Faith Statement
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We believe that The Scriptures of the Old & New Testament are verbally inspired by God and inerrant and infallible in the original writ- ings, and that they are of supreme and final authority for all Christian faith and life. (2 Tim. 3:16; 1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Peter 1:21)
We believe that there is only one living and true God, an infinite, all knowing Spirit, perfect in all His attributes, one in essence, eter nally existing in three Person Father, Son, and Holy Spirit each equally deserving of worship and obedience. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:5-7; 1 Corinthians 8:4; John 4:24; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14)
We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, the Second Person of the Godhead, who took upon Himself human flesh through the miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary. He who is true God became true man, uniting two natures in one person forever. Christ lived a perfect, sinless life, died on the cross as an atoning sacrifice for our sins, rose bodily from the dead, and ascended into Heaven where He now serves as our High Priest, our only Mediator. He will return bodily and visibly to the earth as King of kings and will judge ev ery human being who has ever lived. (John 1:1,14,18; Col.2:9, Heb. 1:1-13)
We believe that the Holy Spirit is the eternal Third Person of the Godhead, the Regenerator and Sanctifier of the redeemed, the Bestower of spiritual fruit and gifts, and the abiding Advocate who empowers believers for godly living and service. (John 16:8-11, 13- 14, 1 Cor. 6:19, 2 Cor. 1:22; Eph. 1:13; 4:30, Acts. 1;8)
We believe that the Baptism in the Holy Ghost and fire is a gift from God as promised by the Lord Jesus Christ to all believers and is received subsequent to the new birth. The bap tism of the Holy Spirit empowers the believer to be an effective witness for Christ, enables him to function effectively in the Body of Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit is the giver of a variety of Spiritual Gifts which He distributes to each person as He wills. These Gifts are not merely for personal benefit or glory, but to bring glory to God, in addition to encouraging and building up the Church. One of the Gifts of the Spirit is speaking in "divers kind of tongues". It is our belief that this, as well as the other Gifts of the Spirit, has not ceased and can be utilized in the church according to the clear Scriptural regulations see 1 Corinthians chapters 12 to 14. (Joel 2:28; Matt. 3:11; Luke 24:49; John 14:16,17; Acts 1:5,8; Acts 2:1-4; Acts 2:38,39; Acts 10:44; Acts 15:9; Acts 19:1-7;)
While it may not be considered part of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, and may be better related to the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, none theless, produces fruit which should be evi denced in the character and life of every believer. (Gal. 5:22,23).
We believe that water baptism, by immersion, soon after accepting Christ as personal Saviour, is a testimony of one's death to sin and resurrection to a new life. (Rom. 6:1-6)
We believe that the Lord's Supper is a me morial service which sets forth, in sacred and symbolic manner, the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. The articles of the communion – the bread and the wine represent the body and blood of Christ. All true believers, and only believers, should share in it. (1Cor. 11:13-30)
We believe that the Christian church, which is the body and bride of Christ, is composed of all persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. Corporately and individually, its mem bers strive to worship, serve, and glorify God through prayer and praise, diligent study and application of the Scriptures, evangelism, sanctified living, good works, and observance of the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper. The ultimate mission of the church is the discipleship of all nations not only the saving of souls (which is primary) but also the bringing of the gospel to bear on every aspect of life and thought until the Lord returns. (Eph. 1:22, 23; 5:25-27; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; 2 Cor.11:2).
We Believe that man was created in the image of God but fell into sin and is under con- demnation, and that it is only through the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ and regeneration by the Holy Spirit that salvation can be obtained (Genesis 1:26-27; 2:17; 3:1- 13; John 14:6; Acts 4:12; I Timothy 2:5-6).
We believe that God made man as either male or female in His image (Gen. 1:26- 27). Rejection of one's biological gender is a rejection of the image of God within that person. It is our belief that the term "marriage" has only one meaning the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture (Gen. 2:18- 25). We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman, who are married to each other (1 Cor. 6:18; 7:2-5; Heb. 13:4). We believe that
God has commanded that no sexual activity be engaged in outside of marriage. We believe that the state nor the church, nor any other individual possesses the authority or jurisdiction to set or alter Scripture's definition of marriage. Consequently, any union or partnership that does not conform to the Biblical definition of marriage is not acknowledged as a marriage. Any form of sexual immorality, which includes adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual behavior, transgenderism, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography, is sinful and offensive to God (Matt. 15:18-20; Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 2:18-25; 1 Corinthians 6:18, 7:2-5; Hebrews 13:4; Matthew 15:18-20, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Matthew 5:16; Philippians 2:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:22; Acts 3:19-21; Romans 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31).
We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by per sonal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of man's sins (Eph. 1:7, 2:8-10; John 1:12; 1 Peter 1:18-19).
We believe that those who have received the free gift of salvation will be raised from the dead or raptured (snatched up from their earthly lives) to meet Christ at His Second Coming, and their bodies will be transformed like unto His glorious, immortal body (Acts 1:11; 1 Thess. 4:16,17). They will live forever in the fellowship and Kingdom of God in a new heaven and a new earth. Eternal, conscious punishment apart from the fellowship and Kingdom of God (hell) is the ultimate destiny of unredeemed humanity, Satan, and his entire angelic host. (Matthew 25:41; John 3:17-18; Hebrews 9:27; Rev. 20:11-15, 21:8).