The Word of God: We believe that the Bible is God’s written revelation to man, consisting of sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, and is the infallible Word of God, verbally inspired by God, and without error in the original manuscripts. We believe that God’s intentions, revealed in the Bible, are the supreme and final authority in testing all claims about what is true and what is right. In matters not addressed by the Bible, what is true and right is assessed by criteria consistent with the teaching of Scripture. (1 Corinthians 2:7-14; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20, 21; 3:16; 1 Corinthians 2:13; 14:37; Mark 13:31; John 8:31, 32; 14:26; 16:13-14; 17:17; 20:31; Acts 20:32; Matthew 22:29, 43-44; 24:35; Numbers 23:19; Proverbs 30:5; Psalm 12:6; Hebrews 6:18; Titus 1:2)
The Trinity: We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit; and that these are the same divine essence and are equal in every divine perfection, but that they have different roles. (Genesis 1:1, 26; John 1:1, 3; Matthew 28:19; John 4:24; Romans 1:19, 20; Ephesians 4:5, 6)
God the Father: We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in holiness, justice, wisdom, power and love. We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men, that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ and that He hears and answers the prayers of His children (Luke 10:21, 22; Matthew 23:9; John 3:16; 6:27; Romans 1:7; 1 Timothy 1:1, 2; 2:5, 6; 1 Peter 1:3; Revelation 1:6)
God the Son: We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, and teachings. We believe in His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal visible return to earth. (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; John 1:1; 20:28; Romans 9:5; 8:46; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:21-23; John 20:30, 31; Matthew 20:28; Ephesians 1:4; Acts 1:11; Romans 5:6-8; 6:9, 10; Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 9:28; 1 Timothy 3:16)
God the Holy Spirit: We believe in the Holy Spirit sent into the world by God to glorify the Son of God and His divine activity includes convicting the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment. We believe that without His work no one would come to faith. We believe that His work in regeneration is not the result of any outward ritual. We believe He indwells everyone who trusts in Christ, and helps them make progress in overcoming sin and in becoming more like Jesus Christ in thought, deed, and love for God the Father. (John 14:16, 17, 26; 15:26, 27; 16:7-14; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; Galatians 5:22-26)
The Human Condition and Salvation: We believe that man was created by God in His own image and for His glory; but that man sinned and fell short of God’s glory, and thus incurred physical and spiritual death. We believe that all human beings are born with a sinful nature, and so are under divine condemnation. We reject justification by any human work, and we believe that only those who trust Jesus Christ as their Savior by virtue of His atoning death on the cross, submitting to Him as Lord, and embracing Him as the supreme Treasure of their lives, are justified, delivered from condemnation, and receive eternal life. We believe that this faith leads to a heartfelt turning from sin. The Christian life involves growth in grace through persevering, Holy Spirit-empowered resolve to reckon ourselves dead to sin and alive to Christ every day. (Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 3; Genesis 2:17; 3:19; Ecclesiastes 2:11; Matthew 13:44; John 1:13; 3:14; 3:16; 5:24; 5:30; 7:13; 8:12; 10:26; 17:3; Psalm 51:7; Jeremiah 17:9; James 1:14; Romans 3:19; 5:19; Philippians 3:7-8; 1 John 1:9; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 6:11; 8:1; 1 Corinthians 15:1-2; Hebrews 3:12-14; 6:11-12; 10:39; Romans 3:28).
The Church: We believe in one holy, universal Church made up of all who trust Jesus Christ as Savior, Lord and supreme Treasure of their lives. We believe that God calls us to unite with other believers in local churches to help each other to value Christ above all, to praise Him together, to grow in our love and knowledge of Him, to stir each other up to good works, and to spread the Gospel message to the world. We believe that Christians should be baptized and regularly eat the Lord’s Supper. (Ephesians 1:22-23; Acts 15:36, 41; 16:5; 1 Corinthians 16:1; Galatians 1:1-3; Revelation 1:4, 10-11; Hebrews 10:24-25; Matthew 28:19-20; Romans 6:3-4; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26.)
The Last Things: We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of His eternal kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the body and the final judgment of all people: leading to the eternal happiness in the presence of the Lord of those made righteous through Jesus Christ or leading to the eternal punishment of the wicked in Hell. (Matthew 16:27; Mark 14:62; John 14:3; Acts 1:11; Philippians 3:20; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18; 2 Timothy 4:1; Titus 2:13; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 1 Corinthians 15; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; Revelation 20:11-15).
Growing as a Christian
God did not give us His gospel just so we could embrace it and be converted. Actually, He offers it to us every day as a gift that keeps on giving to us everything we need for life and godliness. The wise believer learns this truth early and becomes proficient in extracting available benefits from the gospel each day. We extract these benefits by being absorbed in the gospel, speaking it to ourselves when necessary, and by daring to reckon it true in all we do.
“Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation—if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.”
Colossians 1:21-23