What We Believe

Man and Sin:

All men, with the exception of the Lord Jesus Christ, are born with a sin nature (Romans 3:23) inherited from Adam (Romans 5:12) that separates them from God (Isaiah 59:2). Man is therefore disqualified from entry into heaven based on his own merits because the requirement is absolute moral perfection (Revelation 21:27). In this condition, he is sentenced to physical and spiritual death (Romans 6:23), which no amount of good works can change (Romans 3:25-28, Galatians 2:16, Titus 3:5).

Heaven and Hell:

All who die physically in this lost condition are tormented in flames in hell (Luke 16:22-23) until death and hell are cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14). Those who are eternally separated from God in the second death (Revelation 21:8) have only themselves to blame, as they are without excuse (Romans 1:20), having obeyed not the gospel (II Thessalonians 1:8-9); their damnation is just (Romans 3:8).

The souls of all the saved, however, are immediately in heaven with Jesus Christ upon their physical death (II Corinthians 5:8), where they await reunion with their bodies (Romans 8:23).

The Gospel and Faith:

Jesus Christ, who was sinless (Hebrews 4:15), suffered the death that man deserves (Romans 5:8), to satisfy God’s wrath against sin (I John 2:2), as the just for the unjust (I Peter 3:18), paying in full the debt incurred by sin (Romans 6:23, I Corinthians 6:20).

Though man is unworthy and undeserving of possessing eternal life instead of eternal punishment, through God’s grace, man is offered this free gift (Romans 5:15-18).

The Holy Spirit:

The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Godhead, is completely God (I John 5:7). He comforts (John 14:16), makes intercession (Romans 8:26), reproves (John 16:8-11), guides into all truth (John 16:13), glorifies Christ (16:14), fills the believer (Ephesians 5:18), helps the believer resist the flesh (Galatians 5:16), and seals the believer (Ephesians 1:13).

Eternal Security:

Once a sinner has received Christ, this salvation can never be lost, because everlasting life lasts forever. John 1:12, 3:3, 7, 5:2, 6:35, 10:27-29, Romans 8:38-39, Hebrews 6:4-8, I Peter 1:4-5, I John 5:13, II Timothy 1:12

The Scriptures:

God revealed Himself generally through creation (Romans 1) and conscience (Romans 2), but specifically through His written Word. For the English-speaking people, His Word is the King James Bible; the sole authority for all matters, including doctrine, practice, and conduct.

The Word of God is inerrant (Psalm 119:160), infallible (II Peter 1:19), and invincible (Matthew 24:35). The very words of the Bible are inspired by God (II Timothy 3:16), written by the Holy Spirit (II Peter 1:21), and preserved for every generation (Psalm 12:6-7). This inspiration extends to all parts (Proverbs 30:5).

The Deity of Christ:

Jesus Christ is 100 percent man and 100 percent God. John 1:1, 14, Philippians 2:6, I Timothy 3:16, Hebrews 1:8, I John 5:7

The Bodily Resurrection:

Jesus rose from the dead physically, literally, and bodily, which explains why His body was never recovered by the Jews or Romans. Deuteronomy 18:22, Matthew 16:21, 17:9, 23, 20:18-19, John 10:17, Acts 2:24, 3:15, 4:10, 10:40, 13:30, Romans 10:9, I Corinthians 15:5-22

The Nature of New Testament Churches:

A church is an assembly of baptized believers, organized to carry out the Lord’s work.  Because it is an assembly, it is inherently local (I Corinthians 11:18, 20, 33, 14:26), visible (II Corinthians 1:1, 15, 16), constituted (Acts 8:37), and organized (I Corinthians 14:40, Colossians 2:5, Titus 1:5).

The Ordinance of Baptism:

An ordinance commanded by the Lord (Matthew 28:19), baptism means total immersion in water (which excludes sprinkling and/or pouring), and pictures the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. One must be saved to be a candidate for baptism (Acts 2:41, 8:37), which eliminates infants as eligible. Upon baptism, a believer receives membership in a church (Acts 2:41, I Corinthians 12:13) and publicly identifies with the doctrine of that church (Acts 2:42).

It is also a commitment to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4), therefore, a candidate who is saved but living in open, unrepentant sin is not fit for baptism (I Corinthians 5:6).

The Ordinance of The Lord’s Supper:

An ordinance instituted by the Lord (Matthew 26:26, I Corinthians 11:24), like baptism, it is representative of the sacrifice of Christ and commemorates (I Corinthians 11:24-25) His death, burial, and resurrection; it is without efficacy.

The Bible mandates no schedule of frequency for its observance (11:25). It was given to the church (I Corinthians 1:2, 11:16, 18) and is not to be received by a non-member of the church administering it (11:19, 29), nor by a member who is out of fellowship with God (11:28-29).

Creation:

God created the heavens, earth, man, animals, sun, moon, and stars out of nothing in six literal 24-hour days (Genesis 1-2). All things were made by Jesus Christ (John 1:3, Colossians 1:16) and are upheld by Him (Hebrews 1:3, Acts 17:28).

End Times:

The Catching Up: All born-again believers will be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air (Acts 1:11, I Thessalonians 4:14-17, Titus 2:13) at a time that no man knows (Matthew 24:36). Believers will be reunited with their bodies, glorified (Philippians 3:21), and will appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ (I Corinthians 3:13-15, II Corinthians 5:10-12).

The Tribulation: After saints are taken out, there will be a seven-year period on the Earth called the Tribulation in which God’s wrath will be poured out (Revelation 6:17, 12:6, 13:5). Its purpose is to bring the entire remnant of Israel to repentance (Isaiah 10: 20-22, Zechariah 13:8-9, Romans 11:26, Revelation 7).

The Millennial Reign: At the end of the Tribulation, Jesus will rule and reign on the Earth for 1,000 literal years while Satan is bound (Revelation 20:2-7), after which Satan will be loosed for a final defeat (20:9).

The Great White Throne Judgment: After Satan is cast into the lake of fire forever, all who died without Christ will be judged according to their works and sentenced to punishment (John 5:29, Revelation 20:12-15).

October 5, 2013