TENETS OF FAITH
THE SCRIPTURES INSPIRED
The Bible is the inspired Word of God, a revelation from God to men, the infallible rule of faith and conduct, and superior to conscience and reason, but not contrary to reason. We believe that the Bible, consisting of the 66 books of the Old and New Testament. Is the revelation of God to mankind, is verbally and fully inspired by Him, is sufficient for the knowledge of God and His will that is necessary for the eternal welfare of mankind, is infallible and inerrant in its original manuscripts, and is the supreme and the final authority for all Christian faith and conduct.
(2 Timothy 3:15, 17; 1 Peter 1:21, 23-25; 1 Corinthians 2:13; Deuteronomy 29:29; 2Timothy 3:15; John 10:35)
THE ONE TRUE GOD
We believe that there is but one true God whose essential nature is that of a living, personal Sprit. He is infinitely perfect in all of His attributes. He is the creator and sustainer of all things, and has revealed Himself as the eternally, self-existent, self-revealed “I AM,” He simultaneously exist as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
(Deut. 6:4; Mark 12:29; Isaiah 43:10, 11; Matthew 28:19)
JESUS CHRIST
We believe that Jesus Christ is true God and true man; that is, He is fully divine and also fully human. He preexisted eternally with the Father, was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, lived a perfect life and died a substitutionary death for the sins of mankind. We believe that He arose bodily from the grave, that He ascended to heaven, where He is presently High Priest and advocate for His people and the He will return personally and bodily to the earth at the close of this age. He is the world’s only Savior and is the Lord of all.
(Philippians 2:5-11; John 1:1; Matthew 1:23-25; 1 Peer 2:22; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 15:20; 1 Timothy 2:6; Hebrews 4:14-16; John 14:3; Acts 4:12)
THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person, the third Person of the Trinity. We believe that He was sent from the father by the Son to convict the world, to regenerate and indwell those who trust in Christ, to baptize them into the Body of Christ, to seal them for the final day of redemption, to guide them into truth, to fill them for a life of holiness and victory and to empower them for witness and service. We believe that He gives spiritual gifts to believers for the proper functioning of the Body of Christ, which is the Church.
(Acts 5:3-4; John 16:7-14; 3:5-8; 1 Corinthians 2:9-12; 3:16; 12:3-13; 28:31; Ephesians 1:13-14; Acts 1:8)
MAN
We believe that man was originally created by a definite act of God in His own image and is dependent upon and accountable to his Creator. Through disobedience, the first man sinned and fell from his original state of moral perfection. As a consequence, he brought upon himself and the whole human race the penalty of sin, which is spiritual and physical death. Since Adam, every person is born with an inherent sinful nature and becomes a sinner in thought, word, and deed. Every person therefore stands under the just condemnation of God and is unable to save himself or to present deeds worthy of merit before God. (Genesis 1:26, 27; 2:7; Romans 2:6-16 5:12-21; 6:23; Matthew 5:20-48; John 3:36)
SALVATION
We believe that a person is saved by God’s grace alone made possible through the shed blood of Christ, whereby He died a substitutionary death for mankind.
BAPTISM IN WATER
The ordinance of baptism by burial with Christ, that total immersion in water, is the scriptural mode and should be observed (as commanded in the Scriptures) by all that have repented of their sins and in their heats have believed on Christ as their Savior and Lord In doing so, they declare to the world that they have died with Christ and that they have also been released to walk with Him in newness of life.
(Matthew 28:19-20) (Romans 6:4)
THE LORD’S SUPPER (COMMUNION)
The Lord’s Supper, consisting of the elements, bread and the fruit of the vine, is the symbol expressing our sharing in a memorial to His suffering and death, and a prophecy of His second coming, and is enjoined to all believers “until He comes”.
(John 6:48, 51, 53-57; Luke 22:19. 20; 2 Peter 1:4; 1 Cor. 11:25)
THE PROMISE OF THE FATHER
All believers should ardently expect and earnestly seek the Promise of the Father, which is the baptism in the Holy Spirit, with the evidence of speaking in tongues as the spirit gives utterance. With it comes the infilling of power for life and service, and the bestowment of gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry.
(Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-8; Acts 2:38; 1 Cor. 12:1-31)
SANCTIFICATION PROCESS
By the power of the Holy Ghost we strive to obey the command, “Be ye Holy, for I am Holy. Sanctification is the will of God for all believers, and should be earnestly pursued by walking in obedience to God’s Word.
Hebrew 12:14; 1 Peter 15, 16; 1 Thess. 5:23, 24; 1 John 2:5)
THE MINISTRY
The ministry is the holy Body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of her great commission. Each believer is an integral part of the ministry, and their names are written n the Lamb’s Book of Life.
(1 Thess. 2:4)
MINISTRY
Divinely called and scripturally ordained ministry has been provided by our Lord for a two-fold purpose: (1) The evangelization of the world, and (2) The edification of the Body of Christ.
(Mark 15:16, 20; Ephesians 4:11-13)
DIVINE HEALING
Deliverance from sickness is provided for in the atonement of Christ and is privilege of all believers.
(Isaiah 53:4-5; Matthew 16:18; John 5:14)
THE BLESSED HOPE
The resurrection of those who have fallen asleep in Christ and their translation, together with those who are alive and remain unto the Lord, is imminent and is the blessed hope of the ministry.
(1 Thess. 4:16; Romans 6:23; Titus 2:12; 1 Cor. 15:51-52)
