Statement of Belief
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W1. The Scriptures
WE BELIEVE the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments are God's written revelation to man, are verbally inspired and absolutely inerrant in the original documents, and are the only infallible rule of saving knowledge, faith and practice. 2. God WE BELIEVE there is but one God, the Creator and Ruler of all things, who is revealed to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, each having distinct personal attributes, yet without division of nature, essence, or being. He is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient and from eternity past decrees or permits all things that come to pass and perpetually upholds, directs, and governs all creation and all events yet so as not to destroy the free will and responsibility of His creatures. 3. Christ WE BELIEVE Jesus Christ, who is eternally God, became fully man through the virgin birth yet remained fully God, lived a sinless life, purchased our redemption through his substitutionary death, was bodily raised on the third day, and ascended to the right hand of God, where He now makes intercession for His own until His return in power and glory. 4. Holy Spirit WE BELIEVE the Holy Spirit, who is eternally God, indwells those born again and empowers them to live lives of holiness and seals them unto the day of redemption. 5. Creation WE BELIEVE God is Creator of all things having formed them out of nothing by the power of His spoken word. We believe that all things were created good in its original state (Genesis 1:31), but was made subject to vanity through the original sin (Romans 8:20). 6. Man WE BELIEVE God originally created man in His own image, free from sin. Through the temptation of Satan, man transgressed the command of God and fell from his original holiness. As a result of the fall man subsequently inherited a nature corrupt and wholly opposed to God and His law. Therefore, man by nature is under condemnation and is powerless in and of himself of redemption. Man’s only hope is in the substitutionary atoning death of Jesus Christ. |
7. Salvation/Regeneration
WE BELIEVE salvation is achieved exclusively by the grace of God through faith apart from any work or human merit, however works are the visible evidence that one has received God’s grace. Regeneration is a change of heart, wrought by the Holy Spirit, who awakens the spiritually dead in their trespasses and sins, enlightens their minds to understand the Scripture, and renews their whole nature after the holiness of God. It is a work of God's free grace alone and is essential for salvation. 8. Faith WE BELIEVE saving faith is the belief of all that is revealed in Scripture concerning Christ and accepting and resting upon Him alone for justification and eternal life. It comes by the hearing of the Word of God, is solidified in the heart of the regenerated by the Holy Spirit, exemplified by good works/spiritual fruit and leads to a life of holiness. Faith without works is dead. 9. The Church WE BELIEVE the Lord Jesus is the Head of the Church, which is composed of all His true disciples, and in Him is invested supremely all power for its government. The Church, also known as the Body of Christ, is the visible representation of Christ on earth. 10. The Resurrection WE BELIEVE the bodies of men, after death, return to dust, but their spirits return immediately to God -- the righteous to rest with Him; the wicked to be reserved under darkness to the judgment. At the last day, the bodies of all the dead, both just and unjust, will be raised. 11. The Judgment WE BELIEVE God has appointed a day, wherein He will judge the world by Jesus Christ, when everyone shall receive recompense according to His deeds; the wicked shall go into everlasting punishment; the righteous, into everlasting life. |
