What We Believe

THE SCRIPTURES

Inspiration – We believe that the Scriptures of both the Old Testament and New Testament were given to man by the verbal, plenary, and inerrant inspiration of God (II Tim.3:13-17; II Pet. 1:19-21).  Hundreds of times in the Scriptures we find the claim that God is the Author (Exo.34:27; II Sam.23:2; Isa.1:2; Jer.1:7, 9; Eze.2:7; Mat.1:22; Mrk.12:36; Luk.1:70; I Thes.2:13).  By verbal inspiration we mean that the very words of Scripture are God’s words.  It goes beyond the concepts and message to the actual words  (I Cor.2:13;  Mat.24:35; Jer.1:9; Exo.24:4; Deu. 6:6; 31:12; Jos.8:34,35; Psa.12:6-7; Pro.30:5,6; Jer.23:36; 26:2; Mat.4:4; Joh.8:47; II Pet.3:2; Rev.22:18-19).  By plenary inspiration we mean that the entire Bible is inspired, not just certain parts.  We believe that all of the Bible is equally inspired (II Tim.3:16).  By inerrant inspiration we mean that the entire Bible was inspired by God and its recording was absolutely correct in every detail (Joh.10:35; 14:26; 17:17; Psa.119:160; Heb.6:18).

Preservation – We believe that the Scriptures, consisting of the 39 Books of the Old Testament and the 27 Books of the New Testament, are God’s final and complete written Word (Rev. 22:18-19).  We believe that God has taken upon Himself the responsibility for the preservation of His Word (Psa.12:6-7; 119:89, 160; Isa. 40:8; 59:21; Mat.4:4; 5:18; 24:35; II Tim.3:15-16; I Pet.1:23-25).  We believe that God’s incorruptible Word which cannot pass away is available to the English speaking world in the Authorized (King James) Version as this is the only version faithful to the preserved Textus Receptus. 

THE GODHEAD

The Trinity – We believe that the Bible clearly teaches the fact that there is ONE living and true God (Exo.20:2-3; Deu.6:4; Isa. 44:6-8; I Cor.8:4), eternally existent as the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost.  In the unity of the Godhead there are three distinct Persons – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – equal in power and glory (Mat.28:19; II Cor.13:14; Rom.8:9-11; I Joh. 5:7; Joh.14:16, 26; 16:7-15; Eph.4:4-6; Gen.1:1, 26; 11:7-8; Psa. 45:5-7; Isa.48:16; Luke 1:35; Mat.3:16-17; Heb.1:8).

God, The Father – We believe God the Father is supreme in His Person, eternal in His being, absolute in His attributes, and glorious in His perfection.  God is personal, spirit, omniscient, perfect, immutable, holy, love, wisdom, and power.  God is self-existent and self-revealing in His relationship with His creation (Gen.1:1; Deu.4:35; 6:4; I Cor.8:6; Joh.1:1-3; Rom.1:2-4).

God, The Son – We believe the Lord Jesus Christ to be God manifest in the flesh, virgin born, without sin, vicariously crucified, bodily risen, and coming again to receive His church, then returning to earth to establish His kingdom (I Tim.3:16; Isa. 7:14; Mat.1:18; Joh.1:1-3; 14:3; Luk.1:35; I Pet.3:18; I Tim.2:5; Luk.24:6, 39; II Cor.1:21; Col.2:9).  He was the Creator of all things (I Cor.8:6; Col.1:16-17; Heb.1:2) and He upholds all things (Heb.1:3).  He took on the form of a servant and the likeness of men (Phi.2:7-8), having human flesh and nature, yet He is still fully God and He is without sin (Heb.4:15; 7:26; 9:14; I Pet.1:19; 2:22; I Joh.3:5).  We believe in the death, burial, and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ according to the Scriptures (I Cor. 15:1-4) and that He ascended into Heaven bodily (Act.1:9-10; Heb.7:25-28) where He sits at the right hand of God as our great High Priest and intercessor (Col.3:1; I Tim.2:5; Heb.1:3; 2:17; I Joh.2:1).  We believe that Jesus died a substitutionary death for all of mankind (Rom.3:24-26; I Cor.15:3-4; II Cor.5:21; Heb.2:9). 

God, The Holy Spirit – We believe that the Holy Spirit is the executive of the Godhead.  He executes the plan of God for our conviction and salvation.  He empowers the believer for service.  The Holy Spirit is a Person, possessing all the attributes of Deity.  He convicts and reproves the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment.  He regenerates, baptizes, seals, indwells, fills, and gifts the believer.  He guides, teaches, and directs the believer and sets him apart for God’s use.  (Joh.3:5-6; 14:16-26; 16:7-11; I Cor.2:10-12; 3:16; 6:19-20; Act.5:3-4; Eph.1:13-14; 4:30; Rom.8:9).

CREATION

We believe the Genesis account of creation and accept it as being neither allegory or myth, but a literal, historical account of the creative acts of God (Col.1:16-17; Joh.1:3).  God created everything in six literal days without any evolutionary process whatsoever.  God created man in His image and likeness (a triune being: spirit, soul, and body) (Gen.2:7; I Thes.5:23; Heb.4:12).   Adam was created in innocence with a will and by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless state (Gen.3).  All of Adam’s descendants (mankind) are born separated from God and are sinners by conduct, and by choice (Rom.1:21; 5:19).  Therefore, man is under the just condemnation of God without defense or excuse (Rom.1:18-20, 32) and man is incapable of saving himself (Rom.1:19-32; 5:12-21; Eph.2:1-9; Tit.3:5). 

SALVATION

We believe that in order to be saved sinners must be born again (Joh.3:7) and that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus (II Cor.5:17; Eph.2:10; I Joh.5:1).  The word “salvation” implies deliverance, safety, preservation, and protection.  Salvation is the most common Biblical expression used to denote what happens to a person when by faith he or she receives Jesus Christ as Saviour.  The Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice.  He was buried, and three days later He rose again from the dead in His glorified body.  He later ascended into Heaven, and as our great High Priest and Advocate, He ever lives to make intercession for us.  ALL who believe on His name are justified on the grounds of His shed blood and receive the gift of eternal life by the grace of God.  This is salvation.  This salvation is offered to all men by grace through faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ, apart from any human works or merit of any kind (Eph.2:8-9; Rom.10:9-13; Heb.7:24-25; Joh.3:16-18). 

ETERNAL SECURITY

We believe that all who are truly born again are kept by God and will never be lost again.  The Bible clearly teaches that the saved child of God is eternally secure in the Lord Jesus Christ, and is sealed, taught, and comforted by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption.  The believer’s security rests upon the finished work of Jesus Christ (Joh.1:12-13; 10:27-30; I Joh.2:1-2; 5:11-13; Rom.8:31-39; I Cor.6:19; Eph.1:13; 2:8-9; 4:30; II Tim.1:12; Heb.2:10; I Pet.1:5).  Everlasting life means just that (John 3:16; 5:24), it has no end, and is not of human merit.  It is of God through the Lord Jesus Christ.  It is secure in Christ and His shed blood (Rom.8:35-39; Col.1:14; Eph.1) and is the present possession of the believer (Joh.3:36; Eph.1:13-14; 4:30).

THE CHURCH

We believe that salvation makes one a member of the body of Christ and the members of this body should gather together in a local church where they may minister one to another.  We believe that the local church is the agency through which God has chosen to accomplish His work in the world.  A local church is a group of called-out, organized, baptized believers (Act.2:41), under the discipline of the Word of God (Mat.28:20), organized for evangelism (Mrk.16:15), discipleship (Mat.28:19), worship (Phi.3:3), fellowship (Act.2:41-42), education (I Cor.4:17), and the administration of the ordinances (Act.2:41-42).  We believe that the mission of the church to the world is the faithful witnessing of Jesus Christ to all men (Act.1:8; Mat.28:18-20; Mrk.16:15).  We believe that the local church has the absolute right to self government, free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations (Mat.18:16-20; Act.6:1-4; 13:1-3).  The one and only Superintendent is Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit (Eph.5:23; Col.1:18-23).  Each local church is sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation on all matters of policy, government, and discipline (Mat.22:21).  We believe in the unity of all believers in the body of Christ, which is the church.  Both Jews and Gentiles are added to this one body by the baptism of the Holy Spirit (I Cor.12:12-13; Eph. 1:22-23; 2:11-22; 3:1-6; 4:4-6; Col.1:18-23; Gal.3:26-29).  This body of believers is also presented in Scripture as the bride of Christ (Heb.12:23; Eph.1:22-23; Eph.5:23-32). 

CHURCH ORDINANCES

We believe that the church has only two ordinances – baptism and the Lord’s supper.  These ordinances are signified by Paul’s words, “I delivered unto you” (I Cor.11:23; 15:3).  Baptism is to be by total immersion in the name of the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit (Mat.28:19).  Baptism has nothing to do with our salvation, but is a public testimony of one’s faith in Christ and a picture of the death, burial, and resurrection.  Baptism should be administered to those of accountable age who have put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ as Saviour (Mat.28:19; Act.2:41; 8:12, 36-38; 16:14-15, 32-35; Rom.6:3-10).  Not one time in Scripture is an infant ever baptized.  The Lord’s Supper points us back to the death of Christ for our sins.  It is a memorial supper with no grace or merit for those who participate (Mat.26:26-30; I Cor. 11:20-34).  It is to be administered until the Lord returns (I Cor. 11:26) and the participants should be born again believers (I Cor.11:18).

ESCHATOLOGY

We believe in the imminent, pre-millennial return of Christ for His church and that at that moment the dead in Christ shall be raised in glorified bodies and the living in Christ shall be given glorified bodies without tasting death, and all shall be caught up (raptured) to meet the Lord in the air before the “seventieth week” of Daniel (I Cor.15:42-44; 51-54; I Thes.1:10; 4:13-18; 5:9; Phi.3:20-21; Rev.3:10; 4:1).  Following the rapture of the church, the Judgment Seat of Christ will take place for the saints.  This is for reward and loss of reward based upon the believer’s works, not to determine his salvation (I Cor.3:3-15; II Cor.5:10; Rom.14:10).  Following the rapture of the church, Israel and the world will experience seven years of tribulation, culminated by the revelation of Jesus Christ in power and great glory to sit upon the throne of David and to establish His millennial reign (Dan. 2:44-45; Mat.24:29-31; Luk.1:30-33; Isa.9:6-7; 11:1-10; Act. 2:29-30; Rev.20:1-6).  The unsaved will then be judged at the Great White Throne Judgment (Rev.20:11-15).  Christ will then reveal the New Heaven and New Earth (Rev.21).

SEPARATION

We believe in obedience to the Biblical commands to separate entirely from worldliness and from those brethren who walk disorderly (Eph.5:1-11; II Cor.6:14-18; 7:1; I Thes.5:22; I Pet. 4:1-4; I Joh.2:15-16; I Cor.5:11; II Thes.3:6; I Tim.6:5).  Also, we believe in obedience to the Biblical commands to separate entirely from ecclesiastical apostasy (Rom.16:17; I Tim.6:3-5, 20-21; II Tim.2:15-19; II Joh.7-11).

BAPTIST DISTINCTIVES