Articles Of Faith
Section 1. Of the Scriptures
We believe that the Holy Bible in its original text was verbally inspired by God, was written by Spirit-controlled men, and therefore, has truth without any admixture of error for its matter.
We believe the Bible to be the true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions shall be evaluated.
(2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21)
Section 2. Of the True God
We believe there is one, and only one, living and true God: an infinite Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth, inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love.
We believe that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each person is equal in every divine perfection and executes distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.
(Genesis 1:26; Exodus 20:2-3; Deuteronomy 6:4-5; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 1 John 5:7; Revelation 4:11)
Section 3. Of the Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person; that He is equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; that He was active in the creation; that, in His relation to the unbelieving world, He restrains the Evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; that He bears witness to the Truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the New Birth; and that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies, and helps the believer.
(Genesis 1:1-3; Matthew 28:19; Mark 1:8; Luke 1:35; Luke 24:49; John 1:33; John 3:5-6; John 14:16-17, 26; John 16:8-11; Acts 5:30-32; Acts 11:16; Romans 8:16, 26-27; Ephesians 1:13-14; Hebrews 9:14)
Section 4. Of the Devil, or Satan
We believe in the personality of Satan; that he is the unholy god of this age; that he is the leader of all the powers of darkness; and that he is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire.
(2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:1-3; Revelation 20:10)
Section 5. Of the Creation
We accept the Genesis account of creation and believe that man came by direct creation of God and not by evolution.
(Genesis 1:1-2:25; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17)
Section 6. Of the Fall of Man
We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker, but voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy state in consequence of which all of mankind are now sinners, not only by constraint, but of choice; and therefore, under just condemnation without defense or excuse.
(Genesis 3:1-6, 24; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 5:10-19)
Section 7. Of the Virgin Birth
We believe that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit in a miraculous manner; that He was born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born or can ever be born of woman; and that He is both the Son of God and God the Son.
(Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:35; John 1:14)
Section 8. Of the Atonement for Sin
We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God, who by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin, honored the Divine law by His personal obedience, and by His death made a full and victorious atonement for our sins.
We believe that His atonement consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was a voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place, the Just dying for the unjust; Christ the Lord bearing our sins in His own body on the tree.
We believe that, having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in Heaven and, uniting in His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with Divine perfection, He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate, and an all-sufficient Redeemer.
(Isaiah 53:4-7; Matthew 18:11; John 3:16; Acts 15:11; Romans 3:24-25; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:8; Philippians 2:7; Hebrews 2:14; 1 John 4:10)
Section 9. Of Grace in the New Creation
We believe that, in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth the one dead in trespasses and sins is made a partaker of the Divine nature and received eternal life, the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension, solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with Divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel; and that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life.
(John 3:3; John 3:6-8; Acts 16:30-33; Romans 6:23; 2 Corinthians 5:17, 19; Ephesians 2:1; Colossians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:4; 1 John 5:1)
Section 10. Of Justification
We believe that the great gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is Justification:
(Isaiah 53:11; Zechariah 13:1; Acts 13:39; Acts 16:31; Romans 3:20-26; Romans 5:1, 9; Romans 8:1; 2 Corinthians 5:21)
Section 11. Of Faith and Salvation
We believe that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation.
(Acts 16:31; Ephesians 2:8-10)
Section 12. Of the Local Church
We believe that a local church is an assembly of believers associated by covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel, observing the ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws, and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word.
We believe that its offices are elders and deacons whose qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures.
We believe that true mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as we have opportunity.
We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government, free from the inheritance of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; that the one and only head is Christ, through the Holy Spirit; that it is Scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel; that each local church is the sole judge of the measure and methods of its cooperation; and that on all matters of membership, of policy, of government, of discipline, and of benevolence the will of the church is final, second only to the Word of God.
(Acts 2:41-42; Acts 15:13-18; 1 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 4:11-16; Ephesians 5:23-24)
Section 13. Of The Ordinances Of Baptism And The Lord’s Supper
We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that it is a pre-requisite to the privileges of local church membership. We believe that the Lord’s Supper is the commemoration of His death until He comes and should always be preceded by solemn self-examination.
(Matthew 3:16; Luke 22:17-20; John 3:23; Acts 8:36-39; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 11:23-28; Colossians 2:12)
Section 14. Of The Security Of The Saints
We believe that all who are truly born again are kept by God the Father for Jesus Christ.
(John 10:28-29; Romans 8:35-39; Philippians 1:6; Jude 1:24-25)
Section 15. Of The Righteous And The Wicked
We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that only those who through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and sanctified by the Spirit of our God are truly righteous on His merit, while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked, and under the curse; and that this distinction holds among men both in and after death, in that everlasting blessedness of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost.
(Genesis 18:23; Proverbs 14:32; Malachi 3:18; Matthew 7:21-23; Matthew 25:34-41; Luke 6:25; John 8:21; Romans 6:17-18, 23; Romans 7:6; 1 John 5:19)
Section 16. Of Civil Government
We believe that civil government is of Divine appointment for the interests and good order of human society; that the magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed, except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the only Lord of the conscience and the coming Prince of the Kings of the earth.
(Exodus 18:21; 2 Samuel 23:3; Daniel 3:17-18; Matthew 22:21; Acts 4:19-20; Acts 23:5; Romans 13:4-7; 1 Timothy 2:1-7)
Section 17. Of The Resurrection; Ascension; Personal, Visible, Pre-Millennial Return And Millennial Reign Of Christ; And Related Events
We believe that the Holy Bible in its original text was verbally inspired by God, was written by Spirit-controlled men, and therefore, has truth without any admixture of error for its matter.
We believe the Bible to be the true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions shall be evaluated.
(2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21)
Section 2. Of the True God
We believe there is one, and only one, living and true God: an infinite Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth, inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love.
We believe that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each person is equal in every divine perfection and executes distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.
(Genesis 1:26; Exodus 20:2-3; Deuteronomy 6:4-5; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 1 John 5:7; Revelation 4:11)
Section 3. Of the Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person; that He is equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; that He was active in the creation; that, in His relation to the unbelieving world, He restrains the Evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; that He bears witness to the Truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the New Birth; and that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies, and helps the believer.
(Genesis 1:1-3; Matthew 28:19; Mark 1:8; Luke 1:35; Luke 24:49; John 1:33; John 3:5-6; John 14:16-17, 26; John 16:8-11; Acts 5:30-32; Acts 11:16; Romans 8:16, 26-27; Ephesians 1:13-14; Hebrews 9:14)
Section 4. Of the Devil, or Satan
We believe in the personality of Satan; that he is the unholy god of this age; that he is the leader of all the powers of darkness; and that he is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire.
(2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:1-3; Revelation 20:10)
Section 5. Of the Creation
We accept the Genesis account of creation and believe that man came by direct creation of God and not by evolution.
(Genesis 1:1-2:25; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17)
Section 6. Of the Fall of Man
We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker, but voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy state in consequence of which all of mankind are now sinners, not only by constraint, but of choice; and therefore, under just condemnation without defense or excuse.
(Genesis 3:1-6, 24; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 5:10-19)
Section 7. Of the Virgin Birth
We believe that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit in a miraculous manner; that He was born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born or can ever be born of woman; and that He is both the Son of God and God the Son.
(Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:35; John 1:14)
Section 8. Of the Atonement for Sin
We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God, who by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin, honored the Divine law by His personal obedience, and by His death made a full and victorious atonement for our sins.
We believe that His atonement consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was a voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place, the Just dying for the unjust; Christ the Lord bearing our sins in His own body on the tree.
We believe that, having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in Heaven and, uniting in His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with Divine perfection, He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate, and an all-sufficient Redeemer.
(Isaiah 53:4-7; Matthew 18:11; John 3:16; Acts 15:11; Romans 3:24-25; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:8; Philippians 2:7; Hebrews 2:14; 1 John 4:10)
Section 9. Of Grace in the New Creation
We believe that, in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth the one dead in trespasses and sins is made a partaker of the Divine nature and received eternal life, the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension, solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with Divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel; and that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life.
(John 3:3; John 3:6-8; Acts 16:30-33; Romans 6:23; 2 Corinthians 5:17, 19; Ephesians 2:1; Colossians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:4; 1 John 5:1)
Section 10. Of Justification
We believe that the great gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is Justification:
- That Justification includes the pardon of sin, and the gift of eternal life on the principle of His righteousness;
- That it is obtained, not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in the Redeemer’s blood; His righteousness is imputed to us.
(Isaiah 53:11; Zechariah 13:1; Acts 13:39; Acts 16:31; Romans 3:20-26; Romans 5:1, 9; Romans 8:1; 2 Corinthians 5:21)
Section 11. Of Faith and Salvation
We believe that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation.
(Acts 16:31; Ephesians 2:8-10)
Section 12. Of the Local Church
We believe that a local church is an assembly of believers associated by covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel, observing the ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws, and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word.
We believe that its offices are elders and deacons whose qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures.
We believe that true mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as we have opportunity.
We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government, free from the inheritance of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; that the one and only head is Christ, through the Holy Spirit; that it is Scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel; that each local church is the sole judge of the measure and methods of its cooperation; and that on all matters of membership, of policy, of government, of discipline, and of benevolence the will of the church is final, second only to the Word of God.
(Acts 2:41-42; Acts 15:13-18; 1 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 4:11-16; Ephesians 5:23-24)
Section 13. Of The Ordinances Of Baptism And The Lord’s Supper
We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that it is a pre-requisite to the privileges of local church membership. We believe that the Lord’s Supper is the commemoration of His death until He comes and should always be preceded by solemn self-examination.
(Matthew 3:16; Luke 22:17-20; John 3:23; Acts 8:36-39; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 11:23-28; Colossians 2:12)
Section 14. Of The Security Of The Saints
We believe that all who are truly born again are kept by God the Father for Jesus Christ.
(John 10:28-29; Romans 8:35-39; Philippians 1:6; Jude 1:24-25)
Section 15. Of The Righteous And The Wicked
We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that only those who through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and sanctified by the Spirit of our God are truly righteous on His merit, while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked, and under the curse; and that this distinction holds among men both in and after death, in that everlasting blessedness of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost.
(Genesis 18:23; Proverbs 14:32; Malachi 3:18; Matthew 7:21-23; Matthew 25:34-41; Luke 6:25; John 8:21; Romans 6:17-18, 23; Romans 7:6; 1 John 5:19)
Section 16. Of Civil Government
We believe that civil government is of Divine appointment for the interests and good order of human society; that the magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed, except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the only Lord of the conscience and the coming Prince of the Kings of the earth.
(Exodus 18:21; 2 Samuel 23:3; Daniel 3:17-18; Matthew 22:21; Acts 4:19-20; Acts 23:5; Romans 13:4-7; 1 Timothy 2:1-7)
Section 17. Of The Resurrection; Ascension; Personal, Visible, Pre-Millennial Return And Millennial Reign Of Christ; And Related Events
- We believe in the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. (Matthew 28:6-7; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:1-7, 39; John 20:27; 1 Corinthians 15:4)
- The Ascension of Jesus Christ. (Mark 16:19; Luke 24:51; Acts 1:9-11; Hebrews 12:2; Revelation 3:21)
- The High Priesthood of Jesus Christ. (1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 2:17; Hebrews 5:9-10; Hebrews 8:6; 1 John 2:1)
- The Resurrection of the Righteous Dead. (1 Corinthians 15:42-44, 52; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.)
- The Change of the Living in Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:51-53; Philippians 3:20-21; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 John 3:1-3)
- The Pre-Millennial Return of Jesus Christ. (Acts 1:9-11; Revelation 19:11-21)
- The Literal Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ. (Psalms 72:8; Isaiah 11:4-5; Isaiah 32:1; 1 Corinthians 15:25; Revelation 20:6)
