What We Believe

GOD

  • God in His essential being is invisible (John 1:18, I Timothy 1:17), unknowable (Luke 10:22, Matthew 11:27), immaterial (John 4:24), omnipresent (Psalm 139:7-12), is one in number and unity (Deuteronomy 6:4), is Father of the universe as Creator / Progenitor (Isaiah 63:16, 9:6, Psalm 89:26), and Paternally to humanity as Nurturer and Caregiver (Psalm 103:13, Matthew 9:6).
  • The Word is God self-revealing (John.1:1-3), God’s self-disclosure of Himself (Hebrew1:1-3, Isaiah 9:6), God going out from Himself (Revelation 5:6,7) God proceeding or emanating; the one whose “goings forth” have been from of old, from everlasting (Micah 5:2 Revelation 1:8).
  • Jesus Christ is the Word become flesh (John 1: 1, 14 Micah 5:2), God manifest in the flesh (I Timothy 3:16), the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15), and in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9). He is God visible (Hebrews 1:1-3), knowable (John 14:8), approachable (Matthew 11:28-30), touchable (I John. 1:1-3, John. 20:27), is the revealer of the Father (John 14:9, 17:6), the only way to the Father (Matthew 11:27, John 14:6-8), and the Father revealed (John 10:30, Isaiah.9:6, Revelation 1:8, 11). He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, the Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come (Revelation 1:8). He is also completely human (Hebrews 2:10-18), the true son of Mary (Matthew 2:1, Luke 2:33, 34, Galatians 4:4), the second man Adam (I Corinthians 15:47), the last Adam (I Corinthians 15:45), and the Son of God by both birth (Luke 1:35, Rom. 1:3), and declaration (Romans 1:4, Acts 13:33). His victory over death, hell, and the grave (I Corinthians 15:1-4) elevates the name of Jesus to the position of highest universal authority. The full power and authority of the Godhead is encapsulated in that name (John 5:43, Philippians 2:9, John 14:13, 14, 26, Acts 4:12).
  • The Holy Spirit is God indwelling the believer in personal agency, (Jeremiah 31:31-33, Romans 8:9), is one Spirit (I Corinthians 12:13), is the Spirit of Grace (Hebrews 10:29), is the Spirit of God (Romans 8:9), is the Spirit of Jesus (John 14:17, 18, Acts 16:7, II Corinthians 3:17), is the source of and medium for dispensing God’s grace in the Church Age, (Acts 2:38, I Corinthians 12:l), and is essential for salvation (Acts 2:36-38, 11:14, Romans 8:9).

THE BIBLE

  • The Bible is the inspired and only infallible and authoritative written Word of God (II Timothy 3:16; Ephesians 3:5; II Peter 3:2).

THE GOSPEL

  • The gospel, or “good news,” is that Christ has suffered the curse of sin once (and for all men), thus providing deliverance (salvation) to all who receive by faith what He has done (Romans 1:16,17; Acts 2:37).

SALVATION

  • Salvation for mankind is provided only through the efficacious, shed blood of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 5:12, 26). Salvation is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8). When one accepts the message of Christ by faith, they will be “obedient to the faith” (Romans 1:5; Acts 6:7). This “obedience of faith” (Romans 16:26) is what the believer does in appropriating the fullness of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.
  • Christ died – We “die to the old life” through repentance (II Corinthians 5:17).
  • Christ was buried – We are buried with Him in water baptism (Romans 6:4).
  • Christ was resurrected – We are resurrected with Him through the infilling of the Holy Spirit (Romans 6:4; 8:11; I Corinthians 15:45). The Apostle Peter capsulized this at the birthday of the church (Acts 2:38).

THE NAME OF JESUS

  • The authority of God is vested in the Name of Jesus (Philippians 2:9-10; Matthew 7:22; Mark 16:7; John 14:14;: Acts 4:12). All that the believer does “in word or deed” is to be done in Jesus’ Name (Colossians 3:17). The Name of Jesus becomes our new “family name” (I Corinthians 1:12-15; Romans 6:4: II Corinthians 5:17), replacing the old family name of “Adam” (I Corinthians 15:45-50). The authority of the Godhead is vested in the Name of Jesus (Philippians 2:9-10; Matthew 7:22; Mark 16:7; John 14:14;)!

THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST

  • Jesus Christ will return to the earth to catch the church away (I Thessalonians 4:16, 17), and shall, after a short time, return to set up His kingdom on earth (Revelation 19:11-16; Matthew 24:29-31).