The Scriptures
We believe the Scriptures teach that the Old Testament and New Testament are the revelation of God (1), and thus constitute the complete Word of God. Men chosen by God wrote the Bible under the guidance and enabling of the Holy Spirit (2).
Thus we believe in verbal plenary inspiration, that every word of the entire original autographs was inspired (3). We also believe that God has not given His revelation a second or third time, but by His providence has seen to it that it was preserved without corruption in the many copies and fragments that are in existence today (4). Therefore, every believer must accept by faith the whole Bible as the Word of God. Those sections of the New Testament dealing directly with the church are authoritative for the practice of the church (5).
(1) I Timothy 5:18, II Peter 3:15, 16; (2) I Corinthians 2:9-13, II Peter 1:19-21; (3) II Timothy 3:16; (4) Jude 3, I Peter 1:23-25, Psalm 100:5; (5) II Timothy 3:16, 17, I Corinthians 10:6-12, I Timothy 3:15
The Godhead
We believe there exists only one God and that there were none existing before Him neither shall there be any after Him (1). We believe the Scriptures teach that God is infinite, self-existent, Spirit, unchangeable in His nature, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, holy, righteous, good, love, and truth (2). That God has existed eternally as three distinct, yet inseparable persons known as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (3).
These three are one as to their nature, essence, and attributes (4). Each is equally worthy of worship, trust, and obedience (5). Each of these divine persons has a distinct function in the execution of the everlasting purpose and plan of the Godhead (6).
(1) Isaiah 43:10; (2) Ephesians 1:11, Isaiah 57:15, John 4:24, James 1:17, Revelation 4:8, Isaiah 46:10, Psalms 139:1-16, II Timothy 4:8, Matthew 19:17, I John 4:8, 16, John 14:6; (3) Psalms 2:2, Hab. 1:12, Psalms 2:7, Isaiah 63:10; (4) Deuteronomy 6:4, Mark 12:29, John 10:30, Matthew 28:19; (5) II Corinthians 13:14; (6) I Corinthians 8:6, 12:4-6, John 16:7, 15:26, I John 1:9
The Father
We believe the Scriptures teach that God the Father is the ultimate source of all things (1). His Fatherhood relationship to the Son denotes their equality of nature, while at the same time it expresses the subordination of the Son to the Father in the execution of the divine purpose (2). God also has a Fatherhood relationship to spirit beings, thus expressing His creation of them and authority over them (3).
God now forgives the sins of believers, entering a Fatherhood relationship with them through their spiritual birth, by which He indwells them thus making them partakers of the divine nature, and calling them His sons (4). God the Father sent the Son as His gift into the world (5). Moreover, He in partnership with the Son sent the Holy Spirit to be resident in the world on the day of Pentecost (6). He unlike the other persons of the Godhead, is the sender and is not sent.
(1) I Corinthians 8:6 (2) John 5:18; 1:1-2 (3) Job 1:6; Hebrews 12:9 (4) I John 3:9, Ephesians 4:6, II Peter 1:4; (5) John 3:16; (6) John 14:26, 15:26
The Son
We believe the Scriptures teach that the second person of the Triune God is the Son whose name is the Lord Jesus Christ and who is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Holy Spirit (1). Every appearance of God in the Old Testament in a bodily form was a manifestation of the pre-incarnate Son declaring the Father to men (2). In the incarnation He became a man through the miracle of His divine conception and virgin birth (3), without change in His deity (4).
While on earth He lived a sinless life (5), died a substitutionary death for all men (6), was buried and arose bodily from the grave the third day (7). He then ascended bodily into heaven and is presently fulfilling His intercessory and mediatorial ministry (8). He has promised to rapture the Church prior to the 70th week of Daniel (9). After the Tribulation He will return to earth and institute His Millennial, Davidic reign (10).
(1) John 1:1-2, Romans 9:5, II Peter 1: 1, II Peter 1:16-17; (2) John 1:18; (3) John 1:14, Luke 1:31-35, I Timothy 3:16, Hebrews 2:14; (4) Philippians 2:6-8, John 1:14; (5) Hebrews 4:15; (6) II Corinthians 5:14-15; (7) I Corinthians 15:1-4; (8) Acts 1:9-11; Hebrews 4:14, 7:25, Romans 8:34, I Thessalonians 5:1-10, II Thessalonians 2:1-3, Dan. 9:24-27; (9) Rev. 3:10; (10) Mt. 24:29-31, Luke 1:32, Rev. 20:4
The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Scriptures teach that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Son (1). The Holy Spirit was a co-agent in creation, the divine author of the revelation of God, and the divine agent in the supernatural conception of the humanity of the Son (2). He became resident in the world on the day of Pentecost as a result of being sent as the divine comforter to do a new and unique work in relation to the body of Christ, different from His ministry with Israel (3).
Since that time, He is the co-witness through the believer concerning Christ to the world; and He takes the things of Christ and glorifies Him (4). He convicts the unsaved of sin, righteousness, judgment and their need of Christ (5). He then regenerates (6), baptizes into the body of Christ which is the Church and bestows gifts for service (7), indwells (8), and seals (9) those who respond by believing. He is the Anointer or divine teacher of the believer whom He seeks to lead into spiritual maturity through the knowledge of Christ, and to empower through His filling ministry (10).
(1) Acts 5:3-4, Hebrews 9:14, Matthew 28:19; (2) Job 26:13, II Peter 1:21, Luke 1:35, Matthew 1:18; (3) John 14:26, 15:26, Acts 1:4-5 (4) John 15:26, 16:13-14; (5) John 16:9-11; (6) John 3:5; (7) I Corinthians 12:13, I Corinthians 12:1-31; (8) Romans 8:9, I Corinthians 6:19; (9) Ephesians 4:30; (10) I John 2:20, 2:27; I Corinthians 2:10-12, Ephesians 5:18
Man
We believe the Scriptures teach that Adam was created in the immaterial image and likeness of God immediately and apart from any process of evolution (1). Adam, by a personal disobedience to the will of God, became a sinner (2), depraved in nature and subject to Satan’s power (3).
This sin nature and depravity has been transmitted by generation to the entire human race (4), so that man is a sinner by nature, choice and practice, and guilty before God, possessing within himself no means of recovery or salvation because he is dead spiritually (5).
(1) Genesis 1:26-27, 2:7; (2) Genesis 3:5-7; (3) Ephesians 2:2-3; II Corinthians 4:3-4; (4) Romans 5:19, Psalms 51:5; (5) Romans 3:10-12; Ephesians 2:1
Salvation
We believe that the Scriptures teach that God, in sovereign grace, and apart from any consideration of foreseen human merit or response, and in perfect consistency with human responsibility, chose some before the foundation of the world according to the good pleasure of His will, to be saved (1). This salvation, which includes the forgiveness of all sins and the gift of eternal life, is secured by grace alone apart from any work or merit, through faith in the person and work of Christ (2). Since the Son’s soul was made an offering for sin, God’s outraged holiness against man’s sin nature with its product was propitiated (3).
God invites all men to be reconciled unto Him because Christ’s blood was sufficient redemption for all mankind (4). The single condition whereby the value of these propitiatory, redemptive and reconciliatory works of the cross may be applied to the individual is by personal faith in the crucified and risen Son of God (believing the gospel). (5) In salvation, the believer is called, regenerated, forgiven all sin, justified, given eternal life, made eternally secure and endowed with every spiritual blessing (6). The purpose of the salvation of men is to bring glory to God (7).
(1) Ephesians 1:4-5; (2) Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 6:23, Acts 10:43; (3) Isaiah 53:10, Romans 6:10, I John 2:2; (4) II Peter 2:1, Romans 3:24, II Corinthians 5:18-20; (5) Acts 16:31, Ephesians 2:8-9, I Corinthians 15:1-4; (6) Titus 3:5, Romans 3:24, Romans 5:1; Ephesians 1:3, 13-14, I John 5:11-13; (7) Isaiah 43:7, I Corinthians 10:31
The Church
We believe the Scriptures teach that the Church is a spiritual body begun on the day of Pentecost, into which all true believers of this dispensation regardless of denominational affiliation, race, or status in life are baptized by the Holy Spirit at the time they first believe (1). Accompanying this baptism is the giving of spiritual gifts which are used for the edification of the Church (2). The exalted Christ is the only Head of the Church. It will be complete when Jesus Christ comes in the air to take His bride home before the Tribulation (3).
The local expression of the Church is an organized company of believers immersed upon a credible confession of faith in Jesus Christ, having two officers (pastors and deacons), independent in character and autonomous in polity, which has fellowship with other churches of like faith and order (4). To these churches are committed the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s supper (5). The purpose of their organization is for work, worship, ministering to the spiritual and material needs of one another, edification and exhortation of each member, the observance of the ordinances, and the worldwide proclamation of the gospel (6).
(1) I Corinthians 12:13, Acts 1:5, 11:15-17; (2) I Corinthians 12:1-4, Ephesians 4:7-13 (3) I Thessalonians 4:13-18, Rev. 3:10; (4) Acts 2:41, I Tim. 3:1-13, Titus 1:6-9, Acts 20:17, 28, I Corinthians 5:4, Acts 15; (5) I Corinthians 11:23-24, Matthew 28:19-20; (6) Matthew 28:19-20, I Peter 4:10, James 2:15-17, Ephesians 4:12, I Corinthians 12:22-26
Spiritual Gifts
We believe the Scriptures teach that every believer in this dispensation receives a spiritual gift at the time of his salvation that is made up of a unique combination of spiritual gifts (1). These gifts are the result of the Spirit baptizing the believer into the body of Christ, and are likened to the functions of members of a body (2). These gifts were given for the edification and good of the local church, and not the individual recipient (3).
In the beginning of the Church some gifts were given which were of a temporary nature and are thus no longer given (4). Some of these temporary gifts were revelatory, providing oral revelation, the understanding of it, and the authenticity of it while the New Testament was being completed (5). These are the gifts of apostle, prophet, the discerning of spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues, a word of knowledge, and a word of wisdom (6). The other temporary gifts were confirmatory sign gifts, vindicating the spokesman of God while the New Testament was incomplete. These were tongues, healing, and miracles (7). All other gifts mentioned in the New Testament, however, should be operating in the local church today (8).
(1) I Corinthians 12:7, 11, 18-19, I Peter 4:10; (2) I Corinthians 12:12-13; (3) I Corinthians 12:15-25, Ephesians 4:11-13; (4) I Corinthians 13:8-12, Hebrews 2:2-4; (5) I Corinthians 14:26; (6) Hebrews 2:2-3, I Corinthians 14:22, Hebrews 2:4; (7) I Corinthians 14:22; (8) Romans 12:7-8, Ephesians 4:11; I Corinthians 12:9, 28
Spirit Beings
We believe the Scriptures teach that prior to the creation of the material universe, the triune God created a great host of varied spirit beings (1). The holy angels serve God as His messengers, and minister to those who are saved among the human race (2).
Lucifer (Satan, the Devil), the highest of the Cherubim, fell by sinning against the most high God and took with him a large number of angels which are now called demons (4). Satan is the author of sin and the one who brought about the fall of Adam and Eve (5). Satan is the enemy of God, the accuser of God’s people and is constantly active in opposing the works and people of God (6). Satan was judged at the cross, and his ultimate destiny, along with the demons, is the lake of fire for eternity (7).
(1) Job 38:3-7, Colossians 1:16-17; (2) Hebrews 1:14; (3) Isaiah 14:12-14, Ezekiel 28:14, Revelation 12:7; (4) Matthew 25:41; (5) Genesis 3:5; (6) Revelation 12:11, I Peter 5:8; (7) John 12:31, 16:11, Revelation 20:7, 10
Future Things
We believe the Scriptures teach that at death, the spirit and soul of the believer pass instantly into the presence of God and remain in conscious joy until the resurrection of the body when Christ comes for His own (1). The blessed hope of the believer is the imminent, personal, pretribulational, premillennial appearance of Christ to rapture the church (2). The soul and spirit of the unbeliever pass instantly, at physical death, into hell and remain in conscious torment until the Great White Throne Judgment (3).
After the rapture, Christ’s righteous judgments will then be poured out on an unbelieving world during the seven year Tribulation period (the seventieth week of Daniel), the last half of which is the Great Tribulation (4). The climax of this fearful era will be the physical return of Jesus Christ to the earth for one thousand years (5). Israel will be saved and restored as a nation (6). Satan will be bound and the curse will be lifted from the physical creation (7). Following the Millennium, the Great White Throne Judgment will occur, at which time the bodies and souls of the unsaved will be reunited and cast into the Lake of Fire to be eternally punished for their sins (8).
(1) I Corinthians 5:8, I Corinthians 15:51-57; (2) Titus 2:13, I Thessalonians 4:14-17; (3) Luke 16:19-31, Revelation 20:5, 12-15; (4) II Thessalonians 2:3, Matthew 24:21; (5) Revelation 19:11-16; (6) Romans 11:26-27; (7) Revelation 20:2-3; (8) Revelation 20:11-15
Christian Life and Biblical Separation
We believe the Scriptures teach that every believer, under the control of and by the aid of the Holy Spirit, should walk in Christian love and holiness, exhibiting qualities of honesty, integrity, forgiveness, loving-kindness and Spirituality. (1) The believer should be separated unto God from the world and from apostasy as exemplified in ecclesiastical organizations such as the National and World Councils of Churches.
This doctrine is based upon God’s eternal principle of division between truth and error and His specific command to be separate from fellowshipping and cooperating to do the Lord’s work from unbelievers and disobedient brethren. This truth is to be practiced with an attitude of devotion, humility, compassion, and yet with conviction (2).
(1) II Corinthians 7:1, I Thessalonians 4:7, Philippians 4:8, Ephesians 4:32, Ephesians 5:1-2, 5:7-10, 5:15-21, I Peter 5:5-6, Galatians 5:22-25; (2) II John 9-11, Galatians 1:8-9, I Corinthians 5:7-13, II Corinthians 11:4, II Corinthians 6:14, I Timothy 6:3-6, II Timothy 2:16-18, Romans 16:17, Titus 3:10
Civil Government
We believe the Scriptures teach that civil government is of divine appointment, for the interests and good order of human society (1). Those in authority are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed (2). The only exception is in things opposed to the revealed will of God in the Bible (3).
(1) Rom.13:1-7, Daniel 2:20-21; (2) I Timothy 2:1-4, Matthew 22:21, Titus 3:1, I Peter 2:13-14, 2:17; (3) Acts 5:29, Dan. 3:17-18