Our statement of faith.
This assembly shall accept the Holy Scriptures as the revealed Will of God, the All Sufficient Rule of faith and practice; and for the purpose of maintaining general unity, it shall adopt the following statements of Fundamental Faith.
The Holy Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, consist of sixty-six books, originally given and verbally inspired of God, and are a complete revelation of His will for the salvation of man, the infallible, authoritative rule of faith and practice (2 Tim. 3:15-17; I Thess. 2:13; 2 Peter 1:21).
We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons, namely the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. They are co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory and have the same attributes and perfections (Deut. 6:4; Mark 12:29).
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man (John 1:1,2,14; Luke 1:35).
We believe the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice and that justification is made sure by His literal physical resurrection from the dead (I Pet. 1:3,5; Eph. 1:7).
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 role of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate (Acts 1:9-11; Heb 7:25, 9:24; Rom 8:34; I John 2:1,2).
We believe that the Holy Spirit is the Person of the Trinity who reproves the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment, regenerating believers and baptizing them with the Holy Ghost.
We further believe that all believers are entitled to and should ardently expect and earnestly seek the promise of the Father, the baptism in the Holy Ghost and fire, according to the command of our Lord Jesus, the normal experience of all in the early Christian Church. With it comes the endowment of power for life and service, the bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry (Acts 1:4-8; I Cor. 12:1-31). This experience is distinct from and subsequent to the experience of the new birth (Acts 8:12-17; 10:44-46; 11:14-16; 15:7-9). With the baptism of the Holy Ghost comes such experiences as an overflowing fullness of the Spirit (John 7:37-39; 15:7-9), reverence for God (Acts 2:43; Heb. 12:28), an intensified consecration to God and dedication to His work (Acts 2:42), and a more active love for Christ, for His Word and for the lost (Mark 16:20).
The baptism for believers in the Holy Ghost is witnessed by the physical sign of speaking in other tongues as the Spirit of God gives utterance (Acts 2:4). The speaking in tongues in this instance is the same in essence as the gift of tongues (I Cor. 12:4-10, 28), but different in purpose and use.
Man was created good and upright, for God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." However, man by voluntary transgression fell and thereby incurred not only physical but also spiritual death, which is separation from God (Gen 1:26,27; 3:6; Rom. 5:12-19).
Man's only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God. Salvation, the gift of God, is by grace alone and is received through repentance and personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and this faith is manifested in works pleasing to God (Acts 4:12).
The evidences of salvation: the inward evidence of salvation is the direct witness of the Spirit (Rom. 8:16). The outward evidence to all men is a life of righteousness and true holiness (Eph. 4:24; Titus 2:12).
We believe the Lord gave two ordinances to the Church, namely water baptism and the Lord's Table, also known as the Lord's Supper.
Baptism in water: The ordinance of baptism by immersion is commanded in the Scriptures. All who repent and believe in Christ as Savior and Lord are to be baptized in the name of our Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an outward sign of the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit whereby He identifies us with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection, and places us in the body of Christ. As such it is appropriate for believers only. We reject infant baptism but believe that Christian parents should dedicate their children to the Lord. The mode symbolizing our identification with Christ is immersion (Rom. 6:3-5; Col. 2:12; Acts 8:38; Acts 10:47-48).
Holy Communion: The Lord's table is commemorative of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ on our behalf, and of our union and communion with Him. The Lord's Supper, consisting of the elements bread and the fruit of the vine, is the symbol expressing the divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:4); a memorial of His suffering and death (I Cor. 11:26); and a prophecy of His second coming (I Cor. 11:26); and is enjoined on all believers "Till He Comes."
Sanctification is an act of separation from that which is evil, and of dedication unto God (Rom. 12:1,2; I Thess. 5:23; Heb. 13:12). The Scriptures teach a life of "holiness without which no man shall see the Lord" (Heb. 12:14). By the power of the Holy Ghost we are able to obey the command: "Be ye holy, for I am holy" (I Peter 1:15,16). Sanctification is realized in the believer by recognizing his identification with Christ in the fact of that union, and by offering every faculty continually to the dominion of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 6:1-11, 13; 8:1,2,13; Gal. 2:20; Phil. 2:12,13).
A divinely called and scripturally ordained ministry has been provided by our Lord for a two-fold purpose: (a) to evangelize the world, and (b) to edify the Body of Christ (Mark 16:15-20; Eph. 4:11-13).
Divine healing is an integral part of the Gospel. Deliverance from sickness is provided for in the atonement, and is the privilege of all believers (Isa. 53:4,5; James 5:14-16).
The resurrection of those who are dead in Christ and their translation together with those who are alive and remain in faith unto the coming of the Lord is the imminent and blessed hope of the church (I Thess. 4:16,17; Rom. 8:23; Titus 2:13; I Cor. 15:51).
The second coming of Christ includes the Rapture of the saints, which is our blessed hope, followed by the visible return of Christ with His saints to reign on the earth for one thousand years (Rev. 1:7; 19:11-14; 20:1-6). This millennial reign will bring the salvation for the nation of Israel (Ez. 37:21,22; Zep. 3:19-20; Rom. 11:26-27) and the establishment of universal peace (Isa. 11:6-9; Ps. 72:3-8; Micah 4:3,4).
There will be a final Judgment in which the wicked dead will be judged according to their works. Whosoever is not found in the Book of Life, together with the devil and his angels, the beast and the false prophet, will be consigned to everlasting punishment in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death (Mt. 25:46; Mark 9:42-48; Rev. 19:20; 20:11-15; 21:8).
We, according to the promise, "look for new heaven and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness" (2 Peter 3:13; Rev. 21:22).
