Our Beliefs
This Congregation shall accept the Holy Scriptures as the revealed will of God, the all-sufficient rule for faith and practice, and for the purpose of maintaining general unity; it shall adopt the Statement of Fundamental Doctrines, namely:
1. The Scriptures Inspired. The Bible, consisting of the SIXTY SIX BOOKS of the Old and New Testament, is the inspired Word of God, a revelation from God to man, the infallible rule of faith and conduct, and is superior to conscience and reason. (Heb. 4:12; 2 Pet. 1:20-21; 2 Tim. 3:15-17).
2. The One True God. The One True God has revealed Himself as the eternally self-existent, self-revealed "I AM", and has further revealed Himself as embodying the principles of relationship and association of the Trinity as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Deut. 6:4; Is. 43:10-11; Matt. 28:19; Mark 12:29; Matt. 3:16-17;John. 14:16-17).
3. Man, His Fall, and Redemption. Man was created good and righteous; for God said, “Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness.” However, man by voluntary transgression fell and thereby incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death, which is separation from God. (Genesis 1:26, 27; Genesis 2:17; Genesis 3:6; Romans 5:12-19)
4. The Salvation of Men.
Man’s only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God.
(a) Condition to Salvation. The Grace of God, which brings
salvation, has appeared to all men through the preaching of repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ; man is saved by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, and being justified by grace through faith, he becomes as an heir of God according to the hope of eternal life. (Luke 24:47; Rom.10:13-15;Titus. 2:11; 3:5-7).
(b) The Evidence of Salvation. The inward evidence to the believer of his salvation is the direct witness of the spirit. (Rom, 8;16). The outward evidence to all men is a life of righteousness and true holiness. (Rom. 6:22).
5. Baptism in Water. The ordinance of baptism by immersion is commanded by the Scriptures. All who repent and believe on Christ as Savior and Lord 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)
6. The Lord's Supper. The Lord’s Supper, consisting of the elements—bread and the fruit of the vine—is the symbol expressing the believer’s sharing the divine nature of the 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 entrusted to all until His return.
7. The Promise of the Father. All believers are entitled to and should ardently expect and earnestly seek the promise the Father-the Baptism of the Holy Spirit according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the normal experience of all in the early Christian Church. With it comes the bestowment of power for life and service and the endowment of the gifts and its use in the work of the ministry (Luke. 24:49: Acts. 1:4-6; 1 Cor. 12:1-31). This wonderful experience is distinct from and subsequent to the experience of the new birth. (Acts. 2:38; 10:44-46;
11:14-16; 15:7-9; 19:2).
With the baptism in the Holy Spirit, come experiences such 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).
8. The Evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. The complete fulfillment of the Baptism of believers in the Holy Spirit is evidenced by the initial physical sign of speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance and by the subsequent manifestation of spiritual power in public testimony and service. The speaking in tongues in this instance is the same in essence as the gift of tongues, but is different in purpose and use. (Acts. 1:8; 2:4, 42-43; 10:44-46, 1 Corinthians 12:4-10; 1 Corinthians 12:28, Romans 8:26, 1 Corinthians 14:2).
9. Entire Sanctification. Sanctification is an act of separation from that which is evil and of dedication unto God. (Romans 12:1,2; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 13:12). The Scriptures teach a life of “holiness without which no man shall see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14). By the power of the Holy Ghost believers are able to obey the command: “Be ye holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:15, 16)
Sanctification is realized in the believer by identification with Christ in His death and resurrection, by faith, by dwelling daily upon the fact of that union, and by offering every faculty continually to the dominion of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 6:1-11; Romans 6:13; Romans 8:1, 2; Romans 8:13; Galatians 2:20; Philippians 2:12, 13; 1 Peter 1:5)
10. The Church. The church is the body of Christ, the dwelling place of God through the Spirit, with divine callings for the fulfillment of the Great Commission. Each believer born of the Spirit is an integral part of the congregation and Church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven. (Eph. 1:22-23; 2:19-22; Heb.12:23).
11. The Ministry and Evangelism. A divinely called and scripturally ordained ministry has been provided by our Lord for a threefold purpose: (1) for the evangelization of the world and (2) the edifying of the body of Christ. (Mark. 16:15-20; Eph. 4:11-13), and (3) Worship of God, (John 4:23, 24).
12. 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. (Isa. 53:4; Matt. 8:16-17; Mark. 16:18-20; James. 5:14-16)
13. The Blessed Hope The resurrection of those who have fallen asleep in Christ and their translation together with those believers who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord is the imminent and blessed hope of the church. (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17; Romans 8:23; Titus 2:13, 1 Corinthians 15:51, 52)
14. The Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ. The second coming of Christ includes the rapture of the living saints, along with the resurrection of the righteous dead, which is the blessed hope, followed by the visible return of Christ with His saints to reign on earth for one thousand years. (Zechariah 14:5; Matthew 24:27; Matthew 24:30; Revelation 1:7; Revelation 19:11-14; Revelation 20:1-6). This millennial reign will bring the salvation of national Israel, (Ezekiel 37: 21, 22; Zephaniah 3: 19, 20; Romans 11:26, 27) and the establishment of universal peace. (Isaiah 11:6-9; Psalms 72:3-8; Micah 4:3, 4)
15. The Lake of Fire. There will be a final judgment in which the wicked dead will be raised and judged according to their works. Whoever is not found written in the Book of Life, together with the devil and his angels, the beast and the false prophet, will be cast into the 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; Revelation 20:11-15; Revelation 21:8)
16. The New Heaven and the New Earth. We, "according to His promise, look for a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwells righteousness" (2 Pet. 3:13; Rev.21:1).
This Congregation shall accept the Holy Scriptures as the revealed will of God, the all-sufficient rule for faith and practice, and for the purpose of maintaining general unity; it shall adopt the Statement of Fundamental Doctrines, namely:
1. The Scriptures Inspired. The Bible, consisting of the SIXTY SIX BOOKS of the Old and New Testament, is the inspired Word of God, a revelation from God to man, the infallible rule of faith and conduct, and is superior to conscience and reason. (Heb. 4:12; 2 Pet. 1:20-21; 2 Tim. 3:15-17).
2. The One True God. The One True God has revealed Himself as the eternally self-existent, self-revealed "I AM", and has further revealed Himself as embodying the principles of relationship and association of the Trinity as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Deut. 6:4; Is. 43:10-11; Matt. 28:19; Mark 12:29; Matt. 3:16-17;John. 14:16-17).
3. Man, His Fall, and Redemption. Man was created good and righteous; for God said, “Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness.” However, man by voluntary transgression fell and thereby incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death, which is separation from God. (Genesis 1:26, 27; Genesis 2:17; Genesis 3:6; Romans 5:12-19)
4. The Salvation of Men.
Man’s only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God.
(a) Condition to Salvation. The Grace of God, which brings
salvation, has appeared to all men through the preaching of repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ; man is saved by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, and being justified by grace through faith, he becomes as an heir of God according to the hope of eternal life. (Luke 24:47; Rom.10:13-15;Titus. 2:11; 3:5-7).
(b) The Evidence of Salvation. The inward evidence to the believer of his salvation is the direct witness of the spirit. (Rom, 8;16). The outward evidence to all men is a life of righteousness and true holiness. (Rom. 6:22).
5. Baptism in Water. The ordinance of baptism by immersion is commanded by the Scriptures. All who repent and believe on Christ as Savior and Lord 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)
6. The Lord's Supper. The Lord’s Supper, consisting of the elements—bread and the fruit of the vine—is the symbol expressing the believer’s sharing the divine nature of the 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 entrusted to all until His return.
7. The Promise of the Father. All believers are entitled to and should ardently expect and earnestly seek the promise the Father-the Baptism of the Holy Spirit according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the normal experience of all in the early Christian Church. With it comes the bestowment of power for life and service and the endowment of the gifts and its use in the work of the ministry (Luke. 24:49: Acts. 1:4-6; 1 Cor. 12:1-31). This wonderful experience is distinct from and subsequent to the experience of the new birth. (Acts. 2:38; 10:44-46;
11:14-16; 15:7-9; 19:2).
With the baptism in the Holy Spirit, come experiences such 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).
8. The Evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. The complete fulfillment of the Baptism of believers in the Holy Spirit is evidenced by the initial physical sign of speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance and by the subsequent manifestation of spiritual power in public testimony and service. The speaking in tongues in this instance is the same in essence as the gift of tongues, but is different in purpose and use. (Acts. 1:8; 2:4, 42-43; 10:44-46, 1 Corinthians 12:4-10; 1 Corinthians 12:28, Romans 8:26, 1 Corinthians 14:2).
9. Entire Sanctification. Sanctification is an act of separation from that which is evil and of dedication unto God. (Romans 12:1,2; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 13:12). The Scriptures teach a life of “holiness without which no man shall see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14). By the power of the Holy Ghost believers are able to obey the command: “Be ye holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:15, 16)
Sanctification is realized in the believer by identification with Christ in His death and resurrection, by faith, by dwelling daily upon the fact of that union, and by offering every faculty continually to the dominion of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 6:1-11; Romans 6:13; Romans 8:1, 2; Romans 8:13; Galatians 2:20; Philippians 2:12, 13; 1 Peter 1:5)
10. The Church. The church is the body of Christ, the dwelling place of God through the Spirit, with divine callings for the fulfillment of the Great Commission. Each believer born of the Spirit is an integral part of the congregation and Church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven. (Eph. 1:22-23; 2:19-22; Heb.12:23).
11. The Ministry and Evangelism. A divinely called and scripturally ordained ministry has been provided by our Lord for a threefold purpose: (1) for the evangelization of the world and (2) the edifying of the body of Christ. (Mark. 16:15-20; Eph. 4:11-13), and (3) Worship of God, (John 4:23, 24).
12. 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. (Isa. 53:4; Matt. 8:16-17; Mark. 16:18-20; James. 5:14-16)
13. The Blessed Hope The resurrection of those who have fallen asleep in Christ and their translation together with those believers who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord is the imminent and blessed hope of the church. (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17; Romans 8:23; Titus 2:13, 1 Corinthians 15:51, 52)
14. The Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ. The second coming of Christ includes the rapture of the living saints, along with the resurrection of the righteous dead, which is the blessed hope, followed by the visible return of Christ with His saints to reign on earth for one thousand years. (Zechariah 14:5; Matthew 24:27; Matthew 24:30; Revelation 1:7; Revelation 19:11-14; Revelation 20:1-6). This millennial reign will bring the salvation of national Israel, (Ezekiel 37: 21, 22; Zephaniah 3: 19, 20; Romans 11:26, 27) and the establishment of universal peace. (Isaiah 11:6-9; Psalms 72:3-8; Micah 4:3, 4)
15. The Lake of Fire. There will be a final judgment in which the wicked dead will be raised and judged according to their works. Whoever is not found written in the Book of Life, together with the devil and his angels, the beast and the false prophet, will be cast into the 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; Revelation 20:11-15; Revelation 21:8)
16. The New Heaven and the New Earth. We, "according to His promise, look for a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwells righteousness" (2 Pet. 3:13; Rev.21:1).