The Bible: We believe that the 66 books of the Bible are the revealed Word of God, and that they were inspired by God as God used men as instruments to write the original autographs to convey His message to the world (2 Peter 1:21). Since every word of Holy Scriptures are the inspired word of God (2 Timothy 3:16), the Scriptures in its original documents are infallible and inerrant. The Bible is the sufficient, final authority for the Christian’s faith and practice of the faith (1 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21). When the Bible speaks, God speaks.
God: We believe that there is only one God, (Deuteronomy 6:4) who is infinitely perfect in all that He is and all that He does (Matthew 5:48). He is the Creator of all things including all things in the universe (Genesis 1:1). He exists eternally in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19) but still remains as one God.
Trinity: We believe there is one God over all. Within the Godhead there exists a unity of three distinct yet fully divine persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Though differing in roles in their economy, the three persons are one true, eternal God, same in substance, equal in power and glory.
Jesus: We believe Jesus Christ is the true God and the true man (Philippians 2:6–11). He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary (Luke 1:34–38). He died upon the cross, the Just for the unjust ( I Peter 3:18) as a substitutionary sacrifice, (Hebrews 2:9) and all who believe in Him are justified on the ground of His shed blood (Romans 5:9). He arose from the dead according to the Scriptures (Acts 2:23–24). He is now at the right hand of Majesty on high as our great High Priest (Hebrews 8:1). He will come again to establish His kingdom, righteousness and peace (Matthew 26:64).
Holy Spirit: We believe that the Holy Spirit is not a force but a divine person and God Himself (John 14:15–18; Acts 5:3-4). He was sent by God to dwell in true believers (Romans 8:9; 1 Cor 3:16), and helps them to live holy lives (Rom 4:4-17). He guides and teaches the believer in the truth and grants the power to spread the Gospel message (John 16:13; Acts 1:8). He promises to convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment (John 16:7–11).
Man and Sin: We believe that mankind, both male and female, has been created in the image and likeness of God, where all people find their dignity and inherent value (Genesis 1:27). This image was marred by the fall of mankind in sin (Genesis 3), though it did not stop man from being image bearers. Man fell through disobedience, thus incurring both physical and spiritual death. All men are born with a sinful nature, (Romans 3:23) are separated from the life of God and dead in their trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1-2). Because of this, man can only be saved only through the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:20–23), so that mankind can bear the image of God in a perfect fashion in heaven.
Salvation: We believe God sent His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is fully God and fully man to come to earth and live amongst mankind. In that life, He lived a perfectly righteous life and was crucified on the cross. Christ took the wrath of God on behalf of those who would believe in Him, so that in exchange they would receive Christ’s righteousness and not be condemned for their sins. Salvation is all by God’s grace on the basis of the person and work of Jesus Christ and not on the basis of human merit or works (John 1:12; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-10; 1 Peter 1:18-19). The only contribution a believer gives to his salvation is his sin that is in need of cleansing and forgiveness. A person must repent of his sins by turning away from them and embracing Jesus Christ as Lord. He must and believe and fully trust in the finished work of Christ, and love the Lord as the greatest and supreme joy of the universe.
The Church: We believe the church is the people of God who have been bought and purchased by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and are baptized in the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 12:13). The universal church, the body of Christ (1 Cor 12), manifests itself locally through lives of committed believers who regularly gather in a Gospel community to serve one another and practice the ordinances (Heb 10:24-25). This community cares for the spiritual health of one another (Gal 6:1–5; 1 Thess 5:12–14), practices the spiritual disciplines, exercises their spiritual gifts (1 Cor 14:12), participates in discipleship (Matt 28:19–20; 2 Tim 2:2; Titus 2), and respects its church leadership (Heb 13:17).
The Ordinances: We believe the two ordinances to be practiced in the church are baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
We believe baptism is an act of obedience that is the first act of obedience of the new believer. Though it is not a prerequisite for salvation, it is a picture of it. The Scriptures teach that it is a command to be obeyed (Matt 28:19-20; Acts 2:38). The purpose of baptism includes the following:
- it is a symbol of salvation (Rom 6:1-11; Titus 3:5);
- it identifies a person with the God of the Bible (Matt 29:19-20; Acts 2:38; 8:18; 22:16);
- it identifies an individual with the church family (1 Cor 12:13; Eph 4:5) ;
- and it encourages the church body (1 Cor 1:13; Acts 10).
The participants of baptism are those who have called upon the Lord for salvation and are professing believers in Christ. The mode of baptism taught in Scripture is that of immersion (Acts 8:38; cf. Mark 1:10).
We believe the Lord’s Supper is a act of worship that is to be regularly practiced (Matt 26:26-35; 1 Cor 11:26). It commemorates work of Christ on the cross and is a proclamation of His future return (1 Cor 11:23-26). The Communion elements are only representations of the body and the blood; no change in substance occurs in the elements during Communion. Participants are examine their lives as they participate in an act of integrity (1 Cor 11:27-32). This includes confessing sin, being at peace with the brethren, and being unified with the local church (1 Cor 11:17-22, 33).
The Second Coming: We believe that Jesus Christ will return physically to cast Satan into the Lake of fire (Rev 20:10) and resurrect humanity in order to judge all people the great and the small (Revelation 20:11-15).
The Eternal State: We believe that the unrepentant unbeliever, his portion will be the wrath of God due to his rebellion. The unsaved will exist forever in conscious torment in hell to face the consequences of his unforgiven sin (Revelation 21:8). Yet for the believer, he will dwell in everlasting joy and bliss with God in the New Heaven and Earth (Revelation 21:1–4). And God desires all men to be saved and to accept the message of the Good News of salvation in Christ alone.