WHAT WE BELIEVE

There is one God, and only one, who is self-existent, eternal, and infinite in every excellence and who has revealed Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, the same in essence, and distinct in personality. Proof Texts: Ex. 20:2, 3; Isa. 6:8; Deut. 6:4; Ps. 147:5; 20:2; Rev. 4:11; Matt. 28:19; Jn. 15:26; 2 Cor. 13:14; 1 Jn. 5:7; Jn. 4:24; Jn. 10:30; 1:14; 5:47; Phil. 2:5, 6; Heb. 1:8; 2 Cor. 13:14.

Man was created directly in God's own image as literally described in Genesis. And his creation was not a matter of evolutionary change of species from lower to higher forms. By disobedience man fell, thereby losing his innocence, becoming subject to death and to eternal torments of hell. Proof Texts: Gen. 1-3; Ex. 20:11; Col. 1:16, 17; Heb. 11:3; Jn. 1:3; 1 Cor. 11:7; Matt. 26:5; Rom. 3:10-23; Rev. 20:10-15.

Jesus Christ the eternal Son of God was begotten of the Holy Ghost in a miraculous manner, born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born or can ever be born of woman, and that in order to save us from guilt, condemnation, and power of sin, He offered His shed blood as an atonement when He suffered and died in the sinner's place upon Calvary's cross. Proof Texts: Gen. 3:15; Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18-25; Luk. 1:35; Jn. 1:14; Ps. 2:7; Gal. 4:4; Jn. 6:69; Matt. 1:25; 27:24; Rom. 3:25; 5:9; 1 Cor. 15:3; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet. 3:18; Heb. 1:3; 9:14; 1 Jn. 4:10; Rev. 5:9; Isa. 53:11; Heb. 9:12-15, 27; Jn. 2:2.

The result of the heart-acceptance of Jesus Christ is justification, whereby pardon is secured and we are brought into a state of peace and favor with God. The human means by which this result is brought about is repentance and faith whereby we turn unto God in sincere contrition and accept Jesus Christ as an all-sufficient Savior. Proof Texts: Eph. 1:7; Rom. 4:4-5; Rom. 5:1; Acts 2:38; Eph. 2:8; Heb. 7:15; Jn. 1:12.

God has His purposes of grace in the salvation of men. These purposes are made effectual by the giving of His Son, and in the constraining and regenerating power of the Holy Ghost upon all who believe on Christ. But these purposes do not contravene the freedom of man's will, nor render inoperative the proclamation of the Gospel to all. Proof Texts: Rom. 8:28-30; Eph. 1:4; Isa. 46:10; Jn. 3:6-8; 6:44; 1:12, 13; 1 Pet. 1:2; Jas. 1:18; Jn. 16:7-11; Eph. 2:10; Phil. 2:13; Jn. 5:40; Rom. 10:13-16.

Nothing can separate true believers from the love of God; but they are "Kept by the power of God through faith, unto salvation;" the sure proof of this being their patient continuance and progress in righteousness and true holiness. Proof Texts: Rom. 8:35-39; 1 Pet. 1:5; Jn. 10:27-29; Jn. 8:31; Col. 1:21-23; Heb. 3:14; Matt. 24:13; 1 Jn. 2:19; 2 Cor. 3:18; 2 Peter 1:3.

The ordinances of the Gospel are Baptism and the Lord's Supper. Baptism is the immersion in water of the believer "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost," and it symbolizes the fact of the believer's burial and resurrection in Christ. The Lord's Supper is a commemoration of His dying love and symbolizes the fact that the believer is continuously fed and nourished by Christ. Its observance is to be preceded by faithful self-examination. Proof Texts: Matt. 3:6; 3:13-17; 28:19; Mk. 1:5, 9-11; Jn. 3:22, 23; Acts 2:38; 8:36-39; Rom. 6:3-5; Col. 2:12; Matt. 26:26-30; Luk. 22:19, 20; Jn. 3:5; 6:51-58, 63; Acts 2:41; 1 Cor. 11:23-29.

The Church Spiritual includes the whole company of believers of whatever name, age or country, and is known only to the eye of God. The Church Formal is a company of believers baptized in the name of the triune God, and observing the forms, ordinances, and principles laid down in the New Testament. Proof Texts: Col. 1:18; Eph. 5:27; Eph. 5:25; Eph. 2:19-21; 1:22, 23; 1 Cor. 12:27, 28; 1:2; 1 Cor. 11:2; Rom. 6:17; Eph. 2:11-13.

The first day of the week is to be observed as the Lord's Day or the Christian Sabbath. Proof Texts: Jn. 20:19, 26; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:1, 2.

Civil government is of divine appointment for the interests and good order of human society; and magistrates are to be honored, prayed for and obeyed; except only in things opposed to the will and Word of Jesus Christ who is the only Lord of the conscience and the Prince of the kings of the earth. Proof Texts: Rom. 13:1-7; Matt. 22:21; Acts 5:29; 4:18-20.

Jesus Christ who was bodily raised up from the dead and who visibly ascended up into heaven "shall so come in like manner." We believe that Christ may come at any time to take His Church into the air and that after that He will return to earth to judge the nations and fill the earth with His own power and glory. Proof Texts: Matt. 24:25-51; Jn. 14:3; Acts 1:11; Thes. 4:16, 17; 2 Thes. 2:8; Matt. 26:26-28; Rev. 1:7; 19:11-21; 20:1-6.

There will be a bodily resurrection of the just and of the unjust, "but every man in his own order." Christ the first fruits, afterward they that are Christ's at His coming. They that are Christ's will be raised at His coming which is before the thousand years' reign of Christ upon the earth, "but the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished;" therefore the unjust are not raised to judgment until after the reign of Christ. The just will be raised for blessedness and reward. The unjust for judgment and eternal doom. Proof Texts: Dan. 12:2; Jn. 5:28, 29; Acts 24:15; Luk. 20:36-38; 1 Cor. 15:22-24; 42-58; 2 Cor. 5:10; Rev. 3:21; Rev. 20.