* The Articles of Faith listed below were developed internally and adopted by the congregation in 1983.
Article 1: The Bible
We believe that the Bible, consisting of sixty-six canonical books of the Old and New Testaments, was given by Divine inspiration and is the Word of God, hence free from error in the original autographs (II Tim. 3:16, 17; II Peter 1:19-21; I Thess. 2:13).
These sixty-six books constitute the only perfect rule and final authority in all matters pertaining to Christian faith and practice. (Acts 17:11; Isa. 8:20).
Article 2: The Godhead
We believe there is only one living and true God, perfect, infinite, and eternal; (Matt. 5:48; I Kings 8:27; Psalm 90:2).
Who is unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, love and truth; (Mal. 3:6; I Tim. 1:17; Gen. 17:1; Isa. 6:3; Psalm 19:9; Ex. 34:6; John 3:16).
Who is the Creator, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe; (Gen. 1:1; Heb. 11:3; Neh. 9:6; Heb. 1:2, 3; Psalm 103:19; Eph. 1:11).
Who eternally exists in three Persons, namely, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; Who are equal in Their Divine perfection and harmonious in the execution of Their distinct offices. (Matt. 28:19; John 5:18; John 14:16, 17; John 15:26; Eph. 2:18).
Article 3: Man
His Creation
Man, created in the image of God, through disobedience fell from his sinless state at the suggestion of Satan. (Gen. 1:27).
His Fall
This fall plunged man into a state of sin and spiritual death, and brought upon the entire race the sentence of eternal death. (Gen. 3:1-6; Rom. 5:12, 18; 3:10-12, 23; 1:19-31; Eph. 4:18; I John 1:8-10).
Article 4: The Son
Through the work of the Holy Spirit, the eternally pre-existent Son became incarnate without human father, by being born of the Virgin Mary. Thus in the Lord Jesus Christ, divine and human natures were united in one Person, both natures being whole, perfect and distinct. To effect salvation, He lived a sinless life and died on the cross as the sinner’s substitute, shedding His blood for the remission of sins. On the third day He rose from the dead in the body which had been laid in the tomb. He ascended to the right hand of the Father, where He performs the ministry of intercession (Isa. 9:6; Matt. 1:18-25; John 1:14; I Tim. 3:16; Heb. 2:14; Matt. 20:28; Heb. 9:11, 12; I Pet. 3:18; Gal. 3:13; Heb. 2:9; I Tim. 2:5, 6).
Article 5: The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity. He proceeds from the Father and the Son (John 15:26). His principal ministry, since Pentecost, is:
To convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgement; (John 16:8-11)
To restrain the progress of evil until God’s purposes are accomplished; (II Thess. 2:7)
To bear witness to the truth preached; (Acts 5:30-32)
To regenerate those who repent of their sins and exercise faith in Christ; (John 3:3-8; Titus 3:5)
To instruct, comfort and guide God’s children; (John 14:16-18, 26)
To sanctify them; (II Thess. 2:13; I Peter 1:1-3)
To indwell and empower them for life and service (Rom. 8:2; Acts 1:8; Eph. 3:16; I Cor. 2:1-4; I Thess. 1:5; Rom. 8:11).
Article 6: Salvation
We believe that salvation is wholly of grace (Eph. 2:8, 9; Titus 3:5), being planned by the Father, provided for by the blood of the Son, and applied by the Holy Spirit (John 3:3-5).
In justification the believer is absolved of his guilt and declared righteous in the sight of God to inherit eternal life (Rom. 5:1, 9; 4:4, 5; Acts 13:39; John 3:16).
In adoption he is constituted a member of the household of God (Rom. 8).
In regeneration a new life is implanted in his heart (John 3:3; Titus 2:14).
In sanctification this new life is strengthened and developed increasingly (Rom. 6:8).
In glorification this work will come to its perfect culmination in an ultimate and complete renewal of human nature (I Cor. 13:8-13; I John 5:11-13).
Repentance and faith are essential attitudes to be found in any one person who rightly claims the blessing of salvation. They emphasize the fact that it is not through human merit of any kind, but the grace of God that redemption is achieved.
Article 7: The Church
We believe that the church invisible and universal is an organism composed of the redeemed of all ages. We believe that the church is manifest locally and visibly through companies of believers in Christ, joined together and meeting for worship and to observe the ordinances (Acts 2:42; 20:7; I Cor. 16:2; Acts 6:1-6; Heb. 10:24, 25).
It is the duty of the church to give the Gospel as a witness to all men (Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 1:8).
To build itself up in the most holy faith (John 20:21; Eph. 4:11, 12, 16; Acts 20:32), and to glorify God (I Peter 4:11).
Article 8: Ordinances
We believe that Christian ordinances are outward rites appointed by Christ, not as a means of salvation, but as visible signs and seals of the facts and realities of salvation.
Baptism
We believe that baptism by immersion is the public confession of Christ as Savior and Lord. It is a symbol of one’s union, by faith, with Christ in death, burial, and resurrection, and, therefore, is to be administered to those who have given evidence of faith in Christ as their personal Savior (Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38-41; Rom. 6:3-5; Col. 2:12; Acts 8:36-39).
The Lord’s Supper
We believe that the Lord’s Supper should be observed by all believers in obedience to the command: “This do in remembrance of me.” It consists in partaking of bread and wine, and symbolizes the death of Christ for the remission of our sins and our continual dependence upon Him for our sustenance. It witnesses to that mystical union of the believer with Christ (John 15).
The union of believers around the Lord’s table should be open to all who are in right relationship one with another, and with the Lord (Matt. 26:26-30; Luke 22:19-22; I Cor. 11:23-34).
Article 9: Last Things
We believe that at the end of the age, Christ will visibly descend from Heaven, the dead shall be raised bodily, they shall be judged by God, and that those redeemed will enter into full possession of eternal bliss in the presence of God, and the wicked shall be condemned to eternal death (Acts 2:11; 24:15; Matt. 25:31-46; I Thess. 4:13-18; John 5:25-29).