What We Believe

STATEMENT OF FAITH

THE SCRIPTURES The Bible is the inspired Word of God – the product of holy men of old who spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. The new Covenant, as recorded in the New Testament, we accept as our infallible guide in matters pertaining to conduct and doctrine.

(2 Timothy 3:16; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:21)

THE GODHEAD Our God is one, but manifested in three persons: The Father; The Son; and the Holy Spirit.

(Matthew 28:19,20; 2 Corinthians 13:14; John 1:1,14,18; 14:16-18; 16:28)

MAN, HIS FALL & REDEMPTION Man is a created being, made in the likeness and image of God.

(Genesis 1:26; Romans 3:10, 21-26, 5:12-15, 10:9-10; Ephesians 2:8-10)

ETERNAL LIFE & THE NEW BIRTH Man’s first step toward salvation is godly sorrow that leads to repentance. The New Birth is necessary to all men, and when experienced produces eternal life.

(John 3:15; Romans 6:22-23; 2 Corinthians 7:10; 1 John 3:3-5, 5:12)

WATER BAPTISM Baptism in water by immersion, is a direct commandment of our Lord, and is for believers only. The ordinance is a symbol of the Christian’s identification with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection.

(Matthew 28:13; Acts 8:36-39; Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12)

BAPTISM IN THE HOLY GHOST The Baptism in the Holy Ghost and fire is a gift from God as promised by the Lord Jesus Christ to all believers in this dispensation and is received subsequent to the “New Birth.” This experience is accompanied by the initial evidence of speaking in other tongues as the Holy Spirit Himself gives utterance.

(Matthew 3:11; Luke 11:11-13; John 14:16-17; Acts 1:8, 2:38-39, 8:14-17, 10:34-60, 19:1-7)

SANCTIFICATION The Bible teaches that without holiness no man can see the Lord. We believe in the Doctrine of Sanctification as a definite, yet progressive work of grace, commencing at the time of regeneration and continuing until the consummation of salvation at Christ’s return.

(1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18; Philippians 3:12-14; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 12:14)

DIVINE HEALING Healing is for the physical ills of the human body and is brought by the power of God through the prayer of faith and by the laying on of hands. It is provided for in the atonement of Christ and is the privilege of every member of the Church today.

(Exodus 15:25-26, 23:25; Deuteronomy 7:15; Psalms 103:2-3; Isaiah 53:3-5; Matthew 8:17; Mark 16:17-18; James 5:13-15; 1 Peter 2:24)

RESURRECTION OF THE JUST & THE RETURN OF OUR LORD The angels said to Jesus’ disciples, “…this same Jesus, who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven.” His coming is imminent. When He comes, “…the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.”

(Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 20:6)

HELL & ETERNAL RETRIBUTION The one who physically dies in his sins without accepting Christ is hopelessly and eternally lost in the lake of fire and, therefore, has no further opportunity of hearing the gospel or repenting. The lake of fire is literal. The terms “eternal” and “everlasting,” used in describing the duration of punishment of the damned in the lake of fire, carry the same thought and meaning of endless existence as used in denoting the duration of joy and ecstasy of saints in the Presence of God.

(2 Thessalonians 1:8-9; Jude 7; Revelation 20:14-15)