BELIEFS
THE FUNDAMENTAL DOCTRINES CONTAINED WITHIN OUR DOCTRINAL STATEMENT BELOW REPRESENT WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE THE CORE TEACHINGS OF the Bible.
01
THE TRINITY
We believe there is only one true God and He eternally exists as three uncreated persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We believe that each person of the Godhead is equally God, yet there is only one God. Each person of the Godhead is equal in nature, attributes, power, will, and glory. Each person of the Godhead share the one divine essence, and each person is worthy of full worship, homage, trust, and obedience. Although each person of the Godhead is distinguished by distinct work, they inseparably work together in creation, salvation, and sanctification.
Scripture reference: Deut. 6:4; Matt. 3:16-17, 28:18–19; Mark 12:29; John 1:14; Acts 5:3–4; 2 Cor. 13:14; Heb. 1:1–3; 1 Pet. 1:2; Rev. 1:4–6.
02
THE SON OF GOD
We believe the Son of God, who is the second member of the Trinity, is fully God (coequal with the Father and the Holy Spirit) and eternally begotten (not created) of the Father. About two thousand years ago, the preexistent Son of God became incarnate, took on a fully human nature, and became the God-man, Jesus Christ. Thus, Jesus Christ has two natures in one person: He is fully God and fully man. We believe Jesus Christ came to this world in order to make the Father known, fulfill prophecy, and seek and save the lost. He is the true Prophet, Priest, and King anticipated in the Old Testament.
Scripture reference: Isa. 9:1-7; Matt. 3:16-17, 21:1-11; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 2:1-7, 19:10; John 1:1-3, 11, 14-18, 3:16-17, 20:28; Acts 3:22-24; Phil. 2:5-11; Col. 1:15-17, 19; 1 Tim. 3:16; Titus 2:13; Heb. 1:1-3, 5:6, 7:26-27; 1 John 4:1-3, 15.
03
MANKIND, CREATED AND FALLEN
We believe men and women are created by God and in the image of God. Adam and Eve, the first of the human race, rebelled against God and fell through sin, thus resulting in a spiritual death that was ultimately transmitted to all humans. This spiritual death, or total depravity, penetrates each and every human to the core; there is no part of our human nature that is untouched by sin. From this sin nature flows actual sin.
Scripture reference: Gen. 1:26-27, 2:17, 3:1-22; Psalm 51:5; Rom. 3:10-18, 23, 5:12-21; Eph. 2:1-3; 1 John 3:8.
04
SUBSTITUTIONARY ATONEMENT AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST
Human sinfulness has separated us from God and this sinfulness requires a sacrifice in order to avoid condemnation and restore a person to a right relationship with a holy God. We believe it is impossible for a sinful person to pay the price for his or her sin and restore himself or herself to a right relationship with a holy God, no matter how moral, grand, or extensive the effort. Thus, we are in desperate need of a Savior since we cannot save ourselves from the penalty of sin, which is death. We believe Jesus Christ lived a perfect, sinless life, and He willingly and sacrificially paid the price for our sin once for all. Jesus Christ is our Savior and our redemption is accomplished solely by His blood. He submitted to His Father’s will and was crucified, He died in our place (the just for the unjust; a penal substitution for the sins of fallen humanity), He was buried, and He was resurrected from the dead in a glorified body on the third day. He ascended to the Father and now sits and the right hand of God.
Scripture reference: Matt. 27:24-26, 50, 59-60, 28:1-15; Mark 10:45; 16:1-8, 19; Luke 19:10, 24:1-49; John 3:16-18, 20:1-29; Acts 1:9-11, 7:55-56; Rom. 3:25-26, 5:8, 6:23; 1 Cor. 5:7; 2 Cor. 5:14-21; Eph. 1:7, 2:1-3, 5:2; Phil. 2:8; Col. 1:18-20; Heb. 9:26.
05
THE BIBLE
We believe the Bible is God’s written revelation to humankind. Through the text, God, the Father, makes Himself know by His Son, Jesus Christ, and through His Holy Spirit. Thus, “all Scripture is breathed out by God” and, as such, the entire Bible contains the inspired words of God that are useful for Christian belief, progressive maturing in the faith, righteous living, and good work. While the Bible was written by multiple human authors at various points of time in history, the Holy Spirit, as the ultimate author of Scripture, superintended the process so that the authors recorded the very words of God “as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” Since God is the ultimate author of Scripture, and since He is holy and perfect and it is impossible for Him to lie, we believe that the Bible is fully trustworthy, reliable, free from falsehood in its original writings, and true in all that it affirms. Further, we believe all sixty-six books of the Bible are divinely authoritative over the church and each believer’s doctrine and practice. Most importantly, we believe that the message of the Bible, when properly interpreted, centers on the person and work of Jesus Christ in His first and second coming. As a result, the Bible contains everything needed for salvation, for maturing in the faith, and for knowing God’s will.
Scripture reference: Num. 23:19; Deut. 30:15-18; Psalm 18:30; Prov. 30:5; Matt. 5:17-18; Luke 24:25-27, 44-48; John 1:14-18, 10:35, 14:26,16:13-15,17:17; Rom. 10:13-17, 15:4; 1 Cor. 2:10-13; Col. 1:13-19; 1 Thess. 2:13, 4:1-2; 2 Tim. 3:15-17; Heb.1:1-4, 6:17-18; 1 Peter 2:1-3; 2 Peter 1:19-21, 3:15-16; Revelation 22:18.
06
SALVATION BY GRACE ALONE, THROUGH FAITH ALONE, IN CHRIST ALONE
Because of the spiritual death and universal sin brought forth by Adam and our resulting total depravity, we believe that salvation is the greatest need of all creation. Further, we believe that this salvation is absolutely and totally impossible to obtain through any work or human effort; no work nor ordinance nor any tradition, no matter how pious, moral, ethical, righteous, or just, could ever take a human even one step closer to salvation. Thus, we believe a new nature and new life must be imparted from above and implanted by the Holy Spirit through the Word. We believe that salvation comes solely by grace through faith in Jesus Christ; it is a gift of God that leaves no room for human works. While repentance is a vital part of genuine belief, it is by no means, in itself, a separate and independent condition of salvation. Our redemption and forgiveness of sins are wrought exclusively by Jesus Christ’s perfect obedience, sacrificial death, and resurrection. It is through faith in Christ that we are justified before God. Those who genuinely place their trust in Jesus are eternally saved and are thus adopted sons and daughters of God.
Scripture reference: Lev. 17:11; Isa. 64:6; John 1:12, 3:7-18, 14:6; Acts 4:12; Rom. 1:16-17, 3:22-26, 5:6-9; 8:12-23; Gal. 3:21-22; Eph. 1:7, 2:1-10; Phil. 3:4-9; Titus 3:4-7.
07
THE PHYSICAL RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST
We believe that one day Jesus Christ will suddenly and physically return to earth on the clouds of heaven with great power and glory and triumph. He will appear "not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him.” Jesus Christ’s glorious arrival will usher in the millennial age and during this time, He will bound Satan and place him in the abyss and He will lift the curse that currently rests on all of creation. Further, we believe that Israel will finally be restored to her land, the covenant promises that God made with Israel will be fully realized, and the whole world will be brought to the knowledge of God.
Scripture reference: Deut. 30:1-10; Isa, 11:9; Ezek. 37:21-28; Matt. 24:15-25:46; Rom. 8:19-23; 11:25-27; Heb. 9:28; Rev. 20:1-3.