Although
nondenominational in affiliation, this church has upheld the doctrinal
viewpoint that aligns with the
Second London Baptist Confession of 1689 or the New Hampshire Confession of
Faith of 1833; however, it does not subscribe to any particular form,
politics, or extra-biblical positions on issues that may typically be associated
with various Baptist denominations. It
shall remain its own highest authority and conduct its business through its own
business sessions.
1. What is the Bible?
We believe that the 66 books of the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, though written by men, were supernaturally inspired by God so that all its words are the written true revelation of God, it is therefore inerrant in the originals and authoritative in all matters. It is to be understood by all through the illumination of the Holy Spirit, its meaning determined by the historical, grammatical, and literary use of the author's language, comparing Scripture with Scripture. We believe the Bible is the supreme revelation of God’s will for man and constitutes the only infallible guide for faith and life.
Psalm 19:7–11; Proverbs 30:5–6; Matthew 5:18; John 10:34–35; Romans 15:4; 2 Timothy 3:16–17; 2 Peter 1:19–21; Revelation 22:18–19
2. What is the Trinity?
We believe in one God, infinite Spirit, creator, and sustainer of all things, who exists eternally in three persons, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. These three are one in essence but distinct in person and function.
Matthew 3:16–17; 28:19; John 6:27; Acts 5:3–4; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Hebrews 1:8
3. Who is God the Father?
We believe that the Father is the first person of the Trinity and the source of all that God is and does. From Him the Son is eternally generated and from Them the Spirit eternally proceeds. He is the designer of creation, the speaker of revelation, the author of redemption, and the sovereign of history. He is the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth.
Genesis 1:1; Psalm 139:7–10; Isaiah 46:9; Romans 11:33; Ephesians 4:6; 1 Timothy 1:17; Revelation 19:6
4. Who is Jesus Christ?
We believe that Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary as no other man was ever, nor can be, born of a virgin. He lives forever as perfect God and perfect man: two distinct natures inseparably united in one person.
He lived a life of absolute sinlessness and in His death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins, dying not as a martyr, but as a voluntary substitute in the sinner's place. He rose bodily on the third day and ascended into heaven where He now sits at the right hand of the Father as our High Priest, interceding and preparing a place for us.
Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18–25; 28:6; John 1:1; 14:3; 20:27–28; Acts 15:16; 1 Corinthians 15:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Hebrews 7:25; 8:6; 12:2:
1 Peter 2:22; 3:18; 1 John 2:1; Revelation 3:21
5. Who is the Holy Spirit?
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person possessing all the attributes of deity and is equal with God the Father and God the Son. We believe that He was active in creation and is the restrainer of Satan; that He convicts of sin, of judgment, and of righteousness; 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, helps, and distributes spiritual gifts to all believers.
Genesis 1:1–3; Matthew 28:19; John 7:39; 14:16–17, 26; 16:8–11; Romans 12:3–8;
1 Corinthians 12:8–13, 28–31; 13:8–12; Ephesians 1:13–14; 2 Thess. 2:6–8, 13
6. What about Angels, Demons & Satan?
We believe in the existence of angels who were created by God to bring honor and glory to His name and to serve Him. Angels who have chosen to follow God are ministers for Him on behalf of those who are believers. Some, under the leadership of Satan, fell from their sinless state to become agents of evil. They are presently functioning in Satan’s counterfeit system as rulers of darkness, to be resisted by the believer through the armor provided by God. We believe that Satan, the “god of this age” and “the prince of the power of the air,” once knew heavenly honors. That because of pride and ambition to be above the Almighty God, he fell and is currently the power of all darkness and evil and is destined for final defeat at the hand of God’s Son, and for the judgment of eternal hell, a place prepared for him and his angels.
Isaiah 6; 14:12–15; Matthew 17:18; Ephesians 2:2; 6:11–13; Colossians 1:16; 1 Timothy 4:1–2; 1 Peter 1:12; 5:8; Jude 6; Revelation 19:16–20; 20:10
7. What is Creation?
We believe that all things were created by God. The universe was created in six historical, literal days and is continuously sustained by God; thus it both reflects His glory and reveals His truth. Human beings were directly created in the very image of God, not by evolution or evolutionary change of species, or development through periods of time from lower to higher forms. As reasoning moral agents, they are responsible under God for understanding and governing themselves and the world. We believe that all animal and vegetable life was created directly, and God's established law was that they should bring forth only "after their kind."
Genesis 1:1, 24; John 13; Hebrews 11:3; Revelation 10:6
8. Who is Man?
We believe the Bible teaches that man was created by a direct act of God and not from any previously existing form of life; and that all men are descended from the historical Adam and Eve, the first parents of the entire human race. We affirm that Adam willfully disobeyed God, bringing sin and death into the world. As a result, all persons are sinners by nature and by choice, which is evidenced in their willful acts of sin; and they are therefore subject to eternal judgment and separation from God in a place called hell without defense or excuse, under the just condemnation of a holy God.
Genesis 1:27; 3:6, 24; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 1:32; 3:10–23; 5:12–19
9. What is Salvation?
We believe that Jesus Christ offered Himself as a sacrifice by the appointment of the Father. He fulfilled the demands of God by His obedient life, died on the cross in full substitution and payment for the sins of all, was buried, and on the third day He arose physically and bodily from the dead. He ascended into heaven where He now intercedes for all believers. We affirm that each person can be saved only through the work of Jesus Christ, wholly apart from works and is upon the sole condition of faith in Jesus Christ and never without genuine repentance. The believer is declared righteous, born again, turned from sin, and regenerated by the power of the Holy Spirit through faith in God’s Word, becoming the recipient of a new nature and assured of heaven. The great gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is justification, that judicial act of God accompanied by the pardon of sin and the imputation of divine righteousness, not because of any work of righteousness on our part, but solely through faith in the Redeemer’s blood. The believer who has exercised personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is completely justified and in possession of eternal life.
Habakkuk 2:4; John 1:11–12; 3:3–17; 10:28–29; Acts 13:39; Romans 2:4; 2 Corinthians 7:9–10; Ephesians 2:8–10; 1 Timothy 2:5–6; Hebrews 4:2;
1 Peter 1:18–23; 2 Peter 1:4; 2:1; 1 John 5:11–13
10. What is the Church?
We believe that a church is the body and bride of Christ, a local assembly of baptized believers, under the discipline of the Word of God and the lordship of Christ, organized to carry out the commission to evangelize, to teach and to administer the ordinances of believer’s baptism and the Lord’s Table. The ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Table are to be observed under the authority of the local church. It’s offices are elders and deacons, and it is self-governing. It functions through the ministry of gifts given by the Holy Spirit to each believer. God’s method of financing His earthly work through the church is by the generous and sacrificial giving of His people within each local assembly. This work includes the spreading of the Gospel to all nations, the care of the church and the support of the ministry and it’s full time staff.
2 Timothy 3:16–17; Colossians 1:18; 1 Peter 2:9 Revelation 1:5–6; Leviticus 27:30; Acts 2:41- 47; John 15:5; Matthew 28:19–20; Acts 1:8;
Matthew 3:16; John 3:23; Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 2:12; I Corinthians 11:23-28 Malachi 3:10; 1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 9:7
11. What about Death, End Times and Eternity?
The souls of the believers are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord where they consciously await the return of Christ for living believers, when spirit, soul, and new body are reunited to be forever glorified in fellowship with God.
The souls of the unbelievers after death remain in conscious misery until the return of Christ, when with spirit, soul, and body reunited, they shall appear before the Great White Throne Judgment and shall be cast in the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment.
1 Corinthians 15:51–52; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18; Titus 2:13; 2 Thessalonians 2:1–2; 1 John 3:2; Romans 14:10; 1 Corinthians 3:11–15;
2 Corinthians 5:10; Isaiah 9:6–7; Luke 1:32; Acts 2:29–30; 2 Thessalonians 1:6–12; Revelation 20:1–6,12–14; Matthew 25:46; Luke 16:19–26;
John 5:28–29; 2 Corinthians 5:8–10; Philippians 1:23
12. What about Civil Government?
We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interests and good order of human society; that governing officials are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed, with the exception only of 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.
Matthew 10:28; Matthew 23:10; Acts 5:29; Acts 23:5; Romans 13:7; Philippians 2:10–11; Titus 3:1
13. What about Life, Abortion & Euthanasia?
We believe that all human life is sacred from fertilization throughout the entire natural human life; that human beings are created in His image and, as such, are to be protected; that the weak, vulnerable, infirm, handicapped, preborn and needy deserve our respect and our care.
Genesis 1:26; 9:6; Psalm 51:5, 82:3–4, 139:13–16; Jeremiah 1:5; Luke 1:41
14. What about Sexuality and Marriage?
We believe that marriage was the first institution God provided for man; sex is to be enjoyed only within the sacred relationship of marriage between one man and one woman for life; and that same-sex and transexual behavior is a perversion of God’s natural order of one man for one woman.
Genesis 2:18–24; Deuteronomy 23:17–18; Mark 10:9; Romans 1:18–27; I Corinthians 6:9–11; 7:2; Ephesians 5:22–33; Jude 7