What We Hold Dear
The Scriptures
The entire Bible is the inspired Word of God and that men of God were moved by God to write the very words on the page. The Bible is therefore without error in its original manuscripts. God has supernaturally preserved the Bible and it is the sole and final authority for faith and life providing encouragement, guidance, comfort and instruction for training in righteousness. (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21).
God
The only almighty God has eternally existing in three distinct persons (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) each of Whom is fully and equally God; possesses all of the divine nature and attributes, and is totally worthy of our worship and service. (Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; John 1:14, 10:30; 2 Cor. 13:14).
The Father is the first person of the Trinity and the Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the Father of all true believers. (Gen. 1:1; Isa. 40:21-28, 43:10-13; 46:8-11; John 1:12-13; 5:19-21; 17:1-5; Rom. 8:14-16; Eph. 4:6).
The Son, Jesus Christ is the second person of the Trinity and is the only begotten (born through a woman, therefore fully human) eternal Son of God Who became flesh to reveal God to man, to fulfill prophecy, and to become the Savior of the lost world. In becoming man Jesus did not cease in any way to be God so that He is fully God and fully man inseparably united in one person forever.
Jesus was miraculously conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary; lived a sinless life; died on the cross as the all-sufficient atoning sacrifice for all of the sins of all men of all time; was buried; bodily rose from the dead; physically ascended into heaven in His glorified, resurrected body; is seated at the right hand of the Father performing His ministry of intercession; will return in the air to claim His bride – the church; and will come again to earth in bodily form, personally visibly, to conclude human history and consummate God’s eternal plan by executing judgment and ushering in the eternal state. (Matt. 24:44; Mark 10:45; Luke 1:30-55; John 1:1, 14, 18, 29, 3:16, 20:20; Acts 1:11, 2:22-24; Rom. 3:26-26, 8:34 Phil. 2:5-8, 3:20-21; 1 Thes. 4:13-18; 2 Thes. 2:7; Col. 2:3, 9;; Heb. 1:3, 9:28, 10:5-14; 1 Pet. 2:24, 3:18; 1 John 2:1; Rev. 19:11-21, 21:22).
The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. He is the primary agent for the conviction of sin and the regeneration. Simultaneously with salvation, the Holy Spirit imparts new life, baptizes the believer into the body of Christ (His Church), and permanently indwells the believer. The Holy Spirit fills (directs and controls) those believers who are yielded to Him, enables believers to bear fruit and empowers believers to live a life free from sin’s dominion. (John 16:7-15; Rom 8:5-13, 12:38; 1 Cor. 6:19, 12:13; Gal. 5:16-17, 22-23; Eph. 1:13-14, 4:30; 1 Pet. 4:10-11).
Humans
Humans were created in the image of God by direct act of God and did not come into being as the result of evolution. Man was created to glorify God, worship and serve Him, and have fellowship with Him. Man fell through sin by disobeying God, thus incurring both physical and spiritual death, which alienated him from God. Man’s nature was thus corrupted and he is utterly lost, dead in trespasses and sins, and totally incapable of saving himself and coming back into a right relationship with God by his own merit or effort. (Gen. 1:26, 2:6, 17, 3:17-24; Isa. 59:1-2; Luke 18:26-27, Rom. 3:9-19, 23, 5:6-8; Eph. 2:1-3).
Satan
Satan is a real spiritual being who instigated evil, not simply the personification of evil. He is a fallen angel. He deceives the world and seeks to establish his counterfeit kingdom on earth to discredit and blaspheme God and to tempt, accuse, attack and destroy believers. (Gen. 3:1-5; Isa. 14:12-17; Ezek. 28:11-19; Job 1-2k; 1 John 5:19; 2 Cor. 11:14; 1 Tim. 3:6; 1 Pet. 5:8-9; James 4:7; Rev. 12:9, 20:1-3, 7-10).
Salvation
The shed blood of Jesus Christ on the cross provides the sole basis for forgiveness of sins and salvation, which is the free gift of God’s grace. Salvation is only appropriated by placing faith in the finished work of Christ. Repentance is a turning toward God and away from sin and is a part of but not separate from believing faith. (John 1:12-13, 3:1-7, 14-16, 10:27-29, 14:6; Acts 26:20; Rom 1:16, 8:14-17, 31-39, 10:9-10; 2Cor 5:17; Eph. 1:7, 13-14, 2:8-10; 1 Pet. 1:3-5).
The Christian Life
Every Christian should live for Christ and not for himself and should, by the power of the indwelling Spirit, allow Christ to manifest His life through him to God’s glory. (Matt. 28:18-20; John 15:8, 16; Acts 1:8; Rom. 6:11-13; 2 Cor. 5:14-15; Gal. 2:20; Eph. 2:10, 4:11-12, 4:22-24; Col. 1:10; 1 Pet. 1:15-16, 2:11, 4:10-11).
The Church
The church is the body of Christ forever. The local church is a tangible expression of the body of Christ in a particular location. Since all members of the body of Christ are united in Christ by the same Spirit, they should live in love, harmony and unity, being intent on the same purpose. The purpose of the church is to make Christ known to lost men, to make disciples and glorify God on earth. Matt. 28:18-20; John 17; Acts 1:8; 1 Cor. 12:12-27; Eph. 1:20-23, 4:1-6, 12-16; Col. 1:24-29).
The Future
Isaiah 46:8–10 (NASB95) “Remember this, and be assured; Recall it to mind … Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure.’” God knows the future and has revealed enough of it in His written word that we can be certain that 1) Jesus will bodily return to this earth; 2) the kingdom of this world, run by Satan, will be destroyed 3) Jesus will reign on earth for a thousand years during which the curse on nature will be removed and at the end of which 5) those who have refused God’s gracious pardon through Jesus’ death will be judged and along with Satan and his demons will be thrown into the lake of fire; 6) a new heaven and earth will replace the current ones and all who trusted God in this life will live in peace and enjoyment of everlasting enjoyment of God.