ARTICLES OF FAITH
1. We believe the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments to be verbally inspired by God, inerrant in the original text, and the supreme and final authority in faith and life.
1 Corinthians 2:13, 10:11; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:21
2. We believe in one God who is Creator of heaven and earth; who is Spirit, light, love, and truth; eternal, almighty, infallible and unchangeable, infinitely wise, just, and holy; and that God eternally exists in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Genesis 1:1; Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 12:29; John 1:1,14, 10:30; Acts 5:3-4; 2 Corinthians 13:14
3. We believe in Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, the eternal Word manifested in flesh. We believe that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, and that He is true God and true man.
Isaiah 7:14, 9:6; John 1:1,2,14,18; 3:16; Luke 1:30-35; Philippians 2:5-8; Colossians 2:9
4. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice, and that all who believe in Him are justified on the ground of His shed blood.
John 1:29; Romans 3:25-26; 2 Corinthians 5:14; Hebrews 10:5-19; 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18, 1 John 1:7
5. We believe that our Lord arose from the dead, according to the Scriptures, and in the same physical body, though glorified, in which He had lived and died, and that His resurrection body is the pattern of that body which, at the return of Christ, will be given to all resurrected believers.
Luke 24:36-43; John 20:20; Acts 2:32; 1 Corinthians 15:23,42-45; Philippians 3:20-21
6. We believe that our Lord bodily ascended to heaven, was seated at His Father’s right hand, assuring us of the perfection of His work of redemption, and that He now as Head over all things to the Church is engaged on behalf of the saved as intercessor and advocate.
Hebrews 1:3,13; Ephesians 1:22-23; Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 2:1
7. We believe in our Lord’s personal, imminent and premillennial return for His redeemed ones followed by His coming in glory to judge the rebellious and to establish His millennial reign on earth.
John 14:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:51,52; Philippians 3:20; 1 Thessalonians 1:10, 4:13-18; Titus 2:11-14; 2 Thessalonians 2:7-10; Matthew 24:29-31; Zechariah 14:4-11; Revelation 20:1-10
8. We believe that man was originally created in the image and after the likeness of God, and that he fell through sin; and, as a consequence of his sin, lost his spiritual life, becoming dead in trespasses and sins, and that he became subject to the power of the devil. We also believe that this spiritual death, or total depravity of human nature, has been transmitted to the entire human race of man, the Man Christ Jesus alone being excepted; and hence that every child of Adam is born into the world with a nature which not only possesses no spark of divine life, but is essentially corrupt in body, mind and soul.
Genesis 1:26; 2:17; 6:5; Psalm 14:1-3; 51:5; Jeremiah 17:9; John 3:6; 5:40; 6:53; Romans 3:10-19; 8:6,7; Ephesians 2:1-3; 1 Timothy 5:6; 1 John 3:8
9. We believe that all who receive by faith alone, Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and who confess Him as such before their fellow men, are born again of the Holy Spirit and thereby become children of God.
John 1:12,13; 3:3-8,16; 5:24; Romans 10:9-10; 8:16; Acts 16:31
10. We believe that the Holy Spirit, being the third person of the God-head, convicts men of sin, regenerates, indwells, baptizes, seals and sets believers apart to a holy life; that He keeps and empowers believers day by day. We believe that He is the teacher of the Word of God and our guide for daily life.
John 16:7-11; 3:6; 14:17; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; 12:13; Ephesians 1:13; 4:30; 1 John 2:20-27; 1 Peter 1:1; Romans 8:2,4,9,12,14
11. We believe in the eternal security and everlasting blessedness of the saved, and the eternal conscious punishment of the lost.
John 5:24; 10:28,29; 13:1; 17:11; 14:16; Romans 8:28-39; Hebrews 7:25; 1 Peter 1:5; Jude 24; Matthew 25:41; Mark 9:42-48; Revelation 20:11-15
12. We believe that Christ instituted the only two ordinances of water baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and commanded them to be observed by believers until He returns. We believe that by water baptism a believer is publicly identified with his Savior, and that baptism is to be administered by immersion to believers in Jesus Christ (exceptions due to physical or mental constraints may be granted as determined by the Session). We believe that infants of believing parents may be dedicated to the Lord but not baptized. We believe that the Lord’s Supper is a memorial of Christ’s death, the elements being symbols of His body and blood.
Matthew 26:26–29; Matthew 28:19–20; Luke 22:19–20; Acts 2:41–42; Acts 8:36–39; Romans 6:3–5; 1 Corinthians 11:23–34
13. We believe that the Church of Jesus Christ is composed solely of those who have been redeemed and washed in His blood, regenerated and sealed by the Holy Spirit, and that they are saved to worship and to serve; that it is the responsibility and privilege of all who are saved to seek to win others to Christ, to the “uttermost part of the earth”; that they should seek to live a holy life, to separate themselves from and forsake all that might dishonor God, cast discredit on His cause, or weaken their testimony.
Matthew 16:16-18; Revelation 1:5; Titus 3:5; Ephesians 1:13,14; Titus 3:7,14; Luke 24:47; Titus 2:12
14. We believe there is a personal devil, a being of great cunning and power who is “the prince of the power of the air,” “the prince of this world,” “the god of this age.” We believe that he can exert vast power but only so far as God suffers him to do so; that he shall ultimately be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone and shall be tormented day and night forever.
Job 1:6,7; Ezekiel 28:11-19; Isaiah 14:12-17; Matthew 4:1-11; Ephesians 2:2; John 12:31; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:10
15. We believe that from the beginning of creation God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female; they are equal but different. These two distinct, complementary sexes together reflect the image and nature of God. Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person. Holy Scripture makes it clear that the divine design for marriage is one man and one woman in an exclusive and permanent relationship and that homosexuality is sinful and unnatural. That is, we believe that marriage between a man and a woman is the only legitimate and accepted sexual relationship ordained by God.
Genesis 1:27–28; Genesis 2:18–25; Exodus 20:14; Matthew 19:3–12; Romans 1:26–27; 1 Corinthians 6:9–20; Ephesians 5:22–33; Hebrews 13:4
16. We believe that each person is created in the image of God. We also believe that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Furthermore, we believe that love, compassion, respect, and dignity must be extended to every person, including those who are involved in sexual sin. We repudiate all hateful conduct and attitudes toward anyone, but we believe that the faithful communication of Holy Scripture, including the call to repentance, does not constitute hate speech. We believe that God offers redemption and forgiveness to all who confess their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Psalm 103:11–12; Isaiah 55:6–9; Mark 1:15; John 3:16; John 5:24; Romans 3:23; 1 Corinthians 6:9–11; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 John 1:5–10