WHAT WE BELEIVE About the Bible We believe the Bible to be inspired of God, the infallible Word of God. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16) The Bible is the only God-given authority which man possesses; therefore, all doctrine, faith, hope, and all instruction for the church must be based upon, and harmonize with, the Bible. It is given to be read and studied, and can only be clearly understood by those who are anointed by the Holy Spirit. (1 John 2:27) “No prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (2 Peter 1:20-21)
About the One True God We believe in the one ever-living, eternal God; infinite in power, holy in nature, attributes and purpose; and possessing absolute, indivisible deity. This one true God has revealed Himself as the Father, in creation; through His Son, in redemption; and as the Holy Spirit, by emanation. (1 Corinthians 8:6, 2 Corinthians 5:19, Joel
2:28, Ephesians 4:6) “The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord.” (Mark 12:29, Deuteronomy 6:4) “One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” (Ephesians 4:6) Before the incarnation, this one true God manifested Himself in various ways. In the incarnation, He manifested Himself in the Son, who walked among men. As He works in the lives of believers, He manifests Himself as the Holy Spirit.
About the Son of God We believe the one true God, Jehovah of the Old Testament, took upon Himself the form of man, and as the Son of man was born of the virgin Mary. “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” (2 Timothy 3:16) “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” (John 1:11) This one true God was manifest in the flesh, that is, in His Son Jesus Christ. “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them.” (2 Corinthians 5:19) We believe that “in [Jesus] dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” (Colossians 2:9) “For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell.” (Colossians 1:19) Therefore, Jesus in His humanity was man; in His deity He was and is God. His flesh was the lamb, or the sacrifice of God for our sins. He
is the only mediator between God and man. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:5) Jesus on His Father’s side was divine, and on His mother’s side was human. Thus, He was known as the Son of God and also the Son of man, or the God-man. “Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given … and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the prince of peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)
About Human Beings In the beginning God created man innocent, pure and holy; but through the sin of disobedience Adam and Eve, the first of the human race, fell from their holy state, and God was forced to banish them from their paradise in the Garden of Eden. Thus, by mankind’s disobedience, sin entered into the world and the human family. (Genesis 1:27, Romans 3:23, 5:12) Although every human being has tremendous potential for good, each of us is marred by our inborn sinful nature and its actions, separating us from God and causing many problems in our lives. All men are eternally lost outside of the redemptive work of Christ. (Ephesians 2:12, Galatians 2:15-16, 5:6, Romans 3:23-26, 6:23, Mark 16:16)
About Salvation
We receive salvation not by our own merit, but by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We are made partakers of this salvation through obeying the Gospel in repentance from sins, baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and by receiving the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the initial sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance. We are baptized by this one Spirit into the Body of Christ. (Romans 5:1, 6:1-6, 6:17, Ephesians 2:8, Acts 2:38, 1 Corinthians 12:13) There is no salvation outside of obedience to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
About the Church We believe the Church has been “called out” of the world to be a habitation of God through the Spirit. As the body of Christ on earth, the church offers hope to mankind. The church is one body made up of many members, diverse in their gifts and calling of the Holy Spirit.
About Eternity We believe in the personal and imminent return of our Lord Jesus Christ to “catch away” His church (the Rapture), and in a subsequent period of intense distress for those who remain on the earth (the Tribulation),
which will be followed by the Lord’s personal return to earth with His saints to rule for one thousand years (the Millennial Reign). Thus, the people of God should earnestly and hopefully look forward to the Second Coming of Christ. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, Acts 1:11, 3:19-21, 2 Thessalonians 2:1, 1 Corinthians 11:26, 15:5154, Philippians 3:20-21, Revelation 22:20, Titus 2:13-14, Matthew 24) In the end, all the dead will be summoned before the Great White Throne for their final judgment, and all whose names are not found written in the Book of Life will be cast into the Lake of Fire. (Matthew 25:41, Revelation 20:15, 21:8) The redeemed will live for all eternity in the presence of God. (Revelation 21:2-4, 21:2327, 22:3-5, 22:14) Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence.