In One Eternal God, self-existent in three persons,
co-eternal and co-equal without ontological hierarchy or subordination
in eternality and essence, manifested to man as God the Father,
God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. (Co. l:16; He. 1:2; Ep.
3:19; 1Thess 5:23. He. 9:14; Jo. 20:28)
In the Lord Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son; the Word of
God, who was in the beginning with God and is God; who was born
of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified,
died and was buried; who rose again on the third day and ascended
to the right hand of the Father from whence He comes to judge
the living and the dead (John 1:1-2);
That the Bible is God's written revelation to man; that all Scripture
is given by the inspiration of God, and is without error in original
autographs. (2 Timothy 3:16);
That humanity was created in God’s image and likeness,
without sin and in perfect harmony with the Creator. Through rebellion
and disobedience, humanity fell into sin. Adam became the representative
head of a race (humanity) of sinners, separated from God. All
humanity is lost apart from the saving grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ. God's salvific appeal to all humanity is to believe (not
intellectually consent) with the heart, and confess with the mouth
Jesus Christ as Lord. (Ge. 3:1 ff.; Ro. 5:13-21; Ro. 10:9; Acts
4:12). We believe personal salvation is the result of regeneration
by the Holy Spirit who baptizes the believer into the body of
Christ. (Jo.3:16; Titus 3:5; 2Co. 5:17; Ga. 6:5)
That Jesus Christ, in his sinless humanity, died on the cross
and shed his blood as a once and for all time atoning sacrifice
for our sins. He was buried and on the third day; rose bodily
from the dead, ascended into heaven and is seated on the throne
at the right hand of the Majesty on High. (Ac 20:28; He. 13: 12;
Re. 1:5; He. 1:3; 1 Co. 15:12; Jo. 20: 17; Ep. 4:8-10).
That by grace we are saved through faith and that not of ourselves,
it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no man should
boast (Ephesians 2:8-9);
That there is one church Universal, the Body of Christ, which
is called to be a visible manifestation of God's love and a steward
of the grace of God.
in the earth, and this universality finds expression in governmentally
autonomous local assemblies. (Ephesians 3:2);
That God is working, empowering mankind through the baptism of
the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit, which are distributed
to every man as He wills (Acts 1:8; Acts 2:2-4; I Corinthians
12:8-11);
That God has given present day ministry gifts (Apostles, Prophets,
Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers) to the Church to equip the
saints for the work of the ministry and to build up the Body of
Christ (Ephesians 4:11-12).
In evangelistic and missionary fervor as the Church seeks to
fulfill its God-given commission to carry the good news unto all
the world and to make disciples of all humanity. (Acts 1:8; Mk
16:15-18; Mt. 29:19-20).
In a literal heaven as a place of eternal blessedness, rest,
reward and the communion with God for all who die in the faith
of Jesus Christ. We also believe the objective of the believer
is not merely arrival in heaven, but to be daily conformed to
the image of Christ with the ultimate goal of sitting with Him
on the throne in the kingdom of God. (Ro. 8:29-30; Re. 2:26-27;
Re. 3:21; 1Pe. 1:4; Co. 1:15).
In a literal devil, a fallen angel, satan, the adversary and accuser
of the brethren who is defeated by Christ's finished work on the
cross and is destined for eternal abode in a lake of fire. We
believe hell was designed by God for the devil and fallen angels,
but through sin, unbelief, rebellion, disobedience, and failure
to appropriate God's provision in Christ, unredeemed mankind is
destined for eternal loss, and separation from God in this same
hell, its duration being a matter of open inquiry between orthodox
believers. (Is 14:12-14; Ez. 28:13-19; Re. 20:2; Re. 20:10; Re.
20:14; Mt. 25:41).
In the final judgment, resurrection of all the dead, the righteous
in Christ to everlasting reward and blessedness, the unbelieving
to everlasting judgment. (Re. 20:6; 1Co. 15:22-23; 1Co. 15:41-58;
He. 9:27; 2Co.5-10; Ro. 14:10; Re. 20:12-13).
In the return of the Lord. Genuine believers hold different interpretations
on matters of timing and sequence of end-time events. Such matters
should not be tests of orthodoxy, but each believer should hold
convictions in his/her own heart and demonstrate a spirit of charity
toward other believers who hold differing views.
We believe that all the major historical schema of end time interpretations
have a "seed" of truth in them and that they co-exist
in divine tension.
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