CONFESSION OF FAITH

Article I — Of the Scriptures

We believe that the Holy Bible, as originally written, was verbally inspired and the product of Spirit-controlled men, and therefore, has truth without admixture of error for its matter. We believe the Bible to be the true center of Christian union and the only infallible rule for all human conduct, creeds, and opinions. (II Timothy 3:14,16,17; II Peter 1:19-21)

Article II — Of the True God

We believe there is one and only one living and true God, an infinite Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in 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 the Holy Ghost, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. (Exodus 20:2,3; I Corinthians 8:6; Revelation 4:11; I John 5:7)

Article Ill — Of God the Son

We believe in the absolute Deity of the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ; that He was Divine as no other man can be, being very God of Very God, existing from all eternity co-equal with the Father and the Spirit; that He never ceased to be God for one instant and that His humiliation did not consist in laying aside His Deity, that as man He was miraculously begotten of the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary. (John 1:1,2; I John 5:20; Matthew 1:20; Luke 1:26-38)

Article IV — Of the Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, 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 righteousness, and of judgment; 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 14:16,17; Matthew 28:19; Hebrews 9:14; John 14:26; Luke 1:35; Genesis 1:1-3; John 16:8-11; Acts 5:30-32; John 3:5,6; Ephesians 1:13,14; Mark 1:8; John 1:33; Acts 11:16, Luke 24:49; Romans 8:14,16; Romans 8:26,27)

Article V — Of the Devil or Satan

We believe in the personality of Satan, that he is the unholy god of this age, and the author of all the powers of darkness, and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire. (Matthew 4:1-3; Il Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:10)

Article VI— Of the Creation

We accept the Genesis account of creation and believe that man came by direct creation of God and not by evolution. (Genesis, chapters 1 and 2; Colossians 1:16,17; John 1:3)

Article VII— 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 only by constraint, but of choice; and therefore, under just condemnation without defense or excuse. (Genesis 3:1-6,24; Romans 5:10-19; Romans 1-18; Romans 1:32)

Article 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 a voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place the Just dying for the unjust, Christ, the Lord, bearing our sin 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 in every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate and an all-sufficient Saviour. (Ephesians 2:8; Acts 15:11; Romans 3:24; John 3:16; Mathew 18:11; Philippians 2:7; Hebrews 2:14; Isaiah 53:4-7; Romans 3:25; I John 4:10; I Corinthians 15:3; II Corinthians 5:21)

Article 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 one 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, 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 or repentance and faith and newness of life. (John 3:3; II Corinthians 5:17; I John 5:1; John 3:6,7; Acts 16:30-33; II Peter 1:4; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1; II Corinthians 5:19; Colossians 2:13; John 3:8)

Article X — Of Justification

We believe that the great gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is Justification; (a) that Justification includes the pardon of sin, and the gift of eternal life, on principles of righteousness; (b) 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 to us. (Acts 13:39; Isaiah 53:11; Zechariah 13:1; Romans 8:1; Romans 5:9; Romans 5:1)

Article Xl — Of Faith and Salvation

We believe that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation. (Acts 16:31)

Article XII — Of the Local Church

We believe that a local church is a congregation of immersed believers, associated by 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 are pastor and deacons, whose qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures. We believe the true Mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as we have opportunity. We hold that the local church has the absolute right of 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 true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel; that each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation; on all matters of membership, of polity, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final. (Acts 2:41,42; I Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22,23; Ephesians 4:11; Acts 20:17-28; I Timothy 3:17; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 5:23,24; Acts 15:13-1 8)

Article XIII — Of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper

We believe that Christian Baptism is the immersion of the believer in water to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried and risen Saviour, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life, that it is pre-requisite to the privileges of a church relation. We believe that the Lord’s Supper is the commemoration of His death until He comes and should be preceded always by solemn self-examination. (Acts 8:26-39; John 3:23; Romans 6:3-5; Matthew 3:16; Colossians 2:12; I Corinthians 11:23-28)

Article XIV — Of the Security of the Saints

We believe that all who are truly born again are kept by God the Father for Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6; John 10:28,29; Romans 8:35-39; Jude 1)

Article XV — Of the Righteous and the Wicked

We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that such only as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and sanctified by the Spirit of our God, are truly righteous in His esteem; while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked, and under the curse; and this distinction holds among men both in and after death, in the everlasting felicity of the saved and everlasting conscious suffering of the lost. (Malachi 3:18; Genesis 18:23; Romans 6:17,18; I John 5:19; Romans 7:6; Romans 6:23; Proverbs 14:32; Luke 6:25; Matthew 25:34-41; John 8:21)

Article XVI — Of Civil Government

We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interests and good order of human society; that magistrates are to be prayed for conscientiously, honored, and obeyed; except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ Who is the only Lord of the conscience; and the coming Prince of the Kings of the earth. (Romans 13:1-7; II Samuel 23:3; Exodus 18:21,22; Acts 23:5; Matthew 22:21; Acts 5:20; Acts 4:19,20; Daniel 3:17,18)

Article XVII — Of the Resurrection,

Personal, Visible, Pre-millennial Return of Christ, and Related Events

We believe in:

a) The Bodily Resurrection. (Matthew 28:6,7: Luke 24:39; John 20:27; I Corinthians 15:4; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:2-6)

b) The Ascension. (Acts 1:9-11; Luke 24:51; Mark 16:19; Revelation 3:21; Hebrews 12:2)

c) The High Priesthood. (Hebrews 8:6; I Timothy 2:5; I John 2:1; Hebrews 2:17; Hebrews 5:9,10)

d) The Second Coming. (John 14:3; Acts 1:11; I Thessalonians 4:16; James 5:8; Hebrews 9:28)

e) The Resurrection of the Righteous Dead. (I Thessalonians 4:13-18; I Corinthians 15:42-44; I Corinthians 15:52)

f) The Change of the Living In Christ. (I Corinthians 15:51-53; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Philippians 3:20,21)

g) The Throne of David. (Luke 1:32; Isaiah 9:6,7: Acts 2:29,30)

h) The Millennial Reign. (I Corinthians 15:25; Isaiah 32:1; Isaiah 11:4,5; Psalms 72:8; Revelation 20:14; Revelation 20:6)