1. THE BIBLE
We believe that the whole Bible, consisting of sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, is the verbally and plenarily inspired Word of God, and inerrant in the original writings, trustworthy in all that it affirms, whether in historical, scientific, or moral matters. The Bible is the supreme and final authority in faith and life.
We believe that God has faithfully preserved His Word and that the Bible we have today is the very Word of God. Furthermore, we believe the authorized King James Bible is the most suitable and reliable English translation (II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:21; Psalm 119:89; Mark 13:31).
2. GOD
We believe in one triune God, eternally existing in three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – co-eternal in being, co-identical in essence, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections. We believe God the Father is perfect in holiness, infinite in wisdom, measureless in power; that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men; that He hears and answers prayer; and that He saves from hell all who come to Him through Jesus Christ (Genesis 1:1; Exodus 3:14, cf. John 8:24; Psalm 90:1, 2; Isaiah 48:16, 17; Matthew 28:18-20).
3. JESUS CHRIST
We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, the eternal Word, God manifested in the flesh. We believe that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary, that He is true God, and true man, and the only mediator between God and man. We believe in His vicarious, substitutionary and redeeming death, Christ shedding His precious blood as an atonement for the remission of our sins.
We believe in His literal bodily resurrection, in His ascension, in His heavenly ministry continued in this present age as High Priest and Intercessor, and in His personal, imminent and premillennial return for His redeemed ones, followed by His coming in glory to judge the rebellious and to establish His millennial reign (Luke 1:35; 3:21, 22; John 1:1; Acts 1:11; Colossians 2:9; I Timothy 2:5; 3:16; Hebrews 1:8).
4. THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe the Holy Spirit is a divine person and as God He is co-eternal and co-equal with the Father and Son and of the same substance and nature; that He convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment; that He regenerates all who believe on Christ; that He baptizes all true believers into the body of Christ at conversion; that He seals, indwells, fills, teaches, endues, guides, witnesses, helps, and sanctifies the believer. We believe the so-called charismatic “baptism of the Holy Spirit” is an unscriptural delusion and that the sign gifts ceased with the early church age (John 3:5-8; 16:8-14; Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 2:10; 6:19; 13:8-10; Ephesians 5:18).
5. MAN
We believe that man was created in innocence and in the image of God, but by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and blessed state in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, by nature, by choice, and by practice, and are guilty and lost and absolutely incapable of saving themselves by their own efforts, being dead in their trespasses and sins; and therefore are under just condemnation without defense or excuse (Gen. 3:6; Rom. 1:18; 3:23; 5:12; John 3:19).
6. SIN
We believe sin entered the angelic realm through the pride and rebellion of Satan and entered the human race through deception and the disobedience of Adam. To sin is to miss the divine aim of life and this includes anything which is contrary to the character of God. We believe man has a fallen, sinful nature which explains his capacity and inclination to do wrong; and that by the original sin of Adam, sin is transmitted to his posterity and therefore all mankind has inherited this depraved nature (Gen. 6:12; Jer. 17:9; Rom. 5:12; 7:13-25).
7. SALVATION
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 offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, who by His own blood obtained eternal redemption for the believer. Repentance is a change of mind involving a change in direction. It is turning toward God and away from sin and is a part of but not separate from saving faith (John 3:1-7; Romans 10:9-13; Ephesians 2:8, 9). Salvation has three aspects, or three tenses – past, present and future.
· We have been saved (II Cor. 6:2; Eph. 2:8, 9) – from the penalty of sin.
· We are being saved (Phil. 2:12, 13) – from the power of sin.
· We shall be saved (Romans 13:11-14) – from the very presence of sin.
8. SATAN
We believe that Satan is a fallen angel. He is a person, and not simply the personification of evil. He is the author and instigator of sin, and the cause of the fall of man. He is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire (Job 1:6-7; Isaiah 14:12-17; Matthew 4:2-11; 25:41; Revelation 20:10).
9. THE CHURCH
We believe that the local New Testament Church is the agency through which God has chosen to accomplish His work in this dispensation of grace; that it is an organized congregation of regenerate, immersed believers, voluntarily united together for the purpose of worship, edification, observing the ordinances, fellowship and service; that the true mission of the church is world evangelization – the fulfillment of the Great Commission. We believe the local church should be independent, autonomous, and free from any outside interference or external hierarchy (Matthew 16:18; 18:17; 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 1:22, 23; Revelation 1:11). We believe that the local church should not associate itself with ecumenicalism, modernism, liberalism, neo-evangelicalism; or any other worldly efforts to compromise the Gospel. We believe the local church should encourage its members to seek to live holy lives, to separate themselves from and forsake all that might dishonor God or cast discredit on His cause, or weaken the testimony of His church (Rom.12:1,2; 14:13; II Cor.6:14-18; James 4:4; I Peter l:14-16;
I John 2:15-17).
10. LAST THINGS
We believe that the rapture of the church is imminent. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly to establish His Messianic kingdom, and that His return will be pretribulational and premillennial. We believe the Biblical prophecies regarding the coming tribulation, the antichrist, the Battle of Armageddon, and the restoration of Israel are to be taken literally. The wicked will be consigned to eternity in hell, and the righteous will receive their reward at the Judgment Seat of Christ and will dwell forever in heaven with the Lord (Daniel 2:31-45; Zechariah 14:4-11; John 14:1-4; I Thessalonians 1:10; 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; Revelation 3:10; 19:11-16; 20:1-6).
This brief doctrinal statement does not exhaust the extent of our faith. The Bible itself is the sole and final source of all that we believe.