Doctrinal Statement
The final authority for this Church is the Holy Scriptures. The following basic doctrines contained in the Holy Scriptures are adopted, as we believe:
SALVATION BY FAITH ALONE
Salvation has been and always will be received by means of personal faith in Jesus Christ alone without benefit of works (A), that it is accomplished as a grace gift, by God the Father (B), through the work of His Son Jesus Christ on the cross (C).
(A) Gen. 15:6; Jn. 3:16-18; Rom 3:21-31; 4:5; 5:1; Gal. 2:16; Eph.2:8-9;1Jn. 5:13
(B) Jn. 3:16; 6:29, 40; Rom. 5:8; 6:23; Eph. 2:8; 2 Tim. 1:8-9
(C) Jn. 3:16-18; 10:9; 14:6; Acts 16:30-31; Rom. 5:5-11; 6:23;1Cor. 15:1-4;
1Jn. 5:11-12
THE PLENARY AND VERBAL INSPIRATION OF THE SCRIPTURES
The scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are God-breathed (A), plenary (B), verbal (C), and inerrant in the original writings (D). They are the supreme and final authority in faith and life (E).
(A) 2 Tim 3:16; 2 Sam. 23:2; Isa. 59:21; Jer. 1:9; 1 Cor. 14:36-37; 2:9-10;
2 Pet. 1:21; 3:15-16; Mat. 22:43; Mark 12:36; Acts 4:24-25; 28:25
(B) 2Tim 3:16; Prov. 2:1-6; 30:5-6
(C) Mat. 4:4; 5:17-18; Mk 14:49b
(D) Ps. 119:89; Prov. 30:5
(E) Is. 55:11; Ps. 119; Rom 15:4; 2Tim 3:16-17; Mat. 5:17-18; Jn. 10:35
THE GODHEAD
The one (A) eternal God (B) exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (C). They are co-eternal (D) and co-equal (E) as to nature, attributes and perfections.
(A) Deut. 4:35; 6:4; James 2:19
(B) Ps. 90:2; Jn. 1:1
(C) Matt. 3:16-17; 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14
(D) Gen. 1:1; Jn. 1:1
(E) Isa. 48:16; Jn. 5:17-18; 10:30
THE DEITY OF JESUS CHRIST
The Lord Jesus Christ, was begotten by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary (A), lived a sinless life, did not possess a sinful nature (B), and is both true God and true man (C).
(A) Matt 1:18; Lk. 1:34-35
(B) 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15
(C) Jn. 1:1-2 & 14; Phil. 2:6-11
DEATH OF CHRIST
The death of Christ is the central event of human history. A close analysis of Scripture reveals two aspects of the death of Christ:
(A) Spiritual Death (B) Physical Death
A. The spiritual death of Christ is the three hours on the cross during which He was judged in our place for the sins of the world; whereby Redemption was accomplished. Jn. 19:28-31; Matt. 27:45-46; Lk. 23:44-45; Mk. 15:33-34; Eph. 1:7; Rom. 3:24-25; 5:8-9; Col. 1:14; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet.1:18-19
Jesus Christ died for our sins as a substitutionary sacrifice on the cross. Rom 3:9-26; 5:6-8;1 Cor. 15:3-4; 2 Cor. 5:14-21;1 Tim 2:6;1 Pet.1:18-20; 3:18
B. The physical death was the point when Christ voluntarily yielded up His soul and spirit after the work of redemption was completed. The physical death was a necessary part in the total work of Christ on the cross from numerous standpoints, including: the verification of the fact that redemption had been accomplished; the necessity for a bodily resurrection of the God-man as the First Fruits of the resurrection; the fulfillment of the covenants to Israel; Headship of the Church. Jn. 19:30; Matt. 27:50; Lk. 1:31-33; 23:46; Mk.15:37; Eph. 1:22-23; Rom. 4:25; 1 Cor. 15:22-23; Acts. 2:31
THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST
The physical body of Jesus Christ was resurrected (A) and ascended into heaven (B) where He is our Advocate and High Priest (C).
(A) Jn. 20:27; 1 Cor. 6:14; 15:3-8
(B) Lk. 24:50-52; Acts 1:3-11; 1 Pet. 3:21b-22
(C) Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:17-28; 8:1; 1 Jn. 2:1-2
THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST
The “Blessed Hope” of believers is the pretribulational appearing of Christ in the air for His Church (A) to be followed seven years later by His personal visible return to the earth (Second Advent) (B) after Daniel’s Seventieth Week (C) to set up His Millennial Kingdom (D).
(A) 1 Thes. 4:13-18; Titus 2:11-14
(B) Zech. 14:4; Acts. 1:11; Rev. 19:11-16
(C) Dan. 9:24-27
(D) Isa. 2:2-4; 11:1-10; Rev. 20:1-6
THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is God. He is a person. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment (A); regenerates those who believe (B); baptizes them into the body of Christ (C); indwells all believers of the present age (D); seals them unto the day of redemption (E); is the only source of power for acceptable worship and service (F); is the infallible interpreter of Holy Scripture (G); is ever present to testify concerning Jesus Christ (H). It should be the desire of every believer to be controlled by the Holy Spirit (I).
(A) Jn. 16:8-11
(B) Jn. 3:5-6; 2 Cor. 5:17; Titus 3:5
(C) 1 Cor. 12:12-13
(D) Jn. 14:16-17; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19
(E) 2 Cor. 1:22; Eph. 4:30
(F) Acts. 1:15-18; Rom. 8:26-27; Gal. 5:16-6:1
(G) Jn. 14:26; 1 Cor. 2:9-16
(H) Jn. 16:7-16
(I) Eph. 5:18
DOCTRINE OF SPIRITUALITY
Just as salvation is by grace through faith, so also the whole Christian way of life is by grace through faith (A). We believe that spirituality is by grace and is a condition that exists when a believer is in fellowship, i.e. controlled by the Holy Spirit, Eph. 5:18. The opposite condition is carnality, i.e. not controlled by the Holy Spirit. Confession to God of known sins restores a believer from carnality to spirituality (B).
(A) Rom 6:4; 8:4; 2 Cor. 5:7; Gal. 5:5; Eph. 2:8-10; Titus 2:11-14
(B) 1 Cor. 3:1-3; 11:31; Gal. 5:16; 6:1; Eph. 5:18-19; 1 Jn. 1:5-2:2
THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE BELIEVERS
It is God's will that every believer should grow in the grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ by the teaching of the Word of God. God encourages us as we should encourage others to assemble with one another for this teaching. This is the basis of glorifying Jesus Christ in the believer’s walk.
2 Pet. 3:18; Jn. 17:14-17; Matt. 4:4; Eph. 4:11-16; Heb. 10:25
MAN CREATED AND FALLEN
The immaterial part of man was created in the image of God (A); that man sinned and thereby incurred spiritual death, which is separation from God, and physical death (B); that all human beings are born with a sinful nature and therefore inherently bad apart from Divine Grace (C); and those who reach moral responsibility are held accountable for their sinfulness in thought, word and deed (D).
(A) Gen. 1:26-27
(B) Gen. 2:17; Ps. 51:5; Rom 5:12; 6:23; Eph. 2:1-3
(C) Ps. 51:5; Rom. 3:10-19; 8:6-8; 7:17-25; Eph. 2:1-3
(D) Rom 2:1-15
ETERNAL SECURITY
All believers everywhere, once saved, shall be kept saved forever.
Jn. 5:24; 10:28-29; Rom. 8:1, 38-39; Jude 24-25
ETERNAL STATE
All those who reject God's provision of redemption through the death of Christ prior to their death will be eternally separated from God (A); they will be cast into the Lake of Fire where they will not be annihilated, but will be punished with everlasting torment (B). We believe in a literal heaven (C). Church-age believers pass immediately into God’s presence at death (D). They remain there in conscious bliss until the resurrection of their glorified bodies at the Rapture when body and soul will be united and remain with the Lord forever (E). Old Testament and Tribulational believers will receive their resurrection bodies at the Second Advent (F).
(A) Jn. 3:10-18; 5:25-29; Lk. 16:19-26; Rev.20:9-15
(B) Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:14-15
(C) Job 1:6-12; Acts. 7:55-56; 1 Thes. 4:16; Phil. 3:20
(D) 2 Cor. 5:8
(E) 1 Cor. 15:42-58; Phil. 3:20-21; 1 Thes. 4:13-18
(F) Dan. 12:1-2; Rev. 20:4-6
THE CHURCH UNIVERSAL AND LOCAL
The church Universal, which is the Body and Bride of Christ, includes the whole company of believers from Pentecost to the Rapture and that Jesus is the Head and the Bridegroom. 2Cor. 11:2; Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:24
The local church is any autonomous group of born again believers in Christ, in one geographical location, united in the Spirit, who meet together for instruction in the Word of God, prayer, and the ordinance of the Lord’s supper. We believe that the mission of the Church is to glorify God and to present Jesus Christ to the world.
Mat. 28:19-20; Jn. 15:15-16; 1 Cor. 10:31; Phil 2:16
THE PERSONALITY OF SATAN
Satan is a created being who exists in personality and reality. He is “The god of this age.” He is both tempter and accuser of the brethren and blinds the unbeliever’s mind regarding the Gospel. 2 Cor.4:4; Ezek. 28:12-17; Isa. 14:12-14; 1 Pet. 5:8; Rev. 12:9-10; Acts. 5:3
SPIRITUAL GIFTS
God the Holy Spirit, in grace and apart from human merit, sovereignly bestows spiritual gifts to believers in this dispensation. Some of the permanent spiritual gifts which exist today are: pastor-teacher, evangelist, administrator, helps, giving and showing of mercy. We further believe that the temporary spiritual gifts ceased with the completion of the Canon of Scripture, and these were: apostleship, prophesy, speaking in tongues, interpreting tongues, healing and working of miracles. Speaking in tongues and the working of miracles gradually ceased as the New Testament Scriptures were completed and their authority became established.
1 Cor. 12-14; 1 Cor. 13:8-10; Rom. 12:4-8; Eph. 4:3-8; 1 Pet. 4:10
DISPENSATIONAL VIEWPOINT
This Church, by virtue of a consistent literal interpretation of the Scriptures, is Dispensational, Premillennial, and Evangelical. A Dispensation is a period of time expressing the divine viewpoint of human history. Dispensations are the categories of human history, the divine outline of history, and the divine interpretation of human history. Dispensations are not ways of salvation nor different methods of administering the so-called Covenant of Grace. We believe that it has always been true that “without faith, it is impossible to please God.” (Heb. 11:6)
