Statement of Fundamental Truths
This Statement of Doctrine expresses what we believe Christians must affirm. It is not meant to represent all that Christians should believe but includes the essential truths that Christians must not deny.
Scripture
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We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, fully inspired and without error in the original manuscripts, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and that it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct. (2 Tim 3:16-17; Mark 13:31; 2 Peter 1:20; John 8:31; John 20:31; Acts 20:32)
Trinity
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We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit); that these are equal in every divine perfection, and that they fulfill distinct but harmonious offices as illustrated by the work of creation, providence, and redemption. (Gen 1:21; John 1:1; Matt 28:19; John 4:24; Romans 1:19-20; Eph 4:5-6)
God the Father
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We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and love. We believe that He infallibly foreknows all that shall come to pass, that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. (Luke 10:21-22; Matt 23:9; John 3:16; John 6:27; Rom 1:7; 1 Tim 1:1-2; 1 Tim 2:5-6; Rev 1:6)
God the Son
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We believe in Jesus Christ, who is fully God and fully man: God’s only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit, and existing from eternity. We believe that he was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, performed miracles and came as the Word of God. We believe in His substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal visible return to earth. (Matt 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; John 1:1; John 20:28; Rom 9:5; Rom 8:32; 2 Cor 5:21; 1 Peter 2:21-23; John 20:30-31; Matt 20:28; Eph 1:4; Acts 1:11; Rom 5:6-8; Heb 7:25; Heb 9:28; 1 Tim 3:16; 1 Tim 3:16)
God the Holy Spirit
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We believe in the Holy Spirit who came forth from the Father and the Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ, and that He is an abiding helper, teacher and guide. (John 14:16-17, 26-27; John 15:26-27; John 16:9-14; Rom 8:9; 1 Cor 3:16; 1 Cor 6:19; Gal 5:22-26)
Creation
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We believe that God created the world from nothing and governs all things at all times in all places. Creation, according to the design of God, was good and exists to call attention to his divine power and attributes. God doesn’t let the world exist, but causes the world to exist. He upholds the universe by the word of His power, and He holds the world together in himself. (Gen 1:1-2; Ps 24:1; Gen 1:3-31; Rom 1:19-20; Col 1:16-17)
Humanity
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Humanity is the special creation of God, made in His own image. He created them male and female as the crowning work of His creation, that they might have fellowship with Him. In the beginning humans were innocent of sin and were endowed by their Creator with freedom of choice. Adam and Eve were made to complement each other in a one-flesh union in the covenant of marriage that establishes the only God-ordained pattern of sexual relations between a man and a woman. In God’s wise purposes, men and women are not interchangeable, but rather complement each other in mutually enriching ways.
By his free choice Adam rebelled against God, bringing sin into the human race. As a consequence of Adam's sin, all human beings are estranged from their Maker, yet are still responsible to Him. All humanity is subject to divine wrath, inwardly depraved and, apart from a special work of grace, utterly incapable of returning to God. All people are lost and without hope apart from salvation in Christ. Nevertheless, because they still possess the divine image, every person of every race has full dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love. (Genesis 1:26-30; 2:7,18-22; 3:1-24; 9:6; Psalms 1:1-6; 8:3-6; 32:1-5; 51:5; Isaiah 6:5; Jer 17:5; Matt 16:26; Acts 17:26-31; Rom 1:19-32; 3:10-18,23; 5:6,12,19; 6:6; 7:14-25; 8:12-18; 8:29-30; 1 Cor 1:21-31; 15:19,21-22; Eph 2:1-22; Col 1:21-22; 3:9-11)
Sin
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Through the temptation of Satan, Adam and Eve chose to disobey the command of God and fell from their original holiness and righteousness. Now the entire human race inherits a corrupt nature that is opposed to God and His law, and chooses to disobey just like Adam and Eve. Therefore, all humans are under condemnation. This depravity is radical and pervasive. It extends to the mind, will, body and affections. Unregenerate humanity lives under the dominion of sin and Satan, and is thus in opposition to God. (Gen 3; Rom 3:9-20; Eph 2:1-3; Eph 4:17-19)
Salvation
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We believe that, due to universal death through sin, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless born again; that salvation is only by grace through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ; is not by works so that no one can boast; and that all who receive the Lord Jesus Christ through faith are declared righteous by God and are forever declared children of God. (John 3:5-8; Eph 2:8-9; Heb 20:19-25; John 10:28)
Regeneration
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We believe that regeneration is the work of God's grace whereby believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus. The Holy Spirit's work in regeneration is not the result of water baptism or of any outward ritual. It is a change of heart brought about by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, in which sinners respond in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance is a genuine turning from sin toward God. And true Biblical faith means more than simply believing certain facts. It means accepting Jesus Christ as Savior and committing one's entire being to Him as Lord. It calls for a total response involving the believer's mind, emotions and will. (Jer 31:31ff.; Ez 11:19; John 1:12-14; 3:3ff.; 2 Cor 5:17; Gal 6:15; Eph. 2:1-10; 3:1-11; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:3)
Justification
We believe that justification is the act of God by which He declares righteous those who, through faith in Christ, repent of their sins and confess Him as Lord. It is granted apart from any human virtue or good works and involves the Father laying our sins on Christ and granting Christ’s righteousness to us. (Genesis 15:6; Luke 24:44-48; John 3:16; 5:24; Acts 13:39; Rom. 1:17; 3:21-28; 4:1-25; 5:1, 8-10; 1 Cor 6:11; Gal 3:24)
Sanctification
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We believe that sanctification is the ongoing experience, beginning in regeneration, by which believers are set apart for God's purposes, and are enabled to progress toward moral and spiritual maturity through the power of the Holy Spirit Who dwells in them. Growth in grace should continue throughout the believer's life. (Jn 17:17,19; Acts 20:32; Rm 6:1-23; 8:1-17; 13:11-14; 1 Cor 1:2; 6:19-20; Gal 2:20; 5:22-25; Eph 4:11-16; Phil 2:12-13; Col 3:1ff.; 1 Thes 5:23-24; Titus 2:11-14; Heb 12:14; James 2:14-26; 1 Pt 1:13-16, 22; 1 Jn 1:6-2:11)
Church
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We believe in the universal church, a living spiritual body of which Christ is the head and all regenerated persons are members. We believe in the local church, consisting of a company of believers in Jesus Christ, baptized on a credible profession of faith, and associated for worship, work, and fellowship. We believe that God has laid upon the members of the local church the primary task of giving the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world. We believe that the church has been given the two ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s supper as a means of symbolizing the new birth and remembering the body and blood of Christ till he comes. (Eph 2:19-22; Acts 1:8; Eph 5:19-21; Acts 2:42; Heb 10:23-25)
Future Events
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We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of His kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the eternal joy of the righteous in heaven and the endless suffering of the wicked in hell. (Matt 16:27; Mark 14:62; Acts 1:11; Phil 3:20; 1 Thess 4:15; 2 Tim 4:1; Titus 2:13; 1 Cor 4:5; 1 Cor 15; 2 Thess 1:7-10; Rev 20:4-6)