The Bible

The Bible is the Word of God, supernaturally inspired, inerrant, without contradiction, and preserved by God. It is absolute in its authority and complete in its revelation.

 

God

There is one God, eternally existent, creator of the heaven and earth who exists in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. God created the universe in six literal days.

 

Jesus Christ

The Lord Jesus Christ is fully God who took on flesh and dwelt on earth. He was born of a virgin. He was sinlessly perfect and gave Himself as a substitutionary sacrifice by shedding His blood and dying on the cross. He then came back bodily from the dead. He later ascended to heaven where He sits at the right hand of the Father and will one day return to reign on earth.

 

The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity, the Agent of conviction, regeneration, indwelling, baptism, sanctification, and illumination of all who are born into God’s family through Jesus Christ. We are opposed to the charismatic movement and its tongues and other sign manifestations.

 

Angels

We believe that the angels are created beings. They are by nature spirit beings possessing all the characteristics of personality (intellect, emotion, and will) and are superior to man in power.  Their purposes of existence are to praise and glorify God, to serve as ministering spirits on behalf of believers, and to serve God in whatever ways He desires.

 

Man

Each member of the human race is fallen, sinful, and is lost and is in need of salvation. A new birth through regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential for the salvation of man.

 

Salvation

Man is saved by undeserved mercy through faith and nothing of man enters into his salvation; it is a free gift. Man's efforts, regardless of how good or well intended, before or after salvation, have nothing to do with it. Salvation is by the finished work of Christ and nothing can be added to it.

 

Sin

We believe that sin is anything that is opposed to holiness and everything that is contrary to the character and will of God.  Because of Adam's sin and the resulting depravity of all mankind, no one has merit before God or capacity for achieving any merit in his state of separation from God.  Every person, therefore, automatically stands guilty before God, with the penalty being eternal separation from God, and the only hope being regeneration provided by God Himself.

 

Eternal Security

Every true child of God possesses eternal life and is, therefore, safe and secure for all eternity, being justified by faith, sanctified by God, and sealed by the Holy Spirit; he cannot lose his salvation. However, a Christian can through sin, lose his fellowship, joy, power, testimony, and reward, and incur the Father's chastisement. Relationship is eternal, being established by the new birth; fellowship, however, is dependent upon obedience.

 

The Church

We believe that the invisible church is an organism composed of all saved people from the time of Pentecost to the rapture, that it is a New Testament institution unknown to the Old Testament prophets, and that it is separate and distinct from Israel, composed of both Jews and Gentiles.  Believers become part of this institution through the baptism of the Holy Spirit, whereby He places them into the body of Christ at the moment of salvation.

 

Future Events

We believe in the imminent, pre-tribulational return of Jesus Christ for all believers. This Rapture of the saints will be followed by a seven-year period of Tribulation, after which Christ will return in glory to judge the world and set up His millennial reign on earth.