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WE BELIEVE . . . |
1. THE SCRIPTURES.
2. THE GODHEAD.
3. THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
4. THE HOLY SPIRIT.
5. THE FALL OF MAN.
6. SALVATION.
7. SANCTIFICATION.
8. SEPARATION.
9. THE CHURCH.
10. THE ORDINANCES.
11. THE GREAT COMMISSION.
12. LAST THINGS.
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1. THE SCRIPTURES.
We believe that the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments are verbally
and plenarily inspired; that they contain truth without any mixture of error in
the autograph; that they are infallible and inerrant in all matters of which
they speak; and that they constitute God's complete revelation and are the sole
authority for faith and practice. We further believe that the Scriptures are to
be interpreted according to a grammatical-historical hermeneutic. This demands
that we understand the Bible literally when it speaks, for example, of the
creation of the world in six solar days, the existence of Adam and Eve as the
progenitors of the human race, the global deluge of Noah's day, the creation of
nations at Babel by means of language diversification, and the personal
existence of an evil being called Satan.
(2 Timothy 3:15-4:2; 1 Peter 1:10; 2 Peter 1:15-21; Proverbs 30:5-6; John 10:35; Romans 2:12; Luke 24:25)
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2. THE GODHEAD.
We believe that there is one God existing in three persons: the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Spirit; one in essence and co-eternal/co-equal in every
Divine attribute.
(Deut. 6:4; John 4:24; Psalms 90:1-2; James 1:17; Matthew 3:16-17;Matthew 28:19)
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3. THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
We believe that Christ was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin,
lived a sinless life, died a substitutionary death, arose bodily from the
grave, ascended to heaven, now intercedes for believers, and will come again in
a pretribulational, premillennial appearing.
(John 1:1; Matthew 1:18-25; Hebrews 9:26-28; Luke 24:5-7, 36-40; Acts 1:9-10; Hebrews 5:1-10; 1 John 2:1-2; Hebrews 1:1-10)
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4. THE HOLY SPIRIT.
We believe that the Holy Spirit is the Person in the Godhead who restrains
evil, convicts of sin, bears witness to the truth of the Gospel in preaching
and testimony, the agent in the new birth, indwells the believer, baptizes into
the body of Christ, and fills believers for spiritual service. We believe that
the gift of tongues, the special gift of healing and sign miracles were
temporary and not for this age, although God may heal the sick and afflicted in
accord with His own will.
(John 15:26; John 16:7-11; Ephesians 1:13-14; 1 Corinthians 3:16, Romans 8:9; Ephesians 5:18)
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5. THE FALL OF MAN.
We believe that Adam was created in innocence and by a voluntary transgression
fell; that when Adam fell, mankind fell; that man is born with a sinful nature
and is spiritually dead; that he is totally depraved and unable to effect his
own salvation.
(Genesis 1:27-31; 2:16-17; 3:6-24; Romans 5:12; John 3:6; Psalms 51:5; Isaiah 53:6; Ephesians 2:1-3; Ezekiel 18:19-20; Romans 1:19-32; 3:19; Galatians 3:22)
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6. SALVATION.
We believe that salvation is by grace through faith in the finished work of
Christ, by which work Christ fully satisfied the just demands of a holy and
righteous God; and that believers are kept by the power of God and that the
mark of genuine salvation is their perseverance to the end.
(Romans 3:24-26; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 6:23; Titus 3:5; Acts 16:31; Romans 10:9, 10-13; John 3:16; John 10:27-29; 1 John 5:1)
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7. SANCTIFICATION.
We believe that sanctification is positional in that one is established in a
position of holiness at the moment he trusts Christ as Savior; that it is a
process as the Holy Spirit applies the Word of God to the believer; that it is
practical in that we are daily being conformed to the image of Christ; and that
it is future when in heaven we will be delivered from all sin.
(1 Thessalonians 4:3; 5:23; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Ephesians 1:4-6; Proverbs 4:18; Hebrews 6:1; 2 Peter 1:5-8; 1 John 2:29; Philippians 2:12-13; Ephesians 6:18)
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8. SEPARATION.
We believe that Biblical separation includes:
- Separation of church and state (but not government separated from its Scriptural foundations).
- Separation of the local church from any affiliation or fellowship that denies the basic fundamentals of the faith from those that practice inclusivism, and from believers who endorse unbelievers.
- Separation from worldly practices and amusements.
(1 John 2:15-17; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 5; 2 Thessalonians 3:8-15; Galatians 2:20; 2 Corinthians 6:14; Ephesians. 1:6)
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9. THE CHURCH.
We believe in the Church as a living, spiritual body of which Christ is the
Head; and of which all regenerate people of this age are a part; that the
Church is peculiar to the age of grace and is completely distinct from Israel;
and is assembled for worship, fellowship, and service; that local churches
have the absolute right to self-government free from interference of any
hierarchy; that every believer should align himself with a local church and
give total cooperation to its ministries.
(Matthew 16:16-18; 28:19-20; 1 Corinthians 1:1-13; 11:2; 23-34; Acts 5:11; 8:1; 11:21-23; Philippians 1:1; Acts 14:23; 15:22; 1 Timothy 3; Titus 1; Acts 20:17, 28)
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10. THE ORDINANCES.
We believe that there are two ordinances for the local church; baptism and the
Lord's Supper; that baptism is by single immersion for believers and is a
prerequisite to the privileges of membership, that the Lord's Supper is a
commemoration of the Lord's death until He comes again and should be preceded
always by a solemn self-examination; and that these ordinances are to be
performed only under the authority of the local church.
(Acts 8:36-39; Matthew 3:5-6; 28:19; Romans 6:4; Acts 2:41-42, 1 Corinthians 11:26-28)
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11. THE GREAT COMMISSION.
We believe that the Great Commission is a Divine commandment for this age, and
as such primarily involves evangelism and church planting both at home and
abroad.
(Matthew 28:16-20; Mark 16:15-18; Luke 24: 46-48; John 17:18; 20:21; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 15:6)
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12. LAST THINGS.
We believe in the pretribulational and premillennial return of Christ; that
after the rapture of the Church, there will be seven years of tribulation on
earth; that this will be followed by the personal, visible return of Christ to
put down His enemies and set up a thousand years millennial reign; that at the
end of this reign, Satan will be loosed for a season and then cast into the
lake of fire; that at this time, the second resurrection for all unsaved will
take place; that they will be judged at the Great White Throne and will be
condemned to eternal torment in the lake of fire; that Christ will reign
forever as King of kings and Lord of lords with the righteous eternally.
(Matthew 28:6-7; Mark 16:19; Hebrews 7:25; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:20-58; Matthew 24:21, 22; Revelations 7:14; Luke 1:32; Isaiah 9:6, 7; Revelations 20:11-15; 2 Corinthians 4:17; Hebrews 12:23; Revelations 21-22)
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