What We Believe

We Believe:

The Holy Scriptures are Inspired The Bible, comprised of both Old and New Testaments is the inspired Word of God, the product of holy men of old who spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.  It is the revelation of God to man, the infallible, authoritative rule of faith and conduct.  (2 Timothy 3:5-17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:21)  

The Godhead The One True God has revealed Himself as the Eternally Self-Existent “I AM,” the Creator of Heaven and Earth and the Redeemer of mankind.  Our God is one, but manifested in three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit being co-equal. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Philippians 2:6).   

Man, His Fall & His Redemption Man is a created being, made in the likeness and image of God.  He was created good and upright.   However, by voluntary transgression, Adam fell and thereby incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death, which is separation from God (Genesis 1:26, 27; 2:17; 3:6; Romans 5:12-19).   Scripture says, “…all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God,”  and  “… There is none righteous, no, no one.” (Romans 3:23; 3:10). 

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was manifested to undo the works of the devil and gave His life and shed His blood to redeem and restore man back to God (Romans 5:14; 1 John 3:8).   Man’s only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God. 

Eternal Life and New Birth Salvation is the gift from God to man, separate from works and the Law, and is made operative by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, producing works acceptable to God.  Salvation is received through repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ.  By the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, being justified by grace through faith, man becomes an heir of God according to the hope of eternal life (Luke 24:47; John 3:3; Romans 10:13-15; Ephesians 2:8; Titus 2:11; 3:5-7).    The new birth is available to all mankind, and when Jesus Christ is accepted as Savior, salvation takes place.  He is born again.  His spirit becomes alive to God eternally.  (2 Corinthians 7:10;  1 John 5:12)

Water Baptism Baptism in water by immersion is a direct commandment of our Lord, and is for believers only.   All who repent and believe on Christ as Savior and Lord are to be baptized.   The ordinance is a symbol of the Christian’s identification with Christ, and declaration that they have died with Christ and that they also have been raised with Him to walk in newness of life.  (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 10:47, 48; Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12).

Holy Communion The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic remembrance of Christ’s suffering and death for our salvation, by the sacred use of the broken bread, a precious type of the Bread of Life, even Jesus Christ, whose body was broken for us; and by the juice of the vine, a blessed type which should ever remind the participant of the shed blood of the Savior.  (1 Corinthians 11:26-28) 

Baptism in the Holy Ghost All believers are entitled to and should earnestly expect and seek the promise of the Father, the baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire, according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ.  This was the normal experience of all in the early Christian church.  (Acts 8:12-17); 10:44-46; 11:14-16; 15:7-9).  The baptism of believers in the Holy Spirit is witnessed by the initial physical sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit of God gives them utterance (Acts 2:4).   

The Gifts and Fruit of the Spirit We believe that the Holy Spirit has the following gifts to bestow upon the believing church of the Lord Jesus Christ:  wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment, tongues, interpretation; that according to the degree of grace and faith possessed by the recipient, these gifts are divided to every man severally, as He, the Holy Spirit, wills; that they are to be earnestly desired and coveted, in the order and proportion where they prove most edifying and beneficial to the church.  (1 Corinthians 12:1, 31; 1 Corinthians 12:11; 1 Corinthians 14:12; Romans 11:29; Romans 12:6-8)

The fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, should be put forth, cultivated, and diligently guarded as the resultant adornment, the constant, eloquent, and irrefutable evidence of a Spirit-Filled Life.  (John 15:8;  Luke 3:9)

 Sanctification The Bible teaches that without holiness no man can see the Lord.  We believe that Sanctification is a definite, yet progressive work of grace, commencing at the time of regeneration and continuing until the consummation of salvation at Christ’s return (Hebrews 12:14;  2 Peter 3:18;  1 Thessalonians 5:23; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Philippians 3:12-14; 1 Cor. 1:30) 

The Spirit-Filled Life We believe that it is the will of God that we live and walk in the Spirit, moment by moment, under the precious blood of the Lamb; treading softly as with unshod feet in the presence of the King; being patient, loving, truthful, sincere, prayerful, not murmuring, instant in season and out of season, serving the Lord.  (Ephesians 6:18; Romans 12:2; Galatians 6:16, 25; 1 Corinthians 3:17)

Divine Healing Healing is for the physical ills of the human body is wrought by the power of God through the prayer of faith and by the laying on of hands. It is provided for in the atonement of Christ, and is the privilege of every member of the Church today.  (Mark 16:18; James 5:14,15; 1 Peter 2:24; Isaiah 53:4,5; Matthew 8:17) 

Resurrection of the Just and the Return of the Lord The angels said to Jesus’ disciples, “. . . This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”  His coming is imminent and the blessed hope of the Church.  When He comes, “…the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are live and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.”  (Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17)  

Following the tribulation, He shall return to earth as King of kings and Lord of lords, and together with His saints, who shall be kings and priests, He shall reign a thousand years (Revelation 5:10; Revelation 20:6) 

Hell & Eternal Retribution The one who physically dies in his sins without accepting Christ, is hopelessly and eternally lost in the lake of fire and, therefore, has no further opportunity of hearing the Gospel or repenting.  The lake of fire is literal.  The terms ‘eternal’ and ‘everlasting,’ used in describing the duration of the punishment of the damned in the lake of fire, carry the same thought and meaning of endless existence as used in denoting the duration of joy and ecstasy of saints in the Presence of God. (Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 19:20; Revelation 20:15)

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