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We Believe...
The Scriptures:
The Bible is the inspired Word of God, the product of holy men of old who spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
We Believe...
The Godhead
:
Our God is one, but manifested in three Persons - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, being coequal
(Deut. 6:4;Phil. 2:6).
We
Believe...
Man, his Fall and Redemption
:
Man is a created being, made in the likeness and image of God, but
through Adam's transgression and fall, sin came into the world. The Bible
says "...all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God," and "...There
is none righteous, no, not one." (Rom. 3:10; 3:23). Jesus Christ, the
Son of God, was manifested to undo the works of the devil and gave His life
and shed His blood to redeem and restore man back to God (Rom. 5:14; 1
John 3:8).
Salvation is the gift of God to man, separate from works and the Law, and is
made operative by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, producing works
acceptable to God (Eph. 2:8-10).
We Believe...
Eternal Life and the New
Birth:
Man's first step toward salvation is godly sorrow that worketh
repentance. The new birth is necessary to all men, and when experienced,
produces eternal life (2 Cor. 7:10; John 3:3-5; 1 John 5:12).
We Believe...
Water Baptism :
Baptism in water is by immersion, is a direct commandment of our Lord,
and is for believers only. The ordinance is a symbol of the Christian's
identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection.
(Matt. 28:19; Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12; Acts 8:36-39).
The following recommendation regarding the water baptismal formula is
adopted; to wit: "On the confession of your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,
the Son of God, and by His authority, I baptize you in the Name of the
Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen."
We
Believe...
Baptism in the Holy Ghost :
The Baptism in the Holy Ghost and fire is a gift from God as promised by the
Lord Jesus Christ to all believers in this dispensation and is received
subsequent to the new birth. This experience is accompanied by the initial
evidence of speaking in other tongues as the Holy Spirit Himself gives
utterance (Matt. 3:11; John 14:16,17; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:38,39; Acts
19:1-7; Acts 2:1-4).
We
Believe...
Sanctification :
The Bible teaches that without holiness no man can see the Lord. We believe
in the Doctrine of Sanctification as a definite, yet progressive work of
grace, commencing at the time of regeneration and continuing until the
consummation of salvation at Christ's return (Heb. 12:14; 1 Thess. 5:23;
2 Peter 3:18; 2 Cor. 3:18; Phil. 3:12-14; 1 Cor. 1:30).
We
Believe...
Divine Healing :
Healing is for the physical ills of the human body and is wrought by the
power of God through the prayer of faith, and by the laying on of hands. It
is provided for in the atonement of Christ, and is the privilege of every
member of the Church today (James 5:14,15; Mark 16:18; Isa. 53:4,5; Matt.
8:17; 1 Peter 2:24).
We
Believe...
Resurrection of the just and the Return of Our Lord :
The angels said to Jesus' disciples, "...this same Jesus, which is taken up
from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go
into heaven." His coming is imminent. When He comes, "...the dead in Christ
shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up
together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air..." (Acts
1:11; 1 Thess. 4:16,17).
Following the Tribulation, He shall return to earth as King of kings, and
Lord of lords, and together with His saints, who shall be kings and priests,
He shall reign a thousand years (Rev. 5:10;20:6).
We
Believe...
Hell and Eternal Retribution :
The one who physically dies in his sins without accepting Christ is
hopelessly and eternally lost in the lake of fire and, therefore, has no
further opportunity of hearing the Gospel or repenting. The lake of fire is
literal. The terms "eternal" and "everlasting," used in describing the
duration of the punishment of the damned in the lake of fire, carry the same
thought and meaning of endless existence as used in denoting the duration of
joy and ecstasy of saints in the Presence of God (Heb. 9:27; Rev. 19:20). |
