WHAT WE BELIEVE
Statement of Fundamental Truths and Faith
The Bible is our all-sufficient rule for faith and practice. This Statement of Fundamental Truths and Faith is intended simply as a basis of fellowship among us, in that we all speak the same thing (Acts 2:42; I Corinthians 1:10).
The Scriptures Inspired
The scriptures both Old and New Testaments are verbally inspired of God and are the revelation of God to man, the infallible, authoritative rule of faith and conduct (1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:15 -17; 2 Peter 1:21).
The One True God
The one true God has revealed himself as the eternally self-existent “I AM”, the creator of heaven and earth and the Redeemer of mankind.
He has further revealed himself as embodying the principles of relationship and association as Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 43:10- 11; Matthew 28:19; Luke 3:22; Acts 7:55,56).
The Triune Godhead
The terms “Trinity” and “persons” as related to the Godhead, while not found in the scriptures, are words in harmony with scripture. We may convey to others our immediate understanding of the doctrine of Christ, respecting the Being of God, as distinguished from false gods and lords. We, therefore, may speak with propriety of the Lord our God, Who is One Lord, as a Trinity or as one Being of three persons, and still be absolutely scriptural (Matthew 28:19; John 14:16-17; 2 Corinthians 13:14).
The Title, Lord Jesus Christ
“Lord Jesus Christ” is a proper name. It is never applied in the New Testament either to the Father or to the Holy Spirit. It belongs exclusively to the Son of God (Romans 1:1-3, 7:2; 2 John 3).
The Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ
The Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. The scriptures declare:
His virgin birth (Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:31,35).
His sinless life (Hebrews 7:26; 1 Peter 2:22).
His miracles (Acts 2:22, 10:38).
His substitutionary work on the cross
(1 Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21).His bodily resurrection from the dead (Matthew 28:6: Luke 24:39; 2 Corinthians 15:4).
His exaltation to the right hand of God (Acts 1:9,11, 2:33; Philippians 2:9-11; Hebrew 1:3).
The Fall of Man
Man was created good and upright; for God said, “Let Us make man in Our own image, after Our likeness” (Genesis 1:26-27).
Mankind, by voluntary transgression, fell and thereby incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death, which is eternal separation from God (Genesis 2:17, 3:6; Romans 5:12-19).
The Salvation of Man
Man’s only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Conditions to Salvation
Salvation is received through repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ.
Man becomes an heir of God, according to the hope of eternal life, by the regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, being justified by grace (Luke 24:47; John 3:3; Romans 15; Ephesians 2:8; Titus 2:11, 3:5-7).
Marriage
We believe Marriage is a God-ordained and God-originated institution; between one biological man and one biological woman.
Within the institution of marriage, the biological man and the biological woman are commanded to be fruitful and multiply; and to demonstrate the relationship between Jesus Christ and His Church as Husband and Wife respectively. (Genesis 1:26-28; 2:24; Ephesians 5:21-33)
Baptism in Water
The ordinance of baptism by immersion is commanded in the scriptures. All who repent and believe on Christ as Lord and Savior are to be baptized. Thus, they declare to the world that they have died with Christ and that they also have been raised with Him to walk in newness of life (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 10:47, 48; Romans 6:4.).
Communion – The Lord’s Supper
The ordinance of Holy Communion is commanded in the scriptures. The Lord’s Supper, consisting of bread and the fruit of the vine, is the symbol expressing our sharing the divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:4); a memorial of His suffering and death (1 Corinthians 11:26); a prophecy of His second coming (1 Corinthians 11:26) and is enjoined on all believers proclaiming His death until He comes.
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit
All believers are entitled to and should ardently expect and earnestly seek the promise of the Father, the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the ensuing power according to the command of the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 1:4,5,8).
This was the normal experience of all in the early Christian church. With it came the power for life and service, the bestowing of the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry (Acts 1:4, 8; Acts 8:12-17;
l Corinthians 12:1-31).
This experience is distinct from and subsequent to the experience of the new birth (Acts 8:12-17, 10:44-46, 11:14-16, 15:7-9).
With the baptism in the Holy Spirit come such experiences as, an overflowing fullness of the Spirit (John 7:37-39; Acts 4:8), a deepened reverence for God (Acts 2:43; Hebrews 12:28), an intensified consecration to God and dedication to His work (Acts 2:42) and a more active love for Christ, for His Word and for the lost (Mark 16:20).
The Evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit
The baptism of believers in the Holy Spirit, is witnessed by the initial physical sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit of God gives them utterance (Acts 2:4).
The speaking in tongues, in this instance, is the same in essence as the gift of tongues (1 Corinthians 12:4-10,28), but different in purpose and use.
The Mission of the Church
Each believer, born of the Spirit, is an integral part of the corporate Body of Christ. The Church, also called “The church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven” (Ephesians 1:22-23, 2:22; Hebrews 12:23).
Since God’s purpose concerning man is to seek and to save that which is lost, to be worshipped by man and to build a body of believers in the image of His Son, the priority, reason-for-being, of this Fellowship, is to help and encourage associate and affiliate member churches and ministries:
To be an agency of God for evangelizing the world (Matthew 28:19, 20; Mark 16:15,16; Acts 1:8).
To be a corporate body in which man may worship God (1 Corinthians 12:12-13).
To be a channel of God’s purpose, to build a body of saints being perfected in the image of His Son (1 Corinthians 12:28, 14:12; Ephesians 4:11-16).
Divine Healing
Divine healing is an integral part of the gospel. Deliverance from sickness is provided for in the atonement and is the privilege of all believers (Isaiah 53:4-5; Matthew 8:16,17; James 5:14-16).
The Blessed Hope
The resurrection of those who have fallen asleep in Christ and their translation, together with those who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, is the imminent and blessed hope of the Church (Romans 8:23; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; I Thessalonians 4:16; Titus 2:14)
The Millennial Reign of Christ
The second coming of Christ includes the rapture of the saints, which is our blessed hope, followed by the visible return of Christ with His saints, to reign on the earth for one thousand years (Zechariah 14:5; Matthew 24:27,30; Revelation 1:7, 19:11-14, 20:1-6).
This millennial reign will bring the salvation of the nation of Israel (Ezekiel 37:21-22; Zephaniah 3:19-20; Romans 11:26-27) and the establishment of universal peace (Psalms 72:3-8; Isaiah 11:6-9; Micah 4:3, 4).
The Final Judgment
There will be a final judgment in which the wicked dead will be raised and judged, according to their works.
Whosoever is not found written in the Book of Life, together with the devil and his angels, the beast and the false prophet will be consigned to everlasting punishment in the lake, which burns with fire and brimstone which is the second death (Matthew 25:46; Mark 9:43-48; Revelation 19:20, 20:11-15, 21:8).
The New Heavens and the New Earth
The final judgment will also bring the fiery destruction of the heavens and the earth, but we, according to the promise of God, look forward to a new heaven and a new earth (2 Peter 3:10-13; Revelation 21,22).