This statement of faith is neither exhaustive in content nor thorough in subject, but does state forth the basics of Bible-believing Christianity. We believe the soul-saving, life-changing message of God’s Holy Word, and we preach it without apology.
1. The Bible–We believe the Bible. We believe it to be the literal Word of God, throughout. We believe it to be inspired, infallible, inerrant, and authoritative in everything it says. We believe that the God who inspired it is the God who has preserved it for each generation and will until the end of time. The scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God and are the only infallible, inerrant rule of faith (what we believe) and practice (how we behave). We believe it to be authoritative in every matter it addresses. It is the eternal message of God to man (Matthew 4:4; Psalm 119:89; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Isaiah 8:20; 1 Thessalonians 5:21). We believe that the original manuscripts are best represented by the traditional texts; i.e., the Hebrew Masoretic text in the Old Testament and the set of manuscripts known as the Textus Receptus in the New Testament, and preserved in the authorized King James Version. We believe that all other translations are weak at best and most are perversions of the original text and not truly the Word of God. We believe the Bible “to be” the word of God, and not just “contain” the Word of God.
2. Godhead–We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit–co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections (Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 John 5:17; John 4:24; Psalm 83:18; Exodus 15:11; Mark 12:30; Matthew 28:19; John 10:30; Ephesians 2:18; 2 Corinthians 13:14).
3. Person and Work of Jesus Christ–We believe the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, and lived a sinless life. He came that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man (Luke 1:35; John 1:1-4, 14; Philippians 2:5-11; John 3:16). We believe the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death (the shedding of His blood) on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice in providing an unlimited atonement for the sins of the whole world and our justification is verified by his literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Romans 3:24-25; Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 2:9; 1 Peter 1:3-5, 2:24; 1 John 2:2). We believe the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate (Acts 1:9-10; Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25, 9:24; 1 John 2:1-2).
4. Person and Work of the Holy Spirit–We believe the Holy Spirit is the person of the Godhead who in this present age convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and judgment; who regenerates and baptizes into the body of Christ those who repent and believe the Gospel; and who indwells and seals them unto the day of redemption (John 16:7-14; John 14:16-17, 26; Matthew 3:16-17; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Ephesians 1:13-14).
5. Sinfulness of Man–We believe man was created in the image and likeness of God; in Adam’s sin the race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and man is totally depraved and unable to remedy his lost condition (Genesis 1:26-27, 3:1-7; Romans 3:10-23, 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-3, 12).
6. Terms of Salvation–The conditions of salvation are found in two inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the regenerating Spirit of God, those graces being “repentance and faith”. “Repentance” being the changing of one’s mind concerning sin, God, and self which constitutes a turning from sin and self to Christ, and “faith” being the personal conviction that Christ is the only grounds for one’s salvation and that being God in the flesh, His shed blood was sufficient for one’s redemption and by personally accepting Him as Savior. Salvation is provided by the grace of God and appropriated by faith, without any works preformed by man (Acts 3:19; Romans 10:9-10; John 3:16, 36; Luke 13:5; Acts 16:31; Ephesians 2:8-9).
7. Freedom of Will–We believe that man was created with a free will and has the power, once drawn by the Holy Spirit, to yield to the influence of truth and the Spirit and live, or to resist them and perish (Genesis 2:15-17; Revelation 22:17; Romans 10:13, 6:16).