Inerrancy and Inspiration of the Bible

We believe that the Holy Bible was supernaturally inspired, written by men as they were moved by the Holy Spirit; that it has truth without error in all matters for which it speaks; and therefore is, and shall remain to the end of the age, the only complete and final revelation of the will of God to man; the true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried.

By "The Holy Bible" we mean the 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. 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, in such a definite way that their writings were supernaturally and verbally inspired and free from error, as no other writings have ever been or ever will be inspired.

(Psalm 19:7-11, 119:89, 105, 130, 160; Proverbs 30:5-6; Isaiah 8:20; Luke 16:31, 24:25-27, 44-45; John 5:39, 45-47, 12:48, 17:17; Acts 1:16, 28:25; Romans 3:4, 15:4; Ephesians 6:17; II Timothy 3:16-17; I Peter 1:23; II Peter 1:19-21; Revelation 22:19)

The Trinity of God

We believe that there is one, and only one, living and true God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit, the maker and supreme ruler of heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness and worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.

(Genesis 17:1; Exodus 20:2-3, 15:11; Psalm 83:18, 90:2, 147:5; Jeremiah 10:10; Matthew 28:19; Mark 12:30; John 4:24, 10:30, 15:26, 17:5; Acts 5:3-4; Romans 11:23; I Corinthians 12:10-11, 8:6, 12:4-6; II Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 2:18, 4:6; Philippians 2:5-6; I Timothy 1:17; I John 5:7; Revelation 4:11)

The Person and Work of God the Father

We believe that God the Father, who is rich with both wisdom and knowledge, sits on His throne in heaven as Architect of Creation and Sovereign Ruler of all the universe.

(Genesis 1:1; Psalm 103:19; Romans 11:33-36; I Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 4:6; Revelation 4:11)

We believe that God the Father loves the world and has sent forth His Son to be the Redeemer of mankind.

(John 3:16, 16:27, 20:21; I John 4:9-10, 14)

We believe that God the Father raised Jesus from the dead, has adopted us as children into His family and has delivered us from the power of darkness.

(Romans 6:4, 8:15-16; Galatians 1:1, 4:4-6; Colossians 1:12-13)

We believe that God the Father, as the Sovereign Ruler and the Architect of our Salvation, is the One primarily to Whom we pray and from Whom we receive answers to prayer.

(Matthew 6:9; John 16:23; Hebrews 4:16; James 1:7)

The Person and Work of Jesus Christ, God the Son

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God and Agent of Creation, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men.

(Isaiah 7:14, 9:6; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-2, 14; II Corinthians 5:19-21; Galatians 4:4-5; Philippians 2:5-8)

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead.

(Acts 2:18-36; Romans 3:24-25; I Peter 2:24; Ephesians 1:7; I Peter 1:3-5)

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate.

(Acts 1:9-10; Hebrews 7:25; 9:24; Romans 8:34; I John 2:1-2)

The Virgin Birth

We believe that Jesus Christ was conceived by 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 a woman; and that He is both the Son of God, and God the Son.

(Psalm 2:7; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Mark 1:1; Luke 1:35; John 1:14; Galatians 4:4; I Corinthians 15:47; I John 5:20)

The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person; equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; that He was active in 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; that He bears witness to the Truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the New Birth; that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the believer.

(Genesis 1:2; Matthew 3:11, 28:19; Mark 1:8; Luke 1:35, 3:16, 24:49; John 1:33, 3:5-6, 14:16, 17, 26, 15:26-27, 16:8-11,13; Acts 5:30-32, 11:16; Romans 8:14, 16, 26-27; Ephesians 1:13-14; II Thessalonians 2:7, 13; Hebrews 9:14; I Peter 1:2)

God’s Work in Creation

We believe in the Genesis account of creation, and that it is to be accepted literally, and not allegorically or figuratively; that man was created directly in God's own image and after His own likeness; that 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; that all animal and plant life was made directly; and that God's established law was that they should bring forth only "after their kind".

(Genesis 1:1, 11, 24, 26-27; 2:21-23; Exodus 20:11; Nehemiah 9:6; Jeremiah 10:12; John 1:3; Acts 4:24, 17:23-26; Romans 1:20; Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 11:3; Revelation 10:6)

The Fall of Man

We believe that man was created in innocence in the image of God under the law of his Maker but by choosing to sin fell from his sinless state. Because of this choice to sin, all mankind are now sinners by nature and by conduct and, therefore, are under just condemnation without defense or excuse.

(Genesis 3:1-6, 24; Ezekiel 18:19-20; Romans 1:18, 20, 28, 32, 3:10-19, 5:12, 19; Galatians 3:22; Ephesians 2:1, 3)

Biblical Manhood and Womanhood

We believe God created two genders, man and woman, in the image of God (Genesis 1:27).

Men and Women’s Value & Roles

We believe that men and women are spiritually equal in position before God but that God has ordained distinct and separate spiritual functions for men and women in the home and in the church.

(Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:18; I Timothy 2:8-15, 3:4-5, 12)

Marriage

We believe that the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman.

(Genesis 2:24; Romans 7:2; I Corinthians 7:10; Ephesians 5:22-23)

Sexuality

We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, transgenderism, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery, and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex.

(Genesis 2:24, 19:5, 13, 26:8-9; Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans 1:26-29; I Corinthians 5:1, 6:9; I Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4)

Atonement

We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace, through the mediation of the Son of God, who, by appointment of the Father, freely took upon Himself human nature without sin, honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and by His death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins; that 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, bearing our sins in His own body on the tree; that, having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in heaven and uniting in His wonderful person his understanding of human experience with divine perfection; and that He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, compassionate, and an all-sufficient Savior.

(Isaiah 53:4-7, 11-12; Matthew 18:11; John 3:16, 10:18; Acts 15:11; Romans 3:24-25; Galatians 1:4; Ephesians 2:8; Philippians 2:7-8; Hebrews 2:14, 7:25, 9:12-15, 12:2)

The New Birth

We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth the one dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God; and that the new creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension, not by culture, not by character, nor by the will of man, but wholly and solely by the power of the Holy Spirit.

(John 1:12-13, 3:3, 6-7; Acts 2:41; Romans 6:23; II Corinthians 5:17, 19; Galatians 5:22; Ephesians 2:1, 5:9; Colossians 2:13; I John 5:1)

Free Salvation

We believe in God's electing grace; that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the gospel; that it is the duty of all to accept salvation by sincere faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; and nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but his own sinfulness and voluntary rejection of the gospel, which makes him subject to condemnation.

(Isaiah 55:1; Matthew 11:28; John 3:15-18, 36, 5:40, 6:37; Acts 2:38; Romans 8:29-30, 10:13; I Corinthians 15:10; Ephesians 2:4-5; Colossians 3:12; I Thessalonians 1:4; I Timothy 1:15; Titus 1:1; I Peter 1:2; Revelation 22:17)

Justification By Faith

We believe that the great gospel blessing which Christ secures to those who believe in Him is Justification; that Justification includes the pardon of sin and the gift of eternal life; that it is bestowed not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in the Redeemer's blood; that His righteousness is imputed unto us.

(Isaiah 53:11; Habakkuk 2:4; Zechariah 13:1; Acts 13:39; Romans 1:17; 4:1; 5:1-9; 8:1; Galatians 3:11; Titus 3:5-7)

The Need for Repentance

We believe that Repentance is evidence of the saving work performed in the souls of those who believe by the quickening Spirit of God; that perfection is not achievable by fallen man but that, being deeply convicted of our guilt, danger, and helplessness, and of the way of salvation by Christ, we turn away from sin and to God with sincere confession and prayer for mercy, at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ and openly confessing Him as our only and all-sufficient Lord and Savior.

(Psalm 51:1-4, 7; Isaiah 55:6-7; Mark 1:15; Luke 12:8, 18:13; Acts 2:37-38, 20:21; Romans 10:9 11, 13)

Eternal Security

We believe that those who are truly believers will endure to the end; that God watches over their welfare in special care; and that they are kept by the power of God through faith unto eternal salvation. This is not a license for sin nor superficial confession.

(Psalm 121:3; Matthew 6:20, 13:19-21; John 8:31-32, 10:28-29, Romans 8:28, 35-39; Philippians 1:6; Colossians 1:21-23; Hebrews 1:14; I Peter 1:5; I John 2:19)

Eminent Return of Christ

We believe in and accept Scripture on these subjects at their face and full value. Of the Resurrection, we believe that Christ rose bodily "The third day according to the Scriptures;" that He ascended "to the right hand of the throne of God;" that He alone is our "merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God;" that “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" (bodily, personally, and visibly); that the "dead in Christ shall rise first;" that the living saints "shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump;" that “the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David;" and that "Christ shall reign a thousand years in righteousness until He hath put all enemies under His feet".

(Psalm 72:8; Isaiah 11:4-5; Matthew 24:27, 42; Matthew 28:6-7; Mark 16:6, 19; Luke 1:32; Luke 24:2, 4-6, 39, 51; John 14:3; John 20:27; Acts 1:9, 11; I Corinthians 15:4; Philippians 4:20; I Thessalonians 4:16; Hebrews 2:17, 5:9, 8:1, 9:28, 12:2)

The Righteous and the Wicked

We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that only true believers, who are justified through faith in the Lord Jesus and sanctified by the Spirit of our God, are truly righteous in God’s eyes; those who continue in sinful unbelief are in His sight wicked and under the curse, and this distinction holds both in and after death, in the everlasting joyful union with God of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost.

(Genesis 18:23; Proverbs 11:31, 14:32; Malachi 3:18; Matthew 7:13-14, 25:34; Luke 9:26, 16:25; John 8:21, 12:25; Acts 10:34-35; Romans 1:17, 6:16-18, 23, 7:6; I Corinthians 15:22; Galatians 3:10; I Peter 4:18; I John 2:29, 5:19)

The Personality of Satan

We believe that Satan was once holy and enjoyed heavenly honors but, through pride and ambition to be like God, fell and drew after him a host of angels; that he is now the malignant prince of the power of the air and the unholy god of this world. We hold him to be man's great tempter, the enemy of God and Christ, the accuser of the saints, the author of all false religions, the chief power behind the evil of the sinful world, the lord of the antichrist, and the author of all the powers of darkness. He is destined 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.

(Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:14-17; Matthew 4:1-3; 13:25, 25:41; Mark 13:21-22; Luke 22:3-4; John 14:30; Ephesians 2:2; II Corinthians 11:13-15; I Thessalonians 3:5; II Thessalonians 2:8-11; I Peter 5:8; II Peter 2:4; I John 2:22, 3:8, 4:3;II John 7; Jude 6; Revelation 12:7-10, 13:13-14, 19:11, 16, 20; 20:1-3, 10)

The Local Church

We believe that a local church is a congregation of baptized believers associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word; that its leaders are pastors or elders whose qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly defined in Scripture. 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 do not believe in the reversal of this order; we hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government, free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that the one and only superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit; that it is scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel; that every church is the sole and only judge of the measure and method of its cooperation; and that on all matters of membership, of policy, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final.

(Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42, 6:5-6, 14:23, 15:22-23, 20:17-28; I Corinthians 5:11-13, 6:1-3, 12:4, 8-11; Ephesians 1:22-23, 4:11, 5:23-24; Colossians 1:18; I Timothy 3:1-13)

Baptism

We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion in water of a believer, in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, with the authority of the local church, to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried and risen Savior, demonstrating our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that it is prerequisite to the privilege of church membership.

(Matthew 3:6, 16; 28:19-20; John 3:23; Acts 2:41-42, 8:36-39; Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 2:12)

Communion

We believe that the Lord's supper, in which the church, by the use of bread and the fruit of the vine are to commemorate together the dying love of Christ, is to be preceded always by solemn self-examination. (I Corinthians 11:23-28)

Worldwide Missions

We believe Christians are clearly and unmistakably commanded to give the gospel to the world and that this Great Commission was given to the church.

(Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15, John 20:21; Romans 10:13-15)

Grace Giving

We believe Christians are called to give generously, cheerfully, and regularly to support the church’s mission, care for those in need, and advance God’s kingdom. This giving is not a payment or legalistic requirement but a response to God’s abundant provision and Christ’s sacrificial love.

(II Corinthians 8:7, I Corinthians 16:2, Acts 4:34-37)

Civil Government

We believe that civil government is appointed by God for the interests and good order of human society; that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed, except only in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ – who is the only Lord of the conscience and the coming Prince of the kings of the earth.

(Exodus 18:21-22; II Samuel 23:3; Psalm 72:11; Daniel 3:17-18; Matthew 10:28; 22:21; 23:10; Acts 4:19-20; 23:5; Romans 13:7; Philippians 2:10-11; Titus 3:1; I Peter 2:13-14, 17)