Believing the Bible to be the inspired, infallible Word of God and the final source of authority in matters of faith, principle, and practice (II Timothy 3:16, 17), we abide by the following statements of faith:
Section I. Holy Scriptures
We believe in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments (66 books) as verbally inspired of God, inerrant in the original writings, and of supreme and final authority in faith and life (II Timothy 3:16, 17; II Peter 1:20,21; John 10:35; Matthew 5:18).
Section II. Holy Trinity
We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit– co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, and co-equal in power and glory, all having the same attributes (Genesis 1:1,26; 11:7; Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 6:8; Matthew 28:19,20; John 17:1-5; Acts 5:3,4; II Corinthians 13:14; Hebrews 1:8; I Corinthians 8:6; IJohn 5:7; Isaiah 45:22).
Section III: Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ, the Eternal Word, is the only begotten Son of God who, retaining His divine nature, became a man. He lived a sinless life so that He might be the perfect Redeemer for mankind. We believe that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, and is the true God-Man. We believe that Jesus Christ is at the right hand of the Father as the believer’s advocate, intercessor, and mediator (John 1:1, 14; 3:16; Galatians 4:4; II Corinthians5:21; Matthew 1; Luke 2; Philippians 2; I Peter 1:19; 2:24; 3:18; I Corinthians 15:4; Acts 1:11; I John 2:1).
Section IV: Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, the third Person of the blessed Trinity, co-equal with the Father and the Son. Relative to the world, the Holy Spirit restrains sin, convicts of sin, and reproves of righteousness and judgment (II Thessalonians 2:6, 7;
John 16:8-11). Relative to the believer, He regenerates, fills (I Corinthians 6:19,20), seals (Ephesians 1:13,14), guides and illuminates (John 14:26), quickens (Romans 8:11), and sanctifies (Titus 3:5,6).
Section V: Salvation
- We believe that man is saved by the grace of God through faith in the sacrificial death and blood atonement of Jesus Christ. He died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice. All who believe in Christ as the Son of God, receive Him as Savior, and confess Him as Lord are justified on the basis of His shed blood (John 1:12; Romans 3:25; 10:9-11; I Corinthians 15:3,4; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8, 9; I Peter 1:18, 19; 2:24).
- We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever. It is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word. The Scriptures clearly forbid the use of the Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh (John 3:16; 5:24; 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Romans 8:1, 38, 39; 13:13,14; I Corinthians 1:4-8; Galatians 5:13; Ephesians 4:30; Philippians 1:6; II Timothy 1:12; Titus 2:11-14).