1. We believe... The 66 books of the Old and New Testament have been verbally inspired (equally in all parts) by God. Sola Scriptura (scripture alone) is the inerrant rule of the church’s life. We must interpret the scriptures in a literal, grammatical-historical method of interpretation.The Bible is the inspired, infallible, completed Word of God without error in its original manuscripts. They are complete, infallible and of supreme and final authority over our lives. (2 Timothy 3:16; Matt 5:18)
2. We believe... There is only One, Living and True God, composed of Three Persons - the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; each eternally co-existent and fully God. These three are one God, being co-equal in nature and attributes. (Jude 1:20-21) God is completely sovereign over all creation and directs all things in accordance with his perfect eternal purposes. (Ps 90:2). He is a God of truth, and He is just and right. (Ps 135:3-7). He is the Potter (Isa 64:8; Rev 4:11). God is immutable (Ps 33:9-11) God is Supreme over all (Is 40:13-14) God is Love (1 John 4:8-9; Eph 2:4). God is Eternal (Ps 102:25-27; 1Kings 8:27). God is Holy and Glorious (Isa 6:3-4; Gen 1:1; Matt 28:19; 2 Cor 13:14; Job 33:4; Gen 1:26; Deut 6:4; Isa 45:5-7; 1 Cor 8:4)
3. We believe... The first man was created perfect, but willfully disobeyed God, severing his communion with God, thus leaving his descendants - all mankind - at enmity with God and spiritually dead in their sin. Every person is totally depraved and needs a Savior. (Jer 17:9; (Ps 51:5; Rom 5:12) From birth, we are at enmity with God, (Rom 3:23) "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” and will experience physical death, without Salvation we will experience spiritual death, everlasting torment (separation from a holy God). (John 3:14-18; Heb 9:27)
4. We believe... For no reason, other than to glorify His own Self, God in His eternal purpose, He chose to reconcile a multitude of people to Himself through the Person of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. For this multitude Jesus Christ took on the form of a man and became their perfect Substitute on the cross, satisfying divine justice on their behalf. His sacrifice purchased all things necessary to ensure their eternal salvation. We believe in the eternal existence of the Lord Jesus Christ as God. (John 1:1) He was begotten of the Father. (John 3:16). He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born as flesh to the virgin Mary. (Isa 7:14; Luke 1:35; Matt 1:20). He is truly God and truly man who lived among us. (John 1:14; Phil 2:6-7). We believe Jesus Christ lived a sinless and perfect life during His earthly ministry, and we are only justified by His shedding blood (2 Cor 5:21; 1 Peter 2:22) "WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH" (1 John 2:2) He is the only acceptable sacrifice for sinful mankind (1Peter 2:24). Jesus died a real death on the cross as atonement for sin. We believe in His literal bodily resurrection from the dead. (Luke 24:39; John 20:27-28; 1Cor15:4-7). We believe that Jesus is currently seated at the right hand of the Father and He is continually making intercession, (Heb 7:25), and speaks on our behalf to the Father in heaven (Heb 1:2-3), until the time when He literally and bodily returns to earth in the last days. (Rev 1:7-8).
5. We believe... Though God commands men everywhere to repent, such is the power of sin that men will not of themselves obey this command. Therefore God, determining to save those for whom Christ died, draws them by the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit; who renews their minds, hearts and wills so that they freely trust in Christ. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for all our sins according to the scriptures. (Heb 10:10; 2 Cor 5:21). Salvation is by Sola Gratia (grace alone) and Solus Christus (Christ alone). (John 14:6). We believe that God sovereignly elects those who will be saved as we can see through what the scriptures say in (John 6:37-44; Acts 13:48; Rom 8:28-30; John 17:6). However, this does not take away the responsibility of the person to repent and to follow by faith in the Savior Jesus Christ (John 3:18-19; Rom 10:8-11; Acts 16:31; Rev 22:17). God does not force His love on anyone. He knows who will be saved, we don’t! God desires all men come to repentance, and that no one perishes (1 Tim 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9).
6. We believe... Saving faith is of necessity accompanied by repentance, which involves the recognition of, sorrow over, and the turning away from all known sin, with a new desire to live in obedience to Jesus Christ. Grace is an unmerited favour to a depraved people like ourselves. It is solely by sovereign grace and mercy that we are elected because we don’t deserve His gift of salvation. (Eph 1:4-11; 1 Peter 1:2; Titus 3:4-7). We believe that Salvation is a free gift of God apart from works. (Eph 2:4-8). True saving faith will be accompanied by true repentance of sin. (Rom 10:9-13). This salvation is only through a personal (not universal) faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Sola fide or faith alone) being justified by His grace through faith. (Heb 10:38). Each person who receives Christ as Savior is immediately born again of the Holy Spirit. (1Cor12:13). All born again believers are eternally secure as a child of God." (Jude 24; Phil 1:6; John 10:27-30). True salvation will be manifested by a changed life. (2 Cor 5:17-18; Eph 2:10; Col 3:10-11).
7. We believe... That the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Godhead, (Isa 63:10; Act 7:51; Gen 1:1-2). The Spirit convicts men of sin, of God’s righteousness, and of coming judgment. (John 16:8). He regenerates the sinner upon belief in Christ, and baptizes the believer into one body of which Christ is the head. (1 Cor 12:13). He indwells. (Rom 5:5). He eternally seals the Believer. (2 Cor 1:21-22). The Spirit guides, instructs, and comforts. He is the life of the believer and empowers believers day by day to be set apart to live a holy life. (1 John 2:27; 1 Cor 2:12; Titus 3:4-7; 1 Cor 2:13). He is the Teacher and Author of the Word of God and the Guide for daily living. He empowers the preaching and teaching of the Gospel. (2 Peter 1:21; Acts 1:16).
8. We believe... Jesus Christ alone is the Head of the one true Christian Church (Matt 7:24-27; 1 Cor 3;10-11; 1 Peter 4;2-8), which is made up of only those people who have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. All these are presently indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and by their words and deeds show their allegiance to Christ. We believe that when someone is born again through the Holy Spirit, the believer becomes part of the body of the one worldwide universal church (1 Cor 12:12-13) of which Jesus Christ alone is the head. (Eph 5:23). The Bible commands believers to gather in order to devote themselves to worship, prayer, teaching of the Word, edification, fellowship, communion, believer’s baptism by immersion, (Act 8:38; Acts 2:42) and outreach to the world in fulfillment of the Great Commission. (Matt 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Acts 20:27). The local church is a body of believers with many roles who meet regularly under the oversight of the pastor and plurality of elders (Biblically called and qualified MEN of God) of the church, for they are responsible for the care of your souls which they do with gladness. (1 Tim 3; Titus 1:6-9; Heb 13:17) Purpose of the Local Church is to bring glory to God first and foremost.
9. We believe... There are two ordinances which have been instituted by the Lord Jesus; believers baptism and the Lord's Supper. Neither of these has, in itself, the power to save men from their sins, but are outward symbols of inward, spiritual realities. Believer’s baptism is by full immersion, not merely dipping or sprinkling on the head. This symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom 6:4; Luke 23:40-43), but it is required as a public declaration of salvation by born again believers (Acts 2:38-41; Acts 8:37-39; Acts 9:17-20). Because baptism is for those who have made a conscious decision to have Christ as Lord of their life, there is no foundation for baptism of infants. Lord’s Supper is a symbol of His finishing work on the cross. We do this in remembrance of His longsuffering for sinners like us and the wrath that He bore from the Father for our sin (Luke 22:42; 1 Cor 11:23-30). The bread represents His broken body, and the cup represents His cleansing blood which cleanses all humanity of sin. It’s a privilege and an honor to take part in as a BELIEVER (only). It’s a time to look back, look ahead (John 14:1-4), and it’s a time to look within our own hearts as Paul said to the Corinthian believers (1 Cor 11:27-30; Acts 2:38-42).
10. We believe... God, in His eternal purpose, has also appointed a day of judgment; a day in which He will judge all mankind in righteousness by Jesus Christ. Every human who has ever lived will appear before Christ to give an account of their life and to receive either everlasting life in the presence of God, or everlasting torment in hell. We believe in the personal, bodily return of Jesus Christ with his saints to earth. (Rev 1:7; Zech 14:1-11; Matt 24:29-31). We believe in the bodily resurrection of both the saved and the lost" (John 5:28-29). The saved will be resurrected for eternal life in Heaven in God’s presence. (Matt 25:34). The lost will face the Great White Throne Judgment to be resurrected for judgement and everlasting torment in hell and separation from God to a Christ less eternity. (Matt 25:41; Rev 20:11-15; Rom 2:5).
