JESUS

Luke 1:34-35, John 1:1-14, John 3:13, John 20:17

We believe Jesus is the Son of God. He was born of a virgin. While on earth, He was both wholly God and wholly man, living a sinless life. He died in man’s place as a sacrifice for the sins of mankind. He was buried. He arose bodily from the grave. He ascended to heaven and into the presence of God.

HOLY SPIRIT

John 16:7-13, Acts 1:8, Romans 8:9, I Corinthians 2:12, I Corinthians 3:16,Ephesians 1:13, Galatians 5:25

We believe the Holy Spirit is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. From the moment of salvation, He lives in every Christian, providing power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right as the Christian seeks to continually live under His control. The Holy Spirit gives every believer a spiritual gift to be used for the building up of the church.

MAN

Genesis 1:27, Psalms 8:3-6, Isaiah 53:6a, Isaiah 59:1-2, Romans 3:23

We believe people are made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character. People are the supreme object of God’s creation. Although every person has potential for good, everyone is corrupted by an attitude of disobedience toward God called sin. Sin separates people from God and causes many problems in life.

SIN AND THE FALL OF MAN

Genesis 3:1-6, Romans 5:18-19

We believe Adam’s sin resulted in man’s spiritual death, separation from God, and the need for God’s forgiveness for all people.

SALVATION

John 1:12, John 14:6, Romans 5:1, Romans 6:23, Galatians 3:26, Ephesians 2:8-9

We believe salvation is God’s free gift to mankind, but people must accept it. People can never make up for their sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin’s penalty. When people turn from their self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith, they are saved. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith.

ASSURANCE OF ETERNAL SECURITY

John 10:27-30, II Timothy 1:12, I Peter 1:5

We believe God gives eternal life through Jesus Christ. The true believer is secure in that salvation for eternity. Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian. It is the grace and keeping power of God that gives this security.

CHRIST’S RETURN

John 14:1-6, Acts 1:10-11, I Thessalonians 4:16-17

We believe Jesus Christ will physically return to earth to receive all believers as He promised He would do.

BAPTISM

Matthew 28:19, Romans 6:4-5

We believe in water baptism by immersion, following an individual’s coming to faith in Christ, as an act of obedience. It is a public symbol of the believer’s death to the old way of living and the beginning of new life in Christ.

PRIESTHOOD OF BELIEVERS

I Peter 2:5, 9

We believe each believer has direct access to God through the Lord Jesus Christ.

WORSHIP

Psalm 100, Matthew 4:10, John 4:23, Romans 12:1

We believe worship is man’s appropriate response to God’s gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. It is both private and with the fellowship of believers. Worship may include the ministry of the Word, prayer, songs of praise, the giving of tithes and offerings, and acts of service, both in the church and in the world.

MARRIAGE

Genesis 2:18-25, Genesis 1:27, Matthew 19:4-6

We believe marriage is an ordinance of the church and that it has been instituted by God. This church defines “marriage” as the exclusive covenantal union of one man (male as defined biblically and biologically at birth) and one woman (female as defined biblically and biologically at birth) in which such union is a lifetime commitment. A civil government’s sanction of a union will be recognized as a legitimate marriage by the church only to the extent that it is consistent with the definition of “marriage” found in these articles.