We Believe ...

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, is what we accept as our infallible guide in matters pertaining to conduct and doctrine (I Thessalonians 2:13, II Timothy 3:16, II Peter 1:21).  

Our God is one but is manifested in three persons – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit being co-equal (I John 5:7). God the Father is greater than all, the Source of the Word (Logos) and the Originator (John 1:14; 14:28; 16:28). The Holy Spirit proceeds forth from both the Father and the Son and is eternal (John 15:26) .

Man is a created being, made in the likeness and the image of God, but through Adam's transgression and fall, sin came into the world. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one" (Romans 3:10). Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was manifested to undo the work of the devil and to give His life and shed His blood to redeem and restore man back to God (I John 3:8). Salvation is the gift of God to man, separate from works and the Law, which is made operative by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, producing works acceptable to God (Ephesians 2:8) .

Baptism in water 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 resurrection (Matthew 28:19, Acts 8:36 -39, Romans 6:4, Colossians 2:12). The following recommendation regarding the water baptismal formula is adopted:
"On the confession of your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and by His authority, in the presence of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -- I baptize you in the Name of Jesus, Amen."

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 (Hebrews 12:14, I Thessalonians 5:23, II Peter 3:18, I Corinthians 1:30, II Corinthians 3:18, Philippians 3:12-14).

The angels said, "This same Jesus...shall so come in like manner..." (Acts 1:11). 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..." (I Thessalonians 4:16-17). Following the tribulation, He shall return to earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Then, together with His saints, who shall be kings and priests, He shall reign for a thousand years (Revelation 20:6).

Man's first step toward salvation is godly sorrow that works repentance. The new birth is necessary to all men, and when fulfilled, it produces eternal life
(John 3:3-5, II Corinthians 7:10, I John 5:12).

The Baptism with the Holy Spirit 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 gift of speaking in other tongues as the Holy Spirit Himself gives utterance. The word, "Tongues" is an old English word and simply means "language." God's Word is clear that there are two kinds of spirit language. One is a public gift for the whole church. The other is a private spirit language prayed directly to the Father God. (Matthew 3:11, John 14:16-17, 1 Corinthians 14:1-4,14-15; Acts 1:8; 2:4; 2:38-39; 19:1-7).

Healing is for the physical ills of the human body. It 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 (Isaiah 53:4-5, Matthew 8:17, Mark 16:18, James 5:14-16, I Peter 2:24, 1 Corinthians 11).

 

The one who physically dies in his sins without 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).