ARTICLES OF FAITH

The Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the inspired Word of God (II Timothy 3:l5), presenting to us the complete revelation of God's will for the Salvation of men. They constitute the Divine and only rule of Christian faith and practice (II Peter 1:21).

Our God is a trinity in unity, manifested in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God is infinitely perfect, being in His three persons co-existent, co-equal, and co-eternal. God the Father is greater than all (John 14:28); the source of the Word (LOGOS) and the begetter (John 16:28; John 1:14). The Son was the begotten of the Father, accenting earthly limitations, true God and true man; conceived by the Holy Ghost; and born of the Virgin Mary. He died upon the cross, the Just for the unjust, as a substitutionary sacrifice; all who believe in Him are justified on the grounds of His shed blood. He arose from the dead according to the Scriptures. He is now at the right hand of the Majesty on High, as our greater High Priest. He will return again to establish His kingdom of righteousness and justice. The Holy Spirit is a Divine Person, Executive of the Godhead on earth, the Comforter sent by the Lord Jesus Christ to indwell, guide, and teach the believer, and to convince the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment.

Man is a created being, made in the likeness and the image of God. Through Adam's transgression and fall, sin came into the world (Romans 5:12). "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). "As it is written, God, was manifested to undo the work of the devil and gave His life and shed His blood to redeem and restore man back to God (I John 3:8). Salvation is the gift of God to man, separate from works and the Law, and is made operative by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, producing works acceptable to God (Ephesians 2:8).

Salvation is made possible through the meritorious work of Jesus Christ on the cross and through Holy Spirit conviction. Godly sorrow works repentance and makes possible the experience of the new birth, and Christ formed within us is the gift of eternal life (Titus 2:11; Romans 10:l3-l5; Luke 24:47; Titus 3:5-7).

The Church is the Body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of her great commission. Each believer, born of the Spirit, is an integral part of the General Assembly and Church of the First-born, which are written in heaven (Ephesians 1:22, 23; 2:22; Hebrews 12:23).

God, through the Holy Spirit, definitely calls such as He desires to serve as evangelists, pastors, and teachers. He specifically endures the one called with the talents and gifts peculiar to that office or offices (Ephesians 4:11-13). Under no circumstances should anyone be ordained or set apart to any such office unless the calling is distinct and evident.

Baptism in water is by immersion and is a direct commandment of our Lord (Matthew 28:19). It is for believers only. The ordinance is a symbol of the Christian's identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12; Acts 8:36-39).

The Baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire (Matthew 3:11) is a gift from God, as promised by the Lord Jesus Christ to all believers in this dispensation. It is received subsequent to the new birth (John 14:16-17; Acts 1:8; 2:4; 38-39; 10;44-48). The Baptism of the Holy Ghost is accompanied with speaking in other tongues as the Holy Spirit Himself gives the utterance as the initial physical sign and evidence (Acts 2:4).

The Bible teaches that without holiness no man can see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). We believe in the doctrine of sanctification as a definite, yet progressive, work of grace, commencing at the time of regeneration and continuing until the consummation of Salvation (Hebrews 13:12; II Thessalonians 2:13; I Peter 1:2; Ephesians 5:26; I Corinthians 6:11; John 17:17; I Thessalonians 5:23).

The ordinance of the Lord's Supper is a commandment of our Saviour; and being a memorial to His death and resurrection, it is strictly limited to Christian believers (I Corinthians 11:27). Its time and frequency of observance is left to the discretion of the Pastor.

Healing is for the physical ills of the human body and is wrought by the power of God, through the prayer of faith, and by the laying on of hands (Mark 16:18; James 5:14-l5). It is provided for in the atonement of Christ and is available to all who truly believe.

The Bible promises, "This same Jesus shall so come in like manner" (Acts 1:11). His coming is imminent; when he comes, "The dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air" (I Thessalonians 4:16-17). Following the tribulation, He shall return to earth, as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Together with His saints, who shall be kings and priests, He shall reign a thousand years (Revelation 20:6).

The one who physically dies in his sins without Christ is hopelessly and eternally lost in the lake of fire, and has no further opportunity of hearing the Gospel or for repentance (Hebrews 9:27). The lake of fire is literal (Revelation 19:20). The terms "eternal" and "everlasting" used in describing the duration of the punishment of the dammed (Matthew 25:41-46) in the lake of fire, carry the same thought and meaning of endless existence, as used in denoting the duration of joy and ecstasy of saints in the presence of God.

We recognize the Scriptural duty of our congregation to pay tithes as unto the Lord (Hebrews 7:8). Tithes should be used for the support of the active ministry and for the propagation of the Gospel and work of the Lord in general and not given to charity or used for other purposes. (Malachi 3:7-11; Hebrews 7:2; I Corinthians 9:7-11; 16:2).