1. THE BIBLE

We believe that the Bible, the Old and the New Testaments, which contains 66 books (Luke 24:44; John 16:12,13), in its original writings is the inerrant, plenary and verbally inspired Word of God (II Peter 1:20-21; II Tim. 3:16; Mathew 5:18; I Cor. 2:13) which is the only source of information about Salvation, the only basis of our faith and the only guide for the Christian for everyday living (II Tim. 3:15-17). The Bible’s inerrancy extends not only to matters of faith and practice, but also to the matters of science and history that it mentions. We believe the inspired Word of God is complete and finished (Rev. 22:19).

2. THE GODHEAD

We believe in one God, (Deut. 6:4; Mark 12:29), yet three in persons, one in essence the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19). God is an infinite, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient (Psalm 139), self-existent (John 5:26) invisible (John 10:30) eternal Spirit (John 5:24). The Scriptures declare that each person of the Trinity are equal (II Cor. 13:13); the Father is declared to be God (James 3:9); the Son is declared to be God (John 1:1; Heb. 1:8, 10); the Holy Spirit is declared to be God (Acts 5:3-4, 9).

3. JESUS CHRIST

We believe that Jesus Christ is the second person of the Godhead, fully possessing all the attributes of God (John 14:6; Heb. 13:8; Matt. 28:20), God the Son was with the Father before the foundation of the world (John 1:1; 8:58).

In the incarnation, Christ humbled Himself and subordinated Himself to the Power of the Holy Spirit (Isa. 11:2), and the will of the Father (Phil. 2:5-8). He was born of a virgin (Matt. 1:23) and conceived of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 1:20). He was one person with two unmixed natures, the perfect human and the divine (Phil. 2:6-7).

We believe that Christ lived a sinless life (II Cor. 5:21) and on the cross died for the sins of the world (Heb. 2:17; John 1:29), He being the sacrifice for our sins by the shedding of His blood according to the Scriptures (I Cor. 15:1-3; Heb. 9:13-14; 10:12; II Cor. 5:21; I John 2:2) everyone can have salvation who asks forgiveness and receives Christ as the Savior (I John 1:9; Rom. 3:24; John 1:12).

We believe that Christ was bodily resurrected (Matt. 28:6), and ascended bodily to the right hand of the Father to ever make intercession for us (Acts 1:9; Heb. 7:25).

4. THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead, He is declared to be God (II Cor. 3:17; Acts 5:3) and as God, possesses all the attributes of God: as eternal (Heb. 9:14), omnipresence (Ps. 139:7-10), omniscience (I Cor. 2:10-11). His ministries are the following:

-The restraining the evil in this world (II Thess. 2:7) to the measure of the divine will (Acts 17:30-31).

-The conviction of the world regarding sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16:8-11). The Holy Spirit convicts the lost of his sin and his need to receive Christ, gives spiritual life in the new birth (John 3:5), seals the believer (Eph. 4:30), and He permanently indwells in the believer (Gal. 4:6) with power for a holy life and service (I Cor. 6:19; Rom. 8:9), illuminates the Word, guide those who obeys Him (I John 2:20-27).

We believe that some gifts of the Holy Spirit were permanent. We believe that speaking in tongues was never a necessary sign of the filling or baptism of the Spirit. (I Cor. 12:13). We believe that the Holy Spirit baptism is that event in which Christ baptized believers by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ at salvation (I Cor. 12:13; Luke 3:16-17).

We believe that the Holy Spirit gave apostolic gifts to the early churches (I Cor. 12) to authenticate the message of the early churches before the completed Bible was available (Heb. 2:1-5). These authenticating and revelatory gifts ceased when the Scripture was finished and complete (I Cor. 13:8-12; Heb. 2:3-4).

We believe that God in accord with His will, does hear and answer prayer for the sick people (James 5:14-16).

5. ANGELS

We believe that angels are created beings by God with personality for obeying God both in the Heaven and earth, many times as God’s messengers (Psalm 103:20; Lu. 1:26, Matt. 4:11; Gen. 19:1).

Since the angels are creatures are limited in power, knowledge (Matt. 24:36) and in what they can do (Rev. 7:1; I Pet. 1:12) with higher intellectually, and power than human (Heb. 2:7-9; Matt. 26:53).

They are servants of God obeying Him, also sent to help believers and minister to them (Heb. 1:14), but their first ministry is to glorify and praising the Almighty God (Ps. 148:1-2; Rev. 5:8-13).

6. SATAN

We believe that Satan (originally called Lucifer) was created a perfect, anointed cherub with personality (Matt. 8:31), but because he wanted to be like God, he was cast down (Ezek. 28:11-19; Is. 14:12-25; Matt. 12:24), with other angels, who are demons who left their place (Jude 6; Eph. 6:12; Mark 9:25). They will be casting to the lake of fire one day (Matt. 25:41).

Satan, although strong and powerful, does things only with the permission of God (Job 1-2; Eph. 2:2). Satan does not possess the attributes of God, like omnipresence, omniscience, and omnipotence.

The main job of Satan as God’s enemy is to tear down the work of Christ (Gen. 3:5, 15; Matt. 2:16; 4:1-11) to blind the minds of unbelievers (II Cor. 4:4), to imitate the work of God (II Cor. 11:13-15), to tempt believers (Eph. 6:12; I Pet. 5:8) and to accuse the brethren (Rev. 12:10).

7. SIN

We believe that sin is lawlessness or disregard for the law of God (John 3:4), and that it is the missing of the mark (Rom. 3:23) of the perfect holiness of God. Sin originated with Satan (Isa. 14:12-17) and came into the human race through the fall of Adam (Gen. 3:1-7; Gen. 5:1-3). As a result of Adam’s sin, death passed upon all man (Rom. 5:12). Because of this, man is depraved and unable to please God through his own nature (Ps. 51:5, 53:4). Man is born with a sinful nature and has no means of recovery from this sinful state apart from the work of Christ on the cross, which is the only solution for this sin nature (Rom. 6:1-6; Eph. 2:8-9) and his sin (I John 2:2).

8. MAN

We believe that God created man a perfect being, in innocence, and in His own image and likeness. Man was created as a moral, rational being but with free will, (Gen. 1:26, 27, 31) being able to live in perfect fellowship with his Creator and for His glory. Man consists of body and soul/spirit.

When man chose to disobey his Creator, he fell from innocence, and sin entered the world (Rom. 5:12). At that time, man not only began to die physically (Gen. 2:17), but also spiritually (Eph. 2:1) cut off from God. Adam, being the head of the human race, passed on this sinful nature to all men, (Gen. 5:1-4; Eph. 4:17-19; Psalm 51:5). Man is totally depraved Rom. 3:9-12; 7:18, 19) and in a condition of spiritual death (Eph. 2:1-2). (Psalm 5:10; Rom. 1:18-32;

We believe that every man is born a sinner and that he is sinful in his thoughts, speech and deeds (Rom.5:12; Eph.2:1-5). Man with this sinful nature is not able to please God (Rom.3:10-12), and is need of Savior (Rom.5:8) and salvation through the new birth (John 3:3-7).

9. SALVATION

We believe that salvation is a free gift through the grace of God (Eph. 2:8-9), and cannot be received by human works or human merit (Rom. 4:4; Rom. 6:23). Everyman needs salvation because of his sinful condition (Rom. 3:23), and his ONLY basis of salvation is the death of the Lord Jesus upon the cross (Eph. 1:7; Acts 4:12). On the cross, Jesus paid the penalty for the sins of the world (I John 2:2) by the shedding of His blood (Heb. 8:12, 14, 15; Matt. 26:28) and becoming sin for us (II Cor. 5:21). Those who receive Christ by faith as their personal Savior are justified on the ground of His shed blood (Rom. 5:9).

We believe that when a person receives Christ by faith as personal Savior, he becomes a child of God (John 1:12, 13), he is instantly born again by the Spirit of God (John 3:5), he is converted and becomes a new creature in Christ (II Cor. 5:17; Acts 3:19). At the moment of salvation he is justified, the righteousness of Christ being imputed to him (Rom. 5:1,2 4:5). He is likewise sanctified, being set apart for God’s service (I Cor. 1:2).

We believe that all believers, once saved, are kept by God’s power (John 10:28) and are secure in Christ forever (I John 5:11, 12).

10. SANCTIFICATION

We believe that sanctification is presented in three senses in Scriptures: at the time of his salvation, every believer has been sanctified through the death of Christ (Heb. 10:10), is now being sanctified by the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:25-28), and will one day be completely sanctified at his glorification (I Thess. 5:23-24). The Holy Spirit accomplishes present sanctification by speaking to us through His word (John 15:3; Rom. 8:13; John 17:17). We co-operate with the Holy Spirit by putting off our old way of life and putting on new practices (Rom. 8:13; Eph. 4; Col. 3). The goal of sanctification is that we would be conformed to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:28-29).

Every Christian has two natures, old and new, and the old nature cannot be eradicated during this life (Gal. 5:17, Rom. 7:18-25).

11. SEPARATION

We believe in biblical separation in the following areas:

1. Separation of the local church from all fellowship and affiliation with those who deny the truth of the Christian faith and from those who walk together with the ecumenical movement (II John 9-11; II Cor. 6:14-17; Rom. 16:17).

2. Separation of the individual believer from all the worldly practices dishonor the Savior (II Thess. 3:6,14-15; II Tim. 3:1-5; Rom. 12:1-2; I Cor. 5; I John 2:15-17).

3. Separation of church and state (Matt. 22:21).

12. THE CHURCH

We believe as Jesus prophesied that He would build His church (Matt. 16:18) and the official, organized beginning of the church was on the day of Pentecost (Act. 2:42-47) on which occasion the Holy Spirit came down to permanently indwell all believers and to join all believers into one body by means of the baptism in the Holy Spirit (I Cor. 12:13).

We believe that the New Testament church is a spiritual body of which Christ is the Head (Eph. 5:23), consisting of all regenerated Christians in this age (I Cor. 12:12-17), manifests itself through the local assembly of believers (I Cor. 12:27).

We believe that the local church (I Cor. 12:27) is the institution which God has chosen to carry out His work in this age (Matt. 28:19-20). It is composed of saved, immersed believers (Acts 2:41) who join together for worship, prayer, edification, fellowship, observing the ordinances (Acts 2:42) and carrying out the Great Commission.

We believe that the local church is independent in character and is under the authority of Christ who is the Head (Rev. 2:1; Eph. 1:22-23), the Word of God being its sole authority for both faith and practice (II Tim. 3:15-17).

The first day of the week, Sunday, is the Lord’s Day (Rev. 1:10). This was the day of the week on which the Lord arose (John 20:1), a day set apart for worship by the early Christians to remember the resurrection of Christ (Acts 20:7).

We believe that we find two ordinances in the Scripture:

1. Baptism - is the immersion of a believer in water. It sets in a public, solemn way our identification with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection (Matt. 28:19; Acts 10:47-48, Rom. 6:3-5) and the responsibility to “walk in the newness of life.” Baptism is the prerequisite for church membership (Acts 2:41) and not the completing of salvation (Eph. 2:8-9).

2. Lord Supper – is to be observed by born again, baptized believers in remembrance of the Lord Jesus Christ (I Cor. 11:20-32), until He comes back. The Lord Supper is a reminder of our continual fellowship with Him and should always be preceded by self-examination (I Cor. 11:28-30). The cup and the bread are symbolical of the blood and body of Christ (Lu. 22:19), the cup being described as the “fruit of the vine” (Matt. 26:26-29; Mark 14:25; Lu. 22:18) pure, unfermented grape juice.

CHURCH OFFICERS:

We believe that the Scripture shows that local church has only two appointed offices: Pastor and Deacon (Phil. 1:1). These officers must meet the Scriptural qualifications outlined in I Timothy 3:1-13 and Titus 1:5-9.

The most important way the Pastor should lead is by His example. He should advance the spiritual life and interests of the congregation, not being a lord over the church (I Pet. 5:2-3).

THE GREAT COMMISSION:

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has commissioned church to take the Gospel to the whole world (Matt. 28:19-20). Evangelism and church planting should be primary in the program of the local church, which includes baptism and teaching of believers (Matt. 28:19-20, Acts 1:8, I Cor. 11:23-32).

13. LAST THINGS

We believe that the next great prophetic event is the rapture, when Jesus Christ takes all living believers to heaven, together with those who died in Christ, in resurrected bodies (I Thess.4:14-17; John 14:3; I Cor. 15:51-57). We believe that return of Christ could happen at any time. Because Christ promised the church that it would be kept from the time of tribulation (Rev. 3:10; I Thess. 5:9), We believe that the rapture of the church will occur before the tribulation.

Following the rapture believers will appear before the judgment seat of Christ, and our works will be judged for the purpose of giving rewards (II Cor. 5:20; I Cor. 3:9-15).

The unbelievers who are left after the rapture will face seven years of tribulation (Daniel 9:24-27; Matt. 24:21) a time of great judgment upon the earth, when God judges the nations and judges and prepares His people Israel to receive their Messiah (Rev. 6-19; Jer. 30:7; Zech. 12-14).

The end of the tribulation Christ returns to the earth with His saints with great power and glory and all unbelievers and unbeliever nations will be destroyed (Rev.19:11-21; Matt.25:31-46).

After tribulation Christ will establish His promised Davidic kingdom with all those who were living at His return, which time peace and righteousness shall be for one thousand years, Israel will be established on her own land (Ezek. 39:25-29).

During Millennium Satan will be bound (Rev. 20:1-3), at the end of Christ glorious reign Satan will be loosed for a season and start a rebellion against Christ with many, (Rev. 20:8-10), but shall be defeated and cast into the lake of fire forever (Rev. 20:10).

Following the final defeat of Satan, the Great White Throne judgment will take place, at which time all the unsaved with a resurrected body will be brought from their temporary place of torment in Hades. After this judgment all the unsaved will be cast into the lake of fire forever, where everlasting, conscious punishment will be (Matt. 11:20-24; Rev. 14:10-11; 20:11-15).

God will create a new heaven and a new earth where the righteous shall be in eternal conscious blessedness in the presence of the Lord forever (II Pet. 3:15; Rev. 22:3; 21:1-15).