Our Beliefs
- We believe that there is one God (Deuteronomy 6:4). We believe that He has revealed Himself not only as the Father of all creation, but He has also been revealed through His only begotten Son Jesus (Colossians 1:15; John 1:1,14; Jude 25). And He continues to reveal Himself through His Holy Spirit (John 15:26; Acts 5:3, 4).
- We believe that these three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – make up what the Bible calls “The Godhead” (Colossians 2:9) and we believe that the full comprehension of this wonderful union is a mystery (Mark 4:11; Romans 16:25; Colossians 1:26).
- We believe that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one in substance and purpose, but are different in position and authority (John 14:28; John 16:7). Therefore, we adhere with all our hearts to what biblical historians have called, “The Doctrine of the Trinity” (Matthew 28:19; Luke 3:22).
- We believe that Jesus was both fully human, and fully God (Philippians 2:5-8; Hebrews 4:15). We believe that He is the express “image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15). We believe that He is to be worshipped, praised and adored (along with the Father and Holy Spirit) not only for what He has done, but for Who He is – the Son of God and God the Son (Revelation 5:8, 9).
- We believe that Jesus was born when “the Word became flesh,” and that He was born to a virgin – to one who had never known a man (John 1:14; Matthew 1:18).
- We believe that He completely fulfilled all righteousness and the law, that He was sorely tempted, but never once yielded and never sinned (Matthew 3:15; 4:1; 5:17; Hebrews 4:15).
- We believe that men rejected Him, and therefore rejected His Father (Luke 10:16), and the forgiveness His Father offered (John 3:18-19). We believe that He suffered a cruel and horrible death by crucifixion on a cross and that He became the great sacrifice Who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
- We believe that He Himself bore in His body, our sins (Isaiah 53:4-5), suffering the most horrible of all fates – separation from the Father (for a time) – and that it was this, our sins that killed Him (John 19:34).
- We believe that He rose from the tomb on the third day in triumph over Satan, hell and death, winning the position and name above all others, so that no one can be saved by any other way, or by any other name other than Jesus (Philippians 2:9-11; Acts 4:12).
- We believe that salvation is a free gift by God’s grace, not by works, but that this gift although free, is not cheap – for it cost God the life of His own beloved Son (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8; 1 John 1:9).
- We believe that one is saved only by faith in Jesus’ finished work on the cross, and that if this faith is real it will produce repentance – that is a change of mind concerning sin and everything not pleasing to God – that results in a total change of actions and deeds (Acts 2:37, 38; Matthew 3:8; James 2:14, 26). We believe that repentance is not optional, but necessary proof that one has true faith that leads to eternal life (Luke 13:1-5).
- We believe that He promised and sent the Holy Spirit into the world, to both convict the world of sin, and to empower believers to be good and faithful witnesses to His glory and purpose (John 16:8; Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4).
- We believe that Jesus did not come primarily to save us from hell, death, sickness, or unhappiness … but that He died to save us from our sins and the power of sin, that produces death, hell and eternal unhappiness (Matthew 1:21; Romans 6:23).
- We believe God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring the world to its appropriate end. According to His promise, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth; the dead will be raised; and Christ will judge all men in righteousness. The unrighteous will be consigned to Hell, the place of everlasting punishment. The righteous in their resurrected and glorified bodies will receive their reward and will dwell forever in Heaven in the very presence of the Lord (Matthew 24; 25:31-46).
- We believe that Jesus Christ will again return to the earth, “coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory.” (Matthew 24). This time, though, He will not be coming to save the world or to offer salvation, but He will be coming to judge the world and avenge the honor of His Father and the blood of all those who died for the testimony of God (Revelation 6:9, 10; 19:11-16).
- We believe He will separate the righteous from the unrighteous (Matthew 25:31-46). The unrighteous will be tormented in the Lake of Fire day and night forever and ever and they will have no rest (Revelation 21:8; 20:14,15; 17:14; 14:11). The righteous will receive “a new heaven and a new earth.” They will dwell in the very presence of God forever. In heaven, there will be no more tears, death, crying or pain (Revelation 21:1-4; 22).
- We believe that all other so-called “points of doctrine” are peripheral to the issue of salvation, true faith and godliness, and that argument or dissension on them will only “ruin those who listen” (1 Timothy 6:20, 21; 2 Timothy 2:14; Titus 3:9), and at best will only be a waste of time by taking our attention off the thing that matters most to God – preparing a pure and holy bride for residence in heaven.