Doctrinal Statement

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Creation: 

We believe all things in heaven and earth were created by God and exist by His power (Genesis 1:1; Colossians 1:16-17). We believe that man was created innocent and in the image and likeness of God but that he sinned bringing both physical and spiritual death to himself and his posterity. We believe that man has inherited a sinful nature, is alienated from God, and is in need of salvation (Genesis 1:27; 2:17; 3:19; Ephesians 2:1-3). 

The Godhead: 

We believe in one God eternally existing in three equal persons Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who have the same nature and attributes and worthy of precisely the same homage, confidence, and obedience (Matt. 28:18–19; Mark 12:29; John 1:14; Acts 5:3–4; 2 Cor. 13:14; Heb. 1:1–3; Rev. 1:4–6).

The Scriptures: 

We believe the Bible to be the verbally inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings, and the supreme and final authority in doctrine and practice. We believe that this divine inspiration extends equally and fully to all parts of the writings—historical, poetical, doctrinal, and prophetical—as appeared in the original manuscripts. ( II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:21; John 17:17). 

The Person and Work of Christ: 

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man. We believe that God the Father made a way for us to be restored to him by means of the satisfactory death of God the Son. Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man[1], made the perfect penal substitutionary atonement for us at the cross. Jesus became the object of God’s wrath (Rom 3:25; 1 John 2:2.), thereby appeasing God’s wrath against us. He took the punishment for sin, satisfying the justice of God. Jesus’ sacrificial death was the perfect payment for our sin (Gal 3:13), thereby securing our possession[2]by a new Master, the Heavenly Father. We believe that our redemption and salvation is guaranteed by His literal physical resurrection from the dead (John 1:1,14,18; Luke 1:35; Romans 3:24-26; 4:25. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is now in heaven, exalted to the right hand of God, where as a High Priest He fulfills the ministry of intersession and advocacy for His people (Hebrews 1:3; 3:1; 7:23-25; I John 2:1-2).  

The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit: 

We believe that God the Holy Spirit is a person who The Spirit constrains the world’s sinfulness,[3] convicts,[4] and calls people to faith.[5] God declares righteous those who by grace, through faith, believe the gospel.[6]Believers are free from condemnation,[7] no longer subject to God’s wrath.[8] In Christ, believers are restored to a right relationship with the Father and are at peace with God.[9] The righteousness only Christ deserves is imputed to believers,[10] making them acceptable before God. The Spirit gives life to believers,[11]baptizes new believers into the body of Christ,[12] seals believers for redemption,[13]indwells believers,[14] and fills and sanctifies believers.[15]Because salvation is ultimately a divine work and the Holy Spirit seals believers, it is impossible for believers to lose their salvation.[16]

Salvation: 

We believe that salvation is a gift of God and is received by man through personal faith in Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for sin. We believe that man is justified by grace through faith apart from works (Acts 13:38-39; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-10). 

Eternal Security: 

We believe that all true believers, once saved, because of the very nature of the divine gift of eternal life, because of the present and unending intercession and advocacy of Christ in heaven, because of the immutability of the unchangeable covenants of God, because of the regenerating, abiding presence of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of all who are saved, we and all true believers everywhere, once saved shall be kept saved forever.  (Romans 8:1, 38-39; John 10:27-30; John 5:24; 10:28; 13:1; 14:16–17; 17:11).  

Sanctification: 

We believe that sanctification, which is a setting apart unto God, is positional, progressive, and ultimate. Positionally it is already complete since the believer is in Christ and is set apart unto God as Christ is set apart unto God. Since he retains his sinful nature, however, there is need for progressive sanctification whereby the Christian grows in grace by the power of the Spirit. Ultimately, the child of God will be set apart from sin in his practice as he is now in his position in Christ when he is taken to be with Christ and shall be like Him (John 17:17; II Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 5:25-27; I Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 10:10, 14).  

The Church: 

We believe that the Church, the Body and Bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism, made up of all born-again persons of this present age. We believe that the Church began at Pentecost and that a believer is placed into the Church by the baptizing work of the Holy Spirit. We believe that the Church is distinct from Israel (Ephesians 1:22-23; I Corinthians 12-13; 10:32). We believe that the local church is an assembly of professed believers in Jesus Christ who are voluntarily joined together in one locality for the purposes of worship, study of the Word of God, observance of the ordinances, Christian fellowship, and to be equipped for Christian service (Acts 2:42-47; I Corinthians 1:1-2; Ephesians 4:11-13).  

The Ordinances of Baptism and the Lord's Supper: 

We believe that Christ instituted only two ordinances of water baptism and the Lord's Supper which are to be observed by believers until He returns (Matthew 28:19-20; I Corinthians 11:23-26). We believe that by water baptism a believer is publicly identified with his Savior; that infants of believing parents may be dedicated to the Lord but not baptized. We believe that the Lord's Supper is a memorial of Christ's death, the elements being symbols of His body and blood. We believe that every Christian has a right to partake of the elements of the Lord's Supper, but that participation must always be preceded by solemn self-examination.  

The Second Coming of Christ: 

We believe in the Blessed Hope – the personal, imminent coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for the Church to be followed by the tribulation on earth which will be a time of judgment on the whole earth, and will culminate in the return of Christ to earth to introduce the millennial age, to bind Satan and place him in the abyss, to lift the curse which now rests upon the whole creation, to restore Israel to her own land and to give her the realization of God’s covenant promises, and to bring the whole world to the knowledge of God (Deut. 30:1–10; Isa. 11:9; Ezek. 37:21–28; Matt. 24:15–25:46; Acts 15:16–17; Rom. 8:19–23; 11:25–27; 1 Tim. 4:1–3; 2 Tim. 3:1–5; Rev. 20:1–3). I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Philippians 3:20; Matthew 24:15-31; Zechariah 14:4-11; Revelation 20:1-6).  

The Eternal State: 

We believe that the souls of those who perish without a saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ exist apart from Him in anguish with an awareness of their condemnation.[17]Yet the souls of those who perish after having trusted in him consciously dwell in his presence with utter delight,[18]waiting for the redemption of their bodies.[19] We believe that at his coming the dead will be raised and the living will be changed,[20]the wicked to the resurrection of judgment, and righteous to the resurrection of life.[21]Those who have rejected the gospel will be judged and cast into the lake of fire.[22]Yet the saints will receive the crown of life and inherit the fullness of the Kingdom of Heaven.[23]They will obtain glorified bodies just as the Lord Jesus Christ who is the firstfruits, and partake in the divine glory, which is the culmination of their salvation.[24]

Angels, Fallen and Unfallen: 

We believe that angels are spiritual beings who were created as sinless personalities and that they occupied different orders and ranks. They presently exist in both fallen and unfallen states, the former including Satan and his angels (Hebrews 1:13-14; II Peter 2:4; Revelation 7:12). We believe that Satan, by his own choice the enemy of God and the people of God, is the originator of sin, that he led our first parents into sin and now rules as the god of this world. We believe that he was judged at the cross and that ultimately he will be cast into the Lake of Fire (Isaiah 14:12-14; Genesis 3:1-19; Hebrews 2:14; Revelation 20:10). 

Notes

[1] Jesus was physically born and physically died. He developed physically and mentally. He experienced hunger, pain, and fatigue (Matt 1:18-25; 4:2; 26:36-38; 27:46, 50; Mark 14:33-34; 15:34, 37 Luke 1:35; 2:40, 52; John 1:14; 4:6; Rom 1:3; 1 John 1:1-4). 

[2] 1 Pet 1:18-19.

[3] 2 Thess 2:5-9.

[4] John 16:8-11.

[5] Rev 22:17.

[6] Rom 3:21-26; 5:1; 8:33-34.

[7] Rom 8:1.

[8] 1 Thess 5:9.

[9] Rom 5:11; Eph 2:14, 16; Col 1:22-23.

[10] 2 Cor 5:21.

[11] All Christians agree that salvation occurs because of God’s grace through faith. Humans, by themselves, cannot believe, but they are responsible to respond in faith to the gospel.

[12] This baptism of the Spirit is separate from, although associated with, water baptism (Charles C. Ryrie, Basic Theology, 418). Spirit baptism occurs at conversion for every believer (1 Cor 12:13; cf. Eph 4:5).

[13] 2 Cor 1:22; Eph 1:13-14; 4:30; The primary connotations of seal are security ownership: the Holy Spirit marks believers as belonging to the Father, which implies his protection (BDAG 980; Ryrie, Basic Theology, 415-16). The Holy Spirit as a down-payment of redemption is also associated with this sealing. He guarantees the future blessings that God will grant when he fully redeems believers (2 Cor 1:22b; Eph 1:14). Sealing lasts until the day of redemption, the bodily resurrection of believers (Eph 4:30; cf. Rom 8:23).

[14] Although the Spirit is present in the world, he uniquely inhabits believers (John 14:16-17), even sinning believers (1 Cor 6:19). The Spirit indwells all believers, but not unbelievers (Rom 8:9; Jude 19).

[15] Spiritual maturity is characterized by Christ-like character (Gal 5:16, 22-23), alignment with the mission of God (Acts 2:4; 11:24; 13:9), and worship (Eph 5:18-21). Even this maturity occurs by God’s grace (Phil 2:12-13).

[16] John 10:27-28; Rom 5:8-11; 8:35-39.

[17]Luke 16:23-24; Acts 1:25; Jude 6,7; Dallas Theological Seminary Doctrinal Statement, Article XXI.

[18] Luke 23:43; 2 Cor 5:1-8; Phil 1:23; Dallas Theological Seminary Doctrinal Statement, Article XXI.

[19] Rom 8:11, 23; Westminster Confession, Chapter XXXII. 

[20]1 Cor 15:42, 51-52;Westminster Confession, Chapter XXXII.

[21] John 5:29; Acts 24:15;Westminster Confession, Chapter XXXII.

[22]2 Thess 1:7-9; Rev 20:11-15; Dallas Theological Seminary Doctrinal Statement, Article XXI.

[23] Jas 1:12; Rev 2:10; Bruce A. Demarest, The Cross and Salvation, 468-69.

[24] 1 Cor 15:20, 23; Phil 3:21;Demarest, The Cross and Salvation, 468-69.