What We Believe

The Scriptures

We believe in the verbal (words), plenary (all) inspiration of the Bible,1 the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament Canon which, being inerrant in the original manuscripts,2 is the final authority on all matters of faith, practice, and any other subject on which it touches.3 We believe in a dispensational understanding of the Bible. This approach maintains a literal (normal) interpretation of the Bible and recognizes a fundamental distinction between Israel and the Church4 in origin, purposes, and destiny.

We believe that God has providentially and fully preserved His Word for us today. We believe that God exclusively speaks to us through His sufficient Word. We believe that God has preserved His unchanging Word in the many ancient manuscripts, versions and translations – not just one text family or translation. We do not believe that any one English translation is free of error, and that an English translation is God’s Word, inasmuch as it faithfully adherers to the original Hebrew and Greek manuscripts (such as the King James, New King James, and the New American Standard Bibles).
  1. 1 Cor 2:13; 2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:21; Rev 22:18–19
  2. Matt 5:18; 24:35; John 10:35; 17:17
  3. Isa 8:20; Matt 5:18; 24:35; John 10:35; 2 Tim 3:16–17
  4. 1 Cor 10:32

The Godhead

We believe there is only one true God,1 eternally existing2 in three uncreated Persons,3:  God the Father,4 God the Son,5 and God the Holy Spirit.6 These three are of one and the same essence though distinct in personality,7 equal in every divine characteristic,8 and function in perfect harmony to accomplish the manifold works of God.9

  1. Deut 6:4; Isa 45:21–22; John 5:44
  2. Exod 3:14; Jer 10:10
  3. Exod 3:14; Matt 28:19; John 5:26; 2 Cor 13:14; Jude 20–21
  4. John 4:21, 23; Rom 15:6
  5. Matt 3:17; Rom 1:3–4
  6. Gen 1:2; Matt 1:18; 12:32
  7. 2 Sam 23:2–3; John 6:27; Heb 1:8
  8. John 5:23; 16:15; Acts 5:3–4
  9. Eph 2:18; Heb 9:14

God the Father

We believe in God the Father, the First Person of the eternal Trinity,1 being the Father because of His personal relationship to the Son,2 whom He sent into the world,3 and who, together with the Son, sent the Holy Spirit.4 While these three persons are identical in essence and equal in every divine perfection, there is an economical order among them.5 In this sense there are the First, Second, and Third Persons of the Triune God. The Father is the ultimate source of all things,6 the sustainer of all things,7 and the controller of all things.8 He enters into a Fatherhood relationship with men spiritually through the new birth,9 forgives their sins,10 and answers their prayers.11

  1. John 17:5; Rom 16:26
  2. Ps 2:7; 2 John 3
  3. John 3:16–17; 1 John 4:10
  4. John 14:26; 15:26
  5. John 14:28; 15:26; 1 Cor 11:3
  6. 1 Cor 8:6; Eph 3:9
  7. Neh 9:6; Ps 104:19–22; John 5:17
  8. Ps 103:19; 148:8; Prov 19:21; 1 Cor 10:13
  9. John 1:12; Gal 3:26; 4:5–6
  10. 1 John 1:9
  11. John 16:23

Jesus Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ of Nazareth is the pre-existent, eternal Son of God,1 that He is both God2 and man,3 and that His two natures are inseparably united in one glorious Person through the incarnation.4 We believe in His virgin conception and birth,5 His substitutionary atonement for the sins of mankind,6 His bodily resurrection from the tomb,7 His ascension into heaven8 as the believer’s High Priest and Advocate before the throne of God 9, and His literal return for His people.10

  1. Isa 9:6; Matt 16:16; John 10:36; 17:5
  2. John 1:1; Rom 9:5; Titus 2:13; Heb 1:8; 1 John 5:20
  3. Matt 20:28; John 8:40; 1 Tim 2:5
  4. John 1:14; Rom 1:3–4; Heb 10:5
  5. Isa 7:14; Matt 1:18–25
  6. Isa 53:1–12; John 1:29; 1 John 2:2
  7. Matt 28:5–7; Luke 24:1–7; 1 Cor 15:3–4; Rev 1:18
  8. Luke 24:51; Acts 1:2, 9–11
  9. 1 Tim 2:5; Heb 1:3; 4:14–16; 1 John 2:1; Rev 3:21
  10. John 14:3; 1 Thess 4:13-18

The Holy Spirit

We believe in the eternal deity and personality of the Holy Spirit1 whose ministry it is to convict of sin,2 bear witness to Jesus Christ,3 and baptize the repentant, believing sinner into the Body of Christ.4 At the new birth the Spirit imparts spiritual life (regeneration),5 permanently indwells the believer,6 and becomes the seal of divine ownership and pledge that guarantees the final salvation of the believer.7 We believe in the filling of the Holy Spirit – which is His controlling of the believer in proportion to yieldedness to God’s Word8—that is evidenced by the fruit of the Spirit in the life.9
  1. 2 Sam 23:2–3; John 16:7–8; 1 Cor 3:16; Heb 9:14
  2. John 16:8–11
  3. John 15:26; 16:14–15
  4. 1 Cor 12:13
  5. John 3:3, 5; Titus 3:5
  6. John 7:37–39; 14:16; Rom 8:9; 1 Cor 3:16
  7. 2 Cor 1:22; 5:5; Eph 1:13–14; 4:30
  8. Acts 2:4; Rom 6:13; 12:1–2; Gal 5:16; Eph 4:30
  9. John 15:16; Gal 5:22–23; Col 1:10

Creation

We believe in the direct creation of the universe out of nothing in six successive twenty-four hour days, an act of God for His own glory. God gave existence to all things in the universe external to Himself. We oppose all forms of the theory of evolution, whether theistic or atheistic.
  • Gen 1–2
  • Exod 20:11
  • Ps 19:1–6; 33:6, 9; 90:2
  • Isa 40:28
  • 1 Cor 8:6
  • Heb 11:3
  • Rev 4:9–11

The Fall of Man

We believe that man was created directly by God on Day Six of the creation week,1 in His image,2 and in a state of sinlessness (innocence) and righteousness.3 We believe that man freely chose to transgress the will of God4 and thereby mankind incurred sin,5 condemnation (or guilt),6 and physical and spiritual death.7 Therefore, man is a sinner by nature and by choice,8 is totally depraved, destitute of any moral good, and utterly unable to merit God’s favor or contribute to his salvation.9
  1. Gen 1:26–31; 2:7–25
  2. Gen 1:26–27; 1 Cor 11:7; Jas 3:9
  3. Eccl 7:29; Eph 4:24; Col 3:9–10
  4. Gen 3:1–7; 1 Tim 2:14
  5. Ps 51:5; Rom 5:12, 19
  6. Rom 5:16, 18
  7. Gen 2:17; Rom 5:12, 14, 15, 17, 21; 6:23; 1 Cor 15:21–22; Eph 2:1
  8. Gen 8:21; 1 Kgs 8:46; Isa 53:6; Jer 17:9; Rom 3:10, 12, 23; 1 John 1:8, 10
  9. Isa 64:6; Matt 19:25–26; Rom 4:5–6; Eph 2:9; Titus 3:5

Salvation

We believe in the salvation of sinners through Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, who is the only Savior of men1 by virtue of His shed blood,2 i.e., His substitutionary death for sinners.3 We believe that salvation is completely dependent on the grace of God,4 is a free gift of God5 that man cannot earn or merit in any way,6 is applied by the work of the Holy Spirit using the instrumentality of the Word of God,7 and is appropriated by repentance8 and faith in the resurrected Son of God.9 We hold that in salvation the believer is chosen,10 called,11 regenerated,12 Spirit-baptized into union with Christ,13justified14 (this is a legal declaration of the sinner’s righteousness in Christ, including the forgiveness of sin15 and restoration to favor with God through the righteousness of Christ16), adopted,17 sanctified,18and glorified.19 We believe that God secures and guarantees the final salvation of every true believer,20 and that the genuine believer must and will persevere in the faith and Christian life until he meets the Lord.21
  1. John 14:6; Acts 4:12; 1 Tim 2:5
  2. Rom 3:25; 5:8–10; Eph 1:7; Heb 9:14–15, 22; 1 Pet 1:18–19
  3. Isa 53:4–6, 8–9, 11–12; 2 Cor 5:21; Gal 3:13; 1 Pet 2:24
  4. John 6:65; Rom 4:16; Eph 2:8
  5. Rom 5:15–17; 6:23; Eph 2:9
  6. Eph 2:9; Titus 3:5
  7. John 16:8–11; Eph 5:26; Jas 1:18; 1 Pet 1:23
  8. Matt 3:2, 8; Acts 3:19; 20:21; 26:20; Heb 6:1
  9. Acts 16:31; Rom 4:5, 16; Eph 2:8–9; Heb 6:1
  10. Rom 8:33; Acts 13:48; Eph 1:4; 1 Thess 1:4; 2 Thess 2:13; 1 Pet 1:2
  11. John 5:25; Rom 8:28, 30; 1 Cor 1:9, 24; 1 Tim 6:12; 2 Tim 1:9
  12. John 1:13; 5:25; Titus 3:5; 1 Pet 1:3, 23
  13. Rom 6:3–10; 1 Cor 12:13; Gal 3:27–28
  14. Rom 4:1–5, 25; 5:1, 18–19
  15. Acts 10:43; Eph 1:7; 4:32; Col 1:14; 2:13; 1 John 2:12
  16. 1 Cor 1:30; 2 Cor 5:21
  17. Rom 8:15; Gal 4:5; Eph 1:5
  18. 1 Cor 1:2, 30; 6:11; Heb 10:10, 14
  19. Rom 8:30
  20. John 6:39; 10:27–30; Rom 8:35–39; 1 Cor 1:8–9; Phil 1:6; Jude 24
  21. John 8:31–32; 1 Cor 15:2;Col 1:23; 2 Tim 2:12; Heb 3:14; 4:14; 6:11–12; 12:14; 1 John 2:19; 5:4; Jude 21-24

Sanctification

We believe that the sanctification of the believer means to be separated from sin and set apart unto God, and has three aspects. First, there is positional sanctification by which the believer is given a perfect standing before God, i.e., the status of a saint.1 Second, there is present sanctification by which the believer is cleansed of the daily defilement of sin and is progressively brought into conformity to the image of Christ.2 After the new birth the believer still has a sinful nature (unsubdued desires to sin), which is in constant and life-long conflict with the spiritual nature (a desire for holiness which came with the new spiritual life and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit).3 While the believer’s slavish addiction to sin is gone, the presence of sin and its tendencies are not. Present sanctification is the progressive elimination of sin in the believer’s life and a gradual conformity to Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit through the means of the Word of God and prayer,4 faith,5 obedience,6 self denial,7 and an active resistance against sin and Satan.8 Third, there is final sanctification when the believer will be fully conformed to the image of Christ and sin will be eliminated forever from his experience.9
  1. Acts 26:18; 1 Cor 1:2; 6:11; Heb 10:10, 14
  2. John 13:10; 2 Cor 3:18; 1 Thess 5:23
  3. Rom 7:22–23; Gal 5:17
  4. Mark 14:38; John 17:17; 1 Pet 2:2; Jude 20–21
  5. Rom 6:11
  6. Rom 6:12–14, 12:1–2; Jas 4:7–8
  7. Rom 8:13; Col 3:5; Titus 2:12; 1 Pet 1:14–15
  8. 1 Cor 6:14, 18; Heb 12:1; 1 John 3:3
  9. Phil 3:21; 1 Thess 3:12–13; Heb 9:28; 1 John 3:2; Jude 24

Spiritual Gifts

We believe that a spiritual gift is an ability to serve the Lord in the context of the local church. While God is sovereign in the bestowment of all His spiritual gifts,1 every believer has a ministry to serve in the church and has been gifted by God accordingly.2 Gifts are given for the common good of the church,3 the edification of the church,4 the service and ministry of the church,5 and the attestation or accreditation of God’s messengers and their new revelation for the church age.6 We believe that certain gifts prevalent in the church in the first century were miraculous in nature, such as speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues, prophecy, and the working of miracles. They were foundational and transitional, having served the church in its infancy and immature stage. These gifts have now ceased since the Scriptures have been given, the church has been launched and divinely certified, the transition from Law to Grace has been made, and the apostles have gone to their eternal reward.7
  1. Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 12:11, 18, 28–31; Eph 4:7–8; Heb 2:4
  2. 1 Cor 12:27; 1 Pet 4:10
  3. 1 Cor 12:7
  4. 1 Cor 14:12
  5. Eph 4:11–12
  6. 2 Cor 12:12; Heb 2:4
  7. 1 Cor 13:8–12; Eph 2:20; Heb 2:1–4

Satan

We believe in the reality of Satan as a distinct person,1 who, though having been created in a state of perfection and enjoying heaven with God,2 was prompted by pride to rebel against God and fell from his original exalted state,3  leading a multitude of other angels (demons) in his revolt, over whom he is king.4 Satan is the god of this world5 and the archenemy of God and believers, whose purpose and work is to thwart the plan of God,6 accuse and oppose believers,7 incite persecution against believers,8 sow counterfeits among true believers,9 and tempt believers to sin.10 Satan will be cast down to earth during the Tribulation Period,11 bound in the abyss during the Millennium,12 loosed after the Millennium for a little season to provoke the final rebellion of mankind against God,13 and finally be consigned forever to the lake of fire.14

  1. 1 Chr 21:1; Job 1:6–12; 2:1–7; Matt 4:1–11; 2 Cor 12:7
  2. Ezek 28:12–15; Rev 12:3–4
  3. Isa 14:12–15; Ezek 28:17; 1 Tim 3:6
  4. Matt 12:24; 25:41; Rev 9:11; 12:3–4, 7
  5. John 12:31; 2 Cor 4:3–4
  6. Gen 3:4–5; Job 1:9–11; 2:4–5; Matt 4:1–11; 2 Cor 11:13–15
  7. 1 Pet 5:8; Rev 12:10
  8. Rev 2:10
  9. Matt 13:39
  10. 1 Cor 7:5
  11. Rev 12:7–9
  12. Rev 20:1–3
  13. Rev 20:7–9
  14. John 16:11; Rev 20:10

The Church

We believe that the Church has both a universal and a local aspect. The universal church, of which Christ is the Head,1 is composed of genuine believers in Jesus Christ, all Spirit-baptized believers of this age regardless of location or circumstances.2 We believe that a local church is the visible expression of the universal church in a particular time and place,3 being an organized body of believers,4 sharing a common faith in Christ,5 observing the ordinances of baptism6 and the Lord’s Table,7 meeting at regular times8 for worship, preaching and teaching, fellowship, and prayer,9 carrying out the Great Commission,10 whose biblical offices are pastor (elder; overseer)11 and deacon.12 We believe that the local church is an independent body solely responsible to preserve its internal unity,13 maintain pure doctrine and practice,14 elect its own leaders,15 settle its own internal affairs,16 and determine the extent of its cooperation with other churches.17  We believe that the local church is God’s ordained instrument for His work and witness in this age.18
  1. Eph 1:22–23; 5:23; Col 1:18, 24
  2. 1 Cor 12:13; Eph 2:11–22
  3. Acts 13:1; Rom 16:1, 5; 1 Cor 1:2; 1 Thess 1:1; Phlm 2
  4. Matt 28:19; Acts 2:41, 47
  5. Acts 2:42; 2 Thess 3:6; Jude 3
  6. Matt 28:19; Acts 2:41; 10:47–48; 16:15, 33; 18:8; 19:5; 1 Cor 1:16
  7. Matt 26:26–30; Acts 2:42; 20:7; 1 Cor 10:16–22; 11:23–32
  8. Acts 20:7; 1 Cor 16:2; Heb 10:25
  9. Acts 2:42, 47
  10. Matt 28:19–20; Luke 24:46–48; Acts 1:8
  11. Acts 20:17, 28; Eph 4:11; Phil 1:1; 1 Tim 3:1–7; Titus 1:5; 1 Pet 5:1
  12. Acts 6:1–6; Phil 1:1; 1 Tim 3:8–13
  13. Rom 12:16; 1 Cor 1:10; 2 Cor 13:11; Phil 4:2
  14. 1 Tim 3:15; Jude 3; Rev 2–3
  15. Acts 6:1–6; 11:22; 13:2; 15:3, 4, 22; 1 Cor 16:3; 2 Cor 8:19
  16. Matt 18:15–17; 1 Cor 5:4–5, 12; 6:1–5; 2 Cor 2:6; 2 Thess 3:6
  17. Acts 15:2–32; 2 Cor 8:19; Col 4:16
  18. 1 Tim 3:15

The Second Coming

We believe in the literal return of Jesus Christ that will take place in two stages. The first stage is the Rapture, or His personal,1 imminent,2 and pretribulational3 coming for all saints of the Church Age.4 The second stage is the Revelation or the Second Coming in Glory, which is His personal and public coming at the close of the Tribulation Period to establish the Messianic, Millennial Kingdom on the earth5 when Israel will be restored to covenant favor with God6 and to her land in faith in Christ7 and the Church will reign with Christ for a thousand years.8 After the Millennium there will be a new heaven and earth wherein God will dwell eternally with His people.9
  1. 1 Thess 4:16; 2 Thess 2:1; 1 John 3:2
  2. Rom 13:12; 1 Cor 1:7; 1 Thess 5:6; Titus 2:13; Jas 5:8–9; 1 Pet 4:5; 2 Pet 3:12; Jude 21; Rev 22:10
  3. 1 Thess 1:10; 5:9; Rev 3:10
  4. John 14:1–3; 1 Cor 15:51–52; Phil 3:20–21; Col 1:4; 1 Thess 4:16–17
  5. Dan 7:9–14; Zech 14:1–4; Mal 3:1–2; Matt 24:29–30; Acts 1:11; 2 Thess 2:8; Rev 1:7
  6. Jer 30:31–34; 31:28; Ezek 36:11; Joel 3:1; Amos 9:14; Mic 4:7–8; Zech 10:6; Rom 11:25–27
  7. Gen 13:14–17; 15:18; Deut 30:1–11; Isa 11:12; 14:2; Jer 32:37–41; Ezek 34:10–16; 37:14; Amos 9:15; Zech 10:9–10; Matt 24:30–31
  8. 2 Tim 2:12; Rev 3:21; 20:1–6
  9. 2 Pet 3:13; Rev 21:1–3

The Resurrection

We believe in the bodily resurrection of the saved and unsaved, though occurring at separate times.1 The souls of believers go immediately into His presence at death,2 remaining in a state of conscious bliss until the resurrection of the saved, at which time they will receive their glorified bodies,3 and thereafter spend eternity serving the Lord in unending fellowship and love.4 The souls of unbelievers at death go immediately into a state of conscious torment in literal hell-fire,5 where they remain until the resurrection of the unsaved, when they will be cast into the lake of fire to endure eternal suffering as a just retribution for their sin.6 The resurrection of the saved begins at the Rapture of the Church and is completed at the end of the Tribulation.7 The resurrection of the unsaved is after the Millennium where they will stand before God to be judged.8

  1. Dan 12:2; John 5:28–29; Acts 24:15; 1 Cor 15:21–24
  2. Acts 7:59–60; 2 Cor 5:8; Phil 1:21–23
  3. Rom 8:11, 23; 1 Cor 15:22–24, 35–38; Phil 3:20–21; 1 John 3:2
  4. 1 Cor 13:13; 2 Pet 3:13; Rev 21:1–7, 9–27; 22:1–5, 14
  5. Deut 32:22; Luke 16:23–25
  6. Matt 8:12; 18:8; 25:41, 46; Mark 9:43–48; Rev 14:10, 11; 20:14–15; 21:8
  7. Dan 12:2; 1 Cor 15:23; 1 Thess 4:16; Rev 11:11–12; 20:4–5
  8. Rev 20:5, 11–15

Separation

We believe in both personal and ecclesiastical separation. The doctrine of separation is grounded in the character of God Himself. Holiness carries the basic idea of separation or apartness. God is holy in that He is separate or apart from all that is created1 and from all that is sinful.2 God demands that His people be holy or separated from sin3 and set apart unto God in all purity. God constituted the nation of Israel a holy people who were to be separated from the practices of the surrounding heathen.4 God commands His people today to be personally separated from the world,5 the temporary system of evil led by Satan,6 organized against God and His will,7 that has its own philosophies, goals, lifestyles, amusements, habits, and practices. Ecclesiastical separation is the refusal to work or fellowship with a church, religious organization, and/or religious leader, which does not hold to the fundamentals of the faith.8 Ecclesiastical separation also maintains a like refusal to fellowship with so-called “Christian” ministries who maintain connections with those who do not hold to the fundamentals of the faith.9

  1. Ps 99:1–3; Isa 57:15
  2. Isa 6:3, 5; Matt 6:9–10; 1 Tim 6:16; 1 Pet 1:15; 1 John 1:5
  3. Matt 5:48; Rom 12:1; Eph 1:4; 1 Pet 1:15–16; 1 John 2:1
  4. Exod 19:5–6; Lev 20:24–26; Deut 7:1–6; Ps 135:4
  5. Rom 12:2; Eph 5:11; Jas 4:4; 1 John 2:15
  6. John 12:31; 2 Cor 4:4; 1 John 2:17; 5:19
  7. John 7:7; 15:18; Jas 4:4
  8. Matt 7:15; Rom 16:17–18; 2 Cor 6:14–18; Gal 1:18–19; 1 Tim 6:3–5; 2 Tim 2:16–21; Titus 3:10–11; 2 John 10–11; Rev 2:14
  9. 2 Thess 3:6, 14; 1 Cor 5:9-13
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