I. THE SCRIPTURES

We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired, and is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction; that it has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth without any mixture of error for its matter; that it reveals the principles by which God will judge us; and therefore is, and shall remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried. (Ex. 24:4; Deut. 4:1-2; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Prov. 30:5-6; Rom. 2:12; 1 Pet. 1:25)

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II. OF THE TRUE GOD

We believe that there is one and only one living and true God. He is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being, the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe who alone is worthy of our worship. God is infinite in holiness and all other perfections. God is all powerful and all knowing; and His perfect knowledge extends to all things, past, present, and future, including the future decisions of His free creatures. To Him we owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience. The eternal triune God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being.(John 4:24; Ps. 83:18; Heb. 3:4; Rom. 1:20; Jer. 10:10; Ex. 15:11; Ps. 147:5; Isa. 6:3; 1 Pet. 1:15-16; Rev. 4:6-8; Mark 12:30)

 

A. God the Father

God the Father reigns with providential care over His universe, His creatures, and the flow of the stream of human history according to the purpose of His grace. He is all powerful, all knowing, all loving, and all wise. God is Father in truth to those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. (Gen. 1:1; 2:7; Exodus 3:14; 6:2-3; Lev. 22:2; Deut. 6:4; 32:6; Ps. 19:1-3; Isa. 43:3,15; Jer. 10:10; Mark 1:9‑11; John 4:24; 5:26; Rom. 8:14-15; Gal. 4:6; Eph. 4:6; 1 John 5:7)

 

B. God the Son

Christ is the eternal Son of God. In His incarnation as Jesus Christ He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus perfectly revealed and did the will of God, taking upon Himself human nature with its demands and necessities and identifying Himself completely with mankind yet without sin. He honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and in His substitutionary death on the cross He made provision for the redemption of man from sin. He was raised from the dead with a glorified body and appeared to His disciples as the person who was with them before His crucifixion. He ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where He is the One Mediator, fully God, fully man, in whose Person is effected the reconciliation between God and man. He will return in power and glory to judge the world and to consummate His redemptive mission. He now dwells in all believers as the living and ever‑present Lord. (Gen. 18:1; Isa. 7:14; 53:1-12; Matt. 1:18-23; 3:17; 14:33; 28:1-6; Mark 3:11; Luke 1:35; 4:41; 24:46; John 1:1-18; 11:25-27; 14:7‑11; 20:1-20; Acts 1:9; 2:22-24; Rom. 3:23-26; 1 Cor. 15:1-8; Gal. 4:4-5; Phil. 2:5-11; 1 Thess. 4:14-18; 1 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 1:1-3; 1 Pet. 2:21-25; Rev. 5:9-14; 13:8; 19:16)

 

C. God the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, fully divine. He inspired holy men of old to write the Scriptures. Through illumination He enables men to understand truth. He exalts Christ. He convicts men of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. He calls men to the Saviour, and effects regeneration. At the moment of regeneration, He baptizes every believer into the Body of Christ. He cultivates Christian character, comforts believers, and bestows the spiritual gifts by which they serve God through His church. He seals the believer unto the day of final redemption. His presence in the Christian is the guarantee that God will bring the believer into the fullness of the stature of Christ. He enlightens and empowers the believer and the church in worship, evangelism, and service. (Gen. 1:2; Jud. 14:6; Ps. 51:11; Isa. 61:1-3; Joel:2:28-32; Matt. 3:16; 12:28-32; Mark 1:10,12; Luke 11:13; 24:49; John 4:24; 14:16-17; 15:26; 16:7-14; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4; 4:31; 7:55; 10:44; 15:28; 19:1-6; Rom. 8:2-27; 1 Cor. 2:10-14; Eph. 1:13-14; 1 Thess. 5:19; 1 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21; 1 John 4:13; Rev. 22:17)

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III. OF THE FALL OF MAN

We believe that Man is the special creation of God, made in His own image. He created them male and female as the crowning work of His creation. The gift of gender is thus part of the goodness of God's creation. In the beginning man was innocent of sin and was endowed by his Creator with freedom of choice. By his free choice man sinned against God and brought sin into the human race. Through the temptation of Satan man transgressed the command of God, and fell from his original innocence whereby his posterity inherit a nature and an environment inclined toward sin. Therefore, as soon as they are capable of moral action, they become transgressors and are under condemnation. Only the grace of God can bring man into His holy fellowship and enable man to fulfill the creative purpose of God. The sacredness of human personality is evident in that God created man in His own image, and in that Christ died for man; therefore, every person of every race possesses full dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love.(Gen. 1:26-30; Gen. 2:18-22; Gen. 3:6-24; Ps. 8:3-6; Jer. 17:5; Rom. 1:19-32; Rom. 5:12; 1 Cor. 1:21-31; Eph. 2:1-22; Col. 3:9-11)

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IV. OF THE WAY OF SALVATION

We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace; through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God; who by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Himself our nature, yet without sin; honored the divine law by his personal obedience, and by His death made a full atonement for our sins; that having risen from the dead He is now enthroned in heaven; and uniting in His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfections, He is every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate, and an all-sufficient Savior. (Eph. 2:3, Matt. 18:11, 1 John 4:10, 1 Cor. 3:5-7, Acts 15:11, John 3:16, John 1:1-14, Heb. 4:14, Phil. 2:9&14)

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V. OF JUSTIFICATION

We believe that the great Gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is Justification; that Justification includes the pardon of sin, and the promise of eternal life on principles of righteousness; that it is bestowed, not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in the Redeemer’s blood; by virtue of which faith His perfect righteousness is freely imputed to us of God; that it brings us into a state of most blessed peace and favor with God, and secures every other blessing needful for time and eternity. (John 1:16, Eph. 3:8, Acts 13:39, Isa. 53:11-12, Rom. 5:1-2, Rom. 5:9, Zech. 13:1)

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VI. OF GRACE IN REGENERATION

We believe that, in order to be saved, sinners must be regenerated, or born again; that regeneration consists in giving a holy disposition to the mind; that it is effected in a manner above our comprehension by the power of the Holy Spirit, in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel; and that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance, and faith, and newness of life. (John 3:3, John 3:6-7, 1 Cor. 3:14, Rev. 14:3, Rev. 21:27, 2 Cor. 5:17, Ezek. 36:26, Deut. 30-6)

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VII. OF REPENTANCE AND FAITH

We believe that Repentance and Faith are sacred duties, and also inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the regenerating Spirit of God; whereby being deeply convinced of our guilt, danger and helplessness, and of the way of salvation by Christ, we turn to God with unfeigned contrition, confession, and supplication for mercy; at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as our Prophet, Priest and King, and relying on Him alone as the only and all sufficient Savior. (Mark 1:15, Acts 11:18, Eph. 2:8, 1 John 5:1, John 16:8, Acts 2:37-38, Acts 16:30-31)

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VIII. OF SANCTIFICATION

We believe that Sanctification is the process by which, according to the will of God, we are made partakers of his holiness; that it is a progressive work; that it is begun in regeneration; and that it is 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 the appointed means, – especially, the word of God, self-examination, self‑denial, watchfulness and prayer. (1 Thess. 5:23; 2 Cor. 7:1; 2 Cor. 13:10; Phil. 3:12-16)

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IX. OF THE HARMONY OF THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL

We believe that 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 men to fulfill its precepts, arises entirely from their love of sin: to deliver them from which, and to restore them through a Mediator to unfeigned 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. (Rom. 3:31; Matt. 5:17; Luke 16:17; Rom. 3:20; Rom. 4:15; Rom. 7:12)

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X. OF THE WORLD TO COME

We believe that the end of the world is approaching; that at the last day Christ will descend from heaven, and raise the dead from the grave to final retribution; that a solemn separation will then take place; that the wicked will be adjudged to endless punishment, and the righteous to endless joy; and that this judgment will fix forever the final state of men in heaven or hell, on principles of righteousness. (1 Pet, 4:7; 1 Cor. 7:29-31; Heb. 1:10-12; Matt. 24:35; 1 John 2:17; Matt. 28:20; Matt. 13:39-40; 2 Pet. 3:3-13)