we believe…

Scripture.

The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments (Only the 66 books in the historic and orthodoxy-accepted Holy Bible) were given by inspiration of God, and are the only sufficient, certain, and final authoritative rule of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience.

God.

There is but one God, the Maker, Preserver, and Ruler of all things; having in and of Himself all perfections and being infinite in them all; and to Him all creatures owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience.

Trinity.

The One True and Living God is revealed to us as One Being in three distinct Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—each with distinct personal attributes and roles, but without division of nature, essence, or being. The Biblical Gospel which saves cannot stand on any other understanding of the Godhead.

Sin.

God originally created man in His own image and free from sin; but through the temptation of Satan, man transgressed the command of God and fell from his original holiness and righteousness; whereby his posterity inherit a nature corrupt and wholly opposed to God and His law, are under condemnation, and (as soon as they are capable of moral action) become actual transgressors.

Christ.

Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is the only divinely appointed Mediator between God and man. Having taken upon Himself human nature—yet without sin—He perfectly fulfilled the law, suffered and died upon the cross for the salvation of sinners. He was buried, rose again on the third day, and ascended to His Father, at whose right hand He lives forever to make intercession for His people. He is the only Mediator; the Prophet, Priest, and King of the Church; and Sovereign of the Universe.

Regeneration.

Regeneration is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit, who makes alive those who are dead in trespasses and sins, enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the Word of God and renewing their whole nature, so that they love and practice holiness. It is a work of God’s free and special grace alone, evidenced by the response of faith in those to whom have believed.

Repentance.

Repentance is an evangelical grace wherein the Holy Spirit makes a person aware of the manifold evil of his sin, so that he humbles himself with godly sorrow, detesting sin and abhorring (i.e. hating) self, with a purpose and endeavor to walk before God so as to please Him in all things.

Faith.

Saving faith is the belief, on God’s authority, of whatsoever is revealed in His Word concerning Christ, accepting and resting upon Him alone for justification and eternal life. It is wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit, is accompanied by all other saving graces, and leads to a life of holiness.

Justification.

Justification is God’s gracious and full acquittal of sinners who believe in Christ from all sin, through the satisfaction that Christ has made. It is given not for anything wrought in them or done by them; rather, it is given on account of the obedience and satisfaction of Christ, as they receive and rest on Him and His righteousness by faith.

Sanctification.

Those who have been regenerated are also sanctified by God’s Word and Spirit dwelling in them. This sanctification is progressive through the supply of divine strength, which all saints seek to obtain, pressing after a heavenly life in willing obedience to all Christ’s commands.

Perseverance.

Those whom God has accepted in the Beloved and sanctified by His Spirit will never totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but they shall certainly persevere to the end. And though they may fall through neglect and temptation into sin, whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, and bring reproach on the church and temporal judgments on themselves; yet they shall be renewed again unto repentance and be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.

Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the 3rd person of the One Being who is God. He has always been co-equal in nature with the Father and the Son. Jesus promised that He would indwell all those who come to faith in Christ, leading them into all truth, convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. Shortly after the risen Christ ascended back to the Father, the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Church. Believers are empowered for service in the Great Commission by the Holy Spirit. He enables us to walk in love with one another and personal holiness, without which no one shall see the Lord.

Church.

The Lord Jesus is the Head of the church, which is composed of all His true disciples, and in Him is invested supremely all power for its government. According to His commandment, Christians are to associate themselves into particular churches; and to each of these churches He has given needful authority for administering the order, discipline, and worship which He has appointed.

Baptism.

Baptism is an ordinance of the Lord Jesus, obligatory upon every believer, as a sign of His fellowship with the death and resurrection of Christ, of remission of sins, and of his giving himself up to God to live and walk in newness of life. New believers, upon public profession of faith are to be baptized as the announcement to the world (seen and unseen) that he/she is now a follower of King Jesus Christ, the Living Resurrected Son of the Living Eternal God who bore our sins in his body and died on the cross, rose again the third day, ascended to heaven where he sits at the right hand of the Father ever-living to make intercession for those who believe.

Communion.

The Lord’s Supper is an ordinance of Jesus Christ to be administered with bread and wine and to be observed by His churches till the end of the world. It is designed to commemorate His death; to confirm the faith of Christians; and to be a bond, pledge, and renewal of their communion with Him and of their church fellowship.

Worship.

The Scriptures and the New Testament church give the example of assembling on the Lord’s day (Sunday) for the reading and teaching of the Word of God, worship, prayer, and mutual encouragement—stimulating one another to love and good deeds. It is fitting to view the Lord’s Day as a celebration of Christ’s resurrection and the redemption of His people.

Resurrection.

 The bodies of men after death return to dust, but their spirits return immediately to God—the righteous to rest with Him, and the wicked to be reserved under darkness to judgment. At the last day, the bodies of all the dead, both just and unjust, will be raised.

Judgment.

God has appointed a day wherein He will judge the world by Jesus Christ, when everyone shall receive according to his deeds: the wicked shall go into everlasting punishment, and the righteous shall go into everlasting life.

Return.

While the timeline of eschatology and the unfolding of end time events may vary among believers, the one thing that is certain is that Jesus Christ will physically return to earth at the time appointed by the Father, and will reign with his saints. There will be a new heaven and a new earth wherein righteousness dwells, and all the earth shall be under the rule and authority of Christ as Lord and King upon the Throne.