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“Speaking the Truth in Love” |
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Contents |
Statement of Faith |
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V Home |
1. Of the Scriptures We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men
supernaturally inspired and that it has truth without any error for its matter. Therefore it is, and shall remain to
the end of the age, the only complete and final revelation of the will of God
to man. This Holy Bible is the
true centre of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct,
creeds, and opinions should be tried. 1. By “The Holy
Bible” we mean that collection of sixty-six books, from Genesis to
Revelation, which as originally written does not only contain and convey the
Word of God, but IS the very Word of God. 2. By “inspiration”
we mean that the books of the Bible were written by holy men of old, as they
were moved by the Holy Spirit.
They were written in such a definite way that their writings were
supernaturally and verbally inspired and free from error. They were consistent with their
individual and stylistic personalities as no other writings have ever been or
ever will be inspired. 2. Of the True God We believe that there is one, and only one, living
and true God. He is an infinite,
intelligent Spirit, the maker and supreme ruler of heaven and earth. This true God is inexpressibly
glorious in holiness and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and
love. We believe that in the
unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son and the
Holy Ghost. These three are equal in every divine perfection and executing
distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. 3. Of Jesus the Christ We believe Jesus to be: the Word, the second Person
of The Godhead, the one through whom all things were made, and as such left
His Heavenly habitation in order to come, as a man, in the flesh, to the
earth, and become the only begotten of The Father. Jesus of Nazareth who was
and is true God, having a divine nature and all the attributes of Deity, was
at the same time, true man having a natural human body and exhibiting those
attributes which are common to humanity. Jesus was born without sin, and
remained sinless, though, as a man experienced and resisted temptation, thus
identifying with us, in our humanity. Jesus voluntarily gave Himself, firstly
unto human life, and second unto human death, thirdly unto spiritual death,
so that He would be the perfect, spotless, substitutionary sacrifice for the
sins of all mankind. It was
Jesus' sinless humanity combined with His faultless Divinity that makes Him
the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all mankind, and at the same time
qualifies Him to be the perfect High Priest, representing us before The
Father in heaven. 4. Of the Holy Spirit That the Holy Spirit is a divine person; equal with
God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature. We believe that He was active in the
creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the Evil
one until God’s purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of
judgment and of righteousness.
This Holy Spirit bears witness to the Truth of the Gospel in preaching
and testimony and He is the agent in the New Birth. We believe that He seals, endues,
guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the believer. 5 Of the Devil, or Satan We believe that Satan was once holy, and enjoyed
heavenly honors; but through pride and ambition to be as the Almighty, fell
and drew after him a host of angels.
Satan is now the malignant prince of the power of the air, and the
unholy god of this world. We hold him to be men’s great tempter, the
enemy of God and His Christ. He
is the accuser of the saints, the author of all false religions, the chief
power back of the present apostasy; the lord of the antichrist, and the
author of all the powers of darkness-destined. However; he is subject to final defeat
at the hands of God’s own Son, and to the judgment of an eternal
justice in hell, a place prepared for him and his angels. 6. Of Creation We believe in the Genesis account of creation, and
that it is to be accepted literally, and not allegorically or
figuratively. We believe that man
was created directly in God’s own image and after His own likeness. Man’s creation was not a matter
of evolution or evolutionary change of species, or development through
interminable periods of time from lower to higher forms. All animal and vegetable life was made
directly and God’s established law was that they would bring forth only
“after their kind” 7. Of the Fall of Man We believe that man was created in innocence under
the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless
and happy state. In consequence
of this transgression all mankind are now sinners, not by constraint, but of
choice; and therefore under just condemnation without defense or excuse. 8. Of the Virgin Birth We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten of the
Holy Ghost, in a miraculous manner.
He was born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born or can ever
be born of woman, and that He is both the Son of God, and God the Son. 9. Of the Atonement for Sin We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly
of grace; through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God. Jesus, by appointment of the Father,
freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin. He honored the divine law by His
personal obedience. His atonement
consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was the
voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place, the Just dying
for the unjust. Christ the
Lord, bore our sins in His own body on the tree; “In whom we have
redemption through his blood,“ (Eph. 1:7). We believe that, having risen from the
dead, He is now enthroned in heaven and uniting in His wonderful person the
tenderest sympathies with divine perfection. He is every way qualified to be a
suitable, a compassionate and an all-sufficient Savior. 10. Of Grace in the New
Creation We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must
be born again; that the one who
is dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and
receives eternal life, the free gift of God. The new creation is brought
about in a manner above our comprehension, not by culture, not by character,
nor by the will of man. It is
solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so as
to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel; that its proper evidence
appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life. 11. Of the Freeness of
Salvation We believe in God’s saving grace; that the
blessings of salvation are made free to all by the gospel. It is the immediate duty of all
to accept them by a cordial, penitent and an obedient faith. Nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest
sinner on earth but his own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of
Christ and His gospel..1 Thess 1:4;
Col 3:12; 1 Pet 1:2; Titus 1:1; Rom. 8:29-30; Matt. 11:28; Isa. 55:1;
Rev. 22:17; Rom 10:13; John 6:37; Isa. 55:6; Acts 2:38; Isa. 55:7; John
3:15-16; I Tim. 1:15; 1 Cor. 15:10; Eph. 2:4-5; John 5:40;
John 3:18; John 3:36 12. Of Justification We believe that the great gospel blessing which
Christ secures to such as believe is His Justification. Justification includes the pardon of
sin, and the gift of eternal life on principles of righteousness. It is bestowed not in consideration of
any works of righteousness which we have done; but solely through faith in
the Redeemer’s blood. His
righteousness is imputed unto us. 13. Of Repentance and Faith We believe that Repentance and Faith are solemn
obligations, and also inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the
quickening Spirit of God.
Thereby, being deeply convicted of our guilt, danger and helplessness,
and of the way of salvation by Christ, we turn to God with unfeigned
contrition, confession and supplication for mercy. At the same time heartily
receiving the Lord Jesus Christ and openly confessing Him as our only and
all-sufficient Savior. 14. Of The Church We believe that a Church is a congregation of
baptized believers associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the
gospel. The church is being
understood to be the citadel and propagator of the divine and Eternal
Grace. It is observing the
ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; exercising the gifts, rights and
privileges invested in them by His Word.
Its officers of ordination are pastors or elders whose qualifications,
claims, and duties are clearly defined in the scriptures. We believe the true mission of the
church is found in the Great Commission: First, to make individual disciples;
Second, to build up the church; Third ,to teach and instruct as He has
commanded. We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self government,
free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or
organizations. We believe that
the one and only superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit. It is scriptural for true
churches to co-operate with each other in contending for the faith and for
the furtherance of the gospel.
Every church is the sole and only judge of the measure and method of
its co-operation on all matters of membership, of policy, of government, of
discipline and of benevolence. On
all matters of membership, the will of the local church is final. |
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