WHAT WE BELIEVE

WE BELIEVE THE BIBLE TO BE THE COMPLETE WORD OF GOD; THAT THE SIXTY-SIX BOOKS, AS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN, COMPRISING THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS WERE VERBALLY INSPIRED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD AND WERE ENTIRELY FREE FROM ERROR; THAT THE BIBLE IS THE FINAL AUTHORITY IN ALL MATTERS OF FAITH AND PRACTICE AND THE TRUE BASIS OF CHRISTIAN UNION.

WE BELIEVE IN ONE GOD, CREATOR OF ALL, HOLY, SOVEREIGN, ETERNAL, EXISTING IN THREE EQUAL PERSONS, THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.

WE BELIEVE IN THE ABSOLUTE AND ESSENTIAL DEITY OF JESUS CHRIST, IN HIS ETERNAL EXISTENCE WITH THE FATHER IN PRE-INCARNATE GLORY, IN HIS VIRGIN BIRTH, SINLESS LIFE, SUBSTITUTIONARY DEATH, BODILY RESURRECTION, TRIUMPHANT ASCENSION, MEDIATORIAL MINISTRY AND FUTURE PERSONAL RETURN.

WE BELIEVE IN THE ABSOLUTE AND ESSENTIAL DEITY AND PERSONALITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO CONVINCES OF SIN, OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND OF JUDGMENT; WHO REGENERATES, SANCTIFIES, ILLUMINATES AND COMFORTS THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST.

WE BELIEVE THAT SATAN IS A CREATED BEING, A FALLEN ANGEL, WHO EXISTS AS AN EVIL PERSONALITY, THE ORIGINATOR OF SIN, THE ARCH-ENEMY OF GOD AND HUMANITY, WHO WILL, UPON CHRIST’S TRIUMPHANT RETURN, BE FINALLY AND UTTERLY DEFEATED.

WE BELIEVE THAT THE HUMAN RACE WAS DIVINELY CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD AS MALE AND FEMALE PERSONS; THAT THEY SINNED, BECOMING GUILTY BEFORE GOD, RESULTING IN TOTAL DEPRAVITY, THEREBY INCURRING PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL DEATH FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR DESCENDANTS.

WE BELIEVE THAT SALVATION IS BY THE SOVEREIGN, ELECTING GRACE OF GOD; THAT BY THE APPOINTMENT OF THE FATHER, CHRIST VOLUNTARILY SUFFERED A VICARIOUS, EXPIATORY AND PROPITIATORY DEATH; THAT JUSTIFICATION IS BY FAITH ALONE IN THE ALL-SUFFICIENT SACRIFICE AND RESURRECTION OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND THAT THOSE WHOM GOD HAS EFFECTUALLY CALLED SHALL BE DIVINELY PRESERVED AND FINALLY PERFECTED IN THE IMAGE OF THE LORD.

WE BELIEVE IN THE PERSONAL, BODILY AND GLORIOUS RETURN OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST; IN THE BODILY RESURRECTION OF THE JUST AND UNJUST; IN THE ETERNAL BLESSEDNESS OF THE REDEEMED AND IN THE JUDGMENT AND CONSCIOUS, ETERNAL PUNISHMENT OF THE WICKED.

WE BELIEVE THAT A CHURCH IS A COMPANY OF IMMERSED BELIEVERS, CALLED OUT FROM THE WORLD, SEPARATED UNTO THE LORD JESUS, VOLUNTARILY ASSOCIATED FOR THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD, THE MUTUAL EDIFICATION OF ITS MEMBERS, THE PROPAGATION OF THE FAITH AND THE OBSERVANCE OF THE ORDINANCES. WE BELIEVE IT IS A SOVEREIGN, INDEPENDENT BODY, EXERCISING ITS OWN DIVINELY AWARDED GIFTS, PRECEPTS AND PRIVILEGES UNDER THE LORDSHIP OF CHRIST, THE GREAT HEAD OF THE CHURCH. WE BELIEVE THAT ITS OFFICES ARE ELDERS/PASTORS AND DEACONS.

WE BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE ONLY TWO ORDINANCES FOR THE CHURCH REGULARLY OBSERVED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER:

• BAPTISM, WHICH IS THE IMMERSION OF THE BELIEVERS IN WATER, WHEREBY THIS PERSON OBEYS CHRIST’S COMMAND AND SETS FORTH THEIR IDENTIFICATION WITH CHRIST IN HIS DEATH, BURIAL, AND RESURRECTION;
• THE LORD’S SUPPER, WHICH IS THE MEMORIAL WHEREIN THE BELIEVER PARTAKES OF THE TWO ELEMENTS, BREAD AND WINE, WHICH SYMBOLIZES THE LORD’S BODY AND SHED BLOOD, PROCLAIMING HIS DEATH UNTIL HE COMES.

WE BELIEVE IN THE ENTIRE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE

WE BELIEVE IN RELIGIOUS LIBERTY; THAT EVERY PERSON HAS THE RIGHT TO PRACTICE AND PROPAGATE HIS BELIEFS.

WE BELIEVE THAT THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK IS THE LORD’S DAY AND THAT, IN A SPECIAL SENSE, IT IS THE DIVINELY APPOINTED DAY FOR WORSHIP AND SPIRITUAL EXERCISE.

WE BELIEVE THAT CIVIL GOVERNMENT IS OF DIVINE APPOINTMENT FOR THE INTEREST AND GOOD ORDER OF SOCIETY; THAT MAGISTRATES ARE TO BE PRAYED FOR, CONSCIENTIOUSLY HONOURED AND OBEYED, EXCEPT ONLY IN THE THINGS OPPOSED TO THE WILL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHO IS THE ONLY LORD OF THE CONSCIENCE AND PRINCE OF THE KINGS OF THE EARTH.

WE BELIEVE THAT GOD’S INTENTION FOR MARRIAGE IS ESTABLISHED THROUGHOUT THE SCRIPTURES OF THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS; THAT GOD ORDAINED MARRIAGE TO BE THE VOLUNTARY UNION FOR LIFE OF ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN; THAT SEXUAL INTIMACY IS LEGITIMATE ONLY WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF MARRIAGE; THAT IN CHRISTIAN MARRIAGES, THE CHURCH ACTS AS A SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY TO MARRIAGE RELATIONSHIPS AND AS A PRIMARY WITNESS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY WITHIN MARRIAGE RELATIONSHIPS; AND THAT A HEALTHY MARRIAGE IS THE BEST FOUNDATION FOR FAMILIES AND THE RAISING OF CHILDREN.