The Bible
We believe that the Bible is the Word of God
and that it contains no errors. It is accurate in matters of
doctrine, history and science. We look to the Bible as
the only authority for what we should believe about God and how
we should serve Him.
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be
perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” (2
Timothy 3:16-17)
“But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall
not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth
out of the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)
The English translation of the Word of God that we use is the
King James Bible. We love the KJV because of its accuracy and
reliability. For nearly 400 years it has been preached, taught
and loved by millions of believers and it is the only Bible that
we use.
“Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.”
(Psalms 119:140)
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God
God is a Spirit, the Creator of all things.
He is not one God among many, but He is the only True and Living
God. God is a Trinity, meaning that He is one God existing in
three eternal Persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the
Holy Spirit.
“God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must
worship him in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24)
“All things were made by him; and without him was not
any thing made that was made.” (John 1:3)
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:”
(Deuteronomy 6:4)
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God
and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5)
“For there are three that bear record in heaven, the
Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are
one.” (1 John 5:7)
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost:” (Matthew 28:19)
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of
God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all.
Amen.” (2 Corinthians 13:14)
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Mankind
We believe that all human beings descend from
Adam and Eve. Because of our common heritage, we renounce racism
in all of its forms.
“And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was
the mother of all living.” (Genesis 3:20)
“And (God) hath made of one blood all nations of men
for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath
determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of
their habitation” (Acts 17:26)
We believe that man was created by God, sinless and perfect.
We believe that sin entered into the world through Adam’s
disobedience. Because of Adam’s Original sin and because of our
own choice, all of us are sinners.
“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world,
and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that
all have sinned” (Romans 5:12)
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Sin and
Death
We believe that, in its simplest sense, sin
is disobedience to God’s laws. Because we have all sinned in
some way and because we are all born as sinners, according to
the Bible, we deserve death. Death is the result of sin. Before
sin entered into the world, the Bible teaches that there was no
death, or suffering; no sickness, or pain. Death includes both
physical and spiritual death. Unless the Lord returns, physical
death will take place for all of us at some point. Spiritual
death is already a reality in our lives if Jesus Christ is not
our Savior. Spiritual death causes us to be separated from God
and condemned to eternal hell without Him.
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of
God” (Romans 3:23)
“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world,
and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that
all have sinned” (Romans 5:12)
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is
eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans
6:23)
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Heaven
and Hell
We believe in a literal heaven for those who
believe in Jesus Christ as Savior, and a literal hell with
literal fire for those who refuse to believe in Him as the only
Way to heaven.
“In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were
not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for
you.” (John 14:2)
“We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be
absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”
(2 Corinthians 5:8)
“There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in
purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And
there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at
his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the
crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the
dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that
the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into
Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And
in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth
Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and
said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus,
that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my
tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.” (Luke
16:19-24)
“And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better
for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to
go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for
thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be
cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for
thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than
having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm
dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.” (Mark 9:43-48)
“The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they
shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and
them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace
of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then
shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of
their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.”
(Matthew 13:41-43)
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Salvation
If I possess salvation through the Lord Jesus
Christ, then I have been saved from the penalty of sin (eternity
without God in hell), I am being saved from the practice of sin
in my everyday life, and one day, I will be saved from the very
presence of sin as I spend eternity with the Lord. Salvation
guaranties me eternal life with God, and saves me from eternal
death (separation from God forever in hell). Salvation is given
to all who will believe in Jesus Christ as Lord (God) and
Savior.
“Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came
trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought
them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And
they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt
be saved, and thy house.” (Acts 16:29-31)
“And after eight days again his disciples were within,
and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut,
and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then
saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my
hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my
side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas
answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith
unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast
believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have
believed.” (John 20:26-29)
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
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The Lord
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God and
has always existed. About 2000 years ago, He came to earth and
took on a human body. He became a man without ceasing to be God.
He was born of a virgin and lived a sinless life in this world.
He was rejected by the very people whom He had created and was
crucified on a cross. On that cross, the Bible teaches that
Jesus Christ suffered for the sins of all mankind. He suffered
the penalty of sin for us (death, separation from God) and after
His sufferings, He was buried for three days. After three days,
the Lord Jesus Christ arose from the dead (we believe that this
resurrection is literal and that He arose in His human body) and
He ascended to the right hand of God the Father in heaven. One
day, we believe that He will return again to judge the living
and the dead.
“The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son
of God” (Mark 1:1)
“In the beginning was the Word*, and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning
with God. All things were made by him; and without him was
not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the
life was the light of men. And the light shineth in
darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” (John
1:1-5)
* “The Word” is another name for Jesus Christ.
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and
we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of
the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)
“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When
as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came
together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then
Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to
make her a publick example, was minded to put her away
privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the
angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying,
Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary
thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy
Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call
his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their
sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled
which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold,
a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son,
and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being
interpreted is, God with us.” (Matthew 1:18-23)
“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is
passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold
fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which
cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but
was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”
(Hebrews 4:14-15)
“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I
also received, how that Christ died for our sins according
to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose
again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he
was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was
seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the
greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen
asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the
apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one
born out of due time.” (1 Corinthians 15:3-8)
“So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was
received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.”
(Mark 16:19)
“Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died,
yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right
hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”
(Romans 8:34)
“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord
Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his
appearing and his kingdom” (2 Timothy 4:1)
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The Gift
of Eternal Life
We believe that eternal life is a gift of
God, and that men are saved only by the Lord Jesus Christ, by
grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, and not by
the church, works, sacraments, water baptism, or moral
reformation.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not
of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any
man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
“Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came
trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought
them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And
they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt
be saved, and thy house.” (Acts 16:29-31)
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Assurance of
Salvation
Any believer in Jesus Christ can be
absolutely sure that he or she will go to heaven. Assurance
comes to those who will take the words of Jesus at face value:
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten
Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life.” (John 3:16) If a man believes in Jesus as
the only Way to heaven and believes that he will go to heaven,
simply because he believes in Jesus Christ, then that man will
have a strong, Bible-based assurance of salvation.
“These things have I written unto you that believe on
the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have
eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son
of God.” (1 John 5:13)
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Security of
the Believer
All believers in Jesus Christ are eternally
saved and kept by the power of God. Eternal salvation is not a
license to sin. It is a license to experience God’s
unconditional love, to love Him in return and to serve Him with
peace and joy.
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they
follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall
never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my
hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all;
and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I
and my Father are one.”
(John 10:27-30)
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my
word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting
life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed
from death unto life.” (John 5:24)
“And this is the record, that God hath given to us
eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the
Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not
life.” (1 John 5:11-12)
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The Return of
Jesus Christ
We believe that at any moment, all believers
in Jesus Christ will be taken away from the earth to meet the
Lord in the air (the Rapture), and that the people left behind
on the earth will go through seven years of tribulation. After
these seven years have passed, the Lord will return with all
believers to set up His kingdom on earth. During this “Kingdom
Age” the Lord Jesus Christ will rule for 1,000 years upon the
earth with the saints (all believers in the Bible are referred
to as “saints” not just a select group). Following this 1,000
year kingdom will be the “Great White Throne of Judgment” of all
the unbelieving, Christ-rejecting people who have ever lived.
Following this judgment will be eternity.
“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren,
concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even
as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus
died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus
will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the
word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto
the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are
asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with
a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump
of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we
which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with
them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so
shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one
another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)
“But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun
shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,
And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are
in heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son
of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.”
(Mark 13:24-26)
“And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he
went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up
into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you
into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen
him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:10-11)
“And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the
key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And
he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the
Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast
him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal
upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till
the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he
must be loosed a little season. And I saw thrones, and they
sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw
the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of
Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped
the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark
upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and
reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the
dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.
This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that
hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second
death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of
Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. And when
the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of
his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which
are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to
gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the
sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the
earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the
beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and
devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast
into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the
false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for
ever and ever. And I saw a great white throne, and him that
sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled
away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the
dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were
opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of
life: and the dead were judged out of those things which
were written in the books, according to their works. And the
sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell
delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were
judged every man according to their works. And death and
hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second
death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of
life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation
20:1-15)
“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first
heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was
no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem,
coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride
adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of
heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men,
and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people,
and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And
God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there
shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither
shall there be any more pain: for the former things are
passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I
make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these
words are true and faithful.” (Revelation 21:1-5)
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The Holy
Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is God. The
Bible teaches that He baptizes every believer into the Body of
Christ at conversion, and that He lives in every believer. Every
believer is sealed by Him unto the day of redemption, and every
believer should be filled with the Holy Ghost, so that he may
have power to serve God.
“But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine
heart to lie to the Holy Ghost...thou hast not lied unto
men, but unto God.” (Acts 5:3-4)
“For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body,
whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free;
and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” (1
Corinthians 12:13)
“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that
the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16)
“And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are
sealed unto the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4:30)
“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be
filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18)
“And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where
they were assembled together; and they were all filled with
the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with
boldness.” (Acts 4:31)
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The Church
We believe that Jesus Christ is the only Head
of the Church, and that every Christian should be a member of,
and faithfully attend, a local, independent, Bible-believing,
church. We believe that every local church should have only two
offices: pastor (also called the bishop) and deacon, and two
ordinances: baptism and the Lord’s supper.
“For the husband is the head of the wife, even as
Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of
the body.” (Ephesians 5:23)
“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without
wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us
consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the
manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much
the more, as ye see the day approaching.” (Hebrews
10:23-25)
“This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of
a bishop, he desireth a good work.” (1 Timothy 3:1)
“And let these also first be proved; then let them use
the office of a deacon, being found blameless.” (1
Timothy 3:10)
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost” (Matthew 28:19)
“For I have received of the Lord that which also I
delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in
which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given
thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body,
which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After
the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped,
saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do
ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as
often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show
the Lord's death till he come.” (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
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Baptism
Baptism is for believers only and is to be
administered by immersion of the whole body in water and not by
sprinkling or pouring.
“Then they that gladly received his word were
baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about
three thousand souls.” (Acts 2:41)
“And as they went on their way, they came unto a
certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what
doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou
believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered
and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And
he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down
both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he
baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water,
the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch
saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.”
(Acts 8:36-39)
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Evangelism
It is the duty of the church to reach the
world with the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ. Every
Christian should witness for the Lord and every church should
endeavor to start other churches by sending out missionaries
both in the United States and abroad.
“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power
is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore,
and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them
to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and,
lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.
Amen.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
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Separation
We believe that every believer should strive
to live a holy life and separate himself from sinful habits,
thoughts and lifestyles. We believe that Bible-believing
churches should separate from theological liberalism, Roman
Catholicism and from the Charismatic-faith movement.
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers:
for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?
and what communion hath light with darkness? And what
concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that
believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the
temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the
living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk
in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my
people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye
separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing;
and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and
ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us
cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and
spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2
Corinthians 6:14-7:1)
“For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the
land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy,
for I am holy.” (Leviticus 11:45)
“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause
divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye
have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve
not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good
words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.”
(Romans 16:17-18)
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