Scripture - I believe the
sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament Scripture alone to be verbally
inspired by God and inerrant in the original text, and that they alone are of
supreme and final authority in faith and life.
God - I believe in one God
who is Creator of heaven and earth, who is infinite Spirit, light, love, and
truth; eternal, almighty, infallible in all things, including His foreknowledge
of all future events as well as all free choices; that He is unchangeable, all
wise, just, and holy; and that the triune God eternally exists in one essence
and three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Creation – I believe in the
special creation of the entire space-time universe and of every basic form of
life in the six historic days of the Genesis creation record. I also believe
in the historicity of the biblical record, including the special creation of
Adam and Eve as the literal progenitors of all people, the literal fall and
resultant divine curse on the creation, the worldwide flood, and the origin of
nations and diverse languages at the tower
of Babel
Jesus Christ
A. Incarnation – I believe in Jesus Christ, the Second
Person of the Trinity, the Eternal Word manifested in the flesh. We believe
that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, and that He
is true God and true man, having two distinct natures co-joined in one
Person.
B. Death - I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died as a
representative and substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of every human being
and thus offers salvation as a free gift based on grace alone.
C. Resurrection - I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ arose
from the dead in the same physical body, though glorified, in which He had
lived and died, and that His resurrection body is the pattern of that body that
will be given to all believers at the return of Christ.
D. Ascension - I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended
into heaven in the same glorified physical body in which He arose, was seated
at His Father's right hand, assuring us of the perfection of His work of
redemption, and that He now, as Head over all things to the Church, is engaged
on behalf of the saved as their only Advocate.
E. Return - I believe in the personal, imminent, and premillennial
return of the Lord Jesus Christ for His redeemed ones followed by His
millennial reign on earth.
Mankind - I believe that man
was originally created in the image and likeness of God, and that he fell
through sin; and that as a consequence of his sin, he became dead in trespasses
and sins, and that he became subject to the power of the devil. I also believe
that this spiritual death, or total depravity of human nature, has been
transmitted to the entire human race, the Man Christ Jesus alone being excepted;
and hence that every child of Adam is born into the world with a nature that is
totally corrupt.
Salvation - I believe that
only those who receive the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior on the condition of
faith alone, apart from all good works, are thereby born again of the Holy
Spirit, are justified once and for all, and have become children of God.
The Holy Spirit - I believe
that the Holy Spirit, being the Third Person of the Godhead, convicts men of
sin, regenerates, indwells, baptizes, seals, and sets believers apart to a holy
life; that He keeps and empowers believers day by day. I believe that He is the
Teacher of the Word of God through which He guides us in our daily lives.
The Final State
Ordinances - I believe that
the Lord Jesus Christ instituted only two ordinances: water baptism and the
Lord's Supper, to be observed until He comes. I believe that water baptism is not
necessary for salvation but that it is an outward symbol of salvation and a
sign of our obedience to Him.
The Church - I believe that
the universal Church of Jesus Christ is composed of those who have been
redeemed and washed in His blood, regenerated and sealed by the Holy Spirit,
and that they are saved to worship and to serve; that it is the responsibility
and privilege of all who are saved to seek to win others to Christ, to the
"uttermost part of the earth"; that they should seek to live a holy life,
to separate themselves from and forsake all that might dishonor God, cast
discredit on His cause, or weaken their testimony.
Satan - I believe that there
is a personal devil, a being of great cunning and power, who is "the
prince and the power of the air," "the prince of this world,"
and "the god of this age." I believe that he can exert vast power
but only as far as God permits him to do so, that he shall ultimately be cast
into the lake of fire and brimstone and shall be tormented day and night forever.
