What We Believe

Concerning the Scriptures

We believe God gave in the original tongues the Old and New Testaments to mankind through divine inspiration. We believe that the Holy Bible is the inspired, plenary, infallible and preserved Word of God; that it has truth without any admixture of error for its matter; and therefore is, and shall remain to the end of the age, the only complete and final revelation of the will of God to man; the true centre of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct and opinions should be tried.

*We believe the King James Version is the preserved word of God for English speaking people today.

(Ps. 19:7-11; 119; Pr. 30:5, 6; Isa. 8:20; Lk. 24:25-27,44-45; Jn. 5:39-47; 12:48; 17:17; Rom. 3:4; 15:4; Eph. 6:17; 2Tim. 3:16-17; 1Pt. 1:23; 2Pt. 1:19-21; Rev. 22:19)

Concerning the True God

We believe that there is one, and only one, living and true God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honour, confidence and love; that in the unity of the Godhead, there are three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.

(Gen. 1:1; 17:1; Ex. 15:11; 20:2-3; Ps. 83:18; 90:2; 147:5; Matt. 28:19; Mk. 12:30; Jn. 4:24; 10:30; 15:26; Acts. 5:3-4; 1Cor. 2:10-11; 8:6; 12:4-6; 2Cor. 13:14; Eph. 2:18; 4:6; Phil. 2:5-6; 1Tim. 1:17; 1Jn. 5:7; Rev. 4:11)

Concerning Creation

We believe the Genesis account of creation, and that it is to be accepted literally, and not allegorically or figuratively; that man was created directly in God's own image and after His own likeness; that man's creation was not a matter of evolution or evolutionary changes of species, or development through interminable periods of time from lower to higher forms; that all animal and vegetable life was made directly, and God's established law was- they should bring forth only "after their own kind."

(Gen. 1:1; 1:26,27; 2:21-23; Ex. 20:11; Neh. 9:6; Jer. 10:12; Jn. 1:1-3; Acts 4:24; 17:23-26; Rom. 1:20; Col. 1:16-17; Heb. 11:3; Rev. 10:6)

Concerning the Fall of Man

We believe the Scriptures teach that man was created by a direct act of God, and not from any previously existing form of life. By voluntary transgression he fell from his state of innocence, in consequence of which all men are now sinners by nature and by choice, being utterly devoid of the holiness required by law, positively inclined to evil, and therefore under just condemnation to eternal ruin without defence or excuse.

(Gen. 3:1-6, 24; Ez. 18:19-20; Rom. 1:18,20,28; 3:10-19; 5:12,19; Gal. 3:22; Eph. 2:1-3)

Concerning the Virgin Birth

We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Ghost in a miraculous manner; born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born or can ever be born of a woman, and that He was born the Son of God and God the Son.

(Gen. 3:15; Ps. 2:7; Is. 7:14; Matt. 1:18-25; Lk. 1:35; Jn. 1:14; Gal.4:4)

Concerning Atonement for Sin

We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace; through the mediatorial office of the Son of God, who by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin, honoured the divine law by His personal obedience, and by His atonement consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but as the voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner's place, the just dying for the unjust.  Christ the Lord, bearing our sins in His own body on the tree; that, having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in heaven, and uniting in His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection. He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate, and an all-sufficient Saviour.

(Matt. 18:11; Jn. 3:16; 10:18; Acts 15:11; Rom 3:24,25; 1Cor. 15:3,20; 2Cor. 5:21; Gal. 1:4; Eph. 2:8; Phil. 2:7,8; Heb. 2:14, 7:25; 9:12-15; 12:2; 1Pet. 2:24; 3:18; 1Jn. 2:2; 4:10)

Concerning the Freeness of Salvation

We believe in God's electing grace; that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the gospel; it is the immediate duty of all to accept them by a cordial, penitent and obedient faith; and nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but their own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the gospel, which rejection involves him in an aggravated condemnation.

(Isa. 55:1,6,7; Matt. 11:28; Jn. 3:15-18,36; 5:40; 6:37; Acts 2:38; Rom. 8:29,30; 10:13;  1Cor. 15:10; Eph. 1:1-14; 2:4,5; Col. 3:12; 1Thess. 1:4; 1Tim. 1:15; Titus 1:1; 1Pet. 1:2; Rev. 22:17)

Concerning the Church

We believe that the local New Testament Church is a congregation of baptised believers associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word. Its officers of ordination are pastors or elders and deacons, whose qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures. We believe the true mission of the church is found in the Great Commission: first, to make individual disciples; second, to build up the church; third, to teach and instruct as He has commanded. We do not believe in the reversal of this order. We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government, free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and the one and only Superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit. It is scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and the furtherance of the gospel; that every church is the sole and only judge of the measure and method of its cooperation. All matters of membership, policy, government, discipline, benevolence, and the will of the local church is final. 

(Matt. 16:18; 28:19-20; Acts 2:41, 42; 6:5-7; 14:23; 15:22, 23; 20:17-28; I Cor. 5:11-13; 6:1-3; 16:1; II Cor. 8:23,24; 12:4; Eph. 1:22,23; 4:11; 5:23,24; Col. 1:18; I Tim. 3:1-13; I Pet. 5:1-4)

Concerning Baptism & the Lord's Supper

We believe Christian baptism is the single immersion in water of the believer in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is by the authority of the local church to show forth, in a solemn and beautiful emblem, our faith in the crucified and risen Saviour. It is symbolic of our death to sin and resurrection to a new life. It is prerequisite to the privileges of a church relation and the Lord's Supper, in which the members of the church, by the sacred use of bread and the ‘fruit of the vine’, are to commemorate the love of Christ, as manifested by His death, and is always preceded by solemn self-examination. (Matt. 3:6; 28:19, 20; Jn. 3:23; Acts 2:41, 42; 8:36-39; Rom. 6:3-5; Lk. 22:16-20; I Cor. 11:23-34; Col. 2:12)

Concerning the Resurrection and Return of Christ and Related Events

We believe in and accept the sacred Scriptures upon these subjects as being a literal interpretation. Of the Resurrection we believe Christ rose bodily "the third day according to the Scriptures" and that He ascended "to the right hand of the throne of God." He alone is our "merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God"; "that this same Jesus which was taken up from you into Heaven shall so come in like manner as you have seen Him go into Heaven… "bodily, personally, and visibly; that the "dead in Christ shall rise first"; that the living saints "shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump"; "that the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His Father, David"; and "that Christ shall reign a thousand years in righteousness until He hath put all enemies under His feet."  Thus we believe in a pre-tribulational,  pre-millenial and imminent return of Jesus Christ.

(Ps. 72:8; Is. 9:6,7; 11:4,5; 32:1; Matt. 24:27; 25:13; 28:6,7; Mk. 16:6,19; Lk. 1:32; 24:2-6,39,51; Jn. 14:3; 20:27; Acts 1:9,11; 1Cor. 15:4,25; Phil. 3:20,21; 1Thess. 4:16-18; 1Tim. 2:5; Heb. 2:17; 5:9,10; 8:1,6; 12:2; Jas. 5:8; 1Jn. 2:1; Rev. 3:21; 20:1-6)

 

Note: This is a brief statement of faith.