The Holy Scriptures
We teach the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the verbally inspired Word of God, the final authority for faith and life, inerrant in the original writings, infallible and God-breathed (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Matt.5:18; John 16:12-13).
The Godhead
We teach 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 (Deut. 6:4; 2 Cor. 13:14).
The Person and Work of Christ
We teach that 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, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men (John 1:1,2,14; Luke 1:35).
We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and, that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Rom. 3:24-25; 1 Peter 2:24; Eph. 1 :7; 1 Peter 1:3-5).
We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended into 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; Heb. 9:24, 7:25; Rom. 8:34; 1 John 2:1-2).
The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
We teach that the Holy Spirit is a Person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and, that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption (John 16:8-11; 2 Cor. 3:6; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; Rom. 8:9; Eph. 1:13-14).
We teach that He is the Divine Teacher who guides believers into all truths; and, that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit (John 16:13; 1 John 2:20-27; Eph. 5:18).
Creation and Fall
We teach that in the recent past (thousands of years), God spoke and the heavens, earth and all therein came into being. This took six, literal, days and was perfect (Gen. 1:1-31; Ex. 20:11; Rom. 1:20; 8:20-22).
We teach that God created Adam directly from the dust of the earth and Eve from Adam’s rib (Gen. 1:27; 2:21-22; Ps. 139:14; Mk. 10:6).
We teach that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam’s sin the race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and, that man is totally depraved, and, of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition (Gen. 1:26-27; Rom. 3:22-23; 5:12; Eph. 2:1-3,12).
We teach of God’s past judgment with a universal flood destroying all human life, saving eight faithful people (Gen. 7:1-24, 9:19; 2 Peter 3:4-7).
Salvation
We teach that salvation is the gift of God, brought to man by grace and received by personal faith alone, in the Lord Jesus Christ alone, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins (Eph. 2:8-10; John 1 :12; Eph. 1 :7; 1 Peter 1:18-19).
We teach that God chose us before the foundation of the world, He chose in Christ those whom He graciously regenerates, saves, and sanctifies (Romans 8:28-30; Ephesians 1:4-11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 2:10; 1 Peter 1:1-2). We teach that God’s adoption does not contradict or negate the responsibility of man to repent and trust Christ as Savior and Lord (Ezekiel 18:23, 32; 33:11; John 3:18-19, 36; 5:40; Romans 9:22-23; 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12; Revelation 22:17).
Justification
We teach that justification before God is an act of God (Romans 8:33) by which He declares righteous those who, through faith in Christ, repentant of their sins (Luke 13:3; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 11:18; Romans 2:4; 2 Corinthians 7:10; Isaiah 55:6-7) and confess Him as sovereign Lord (Romans 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 12:3; 2 Corinthians 4:5; Philippians 2:11).
Sanctification
We teach that every believer is sanctified (set apart) unto God by justification and is therefore declared to be holy and is therefore identified as a saint. (1 Pet 1:2) Through obedience to the Word of God and the empowering of the Holy Spirit, the believer is able to live a life of increasing holiness in conformity to the will of God, becoming more and more like our Lord Jesus Christ (John 17:17, 19; Romans 6:1-22; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4; 5:23).
Security
We teach that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power, and are thus secure in Christ forever (John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Rom.8:1, 38, 39; 1 Cor. 1:4-8; 1 Peter 1:5).
Separation
We teach that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord; and, that separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and associations as commanded by God (2 Tim. 3:1-5; Rom. 12:1-2, 14:13; 1 John 2:15-17; 2 John 9-11; 2 Cor. 6:14-7:1).
Man
We teach that man was directly and immediately created by God in His image and likeness. Man was created free of sin, with a rational nature, intelligence, volition, self-determination, and moral responsibility to God (Genesis 2:7, 15-25; James 3:9).
We teach that God’s intention in the creation of man, was that man should glorify God, enjoy God’s fellowship, live his life in the will of God, and by this, accomplish God’s purpose for man in the world (Isaiah 43:7; Colossians 1:16; Revelation 4:11).
We teach that, because all men were in Adam, a nature corrupted by Adam’s sin has been transmitted to all men of all ages, Jesus Christ being the only exception. All men are thus sinners by nature, by choice, and by divine declaration (Psalm 14:1-3; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:9-18, 23; 5:10-12).
Marriage
We teach that sexual intimacy is a wonderful gift of God, that is only to be expressed between one man and one woman, within the love and bonds of marriage (Genesis 2:24-25; Proverbs 5:18; 1 Corinthians 7:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5; Hebrews 13:4). Therefore, we believe that any other form of sexual intimacy is both immoral, and a perversion of God’s gift (Leviticus 18:1-30; Proverbs 6:32; 1 Corinthians 6:18; Romans 1:26-27).
Spiritual Gifts
We teach that God is sovereign in the bestowment of all His gifts; and, that the gifts of evangelists, pastors, and teachers are sufficient for the perfecting of the saints today; and, that speaking in tongues and the working of sign miracles gradually ceased as the New Testament Scriptures were completed. (2 Cor. 12:4-11; 2 Cor. 12:12; Eph. 4:7-12).
We teach that God does hear and answer the prayer of the faithful, in accord with His own will, for the sick and afflicted (John 15:7; 1 John 5:14-15).
The Church
We teach that the Church, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all born-again persons of this present age (Eph. 1:22-23; 5:25-27; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; 2 Cor. 11:2).
We teach that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures (Acts 14:27; 20:17, 28-32; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11).
We teach that the church is thus a unique spiritual organism designed by Christ, made up of all born-again believers in this present age (Ephesians 2:11-3:6). The church is distinct from Israel (1 Corinthians 10:32), a mystery not revealed until this age (Ephesians 3:1-6; 5:32)
The Ordinances
We teach that the Lord has committed two ordinances to the local church, namely, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
We teach that the ordinance of Christian Baptism is the immersion of the believer in water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. This is distinctly a believer’s baptism and is a public testimony of the individual’s personal faith in the crucified, buried and risen Lord. It does not in any way grant the forgiveness of sins or confer grace to the person (Matt. 28:19; Acts 8:36-37; 18:8; Rom. 6:3-5).
We teach that the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper was instituted by Christ to commemorate His death for us. The elements used are symbolic of our Lord’s body and blood and do not grant life or convey grace to the participant. Believers are to practice this ordinance until Christ comes again (1 Cor. 11:23-34).
Fallen Angels
We teach that Satan is a created angel, and the author of sin. He incurred the judgment of God by rebelling against his Creator (Isaiah 14:12-17; Ezekiel 28:11-19), by taking numerous angels with him in his fall (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 12:1-14), and by introducing sin into the human race by his temptation of Eve (Genesis 3:1-15).
We teach that Satan is the open and declared enemy of God and man (Isaiah 14:13-14; Matthew 4:1-11; Revelation 12:9-10); that he is the prince of this world, who has been defeated through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Romans 16:20); and that he shall be eternally punished in the lake of fire (Isaiah 14:12-17; Ezekiel 28:11-19; Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10).
Holy Angels
We teach that angels are created beings and are therefore not to be worshiped. Although they are a higher order of creation than man, they are created to serve God and to worship Him (Luke 2:9-14; Hebrews 1:6-7, 14; 2:6-7; Revelation 5:11-14; 19:10; 22:9).
The Second Advent of Christ
We teach in that “Blessed Hope,” the personal, imminent, pre-tribulation and pre-millennial coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His redeemed ones; and in His subsequent return to earth, with His saints, to establish His Millennial Kingdom (1 Thess. 4:13-18; Zech. 14:4-11; Rev. 19:11-16; 20:1-6; 1 Thess. 1:10, 5:9; Rev.3:10).
We teach the church will be raptured before the 7-year tribulation period, Jesus Christ will return after the tribulation period and establish His messianic kingdom for 1,000 years on the earth (Revelation 20:1-7). During this time the resurrected saints will reign with Him over Israel and all the nations of the earth (Ezekiel 37:21-28; Daniel 7:17-22; Revelation 19:11-16). This reign will be preceded by the overthrow of the Antichrist and the False Prophet, and by the removal of Satan from the world (Daniel 7:17-27; Revelation 20:1-7)
We teach that after the closing of the millennium, the temporary release of Satan, and the judgment of unbelievers (2 Thessalonians 1:9; Revelation 20:7-15), the saved will enter the eternal state of glory with God, after which the elements of this earth are to be dissolved (2 Peter 3:10) and replaced with a new earth, wherein only righteousness dwells (Ephesians 5:5; Revelation 20:15; 21:1-27; 22:1-21)
The Eternal State
We teach in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved, to eternal life, and the unsaved, to judgment and everlasting punishment (Matt. 25:46; John 5:28-29, 11:25-26; Rev.20:5, 6, 12, 13).
We teach that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await the first resurrection, when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord (Luke 23:43; Rev. 20:4-6; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23; 3:21; 1 Thess. 4:16-17).
We teach that the soul of unbelievers remains after death, in conscious misery until the second resurrection, when, with soul and body, are reunited. They shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment, and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment (Luke 16:19-26; Matt. 25:41-46; 2 Thess. 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Mark 9:43-48; Rev. 20:11-15).