Doctrinal statement
WHAT WE BELIEVE ABOUT THE BIBLE.
Section 1 - Concerning the Scriptures:

We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men supernaturally inspired by the Holy Spirit of God (1); that it has been perfectly preserved by the same God Who gave it (2); that it has truth without any admixture of error for its matter (3); and, therefore, is, and shall remain to the end of the age, the only complete and final revelation of the will of God to man; the true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried (4).

By “The Holy Bible,” we mean that collection of sixty-six books, from Genesis to Revelation, which, does not only contain and convey the Word of God but is the very Word of God.

By “Inspiration,” we mean that the books of the Bible were written by holy men of old, as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, in such a definite way that their writings were supernaturally and verbally inspired and free from error, as no other writings have ever been or ever will be again.

By “Preservation,” we mean that the same God who gave us His Word in such a supernatural manner, has actively worked to preserve His Word for all generations; seeing that not one “jot or tittle” should fail. We further believe that the Lord has preserved the Old Testament in the Masoretic Hebrew Text and the New Testament in the Textus Receptus Greek Text, from which was translated the King James Version.

Therefore, we believe that the King James Version (or Authorized Version) of the English Bible is a true, faithful, and accurate translation of these preserved texts. We, without apology, hold up the Authorized Version as the Word of God; and we reject all versions and translations from any other manuscripts.

Some places where taught: (1) II Pet. 1:19-21; Heb. 1:1-2; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; II Pet. 3:15-16; II Sam. 23:2; Acts 1:16; I Cor. 2:13-14 (2) Psalms 12:6-7 Matthew 5:18; Psalms 119:152. (3) Prov. 30:5-6; John 17:17; Rev. 22:18-19. (4) Acts 17:11; I Cor. 10:6-12; Eph.6:17; II Tim. 3:15-16; I John 4:1

Section II - Concerning the True God:

We believe that there is only one living and true God (1), who is eternal, self-existing, perfect Spirit (2). He is a personal Being and the Creator and Upholder of the universe (3). Though one God, He exists in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (4). These Persons are equal in essence and in every divine perfection (5), but each has His own distinct work to perform (6).

Some places where taught: (1) Deut. 6:4-5; Jer. 10:10. (2) Hab. 1:12; John 4:24; James 1:17. (3) Gen. 1:1-25; Heb. 1:10; Col. 1:15-17. (4) Matt. 3:16; 28:19; II Cor. 13:14. (5) John 10:30; 14:10; 17:5; I Cor. 8:6; Phil. 2:5-6. (6) John 14:26; 15:26; Eph. 1:3-4, 6-7, 13-14.

Section III - Concerning Creation:

We believe that the Genesis account of creation is to be accepted literally and not figuratively (1). We believe that the six days of creation mentioned in Genesis chapter one were solar hour days (2).

We believe that all animal and vegetable life was made directly and that they follow God’s law in multiplying “after their kind” (3). We believe that the entire human race sprang from one man, Adam, and one woman, Eve, literal people who were created directly in God’s image and after His likeness and did not evolve from any lower form of life (4).

Some places where taught: (1) Gen. 1:1-2:25; Neh. 9:6; Ps. 33:6-9; John 1:3; Heb. 11:3; Col. 1:16-17. (2) Ex. 20:11; 31:17. (3) Gen. 1:11, 12, 21, 24, 25. (4) Gen. 1:26.

Section IV - Concerning the Fall of Man:

We believe that man was originally created a sinless being (1). By voluntary transgression he fell from that sinless state (2), and, as a result, all mankind are now sinners by nature and by conduct (3) and are justly under divine condemnation (4).

Some places where taught: (1) Gen. 1:27, 31; 2:16-17; Eccles. 7:29. (2) Gen. 3:6-7; Rom. 5:12, 19. (3) Ps. 51:5; Is. 53:6; Rom. 3:9-18, 23; 5:15-19; James 2:10. (4) John 3:36; Rom. 1:20.

Section V - Concerning the Lord Jesus Christ:

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is both truly God and truly man (1). His literal human body was miraculously conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, and He was born of a human mother who was a virgin (2). He was the God-Man with two natures, divine and human (3). He lived a sinless life on earth, died on the cross as a substitute for sinners and bearing the judgment of their sins, and was raised bodily from the tomb as a testimony to the sufficiency of His sacrifice and as a guarantee of His people’s future resurrection (4). He now is in heaven as the great High Priest of His people (5). He will return for His people at the rapture of the Church, and later to the earth to reign following the tribulation period (6).

Some places where taught: (1) Phil. 2:5-8. (2) Is. 7:14; Lk. 1:26-38. (3) John 1:1-2, 14; John 8:58; Phil. 2:7-8. (4) Lk. 24:1-6; I Pet. 2:21-24; Lk. 24:1-6; I Cor. 15:1-7, 23-26. (5) Heb. 4:14. (6) Matt. 24:30-31; I Cor. 15:51-52.

Section VI - Concerning the Holy Spirit:

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person, co-equal with God the Father and God the Son (1). He was active in creation (2). He convicts men of sin (3). He indwells each believer (4). He performs various ministries such as regenerating, sealing, guiding, teaching, sanctifying, and strengthening (5). Each believer has been sanctified positionally in Christ, is being sanctified by the continuing work of the Spirit, and ultimately at Christ’s coming will be completely sanctified (6). While the believer can have victory over sin through the power of the Spirit, his sin nature will not be eradicated in this life (7). The Holy Spirit bestows spiritual gifts upon believers, these gifts being special abilities for service. Some gifts, such as tongues, prophecy, and healing, were temporary sign or revelatory gifts and have ceased (8). It is the believer’s privilege to be filled with the Spirit and thus to produce fruit unto God and to live a joyous and productive Christian life (9).

Some places where taught: (1) II Cor. 13:14. (2) Gen. 1:1-2. (3) John 16:8-11. (4) I Cor. 6:19-20. (5) John 3:3; Rom. 8:14; Eph. 1:13, 17; 3:16. (6) I Cor. 1:2; 12:4-7, 11; II Cor. 3:18. (7) I John 1:8. (8) II Cor. 12:12; Heb. 2:4; I Cor. 13:8. (9) Eph. 5:18.

Section VII - Concerning Personal Godliness:

We believe that the result of being filled with the Spirit is a life of personal godliness (1). The believer is to repudiate the world and its patterns of life and thought (2), and to present himself as a living sacrifice to God (3). Christians must guard against the notion that holiness is produced by obedience to rules and regulations, as well as the concept that life under grace permits us to indulge in the sins of the flesh. Life under grace does not allow the believer to live as he wishes (4). He is under a divine mandate to be holy (5). The teaching of Scripture regarding the Christian life is not merely positive in nature, but is also negative, warning the believer against sin. A fruitful Christian life is produced through daily fellowship with the Lord and the control of the Holy Spirit (6).

We stand against immorality as is so often condemned in God’s Word. We believe that the marriage bond is holy and that there should be no sexual relationships between persons who are not married to one another (7). We believe that intercourse between persons of the same sex is contrary to nature and to the explicit teachings of Scripture and is to be condemned (8).

We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, transvestism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery, and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex. We believe that God disapproves of and forbids any attempt to alter one’s gender (collectively, 9). We believe that the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman (10).

Some places where taught: (1) Titus 1:1. (2) John 2:15-17. (3) Romans 12:1-2. (4) Titus 2:11-14. (5) I Peter 1:16. (6) Galatians 5:22-24. (7) Exodus 20:14; I Cor. 6:18; Prov. 5:1-21. (8) Lev. 20:13; Rom. 1:26-27. (9) Gen. 1:26-28; Gen. 2:24; Gen. 19:5, 13; Gen. 26:8-9; Lev. 18:1-30; Deut. 22:5; Rom. 1:26-29; I Cor. 5:1; 6:9; I Thes. 4:1-8; Heb 13:4. (10) Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:4-6; Rom. 7:2; I Cor. 7:10; Eph. 5:22-23.

Section VIII - Concerning Angels:

We believe in the existence of angels who are mighty spiritual beings that were created by God. They serve Him in various ways and are specially appointed to watch over and minister to God’s people (1). We believe that at some time in the past a large number of angels, under the leadership of him who is called Satan, rebelled against God and were removed from His presence (2). They now roam the universe and are especially active on earth, opposing God and His purposes and ruling over the spiritual darkness of this world (3). Satan, also called the Devil, is a real person who has tremendous power and is the enemy of God’s people. He is destined to be judged by Christ at His return and finally to be eternally incarcerated in the lake of fire (4).

Some places where taught: (1) Heb. 1:6, 14. (2) Matt. 25:41. (3) Eph. 6:12. (4) Rev. 20:1-3, 10.

Section IX - Concerning Salvation:

Salvation is made free to all by the Gospel. It is initiated by God and is accomplished by grace apart from any human works (1). It is the duty of all persons to accept it by personal faith (2). Nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner except his own voluntary refusal to accept Christ as Savior (3). All who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are forgiven, regenerated, and justified (4). The perfect righteousness of Christ is imputed to them (5). They are given spiritual life which is manifested in their growth in grace (6). True believers are saved forever and can never be lost (7).

Some places where taught: (1) Eph. 2:8-9. (2) John 3:16; Acts 16:31. (3) John 5:40; Rom. 2:5; I Tim. 2:4. (4) Rom. 5:1; Eph. 1:7; I Pet. 1:23. (5) II Cor. 5:21. (6) II Pet. 3:18. (7) John 10:27-30.

Section X - Concerning the Church:

We believe that the Church, the Body of Christ, is composed of all true believers who are placed into that Body by the baptizing work of the Holy Spirit (1). The Church is distinct from Israel (2). We believe that a local, visible church is an organized congregation of immersed believers (3), associated together by a common faith and fellowship in the Gospel. Such a church is to be governed by the Word of God (4), and to observe the ordinances of baptism (the immersion of true believers only) and the Lord’s Table (5).Its Scriptural officers are male believers referred to in Scripture as bishops (pastors) and deacons. A church normally has one pastor under whose direction other pastors function (if there is more than one pastor). The qualifications and duties of a pastor are defined in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus (6). A local church is autonomous, is not to be subject to the control of any outside persons or organizations, and has the power and right to confess its own faith and conduct its own affairs in accordance with the teachings of the New Testament. On all matters of membership, polity, government, discipline, and benevolence, the will of the local church is final (7). We believe that both Christian baptism and the Lord’s Supper are each a symbolic memorial and a prophecy (8). We believe that Christian baptism is the single immersion in water of a believer (9), performed in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (10). It shows forth, in solemn and beautiful figure, our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, and our death to sin and resurrection to a new life (11). Baptism is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership and participation in the Lord’s Supper (12). At the Lord’s Supper the members of the Church, by the use of bread and the fruit of the vine, commemorate together the death of Christ (13). This commemoration should always be preceded by careful self-examination (14). The church and its members should have as primary goals the evangelization of their own area, the extension of the gospel to the ends of the earth through Biblical missionary methods, and the edification of believers (15).

Some places where taught: (1) Matt. 16:18; I Cor. 12:13; Eph. 1:22-23. (2) Eph. 3:3-6. (3) Acts 2:41-42. (4) II Tim. 3:16-17. (5) Matt. 28:19-20; I Cor. 11:23-24. (6) I Tim. 3:1-16; Titus 1:5-9. (7) Matt. 18:15-18; Acts 6:3-5; I Cor. 5:4-5, 13; I Tim. 3:15. (8) Rom. 6:3-4; I Cor. 11:26. (9) Acts 8:36-39. (10) Matt. 28:19. (11) Rom. 6:3-4. (12) Acts 2:41-42. (13) I Cor. 11:26; Matt. 26:29. (14) I Cor. 11:28. (15) Acts 8:4; 11:20-21.

Section XI - Concerning the Lord's Day:

We believe that the first day of the week is the Lord’s Day, and is a Christian institution that is to be kept sacred for spiritual purposes insofar as is possible on the part of the individual believer. It commemorates the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead (1). It is a time for public service and for spiritual growth (2).

Some places where taught: (1) John 20:1, 19. (2) Acts 20:7; I Cor. 16:1-2.

Section XII - Concerning Heresy, Apostasy, and Compromise:

We believe that the Word of God predicts widespread apostasy from the revealed Christian faith as the time of Christ’s coming draws nearer (1), and that obedient believers and local churches are to practice complete separation from these who deny the faith. The Scripture teaches that we are not to seek to win them to the faith by fellowshipping with them, but rather we are to identify them, rebuke them, and withdraw ourselves from any spiritual communion with them (2). The principle of separation, as opposed to infiltration or collaboration, is clearly taught. We also believe that we are to refuse ecclesiastical fellowship and organizational cooperation to those who are truly born again but who espouse doctrines that are contrary to Scripture or are engaged in practices that are not consistent with the Word and with a separated walk (3).

Some places where taught: (1) II Pet. 2:1-3; I John 4:1. (2) Rom. 16:17; II Cor. 6:17; Tit. 1:13. (3) Gal. 2:11-21; II Thess. 3:6-12.

Section XIII - Concerning Civil Government and Religious Liberty:

We believe that civil government is of divine appointment and is for the maintenance of good order in human society (1). Believers are to pray for, honour, and obey civil authorities (2) except where to do so would be to violate plain commands and principles of the Word of God (3). The Church and the State have separate spheres of authority and the State has no valid jurisdiction over the ministry of the Church (4). The State should not favour one ecclesiastical group over another, nor should the State impose taxes for the support of any form of religion. A free church in a free State is the Christian ideal.

Some places where taught: (1) Rom. 13:1-7. (2) Tit. 3:1; I Pet. 2:13-14; I Tim. 2:1-3. (3) Acts 4:18-20; 5:29. (4) Matt. 22:21.

Section XIV - Concerning Future Events:

We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked. Those who are righteous will enter into eternal bliss with Christ and those who are wicked will be lost forever (1). We believe that the Scriptures teach that at death the spirit and soul of the believer pass into the presence of Christ and remain in conscious joy until the resurrection of the body when Christ comes for His own (2). The blessed hope of the believer is the imminent, personal, pretribulational, premillennial appearance of Christ to rapture the Church, His bride, prior to the seventieth week of Daniel (3). God’s righteous judgments will then be poured out upon an unbelieving world during the seven years of tribulation (4). The climax of this fearful era will be the physical return of Jesus Christ to the earth in great glory to reestablish the Davidic kingdom (5). Israel will be saved and restored as a nation (6). Satan will be bound, and the curse essentially will be lifted from the physical creation (7). Following this thousand-year reign of Christ (the Millennium), the Great White Throne Judgment will occur, at which time the bodies and souls of the wicked shall be reunited and cast into the lake of fire, a divinely appointed place of eternal torment (8). The saved will enter the city which God has prepared for His own and will live with the Lord in resurrected and glorified bodies (9).

Some places where taught: (1) Mal. 3:18; John 3:16-18. (2) I Cor. 15:51-57; II Cor. 5:8. (3) I Thess. 4:13-18; Titus 2:13. (4) Rev. 6:17. (5) Rev. 19:11-20:6. (6) Rom. 11:26-27. (7) Is. 35:1-7. (8) Rev. 20:7-15. (9) Phil. 3:20-21; Rev. 21:1-3.

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