Statement of Faith

These Scriptures, in the original manuscripts, are inspired (God-breathed), therefore infallible and inerrant (that is, without error). We acknowledge that we finite human beings are limited in our understanding of the infinite and incomprehensible God, but because He has graciously revealed Himself, we can know Him truly without knowing Him fully.

God

We believe there is only one true and living God, the Creator of all things, both visible and invisible. God exists eternally, without beginning or end, in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—each possessing all the attributes of Deity, operating distinctively yet in harmony for the great work of redemption.

(Genesis 1:1, 26–27; 2:7; Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 43:10–13; 44:6, 8, 24; 45:5–7, 18, 21–23; Hosea 13:4; Malachi 2:10; John 1:1–3, 14, 18; Matthew 28:19; Romans 3:29–30; 1 Corinthians 8:4; 2 Corinthians 3:17–18; 13:14; Galatians 3:20; Hebrews 1:1–3)

God the Father. We believe God the Father is the Creator and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth, sovereign in creation and providence. He is the immortal and eternal Father, perfect and infinitely great in all the divine attributes, including His love, holiness, righteousness, justice, goodness, grace, mercy, wisdom, omnipotence (all-powerful), omnipresence (all-present), and omniscience (all-knowing).

(Exodus 34:6–7; Job 11:7–9; Psalm 25:8; 90:2; 139:4, 7–10; 145:17; 147:5; Isaiah 6:3; 55:8–9; 63:16; 64:8; Jeremiah 9:24; 32:17; Malachi 1:6; 2:10; John 6:37–40; 14:1–11, 16–20, 23; Acts 17:27–28; Romans 11:36; 2 Corinthians 1:2–4; 6:16–18; Ephesians 1:3; 2:4; 3:14–15; 4:6; James 1:17; 1 Peter 1:3; 1:14–17; 1 John 2:22–24; 3:1–2; 4:8, 14–16; Revelation 4:8)

Jesus Christ. We believe the Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the living Word, who became flesh through the conception of the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, the Son of Man, the promised Messiah of Israel, fully God and fully man, who came to take away the sin of the world. We believe in His deity, His sinless life, His vicarious and atoning death on the cross, His bodily resurrection, His authority in heaven and on earth, His ascension to the right hand of the Father, His headship over His Body the Church, His personal return (the Second Coming) in majesty and glory, and His final judgeship of all.

(Genesis 3:15; 12:3; Deuteronomy 18:15, 18; Psalm 2:6–12; 16:8–11; 22:1–31; 34:20; 40:6–10; 69:7–9; 78:2–4; 80:17–19; 110:1–7; 118:19–29; Isaiah 7:14; 9:1–2, 6–7; 11:1–5; 40:3–5; 45:21–25; 52:13–14; 53:1–12; 61:1–2; Daniel 7:9–10; Hosea 11:1; Micah 5:2; Zechariah 9:9–10; 11:12; 12:10; Malachi 4:5–6; Matthew 14:33; 16:16; 17:5; 20:28; 26:64; 28:18–20; Luke 1:34–35; 24:44–45; John 1:1, 14–18; 3:13–18; 5:18; 6:40; 8:58; 10:30; 14:9–12, 21–24; 20:31; Acts 5:30–32; 17:30–31; Romans 1:1–4; 8:3–4; 14:10–12; 1 Corinthians 1:30–31; 8:6; Ephesians 1:20–23; 5:23; Philippians 2:5–11; Colossians 1:13–20; 3:17; Titus 2:13–14; Hebrews 1:2–3, 8–13; 1 John 5:20; Revelation 1:12–18; 5:5–14; 6:15–17; 11:15; 17:14; 19:11–16; 21:22–27; 22:16, 20–21)

The Holy Spirit. We believe the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, also called the Spirit of Christ, sent from the Father into the world to reveal and glorify the will of God in Christ Jesus. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to convict the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment. He is the divine Helper, the promised Comforter, and the Spirit of truth, who guides believers into all truth. As the divine Agent of God in regeneration and renewal, He baptizes all believers into the Body of Christ transforming them into the image of Christ. His purpose is to exalt and glorify the Lord Jesus in the life of every true believer. From the moment of regeneration, He indwells believers and illuminates the living Word of God, distributes spiritual gifts for the building up of the Body of Christ, seals believers unto the day of eternity, and brings forth the fruit of the Spirit through sanctification. He is Himself the down payment and pledge of the promised inheritance believers have from God through Christ.

(John 6:63; 7:37–39; 14:16–17, 26; 16:7–15; Acts 1:5, 8; 2:4, 17–18, 33, 38–39; 4:31; 5:32; Romans 1:4; 8:9–17, 23, 26–27; 14:17; 15:13, 15–16; 1 Corinthians 2:10–16; 3:16; 6:11, 19; 12:7–11, 13; 2 Corinthians 1:21–22; 3:17–18; 5:5; Galatians 5:22–23, 25; Ephesians 1:13–14; 2:18–22; 4:3–4, 12, 30; 5:18; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Timothy 3:16; 2 Timothy 1:14; Titus 3:5–7; Hebrews 9:14; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 John 2:20; 27)

Scripture

We believe the Holy Scriptures, all sixty-six books of the Bible, are God’s written revelation to man. He has revealed Himself and His infinite and incomprehensible nature by inspiring all the words of every book. Therefore, all Scripture is infallible and inerrant. We believe God breathed out His Word through the human writers of the Bible and that He sovereignly preserved these Scriptures and their message throughout history so that, while we do not have the capacity to know Him exhaustively, we may know Him truly. We believe the Scripture, God’s written word, is sufficient and complete in its revelation of His will for the salvation of man, its requirement for man to believe, and its authority in all matters on which it speaks. We believe the honest and diligent study, teaching, and preaching of Scripture through the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit brings men to Christ for salvation and a reconciled relationship with the one true and living God of all.

(Exodus 17:14; 24:4; 31:18; Deuteronomy 4:1–2; 12:32; Joshua 1:8; Psalm 19:7–11; 119:11, 89, 105, 130, 160; Isaiah 40:8; 55:11; Matthew 4:4; 5:18; 7:24; 15:3–6; 22:29; 24:35; Luke 21:33; 24:25, 27, 44–45; John 1:45; 5:39, 46–47; 7:17, 38; 10:34–35; 17:17; Romans 9:4–6; 10:17; 15:4; 16:25–27; 1 Corinthians 2:7–14; 14:37–38; Ephesians 5:26; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 4:8; 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16–17; Hebrews 4:12–14; 2 Peter 1:20–21; Revelation 1:11; 22:18–19)

Man

We believe God created man, male and female, in His own image. Man was created in the likeness of God to have fellowship with God, to bring glory and honor to Him, to represent and rule on earth by God’s authority, and to live his life in God’s presence. We believe man inherited a sinful nature and incurred the penalty of death through Adam’s willful disobedience (sin). As the result of humanity’s fallen and corrupt nature, we believe all men everywhere are lost, being conceived in sin, becoming by nature children of wrath, utterly incapable of choosing or doing that which is pleasing to God apart from divine intervention. We believe that all men are therefore sinners, sinning by nature, sinning by choice, and facing the righteous and eternal judgment of God without excuse.

(Genesis 1:26–30; 2:7, 16–17; 3:1–24; 9:2–3; 1 Kings 8:46; 2 Chronicles 6:36; Psalm 14:1–3; 51:5; 53:1–3; Ecclesiastes 7:20; Isaiah 43:7; 59:1–15; 64:6–7; Jeremiah 17:9; John 3:36; Acts 17:26–31; Romans 1:18–20; 3:23; 5:12–14; 6:6, 23; Galatians 3:22; Ephesians 2:1–3; Colossians 1:16, 21; 1 Timothy 2:13–14; James 3:7, 9; 1 John 1:8; Revelation 4:11)

Salvation

We believe salvation is wholly of God’s grace through faith, on the sole basis of the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, who Himself became the propitiation for our sins. Therefore, salvation is not based, in whole or in part, on human goodness, good works, or religious ceremony. We believe Jesus Christ Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, died in our place, and by His death made full atonement for all our sins.

(Psalm 25:5; Isaiah 53:11; Matthew 1:21; 20:28; John 1:12; 3:3–21, 36; 14:6; Acts 2:38–39; 4:10–12; 16:30–31; Romans 1:16–17; 3:21–28; 5:8–9, 12–21; 6:23; 10:8–13; 1 Corinthians 15:1–4; 2 Corinthians 5:17, 21; Galatians 2:20–21; Ephesians 1:5–8; 2:8–9; Colossians 1:13–14, 21–23; 1 Thessalonians 5:9–10; Titus 3:4–7; Hebrews 2:9, 14–15; 9:14; 10:10–22; 1 Peter 1:18–19; 2:24; 1 John 1:9; 2:1–2; 4:8–10; Revelation 5:9–10; 22:17)

Regeneration. We believe regeneration (the new birth) is the outworking of the death and resurrection of Christ in our lives, that it is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit by which divine and eternal life is imparted by His power and through the Word of God, convicting man to repent towards God and trust in Christ’s finished work on the cross. We believe genuine regeneration by the Spirit will be evidenced by the fruit of the Spirit in a believer’s life.

(Jeremiah 31:31–34; Ezekiel 36:26; John 3:3–8; 5:24; Romans 6:4–11; 10:17; 1 Corinthians 6:9–11; 2 Corinthians 3:3, 18; 4:6; 5:17; Galatians 2:20; 5:16–25; 6:15; Ephesians 2:1–10; 5:14; Colossians 2:11–14; 3:10; Titus 3:3–7; 1 Peter 1:23; 2 Peter 1:3–4; 1 John 3:9; 5:1, 4, 18)

Justification. We believe justification is a divine act of God by which He declares righteous those who have repented of their sins and placed their faith in Christ Jesus as their Savior and Lord. Those who receive justification through the Redeemer’s blood thus receive forgiveness of sin, the promise of eternal life, and a reconciled relationship with God. We believe through justification, by the sacrifice of Jesus, our guilt and shame are washed away, and we are restored to right standing before God.

(Luke 13:3; Acts 2:38–39; 3:19; 4:10–12; 10:42–43; 11:13–18; 13:38–39; 22:14–16; 26:16–20; Romans 3:21–30; 4:20–25; 5:17–21; 8:1–2, 33–34, 38–39; 1 Corinthians 1:30–31; 6:11; 2 Corinthians 5:18–21; 7:10; Philippians 3:8–11; Colossians 2:11–14; Titus 3:5–7; James 2:14–26; 1 Peter 2:24)

Sanctification. We believe every believer, being justified is also sanctified as a saint and therefore declared holy (set apart) for God’s purpose. While justification and sanctification are the position and standing of every regenerate believer in Christ, sanctification also entails a progressive life of growth in holiness that we are called to live out, according to the will of God. We believe every justified and sanctified believer, though still imperfect in the flesh, is living a life of growing maturity, increasing holiness, and progressive transformation into Christlikeness by the work of the Holy Spirit, resulting in ever greater glory and honor to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

(John 17:17–19; Acts 20:32; Romans 6:1–23; 7:4–6; 8:11–14; 1 Corinthians 1:2, 30; 6:11–20; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 4:16; 6:14–7:1; 13:9; Galatians 5:16–25; Ephesians 1:4; 4:17–5:5; Philippians 3:12–16; Colossians 1:27–29; 1 Thessalonians 4:3–12; 5:23; 2 Thessalonians 2:13–14; 2 Timothy 2:19–22; Hebrews 2:11; 6:1; 10:10, 14; 12:14; 13:12–18; 1 Peter 1:2, 13–19; 2:11–25; 2 Peter 1:2–11; 3:10–18; 1 John 3:3; Jude 24–25; Revelation 22:10–12)

Glorification. We believe at Christ’s Second Coming, believers will receive final redemption and our temporal body of flesh will be transformed into an eternal body of glory. Salvation and sanctification will culminate in the perishable putting on the imperishable and there will be freedom forever from the struggle with sin, death, mourning, crying, and pain. The Church, the bride of Christ, will be presented to her Bridegroom in His glorious likeness, and see Him just as He is on that glorious day of our final and eternal redemption!

(Matthew 24:29–31; 25:31–46; Romans 5:2; 8:16–32; 1 Corinthians 15:41–58; 2 Corinthians 4:17; Philippians 3:20–21; Colossians 3:4; 1 Thessalonians 2:19–20; 5:23–24; 2 Thessalonians 2:14; 1 Timothy 6:14–16; Titus 2:11–14; 1 Peter 5:1, 4; 2 Peter 3:18; 1 John 3:2; Revelation 21:2–5; 22:3–5)

The Church

We believe the Church is the people of God justified and sanctified by faith in Christ Jesus. It is described in the Bible as the Body of Christ of which Christ is the Head, the bride of Christ of which Christ is the Bridegroom, the flock of which Christ is the Shepherd, the building of which Christ is the Cornerstone.

The Universal Church. We believe Jesus’ worldwide, history-transcending church, as His united spiritual Body and His bride, includes all of God’s redeemed, born-again believers, of all the ages from every nation, tribe, people, and tongue. We believe this universal church has been faithfully carrying out the Great Commission of the Lord Jesus and is known by her gospel message, obedience to His commands, discipline, devotion, love for one another, and, above all, her undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ.

(Matthew 16:18; Matthew 28:18–20; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 12:12–14, 22–28; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22–23; 4:4–7, 11–16; 5:22–32; 6:24; Colossians 1:18–20, 24–27; Hebrews 13:1, 3; Revelation 7:9; Revelation 17:14; 19:7–8; 21:2, 9–27; 22:17)

The Local Church. We believe that the Bible speaks of local churches as the household of God, the church of the living God, and the pillar and support of the truth. Local churches are to assemble together regularly to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, equip one another for the work of service, and encourage one another in exercising gifts, discipline, and worship. We believe local churches are to be led by biblically qualified men who are elders/overseers/bishops/pastors. The Bible also gives qualifications for deacons/servants who officially serve the varied needs of an assembly. We believe our Lord Jesus gave His disciples the Great Commission as the primary mission of the church. It is, therefore, the obligation of every believer to live out the Gospel and bear witness to God’s great salvation in their lives, and it is the obligation of every local church to equip, enable, and encourage every member so that this obligation is lived out and fulfilled.

(Matthew 5:13–16; 28:19–20; John 13:35; Acts 1:8; Acts 14:23, 27; 20:17–35; Romans 12:4–8; 15:5–7; 1 Corinthians 11:18–26; 14:26–40; Galatians 1:2; 6:1–2, 9–10; Ephesians 3:8–11; 4:1–16; 5:19–21; Philippians 1:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:11–14; 1 Timothy 3:1–15; Titus 1:5–16; Hebrews 10:24–25; 13:7, 17; 1 Peter 2:4–5, 9–12; 4:7–11; 5:1–5)