Transforming Lives Into Vessels Fit For The Master's Use

 

WHAT WE BELIEVE

 

Of the Scriptures: We believe the Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired, and is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction; that it has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth without any mixture of error for its matter; that it reveals the principles by which God will judge us, and therefore, is, and shall remain to the end of the world the true center of Christian unity, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried.

 

Of the True God: We believe there is one and only one living and true God, an intelligent, spiritual and personal Being, the Creator, preserver and ruler of the universe, infinite in holiness and all other perfections to whom we owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience. God is revealed to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, each with distinct personal attributes, coequal, coessential and coexistent.

 

Of the Fall of Man: We believe man was created by the special act of God, as recorded in Genesis. "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them"(Genesis 1:27). "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul" (Genesis 2:7). He was created in a state of holiness under the law of his maker, but through the temptation of Satan, he transgressed the command of God and fell from his original holiness and righteousness. Man's posterity thereby inherited a corrupt nature, came into bondage to sin, and is under condemnation. As soon as man is capable of moral action, he becomes an actual transgressor.

 

Of the Way of Salvation: We believe the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace, through the mediatorial office of the Son of God, who by the Holy Spirit was born of the virgin Mary and took upon Him our nature, yet without sin; honored the divine law by His personal obedience and made atonement for our sins by His death. Being risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in Heaven, and uniting in His person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection. He is in every way qualified to be a compassionate and all sufficient Savior.

 

Of Justification: We believe justification is God's gracious and full acquittal upon principles of righteousness of all sinners who believe in Christ. This blessing is bestowed, not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but through the redemption that is in and through Jesus Christ. It brings us into a state of most blessed peace and favor with God, and secures every other needed blessing.

 

Of Grace in Regeneration: We believe the regeneration or the new birth is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit, whereby we become partakers of the divine nature and a holy disposition is given, leading to the love and practice of righteousness. It is a work of God's free grace conditioned upon faith in Christ and made manifest by the fruit which we bring forth to the glory of God.

 

Of Repentance and Faith: We believe repentance and faith are sacred duties, and also inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the regenerating Spirit of God. Whereby, being deeply convinced of our guilt, danger, and helplessness, and of the way of salvation by Christ, we turn to God with unfeigned contrition, confession, and supplication for mercy, at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as our prophet, priest, and king, and relying on Him alone as the only and all-sufficient Savior.

 

Of Sanctification: We believe sanctification is the process by which, according to the will of God, we are made partakers of His holiness; that it is carried on in the hearts of believers by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, the Healer and Comforter, in the continual use of the appointed means, especially the word of God, self-examination, self-denial, watchfulness, and prayer.

 

Of the Perseverance of Saints: We believe only true believers endure unto the end; that their persevering attachment to Christ is the grand mark which distinguishes them from superficial professors; that a special providence watches over their welfare; and that they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.

 

Of a Gospel Church: We believe a visible Church of Christ is a congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His word; that its only scriptural officers are Bishops, Elders and Deacons, whose qualifications, claims and duties are defined in the Epistles of Timothy and Titus.

 

Of the Righteous and The Wicked: We believe there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked. Those only who are justified through the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and sanctified by the Holy Spirit are truly righteous in His sight. Those who continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked and are under condemnation. This distinction between the righteous and the wicked holds in and after death, and will be made manifest at the judgment when final and everlasting awards are made to all men.

 

Of Human Sexuality: 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, 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 by surgery or appearance.  (Genesis 2:24; 19:5, 13; 26:8-9; Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans 1: 26-29; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:9; 1st Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4).  We also believe that the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman.  (Genesis 2:24; Romans 7:2; 1 Corinthians 7:10; Ephesians 5:22-23)

 

Of Stewardship: We believe God is the source of all blessings, temporal and spiritual; all that we have and are we owe to Him. We have a spiritual debtorship to the whole world, a holy trusteeship in the gospel, and a binding stewardship in our possessions. We are, therefore, under obligation to serve Him with our tithe, time, talents, and material possessions. We should recognize that all of these are entrusted to us to use for the glory of God and helping others. Christians should cheerfully, regularly, systematically, proportionately and liberally contribute of their means to advancing the Redeemer's cause on earth.

 

Of Evangelism and Missions: We believe it is the duty of every Christian man and woman, and the duty of every Church of Christ, to seek to extend the gospel to the ends of the earth. The new birth of man's spirit by God's Holy Spirit means the birth of love for others. Missionary effort on the part of all, rests thus upon a spiritual necessity of the regenerate life. It is the duty of every child of God to seek constantly to win the lost to Christ by personal effort and by other methods sanctioned by the gospel of Christ.

 

Of the Resurrection: We believe Scriptures clearly teach that Jesus rose from the dead. His grave was emptied of its contents. He appeared to the disciples after His resurrection in many convincing manifestations. He now exists in His glorified body at God's right hand. There will be a resurrection of the righteous and the wicked. The bodies of the righteous will conform to the glorious spiritual body of Jesus.

 

Of the Return of the Lord: We believe the New Testament teaches in many places the visible and personal return of Jesus to this earth. "This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven (Acts 1:11) shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven." The time of His coming is not revealed. "Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only"(Matthew 24:36). It is the duty of all believers to live in readiness for His coming and by diligence in good works to make manifest to all men the reality and power of their hope in Christ.

 

Of the World to Come: We believe the end of the world is approaching; that at the last day Christ will descend from heaven and raise the dead from the grave to final retribution; that a solemn separation will then take place; that the wicked will be judged to endless punishment, and the righteous to endless joy; and that this judgment will fix forever the final state of men in heaven or hell, on principles of righteousness.