
| Statement of Faith |
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| We Believe... | |||
| The Scriptures | The Bible is the inspired Word of God, the product
of holy men of old who spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
The New Covenant, as recorded in the New Testament, we accept as our infallible
guide in matters pertaining to conduct and doctrine. (2 Timothy 3:15...1
Thessalonians 2:13...2 Peter 1:21) |
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| The Godhead | Our God is one, but manifested in three Persons
- the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, being coequal (Deuteronomy 6:4...Philippians
2:6). God the Father is greater than all; the Sender of the World (Logos)
and the Begetter (John 14:28...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 both the Father and the Son and is eternal (John 14:16...John 15:26). |
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| Man, His Fall & Redemption |
Man is a created being, made in the likeness and
image of God, but through Adam's transgression and fall, sin came into the
world. The Bible says, "...all have sinned, and come short of the glory
of God" and "...There is none righteous, no, not one." (Romans
3:10 & 3:23). 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 (Romans 5:14...1 John 3:8). Salvation is the gift of God
to man, separate from works and the Law, and is made operative by grace
through faith in Jesus Christ, producing works acceptable ot God (Ephesians
2:8-10). |
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| Eternal Life & 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 experienced,
produces eternal life (2 Corinthians 7:10...John 3:3-5...1 John 5:12). |
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| Water Baptism | Baptism in water is by immersion, 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
resurrenction (Matthew 28:19...Romans 6:4...Colossians 2:12...Acts 8:36-39).
The following recommendation regarding the water baptismal formula is adopted;
to wit: "On the confession of your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,
the Son of God, and by His authority, I baptize you in the name of the Father,
and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen." |
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| Baptism in the Holy Spirit |
The Baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire is a gift
form 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
himself gives utterance (Matthew 3:11...John 14:16, 17...Acts 1:8...Acts
2:38, 39...Acts 19:1-7...Acts 2:1-4). |
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| 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. (Hebrews
12:14...1 Thessalonians 5:23...2 Peter 3:18...2 Corinthians 3:18...Philippians
3:12-14...1 Corinthians 1:30). |
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| Divine Healing | Healing is for the physical ills of the human
body and is wrought by the power of God through the prayer of faith and
by the laying on of hands. It is provided for in the atonement of Christ,
and is the privilege of every member of the Church today (James 5:14, 15...Mark
16:18...Isaiah 53:4,5...Matthew 8:17...1 Peter 2:24). |
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| Resurrection of the Just and Return of the Lord |
The angels said to Jesus' disciples, "...this
same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like
manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." His coming is imminent.
When He comes, "...the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which
are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds
to meet the Lord in the air..." (Acts 1:11...1 Thessalonians 4:16,
17). Following the tribulation, He shall return to earth as King of kings,
and Lord of lords, and together with His saints, who shall be kings and
priests, he shall reign a thousand years (Revelation 5:10 & 20:6). |
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| Hell and Eternal Retribution | 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",
used in describing the duration of the punishment of the damned in the lake
of fire, carry the same thought and meaning of endless existence as used
in denoting the duration of joy and ecstasy of saints in the presence of
God (Hebrews 9:27...Revelation 19:20). |
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