What We Believe

We believe that the Holy Bible as originally written was verbally inspired and the product of Spirit-controlled men, and therefore, has truth without any admixture of error for its matter.  We believe the Bible to be the true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions, shall be tried.

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto good works.”  II Tim. 3:16-17

“We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a 

 light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts; Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” II Peter 1:19-21

We believe there is one and only one living and true God and infinite Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.

“I am the Lord the God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.  Thou shall have no other gods before me.”  Exodus 20:2-3

“But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.”  I Cor. 8:6

“Thou are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”  Rev. 4:11

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person; equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; that He bears witness to the Truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the New Birth; that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the believer.

“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot received, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” John 14:16-17

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”  Matt. 28:19

“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”  Hebrews 9:14

John 14:26; Luke 1:35; Gen. 1:1-3; John 16:8-11; Acts 5:30-32; John 3:5-6; Eph. 1:13-14; Mark 1:8; John 1:33; Acts 11:16; Luke 24:49; Rom. 8:14; Rom.8:16; Rom. 8:26-27

We believe in the personality of Satan, that he is the unholy god of this age, and the ruler of all the powers of darkness, and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire.

“Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.  And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, if thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.”  Matt. 4:1-3

“In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”  II Cor. 4:4

“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophets are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and every.” Rev. 20:10

We accept the Genesis account of creation and believe that man came by direct creation of God and not by evolution.

“For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by him, and for him.”  Col. 1:16-17

“All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.” John 1:3

Gen. Chapters 1 and 2

We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgressions fell from his sinless and happy state in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, not only by constraint, but of choice; and therefore, under just condemnation without defense or excuse.

“Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made.  And he said unto the woman.  Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?  And the woman said unto the serpent, we may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden; But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.  And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:  For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.  And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat.” Gen. 3:1-6

Gen 3:24; Romans 5:19; Rom. 5:10-19; Rom. 1:8; Rom. 1:32

We believe that Jesus was begotten of the Holy Ghost in a miraculous manner, born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born of woman, and that He is both the Son of God and God the Son.

“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”  Gen. 3:15

“Therefore, the Lord himself shall give you a sign: Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”  Isa. 7:14

“And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore, also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”  Luke 1:35

Matt. 1:18-25; John 1:4

We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace; through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God, who by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin, honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and by His death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins; that His atonement consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was a voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place, the Just dying for the unjust; Christ, the Lord, bearing our sin in His own body on the tree; that having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in Heaven, and uniting in His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection, He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate and an all-sufficient Savior.

“For by grace are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.” Eph. 2:8

“But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.”  Acts 15:11

“Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:24

John 3:16; Matt. 18:11; Phil. 2:7; Heb. 2:14; Is. 53:4-7; Rom. 3:25; I John 4:10; I Cor. 15:3; II Cor. 5:21

We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the birth the one dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel; that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life.

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new.”  II Cor. 5:17

I John 5:1; John 3:6-7; Acts 16:30-33; II Peter 1:4; Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:1; II Cor. 5:19; Col. 2:13; John 3.8

We believe that the great gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is Justification:

1. That justification includes the pardon of sin, and the gift of eternal life, on principles of righteousness.
2. That it is bestowed not inconsideration of any works of righteousness which we have done; but solely through faith in the Redeemer’s blood, His righteousness is imputed to us.

    “And by Him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.”  Acts. 13:39

He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied; by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.”  Isa. 53:11

Zech. 13:1; Rom. 8:1; Rom. 5:9; Rom. 5:1

We believe that sanctification is the divine setting apart of the believer unto God accomplished in a threefold manner; first, an eternal act of God, based upon redemption in Christ, establishing the believer in a position of holiness at the moment he trusts the Savior; second, a continuing process in the saint as the Holy Spirit applies the Word of God to the life; third, the final accomplishment of this process at the Lord’s return.

“By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; But this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for every, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.  For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” Heb. 10:10-14

Heb. 3:1; John 17:17; II Cor. 3:18; I Cor. 1:30; Eph. 5:25-27; I Thess. 4:3-4; 5:23-24; I John 3:2; Jude 24-25; Rev. 22:11

We believe that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation.

“And they said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved and thy house.”  Acts. 16:31

We believe that a local church is a congregation of immersed believers, associated by covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel observing the of Christ; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights and invested in them by His Word; that its officers are pastors, and deacons, whose qualifications, claims, and duties, are clearly defined in the Scriptures; we believe the true mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of to all men as we have opportunity.  We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that the one and only superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit; that it is scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel; that each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation; on all matters of membership, of polity, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final.

“Then they that gladly received his word were baptized; and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.  And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” Acts 2:41-42

“Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.”  I Cor. 11:2

Eph. 1:22-23; Eph. 4:11; Acts 20:17-28; I Tim. 3:17; Col. 1:18; Eph. 5:23-24; Acts 15:13-18

We believe that Christian Baptism is the immersion of a believer in water to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried and risen Savior, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life that it is a prerequisite to the privileges of a church relation.  We believe that the Lord’s Supper is the commemoration of His death until He comes, and should be preceded always by solemn self-examination.

Acts 8:26-29; Rom. 6:3-5; Matt. 3:1;6; Col. 2:12; I Cor. 11:23-28

“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized in Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?  Therefore, we are buried with him by baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.” Rom. 6:3-5

We believe that all who are truly born again are kept by God the Father for Jesus Christ.

“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”  Phil. 1:16

“Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called.”  Jude 1 (R.V.)

We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that such only as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and sanctified by the Spirit of our God, are truly righteous in His esteem; while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked, and under the curse; and this distinction holds among men both in and after death, in the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost.

“Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.” Mal. 3:18

“But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.  Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.”  Romans 6:17-18

Gen. 18:23; I John 5:19; Rom. 7:6; Rom. 6:23; Pro. 14:32; Luke 6:25; Matt. 25:34-41; John 8:21

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

“The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, he that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.”  II Sam. 23:3

“They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.”  Matt 22:21

Rom. 13:1-7; Ex. 18:21-22; Acts 23:5; Matt. 22:21; Acts 5:20; Acts 4:19-20; Dan. 3:17-18

1. 1. We believe in the Bodily Resurrection.  Matt. 28:6-7; Luke 24:39; John 20:27; I Cor. 15:4; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:2-6.
   2. The Ascension.  Acts 1:9-11; Luke 24:51; Mark 16:19; Rev. 3:21; Heb. 12:2
   3. The High Priesthood. Heb. 8:6; I Tim. 2:5; I John 2:1; Heb. 2:17; Heb. 5:9-10.
   4. The Second Coming.  John 14:3; Acts 1:11; I Thess. 4:16; James 5:8; Heb. 9:28.
   5. The Resurrection of the Righteous Dead.  I Thess. 4:13-18; I Cor. 15:42-44; I Cor. 15:52.
   6. The Change of the Living in Christ. I Cor. 15:51-43; I Thess. 4:13-18; Phil. 3:20-21;
   7. The Throne of David. Luke 1:32; Is. 9:6-7; Acts 2:29-30
   8. The Millennial Reign.  I Cor. 15:25; Is. 32:1; Is. 11:4-5; Ps. 72:8; Rev. 20:14; Rev. 20:6

We believe in the sovereign selection of Israel as God’s eternal covenant people, that she is now dispersed because of her disobedience and rejection of Christ, and that she will be regathered in the Holy Land and, after the completion of the Church, will be saved as a nation at the second advent of Christ.

“And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him.  Lift up now thine eyes and look for the place where thou are northward, and southward, and eastward and westward; For all the land which thou seest, to this will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth; so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.  Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.  Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the Lord.”  Gen. 13:14-17

Rom. 11:1-32; Ezek. 37

We believe in obedience to the Biblical commands to separate ourselves unto God from worldliness and ecclesiastical apostasy.

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?  And what communion hath light with darkness?”  II Cor. 6:14

“Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”  II Cor. 7:1

“Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God.  He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the son.  If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed; For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.”  II John 9-11.

I Thess. 1:9-10; I Tim. 6:3-5; Rom. 16:17

ARTICLE 21 – MARRIAGE, THE HOME, AND SEXUALITY 

(Added 2012)

We believe the home was the first institution God provided for man and that marriage is a sacred relationship and honorable to all, “What God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.”  Marriage is used as an emblem of the union of Christ and his church.

(Genesis 2:18-24; Hebrews 13:4; mark 10:9; Matthew 23:10)

We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning and is sanctioned by God which joins one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture.  (Mark 10:6-9)

We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to only occur between a man and a woman who are married to each other.  We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.  

(1 Corinthians 7:1-9; Hebrews 13:4)

We believe that any form of sexual immorality, such as adultery, fornication, homosexuality, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, pornography or any attempt to change one’s gender, or disagreement with one’s biological gender, is sinful and offensive to God.

(Exodus 20:14; Leviticus 18:16-30; 20:10-22; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ.

(Psalm 32:5; Proverbs 28:13; 1 Corinthians 6:11; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:12-14; 1 John 1:9)

We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity.  Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of the church.

(Matthew 5:43-48; 7:12; Romans 12:9-21; 1 Peter 2:11-25; 1 John 3:11-23)

We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of the church as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a biblical role model to the church members and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by the church in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, shall abide by and agree to this Statement on Marriage and Sexuality and conduct themselves accordingly.

(1 Corinthians 5:1-13; 6:12-20; Luke 12:43-48; 1 Timothy 4:12; James 3:1)