We believe that the Holy Bible, consisting of the 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament, was written by men divinely inspired (2 Peter 1:20, 2 Timothy 3:16), and is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction; that it has God for its author (Hebrews 1:1, I John 5:9, Isaiah 55:11, Isaiah 59:21), salvation for its end (John 5:24, Romans 15:4, John 14:6, John 11:26), and truth, without any mixture of error (Psalm 119:172 ), for its matter; that it reveals the principles by which God will judge us (John 12:48); that it is sufficiently of itself brings forth everything necessary for salvation, faith, holiness and Christian practice (2 Timothy 3:15-17, Psalm 119:81, Psalm 119:105); and therefore is, and shall remain to the end of the world (Matthew 5:18, Matthew 24:35), the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried (Isaiah 8:20, Revelation 22:18-19).

We teach that there is but one living and true God (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:5-7; 1 Corinthians 8:4), an infinite, all-knowing Spirit (John 4:24), perfect in all His attributes, one in essence, eternally existing in three Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14)—each equally deserving worship and obedience.

We teach that God the Father, the first Person of the Trinity, orders and disposes all things according to His own purpose and grace (Psalm 145:8-9; 1 Corinthians 8:6). He is the Creator of all things (Genesis 1:1-31; Ephesians 3:9). As the only absolute and omnipotent Ruler in the universe, He is sovereign in creation, providence, and redemption (Psalm 103:19; Romans 11:36). His fatherhood involves both His designation within the Trinity and His relationship with mankind. As Creator He is Father to all men (Ephesians 4:6), but He is spiritual Father only to believers (Romans 8:14; 2 Corinthians 6:18). He has decreed for His own glory all things that come to pass (Ephesians 1:11). He continually upholds, directs, and governs all creatures and events (1 Chronicles 29:11). In His sovereignty He is neither the author nor approver of sin (Habakkuk 1:13; John 8:38-47), nor does He abridge the accountability of moral, intelligent creatures (1 Peter 1:17). He has graciously chosen from eternity past those whom He would have as His own (Ephesians 1:4-6); He saves from sin all who come to Him through Jesus Christ; He adopts as His own all those who come to Him; and He becomes, upon adoption, Father to His own (John 1:12; Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:5; Hebrews 12:5-9).

We teach that Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Trinity, possesses all the divine excellencies, and in these He is coequal, consubstantial, and coeternal with the Father (John 10:30; 14:9).

We teach that God the Father created according to His own will, through His Son, Jesus Christ, by whom all things continue in existence and in operation (John 1:3; Colossians 1:15-17; Hebrews 1:2).

We teach that in the incarnation the eternal Son, the second Person of the Trinity, without altering His divine nature or surrendering any of the divine attributes, made Himself of no reputation by taking on a full human nature consubstantial with our own, yet without sin (Philippians 2:5-8; Hebrews 4:15; 7:26).

We teach that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the virgin Mary (Luke 1:35) and thus born of a woman (Galatians 4:4-5), so that two whole, perfect, and distinct natures, the divine and the human, were joined together in one person, without confusion, change, division, or separation. He is therefore very God and very man, yet one Christ, the only mediator between God and man.

We teach that in His incarnation, Christ fully possessed His divine nature, attributes, and prerogatives (Colossians 2:9; cf. Luke 5:18-26; John 16:30; 20:28). However, in the state of His humiliation, He did not always fully express the glories of His majesty, concealing them behind the veil of His genuine humanity (Matthew 17:2; Mark 13:32; Philippians 2:5-8). According to His human nature, He acts in submission to the Father (John 4:34; 5:19, 30; 6:38) by the power of Holy Spirit (Isaiah 42:1; Matthew 12:28; Luke 4:1, 14), while, according to His divine nature, He acts by His authority and power as the eternal Son (John 1:14; cf. 2:11; 10:37–38; 14:10–11).

We teach that our Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through the shedding of His blood and sacrificial death on the cross and that His death was voluntary, vicarious, substitutionary, propitiatory, and redemptive (John 10:15; Romans 3:24-25; 5:8; 1 Peter 2:24).

We teach that on the basis of the efficacy of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ, the believing sinner is freed from the punishment, the penalty, the power, and one day the very presence of sin; and that he is declared righteous, given eternal life, and adopted into the family of God (Romans 3:25; 5:8-9; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15; 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18).

We teach that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead and that He is now ascended to the right hand of the Father, where He now mediates as our Advocate and High Priest (Matthew 28:6; Luke 24:38-39; Acts 2:30-31; Romans 4:25; 8:34; Hebrews 7:25; 9:24; 1 John 2:1).

We teach that in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave, God confirmed the deity of His Son and gave proof that God has accepted the atoning work of Christ on the cross. Jesus’ bodily resurrection is also the guarantee of a future resurrection life for all believers (John 5:26-29; 14:19; Romans 1:4; 4:25; 6:5-10; 1 Corinthians 15:20, 23).

We teach that Jesus Christ will return to receive the church, which is His Body, unto Himself (Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ is the One through whom God will judge all mankind (John 5:22-23): Believers (1 Corinthians 3:10-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10) Living inhabitants of the earth at His glorious return (Matthew 25:31-46) Unbelieving dead at the Great White Throne (Revelation 20:11-15)

As the Mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5), the Head of His Body the church (Ephesians 1:22; 5:23; Colossians 1:18), and the coming universal King, who will reign on the throne of David (Isaiah 9:6; Luke 1:31-33), He is the final Judge of all who fail to place their trust in Him as Lord and Savior (Matthew 25:14-46; Acts 17:30-31).

We teach that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person, eternal, underived, possessing all the attributes of personality and deity, including intellect (1 Corinthians 2:10-13), emotions (Ephesians 4:30), will (1 Corinthians 12:11), eternality (Hebrews 9:14), omnipresence (Psalm 139:7-10), omniscience (Isaiah 40:13-14), omnipotence (Romans 15:13), and truthfulness (John 16:13). In all the divine attributes He is coequal and consubstantial with the Father and the Son (Matthew 28:19; Acts 5:3-4; 28:25-26; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Jeremiah 31:31-34 with Hebrews 10:15-17).

We teach that it is the work of the Holy Spirit to execute the divine will with relation to all mankind. We recognize His sovereign activity in creation (Genesis 1:2), the incarnation (Matthew 1:18), the written revelation (2 Peter 1:20-21), and the work of salvation (John 3:5-7).

We teach that the work of the Holy Spirit in this age began at Pentecost, when He came from the Father as promised by Christ (John 14:16-17; 15:26) to initiate and complete the building of the Body of Christ, which is His church (1 Corinthians 12:13). The broad scope of His divine activity includes convicting the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ and transforming believers into the image of Christ (John 16:7-9; Acts 1:5; 2:4; Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 2:22).

We teach that the Holy Spirit is the supernatural and sovereign Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13). The Holy Spirit also indwells, sanctifies, instructs, empowers them for service, and seals them unto the day of redemption (Romans 8:9; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Ephesians 1:13).

We teach that the Holy Spirit is the divine Teacher, who guided the apostles and prophets into all truth as they committed to writing God’s revelation, the Bible (2 Peter 1:19-21). Every believer possesses the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit from the moment of salvation, and it is the duty of all those born of the Spirit to be filled with (controlled by) the Spirit (John 16:13; Romans 8:9; Ephesians 5:18; 1 John 2:20, 27).

We teach that the Holy Spirit administers spiritual gifts to the church. The Holy Spirit glorifies neither Himself nor His gifts by ostentatious displays, but He does glorify Christ by implementing His work of redeeming the lost and building up believers in the most holy faith (John 16:13-14; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; 2 Corinthians 3:18).

We teach, in this respect, that God the Holy Spirit is sovereign in the bestowing of all His gifts for the perfecting of the saints today, and that speaking in tongues and the working of sign miracles in the beginning days of the church were for the purpose of pointing to and authenticating the apostles as revealers of divine truth, and were never intended to be characteristic of the lives of believers (1 Corinthians 12:4-11; 13:8-10; 2 Corinthians 12:12; Ephesians 4:7-12; Hebrews 2:1-4).

God from eternity, decrees or permits all things that come to pass, and perpetually upholds, directs and governs all creatures and all events; yet so as not in any wise to be author or approver of sin nor to destroy the free will and responsibility of intelligent creatures.

(Hebrews 1:3; Matthew 10:31-33; Proverbs 16:33)

We believe that Election is the eternal purpose of God, according to which he graciously regenerates, sanctifies, and saves His Elect (2 Tim 1;9); that it is a most glorious display of God’s sovereign goodness, being infinitely free, wise, holy, and unchangeable; that it utterly excludes boasting, and promotes humility, love, prayer, praise, trust in God, and active imitation of his free mercy (Rom 3:27); that it encourages the use of means in the highest degree; that it is ascertained by its effects in all who truly believe the gospel (2 Cor 5:17); that it is the foundation of Christian assurance (2 Tim 2:19); and that to ascertain it with regard to ourselves demands and deserves our utmost diligence.

We believe that man was created in holiness, under the law of his Maker; but by voluntary transgression fell from that holy and happy state (Genesis 2:17, Genesis 3:6); in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, dead in sin (Ephesians 2:5, Colossians 2:13, I Corinthians 15:22), wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts of soul and body (Isaiah 64:6 Psalm 14:3, Mark 10:18), being by nature utterly void of that holiness required by the law of God, positively inclined to evil, and willful in sin, and therefore under just condemnation to eternal ruin, without defense or excuse. (Jeremiah 17:9, Matthew 15:19, Genesis 6:5, John 8:34, John 8:44, Isaiah 1:5-6, Psalm 58:3, Ephesians 2:12)

We believe that, in order to be saved, sinners must be regenerated, or born again (John 3:3). This regeneration consists in a new holy creation in the soul. The change produced is so great and impacts the mind, will, and emotions in such a way that the person may truly be called a new man (Eze 36:26). This new birth is “not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:13) It is brought about by the power of the Holy Spirit, in connection with the Word of God, and secures our voluntary obedience to the Gospel. Its proper evidence is found in the holy fruits of repentance (Matt 3:8), and faith, and newness of life. (Rom 6:4)

We believe that Repentance and Faith are sacred duties (Mat 4:17;1 Joh 3:23), and also inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the regenerating Spirit of God (2 Tim 2:25; Eph 2:8); whereby being deeply convinced of our guilt, danger, and helplessness (Rom 3:12), and of the way of salvation in Christ (Joh 14:6), we turn to God with unfeigned [genuine] contrition, confession, and supplication for mercy; at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus as our Prophet, Priest, and King, and relying on Him alone as the only and all-sufficient Savior (Rom 10:9).

Those whom God effectually calls, he also freely justifies (Rom 3:24, 8:30), not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins (Rom 4:5-8; Eph 1:7), and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous (1 Cor 1:30-31; Rom 5:17-19) not for anything wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ’s sake alone. They are not justified because God reckons as their righteousness either their faith, their believing, or any other act of evangelical obedience (Phi 3:8-9; Eph 2:8-10). They are justified wholly and solely because God imputes to them Christ’s righteousness. He imputes to them Christ’s active obedience to the whole law and His passive obedience in death them. They receive Christ’s righteousness by faith, which is the sole instrument of justification (Rom 3:28), and rest [depend] on Him (John 1:12; Rom 5:17). They do not possess or produce this faith themselves, it is a gift of God (Eph 2:9).

Christ, by his obedience and death, fully discharged the debt of all those that are justified; and by the sacrifice of Himself through the blood of his cross, underwent instead of them the penalty due to them, so making a proper [specific], real, and full satisfaction to God’s justice in their behalf (Heb 10:14; 1Pe 1:18-19; Isa 53:5-6). Yet because He was given by the Father for them, and because His obedience and satisfaction was accepted instead of theirs (and both freely, not because of anything in them) (Rom 8:32; 2 Cor 5:21), therefore they are justified entirely and solely by free grace, so that both the exact justice and rich grace of God might be glorified in the justification of sinners (Rom 3:26; Eph 1:6-7,2:7).

From all eternity God decreed to justify all the elect (Gal 3:8; 1 Pet 1:2; 1 Tim 2:6), and Christ, in the fullness of time, died for their sins, and rose again for their justification (Rom 4:25). Nevertheless, they are not justified personally, until the Holy Spirit, in due time, actually applies Christ unto them (Col 1:21-22; Tit 3:4-7), and they can never fall totally from this state justification (Joh 10:28).

The justification of believers during the Old Testament period was, in all these respects, exactly the same as the justification of New Testament believers (Gal 3:9; Rom 4:22-24).

We believe that Sanctification is the process by which, according to the will of God, we are made partakers of his holiness (Rom 6:5-6); that it is a progressive work; that it is begun in regeneration (Eze 11:19, 36:26); and that it is carried on in the hearts of believers by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, the Sealer and Comforter, in the continual use of the appointed means—especially the Word of God, self-examination, self-denial, watchfulness and prayer (Gal 5:17; 2 Cor 3:18; 2 Cor 7:1; Phi 2:12; 1 Pet 2:11).

Those whom God hath accepted in the Beloved [Christ], and has effectually called and sanctified by his Spirit, and given the precious faith of his elect, can neither totally nor finally fall from the state of grace, abut shall certainly persevere in that state to the end and be eternally saved. This I because the gifts and callings of God are without repentance [He will not change His mind], and therefore He continues to beget [create] and nourish in them faith, repentance, love, joy, hope, and all the graces of the Spirit which lead to immortality (Joh 10:28-29; Phi 1:6; 2 Tim 2:19; 1 Joh 2:19).

And though many storms and floods arise and beat against the saints, yet these things shall never be able to sweep them off the foundation and rock which they are fastened upon by faith. Even though, through unbelief [including lack of faith] and the temptations of Satan, the sight and feeling of the light and love of God may for a time be clouded and obscured from them (Psa 89:31-32; 1 Cor 11:32), yet God is still the same, and they are sure to be kept by His power until their salvation is complete, where they shall enjoy the purchased possession which is theirs, for they are engraved upon the palm of His hands, and their names have been written in His Book of Life from all eternity (Mal 3:6).

We teach that two ordinances have been committed to the local church: baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Acts 2:38-42). Christian baptism by immersion (Acts 8:36-39) is the solemn and beautiful testimony of a believer showing forth his faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, and his union with Him in death to sin and resurrection to a new life (Romans 6:1-11). It is also a sign of fellowship and identification with the visible Body of Christ (Acts 2:41-42).

We teach that the Lord’s Supper is the commemoration and proclamation of His death until He comes and should be always preceded by solemn self-examination (1 Corinthians 11:28-32). We also teach that, whereas the elements of Communion are only representative of the flesh and blood of Christ, participation in the Lord’s Supper is nevertheless an actual communion with the risen Christ, who indwells every believer, and so is present, fellowshipping with His people (1 Corinthians 10:16).

The Lord’s Day is a Christian institution for regular observance and should be employed in exercises of worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private, resting from worldly employments and amusements, works of necessity and mercy only excepted.

(Revelation 1:10; Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2; Isaiah 58:13-14; Matthew 12:1-13)

The bodies of men after death return to dust, but their spirits return immediately to God — the righteous to rest with Him; the wicked to be reserved under darkness for the judgment. On the last day, the bodies of all the dead, both just and unjust, will be raised.

(1 Corinthians 15; John 5:28, 29; Philippians 3:21)

God hath appointed a day, wherein He will judge the world by Jesus Christ, when everyone shall receive according to his deeds; the wicked shall go into everlasting punishment; the righteous, into everlasting life.

(Matthew 25:31-46; 1 Corinthians 15:35-58; 2 Corinthians 5:10)