Essentials of Our Faith
The Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, to be the inspired Word of God without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men and the Divine and final authority for Christian faith and life.
In one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
That Jesus Christ is true God and true Man, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He died on the cross, a Sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures. Further, He arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, where at the right hand of the Majesty on High, He is now our High Priest and Advocate.
That the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, to convict and regenerate the sinner; to indwell, guide, instruct and empower the believer for godly living and service.
That man was created in the image of God but fell into sin and is, therefore, lost; only through regeneration by the Holy Spirit can salvation and spiritual life be obtained.
That the shed blood of Jesus Christ and His resurrection provide the only ground for justification and salvation for all who believe, and only such as receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord are born of the Holy Spirit, and thus, become children of God.
That water baptism and the Lord’s Supper are ordinances to be observed by the Church. They are, however, not to be regarded as means of salvation
That the true Church is composed of all such persons who have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and, through a saving faith in Jesus Christ are united together in the Body of Christ of which He is the Head.
That only those who are, thus, members of the true Church shall be eligible for membership in this church.
That Jesus Christ is the Lord and Head of the Church.
In the personal premillennial and imminent coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and that this “Blessed Hope” has a vital bearing on the personal life and service of the believer.
In the bodily resurrection of the dead; of the believer to everlasting blessedness and joy with the Lord; of the unbeliever to judgment and everlasting, conscious punishment.
That the baptism of the Holy Spirit takes place at the time of conversion and is the act of placing the believer into the body of Christ.
That in God’s design for humanity, life begins at fertilization, that God established the institution of family through the union of one man and one woman in a marriage covenant for life, that God’s design for the continuance of humanity is through the procreation and discipleship of children within the marriage union and that marriage is to be an example of the relationship between Jesus Christ and His Church.