Doctrinal Statement
I. OF THE SCRIPTURES
We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men supernaturally inspired,and it has truth without any admixture of error for its matter, and therefore is, and shall remain to the end of the age, the only complete and final revelation of the will of God to man; the true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried.
- By “The Holy Scriptures” we mean that collection of sixty-six books, from Genesis to Revelation, which as originally written does not only contain and convey the Word of God but is the very Word of God.
- By “inspiration” we mean that the books of the Bible were written by holy men of old as they were moved by the Holy Spirit in such a definite way that their writings were supernaturally and verbally inspired and free from error, as no other writings have ever been or ever will be inspired.
- We believe that God's Word is preserved for us today in the Authorized King James Version in the English language, and that it is the God-honored text. We believe that inspiration without preservation would be meaningless. We reject all other translations and paraphrases of the Word of God and subscribe to and use only the KJV in all our activities.
- We believe the Bible to be the absolute and final rule of faith, doctrine and practice for the believer and that every believer must come under its authority in order to be obedient to God.
2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21; Acts 1:16, 28:25; Psalm 119:105,130,160; Luke 24:5-27; John 17:17; Luke 24:44-45; Psalm 119:89; Proverbs 30:5-6; Romans 3:4; 1Peter 1:2-3; Revelation 22:19; John 12:48; Isaiah 8:20; Ephesians 6:17; Romans 15:4; Luke 16:31; Psalm 19:7-11; John 5:45-47;John 5:39.
II. OF THE TRUE GOD
We believe that there is one, and only one, living and true God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit, the maker and supreme ruler of holiness and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father,the Son, and HOLY GHOST, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.
Exodus 20:2-3; Genesis 17:1; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 4:6; John 4:24; Psalm 83:18, 147:5; Jeremiah 10:10; Exodus 15:11; Revelation 4:11; 1 Timothy 1:17; Romans 11:33; Mark 12:30; Matthew 28:19; John 15;26; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; 1 John 5:7; John 10:30; John 17:5; Acts 5:3-4; 1 Corinthians 2:10-11; Philippians 2:5-6; Ephesians 2:18; 2 Corinthians 13:14.
III. OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God's purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of judgment, and of righteousness; that He bears witness to the Truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the New Birth; that He seals, endues, guides, teaches witnesses, sanctifies, and helps the believer.
John 1:33, 3:5-6, 14:16-17,26, 15:26, 16:9-11,12; Matthew 3:11, 28:19; Hebrews 9:14; Luke 1:35, 3:16, 24:49; Genesis 1:1-3, 1 Thess. 2:7,13; Acts 5:30-32, 11:16; Ephesians 1:13-14; Mark 1:8; Romans 8:14,16,26-27; 1 Peter 1:2.
IV. OF THE DEVIL, OR SATAN
We believe that Satan was once holy, and enjoyed heavenly honors, but through pride and ambition to be as the Almighty, fell and drew after him a host of angels, that he is now the malignant prince of the power of the air, and the unholy god of this world. We hold him to be man's great tempter, the enemy of God and His Christ, the accuser of the saints, the author of all false religions, the chief powers of darkness- destined however to final defeat at the hands of God's Son and to the judgment of an eternal justice in hell, a place prepared for him and his angels.
Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:14-17; Matthew 25:41; Jude 6; 2 Peter 2:4; Ephesians 2:2; John 14:30; 1 Thess. 3:5; Matthew 4:1-3; 1 Peter 5:8; Zechariah 1:3; 1 John 3:8, 4:3; Matthew 13:25, 37-39; Luke 22:3-4; Revelation 12:10, 13:13-14, 19:11, 16-20; Revelation 12:7-9, 20:1-3, 10; Cor. 11:13-15; Mark 13:21-22; 2 John 7; 2 Thess. 2:8-11.
V. OF THE CREATION
We believe in the Genesis account of creation, and that it is to be accepted literally, and not allegorically or figuratively; that man was created directly in God's image and after His own likeness; that man's creation was not a matter of evolution or evolutionary changes of species, or development through interminable periods of time from lower to higher forms;that all animal and vegetable life was made directly, and God's established law was that they should bring forth only “after their kind”.
Genesis 1:1, 11, 24, 26-27; Exodus 20:11; Acts 4:24; Col. 1:16-17; Hebrews 11:3; Joun 1:3; Revelation 10:6; Romans 1:20; Acts 17:23-26; Jeremiah 10:12; Nehemiah 9:6.
VI. OF THE FALL OF MAN
We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy state, in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, not by constraint, but of choice and therefore under just condemnation without defense or excuse.
Genesis 3:1-6, 24; Romans 1:18, 20,23,32, 3:10-19, 5:12, 19; Ephesians 2:1,3; Ezekiel 18:19-20; Galatians 3:22.
VII. OF THE VIRGIN BIRTH
We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten of Holy Ghost in a miraculous manner, born of Mary, a virgin , as no other man was ever or can ever be born of woman; and that He is the Son of God, and God the Son.
Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:35 Mark 1:1; John 1:14; Psalm 27; Galatians 4:4; 1 Corinthians 15:47; 1 John 5:20.
VIII. OF THE ATONEMENT FOR SIN
We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God who, by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin, honored the divine law by His personal obedience; and by His death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins; that His atonement consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was the voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner's place, the Just dying for the unjust, Christ, the Lord, bearing our sins in His own body on the tree; that, having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in heaven and uniting in His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection. He is every way qualified to be a suitable and compassionate and all-sufficient Saviour.
Ephesians 2:8; Acts 15:11; Romans 3:24; John 3:36, 10:18; Matthew 18:11; Philippians 2:7; Hebrews 2:14; Isaiah 53:4-7; Romans 3:25; 1 John 4:10; 1 Cor. 15:3; 2 Cor. 5:21; Philippians 2:8; Galatians 1:4; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Peter 3:18; Isaiah 52:11; Hebrews 12:2; 1 Cor. 15:20; Isaiah 53:12; Hebrews 7:25, 9:12-15; 1 John 2:2.
IX. OF GRACE IN THE NEW CREATION
We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again, that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth the dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension, not by culture, not by character, not by the will of man, but wholly and solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the Gospel; that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life.
John 3:3, 6-8; 2 Cor. 5:17, 19; Luke 5:27; 1 John 5:1; Acts 2:41; Acts 16:30-33; 2 Peter 1:4; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1; Colossians 2:13; John 1:12-13; Galatians 5:22; Ephesians 5:9.
X. OF THE FREENESS OF SALVATION
We believe in God's electing grace that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the Gospel; that it is the immediate duty of all to accept them by a cordial, penitent and obedient faith; and that nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but his own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the Gospel; which rejection involves him in an aggravated condemnation.
1 Thess. 1:4; Colossians 3:12; 1 Peter 1:12; Titus 1:1; Romans 8:29-30; Matthew 11:28; Isaiah 55:1; Revelation 22:17; Romans 10:13; John 6:37; Isaiah 55:6-7; Acts 2:38
; John 3:15-16; 1 Timothy 1:15; 1 Corinthians 15:10; Ephesians 2:4-5; John 5:40, 3:18,36.
XI. OF JUSTIFICATION
We believe that the great Gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him in Justification; that Justification includes the pardon of sin, and the gift of eternal life on principles of righteousness; that it is bestowed not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in the Redeemer's blood, His righteousness is imputed unto us.
Acts 13:39 ; Isaiah 53:11; Zechariah 13:1; Romans 5:9,11, 4:18, 8:1; Titus 3:5-7; Habakkuk 2:4; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38.
XII. OF REPENTANCE AND FAITH
We Believe that Repentance and Faith are solemn obligations, and also inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the quickening Spirit of God; thereby, being deeply convicted of our guilt, danger, 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 and openly confessing Him as our only and all-sufficient Savior.
Acts 2:37-38, 20:21; Mark 1:15; Luke 12:8, 18:13; Romans 10:9-10, 13; Psalm 51:1-4; Isaiah 55:6-7.
XIII. OF THE CHURCH
We believe that a church of Christ is a visible assembly of baptized believers associated together by a covenant of 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 officers of ordination are pastors or elders and deacons whose true mission of the church is found the Great Commission; First to make individual disciples; Second, to build up the church; Third, to teach and instruct as He has commanded. We do not believe in the reversal of this order; we hold that the local church has the absolute right to self government, free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that the one and only superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit; that it is Scriptural for the true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel; that every church is the sole and only judge of the measure and method of its cooperation on all matters of membership, of policy, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final.
Acts 2:41,42, 6:5,6, 14:23, 15L23, 20:17-28; 1 Cor. 5:11-13, 6:1-3, 11:2; 12:4, 8-11, 16:1-2; 1 Tim. 3:1-7, 8-13; Matthew 28:19-20; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 5:22-23; 1 Peter 5:1-4; Jude 3-4; 2 Cor. 8:23-24; Malachi 3:10; Leviticus 27:32, Acts 15:22.
XIV. OF BAPTISM AND THE LORD'S SUPPER
We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion in water of a believer in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Ghost with authority of the local church to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem of our faith in the crucified, buried and risen Saviour with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to new life; that it is prerequisite to the privileges of a church relation and to the Lord's Supper in which the members of the church, by the sacred use of bread and juice from the grape, are to commemorate together the dying love of Christ, preceded always by solemn self-examination.
Acts 2:41-42, 8:36-39; Matthew 3:6; John 3:23; Romans 6:3-5; Matthew 3:16, 28:19-20; Colossians 2:12; 1 Cor. 11:23-38.
XV. OF THE RESURRECTION AND RETURN OF CHRIST AND RELATED EVENTS
We believe in and accept the sacred Scriptures at their face and full value. Of the Resurrection, we believe that Christ rose bodily “the third day according to the Scriptures;”that He ascended “to the right hand of the throne of God;” that He alone is our “merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God;” “that this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven”” - Bodily, personally and visibly; that the “dead in Christ shall rise first;” that the living saints “ shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump;” “That the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His Father David;” and that “Christ shall reign a thousand years in righteousness until He hath put all enemies under His feet;”
Matthew 24:27,42, 25:13, 28:6-7; Luke 1:32, 24:39,51, John 2:1, 20:27; 1 Cor. 15:4, 25, 42-44, 51-52; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:2, 4-6; Acts 1:9,11; Mark 16:19; Revelation 3:21; Hebrews 8:1,6, 12:2; 1 Tim 2:5; 1 John 2:1; Hebrews 2:17, 5:9-10, 9:29; John 14:3; 1 Thess. 4:16,17; Philippians 3:20-21; Isaiah 9:6,7, 11:4-5 32:1; Psalm 72:8; Revelation 20:1-4,6.
XVI. OF MISSIONS
The command to give the Gospel to the world is clear and unmistakable and this Commission was given to the church.
Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; Romans 10:13-15
AUTHORITY OF STATEMENT OF FAITH:
The Statement of Faith does not exhaust the extent of our faith. The Bible is the sole and final source of all that we believe. We do believe, however that the foregoing Statement of Faith accurately represents the teaching of the Bible, and therefore, is binding upon all members.
Mark 16:15; Eph. 1:22-23; 1 Tim. 3; Titus 1; Acts 20:17-20; Eph. 3:21