|
Statement of Faith
We do affirm and declare our belief in the Historical and Biblical
Protestant Christian faith, and do set forth the following:
The Holy Scriptures

We believe that the Holy Bible is inerrant in the original manuscripts, and the supreme rule of faith and practice sufficient for the Christian Church (2nd Timothy 3:16-17). As the unique and infallible word of God, it is the "ultimate authority" over all things, including faith, theology, creation, chronology, life, existence, law, purpose, science, and history.
We believe that these 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament, are divinely authored by God, who Spiritually inspired men to pen them (Psalms 12:6; 2nd Timothy 3:15). No other book ever written is so divinely authored and inspired that it is essential for reproof, doctrine and correction.
We believe that as the source of authoritative, profitable, instruction for the Church today, these scriptures must be studied with a sound and systemic hermeneutic. This is not something to be deemed adiaphora, but is that which is essential to the Church holding to faithful doctrines (2nd Timothy 2:15). Thus, scripture must not be privately or personally interpreted, but understood and exegeted, as it were it's own interpreter, and defined as it were it's own dictionary (Genesis 40:8, 41:16).
The Eternal Godhead

We believe in one God, eternally existing and revealed in the three personages of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This is the triune Godhead, which is unique and indefinable by man. As the incomparable and the sovereign creator and ruler of the universe, God sustains and governs all that He has brought into existence.
We believe that God is perfect, immutable, and His nature such that He cannot lie or be unrighteous in any sense. There is nothing hid from His foreknowledge, and thus from His predetermination. There is nothing that can thwart or defeat the plan that He has ordained from before the foundation of the world. He is forever omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent, and does all things according to His own sovereign good will and pleasure (Romans 8:28; Ephesians 1:9-10. We believe that God's control over all human affairs is without bounds, so that no act of man will stand that is contrary to his high purpose (Lamentations 3:27).
We believe in the co-existent, co-equal, co-eternal personage and deity of Jesus Christ, His virgin birth, His sinless life, His miracles, death as atonement for His people. We believe in His bodily resurrection, victorious ascension into heaven, and His present reign in Glory at the right hand of the Father (John 20:17; Acts 2:33; 1st Corinthians 15:20).
We believe that God, the Holy Spirit, is sovereign and is freely in the world convicting the people of their sin, and drawing them again to be conformed to the image of Christ (2nd Timothy 1:14; 1st Peter 1:12). He is the presence of God in all true believers, indwelling them witnessing with their spirit that they are children of God. It is this Spirit of God that seals or secures them eternally unto the consummation and complete salvation (2nd Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 4:30).
The Fall of Man

We believe that mankind was created in the image of God, but was tempted of Satan to sin, whereby he became separated from God and subject to His divine wrath. As a result of that original sin, man produces seed that is from the womb stained with a sinful nature, and subject to death in the righteous wrath of God (Romans 3:22).
We believe that because of the sentence of death resulting from Adam's fall in the garden of Eden (Genesis 2:17), man is born in a lost estate, estranged from God His creator. This separation and nativity in total depravity makes necessary a Spiritual resurrection from the dead, that man could enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Romans 6:23).
We believe that God requires a life of perfect obedience to His law, but because man was unable to function in a lawful responsible way, so that there were none righteous, he was unable to escape God's sentence of death (Romans 3:10-12). Thus God Himself became man's personal Saviour (Isaiah 43:10-11) that He might reconcile His people to Himself by His shed blood and substitutionary death (Hebrews 13:20-21; Colossians 1:21-22).
Only One Saviour

We believe that God's saving Grace can be acquired by no other beside the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no other name that can effectively address the dilemma of man's sin, and it's inevitable consequence of death (1st Corinthians 15:21-22). Thus, there is no other Saviour whereby mankind may be delivered (Acts 4:12) from the judgment of God.
The Doctrines Of Grace

We believe in the essential truths of orthodox Historical Christianity, as articulated in the Biblical system known as, "The Doctrines of Grace," and expressed in the Protestant Reformation credos of, Sola Scriptura (the Scriptures are the sole ultimate rule of faith and source of divine revelation today), Sola Gratia (Salvation is by grace alone), Sola Fide (through faith alone), Solus Christus (of Christ alone), Soli Deo Gloria (to the Glory of God alone).
We believe that God has chosen and predestinated His people unto Salvation, appointing them to regeneration that they are enabled to live relatively Godly lives, and to profitably use the gifts which they have been given to fulfill God's will. He is sovereign in all His purposes for mankind upon earth, and thus He works "within us" both to will and to do (Philippians 2:13) of His good pleasure.
Faith, Practice And The Gospel

We believe that Jesus Christ is the gospel, the good news revealed in the flesh (John 1:14) of His birth, life, death, and His First Resurrection from the dead (Acts 26:23).
We believe in the "faith of Christ," which moves us to a commitment not only to sound and biblical doctrines, but also to earnest worship and diligent evangelism. We believe that our will to obey God, and our desire to spread the gospel truth, is grounded first in God's love for us (1st John 4:19), and the faith of Christ, wherein He uses us as vessels for this service
The Spirit Satan

We recognize the spirit of evil, the personality of Satan, and his present rule and control as a slave master over unregenerate man. We recognize his working (Ephesians 2:2) in unregenerated man unto disobedience and enmity against God.
The Kingdom Of Christ

We believe that Christ established His Kingdom by His substitutionary death (1st Peter 3:18), resurrection (Acts 2:30-31), and the binding of Satan (Matthew 12:28-29). The reign and Kingdom was established (Colossians 1:13) wherein the captives Satan held in his spiritual prison house of darkness might be set free (Isaiah 42:6-7, 61:1; Luke 4:18; Matthew 12:28-29), and the nations of the world enlightened (Revelation 20:3).
We believe that Christ dealt Satan a death blow by His cross, destroying his total subjugating power over the nations, that His people would be loosed from the spiritual bondage wherein he held them (Hebrews 2:14-15). Christ accomplished this by His death and resurrection, thereby establishing His kingdom and our reign with Him upon the throne of God (Ephesians 2:6; Colossians 1:13).
We believe that the Kingdom and reign of Christ is of a spiritual Kingdom (Luke 17:20-21; Colossians 1:13; Hebrews 12:28; Revelation 1:9). That is to say, not a physical earthly Kingdom (John 18:36) as the world defines Kingdoms, but one far more substantive and eternal, as God defines it. A Kingdom wherein in the spirit, we sit together with Christ reigning in heavenly (Ephesians 2:6), rather than earthly places.
The Church

We believe that Christ is sole head of the one true holy universal Church (Colossians 1:18), which is the indivisible assembly and camp of saints. In it's unadulterated spiritual form, it is one unified body consisting of only those truly in Christ, who through spiritual rebirth have been bound together by one Spirit. Christ now makes intercession for this "eternal" Church in Heaven, and shall come again to catch it away (1st Thessalonians 4:17) in due time.
We believe in the external, corporate or local Church, wherein the elect may be found among those who may profess Christ, but may not truly be elect. God only knows. It is this external, local or corporate body that Christ warned of the consequences of unfaithfulness and apostasy (Revelations chapters 2-3). Christ has given spiritual gifts to those in the local Churches, some blessed to be prophets, some evangelists, some teachers, and some deacons and ministers. Each in his own right is equipped of God to edify the Church that it might grow in grace.
We believe that faithful Church marriage is a lifelong Covenant relationship between one man and one woman, to the exclusion of all others. Marriage is a joining of two, as if they are one flesh, signifying an unbreakable union before God until death do them part. We believe that a marriage Covenant is an oath or solemn promise between a man and a woman before God, that they will remain yoked together as one in love and faithfulness.
The Second Coming

We believe in a literal, visible, coming of the person of Christ, which will bring His kingdom on earth to it's consummation (Acts 1:11). It is at this time, the last day, when He will stand in judgment over all the world unto their just and eternal punishment (Revelation 20:12). And He will reward His chosen people, fulfilling the promise of God of their eternal inheritance (1st Peter 1:4).
The Purpose Of Man

We believe that the chief end of man is to glorify God in obedience and love (Ecclesiastes 12:13). The greater purpose of those who believe (1st Corinthians 6:19-20) is to fulfill the great commission that Christ gave to the Church, to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature, baptizing and teaching those who will hear. The meaning of life is not to serve and pleasure ourselves, but to serve God and be pleasing to God.
|