1. The Bible
We
believe that the Holy Bible was inspired by God, written by men, and is
completely free from error. It is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction
and reveals the principles by which God will judge us. It includes within it
the only way of salvation. It will remain to the end of the world the supreme
standard and final authority by which all matters of life and doctrine should
be tested.
2. The True God
We
believe that there is only one living and true God. He is the eternal, infinite
Creator and supreme Ruler of heaven and earth. He is merciful, just, and loving
and governs all things according to his sovereign will for his glory. He is
inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and is worthy of all possible honor,
confidence, and love.
3. The Trinity
We
believe that there is only one God, who exists eternally as three distinct
persons — the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; each is fully God and equal
in every divine perfection, each executing distinct but harmonious offices in
the great work of redemption.
4. The Fall of Man
We
believe that all of the human race is created in the image of God and that
through the voluntary sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve, we are all born
in sin. As a result, all mankind are now sinners, not by constraint but by
choice, being by nature utterly void of the holiness required by God and
completely inclined to evil. Therefore, the human race is unable to turn to God
and is under just condemnation to eternal punishment without defense or excuse.
5. The Way of Salvation
We
believe that the salvation of sinners is only by the grace of God through the
work of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Savior of the world. He is fully God and
fully man, was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, and he lived a
sinless life in obedience to the Father. He taught the way of God’s kingdom, worked
miracles, suffered, died and rose from the dead. In his death, he made full
atonement for our sins and became our sacrificial substitute, forgiving our
sins, absorbing the wrath of God and adopting us into the family of God.
6. Justification
We believe
that justification is the blessing in which those who believe in Christ are
declared righteous. It includes the pardon of sin and the promise of eternal
life on the basis of Christ’s righteousness. It is given freely by God, not in
consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done but solely
through faith in the work of Christ. This brings us into peace and favor with
God and secures every other blessing needed for time and eternity.
7. The Freeness of Salvation
We
believe that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the gospel and
that it is the immediate duty of all to accept the gospel by a penitent and
obedient faith. There is nothing that prevents the salvation of the greatest
sinner on earth but his own depravity and voluntary rejection of the gospel,
which results in condemnation.
8. Regeneration
We
believe that in order to be saved sinners must be regenerated or "born
again." Regeneration consists of God giving a holy disposition to the mind,
and it is effected by the power of the Holy Spirit in a manner beyond our
comprehension. This is in connection with divine truth so as to secure our
voluntary obedience to the gospel. Its proper evidence appears in the holy
fruits of repentance, faith, and newness of life.
9. Repentance and Faith
We
believe that repentance and faith are sacred duties brought about in our souls
by the Holy Spirit in regeneration, whereby being deeply convinced of our
guilt, danger, and helplessness and of the way of salvation by Christ, we turn
to God with sincere remorse, confession, and supplication for mercy. At the
same time, we heartily receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Prophet, Priest,
and King and rely on him alone as the only and all-sufficient Savior.
10. Sovereign Grace
We
believe that it was the eternal purpose of God which he graciously planned
before creation to choose some people to be regenerated and saved not on
account of any foreseen merit in them but only because of his sovereign good
pleasure. This is perfectly consistent with the free agency of man and is a
most glorious display of God’s sovereign goodness being infinitely free, wise,
holy, and unchangeable. It utterly excludes boasting and promotes humility,
love, prayer, praise, trust in God, and active imitation of his free mercy. It
is the foundation of Christian assurance.
11. Sanctification
We
believe that sanctification is the process by which, according to the will of
God, we are made partakers of his holiness. It is a progressive work that is
begun in regeneration and is carried out in the hearts of believers by the
presence and power of the Holy Spirit, who is the sealer and comforter, in the
continual use of spiritual disciplines, including reading and hearing the Word
of God, self-examination, and prayer.
12. The Perseverance of Saints
We believe that genuine believers are only those who endure to the end. Their persevering attachment to Christ is the grand mark which distinguishes them from superficial professors. A special providence watches over their welfare, and they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.
13. The Church
We
believe that the invisible church is the communion of God’s people drawn from
every tribe, language, people, and nation throughout all the ages. It is made
visible in local churches which are marked by the right preaching of God’s Word
and right administration of the sacraments. It is governed by the Word of God,
which teaches that its offices are elders and deacons whose qualifications,
claims, and duties are defined most clearly in the epistles to Timothy and
Titus. The mission of the church is to be a corporate display of God’s glory to
the world by preaching the gospel and making disciples.
14. Baptism and The Lord’s Supper
We
believe that Christian baptism is the immersion in water of a believer into the
name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in order to show forth our faith in
the crucified, buried, and risen Savior in a solemn and beautiful symbol. It
symbolizes our death to sin and resurrection to a new life, and it is a response
to the command of Christ. The Lord’s Supper takes place as believers, by the
sacred use of bread and juice, commemorate together the dying love of Christ
and is always preceded by solemn self-examination.
15. Civil Government
We
believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interest and
good order of human society and that officials are to be prayed for and
conscientiously honored. They are to be obeyed except only in things opposed to
the will of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the only Lord of the conscience and
the Prince of the kings of the earth.
16. The World to Come
We believe that it is only those who through faith are
justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and sanctified by the Spirit of our God
who are truly righteous in his esteem. At the last day, Christ will descend
from heaven and raise the dead from the grave to final retribution; a solemn
separation will then take place, and the wicked will be judged and sentenced to
endless conscious punishment and the righteous to endless joy; this judgment
will fix forever the final state of men in heaven or hell on principles of
righteousness. Those belonging to Jesus will have eternal life in the new
heavens and the new earth and live in ever increasing joy to the glory of God.
—
Scripture References
- 2 Tim 3:16–17; 2 Pet 1:21; Prov 30:5–6; Rom 2:12; 1 John 4:1
- Ps 83:18; Rom 1:20; Rev 4:11; Mark 12:30; Exod 15:11
- Mark 1:9–11; Matt 28:19; John 10:30; Acts 5:3-4; Eph 2:18; Rev 1:4–5
- Gen 1:27; 3:6–24; Rom 1:20; 3:19; 5:12
- Eph 2:5; John 3:16; Phil 2:6–7; 2 Cor 5:21; Isa 53:4–5; Gal 4:4–7
- John 1:16; Matt 9:6; Rom 3:24–26; 5:9, 21; 1 Tim 4:8
- Rev 22:17; Mark 1:15; Rom 1:15–17; John 5:40; 2 Thess 1:8
- John 1:13; 3:3–7; Ezek 36:26; Eph 4:20–24; Gal 5:16–23; Matt 7:20
- Acts 11:18; Eph 2:8; Acts 2:37–38; Ps 51; Rom 10:12–13; Heb 4:14
- 2 Tim 1:8–9; 2 Thess 2:13–14; Acts 13:48; Eph 1:11; 2:8–9; Rom 8:28–30
- 1 Thess 4:3; 5:23; Phil 2:12–13; Eph 6:18; 2 Cor 13:5
- 1 John 2:19; 3:9; 5:18; Matt 13:20–21; Phil 1:6; Heb 13:5; Jude 24–25
- John 14:15; Acts 6:1–4; 1 Tim 3; Titus 1; Matt 28:18–20
- Matt 28:19; Acts 8:12; Rom 6:4; 1 Cor 11:23–26; Luke 22:14–20
- Rom 13:1–7; Deut 22:21; Titus 3:1; 1 Tim 2:1–8; Dan 3:15–18; Rev 19:16
- Acts 1:11; Luke 14:14; John 5:28–29; Matt 25:35–41; Rev 1:7; 21:9-27; 22