incite violence or promote immoral behavior of any kind.
John 8:36; Acts 4:19-20; 17:2,17; 18:4,19; 24:25; Romans 13:1-7; Galatians 5:13; Philippians 3:20; 1 Timothy 2:1-2; James 4:12; 1 Peter 2:12-17, 3:11-17, 4:12-19).

The Lord’s Day

We believe that the first day of the week is the Lord's day and that, in a special sense, it is the divinely appointed day for worship, rest and spiritual ministry. 

Exodus 20:8-11; Matthew 12:1-12; 28:1ff.; Mark 2:27-28; 16:1-7; Luke 24:1-3,33-36; John 4:21-24; 20:1,19-28; Acts 20:7; Romans 14:5-10; I Corinthians 16:1-2; Revelation 1:10.

Civil Government

We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interest and good order of society: that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed except only in the things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only Lord of conscience and Prince of the Kings of the earth.

Exodus 18:21,22; 11 Samuel 23:3; Daniel 3:17,18; Matthew 22:21; Acts 4:19,20; 5:20; 23:5; Romans 13:1-7; 1 Timothy 2:1-5.

Satan

We believe that Satan is a personal spirit-being originally created as an angel who fell from his privileged position sometime before the Fall of man. His objective is to defeat God’s Kingdom.  He has a host of demons who help carry out his wicked schemes. The death of Christ has freed His people from Satan’s power, and both Satan and his angels will be eternally punished in the lake of fire at the last judgment.

Genesis 3:1, Job 1:7, Isaiah 14:12-17, Ezekiel 28:11-19, Ephesians 6:12-18, Colossians 2 :15.

Future Things

 We believe that God, in His own time will bring the world as we know it 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; 5:1ff.; 2 Thessalonians 1:7ff.; 2; 1 Timothy 6:14; 2 Timothy 4:1,8; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 9:27-28; James 5:8; 2 Peter 3:7ff.; 1 John 2:28; 3:2; Jude 14; Revelation 1:18; 3:11; 20:1-22:13.