What We Believe

Articles of Faith

GOD

Deuteronomy 6:4

We believe there is one eternal God, the Creator and ruler of the universe. He has revealed Himself as God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son of God, and the Holy Spirit who are the same in fundamental nature though distinct in personality. He is holy, perfect, and personal as He concerns Himself with the affairs of all people.


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.


BIBLE

II Timothy 3:16-17, II Peter 1:20-21

We believe the Bible is God’s Word to people. Written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit, it is the supreme source of truth and authority for Christian beliefs and living. Inspired by God, it is perfect truth without any mixture of error.


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.


SATAN

Revelation 12:7-12

We believe in the existence of Satan and his demons. These enemies of God and man seek unlawful authority through the defeat of God’s gracious rule.


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.


ETERNITY

Romans 6:23, Revelation 20:15

We believe people were created to exist forever. They will either exist eternally separated from God by sin or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. People who die in their sins without Christ spend eternity in Hell. People who die with their sins forgiven through Christ spend eternity in Heaven.


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.


CHURCH

Romans 12:4-8, I Corinthians 12:27-31, Ephesians 4:7-13, Ephesians 5:23

We believe the church is a living and universal spiritual body with Christ as the head and all believers as members. The local church is a body of believers, baptized, spiritually gifted, united by the Spirit, and committed to evangelism, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and worship.


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.


GIVING

Malachi 3:10-11, II Corinthians 9:6-9

We believe giving is the believer’s appropriate response to God’s gracious provision for their needs. Christians are to cheerfully and responsibly provide financial support for the ministry of Christ’s church. Members should maintain a responsible and faithful giving plan in accordance with biblical principles.


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.


HUMAN SEXUALITY

Romans 1:24-27, Galatians 5:19-21

We believe legitimate sexual relations are exercised solely within marriage as defined in these articles. Hence, sexual activities outside of marriage (referred to in the New Testament as “porneia” – πορνει=) including, but not limited to, adultery, premarital sex, homosexuality, and pedophilia are inconsistent with the teachings of the Bible and the church. Further, lascivious conduct, transgender and binary behavior, and the creation and/or distribution and/or viewing of pornography, are incompatible with the biblical witness.