The Scriptures
We believe the Bible is unique among all books and in the original autographs is the very Word of God. Men were supernaturally moved through the inspiration of God 1 to write down His very words. 2 Through this process God ensured that each and every word in the original Hebrew and Greek Bible (and to a very minor degree other languages) to be His chosen words and so are without error. 3 It is an eternal book that will forever remain in Heaven. 4 By Bible we mean the 66 books from Genesis to Revelation. We do not accept the Apocrypha to be the Word of God. The Bible is God’s complete and final revelation to man 5 and is the supreme authority in all matters of faith and practice. 6 We believe that God has miraculously preserved His Word 7 throughout the millennia in the remarkable copies that have been passed down to us. We still have the Bible despite multiple attempts in the past by kings and tyrants to destroy all copies of the Bible. We believe the Kings James Version of the Bible to be a fine English translation, but as a translation it is not without error.
1 Greek “theopneustos,” or “God-breathed” 2 II Timothy 3:16,17 3 II Peter 1:19-21; leads to “verbal (words), plenary (all) inspiration” 4 Psalm 119:89,152 5 Hebrews 1:1,2; John 6:68 6 II Timothy 3:16,17; Romans 15:4 7 Matthew 24:35; I Peter 1:23; Isaiah 40:8
The One True God
We believe with the Jewish people that there is but one true living God. 8 But unlike the Jews we believe what all orthodox Christians have believed throughout the centuries that the one true living God is a Tri-unity (three-in-one) or Trinity 9 consisting of three distinct Persons who are co-equal, co-eternal, consubstantial (of the same kind or nature), self- existent, and self-revealed (“I AM”). 10 All Persons of the Godhead share qualities, yet each work distinctly and harmoniously 11 with one another. All Persons are omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, and immutable. Additionally, all are holy, righteous, and possess love, mercy, truth, and grace. Nevertheless, the primary function of each Person’s office toward man is seen in the Apostle Paul’s benediction, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.” 12
8 Deuteronomy 6:5 9 Genesis 1:26; I John 5:7 10 Exodus 3:14; John 8:58 11 Genesis 1:26 12 II Corinthians 13:14
God the Father
God the Father reigns in providential care overall Heaven and Earth. 13 He has allowed the Devil for a time to have significant but limited power over this fallen world. 14 God the Father is a spirit; we are to worship Him in spirit and in truth, 15 and He has never been seen by man. 16 In His love, grace, and mercy He sent Christ His Son into the world not to condemn man but to save him. 17 He is a heavenly Father to those who know Him through Christ. 18 In His role as Father He exercises perfect providential love and care toward His children, and to them “all things work together for good.” 19 His children have instant and any-time access to His Throne of Grace through Christ and His Blood. 20 There He hears and answers their prayers. 21 God will establish His future Millennial Kingdom here on earth where His Son will reign supremely. 22
13 Matthew 5:45 14 Job 1:12; II Corinthians 12:7; Luke 22:31 15 John 4:23,24 16 John 1:18; I John 4:12 17 John 3:17 18 Matthew 6:9; Luke 11:2 19 Romans 8:28 20 Hebrews 10:19 21 Hebrews 4:16 22 Revelation 11:15
God the Son
We believe that Jesus Christ is the Eternal Son 23 and only begotten Son of God 24 who has always been and will ever be co-equal and co-existent with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. 25
We believe He is the Creator 26 of all things seen and unseen, and they were created for His good pleasure. 27 We believe that in the fullness of time God sent His son 28 to be born of a virgin in a miraculous conception through the Holy Spirit. 29 This is the incarnation where Jesus is fully God and fully man. 30 Through Christ’s death on the cross and His shed Blood He provided atonement for man’s sin. 31
We believe that Christ is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world and all that have or will be saved is solely due to His gracious atonement. 32 We believe in His bodily resurrection 33 and His ascension into Heaven. 34 He is seated at the right hand of the throne of God where He makes intercession for His saints. 35 We believe that eternal life with the Father, 36 forgiveness of sins, 37 Christ’s imputed righteousness, 38 and a new spiritual life is obtained through faith in Christ. 39
We believe in His Second Coming where every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord. 40 At His coming He will judge the living and the dead, 41 receive His saints at the rapture, 42 and will reign along with his saints in the Millennial Kingdom here on earth. 43 He is and will forever be praised by the angels and the redeemed in Heaven. 44
23 Micah 5:2; John 8:58 24 Acts 13:33; John 1:14,18; 3:16 25 Genesis 1:26; John 8:58 26 Ephesians 3:9; Hebrews 1:2; 27 Colossians 1:16; Revelation 4:11 28 Galatians 4:4 29 Luke 1:35 30 Matthew 1:21 31 John 19:30; I John 1:7 32 Revelation 13:8 33 I Corinthians 15:20; Luke 24:39 34 Romans 8:34 35 Hebrews 7:25 36 John 10:28; Romans 6:23; John 3:16 37 Acts 26:18 38 Romans 10:4; I Corinthians 1:30 39 John 3:5-7 40 Romans 4:11; Philippians 2:11 41 Acts 10:42; II Timothy 4:1; I Peter 4:5 42 I Thessalonians 4:17 43 Revelation 5:10; Luke 1:33 44 Revelation 5:11-14
God the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Godhead and like the Father has never been seen of men. Like the Father and the Son He is a co-equal member of the Triune God, 45 and all attributes of the Godhead apply to Him. 46 His role, however, is to carry out many of the plans and purposes of God the Father and God the Son. His many roles and accomplishments are too many to number. But he was integral to Jesus’ birth, 47 present at His baptism, drove Christ into the wilderness to be tempted, 48 and empowered Jesus’ earthly ministry. Also, He is expressly mentioned in His role in the creation of the world, 49 man, 50 and the Word of God through inspiration. 51
He restrains the influence of the Devil and demons. 52 He also has distinct roles to the sinner and saint. To the sinner, He convinces them of sin (especially in not believing in Jesus), righteousness, and judgment. 53 He is also the primary agent in applying the truths of the Gospel to the sinner and, along with God the Father, in drawing a sinner to trust in Christ in regeneration. 54 To the saint, the Holy Spirit seals the new believer 55 and baptizes them into the body of Christ, the local church. 56 He indwells the believer 57 and is the Comforter 58 that Christ promised before He ascended. 59 In that role as Comforter He guides and maintains fellowship with believers in a similar way that Christ did with His disciples while here on earth. In prayer He gives us the groaning in our hearts for answered prayer and helps us to pray according to the will of God. 60
He is the “Spirit of Truth” 61 and guides believers in spiritual truth primarily through illumination of God’s word. 62 He will also lead the believer 63 but never so as to be contrary to God’s word. He promotes and glorifies Christ not Himself. 64 He is involved in a Christian’s progressive sanctification in being conformed to the image of Christ Himself. 65 He “fills” the faithful, obedient, and holy Christian with extraordinary spiritual life and power for service. 66 It is not by our might or power, but God’s Spirit brings about spiritual progress and victory. 67 The Holy Spirit’s tremendous influence and power is evident in the book of Acts 68 and in the annals of revivals throughout the ages. As a real Person 69 the Holy Spirit has a personality, 70 and as a member of the Godhead He is holy. 71 So the Bible says that men can lie to Him, 72 resist, 73 blaspheme, 74 do despite, 75 grieve, 76 and quench Him. 77 We need the Holy Spirit’s gracious influence. 78 So we must be very careful and by God’s grace never do any of these things. Before He ascended Christ told His disciples to wait for the power of the Holy Spirit 79 so they can be effective witnesses for Him. 80 Christ’s instruction to us has not changed.
45 Ephesians 4:30; Philippians 3:3; II Corinthians 3:18; Acts 5:3,4 46 Hebrews 9:14; Psalm 139:7-10 47 Luke 1:35 48 Mark 1:12 49 Genesis 1:1,2 50 Genesis 1:26 51 II Timothy 3:16 52 II Timothy 2:7 53 John 16:8 54 John 6:44 55 Ephesians 1:13 56 I Corinthians 12:13 57 I Corinthians 3:16 58 John 14:16-18,26 59 John 16:7 60 Romans 8:26,27 61 John 15:26 62 Psalm 119:18 63 John 16:13 64 John 16:13,14 65 Romans 8:29 66 Ephesians 5:18 67 Zechariah 4:6 68 Acts 4:31-33; 17:6 69 John 15:26; John 16:8; 70 Acts 7:51; Ephesians 4:3; Hebrew 10:29; Matthew 12:31; John 20:22 71 Ephesians 4:30 72 Acts 5:3 73 Acts 7:51 74 Mark 3:29 75 Hebrews 10:29 76 Ephesians 4:30 77 I Thessalonians 5:19 78 Hebrews 10:29 79 Luke 24: 49 80 Acts 1:8
Salvation
We believe that due to the Fall all men are born sinners, 115 under God’s judgment, 116 and are in need of salvation. 117 The apostles preached “repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.” 118 That is the theme in gospel preaching. Repentance is a sinner’s “change of mind” regarding themselves, 119 now seeing and feeling themselves to be a sinner in need of salvation. 120
Sinners most often require preaching of the Law 121 to bring out godly sorrow that brings repentance. 122 But salvation is by grace through faith in Christ alone. 123 Man as a fallen and depraved creature cannot contribute to his salvation. 124 Further, when Christ died on the cross and shed His Blood 125 He said, “It is finished.” 126 The accomplishment of the atonement for man’s sin was completely done in His sacrifice. Nothing need be or can be done to add to it. We believe that Christ died for all, 127 yet all are not saved. Salvation requires personal faith and trust in the risen Christ. 128
The gospel includes the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 129 We believe salvation brings initial sanctification 130 and progressive sanctification 131 is a process that God does in the believer’s heart andlife. What God has begun in salvation and sanctification he will “perform” until the day when Christ returns. 132 At that time a believer will attain final sanctification 133 as they see Christ face to face and become like Him. 134
115 Romans 5:12 116 Hebrews 9:27 117 I Timothy 2:4 118 Acts 20:21 119 Mark 2:17; Luke 3:8; Acts 26:20: II Corinthians 7:10; Revelation 2:5 120 Luke 15:17; 18:13 121 Galatians 3:24 122 II Corinthians 7:10 123 Ephesians 2:8,9 124 Ephesians 2:9; Romans 4:5 125 Hebrews 13:10; 9:22 126 John 19:30 127 John 3:16; Titus 2:11 128 Ephesians 2:8 129 I Corinthians 15:1-4 130 Colossians 1:13 131 II Corinthians 3:18; Colossians 3:10; Philippians 3:12 132 Philippians 1:6 133 I Corinthians 1:30 134 I John 3:2
Last Things
The consummation of this age will occur at the Second Coming of Christ 148 when He comes as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 149 The dead in Christ shall rise first in the rapture and then those in Christ that are alive will meet with Him in the air. 150 The saved will then have the Marriage Supper of the Lamb with Christ, 151 attend the Bema Judgment, 152 and then return to the earth with Christ to the Mount of Olives to rule and reign with Christ for a thousand years. 153 A new Heaven and a new earth 154 will follow where the saved will spend time there and Heaven for eternity. Concurrently, the unsaved will be at the Great White Throne Judgment. 155 After their sins are read out of the books they will be cast into Hell and then the Lake of Fire for eternity. 156
148 Revelation 1:7 149 Revelation 19:16 150 I Thessalonians 4:16,17; Revelation 20:5,6 151 Revelation 19:9 152 II Corinthians 5:10 153 Zechariah 14:5; I Thessalonians 3:13 154 Revelation 21:1 155 Revelation 20:11 156 Revelation 20:12-15