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Our Doctrine
1.The
Divine Authority and Inspiration of the Scriptures
We believe that the God who
inspired the Scriptures is powerful enough to preserve them in the
manner for which He intended us to have them. We believe in the
providential PRESERVATION of the true word of God, as well s the
providential INSPIRATION of the word of God; and that the purpose of
this is to preserve the Infallibility of the Inspired Original Text. We
believe that the providential preservation of the New Testament
concentrated itself on the GREEK text within the sphere of the Greek
Church through Antioch of Syria and that the text of the majority of
manuscripts from this area is the providential preserved and AUTHORIZED
text; the text of the majority is the standard text. This text is the
Textus Receptus of the Syrian (Byzantine) extraction coming to the
English speaking people through the Reformation of the Balkans and
Germany. The final and outstanding representative of this text is the
Authorized King James, A.V. 1611, which represents a purified, neutral,
inerrant text (Beza?s fifth edition with improvements over Erasmus). We
also believe the A.V. 1611 to be the absolute, final, sole authority in
all matters of life, faith and practice. (Ps. 12:6-7; II Pet. 1:17-21;
II Tim. 3:16-17; Deut. 3:3; Matt. 24:35)
2.The Trinity
We believe that the Godhead
eternally exists in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit; and that these three are one God, having precisely the same
nature, attributes, and perfections, and are worthy of precisely the
same homage, confidence, and obedience. (Mark 12:29; John 1:1; Matthew
28:19; Acts 5:31; II Corin. 13:14; Hebrews 1:1-3; Revelation 1:4-6)
3.The Deity and Virgin Birth of Our Lord Jesus
Christ and His Place in the Scriptures
We believe in the Deity and the
Virgin Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ; and that all the scriptures from
the first to the last, center about Him, in His person and work, and in
His First and Second Coming; and hence that no chapter, even of the Old
Testament is properly read or understood until it leads to Him.
(Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-27; Luke 24:44; John 3:16-18, 35-36; John
5:17, 25-29; Acts 17:2-3; Acts 18:28; Acts 26:22-23; Colossians
1:15-19)
4.The Personality, Deity and Present Work of the
Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit
as a Divine person is the source and power of all acceptable worship
and service; and that He is our abiding Comforter and Helper; and that
He never takes His departure from His church, nor from any of His
saints, but is ever present to testify of Christ, seeking to occupy us
with Him, and not with ourselves or our experiences. (John 7:38-39;
John 14:16-17; John 15:26; John 16:13-14; Acts 1:8; Romans 8:9;
Philippians 3:3; Ephesians 4:30)
5.The Personality of Satan
We believe that Satan is a
person, the father of lies, a murderer from the beginning and the great
deceiver of all the nations; that he will finally be overcome by the
Lord Jesus Christ as the Seed of woman, and that he will be cast into
the bottomless pit for 1,000 years, and finally shall be committed to
the Lake of Fire with all his angels to be tormented forever and ever.
(Job 1:6-12; John 8:44; II Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 6:12-16;
Revelation 20:1-3; Isaiah 14; Ezekiel 28:12-19)
6.The Creation
We believe the Genesis account
of creation as being neither allegory nor myth, but a literal,
historical account of the direct, immediate creative acts of God
without any evolutionary process; that man made up of spirit, soul, and
body was created by a direct work of God and not from previously
existing forms of life; and that all men are descended from the
historical Adam and Eve, first parents of the entire human race.
(Genesis 1-2; Colossians 1:16-17; Matthew 19:4; John 1:3)
7.Hell
We believe that there is a
literal hell and a literal fire of hell as a place for the eternal and
conscious punishment of all unsaved persons. (Matthew 25:41-45; Mark
9:43-50; Revelation 20:14-15; Revelation 21:8)
8.The Fall of Man
We believe that man, originally
created by God in His image and after His likeness, fell from his high
and holy estate by eating the forbidden fruit, and as a consequence of
his disobedience, the threatened penalty of death was then and there
inflicted, so that his moral nature was not only grievously injured by
the fall, but he totally lost all spiritual life, becoming dead in
trespasses and sins and subject to the power of Satan. (Genesis 1:26;
Genesis 2:17; John 5:40; John 6:53; Ephesians 2:1-3; I Timothy 5:6; I
John 3:8)
9.The Total Depravity of Man (Excepting the Will)
We believe that this spiritual
death or total corruption of human nature has been transmitted to the
entire race of men, the Man Christ Jesus alone 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 bad, being enmity
against God, and incapable by any educational process whatsoever of
subjection to His law. (Genesis 6:5; Psalms 14:1-3; Psalms 51:5;
Jeremiah 17:9; John 3:16; Romans 5:12-19; Romans 8:6-7)
10.Regeneration by the Holy Spirit
We believe that owing to the
universal death and depravity in sin, no one can enter the Kingdom of
God unless born again; and that no degree of reformation however great,
no attainment in morality however high, no culture however attractive,
no humanitarian and philanthropic schemes and societies however useful
can help the sinner take even one step toward Heaven; but a new nature
imparted by the Holy Spirit through the word is absolutely essential to
salvation. (John 3:5; John 3:16-18; Galatians 6:15; Philippians 3:4-9;
Titus 3:5; James 1:18; I Peter 1:23)
11.Atonement by the Blood of Christ
We believe that our redemption
has been accomplished solely by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
was made to be sin and a curse for us, dying in our room and stead; and
that no repentance, no feelings, no faith, no good resolutions, no
sincere efforts, no submission to the rules and regulations of any
church or of all the churches that have existed since the days of the
apostles can add in the very least to the value of that precious blood,
or to the merits of that finished work, wrought for us by Him, who
united in His person true and proper deity with perfect and sinless
humanity. (Leviticus 17:11; Matthew 26:28; Romans 5:6-9; II Corinthians
5:21; Galatians 3:31; Ephesians 1:7; I Peter 1:18-19)
12.Salvation
We believe that salvation is
the unmerited gift of God given to man by grace and received by
repentance and personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose blood was
shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of sins. (Ephesians 2:8-10; 1:7; I
Peter 1:18-19; John 1:12; Acts 13:38; Acts 16:30-31) We believe that
the shed blood of JESUS CHRIST and His resurrection provided the only
grounds for justification and salvation for all who believe; and only
such as receive JESUS CHRIST are born of THE HOLY SPIRIT, and thus
become children of God. (Hebrews 9:22; Hebrews 7:25; Romans 5:11; John
3:16)
13.The
Assurance of Believers
We believe that all the
redeemed are kept by GOD?S power and are thus secure in Christ forever.
(John 6:37-40; John 5:24; John 3:36; John 10:27-30; Romans 8:38-39; I
Corinthians 1:4-8; I Peter 1:5; Ephesians 4:30; I John 5:13; II Timothy
1:12) We believe that it is a privilege of believers to rejoice in the
assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God?s word;
whoever, the word forbids the misuse of Christian liberty as an
occasion to sin. (Romans 12:13-14; 8:12-13; Galatians 5:16, 25;
Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:10; I Peter 1:14; I John 3:5-9)
14.Sanctification
We believe that we are called
with a holy calling to walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit;
and so to live in the Spirit that we shall not fulfill the lusts of the
flesh; every saved person possesses two natures, with provision made
for victory of the new nature through the power of the indwelling Holy
spirit and that all claims to the eradication of the old nature in this
life are unscriptural. (Romans 6:13; Romans 8:12-13; 13:14; Galatians
5:16-25; Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:1-10; I Peter 1:14-16; I John
3:5-9)
15.Separation
We believe that all the saved
shall live in a manner such as not to bring reproach on the Savior and
Lord; that separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and
sinful pleasures, practices and associations is commanded by God; that
each member shall be separated from the world and should show this in
action and dress; therefore, the dress of women members should be
consistent with scriptural prerequisites. Any woman in leadership
capacity (choir, nursery, teaching, pianist, organist, assistants,
etc.) shall be consistent in dress in the manner set forth in the
scriptures. (I Timothy 2:9; I Peter 3:3) No one shall serve in any
leadership capacity who partakes of alcoholic beverages, uses tobacco
or any drugs, etc. Each person shall dress appropriately and modestly
as benefits one who walks in the image of God.
We believe that our ministry is
one of a faithful witness to all persons; teaching them in the Gospels
so as "to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from
the power of Satan unto God; that they might receive forgiveness of
sins and an inheritance among them which are sanctified by the faith
that is in me..." Acts 26:18
We are persuaded that we are to
have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness; therefore,
separation from others whose teaching are contrary to the direct, clear
and revealed word of God, is to be strictly adhered to. (Ephesians
5:11; II Timothy 3:1-5; Romans 12:1-2; I John 2:15-17; II Corinthians
6:14; II Corinthians 7:1)
16.The Eternal Blessedness of the Saved and the
Eternal Punishment of the Lost
We believe that the souls of
those who have trusted in Christ for salvation, do, at death,
immediately pass into His presence, and there remain in conscious bliss
until the resurrection of the body at His coming, when soul and body
reunited shall be associated with Him forever in the glory; and that
the souls of unbelievers remain after death in hell until the final
judgment of the Great White Throne at the close of the Millennium, when
soul and body reunited shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be
annihilated, but to be punished with everlasting torment from the
presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power. (Luke 16:19-23;
Luke 23:43; II Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23; II Thessalonians
1:7-9; Jude 1:6-7; Revelation 19:11-16)
17.The Pretribulational-Premillennial Coming of the
Lord Jesus Christ
We believe that the world will
not be converted during the present dispensation, but is fast ripening
for judgement, while there will be a fearful apostasy in the professing
Christian body and that the Lord Jesus Christ will come to redeem his
church before the Tribulation and shall return at
the end of the Tribulation to execute wrath and judgement and to
introduce the millennial age, when Israel shall be restored to their
own land and the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, and
that his personal and premillennial advent is the blessed hope set
before us in the Gospel for which we should be constantly looking.
While the Lord tarries, He has left us a commission to be His
witnesses, and to preach the Gospel of the Grace of God to every
creature. (Zechariah 14:4-11; Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 12:35-40; Luke
18:1; Acts 15:14-17;
Romans 1:14-17; I Thessalonians
1:18; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; I Thessalonians 5:9; II Thessalonians
2:3-8; II Timothy 3:1-5; Titus 2:11-15; Revelation 3:10; Revelation
19:11-16)
18.Missions
We believe that the church is
obligated by the word to carry the Gospel forth to all mankind. (Mark
16:15; Acts 1:8; II Corinthians 5:19-20; Matthew 28:19-20) We shall
endeavor to set up and support a home and foreign mission program with
our prayers, offerings, and all other means.
19.Separation of Church and State
We believe in the authority of
the local church and its separation from political and state
entanglements; that the local church is taught to be a self-governing
autonomous body, separate from the state or ecclesiastical interference
through religio-politico bosses. (Acts 6:1-7; Acts 5:29; Acts 19:20;
Romans 13:1-7; Matthew 22:21)
20.The Church
We believe in the unity of all
true believers in the church which is the Body of Christ, which was
established on the day of Pentecost, and that all believers, from
Pentecost to the Rapture, both Jews and Gentiles, are added to this
church by the baptism of the Holy Spirit at the exact time that they
trust in Jesus Christ as Savior.
We believe that this church is
manifested through the local church which is a congregation of immersed
believers associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the
gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws in
accordance with the Pauline revelation; exercising the gifts, rights,
and privileges invested in them by His word; and that its officers are
pastors and deacons whose qualifications, claims, and duties are
clearly defined in the scripture. We believe the true mission of the
church is for the edification, perfection, exhortation and comfort of
its members in spiritual matters; the faithful witnessing of Christ to
all men as we have opportunity. We hold that the local church has the
absolute right of self-government free from the interference of any
hierarchy of individuals or organizations; that the one and only head
and shepherd of the local church is the God-called and spirit-filled
pastor, just as Jesus Christ is the Head and Chief Shepherd over the
entire church; that it is scriptural for true churches to cooperate
with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of
the gospel; that each local church is the sole judge of the measure and
method of its cooperation; and that on all matters of membership, of
polity, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the
local church is final. (Ephesians 1:10, 22, 23; Ephesians 3:1-6;
Galatians 3:26; I Corinthians 12:12-13; Acts 1:5; Acts 2:4, 41, 47; I
Corinthians 11:12; Ephesians 4:11-16; Acts 20:17-28; I Timothy 3:1-7; I
Peter 5:1-4; Hebrews 13:7, 17; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 5:23; Acts
15:13-18)
21.Spiritual Gifts, Miracles, Signs and Wonders
We believe the gifts of the
Spirit in I Corinthians 12 are given, today, for the ministry to all
parts of the body of Christ with the exception of those gifts which are
specifically called "signs". Those gifts which are signs, wonders, or
miracles were given by the Spirit during the beginning of the church in
the book of Acts for these purposes: (1) to identify an "apostle"; (2)
to get the Jews to listen to the gospel or to believe a new revelation;
(3) to confirm the word of scripture that was being spoken by the
apostles, but not yet written in form as we have the scriptures today.
Since there are NO apostles present today and that the gospel ministry
is almost totally to the Gentile and we have a complete Bible, as
reject "speaking in tongues" and "supernatural healing" as found in the
apostolic ministry (we believe God heals today in accordance with His
word and divine will through faith and confession) and any other sign
or wonder as heresy and "lying signs and wonders" produced by Satanic
power in these last days to deceive the whole world. (I Corinthians
12:1-11; Mark 16:17-18; Acts 2:4, 5, 43; Acts 3:7, 12; Acts 5:12; II
Corinthians 12:12; I Corinthians 1:21-22; I Corinthians 14:21-22; Mark
16:20; Hebrews 2:3-4; James 5:14-16; I Corinthians 11:30-32; II
Thessalonians 2:8-9; I Timothy 4:1-2; Matthew 24:5, 11, 24)
22.Baptism
We believe that Christian
baptism is the immersion of a believer in water to show forth our faith
in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior with its effect in our death
to sin and our resurrection to a new life. We also believe that only
one baptism is necessary in the life of a believer,
hence we will not accept any baptism before salvation. (Matthew
3:13-16; Romans 6:1-5; Acts 8:36-38; I Peter 3:21)
23.The Lord?s Supper
We believe that the Lord?s
Supper or Communion is the commemoration of His death until He comes,
and should be preceded always by solemn self-examination. The Lord?s
Table is not a barrier to separate believers, but rather a sacred place
where all true Christians meet in his remembrance; therefore, we do not
adhere to any "closed" communion. (I Corinthians 11:23-26)
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