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We
believe the Bible to be the only inspired, infallible and authoritative Word of
God (Ps. 19:7-11; John 16:13; I Thes. 2:13; II Tim. 3:15-17; II Peter 1:21).
We
believe there is one God, eternally existent in three persons, Father, Son and
Holy Spirit (Gen. 1:26; Deut. 6:4; Isa. 43:10-11; Matt. 28:19, Luke 3:21-22;
John 15:26, I Cor. 12:4-6).
We
believe that God is: good (Ps. 119:68), loving (I John 4:7-16), gracious (Ex.
34:6), merciful (Mt. 9:35-36), true (I John 5:20), holy (I Peter 1:14-16),
righteous (Ps. 19:7-9), wise (Ps. 104:24), just (Rom.6:23, Deut. 7:10),
self-existent (John 5:26), self-sufficient (Acts 17:24-25), infinite (Job
11:7-9), eternal (Jude 25), changeless (Ps. 102:26-27), omnipresent (Jer.
23:23-24), omniscient (Is. 40:13-14), omnipotent (Gen. 18:10-14), and sovereign
(John 19:11).
We
believe men and women were created in the image of God, that they sinned,
bringing physical death and spiritual death, which is separation from God (Gen.
1:26-27, 3:1-24; Ezek. 18:4; Rom. 3:23, 5:12; I John 1:8).
We
believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ (Isa. 9:6; John 1:1, 14; 10:30,
20:28-29; Phil 2:6-11; Col. 2:9); His virgin birth (Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18; Luke
1:34-35); His sinless life (II Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15,7:26-27; I Pet. 2:22; I John
3:5); His miracles (Matt. 4:23; Luke 6:17-19; John 3:2); His vicarious and
atoning death through His shed blood (Rom. 5:8-10; Eph. 1:7; Heb. 9:11-15); His
bodily resurrection (Luke 24:4-7, 36-48; I Cor. 15:3-4; Rev. 1:17-18); His
ascension to the right hand of the Father (Acts 2:33; 5:30-31; I Pet. 3:22); and
His personal return in power and in glory (Matt. 24:30, John 14:1-3; Acts 1:11;
I Thess. 1:10, 4:13-18).
We
believe that justification by faith in the atonement of Jesus Christ and
regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential for the salvation of
lost and sinful and men and women (John 3:3-7; Acts 2:38, 3:19,4:12; Rom.
3:24-25; I Cor. 6:11; Eph. 2:1-16; II Tim. 2:25-26; James 2:17-26; I John
5:11-13; Rev. 5:9).
We
believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ (John
17:11, 21-23; Rom; 12:4-5; Eph. 4:11-16).
We
believe the primary agency for the work of God's kingdom is the Christian local
church, functioning under the sovereignty of our Lord Jesus Christ. The church
has been entrusted with the ordinances of Believers' Baptism and the Lord's
Supper (Matt. 16:18, 28:18-20; Acts 2:41-47, 16:4-5; I Cor. 11:23-26, 12:1-31;
Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18).
We
believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, which includes the Baptism
of the Holy Spirit as an experience distinct from regeneration; His indwelling,
by which the Christian is enabled to live a godly life; His supernatural gifting
and empowering of the Church for its work, life and worship (Luke 24:49; Acts
1:4-8, 2:1-4, 10:44-46; Rom. 8:11; I Cor. 12-14; Eph. 5:18).
We
believe in the return of Jesus Christ to consummate His kingdom, in the
resurrection of both the saved and the lost; those who are saved unto the
resurrection of life, and those who are lost unto the resurrection of damnation
(Mark 14:62; John 5:28-29; Acts 24:15; II Thes. 1:2-10; Rev. 1:5-7, 20:4-5, 11-
15).
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