STATEMENT OF FAITH
The Scriptures
- The Bible is the inspired Word of God, the product of holy men
of old who spoke and wrote as the Holy Spirit moved them. The New
Covenant, as recorded in the New Testament, we accept as our
infallible guide in matters pertaining to conduct and doctrine (2
Tim. 3:16; 1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Peter 1:21).
The Godhead
- Our God is one, but manifested in three persons - the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit, being co-equal (Phil. 2:6). God the
Father is greater than all; the sender of the Word (Logos) and the
Begetter (John 14:28; John 16:28; John 1:14). The Son is the Word
flesh-covered, the One Begotten, and has existed with the Father
from the beginning (John 1:1, 1:18,1:14;). The Holy Spirit proceeds
forth from both the Father and the Son and is eternal (John 15:26).
Man, His Fall
and Redemption - Man is a created being, made in the likeness
and image of God, but through Adam's transgression and fall, sin
came into the world. "All have sinned, and come short of the glory
of God." "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one."
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was manifested to undo the work of the
devil and gave His life and shed His blood to redeem and restore man
back to God (Rom. 5:14; Rom.3:10; 3:23, 1 John 3:8). Salvation is
the gift of 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 (Eph. 2:8).
Eternal Life
and The New Birth
- Man's first step toward salvation is godly
sorrow that worketh repentance. The New Birth is necessary to all
men, and when experienced produces eternal life (2 Cor. 7:10; 1 John
5:12; John 3:3-5).
Water Baptism
- Baptism in water is by immersion, is a direct command of our
Lord, and is for believers only. The ordinance is a symbol of
Christian's identification with Christ in His death, burial, and
resurrection (Matt. 28:19; Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12; Acts 8:36-39). The
following recommendation regarding the water baptismal formula is
adopted; to wit: "On the confession of your faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ, the Son of God, and by His authority, I baptize you in the
Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen."
Baptism In the
Holy Ghost - The Baptism in the Holy Ghost and fire is a gift
from God as promised by the Lord Jesus Christ to all believers in
this dispensation and is received subsequent to the New Birth. This
experience is accompanied by the initial evidence of speaking in
other tongues as the Holy Spirit Himself gives utterance (Matt.
3:11; John14:16-17; Acts 2:38-39, 19:1-7 Acts 2:4)
Sanctification
-
The Bible teaches that without holiness no man shall see the
Lord. We believe in the Doctrine of Sanctification as a definite,
yet progressive work of grace, commencing at the time of
regeneration and continuing until the consummation of salvation at
Christ's return (Heb.12:14; 1Thess. 5:23; 2Peter 3:18; 2Cor. 3:18;
Phil. 3:12-14; 1Cor. 1:30)
Divine Healing
-
Healing is for the physical ills of the human body and 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 (Mark16:18;
James 5:14-25; 1Peter 2:24; Matt. 8:17; Isa. 53:4,5)
Resurrection
of The Just and The Return of The Lord -
The angels said to
Jesus' disciples, "This same Jesus shall so come in like manner as
ye have seen him go into heaven." His coming is imminent. When He
comes, "the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are
alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the
clouds, to meet the Lord in the air... (Acts 1:11; 1Thess.
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 (Rev.
20:6)
Hell and
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 of repenting. The Lake of
Fire is literal. The terms "eternal" and everlasting," used in
describing the duration of 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 (Heb. 9:27; Rev. 19:20)
Church -
The church is an elect company of
believers baptized by the Holy Spirit into one body, each believer
living his life in the power of the Holy Spirit; its mission being
to witness concerning its Head, Jesus Christ, teach and preach the
Gospel among all nations until the end of the world (Matt. 16:18;
28:19,20)
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