We
believe that the entire Bible is the inspired Word of God and that
men of God "were moved by the Holy Spirit" to write the very word of
Scripture. The Bible is therefore without error (inerrant) in its original manuscripts.
God has supernaturally preserved the Bible and it is the sole and final authority
for faith and life providing encouragement, guidance, comfort and instruction
for training in righteousness.
We believe
that God the Father is the first persons (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) each of
whom is fully and equally God; possesses all of the divine nature and attributes,
and is totally worthy of our worship and service.
We
believe that God the Father is the first person of the Trinity
and is the eternal, unchanging, all-powerful, all-knowing, all-wise, all-loving,
completely just and perfectly Holy, sovereign Ruler and Sustainer of the universe.
He is the father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the Father of all true
believers.
We believe that Jesus
Christ is the second person of the Trinity and is the only begotten eternal Son
of God Who became flesh to reveal God to man, to fulfill prophecy, and to become
the Savior of the lost world. In becoming man Jesus did not cease in any way to
be God so that He is fully God and fully man inseparably united in one person
forever.
We believe that the
Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity Who specially came into the world
on the day of Pentecost to glorify Christ and to enable men to appropriate the
salvation wrought by Christ. He is the primary agent for the conviction of sin
and for regeneration. Simultaneously with salvation, the Holy Spirit imparts new
life, baptizes the believer into the body of Christ (His church), permanently
indwells the believer, securely seals the believer unto the day of redemption.
The Holy Spirit fills (directs and controls) those believers who are yielded to
Him, enables believers to bear fruit, and empowers believers to live a life free
from sin's dominion. We also believe that the Holy Sprit gives scripture.
We
believe that man was created in the image of God by direct act
or of God and did not come into being as the result of evolution. Man was created
to glorify God, worship and serve Him, and have fellowship with Him. Man fell
through sin by disobeying God, thus incurring both physical and spiritual death,
which alienate him from God. Man's nature was thus corrupted and he is utterly
lost, "dead in trespasses and sins," and totally incapable of saving
himself and coming back into right relationship with God by his own merit or effort.
We
believe that Satan is the instigator of evil and a real spirit
being, not simply the personification of evil. He is a fallen angel who, under
the sovereign permission of God, has been given temporary rulership of the earth.
He was utterly defeated at the cross, but the execution of his judgment has been
postponed by God until after the Millennial Kingdom when he will be cast into
the eternal lake of fire. In the meantime, he deceives the world and seeks to
establish his counterfeit kingdom on earth to discredit and blaspheme God and
to tempt, accuse, attack and destroy believers. He can be resisted by the believer
through faith and reliance on the power of the Holy Spirit.
We
believe that the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the cross provides
the sole basis for forgiveness of sins and salvation, which is the free gift of
God's grace. Salvation is effected by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit
and cannot be secured by man's works or personal merit. Salvation is only appropriated
by a person placing his faith in the finished work of Christ. Repentance is a
turning toward God and away from sin and is a part of but not separate from believing
faith. "The Gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes"
and those who receive Jesus Christ by faith are born again, have their sins forgiven,
become children of God, are a new creation in Christ, and "are sealed by
the Holy Spirit unto the day of redemption", being kept by the power of God. We
believe that every Christian should live for Christ and not for himself and should,
by the power of the indwelling Spirit, allow Christ to manifest is life through
him to God's glory. By an ever increasing obedience to the word of God, each believer
should mature and progressively become more like Jesus. In the power of the Spirit,
each believer should live a holy life; not fulfill the lusts of the flesh; exercise
his spiritual gifts to build up the body of Christ; witness for Christ; be personally
involved in making disciples to fulfill the great commission; perform good works
and bear fruit to the glory of God.
We believe
that the church is the body of Christ of which Jesus is the Head and whose members
are those who have truly received Christ by faith. The local church is tangible
expression of the body of Christ in a particular location. Since all members of
the body of Christ are united in Christ by the same Spirit, they should live in
love, harmony and unity, being intent on the same purpose and accepting those
sectarians or denominational practices which are based on a sincere interpretation
of the Bible, which do not relate to substantive doctrinal matters, and which
do not in practice cause disunity or hinder the ministry. The purpose of the church
is to make Christ known to lost men, to make disciples, and glorify God on earth. We
believe that the only two ordinances of the church recognized by
Scripture are water baptism and the Lord's Supper. Water baptism by immersion
is an act of obedience following salvation which symbolically pictures the believer's
death to sin, burial of the old life, and resurrection to new life. The Lord's
Supper celebrates fellowship and communion with Christ, symbolically commemorates
His death, and anticipates His second coming.
We
believe that at death every believer consciously and immediately
enters into the presence and fellowship of the Lord to wait for the physical resurrection
and glorification of his body at Christ's return. The believer will thus enjoy
life eternal with God-fellowshipping, serving and worshipping Him forever.
We
believe that at death every unbeliever consciously and immediately
enters into separation from the Lord to wait for the physical resurrection of
his body to everlasting condemnation, judgment and punishment.
We
believe the next prophetic event will be the rapture of the Church
when the Lord Jesus Christ will return in the air to receive unto Himself all
Church Age believer The rapture of the Church will be followed by the seven-year
Great Tribulation period in fulfillment of Dan. 9:24-27 and as described in Rev.
6:1-19:21 during which Israel will be purified, the whole world tested, and the
wrath of God poured out against sin. We believe
that at the end of the Great Tribulation the Lord Jesus Christ
in His second coming will personally and physically return to the earth just as
He ascended with great power and glory to execute judgment and usher in the Millennial
Kingdom, during which He will reign on earth for 1000 years with righteousness,
justice and peace to fulfill God's covenant promise to Israel.
We
believe that the 1000 year reign of Christ on earth will be followed
by the judgment of Satan when he is cast into the lake of fire; forever; the Great
White Throne Judgment and bodily resurrection for unbelievers; the creation of
a new heaven and new earth; and eternal state.
