Article One - The Scripture
We believe the Holy Scriptures, The Bible, composed of the thirty-nine books of the Old Testament and the twenty-seven books of the New Testament, are the verbally inspired, infallible, complete words and Revelation of God. We believe the initial miracle of divine inspiration of the original autographs also extends to the divine preservation of a pure text to this day in the King James Authorized Version of 1611. We believe that God preserved His word, containing the very words of God, down through the centuries in the Hebrew Masoretic Text and the Greek Textus Receptus, being translated into the English language as the Authorized Version. The AV 1611 Bible is the sole standard of faith, practice, creed, and opinion. (Psalms 12:6-7; Psalms 19:17-11; Psalms 119 (especially verses 9,11,89); Psalms 138:2; Isaiah 40:8; John 15:3; II Timothy 3:15-17; II Peter 1:16-21; Revelation 22:18-19)
Article Two - God
Section One - The Godhead or The Trinity
We believe in one God eternally existing in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (or the Holy Ghost); these three Persons are separate, distinct personalities, co-equal and co-eternal in nature, power, and glory. (Genesis 1:26 and I John 4:1-7; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19-20; John 16:12-16; Romans 1:20; I John 5:7)
Section Two - God the Father
We believe in God the Father: Perfect in holiness, infinite in wisdom, and measureless in power; that He concerns Himself mercifully and lovingly in the affairs of men, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves to the uttermost from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ by faith. (Isaiah 40; Psalm 136; Romans 5:8; John 3:16; Hebrews 7:25)
Section Three - God the Son
We believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God: Existing throughout all eternity, and co-equal with God the Father. (John 1:1-14; John 10:30, 36; John 14:9; I John 4:2, 3; 1 John 5:1-8; I Timothy 3:16) We believe that because of God's love for mankind, He sent His only begotten Son to become a man, never ceasing to be God (God manifest in the flesh, I Tim 3:16); conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of a virgin; in order to suffer on the cross for the sin of mankind. (Isaiah 7:14; Micah 5:2; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 10:30-35; John 3:16) We believe that after His death on the cross and burial in a tomb; He was three days and three nights in the heart of the earth; then bodily arose from the grave; ascended up into the Third Heaven having led captivity captive; and is now seated at the right hand of the Father making intercession for us as our High Priest, Mediator, and Advocate; that He will come again in like manner as he ascended into heaven. (Matthew 12:40; I Corinthians 15:1-8; Ephesians 4:8-10; Ephesians 1:20; Mark 16:19; Romans 8:34; Hebrews 3:1; 12:2; I Timothy 2:5, 6; I John 2:1; Acts 1:11)
Section Four - God the Holy Spirit
We believe in the Holy Spirit of God: Existing throughout all eternity, and being co-equal with God the Father and God the Son. He is the Comforter sent to us by Jesus; His ministry being to glorify Jesus Christ and to reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgement. We believe that the Holy Spirit regenerates those who come to Christ for salvation; that He baptizes, indwells, seals the new Believer in Christ; that He guides, instructs, comforts, endows with power, and fills all true Believers who totally yield to Him. (Isaiah 40:13; Matthew 1:18-20; I
John 5:7; John 3:5; 14:16, 17; 15:26; 16:7-16; Acts 1:8; Titus 3:5; I John 3:24; I Corinthians 12:13; I Corinthians 6:19-20; Ephesians 1:13; 4:30; Galatians 5:22-25; Romans 8:9-16)
Article Three - Creation
We believe that God created the heaven and the earth; and the sun, the moon, and the stars. God created all life in a period of six literal days by direct act and not by any process of evolution. (Genesis 1:1; 1:16; Genesis 1; John 1:3; Isaiah 40; Psalm 19:1; Colossians 1:15-17; Hebrews 11:1, 3)
Article Four - Man
We believe that man was created by God a sinless creation, but by voluntary act of his own will, he fell into sin, causing the whole human race to inherit a sin nature, which nature, also becomes his practice. Hence, he is under condemnation and without excuse before a just and holy God. (Genesis 1:26; Genesis 2:16, 17; Genesis 3; Romans 3:10-23; Romans 5:12-14)
Article Five - Satan
We believe Satan is a literal, living entity; the author of sin, cause of mankind's fall, and unholy god of this world; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and destined to the
judgment of an eternal justice in the Lake of Fire. He is "that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world," and he is actively opposing the cause of Christ on every hand and is the archenemy of every true believer. His warfare incorporates the deception of mixing error and truth as well as that which is flagrantly vile and evil. He marshals a host of fallen angels that can also serve to deceive the unsuspecting by "transforming themselves into...apostles of Christ [and] ministers of righteousness...". These false spirits can influence the unfaithful servant to say helpful and even true things and can also themselves energize ones to do the miraculous. Therefore, every experience and teaching must be examined in light of the word of God to determine its true source. (Isaiah 8:20; 14:12-17; Matthew 4:1-11; John 8:24; II Corinthians 4:4; 11:1-15; I Peter 5:8-9; 1 John 4:1; Revelation 12:9-10; 20:10)
Article Six – Heaven and Hell
We believe that Heaven is a real physical place of eternal blessedness prepared by God for those whose garments have been "made white" through faith in the shed "blood of the Lamb". (John 14:1-6; II Corinthians 5:1-10; Revelation 7:13-17; 21:22-27) We believe that Hell is a real physical place in the heart of the earth; a place of eternal suffering and fire for those whose names are not written in the "book of life". There is no intermediate state in which the unsaved person can atone for his own sins. (Matthew 12:40; Luke 16:19-31; Revelation 20:11-15)
Article Seven – Salvation
Section One - The Blood Atonement
We believe the salvation of a person is by God's grace through faith in the death, burial, and bodily resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. He, by the grace of God, tasted death for every man, and all must be born again or be forever lost. The Lord's atonement was not limited with respect to whom God's salvation is offered, i.e., His shed blood is sufficient for all sin and, therefore, "whosoever will" may believe and be saved to the uttermost. (John 3:1-18; 6:44-69; Acts 16:31; Romans 3:25; 4:24-25; 5-1; 10:9-11; Philippians 1:6; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 1 John 2:2; Hebrews 2:9; Hebrews 7:22-25; Hebrews 9:22; Revelation 1:5; 22:17)
Section Two – Justification by Faith
We believe that salvation is available to all and all who repent from their own sin and receive Christ as Saviour are born from above, regenerated by the power of the Holy Spirit, are the recipients of a new nature, and are eternally secure in Christ. The all-sufficient and completed work of Redemption accomplished through His death and resurrection is fully appropriated at the moment in time by those who receive by faith the free gift of salvation offered in the Gospel. The adding of works, baptism, sacraments, or any other condition placed upon man in order to obtain God's gift of salvation by faith alone in the finished work of Christ results in "another gospel" that is under God's curse. (John 3:16; 5:24; Romans 1:16; 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Ephesians 2:8-9; 5:8; Titus 3:5-7; Galatians 1:6-10)
Article Eight - The Believer
Section One - The Two Natures of the Believer
We believe that every saved person possesses two natures, the old nature (flesh) and the new nature, with provision made for victory of the new nature over the flesh 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; 8:12-13; Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:10; I Peter 1:14-16; 1 John 3:5-9)
Section Two - Separation of the Believer
We believe that all Believers should live in such a manner as to bring glory, praise and pleasure to their Saviour and Lord, and that separation from all sinful practices is commanded by God. (Romans 12:1-2; I John 2:15-17; II John 9-11; II Corinthians 6:14-18; 7:1; I Thessalonians 4:3-7; 5:22).
V Believers are to be separated from worldly and sinful practices (i.e. secret societies, all organizations or fellowships that are contrary to the word of God). They are to be holy, even as He is holy, and this desired behavior will always be opposed to the course of this present age. (Romans 12:1-2; I Corinthians 6:19-20; I Peter 1: 13-16; I John 2:15-17)
V Believers are to be separated from apostasy and unbelief. A believer must not be "unequally yoked together with unbelievers," thereby being identified with unbelief by association, whether in ministry, in worship, or by joint religious activities. (Amos 3:3; II Corinthians 6:14-18; I Thessalonians 5:22; I Timothy 6:3-7; 2 Timothy 2:19-22; 3:1-7; II John 1:9-11)
V Believers are to be separated from disobedient brethren and doctrinal compromise with respect to all ministry and service (i.e. Modernism, Liberalism, and Neo-Evangelicalism). A believer is identified with the doctrinal positions and practices of those he is in fellowship with, both before God and man. Separation from those who are not walking according to truth deters the leavening effect of compromise, and gives a faithful warning to the erring brother. (Romans 16:17; I Corinthians 15:33; Galatians 2:9-11; II Thessalonians 3:14-15; II John 1:10-11)
Section Three - Security of the Believer
We believe that Believers are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation and are thus secure in their eternal union with Christ. (Romans 8:38-39; I Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 2:20-22; 4:15, 16, 30; Philippians 1:6; 2:12-13; John 5:24; 6:37-40; 10:27-30; I Peter 1:5) Once a lost sinner has become a "new creature in Christ," he can never lose that new relationship in the family of God which is based upon Christ's imputed righteousness and not his own. The life that God imparts to the believing sinner is not "eternal life" if it can be terminated (II Corinthians 5:14-21; John 10:25-29). Sin in the life of the believer affects his fellowship with the Father, not son-ship. All who are born of the Spirit but continue in sin will be dealt with by the chastening hand of God (I John 1:5-10; Hebrews 12:6-13; I Corinthians 3:11-15). All who are in Christ are sealed unto the day of redemption and will be glorified. Texts used to teach that one can lose his salvation are speaking of
loss of reward, not the loss of salvation. (I Corinthians 3:8-15; II John 1:8; Revelation 3:11; Romans 8:29-30; II Timothy 1:12; Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30)
Section Four – Good Works and the Judgement Seat of Christ
All followers of the Lord Jesus Christ should maintain good works. A "good work" is that which is done in obedience to the will of God as revealed in the word of God. Works will determine the reward or loss of reward at the Judgment Seat of Christ before which every Christian will stand. Every believer must realize his responsibility before God to "maintain good works," i.e., to walk in the light of the word of God. The Authorized Version is the believer's absolute Standard of faith and practice, his perfect Counsel. The Bible provides him with "all things that pertain unto life and godliness". (Romans 14:10-12; I Corinthians 1:18-29; 3:8-15; II Corinthians 5:9-11; Ephesians 2:8-10; I Thessalonians 5:23; Titus 2:11-14; 3:1-11; 2 Peter 1:3-4)
Article Nine - The Church
We believe that the Church is a spiritual organism, The Body of Christ, made up of everyone who receives Jesus Christ as Saviour, whose sole Head is Christ. All regenerated people are baptized into the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit the moment they receive Christ as their Saviour (Romans 6:1-6; Corinthians 12:13; I Corinthians 10:32; Ephesians 2:13-18). Also, the baptism of the Spirit is not a separate event apart from the reception of the gift of the Holy Spirit upon believing on Christ unto salvation (Acts 15:6-11; Galatians 3:2,14; Romans 10:1317; Romans 8:9). The Church, which is Christ's Body, consists of all those who, in the present dispensation, truly believe and accept Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord (Romans 8:14-27; James 1:18; John 1:12; I Corinthians 1:2; Matthew 16:16-16)
Section One - The Local Church
We believe that the local church is a voluntary assembly of born-again, baptized, Believers, called of the Lord into the fellowship of the Gospel, to serve the Lord with obedience and faith according to His word, to be missionary and evangelistic in spreading the Gospel, independent of any external ecclesiastical control. It is not the mission of the church to "bring in the Kingdom," work for political or economic justice, major on social improvement, or "Christianize" society. It is to strive together for the faith of the Gospel, proclaim and maintain purity of doctrine and practice, and worship and serve the Lord in "spirit and truth" (Matthew 28:16-20; Acts 2:41-47; 20:17-32; Ephesians 4:11-16)
Section Two - Officers of the Local Church
We believe that the scriptural officers for a local church are pastors (bishops) and deacons. (I Timothy 3:1-15; I Peter 5:1-4)
Section Three - Government of the Local Church
We believe that the local church has the absolute right of self-government directed by Christ through the Holy Spirit and Scriptures, and is answerable only to God; and, that in all matters of membership, policy, government, discipline, and benevolence, the will of the local church is final. (Matthew 16:18; Acts 2:41-47; I Corinthians 1:2)
Section Four - Ordinances of the Local: Church Baptism and the Lord's Supper Baptism
Although the Bible teaches seven different baptisms, we believe the real baptism or the one baptism that Paul speaks of in Ephesians 4:5 is a spiritual baptism, which happens the very moment that one receives Jesus Christ by faith. We believe water baptism is the immersion of a believer in water, which sets forth a picture of his or her salvation and identification with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Water baptism is a prerequisite to local church membership as identification with Christ. Church membership can be obtained without baptism if the candidate can
give just cause of what hinders them from being scripturally baptized. (Acts 8:36; 10:47-48; Romans 6:3-5)
The Lord's Supper
We believe the Lord's Supper to be an ordinance that Christ Himself instituted as a commemoration of His death till He comes; that it is not a literal partaking of His body and blood, but is a symbol of His broken flesh (unleavened bread) and of His shed blood (unfermented grape juice). All who are saved, baptized, and living a life pleasing unto the Lord are encouraged to participate. (Matthew 26:26-29; I Corinthians 11:23-34)
Article Ten – Dispensations
We believe that the Bible Believer must rightly divide the "word of truth" (II Timothy 2:15), recognizing the several dispensations (or ages) in which God has worked. We believe that the Scriptures interpreted in their natural, literal sense reveal divinely determined dispensations or rules of life, which define man's responsibilities in successive ages. These dispensations detail the dealings of God with man from the time of man’s creation. Three of these dispensations—the Law, the Church Age, and the Kingdom, are the subjects of detailed revelation in Scripture (I Corinthians 9:16-18; II Corinthians 3:3-18; Galatians 3:13-25; Ephesians 1:10; 3:2-10; Colosians 1:24-27; Revelation 20:2-6)
Article Eleven – The Rapture of the Church (Bride of Christ)
We believe in the personal, pre-millennial, pre-tribulation, and imminent return of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will come in the clouds to rapture (take away) His Bride, The Church. This has been the "Blessed Hope" of every born-again believer in the Church Age. At that time He will receive to Himself the resurrected bodies of those who have "died in Christ" and also all those who are at that time alive and "in Christ". (Acts 1:11; Romans 8:23,29; I Corinthians 15:50-55; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; 5:6-10; Titus 2:13)
Article Twelve – The Second Coming
We believe that the Rapture of the Church begins the Tribulation, or ―time of Jacob’s trouble‖, which is the final week of Daniel's 70 weeks of seven years (490 years). This final week (seven years) completes the chastising work of God upon Israel and ends with the outpouring of His wrath upon His enemies (Psalm 20; Jeremiah 30:7; Daniel 9:24-27; Joel 3). Jesus Christ, ―KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS‖, will come with His Church and the armies of Heaven to the earth at the close of the Great Tribulation to judge the ungodly nations and set up His Kingdom, inaugurating His earthly millennial reign at His Second Coming. (Matthew 24; 25:31-46; Mark 13; Luke 21:5-38; Jude 1:14, 15; Revelation 6 and 7; 19:11-21) The Lord will cast the anti-christ and the false prophet into the lake of fire, send Satan into the abyss and establish His earthly kingdom. The Lord Jesus Christ will reign one thousand years, thus literally fulfilling the covenant promises made to a believing remnant of Israel through the Patriarchs of the Old Testament (Isaiah 11:1-16; Revelation 19:19-21; 20:1-6). After the earthly reign of one thousand years Satan will be ―cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.‖ The Lord will bring all the unsaved dead with the people that lived during the millennium to the judgment of the Great White Throne where ―the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.‖ (Matthew 7:21-23; Revelation 20:10-15; 20:10)
Pastor Brett McGraw