Articles of Faith

Article I
Inspiration of Scripture

Holy men of God wrote the scriptures as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, II Pet. 1:21. The Bible, as originally written, is perfect and completely inspired and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, II Tim 3:16,17:James 1:17

Article II
Triune God

There is only one eternal God, Deut. 6:4: Isa. 45:5. The Father is a Spirit never seen by men, John 1:18: John 4:24, Jesus Christ, the Son, is also eternal. He was sent to earth to be the Lamb of God, to die for the sins of the whole world and was raised on the third day. He then ascended to the right hand of God as High Priest over the House of God, Matt. 16:21; Mark 16:19; John 1:29; Heb 3:1; 7:16; 10:21. The Holy Spirit represents the Father and the Son to man, convicting of sin, and is a special Comforter to the church, to dwell in her and to teach her the truths of God, Matt. 28:19; John 14:16-17; 15:26; 16:7-15

Article III
Satan

Satan is and has been a real and active force opposing God and man in every age. Isa. 14:12-13, Mat. 4:1; I Pet. 5:8 He continues to influence the wicked and to tempt the righteous in these times. He faces a sentence of 1000 years in the bottomless pit followed by eternity in a lake of fire Rev. 20:2,3,10. He will give his power to the soon coming Man of Sin, Rev 13:4.

Article IV
Original Sin

Adam disobeyed God and became dead in sin, Gen. 2:17, 3:6. All men are descendants of him and are also dead in sin, Rom 5:15-19; Eph 2:1-3

Article V
Salvation by Grace

Sinners cannot be saved by any work of their own. Salvation of the depraved sinner is only by grace through faith, Eph. 2:8-9. The gospel of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection is the only power to change sinners and give them life, John 10:10; Rom. 1:16. Jesus laid down His life, giving His precious blood for the propitiation of the sins of the whole world (1Pet. 1:19, 1 Jn. 2:2). Jesus is the Lamb of God and His shed blood is the only cleansing agent able to wash and take away the sins of all men (Jn. 1:29, 1 Cor. 5:7, Rev. 1:5). The blood is applied the very first moment a lost sinner repents toward God and is saved by grace through faith (Ro. 3:25, Eph. 2:8). This salvation occurs before baptism and church membership, Act 8:36,38. At the moment of faith in Christ as their Savior, they are born of His Spirit, John 3:5-8. This birth of His seed remains in them and it cannot sin, 1 John 3:9. The Holy Spirit then witnesses with their new spirit that they are the children of God, Rom 8:16. This salvation cannot be lost, 1 Cor. 3:15. No saved person can or ever will go to hell or the Lake of Fire, Rev. 20:15. God would have all to be saved, 1 Tim 2:4. Jesus invites all to come unto Him, Matt, 11:28. All who remain in their condemned state do so because they will not believe, John 5:40.

Article VI
Great Commission

The gospel of Christ is to be preached to every person until the end, Mark 16:15. The gospel is the power by which God works all good things toward man, Rom. 1:16. Because of the gospel, we obtain salvation, the keeping of our life, the services of God in truth, Phil 1:27; the revealing of mysteries, Eph 6:19; and a partaking of the glory and kingdom of Christ, Matt 4:23. Thus, the gospel is the good news from God concerning how we can be brought back into wholeness and fellowship with Him, starting with faith and ending with faith, all by His grace.

Article VII
Church Ordinances

All believers are to be baptized and added to the church, Acts 2:41. Baptism, being a burial, is therefore only by complete immersion, Rom 6:4. The authority of baptism is by Christ through His church, Matt 28:18-19. The Church is a body of baptized believers living faithfully unto Christ. The church's ordained offices are pastors and deacons, Acts 6:1-7; I Tim 3:13. The ordinances of the church are baptism and the Lord's Supper, Matt 26: 26-27; 28:19 Baptism is required for proper service, as a symbol of purification of the flesh and the hope of the future resurrection, Rom 6:1-4. The Lord's Supper is restricted to the members of that local church and is a confirmation of our relationship to Him in the New Covenant, Matt 26:26-29; Luke 22:20. Baptism and the Lord's Supper present a complete picture of the gospel; the death, burial and resurrection of both Christ and His people.

Article VIII
Church Origin and Perpetuity

The church is built by Jesus and began during His personal ministry on earth, Mat 16:18. Jesus was and is the only person ever having the authority to start the church. He is the rock and only foundation on which the church is built. I Cor 3:11. His churches are local and visible and in no sense universal or invisible, Gal 1:2; Rev 1:4. Not all saved are in the church. Not all assemblies claiming to be His qualify as scriptural churches. True churches may lose their identity as His, Rev 2:5; 3:16. False churches cannot progressively improve to become His. The true church has never been out of existence. It has continued from the day Jesus began building and will continue until He returns, Matt 16:18 28:20; Eph 3:21 This continuance has been by one church separating members from their local body unto another assembly unto this day, Acts 8:14-17; 13:1-4.

Article IX
Titles of Church

His church is called His house, I Tim 3:15; His body, Eph 1:22-23; His temple, I Cor 3:17; His branches, John 15:1-5; His sheep, John 10:1-18, also the house of prayer in Isaiah. He receives glory through His church, Eph 3:21.

Article X
Offices of Church

The Lord gave His churches pastors and deacons, I Tim 3. Pastors, also called bishops, are set in their office by the Holy Spirit to oversee and feed the flock of God, Acts 20:28. A strict life of righteousness is required. Deacons are chosen by the church to fulfill a material need, Acts 6:3-4. Their lives are to be impeccable. These offices can only be filled by men.

Article XI
Eternal Purpose

God knows and foreknows all things, Isa 46:10; I Pet 1:2. He elects, John 15:16; Rom 8:23; predestines many things, Eph 1:5,11 and this is all according to His good pleasure. These are all the right, power and authority of a sovereign God, Deut 32:39-43. God has an eternal purpose with His creation, which is accomplished through Jesus, Eph 3:11. This eternal purpose was planned by God Himself and is explained progressively in the form of covenants, especially the Abrahamic and the New Covenant. Thus Christ was chosen as the seed of Abraham, through the line of David, and had to be such to be the proper carrier of the promises, Matt 1:1; Luke 1:32. One role of the church today is to help bring people into these promises, Gal 3:14.

Article XII
Sanctification 

Sanctification begins in regeneration and is ever progressive. It is the process by which we are made to partake of God's holiness and are made into the image of Christ, John 17:17; Acts 20:32; Eph 5:26. IThes. 5:23

Article XIII
Eternal Security

God is able to keep His saints from falling and present them faultless before the presence of His glory, Jude 24. Saints are holy people who shall judge the world and the angels, Rom 1:7; Cor 6:2-3; Col 1:2,22.

Article XIV
Day of Assembly

The first day of the week was set by our Lord to worship Him and it replaced the Sabbath day of the law, Acts 20:7; I Cor 16:2; Col 2:14-17

Article XV
Civil Obedience

Christians are to obey the laws of the land when those laws do not conflict with God's commands, Act 5:29; Rom 13: 1-4

Article XVI
Christ's Kingdom Reign

Jesus will return to earth again as King, Acts 1:11; I Tim 6:15. The church shall be presented to Him sanctified, cleansed, washed and without spot or wrinkle, as His bride Eph 5:25-27. His bride shall walk with Him in righteous robes of white, Rev 19:8. He shall reign forever and of His kingdom there shall be no end, Luke 1:33. The New Jerusalem shall descend from God and righteous saints that do His commandments shall have right to enter, Rev 21:24-27. All others, living then are without the city and have no right to enter neither will they have any portion with the bride, Rev 21:27;22:15.

Article XVII
Two Resurrections

Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection, they shall be priests of God and Christ and reign with Him a thousand years, Rev 20:4-6. There is also a second resurrection wherein Christ sits on a great white throne and whosoever is not found written in the book of life is cast into the lake of fire, Rev 20:11-15.