Statement of Faith
Our statement of faith outlines the basic Biblical doctrines we hold to. We ask every member of our church to affirm their agreement with these scriptural mandates. We believe these principles to be the essential foundation on which a solid, God-honoring, church is built.
- The Scriptures
The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration
of God. Therefore, all scripture is authoritative, infallible and inerrant. The
Scriptures are the only sufficient rule for faith and practice. (Ps. 19:7; 2 Tim.
3:16-17; 2 Peter. 1:20-21)
-
God
There is but one God, the Maker, Preserver and Ruler of all things, having
in and of Himself, all perfections, and being infinite in them all; and to Him all
creatures owe the highest love, reverence and obedience that springs from faith.
((Deut. 6:4; Ps. 145:3; John 1:3; 1 Cor. 8:4-6; 1 Tim. 1:17)
-
The Trinity
The Scriptures reveal that the one God eternally exists in three persons:
the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Each person has distinct personal attributes, but
without division of nature, essence or being. (Matt. 3:16-17; 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14)
-
Providence
God from eternity, decrees or permits all things that come to pass, and
perpetually upholds, directs and governs all creatures and all events; yet so as
not in any wise to be the author or approver of sin nor to destroy the responsibility
of intelligent creatures. (Isa. 46:9-11; Prov. 16:33; Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3; James
1:13-15)
-
Election
Election is God's eternal choice of some persons unto everlasting life-not
because of foreseen merit or foreseen faith in them, but of His mere mercy in Christ-in
consequence of which choice they are called, justified and glorified. (Rom. 8:28-30;
1 Cor. 1:27-29; Eph. 1:4, 11)
-
The Fall of Man
God originally created Man in His own image, and free from sin; but, through
the temptation of Satan, Adam transgressed the command of God, and fell from his
original holiness and righteousness; whereby his posterity inherit a nature corrupt
and wholly opposed to God and His law. As a result they are under condemnation,
and as soon as they are capable of moral action, become actual transgressors. (Gen.
1:26-27; 3:1-7; Rom. 5:12-19; Eph. 2:1-3)
-
The Mediator
Since Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is fully God and fully
man, He is the divinely appointed mediator between God and man. Having taken upon
Himself human nature, yet without sin, He perfectly fulfilled the law; suffered
and died upon the cross for the salvation of sinners. He was buried, and rose again
the third day, and ascended to His Father, at whose right hand He ever lives to
make intercession for His people. He will return again visibly and bodily. He is
the only Mediator, the Prophet, Priest and King of the Church, and Sovereign of
the Universe. (Isa. 53:10-12; John 1:1,14; Acts 1:9-11; Rom. 3:21-26; 8:34; 1 Cor.
15:3-4; Gal. 3:13; 1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 1:1-3)
-
The Holy Spirit
We believe that God the Holy Spirit brings glory to the Father and the
Son. He applies the work of Christ to those who are saved and distributes spiritual
gifts to every believer according to His sovereign good pleasure for the purpose
of building up the body of Christ. He is the Comforter, the Spirit of Adoption,
the Seal of our Salvation and the Guarantor of our inheritance in Christ. (John
14:16-17; 16:14; Acts 5:3; Rom. 8:14-17; Eph. 1:13-14)
-
Regeneration
Regeneration is a change of heart, wrought by the Holy Spirit, who gives
life to those dead in trespasses and sins, enlightening their minds spiritually
and savingly to understand the Word of God, and renewing their whole nature, so
that they love and practice holiness. It is a work of God's free and special grace
alone, so that the ultimate cause of regeneration is God's grace, not the will of
man. (John 1:12-13; Eph. 2:1-6; Titus 3:5; John 5:1)
-
Repentance
Repentance is an evangelical grace, wherein a person being led by the Holy
Spirit, made sensible of the manifold evil of his sin, humbles himself for it, with
godly sorrow, detestation of it, and self-abhorrence, with a purpose and endeavor
to walk before God so as to please Him in all things. (Acts 2:37-38; 11:18; 2 Cor.
7:10-11)
-
Faith
Saving faith is the belief, on God's authority, of whatever is revealed
in His Word concerning Christ; accepting and resting upon Him alone for justification
and eternal life. It is wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit, and is accompanied
by all other saving graces, and leads to a life of holiness. (Rom. 3:27-28; 4:1-5;
4:17-25; 10:14,17; Phil. 1:29; Eph. 2:8; James 2:14-26)
-
Justification
Justification is God's gracious and full acquittal of sinners, who believe
in Christ, from all sin, through the satisfaction that Christ has made; not for
anything wrought in them or done by them; but on account of the obedience and satisfaction
of Christ, they receiving and resting on Him and His righteousness by faith. (Acts
13:38-39; Rom. 3:21-26; 8:34; 10:3-4; 2 Cor. 5:21; Phil 3:9)
-
Sanctification
Those who have been regenerated are also sanctified by God's word and Spirit
dwelling in them. This sanctification is progressive through the supply of Divine
strength, which all saints seek to obtain, pressing after a heavenly life in cordial
obedience to all Christ's commands. (Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:27; Rom. 8:1-17; Gal.
5:13-24; 2 Peter 1:3-11)
-
Perseverance of the Saints
All those whom God has regenerated will never totally nor finally fall
away from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere to the end; and though
they may fall through neglect and temptation, into sin, whereby they grieve the
Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, bring reproach on the Church, and temporal
judgments on themselves, yet they shall be renewed again unto repentance, and be
kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. (John 6:37-40; 10:28-29;
Rom. 8:28-39; 1 Cor. 1:8-9; Phil. 1:6)
-
The Church
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. According
to His commandment, Christians are to associate themselves into particular societies
or churches; and to each of these churches He has given needful authority for administering
that order, discipline and worship which He has appointed. The regular officers
of a church are Elders and Deacons. (John 10:16; Acts 20-17,28; Eph. 1:22; 5:23;
1 Tim. 3:1-13; 5:17-18; Titus 1:5-9; Heb. 10:25)
-
Baptism
Baptism is an ordinance of the Lord Jesus, obligatory upon every believer,
wherein he is immersed in water in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of
the Holy Spirit, as a sign of his fellowship with the death and resurrection of
Christ, of remission of sins, and of giving himself up to God, to live and walk
in newness of life. It is prerequisite to church fellowship, and to participation
in the Lord's Supper. (Matt. 28:19; Acts 2:38; Rom. 6:3-5; 1 Cor. 12:13)
-
The Lord's Supper
The Lord's Supper is an ordinance of Jesus Christ, to be administered with
the elements of bread and wine, and to be observed by His churches till the end
of the world. It is in no sense a sacrifice, but is designed to commemorate His
death, to confirm the faith and other graces of Christians, and to be a bond, pledge
and renewal of their communion with Him, and of their church fellowship. (Matt.
26:26-29; 1 Cor. 10:16-17; 11:23-34)
-
The Lord's Day
The Lord's Day is a Christian institution for regular observance, and should
be employed in exercises of worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private.
(Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:1-2; Rev. 1:10)
-
Liberty of Conscience
God alone is Lord of the conscience; and He has left it free from the doctrines
and commandments of men, which are in anything contrary to His word, or not contained
in it. Civil magistrates being ordained of God, subjection in all lawful things
commanded by them ought to be yielded by us in the Lord, not only for wrath, but
also for conscience sake. (Matt. 15:9; Rom. 13:1-7; 14:4; Acts 5:29; Col. 2:20-23)
-
The Resurrection
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. (John 5:28-29; 1 Cor. 15:12-28; 2 Cor. 5:1-10; Phil.
1:23)
-
The Judgment
God has appointed a day, wherein He will judge the world by Jesus Christ,
when every one shall receive according to his deeds; the wicked shall go into everlasting
and conscious punishment; the righteous, into everlasting life. (Matt. 25:46; John
5:22, 27-29; Acts 17:31; Rom. 2:6-11; 2 Cor. 5:10; 2 Thes. 1:7-10; 2 Tim. 4:8; Rev.
7:13-17; 14:9-11)