What We Believe
1. THE SCRIPTURES
We believe that the Holy Bible as originally written was verbally inspired and was the product of Spirit- controlled men, and therefore has truth without any admixture of error for its matter. We believe the Bible to be the true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions shall be tried.
2. THE TRUE GOD
We believe there is one, and only one, Living and True God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.
3. THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person; equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God's purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; that He bears witness to the Truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the New Birth; that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the believer. We believe the sign gifts in the church have ceased.
4. SATAN
We believe in the personality of Satan, that he is the unholy god of this age, and author of all the power of darkness, and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire.
5. CREATION
We accept the Genesis account of creation and believe that man came by direct creation of God and not by evolution.
6. FALL OF MAN
We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy state in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, not only by constraint, but by choice; and therefore under just condemnation without defense or excuse.
7. VIRGIN BIRTH
We believe that Jesus was begotten of the Holy Ghost in a miraculous manner; born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born or can ever be born of woman, and that He is both the Son of God, and God the Son.
8. ATONEMENT OF SIN
We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace, through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God, Who by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin, honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and by His death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins; that His atonement consists not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was a voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner's place, the Just dying for the unjust; Christ, the Lord, bearing our sins in His own body on the tree; that having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in Heaven, and uniting in His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection. He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate and all-sufficient Savior.
9. GRACE IN THE NEW CREATION
We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth the one dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension, solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel; that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life.
10. JUSTIFICATION
We believe that the great gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is Justification: (a) That justification includes pardon of sin, and the gift of eternal life on principles of righteousness; (b) That it is bestowed not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done; but solely through faith in the Redeemer's blood, His righteousness is imputed to us.
11. FAITH AND SALVATION
We believe that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation.
12. THE
We believe that a local church is a congregation of immersed believers, associated by covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His Word; that its officers are pastors and deacons, whose qualification, claims and duties are clearly defined in the scriptures; we believe the true mission of the Church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as we have opportunity. We hold that the local Church has the right of self-government, free from the inheritance of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that the one and only superintendent is Christ, through the Holy Spirit; that it is scriptural for true churches to co-operate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel; that each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its co-operation; on all matters of membership, of polity, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final.
13. BAPTISM AND THE LORD'S SUPPER
We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem of our faith in the crucified, buried and risen Saviour, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that it is pre-requisite to the privileges of church relation. We believe that the Lord's Supper is the commemoration of His death until He comes, and should be preceded always by solemn self-examination.
14. SECURITY OF THE SAINTS
We believe that all who are truly born again are kept by God the Father for Jesus Christ.