Extending Hope - Proclaiming Truth

Declaration of Faith

Declaration of Faith
  1. The BIBLE: Given by plenary, verbal inspiration of God, and is therefore our only infallible and authoritative rule for faith and practice. (2 Tim 3:16,17; 2 Peter 1:16-21.)

  2. GOD: There is one God, infinite, eternal and unchangeable, subsisting in a mysterious and eternal trinity - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (1 John 5:7,8; Matt 28:19.)
  3. GOD THE FATHER is the author of love, having sent His only begotten Son to Whom He has committed all authority. He saves all who come to Him through Christ and answers prayer through the name of His Son. (1 John 4:7,8; John 3:16; John 16:24; Matt 28:18; Rom 10:13; Heb 7:26.)
  4. GOD THE SON: The Lord Jesus Christ, God manifest in the flesh, voluntarily became a man, having been born of the virgin Mary through conception by the Holy Spirit that He might reveal God and save sinful man. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ lived a sinless life and accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice, and that our justification is secure because He literally and physically rose from the dead. We also believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God the Father, from which position He heads His church and functions as our High Priest in His capacity as intercessor and advocate. We believe in His imminent pre-millennial, bodily return in power and glory. (Phil 2:6; Luke 1:35; 10:10; Matt 1:18; John 1:18; John 14:3; Acts 1:11; Rom 3:24,25; 8:34;  2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet 1:3-5; 2:24; Eph 1:7; Acts 1:9-10; Heb 4:15; 9:24; 7:25; 1 John 2:1,2.)
  5. GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT the third person of the Trinity, Who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment. He is the supernatural agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ at the moment of salvation, indwelling, guiding, instructing and sealing all believers until the day of redemption. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential for the regeneration of lost men, and impossible without it. The indwelling Holy Spirit also makes it possible for the believer to live a Godly life. Among other ministries, the Holy Spirit provides each true believer with one or more spiritual gifts to be used for the edification and up-building of the Body. At the beginning of the Church sign gifts were included to authenticate the fledgling Church. With the passing of the infancy of the Church and the completion of the scriptural canon, these gifts passed into disuse and are no longer viable. (John 16:8-11, 13; 2 Cor. 3:6; 12:12; 1 Cor. 12:4-14; 13:8-13; Rom 8:9; Eph 1:13,14; 4:7-12; 5:18; 1 John 2:20-27; Titus 3:5; 2 Cor. 5:17; 1 Cor. 3:16; 1 Cor. 12:1-11; 1 Cor. 13:1-13.)

  6. CREATION: We believe the Genesis account of creation that all that exists, including man, is a result of the direct creative act of God; that mankind is accountable and responsible to his Creator for his choices and actions. We believe that the creation was subjected to futility as a consequence of sin, but that it will ultimately be restored to its pre-fall state in the millennial kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Gen 1 & 2; Col.1:16,17; John 1:3, Rom 8:19-21, 2 Pet. 3:1-13.)

  7. MAN: We believe man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam's sin man fell, inherited a sinful nature, became alienated from God, is totally depraved, and of himself utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. (Gen 1:26,27; Rom 3:10-20; 5:12; Eph 2:1-3,12.) 

  8. SALVATION: We believe salvation has been provided for man by God through the blood of Jesus Christ which was shed on the cross at Calvary. Salvation is given to men at the point of initial faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and is based on the single ground of faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ. (Rom 10:10; 1 Thess 5:9; Titus 2:11; 1 Peter 1:5,9; John 3:3, 5:8.)
  9. ATONEMENT was made by Jesus Christ in a substitutionary and sacrificial death on the cross for all mankind and made available to each person upon repentance and acceptance of Christ as their Savior. (Rom 5:10; 2 Cor. 5:8-21.)
  10. ETERNAL SECURITY: Beginning when a person believes and receives Christ as their personal Savior, having been born again, a believer is kept by the power of God and is thus secure in Christ forever. (John 6:37-40; 3:1-21; 10:27-30; Rom 8:1,13,14,38,39; 1 Cor. 1:4-8; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:13; Titus 2:11-15; Heb 12:4-15.)
  11. RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD: The dead, both saved and lost will be resurrected to give an account of their lives, the saved unto the resurrection of life and rewards, the lost unto the resurrection of damnation (Acts 24:15; John 5:28,29; Daniel 12:2.)

  12. THE CHURCH: We believe the church is the body of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all born-again believers of this present age since the day of Pentecost. Christ, as Head and Lord, ordained that the church be established at the local level to continue until His pre-millennial return for the church. A New Testament Church is an organized body of baptized believers practicing Scriptural ordinances and actively engaged in fulfilling the Great Commission of making disciples of all who will believe. (Eph 1:22,23; 5:25-27; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; 2 Cor. 11:2; Acts 2:42; 14:27; 20:17,28-32; Matt 28:19,20.)
  13. SEPARATION: We believe that all the saved are instructed to separate themselves to the Lord for the purpose of honoring Him in their minds and their lives. They are to keep themselves from all apostasy, worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and associations, which would dishonor their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. (2 Tim 3:1-5; Rom 12:1,2; 14:13; 1 John 2:15-17; 2 John 9:11; 2 Cor. 6:14-7:1.)
  14. THE GREAT COMMISSION: To evangelize and disciple all who will come to Christ for His glory. (Matt 28:18-20; Acts 1:8.)7. SATAN: A fallen angel who exists by God's permission and allowed to test mankind until Christ's return. (Matt 4:11,11; Eph 6:10-12; John 8:44; Rev 12:9,10.)

  15. SATAN: A fallen angel who exists by God's permission and allowed to test mankind until Christ's return. (Matt 4:11,11; Eph 6:10-12; John 8:44; Rev 12:9,10.)

  16. ETERNITY: We believe in the personal, imminent, pre-millennial, coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His Church. The saved will dwell in heaven, a place of reward and eternal life with Christ, and the lost will dwell in hell, a place of eternal torment, apart from Christ with no hope. (John 14:1-3; 1 Thess 4:13-18; Titus 2:11-14; 2 Cor. 5:6-18; Rev 20:12-15,21,22; Heb 9:27.)


 


EIGHT HISTORICAL DISTINCTIVES:


  1. The Bible, the believer's sole standard for faith and practice.
  2. A regenerated membership.
  3. Priesthood of the believer.
  4. Two Scriptural Ordinances (Baptism and Lord's Table)
  5. Personal liberty in the study and application of the Bible.
  6. Baptism of believers testifying to the belief of Christ.
  7. Congregational government and autonomy of the local church.
  8. Separation of the church and the state.
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