General Statement of Faith
1.
We Believe
that "all scripture is given
by inspiration of God." The Bible is the inerrant Word of God and is
the final and sole authority for all Christian life and practice. The Holy
Spirit guided the writers in all that they wrote. II Tim. 3:16;
Deut. 4:2; II
Peter 1:20,21; John 17:17; Hebrews 4:12; Matt. 5:18; Jeremiah 36:2-4: Rev.
14:13.
2. We Believe the Godhead eternally exists in three persons: the Father,
the Son and the Holy Spirit. Genesis 1:26 Matt 28:19;
I Cor. 8:6; II Cor. 13:14; I Peter 1:2; Eph. 3:9-17.
3. We Believe in the deity of our Lord, Jesus Christ, in His virgin
birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death
through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the
right hand of the Father and His personal return in power and glory. John 1:1; John 1:14; John 10:30; Matt. 1:20;
I Tim.3:16.
4. We Believe in the
personality and the deity of the Holy Spirit - the source and power of all
acceptable worship and service, Who indwells in every true believer and is ever
present to testify of Christ, seeking to occupy us with Him (Christ) and not
with ourselves. We acknowledge the ministry of the Holy Spirit Who convicts,
regenerates, indwells, enlightens and empowers believers for Godly living. John
14:26; John 15:26; Acts 1:8; Rom. 8:26,27; I Cor. 2:12,14; Rom. 8:9; I
Cor. 3:16; John 16:13,14.
5. We Believe that man
was created in the image of God, that he sinned in Adam, and that he is now a
sinner by nature and by choice. Man must receive a new nature by faith in Jesus
Christ, implanted by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God in order to gain
eternal salvation. Gen. 1:26,27; Rom. 5:12; John 3:3-7; Eph. 2:1-10; John 5:24;
Titus 3:5.
6. We Believe in
salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, apart from any human merit or
works, and that through faith in Christ, one passes immediately out of
spiritual death into spiritual life. John 5:24; Rom. 3:28; Gal. 2:20; Eph.
2:8-10; Rom. 10:9-12.
7. We Believe that
the church is the spiritual body of which Christ is the head. The church is
composed of all those who truly believe in Jesus Christ as personal savior, who
are to "keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace," rising
above denominational barriers, loving one another and, "holding the truth
in love...being held together by that which every joint supplies." Eph.
4:2-6; Eph. 4:15,16; Eph. 2:19-22; Eph.1:22,23; I Cor. 12:13; Rom. 12:4,5; I Cor. 1:10.
8. We Believe that all true believers are called to a life of separation from worldly and sinful practices, and should abstain from that which would bring reproach upon the name of Christ. Christians are to be "salt and light" in the world. Rom. 12:2; II Cor. 6:14-18; Col. 2:6-8; I Cor. 6:15-20; I Cor.10:23,24; I Thess. 5:21,22; Titus 2:11,12; Matt. 5:13-16; Eph. 2:10.
9. We Believe in
the evangelization of the world, that the supreme mission of the people of God
in this age is to preach the Gospel, and to make Christ known to every person.
Mark 16:15; II Cor. 5:18-20a; Matt. 18:11-14; Matt. 28:19,20.
10. We
Believe in a literal Heaven and Hell.
We believe in the controlling and greater power of God, but also in the
reality and power of Satan, the deceiver. Matt. 6:20; Luke 10:19,20; Luke23:43; II
Cor. 5:1; Il Cor.12:2-4; Rev. 2:7; Matt. 5:29; Matt.10:28;
Matt.18:8,9; Matt. 25:28-30,41,46; Gen. 3:1; I Chron. 21:1; John 12:31; Acts
5:3; Acts 26:18; II Cor. 2:11; Eph. 4:27; Eph. 6:11; James 4:7,8; Rev.12:9; l
John 4:4
11. We Believe in the personal return of our Lord, Jesus Christ, and that this second coming of Jesus Christ is the "blessed hope" that is set before us that we are continually looking for. Titus 2:13; Acts 1:11; I Thess. 4:16,17; John 14:1-3.
(The above Statement of Faith can also be used as a simple study guide for personal study or Bible study groups.)