What We Believe

The Word of God
We believe the Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God, written by men as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, and that it is the sole authority for the Christian’s faith and conduct. Exodus 4:10-15; Deuteronomy 4:2; Jeremiah 1:7-9; 1st Chronicles 28:19, Acts 1:16, 28:25; 1st Corinthians 2:13, 14:37; 1st Thessalonians 2:13; 2nd Timothy 3:15-17; 2nd Peter 1:16-21,3:1-2, 15-16 We believe the Bible consists of 66 books. 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament.

We do not believe the Apocrypha is a part of the Word of God. Every word is exactly the word that God intended. By God’s decree, no new revelation is being given today and God will not so move in the hearts of men again. 1st Corinthians 13:8-13; Revelation 22:18-19

God
We believe in one and only one God (Deut. 6:4; Isa. 45:5; 1st Tim. 2:5; 1st Cor. 8:4-6). This one God is the God of the Bible: therein variously referred to as Jehovah, Elohim, El Shaddai, and Jesus. We reject the view that all world religions legitimately worship this one true God under various names through various means (Jer. 1:1-16; Isa. 37:18-20, 48:3-5; Ps. 96:4-5). We believe that the true and living God is a triune being, one God existing in three persons.

God the Father
We believe God the Father is a personal being, He is omniscient (Job 37:16; Prov. 15:3; Ps. 147:4; Rom. 11:33; 1st Jn. 3:20), omnipotent (Gen. 1:1-3, 18:14; Job 42:2; Matt. 28:18), Omnipresent (Jer. 22:23-24; Ps. 139:7-12; Acts 17:24-28), eternal (Ex. 3:14; Ps. 102:24-27; Hab. 1:12; Rev. 1:8) and immutable (Mal. 3:6). God is spirit God (Jn. 4:21; Col. 1:15). God is love (1st Jn. 1:8). But God is also perfectly holy (Isa. 57:15; Ps. 99:9; Hab. 1:13; 1st Pet. 1:15-16), righteous (Ps. 116:5; Ezra 9:15), and just (Deut. 32:4; Isa. 45:21; Acts 3:14, 7:52). therefore, we reject the modern view of God as a “cosmic grandfather” who would not condemn anyone (Deut. 29:18-29; Rom. 1:18-20; Jn. 3:36; Heb. 12:25-29).

God the Son
We believe God the Son is a divine person, coequal with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit, and of the same essence. He gave up his glory and Majesty to become robed in human flesh (Jn. 1:1, 14; John 17:5; Rom. 8:3; Gal 4:4; Php. 2:6-8). He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of Mary, a virgin (Matt. 1:18-25; Lk. 1:26-35). He lived a perfect sinless life while on this earth (Lk. 2:40-52; Heb. 4:15; 1st Pet. 2:22), died a vicarious death on the cross (Jn. 1:29; 1st Cor. 15:3), rose triumphantly from the grave (1st Cor. 15:4-8, 16-20), in his physical body (Lk. 24:36-48), and is now seated at the right hand of the God the Father (Heb. 12:2), as our high priest an intercessor (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25; 9:24; 1st Jn. 2:1). Jesus Christ also dwells in the heart of every believer (Rom. 8:10; Gal. 2:20; Col. 1:27).

God the Holy Spirit
We believe God the Holy Spirit is a divine person, coequal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same essence (2nd Cor. 13:14; 1st Jn. 5:7; Jn. 14:16,17,26). It is He who convicts of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment (Jn. 16:8). The Holy Spirit points men to Christ (Jn. 14:26; 16:13-14), illuminates the understanding toward scripture (1st Cor. 2:11-16), and restrains the evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled (2nd Thess. 2:6-7). The Holy Spirit also indwells the heart of every believer (Rom. 8:9; 1st Cor. 6:19-20).

Salvation
We believe Salvation of sinners is wholly of grace through faith in the finished work of Christ, without any regard to any works or merits on the part of man what-so-ever (Jn. 3:16-18; Rom. 3:20-25; 5:8; 10:9-13; Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 2:11;3:5; Heb. 11:6). Jesus Christ is the only way (means) of Salvation (Jn. 3:16-18; 6:47; 8:24; 10:7-10; 14:6; Acts 4:12; 1st Jn. 5:9,13). Nothing prevents the Salvation of the greatest sinner but his own inherit depravity and voluntary rejection of the gospel (Isa. 59:1-2; Jn. 6:37; 1st Tim. 1:15; Heb. 7:35).

Security of the believer
We believe those who receive Jesus Christ as their Lord are eternally secure. The believer’s life is said to be everlasting and eternal. Therefore, it cannot end (Jn. 3:15-16; 5:24; 10:28; 17:23; Rom. 6:23; 1st Pet. 1:3-4). Jesus said that believers would never perish (Jn. 10:28-29). They are kept by the power of God (1st Pet. 1:5). They live by the faith of Christ (Gal. 2:20) (In order for them to die His faith must fail.) Believers are sealed by the Holy Spirit unto the day of redemption (Eph. 1:13-14). Thus, the entire Godhead is involved in the keeping of the believer.

Heaven
We believe heaven is a literal place. God dwells there (Matt. 6:9) and has His throne there (Ps. 11:4). Christ came down from Heaven (Jn. 6:38) and ascended back up into Heaven (Acts 1:9-11; 7:56; 1st Pet. 3:22). Believers go to be with Christ in Heaven at death (Php. 1:23; 2nd Cor. 5:6-8) or at the rapture (1st Thess. 4:13-17). The beauty and splendor of Heaven are partially described in Revelation chapters 21 and 22.

Hell
We believe Hell is a literal place of fire and torment to which all unbelievers go at death (Eze. 26:20; 31:14; 32:18; Lk. 16:23-28). It will someday give up its dead for judgment (Rev. 20:11-15). The final, eternal abode of Satan, his angels, and all who die without Christ is the Lake of Fire (Matt. 5:22; 25:41; Rev. 20:10,15; 21:8).

The Church
We believe the church is a congregation of baptized believes practicing the New Testament principles, believing in its doctrines, observing its ordinances, and exercising its autonomy. We categorically reject the notion of a universal, invisible Church of which all save people are apart. There is no such church in scripture. We believe that it is the responsibility of each local church to propagate the gospel to the world. Every church and Christian should have a part in this ministry.

Second Coming of Christ and End Times
Israel – We believe in the literal fulfillment of prophecies an promises of the scriptures to Israel as a nation.

Rapture – We believe in “that blessed hope” the personal, premillennial, pre-tribulational, and imminent return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, when the Saint will be gathered together unto him (1st Cor. 15:51-58; Php. 3:30-31; 1st Thess. 4:13-17).

Tribulation – We believe in a literal, seven-year period of the outpouring of God’s wrath as described in Revelation chapter 4-19 variously referred to in scripture as “the Great Tribulation” or “The Time of Jacob’s Trouble”(Matt. 24:21-29; Jer. 30:4-9). This will culminate in the battle of Armageddon (Rev. 19:11-21).

Second Advent of Christ – We believe Christ will return to this earth during the battle of Armageddon (Rev. 19:11-21) and will establish a worldwide theocracy with his headquarters in Jerusalem (Jer. 23:5-8; Isa. 2:1-5).

Millennium – We believe this peaceful reign of Christ here on earth will last for 1000 literal years. After which Satan will lead an unsuccessful insurrection and be cast forever into the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:1-10).