We Believe
Statement of Faith
Section 1.1. There is one God (Deut. 6:4), Creator of all things (Rev. 4:11), who is infinitely perfect (Matt. 5:48), existing eternally in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19).
​
Section 1.2. Jesus Christ is the true God and true man (Phil. 2:6–11). He was sent by the Father (John 20:21), conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin, Mary (Luke 1:34–38). He died on the cross, the Just for the unjust (1 Pet. 3:18), as a substitutionary sacrifice (Heb. 2:9), and all who believe in Him are justified on the ground of His shed blood (Rom. 5:9). He rose from the dead according to the Scriptures (1 Cor. 15:3–4). He is now at the right hand of the Majesty on high as our great High Priest (Heb. 8:1). He will come again to establish His Kingdom of righteousness and peace (Isa. 9:6–7).
​
Section 1.3. The Holy Spirit is a divine person (John 14:16–18), sent to indwell, guide, teach, gift, empower, and bear His fruit in every believer (John 16:13; 1 Cor. 12:4, 11; Acts 1:8; Gal. 5:22–23). He convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment (John 16:7–11).
​
Section 1.4. The Old and New Testaments, inerrant as originally given, were verbally inspired by God and are a complete revelation of His will for our salvation. They constitute the divine and only rule of Christian faith and practice (2 Pet. 1:20–21; 2 Tim. 3:15–17).
​
Section 1.5. Man was originally created in the image and likeness of God: 16 he fell through disobedience, incurring thereby both physical and spiritual death. All men are born with a sinful nature, 17 are separated from the life of God, and can be saved only through the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ.18 The portion of the impenitent and unbelieving is existence forever in conscious torment; 19 and that of the believer, in everlasting joy and bliss.20 (16Genesis 1:27, 17Romans 3:23, 181 Corinthians 15:20–23, 19Revelation 21:8, 20Revelation 21:1–4)
​
Section 1.6. Salvation has been provided through Jesus Christ for all people (1 John 2:2). Those who repent and believe in Him are justified by grace through faith (Rom. 3:21–24), born again of the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:4–7), delivered from the dominion of darkness, transferred into the Kingdom of God’s Son (Col. 1:13), granted the gift of eternal life, and adopted as the children of God (Rom. 8:14–16; John 1:12).
​
Section 1.7. It is the will of God that each believer should be filled with the Holy Spirit and be sanctified wholly, 22 being separated from sin and the world and fully dedicated to the will of God, thereby receiving power for holy living and effective service.23 This is both a crisis and a progressive experience wrought in the life of the believer subsequent to conversion.24
(221 Thessalonians 5:23, 23Acts 1:8, 24Romans 6:1–14)
​
Section 1.8. Provision is made in the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ for the healing of the whole person (Isa. 53:4–5; Matt. 8:16–17). Prayer for the sick and anointing with oil are taught in the Scriptures (James 5:13–16) as privileges for the Church in this present age (Acts 4:30).
​
Section 1.9. The Church consists of all those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, are redeemed through His blood, and are born again of the Holy Spirit. Christ is the Head of the Body, the Church, 27 which has been commissioned by Him to go into all the world as a witness, preaching the gospel to all nations.28
​
The local church is a body of believers in Christ who are joined together for the worship of God, for edification through the Word of God, for prayer, fellowship, the proclamation of the gospel, and observance of the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.29 (27Ephesians 1:22–23, 28Matthew 28:19–20, 29Acts 2:41–47)
​
Section 1.10. There shall be a bodily resurrection of the just and of the unjust; for the former, a resurrection unto life; 30 for the latter, a resurrection unto judgment.31 (301 Corinthians 15:20–23, 31John 5:28–29)
​
Section 1.11. The Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is imminent32 and will be personal, visible, and premillennial.33 This is the believer’s blessed hope and is a vital truth which is an incentive to holy living and faithful service.34 (32Hebrews 10:37, 33Luke 21:27, 34Titus 2:11–14)
​
​
​
​
He is Savior
He is a universal Savior. John 3:16 tells us that “whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” All who come to Him with repentant hearts, sorry for their sins, and believe that He is who He says He is, will receive His salvation.
He is an exclusive Savior. We read in Acts 4:12 that “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name in heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Contrary to what contemporary culture tells us, there are not multiple paths to God. There is only one: Jesus Christ.
He is a comprehensive Savior. Romans 8:29-30 make it clear that our salvation, predestined from before the foundation of the world includes not only justification and forgiveness of sins but also God’s commitment to reform us into the very image of His Son and that one day, when that process is complete, we will be glorified.
And He is an all-powerful Savior. Nothing can separate us from God’s love. Christ’s work on the cross sealed our salvation forever. As Romans 8:38-39 tells us, For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Jesus is our Savior. Nothing can separate us from His great work on the cross, from His love.
​
He is Sanctifier
Many Christians understand God’s promise of salvation but do not experience the ongoing sanctifying work of Jesus Christ in their lives. For those who neither understand nor allow the Holy Spirit’s control in their lives, the results have a profound effect. Unsuccessful struggle against sin and a lack of power in life and ministry frustrate those who have asked Jesus to be their Savior but not their Sanctifier, resulting in a lack of joy in their walk with Christ. At the point when we are born again, we become members of God’s family. We believe He paid the price for our sin, and we are positionally sanctified, or set apart from those who are not born again, and are seen as holy because of what Christ has done.
​
Sanctification has two definitions.
​
Separation from sin: “But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’” 1 Peter 1:15-16.
Separation to God: “(He) has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve His God and Father…” Revelation 1:6.
We read in John 1:29, 33 that Jesus is
“the one who is taking away the sin of the world…”
“the one who is baptizing with the Holy Spirit”
Two realities—two experiences. All Christians understand the first promise. But many Christians do not understand the experience of the second. It is the experience of Christ’s sanctifying work in a believer’s life. For those who neither understand nor allow for the Spirit’s control in their lives, the results will have profound effect. He is not only Savior, He is Lord, and as Lord will direct and bless the believer in life.
​
He is Healer
A great portion of Christ’s time was dedicated to healing the sick. He healed all kinds of people: the blind, the paralyzed, the lame, the deaf, lepers, those who had fevers, and many with chronic illnesses. We find no record in the gospels of Jesus turning away anyone who came to him for healing, nor do we find that any disease was too difficult for him to heal. He even raised the dead. Miraculous healings still occur today—evidence that Christ is still our Healer.
The Purpose of Divine Healing is to Glorify Jesus. In the Book of Acts, we find three important truths we need to grasp: Jesus is still the Healer, Healing comes from Jesus alone, and the purpose of divine healing is always to glorify Himself, while blessing humanity.
​
He is Coming King
Christ’s Second Coming will be personal—He Himself, not some representative, will return to the earth. Further, His return will be both public and visible; that is, we will be able to see Him come. In fact, the writer of the Book of Revelation says that “every eye will see him . . .” (Rev. 1:7). We are also told that when Christ returns, He won’t be alone. He will be accompanied by “thousands of his holy ones”—angels (Jude 14)—and by “those who have fallen asleep” (1 Thess. 4:15).
​
​
​
​
​