Statement of Faith

The foundation of this Church shall be the Lord Jesus Christ. “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (I Corinthians 3:11)

 
 

Section 1 - Articles of Biblical Faith Regarding Doctrine

The Holy Scriptures

We believe 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 (II Tim. 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21; Matt. 5:18; John 16:12-13).

The Godhead

We believe in 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, and equally deserving of obedience and worship (Deut. 6:4; II Cor. 13:14).

The Person and Work of Christ

  1. We believe 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; Philippians 2:1-9).

  2. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross for all mankind as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice, and that the sufficiency of this atoning sacrifice to accomplish the redemption and justification of all who trust in Him is assured by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Romans 3:24-25, 4:25; Ephesians 1:7; I Timothy 4:10; Hebrews 2:9; I Peter 1:3-5, 2:24; II Peter 2:1).

  3. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to 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; Hebrews 9:24, 7:25; Romans 8:34; I John 2:1-2).

The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

  1. We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine 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; II Corinthians 3:6; I Corinthians 12:12-14; Romans 8:9; Ephesians 1:13-14).

  2. We believe that He is the Divine Teacher who guides believers into all truth; and that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit (John 16:13; I John 2:20, 2:27; Ephesians 5:18).

  3. We believe that He intercedes for all believers and that He should not be resisted, insulted, grieved, or quenched (Romans 8:26-27; Acts 7:51; Ephesians 4:30; I Thessalonians 5:19; Hebrews 10:29).

The Total Depravity of Man

We believe 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; that man is totally depraved and every aspect of his being is negatively affected by sin; that, of himself, he is unable to remedy his lost condition; and that the biblical doctrine of total depravity does not state or imply that man does not possess a free will (Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 3:22-23, 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-3, 2:12).

Salvation

We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins and the sins of the whole world and that the teaching of Lordship Salvation is biblically incorrect (Ephesians 2:8-10; John 1:12, 3:16; Ephesians 1:7; I Peter 1:18-19)

Sanctification

We believe that the will of God for every believer is to be made holy and like Jesus Christ. At the point of salvation, the believer receives a holy standing before God due to the righteousness of Christ, often referred to as positional sanctification. The new birth creates within every believer a new nature which is made after the likeness of God in true holiness and righteousness. There still remains in the believer tendencies toward sin which are in constant conflict with the new nature. The biblical process of spiritual growth, often called progressive sanctification, requires removing the sinful patterns of the unsaved condition and replacing them with patterns of godly character.

The Holy Spirit accomplishes these changes as the believer, by faith, yields in obedience to the Word of God and puts to death all sinful practices. The believer will ultimately be made completely holy when he enters the presence of Jesus Christ either at death or the rapture of the Church. (I Thessalonians 4:3; Romans 8:29; Hebrews 10:10, 10:14; Ephesians 4:24; Galatians 5:16-21; Ephesians 4:22-24; Romans 6:11-13; II Corinthians 3:18; Romans 8:13; Colossians 3:5; Philippians 1:6, 3:21; I Thessalonians 5:23; I John 3:2)

The Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers

  1. We believe 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; Romans 8:1,38-39; I Corinthians 1:4-8; 1 Peter 1:5).

  2. We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word and that assurance of salvation is not dependent upon our emotions or feelings but upon the authority of God’s promises (Romans 8:16, 13:13-14; Titus 2:11-15; I John 5:11-13).

The Two Natures of the Believer

We believe that every saved person possesses two natures, with provision made for victory of the new nature over the old nature through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit; and that all claims of the eradication of the old nature in this life are unscriptural (Romans 6:13, 8:12-13; Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:10; I Peter 1:14-16; II Peter 1:3-4; I John 3:5-9)

Separation

We believe that the doctrine of separation is taught from Genesis to Revelation and that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord; that separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices, and associations is commanded of God; and that the believer is separated unto God and separated from all that displeases Him (II Timothy 3:1-5; Romans 12:1-2, 14:13; I John 2:15-17; II John vv. 9-11; II Corinthians 6:14-7:1; I Thessalonians 1:9).

Missions

We believe that it is the obligation and privilege of the saved to witness by life and by word to the truths of Holy Scripture and to seek to proclaim the gospel to all mankind (Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8; II Corinthians 5:19-20).

The Ministry and Spiritual Gifts

  1. We believe 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 and their authority became established (I Corinthians 12:4-11; II Corinthians 12:12; Ephesians 4:7-12).

  2. We believe that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith, when in accord with His own will, for the sick and afflicted (John 15:7; I John 5:14-15).

The Church

  1. We believe 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 (Ephesians 1:22-23, 5:25-27; I Corinthians 12:12-14; II Corinthians 11:2).

  2. We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures (Acts 14:27, 20:17, 20:28-32; I Timothy 3:1-13; Titus. 1:5-11).

  3. We believe in the autonomy of the local church free of any external authority or control (Acts 13:1-4, 15:19-31, 20:28; Romans 16:1, 16:4; I Corinthians 3:9, 3:16, 5:4-7, 5:13; I Peter 5:1-4).

  4. We believe in the ordinances of believer’s Water Baptism and the Lord’s Supper as scriptural means of testimony for the church age (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42, 18:8; I Corinthians 11:23-26).

  5. We believe that the Church began on the Day of Pentecost and will conclude at the rapture of the Church (Acts 2:1-4; Romans 11:25).

Dispensationalism

  1. We believe that the Scriptures when interpreted consistently in their natural, literal sense reveal divinely determined dispensations or rules of life which define man’s responsibilities in successive ages. These dispensations are not ways of salvation, but rather divinely ordered stewardships by which God directs man according to His purpose. Three of them -- the age of law, the age of the church, and the age of the millennial kingdom -- are subjects of detailed revelation in Scripture (John 1:17; I Corinthians 9:17; II Corinthians 3:9-18; Galatians 3:13-25; Ephesians 1:10, 3:2-10; Colossians 1:24-25; Hebrews 7:19; Revelation 20:2-6).

  2. We believe that there are biblical distinctions between the Jew, the Gentile, and the Church and that God’s glory is the ultimate purpose in all that He does (I Corinthians 10:32).

The Personality of Satan

We believe that Satan is a person, the author of sin, but Adam was the cause of the fall; that Satan is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and that he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire (Job 1:6-7; Isaiah 14:12-17; Matthew 4:2-11, 25:41; II Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:10).

The Rapture and the Second Advent of Christ

We believe in that “Blessed Hope,” the personal, imminent, pretribulation, and premillennial 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 (I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Zechariah 14:4-11; Revelation 19:11-16, 20:1-6; I Thessalonians 1:10, 5:9; Revelation 3:10).

The Future and Eternal State

  1. We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:46; John 5:28-29, 11:25-26; Revelation 20:5-6, 20:12-13).

  2. We believe 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; Revelation 20:4-6; II Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23, 3:21; I Thessalonians 4:16-17).

  3. We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious misery until the second resurrection, when with soul and body 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; Matthew 25:41-46; II Thessalonians 1:7-9; Jude vv. 6-7; Mark 9:43-48; Revelation 20:11-15).

Section 2 - Articles of Biblical Faith Regarding Contemporary Issues

Creation

We believe that the Genesis account of creation is to be accepted literally and not figuratively in that God, without the use of existing materials and secondary causes, by the word of His mouth brought into being the whole visible and invisible universe. We believe that the six days of creation mentioned in Genesis 1 are six literal 24-hour days. We believe that all animal and plant life was made directly and follows God’s law in multiplying “after its kind.” We believe that the entire human race sprang from one man, Adam, and one woman, Eve, literal people, who were created directly in God’s image and after His likeness and did not evolve from any lower form of life. (Genesis 1:1-2:25; Exodus 20:11, 31:17; Nehemiah 9:6; Psalm 33:6-9; Isaiah 40:21-31; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 11:3)

Marriage and Human Sexuality

  1. We believe that the only legitimate marriage as defined by God is the joining of one man and one woman. We believe marriage is not open to social architecture, cultural engineering, or judicial activism. God established it as His purpose at the beginning of time with Adam and Eve, demonstrated it through the rest of Scripture, and reinforced it through the teachings of Jesus. Therefore, we cannot and will not recognize or endorse same-sex “marriages” nor will any member of this Church be involved in solemnizing such unions. (Genesis 2:22-25; Romans 7:1-3; I Corinthians 7:1-3, 10; Matthew 19:4-6; Ephesians 5:22-23)

  2. We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, transgenderism, bestiality, incest, pedophilia, fornication, adultery,polygamy, and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex. We believe that God disapproves and forbids any attempt to alter one’s gender by surgery, appearance, or any other means. Because of the divine command to end such practices, persons engaged in any of the aforementioned activities shall not be members of this Church. (Genesis 2:24, 18:20, 19:5-7, 19:13; Exodus 20:14; Leviticus 18:1-30; Deuteronomy 22:5; Romans 1:26-32; I Corinthians 5:1, 5:13, 6:9-18; I Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4)

  3. Based on the biblical belief that all of the above mentioned sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex are chosen behaviors and none of them is an unchosen state of being, and based on the biblical belief that they are unacceptable to God, no person who identifies with or practices any of them shall be granted the privileges of baptism, communion, marriage, or ordination by this Church. (Romans 1:24-27; Leviticus 18:22, 20:13; Deuteronomy 23:17; I Corinthians 6:9-10; Jude v. 7)

  4. In light of the above, we must honor God and His Word by not entering into such practices nor endorsing, legitimizing, or affirming the conduct or behavior of persons engaged in immoral activities. Any member of this Church who participates in such behaviors will be disciplined according to the Constitution, Article VII, E. Church Discipline of Members. We believe we are to possess and demonstrate God’s love for sinners, a love that seeks to deliver them from their sin, and therefore renounce common reactions such as sarcasm, mockery, ridicule, and disrespect to those engaged in such immoral activities. (I Corinthians 5:1-13, 6:9-11; Ephesians 4:29; Colossians 4:5-6; II Timothy 2:24-26)

Family Relationships

  1. We believe that men and women are spiritually equal in position before God and there is no inequality or inferiority between men and women, but that God has ordained distinct and separate spiritual functions for men and women in the home and church. The husband is to be the leader of the home, and men are to be leaders (pastors, elders, deacons) of the church. Accordingly, only men are eligible for licensure and ordination by the church. (Acts 5:14,8:12; Galatians 3:28; I Corinthians 11:3; Colossians 3:18; I Timothy 2:8-15, 3:4-5)

  2. We believe that God has ordained the family as a foundational institution of human society. The husband is to love his wife as Christ loves the church. The wife is to submit herself to the spiritual leadership of her husband as the church submits to the headship of Christ. Children are an heritage from the Lord. Parents are responsible for teaching their children spiritual and moral values and leading them, through consistent lifestyle example and appropriate discipline, including scriptural correction. (Genesis 1:26-28; Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Psalm 127:3-5; Proverbs 19:18, 22:15, 23:13-14; Mark 10:6-12; I Corinthians 7:1-16; Ephesians 5:21-33, 6:1-4; Colossians 3:18-21; Hebrews 13:4; I Peter 3:1-7)

Divorce and Remarriage

The Scriptures are clear that God hates divorce and intends marriage to last until one of the spouses dies. Divorced individuals, divorced and remarried individuals, or individuals married to a divorced person may not hold or be considered for the offices of Pastor, Elder, and Deacon, but such individuals may be considered for other positions of Christian service and be used of God. (Malachi 2:14-17; Matthew 19:3-12; Romans 7:1-3; I Corinthians 7:10-13; I Timothy 3:2, 3:12; Titus 1:6)

Abortion

We believe that the human life begins at conception and the unborn child is a living human being. Abortion constitutes the unjustified and unexcused taking of a human life. Abortion is murder. We reject any teaching that abortion of pregnancy for any reason, including but not limited to rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, birth or population control, or the mental well being of the mother, is acceptable. (Exodus 20:13; Job 3:16; Psalm 51:5, 139:13-16; Isaiah 44:24, 49:1, 49:5; Jeremiah 1:5, 20:15-18; Luke 1:44)

Civil Government

Civil government has been ordained by God and exists for the purpose of exercising justice and for the punishment of wrongdoers. Christians are to live in subjection to civil government, abiding by its laws, so long as those laws do not violate the commandments of God. (Acts 4:19, 5:28-29; Romans 13:1-7; Titus 3:1; I Peter 2:13-14)

Lawsuits Between Believers

The Scriptures prohibit Christians from bringing civil lawsuits against other Christians or the church to resolve personal disputes. The church possesses all the spiritual resources and is equipped to resolve personal disputes between believers. Scripture clearly teaches that lawsuits between believers are a poor witness to the unbelieving world. (I Corinthians 6:1-8)

Music and Song

We believe that God created music, and that the highest goal and purpose for music is the worship and praise of God our Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer. The Scriptures also reveal that God intends for music to be used in the church for the instruction and admonition of His children. All music that is sung and played in this Church for public and private ministry shall be reverent, spiritual, and sacred in its style and content (both the music and the words). The ministry of music at this Church shall come under the oversight of the Board of Elders, who may appoint a committee for this purpose. We reject contemporary, rap, and rock music. (Job 38:7; Revelation 4:11; Psalm 150:6; Ephesians 5:18-19; Colossians 3:16)

Translations of the Bible

The proliferation of new translations of the Bible is causing much division and confusion in the body of Christ. We believe that God has preserved His Word through the Hebrew Texts of the Old Testament and the Greek Text of the New Testament. Therefore, for the sake of accuracy and continuity, the old King James Version of the Bible shall be used in all ministries of this Church for preaching, teaching, reading, and memorization. (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21; Matthew 5:18; John 16:12-13, 17:17; Revelation 22:18-19; Matthew 24:35)

Section 3 - Articles of Biblical Faith Regarding Movements Contrary to the Faith

Ecumenism

Ecumenism is that movement which seeks the organizational unity of all professing Christianity and ultimately of all religions. Its principal advocates are the World Council of Churches and the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. We cannot unite and work with individuals, churches, or organizations which teach that salvation is by works or that Jesus isn’t God.

Ecumenical Evangelism

Ecumenical Evangelism is that effort to promote the gospel by bringing fundamentalists into an unequal yoke with theological liberals and/or Roman Catholics and other divergent groups.

Neo-Orthodoxy

Neo-Orthodoxy is that theological movement which affirms: the transcendence of God, the finiteness and sinfulness of man, and the necessity of supernatural divine revelation of truth; but, while using evangelical terminology, seriously departs from orthodoxy: in accepting the views of destructive higher criticism, in denying the inerrancy of the Bible as historic revelation, in accepting religious experience as the criterion of truth, and in abandoning important fundamentals of the Christian faith.

New Evangelicalism (Neo-Evangelicalism, New Conservatism)

These terms refer to that movement within evangelicalism characterized by a toleration of and a dialogue with theological liberalism. Its essence is seen in an emphasis upon the social application of the gospel and weak or unclear doctrines of: the inspiration of Scripture, biblical creationism, eschatology, dispensationalism, and separation. It is further characterized by an attempt to accommodate biblical Christianity and make it acceptable to the modern mind.

Reformed Theology

Reformed Theology is that system of theology which was defined at the synod of Dort (1618-1619) and then further developed by the Puritan writers. It is often defined by its Covenant Theology (the Bible’s philosophy of history defined by two or three covenants: the covenant of works, the covenant of grace, and the covenant of redemption) and/or Calvinism with its five points of doctrine also known by the acronym, TULIP. While we agree with and greatly respect the Five Solas of the Reformation (The Scripture alone is the standard, For the glory of God alone, By Christ’s work alone are we saved, Salvation by grace alone, Justification by faith alone), we believe this system of theology contains serious errors. Some of the erroneous doctrines which are often promoted by Reformed Theology are these:

  • Christ died as a Substitute only for the elect. He did not pay death’s penalty for all men.

  • Regeneration precedes faith. That is, before a person can believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, he must be born again. One must have the life of God before he can believe.

  • Faith is the gift of God [they base this on Ephesians 2:8-9]. If a person is to be saved, then God must somehow bestow this gift upon the sinner.

  • God’s moral law (the Ten Commandments) is the believer’s rule of life.

  • A sinner must acknowledge and surrender to the Lordship of Christ in order to be saved.

  • We also reject the false teaching of vicarious law keeping and replacement theology.

We believe that these movements are out of harmony with the Word of God and the official doctrine and position of this Church and are inimical to the work of God.

Section 4 - Covenant of Faith

In subscribing to these Articles of Biblical Faith, we by no means set aside, or undervalue, any of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, but we deem the knowledge, belief, and acceptance of the Truth as set forth in our Statement of Faith, to be essential to sound faith and fruitful practice, and therefore requisite for Christian fellowship in this Church.

 
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