We Believe
THE SCRIPTURE:
The Bible is not just a book that contains the Word of God. We believe that the Bible is the Word of God and that all scripture is inspired by God unto Holy men of old who spoke and wrote as they were moved by the author, the Holy Spirit. We accept it as our infallible guide to every area of life and conduct. (John 1:1; II Tim. 3:16; II Peter 1:21)
THE GODHEAD:
Our God is one, but manifested in three persons –the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, being co-equal. (Phil 2:6) God the Father is greater than all; the sender of the Word (Logos) and the Begetter. (John 16:28, John 1:14) The Son is the Word, flesh-covered, the One Begotten, and has existed with the Father from the beginning. (John 1:1, John 1:18, John 1:14) The Holy Spirit proceeds forth from the Father and the Son and is eternal. (John 15:26)
MAN AND HIS FALL:
Man is a created being, made in the image and likeness of God with a free will. Through Adam’s will or choice he transgressed and fell, and as a result sin came into the world. Satan became his lord and man was separated from the life and presence of God. “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God”. “As it is written there is none righteous, no, not one.” (Gen. 1:26; Gen. 2:15; Rom. 5:12; Rom. 3:23)
REDEMPTION:
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was manifested to undo the works of the devil, and gave His life and shed His blood to redeem and restore man back to God. Redemption was wrought for the whole man – spirit, soul, and body. Man has been redeemed from spiritual death, sickness and disease, poverty and everything the union of man to Satan brought upon mankind. (I John 3:8; I Thess. 5:23; Gal. 3:13-14; Is. 53:4-5; II Cor. 9:8)
THE VIRGIN BIRTH:
The virgin birth of our Lord is absolutely essential for our salvation; without the virgin birth the Word (Jesus, the seed of a woman) would have been corrupted being born of man, who carries the blood line, the sin nature (Luke 1:26-38; Gen. 3:15, I Peter 1:23: John 1:13)
THE SUBSTITUTIONARY SACRIFICE:
This was the great exchange of Jesus and mankind on the cross of Calvary. He took our place in judgment bearing the curse for us and condemned it through death; now there is no condemnation to the believer. He was made sin for our righteousness; He was made poor for our wealth; He was made sick for our health; He was sentenced to hell so we in return could inherit Heaven. (Rom. 5:11,18; Gal. 3:13-14; Rom. 8:1; II Cor. 8:9; Isaiah 53:4-5; Acts 2:22-35)
ETERNAL LIFE AND THE NEW BIRTH:
Man’s first step toward salvation is godly sorrow that worketh repentance. The New Birth is necessary to all men, and when you experience the New Birth your nature and desires are changed in the heart of your spirit, and you become united with God the Father through Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. (II Cor. 7:10; I John 5:12; II Cor. 5:17; John 3:3-5, 14:20)
WATER BAPTISM:
Baptism in water is by immersion. It is a direct commandment of our Lord, and is for believers only. The ordinance is a symbol of the Christian’s identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. (Matt. 28:19; Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12; Acts 8:36-39). We believe and practice Water Baptism in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We follow the guide of the apostles and the early church as performed in the Bible. We believe that in Him (Jesus) dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. (Col. 2:9)
BAPTISM IN THE HOLY GHOST:
The Baptism in the Holy Ghost and fire is a gift from God as promised by the Lord Jesus Christ to all believers in this dispensation and is received subsequent to the New Birth. This experience is accompanied by the initial evidence of speaking in other tongues, as the Holy Spirit gives utterance and evidence of power. (John 14:16-17; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:38-39; Acts 8:14-17; Acts 19:1-7; Acts 2:4)
SANCTIFICATION:
The Bible teaches that without holiness, no man can see the Lord. 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 at Christ’s return. (Heb. 12:14; I Thess. 5:23; II Peter 3:18; II Cor. 3:18; Phil 3:12; I Cor. 1:30)
DIVINE HEALING:
Health and healing is God’s will for His children. (III John 1:2) Healing is a forever settled fact in the mind of God. Healing is for the physical ills of the human body and is wrought by the Power of God through the prayer of faith, gifts of the Spirit and the laying on of hands. It was provided for in the Atonement of Christ. (Mark 16:18; James 5:14-16; I Cor. 12:7-10; I Peter 2:24; Matt. 8:17; Isaiah 53:4-5)
PROSPERITY AND BLESSING:
We believe that Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the law (Gal. 3:13, DT 28:15-45). Jesus was made poor that through his poverty we might be rich, (2 Cor. 8:9; 3 John 1:2). We demonstrate our covenant through tithes and offerings and sowing seed.
RESURRECTION OF THE JUST AND THE RETURN OF OUR LORD:
The angels said to Jesus’ disciples, “This same Jesus shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go in heaven.” When He appears in the clouds, the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be changed and caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air…(Acts 1:11; I Thess. 4:16-17; I Cor. 15:50-54) Following the Tribulation, He shall return to the earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and together with His saints He shall rule and reign for a thousand years (Rev. 20:6)
HELL AND ETERNAL RETRIBUTION:
According to the Word of God the one who physically dies in his sins without accepting Christ is hopelessly and eternally lost in the Lake of Fire and therefore has no further opportunity of hearing the Gospel or repenting. The Lake of Fire is literal. The terms “eternal” and “everlasting” are used in describing the duration of the punishment of the damned or non-believers. (Matt. 25:31-46; Matt. 23: 25-33; John 8:24; Rev. 19:20)