Of the Scriptures
We believe that "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God," by which
we mean that God superintended human authors so that by using their
individual human personalities they composed and recorded without error
His message to man in the words of the original autographs.
(cf. 2 Tim.
3:16; 2 Pet.
1:21)
Of God
We believe that God eternally exists in three persons: one called
Father, one called Son, and one called Holy Spirit; that these three
persons are the one God, having precisely the same nature and
perfections, and are worthy of precisely the same homage, confidence and
obedience. (cf. Gen.
1:1; Deut.
6:4; Matt.
28:19; John
4:24,
10:30; 2 Cor.
13:14)
Of Man
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but in
Adam all mankind fell into sin with the result that all men are sinners,
hopelessly sinful in themselves apart from the grace of God.
(cf. Gen.
1:27,
9:6; Rom.
3:23,
5:12; Eph.
2:1)
Of Christ
We believe that the second person of the triune God, the one called Son,
became man without ceasing to be God, having been conceived of the Holy
Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, thus to continue as both
undiminished deity and perfect humanity united in one person forever.
(cf. John
1:1,
1:14,
1:18,
5:18; Heb.
1:1-9,
5:8; 1 John
5:20; 1 Tim.
2:5)
Of Salvation
We believe that salvation is a gift of God brought to men by His grace
and received by faith alone in Christ, who died for our sins and rose
again, apart from any sacraments, good works, or human merit.
(cf. John
3:16; Acts
4:12,
13:38-39,
16:31; Rom.
4:4-5,
5:1; 1 Cor.
15:1-4; Eph.
2:8-9)
Of the Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine, eternal person, and that He
is not just an influence, having intellect, emotions and will of His
own. (cf. Matt.
28:19; John
15:26,
16:13-14; Acts
5:3-4; 1 Cor.
12:11,
13:14; Eph.
4:30)
We believe that the present ministry of
the Holy Spirit is restraining sin in the world, convicting the world of
sin, righteousness and judgment. He also in this present age regenerates
those who will believe in Christ, indwells them permanently, seals them
unto the day of redemption, bestows upon each special abilities for
service (gifts), and fills those yielded to Him through God's word.
(cf. John
3:8,
14:16,
15:26-27,
16:7-15; Rom.
8:9; 1 Cor.
6:19,
12:4-13; Eph.
4:30,
5:18)
We believe that speaking in tongues is not
a sign either of regeneration or sanctification, nor a necessary sign of
the filling or baptism of the Holy Spirit. We further believe that
speaking in tongues and the other authenticating sign gifts gradually
faded as the New Testament Scriptures were completed and their authority
became established. (cf. 1 Cor.
12:4-11,
13:10,
14:21-22; 2 Cor.
12:12; Eph.
4:7-12; Heb.
2:4)
Of the Church
We believe that the Church is composed of all believers of all races,
colors and nations, is the Body and Bride of Christ, is formed by the
baptism of the Holy Spirit and exists in two aspects: universal and
local. The universal Church is an elect company of believers, baptized
with the Holy Spirit and together comprise one Body. Its mission is to
witness to its head, Jesus Christ, by preaching the gospel among the
nations. The local church is a group of believers voluntarily joined
together to worship God with praise and thanksgiving, and to glorify
Jesus Christ through an aggressive effort to disciple others by teaching
the Scriptures and the exercise of spiritual gifts.
(cf. Acts
13:1; 1 Cor.
12:4-13,
12:27; Eph.
1:22-23)
Of the Second Coming
We believe that the blessed hope of the imminent return of the Lord for
His Church is to be followed in order by: Daniel's 70th week (often
referred to as The Tribulation Period); the second coming of Christ to
the earth at the end of Daniel's 70th week; the establishment of the
reign of Christ on the earth for one thousand years; the eternal state
of punishment for the unsaved and the eternal state of blessing for the
saved. (cf. Dan.
9:24-27; Matt.
24:21,
24:29-30,
25:31-46; John
14:1-3; 1 Thess.
1:10,
4:13-18; Titus
2:13; Rev.
3:10,
20:1-6,
20:11-15)