What We Believe
Click through the different topics to see what we believe about them.
The Bible is God’s written revelation to man, comprised of 66 books given by the Holy Spirit. It is an objective revelation, inspired in every word, without error, unable to lead astray, truthful in every proposition, the only rule of faith and practice (Matthew 5:18; John 17:17; 1 Corinthians 2:13; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Peter 1:20-21).
God is one though triune. He has eternally existed in perfect harmony as three Persons—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. All-knowing, all-powerful, all-good, perfect and glorious, He is set apart from all creation (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:5-7; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14).
God the Father orders and disposes all things according to His own purpose. He is sovereign over all created things (Psalm 103:19, 145:8-9; Romans 11:36; 1 Corinthians 8:6). Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Trinity created and upholds all things according to the Father’s will. He is no less divine than the Father. He was, is, and will always be God (John 1:3, 10:30, 14:9; Colossian 1:15-17; Hebrews 1:2).
The Father sent the Son voluntarily into our sinful world. Conceived through the work of the Holy Spirit, Christ was born of a virgin. Being fully God from eternity past, He then also became fully man able to represent humanity and deity indivisibly. He lived a sinless life, sacrificed Himself upon the cross, was raised from the dead, and ascended to Heaven. He is the one mediator between God and man, and one day He will return (Isaiah 7:14; John 1:1, 1:14, 14:9-10; Acts 1:9; Philippians 2:5-8; Colossians 2:9; 1 Timothy 3:16).
The Holy Spirit possesses all the attributes of personality and deity. Like the Father and the Son, He is fully God (Matthew 28:19; Acts 5:34; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; 2 Corinthians 13:14). The Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He draws sinners to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, imparts new life, sanctifies, seals, fills, guides, comforts, empowers, dwells within, and gifts believers for service (John 6:44, 16:7-9; Romans 8:9-17; 1 Corinthians 3:16, 12:4-5; 2 Corinthians 3:18).
God created man as His own image and likeness free from sin with moral responsibility to God. Man was made to enjoy fellowship with his Creator by living in the will of God, accomplishing His purposes on earth (Genesis 2:7; Isaiah 43:7; Colossians 1:16; James 3:9; Revelation 4:11).
In Adam’s sin, his descendants incurred the penalty of spiritual and physical death, becoming subject to the judgment of God. Man became corrupt and depraved, incapable of choosing or doing what is pleasing to God. His only hope of averting judgment is the redemptive work of Jesus Christ (Genesis 3:1-19; John 3:36; Romans 3:23, 6:23; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Ephesians 2:1-3; 1 Timothy 2:13-14; 1 John 1:8).
Salvation is an act of God. Man is a sinner who can do nothing to avert God’s just wrath and save himself. He stands condemned on the basis of his works, a rebel, eternally separated from God (Isaiah 59:2; Romans 6:23).
In the riches of His grace, God determined to save some of those set against Him. He chose each of them before they or the world existed, sent His Son to die in their place, and then called them individually to salvation by His Spirit. The Lord Jesus took their sins upon Himself, and by faith, they receive His perfect righteousness (John 1:12; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 1:7, 2:8-10; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 1 John 4:14).
True faith is more than mental assent. It involves action—turning from oneself to serve God. Having been adopted by God, brought into His loving family, sealed and made righteous in His sight, gratitude should characterize God’s people as they continue in Him forever (1 Thessalonians 1:9; Titus 3:4-7; Hebrews 7:25; James 2:14-17; 1 Peter 1:5).
When a person places genuine faith in Jesus Christ, he or she becomes part of the Church. The Church is manifest throughout the world wherever groups of believers gather on a regular basis with a certain structure and purpose. Led and served by elders and deacons, local churches are meant to gather around the teaching of God’s Word. Worship and prayer should be characteristic during these times, baptisms and communion should be regular, and God’s people should be concerned about the lost (Matthews 28:18-20; Acts 2:42-46; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Ephesians 2:11-3:6; 1 Timothy 3:1-12).
The blessed hope of believers is that our glorious Lord and Savior will physically return and reign on earth. It will be a millennial period of harmony, justice, peace, righteousness, and joy under the governance of Jesus Christ (Isaiah 11, 65:17-25; Ezekiel 36:33-38; Titus 2:13; Revelation 20:1-7).
At the start of Christ’s reign, believers who have died will be resurrected to share in the joy of His earthly kingdom, and ultimately a new Earth. Prior to creating all things new, unbelievers will be raised to judgment. On the basis of their deeds, they will stand condemned and receive an eternal sentence of suffering in hell (Matthew 25:41; Ephesians 5:5; 2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 20:7-15, 21:1-27, 22:1-21).