What we believe

• We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are verbally inspired of God, inerrant and infallible in the original writings (2 Timothy 3:16; 1 Peter 1:20-21; 1 Corinthians 2:1-16), and are our supreme and final authority in all matters of life and faith (2 Peter 1:1-11). These articles of faith summarize what we believe the Bible teaches. However, the Scriptures themselves are the final rule of faith and order for this congregation and the ultimate authority to which we will appeal (2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21; Romans 15:4; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Corinthians 2:13).

• The following statements of truth must be affirmed by anyone desiring to become a member of the church.

God

• We believe in the one true and living God, eternally existing in three Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Our God exists to glorify and enjoy Himself forever. He is infinite in being and perfection, a spirit invisible, personal, omnipresent, eternal, dependent on none, unchanging, truthful, trustworthy, almighty, sovereign, omniscient, righteous, holy, good, loving, merciful, long-suffering, and gracious. (Exodus 3:13-14; 34:4-7; Deuteronomy 6:1-9; 1 Kings 8:27; Nehemiah 9:32-33; Job 22:2-3; Psalm 5:4-8; 90:1-2; 95:1-7; 115:1-7; 119:65-68; 145:17-20; Proverbs 16:4; Isaiah 6:1-3; 40:10-31; 46:9-13; Jeremiah 10:10; 23:23-24; Daniel 4:34-35; Malachi 3:6; Matthew 28:16-20; John 1:1-18; 4:21-24; 14:1-11; 15:26-27; Acts 7:2-50; 20:28; Romans 11:33-36; 1 Corinthians 8:5-6; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Galatians 4:4-7; Hebrews 4:12-13; 11:6; Revelation 4:8; 5:11-14)

Holy Scriptures

• We believe that Almighty God has revealed all that is necessary for life and faith in the sixty-six books of the Holy Scripture, which are the Word of God. All Scripture was given by inspiration by God; that is, it is God-breathed as holy men of old wrote, being borne along by the Holy Spirit. The Scriptures are infallible and inerrant in the original writings and are the final arbiter in all disputes. Its authority is derived from its Author and not from the opinions of men. (Matthew 5:18; 24:35; John 10:35;16:12 13; 17:17; 1 Corinthians 2:7-14; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3: 15-17; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Revelation 1:1-3; 22:6,18-19)

Creation and Federal Headship

• We believe that God created the universe from nothing and all that is in it in six literal days, declaring it all very good. We further believe that God made Adam and Eve in His image - perfect, holy, and upright - to exercise dominion over all creation. Adam was appointed representative and head of the human race so that his obedience or disobedience to God’s commands were imputed and transmitted to all his offspring. (Genesis 1:1-2:2; Psalm 19:1-6; 90:1-2; Isaiah 40:25-26; John 1:1-3; Romans 1:18-20; 2:14-15; Colossians 1:15-16; Hebrews 1:1-2)

Fall and Creation

• We believe that Adam fell from his original righteousness into sin and brought upon himself and all his offspring physical and spiritual death, depravity, condemnation, and the state of being sinners. (Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-24; 6:5-7; Psalm 14:1-3; 51:1-5; Jeremiah 17:9-10; Romans 3:9-20; 5:12-21; 6:15-23; 1 Corinthians 15:20-49; Titus 1:15-16; Ephesians 2:1-3; Colossians 1:21-23; Hebrews 2:14-18)

Sinful state of Mankind

• We believe that in Adam’s sin of disobedience to the revealed will and word of God, man lost his innocence, became subject to the wrath of God, is inherently corrupt and utterly incapable of choosing or doing that which is acceptable to God, apart from Divine grace. Man has no recuperative powers to enable him to recover, and is hopelessly lost apart from the salvation which is the redemptive work of the Jesus Christ, ushered in through the Holy Spirit. (Genesis 3:1-19; John 3:36; Romans 3:23, 6:23; I Co. 2:14; Eph. 2:1-3; I Ti. 2:13-14; I John 1:8)

• We believe that through the sin of Adam, all mankind is born as sinners. Christ being the only exception, we believe that all human kind is naturally corrupt and sinful. (Ro. 5:12-14; I Co. 15:22)

Election

• We believe that God, before the foundation of the world, decreed all that comes to pass, but in no way being the author of sin and for His own glory, chose a host of men and women to eternal life as an act of free and sovereign grace. This choice was in no way dependent upon God’s foresight of human faith, decision, works, or merit. (Numbers 23:19; Isaiah 46:9-10; Matthew 25:34; Luke 10:17-20; John 6:35-40; 10:22-30; 17:1-26; 19:8-11; Acts 4:27-28; 27:1-44; Romans 9:14-29; 11:1-6; 33-36; Ephesians 1:1-6; 1:3-14; 1 Thessalonians 1:4-6; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-15; 1 Timothy 5:21; Hebrews 6:16-17; James 1:13-15; 1 Peter 1:1-9; 2 Peter 1:10-11; Jude 3-4)

Incarnation

• We believe that God sent His Son, Jesus Christ into the world, conceived of the virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit, unchangeably sinless, both God and man, born under the Law, to live a perfect life of righteousness on behalf of His people. (Psalm 2:1-12; Isaiah 7:14; 9:6-8; 42:1-4; 52:13-53:12; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-33; 1:26-56; John 1:1-18; 17:1-12; Acts 3:22-23; 17:29-31; Romans 3:21-26; 8:1-4, 28-30; Galatians 4:4; Ephesians 1:15-23; 1 Timothy 2:1-6; Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:14-18; 9:11-14; 1 Peter 1:17-20)

Redemption

• We believe that God’s Son died on the cross to effect propitiation, reconciliation, redemption, and atonement for His people. God bore testimony to His acceptance of His Son’s completed redemptive work by raising Him from the dead. (Isaiah 53:4-5,10-12; Matthew 26:36-38; 27:45-46; John 10:14-18; 20:24-31; Romans 1:4)

Ascension and Heavenly Ministry

• We believe that God’s Son ascended to the right hand of His Father and is enthroned in glory, where He intercedes on behalf of His people and rules over all things as sovereign Lord for the praise of His glory. (Acts 1:1-11; 10:39-43; Romans 8:31-39; 1 Corinthians 15:1-8; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 2:5-11; Hebrews 9:23-28; 10:5-10; 1 Peter 3:18; 2 Peter 3:1-18)

Regeneration

• We believe that God the Father has poured out the Holy Spirit to work alongside the preached Word. The Spirit of God regenerates the elect sinners, drawing them irresistibly to Himself by giving the gifts of faith in Christ the Savior and repentance towards God. (John 1:12-13; 3:5-8; 10:25-30; Ephesians 2:4-10; James 1:18; 2 Timothy 2:9)

Justification

• We believe that God calls to Himself the elect in all ages. He justifies them solely on account of the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ, which they receive through faith alone. This faith must always be accompanied by works, though these works do not merit salvation in any way. (Romans 3:24; 8:30; 4:5-8; 5:17-19 10:9-13; 1 Corinthians 1:30-31; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-10; Philippians 3:8-9)

Salvation, Sanctification and Preservation

• We believe that those people whom God calls, regenerates, and justifies, will believe the gospel, repent of their sins, and acknowledge Jesus Christ as Sovereign Lord. His grace causes them to persevere in holiness by growing in sanctification and the putting off of sin by the Holy Spirit and never finally falling away. (John 10:28-29; Romans 6:14; 7:18,23; 8:13, 28-30; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 7:1; Galatians 5:17; Philippians 1:6; 2 Timothy 2:19; Hebrews 6:17-18; 1 Peter 1:3-9; 22-23; 2 Peter 3:18)

Adoption

• We believe that all those who have been redeemed receive the adoption as sons and thus all the privileges of a parent and child relationship with God, including being delivered from the slavery of the Old Covenant, having the inner witness of the Spirit who enables them to recognize God as their Father, receiving the glorified body, and being designated to jointly inherit all that has been promised to God’s Son. (Psalm 103:13; Proverbs 14:26; Isaiah 54:8-9; John 1:10-13; Romans 8:14-25; 2 Corinthians 6:18; Galatians 4:1-7; Ephesians 1:5; 4:30; Hebrews 12:4-6; Revelation 3:11-13)

Ordinances

• We believe that baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Supper are gospel ordinances belonging only to regenerated believers. The ordinances have no saving merit for they are emblems and types of spiritual realities, not the realities themselves. Baptism is a responsibility of each believer to declare one’s allegiance to Christ. (Matthew 3:16-17; 28:18-20; Acts 2:14-41; 8:12-40; 16:25-40; 18:7-8; Romans 6:1-4; 1 Corinthians 10:14-17; 11:26) The Lord’s Table is an expression of our communion with Christ and with one another. (Matthew 26:17-30; 1 Corinthians 10:14-21; 11:17-34; Hebrews 9:11-28)

Church

• We believe that the local church is under the authority of Christ alone who rules through His Word and is governed by a plurality of men called elders who shepherd the church. The communion of saints, however, requires recognition of and fellowship with other churches. (Matthew 20:24-28; Acts 20: 17,28; Ephesians 4:12-14; 1 Peter 5:1-4)

Eschatology

• We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ shall come again to raise the dead, both the righteous and the unrighteous. The righteous shall enjoy everlasting life with God, and the wicked shall endure everlasting, conscious punishment away from the presence of God’s glory. (Genesis 3:17-19; Job 19:25-27; Ecclesiastes 12:1-8; Isaiah 26:19; Daniel 12:1-4; Matthew 25:31-46; John 5:28-29; Luke 16:19-31; 23:32-43; Acts 24:14-16; Romans 9:19-26; 1 Corinthians 15:35-56; 2 Corinthians 5:1-8; Philippians 1:21-26; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10; Hebrews 12:22-24; Jude 3-7; Revelation 22:12-21)