We believe in the Scriptures - both the Old and New Testaments - to be the verbally inspired Word of God, written by men in God's control, inerrant and infallible in the original manuscripts and the final authority in faith and life. We accept the grammatical-historical system of interpretation of the Scriptures, and accept the historical record of the Bible as accurate. (2 Tim.3:13-15; 2 Pet.1:20-21)
The Godhead
We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - who are identical in essence, equal in power and glory, and possess precisely the same attributes and perfection, and each equally deserving obedience. (Deut.6:4; Matt.28:19; 2 Cor.13:14)
The Person and Work of Christ
We believe that the Lord, Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God; He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin in order that He might redeem sinful man. He accomplished this redemption by voluntarily giving Himself as a sinless, substitutionary sacrifice on the cross, thereby satisfying God's righteous judgment against sin. He gave proof that He accomplished that redemption by His bodily resurrection from the grave. He then ascended to the right hand of His Father where He intercedes on behalf of His people. (Matt.1:21; John 1:1, 2, 14, 18, 10:15; Luke 1:34; Rom.3:24, 25, 5:8; 1 Pet.2:2-4)
The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is the Divine Person who convicts the world of sin; He alone brings new life to those who are spiritually dead; He places all believers into the one true church, which is the Body of Christ, that He indwells them permanently, seals them unto the day of redemption, and bestows spiritual gifts upon them. (John 3:3-8, 14:16-17, 16:7-11; 1 Cor.12:4-11; Eph.4:30, 5:18)
The Condition of Man
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, in innocence and without sin. But in Adam's sin, the race fell, inherited the guilt of his sin, and a sinful nature, becoming spiritually dead and alienated from God so that man is a sinner both by nature and choice. Man, in himself, is incapable of remedying his lost and depraved condition. Depravity has produced a total inability in the sinner by his own volition to change his character and life in order to become acceptable to a holy God. (Gen.1:26, 3:1-24; Rom.3:10-18, 5:12; Eph.2:1-3)
Salvation
We believe that salvation is the gift of God's grace given to all whom God has elected to salvation. It includes all that God does in saving the elect from the penalty, power, and presence of sin and in restoring them to a right relationship with God. As such, it is solely the work of God from initiation to completion. It cannot be gained by good works, but it is a free gift for all who put their trust in Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross. The repentant sinner who, after being enabled by the Holy Spirit, responds in faith to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord is forgiven and saved from his sins and made righteous before God. God's purpose for saving people is to bring Him glory. (John 1:12; 2 Cor.5:21; Eph.1:7, 2:8-9; Phil.1:6; Titus 2:11-14)
Security, Assurance and Responsibility
We believe that all the saved - those in whom God has accomplished His transforming work of grace - are kept by His power and thus, are secure in Christ forever. This assurance, however, is not the occasion for sin, for God in holiness cannot tolerate persistent sin in His children, and in infinite love He corrects them. True faith in Christ is expressed by a fruitful, God-pleasing life that endures until death. (Matt.7:20; John 10:27-29; Rom.8:29-39; Heb.12:6; James 2:20; 1 John 5:13)
Sanctification
We believe that God, in the Scriptures, has given us everything pertaining to life and godliness. This includes the salvation from the penalty of sin, and just as surely, the provision of sanctification (separation) from sin. Sanctification from sin affects both the positional and practical aspects. Positional sanctification as a work of the Holy Spirit is complete and absolute; however, practical sanctification is a result of the continuing work of the Spirit using the Word of God to provide nourishment for growth into maturity in Christ. While the Word and the Spirit assure the process of practical sanctification, it is yet imperfect in this life. There is some element of corruption in every part of the fallen nature, which is the source for the war between the flesh and the Spirit. Spiritual growth occurs as believers feed on the Word and are in fellowship with other believers for encouragement and service. (John 17:17; 1 Cor.1:30; Rom.6:19, 22; Heb.10:25; 1 Pet.2:2; 2 Pet.1:3)
The Church
We believe the true Church, called in Scripture the Body of Christ, is a spiritual organism. Every person who has trusted Jesus Christ for salvation is a part of the church. The local church, as established in Scripture, is made up of redeemed individuals who have joined together for worship, instruction, fellowship, and evangelism. (Acts 2:42, 13:1-2; 1 Cor.12:13; Eph.1:22)
Ordinances
We believe that our Lord, Jesus Christ, instituted two ordinances to be observed by all believers as a matter of obedience, not as a condition for salvation - water baptism, which is subsequent to the believer's profession of faith, and the Lord's Supper. (Matt.28:19; 1 Cor.11:23-26)
The Eternal State
We believe that, at death, the souls of those who have trusted Christ for salvation pass immediately into His presence and remain there in conscious bliss until the resurrection of the body at Christ's coming for the Church, when soul and body will be reunited. We then shall be with Him forever in glory. We also believe that, at death, the souls of unbelievers remain in conscious misery until the final judgment when the soul and body will be reunited and cast into the lake of fire - not to be annihilated, but to be separated from God forever in conscious punishment. (Luke 16:19-26; 2 Cor.5:8; Phil.1:23; 2 Thess.1:7-9)
Eschatology
We believe that, according to the Word of God, the next great event in the fulfillment of prophecy will be the coming of the Lord in the air to receive to Himself into heaven both His own who are alive and remain unto His coming, and also all who have fallen asleep in Jesus, and that this event is the blessed hope set before us in the Scripture, and for this we should be constantly looking. (John 14:1-3; 1 Cor.15:51-52; Phil.3:20; 1 Thess.4:13-18; Titus 2:11-14)
We believe that the translation of the church will be followed by a period of tribulation the like of which the world has never seen. This tribulation will be climaxed by the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to the Earth as He went, in person on the clouds of heaven, and with power and great glory to introduce the millennial age, to bind Satan and place him in the abyss, to lift the curse which now rests upon the whole creation, to restore Israel to her own land and to give her the realization of God's covenant promises, and to bring the whole world to the knowledge of God. (Deut.30:1-10; Isa.11:9; Ezek. 37:21-28; Matt.24:15-25, 46; Acts 15:16-17; Rom.8:19-23, 11:25-27; 1 Tim.4:1-3; 2 Tim.3:1-5; Rev.20:1-3)