Statement of Faith
I. THE SCRIPTURES
The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God, and are the only sufficient, certain and authoritative rule of all saving knowledge, faith and obedience.
II. GOD
There is but one God, the Creator, Preserver and Ruler of all things, having in and of Himself, all perfections, and being infinite in them all; and to Him all creatures owe the highest love, reverence and obedience.
III. THE TRINITY
God is revealed to us as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit each with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence or being.
IV. PROVIDENCE
God, from all eternity, decrees or permits everything that comes to pass, and perpetually upholds, directs, and governs all creatures and events; yet so, in such a manner, as to not be the author or approver of sin, nor to destroy the free will and responsibility of all people, but rather to establish it.
V. ELECTION
Election is an expression of God’s eternal will whereby some persons are sovereignly and graciously chosen unto everlasting life - not because of any merit in themselves, but of God’s mere mercy in Christ - and as a consequence of that choice they are called, justified, and glorified.
VI. THE FALL OF MAN
God originally created man righteous and in His own image, free from sin; but, through the temptation of Satan, man transgressed the command of God, and fell from his original holiness and righteousness; whereby man and his posterity inherit a nature corrupt and wholly opposed to God and His law, are under condemnation, and as soon as they are capable of moral action, become actual transgressors.
VII. THE MEDIATOR
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is the divinely appointed mediator between God and man. Having taken upon Himself human nature, yet without sin, He perfectly fulfilled the law, suffered and died upon the cross for the salvation of sinners. He was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended to His Father, at whose right hand He ever lives to make intercession for His people. He is the only Mediator, the Prophet, Priest and King of the Church, and Sovereign over all creation.
VIII. REGENERATION
Regeneration is a change of heart, wrought by the Holy Spirit, who quickens the dead in trespasses and sins, enlightens their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the Word of God, embrace Christ, and renewing their whole nature, so that they come to love and practice holiness of life.
IX. REPENTANCE
Repentance is an evangelical grace, whereby a person is, by the power of the Holy Spirit, made sensible of the manifold evil of his sin, humbles himself for it, and with godly sorrow, and detestation of it, endeavors to walk before God so as to please Him in all things.
X. FAITH
Saving faith is the resting and trusting on God’s authority of whatsoever is revealed in His Word concerning Christ; accepting and believing upon Him alone for justification and eternal life. It is wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit, and is accompanied by all other saving graces, and leads to a life of holiness.
XI. JUSTIFICATION
Justification is the free act of God’s grace whereby sinners, who believe in Christ, are pardoned from all sin through the satisfaction that Christ has made; not for anything wrought in them or done by them; but through the imputation of the obedience and satisfaction of Christ, they receive and rest in Him and His righteousness by faith alone.
XII. SANCTIFICATION
Those who have been regenerated and justifed are also sanctified by God’s Word and Spirit dwelling in them. This sanctification is progressive through the supply of Divine strength, which all saints seek to obtain, pressing after a heavenly life in faithful obedience to all Christ’s commands - actual moral perfection not being achieved presently, but reserved for our future glorification.
XIII. PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS
Those whom God hath accepted in the Beloved, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere to the end; and though they may fall, through neglect and temptation, into sin, whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, bring reproach on the Church, and temporal judgments on themselves, yet they shall be renewed again unto repentance, and be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.
XIV. THE CHURCH
The Lord Jesus Christ is the Chief Shepherd and Head of His Body, the Church. The Church is composed of all true disciples and in Christ is invested all authority for its government. According to God’s Word, Christians are not to forsake the assembling of themselves together for mutual growth and edification, and should therefore seek to associate themselves into particular societies or local churches. And to each of these churches God has delegated the needed authority for administering their order, discipline and worship. While each particular manifestation of the Body of Christ is autonomous, every church should seek to conduct itself in such a manner as to reflect the unity of faith and Spirit which binds all true believers together in Christ Jesus. Therefore, Christ has appointed the administration of the local church’s affairs to those men qualified and formally recognized as Elders and Deacons.
XV. BAPTISM
Baptism is an ordinance instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ, obligatory upon every believer, wherein he is baptized in water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, as a sign of his identification with the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, of the remission of his sins, and of giving himself wholly up to God, to live and walk in newness of life. Baptism is a public act of faith that represents our union with Christ and our engrafting into His body the church.
XVI. THE LORD’S SUPPER
The Lord’s Supper is an ordinance of Jesus Christ, to be administered with the elements of bread and wine, and to be observed by His church till the end of the world. It is in no sense a sacrifice, but is designed to commemorate His death, and as a means of grace, confirms and strengthens the faith and other evangelical graces of true believers. As a witness and a testimony, it is a bond, pledge and renewal of their continued communion with the Lord Jesus and with His body.
XVII. THE LORD’S DAY
The Lord’s Day is a Christian institution for regular observance, and should be employed in exercises of worship, rest and spiritual devotion, both public and private, ceasing from worldly employments as far as possible; works of ministry, necessity and mercy only excepted.
XVIII. LIBERTY OF CONSCIENCE
God alone is Lord of the conscience, and before Him will each man stand or fall. No individual's conscience may be bound by any other than the Lord. It is free from the doctrines, opinions and commandments of men, which are in anything contrary to His Word, or not contained in it.
XIX. THE CIVIL MAGISTRATE
God has ordained the institution of the civil magistrate to restrain evil and promote the general welfare of the people. The state is to act as the servant of the Lord, an administer of justice, and advocate for peace. All authority granted the civil magistrate is derived from the Lord, and is limited in its scope and function to the revealed will of God. Therefore, if and/or when the civil magistrate exercises its power in excess of, or contrary to God's Word, inflicting injustice, or wounding the conscience of the people, it is everywhere and always the Christian's duty to obey God rather than man.
XX. THE FAMILY
God has ordained the institution of the family in order for mankind to multiply and fill the earth, provide for companionship between a man and a woman, and to propagate a godly seed unto Himself. The family is to function in accordance to the Word of God, with each individual in the home fulfilling certain roles, duties and responsibilities expected of them from Scripture. The family is a separate and distinct entity from both the church and the state. As such, certain freedoms, rights, and privileges are inherently reserved for the family by the Lord, and may not, at any time, be infringed upon by any other sphere of authority. These would include, but are not limited to, domestic decisions that deal specifically with matters relating to the home and family.
XXI. THE RESURRECTION
At the last day, there will be a general resurrection of the bodies of all the dead, both the just and unjust from the dust of the earth where they will all be raised.
XXII. THE JUDGMENT
God hath appointed a day, wherein He will judge the world by Jesus Christ, when every one shall receive his reward according to his deeds: the wicked shall go into everlasting punishment; the righteous, into everlasting life. Amen.