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God's Plan of Salvation
(click here)
One True and Living Triune God
Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Isa. 44:6-45:25; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 4:4-6; 1 Timothy 2:5; Mark 12:29-30
We believe in one true and living God. We believe God is an infinite and perfect divine Spirit. We believe God exists in the unity of
the Godhead, the Holy Trinity, in which there are three Persons in Unity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, of the same essence and
substance, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the divine work of redemption—all
God. We also believe God, the First Person of the Trinity, is glorious in holiness and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and
love.
Jesus Christ – Our Savior
John 1:1; John 14:9-26; Philippians 2:5-11
We believe Jesus Christ is the 2nd Person of the Trinity, the Living Word of God, the son of God, the promised Messiah, and
is God. We further believe that Jesus became flesh through his miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit and his virgin birth.
We believe that the true God became fully human, as true man, and remained fully divine, as true God. We believe Jesus died on the
cross as an atoning sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures. We believe that after his crucifixion, Jesus arose in bodily form
from the grave and was resurrected, ascended into heaven, where he is now seated at the right hand of God Almighty, interceding on
our behalf as our High Priest and Mediator, for the purpose of reconciliation of our souls to God.
The Holy Spirit
John 1:1; John 14:9-26; 15:26-27; 16:7-15; Acts 2:1-4
We believe the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, the 3rd person of the Trinity, was sent to glorify Christ and to apply and sustain the saving
work of Christ to our hearts. We believe the Holy Spirit comforts, convicts, instructs, guides, directs, leads and draws us closer to God.
We believe the Holy Spirit indwells our hearts, saturates our spirit, gives us new life, and empowers and imparts gifts to us for service
to God and our fellow man. We believe the Holy Spirit instructs and guides us into all truth, and seals us for the day of redemption.
We believe in the full gifts of the Holy Spirit as God provides.
Holy Scripture
Isaiah 40:8; 2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 4:12; Matthew 24:35
We believe Holy Scripture, in its entirety, was divinely inspired by God and is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction; that God is the
author, salvation is its intended end, and truth without mixture is its corpus and purpose. We believe Scripture reveals principles of
Christian living and principles of God’s commands and ultimate judgment. We believe the Word of God is a perfectly unified witness of
God’s redemptive acts, which all pointed to the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ (Word made flesh). We believe the Holy Scriptures,
as interpreted and inspired by God, are the final and supreme authority and set the standard by which all human conduct and events
shall be measured. We believe firmly in the proper interpretation of God’s Word and are careful to always consider the spirit of God's
Word and not the letter of the Word alone!
The Law and Gospel
Matthew 5:17-48; 22:37-40; Isaiah 53
We believe the Law of God is the eternal and unchangeable rule of his moral government; that it is holy, just and good; and that the
inability which the Scriptures ascribe to fallen humanity to fulfill its precepts, arise entirely from their love of sin; to deliver them from
which, and to restore them through a Mediator to obedience to the holy Law, is one great end of the Gospel, and of the Means of Grace
connected with the establishment of the visible church. We also believe that the Old Testament-Hebrew Scriptures are in complete
unity with the New Testament-New Covenant of Scripture. We believe that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the Old Testament and was
prophesied and anticipated in the whole of the Old Testament Scriptures. We believe in the complete unity of the Holy Bible and its
applicability and authority in the church and the world today and forever.
The Kingdom of God
Luke 22:29; Matthew 4:17; 6:33; 10:5-14; John 18:36
We believe God has established His Kingdom here on earth and in heaven. We believe that as Jesus proclaimed, the Kingdom is near
and it is also in the future. The Kingdom of God, as we currently understand it, represents God’s sovereign reign and rule in the earth,
as well as in heaven and is therefore continually unfolding. We believe it is a system created by God which sets forth the principles of
Godly living. We believe the establishment and advancement of the Kingdom of God is the core element of the mission of the church
and must be the focus of all of the resources and efforts of the church.
The True Church
Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8
We believe the church as the ecclesia, is the assembly of a community of persons who confess faith in Jesus Christ. We believe that we
are the called out ones, set apart by God for the work of carrying out God’s mission in the world. We believe that the mission of the
church is the same as the mission of Jesus Christ – to evangelize, disciple, and serve all people for the establishment and advancement of
the Kingdom of God. We believe that God, through Jesus Christ, is the visionary, the author, the organizer, the manager, and the
sovereign head and ultimate authority of the Church. We believe the church exists for the sole purpose of glorifying God.
The Local Church
Matthew 28:18-20
We believe a visible local church of Christ is a congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of
the Gospel within a designated community; observing the ordinances of Christ, governed by his laws, and exercising the gifts, rights,
and privileges invested in them by God’s Word.
Sinfulness of Humanity
Genesis 1:27, 3; 1 Corinthians 15:21-22; Romans 3:22-24
We believe humanity was created in God’s holiness, but by voluntary transgression fell from that holy state. We believe that as a result
of this fall all are now born into sin. We believe that because of this, we are prone to sin and evil, unless and until we receive and
accept the transforming and empowering love, power and grace of God.
Confession, Repentance and Faith
1 John 1:9; James 5:16; Hebrews 11:1-3; 12:1-2
We believe that to confess and to repent means to admit and expose our sin, to turn from our ungodly ways and to replace those ways
with the ways of God—relying on God as our strength. We believe faith is belief, trust, obedience and action in reliance and
dependence on God, as revealed in Jesus Christ. It is the means of salvation and eternal life. We believe that God perfects and
completes our faith. We know and believe that God is faithful to all of God’s promises.
Salvation
Romans 3:21-26; Luke 19:9
We believe that we, born as sinners, were saved from the consequences of our sin, by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. We believe
that Jesus’ atoning sacrifice on the cross saved us, removed our sin debt and reconciled us to Almighty God. We believe that having
risen from the dead, Jesus gave to us a free gift of salvation, established a right relationship with God, and granted us eternal life with
God, the Almighty.
Justification
Romans 3:23-26; 4:25; 5:16-21
We believe that our belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior secures the gift of justification; that justification includes the pardon of sin,
and the promise of eternal life on principles of righteousness; that it is bestowed, not based on any works of righteousness which we
have done, but solely through faith in the Redeemer's blood. By virtue of this faith, Jesus’ perfect righteousness is freely imputed to us of
God and brings us into a state of most blessed peace and favor with God, securing every other blessing needful for time and eternity.
Regeneration
John 3:3; Romans 12:2
We believe that in order to be saved, we must be regenerated, or born again; that regeneration consists of transforming our minds and
lives to a holy and godly disposition by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, which secures our voluntary
obedience to the Gospel. We further believe that proper evidence of regeneration appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith, and
newness of life.
Sanctification
Leviticus 11:44; Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 7:1; 1 Peter 3:15
We believe Sanctification is the process by which, according to the will of God, we are made partakers of God's perfect holiness; that it is
a progressive work, begun in regeneration; and carried on in the hearts of believers by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, the
Sealer and Comforter, in the continual use of certain spiritual disciplines such as the study of the Word of God, renewing of the mind,
self-examination, self-denial, worship of God, godliness, watchfulness, service and consistent prayer.
God’s Grace and Mercy
Hebrews 4:16; Psalm 136:1; Psalm 86:13; Romans 3:21-24; Ephesians. 1:7; Titus 2:11
We believe God’s grace and mercy are free gifts and represent unmerited favor from God. It demonstrates God’s love, support and
kindness to imperfect men and women. God extends His grace to humanity in providing salvation and forgiveness through Jesus Christ
that is not deserved, and by withholding the judgment that is deserved. We believe God’s grace and mercy are the most glorious
displays of God's sovereign goodness and steadfast love. We also believe that God’s grace and mercy promotes humility, love, prayer,
praise, trust and active imitation of His free mercy; that it may be witnessed by its effects in all who truly believe the Gospel, and that it
is the foundation of our Christian assurance.
Love and Charity
Matthew 22:36-40; 1 Corinthians 13; Gal. 5:1-2; 1 John 4:7-12; John 3:16; John 15:13
We believe everything we do and say must be based in love and charity. We believe that God is love, and that all authentic Christians
are committed to displaying love and charity in all aspects of their lives. We believe that it is our mission to spread love throughout the
world, and in doing this we will be able to communicate the true Christian message to all. We believe that love is the supreme
expression of Christian faith and action. We believe it is our responsibility to cleanse ourselves of anything that hinders the free flow of
love and charity in our lives.
Endurance and Perseverance
Romans 5:3-4; James 1:3-4; Philippians 3:12-16; Luke 21:19; Hebrews 12:1-12
We believe that endurance and perseverance are essential ingredients of the Christian faith. We believe that no person will ever be
successful in living a true and authentic Christian life without pressing on through good times and bad, times of persecution and
blessing. Holy Scripture teaches us that real believers are the ones who endure to the end; that their persevering attachment to Christ
distinguishes them from other “pretenders”. We believe that God’s special Providence watches over those who endure, and they are
kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.
Righteousness and Wickedness
Genesis 13:13; Isaiah 26:10, 13:9-11; Mark 7:21-23; Romans 2:6-11; Romans 4:1-8 See. e.g., Matt. 23
We believe there is a critical difference between the righteous and the wicked; that such as through faith are justified in the name of
the Lord Jesus, and sanctified by the Spirit of our God, are truly righteous in his esteem; while all such as continue in wickedness,
disobedience, lack of repentance and unbelief are in God’s sight wicked, and under the curse; and this distinction holds among men and
women both in and after death.
Baptism and the Lord’s Supper
Baptism: Romans 10:9-10; Ephesians 4:5; Matt. 28:19 (formula); John 1:29-34; Matt. 3:13-17; Romans 6:1-11 (died to sin); Acts 2:41-
47; Holy Communion: 1 Corinthians 11:23-34; 10:16-17; Matt. 26:26-29; John 13:1-17 (footwashing)
We believe that baptism and the Lord’s Supper/Holy Communion are the two principle ordinances/sacraments of the church and are
practiced in services of worship, as acts of worship. Christian Baptism is a “ceremonial washing” which unites the believer to Christ in
his death, burial and resurrection. We practice the full immersion in water of a believer, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Spirit. We believe baptism symbolizes our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, with its effect, in our death to sin
and resurrection to a new life. We believe that baptism is prerequisite to the full privileges of a church relationship. We further
believe that the Lord's Supper is a “ceremonial meal” of remembrance and celebration of the sacrifice and anticipated return of Jesus
Christ, our Lord and Savior. It is practiced on a regular basis in a worship service in which the members of the church, after solemn
and earnest self-examination, by the sacred and symbolic use of bread and fruit of the vine, fellowship with one another and with
Christ, and commemorate together the love and sacrifice of Christ and of his future kingdom.
The Sabbath
Exodus 20:8-11; Deuteronomy 5:12-14; Luke 4:14-16; Mark 2:23-27
We observe the first day of the week, Sunday, as the Lord's Day, the Christian Sabbath. We believe this day should be kept sacred for
the worship of God, by the devout observance of acts of spiritual devotion to God, both private and public, and by preparation for the
rest that remains for the people of God.
Civil Authorities/Religious Liberty
Romans 13:1-7; 1 Timothy 2:1-4
We believe that ultimately civil government is of divine appointment, for the interest and good order of human society; and that civil
authorities are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed; except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
is the only Lord of the conscience. A free church in a free state is the Christian ideal, we believe it is our duty to work toward
accomplishing this ideal.
The Last Days
Joel 1, 2; Isaiah 13:9-11; Revelation 6:17; 2 Peter 3:10
We believe that although we know not the day nor the hour when Jesus will return, the end of the world is approaching and that in
the last days, Christ will descend from heaven and raise the dead from the grave for final retribution; that a solemn separation will
then take place; that the wicked will be adjudged to endless punishment, and the righteous, in their resurrected and glorified bodies, to
endless joy; and that this judgment will fix forever the final state of humanity in heaven or hell, on principles of righteousness. We
believe that this will be the final consummation of history and execution of God’s divine plan.
Posted 4-04-05
