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The sole basis of our beliefs is the Bible, God's infallible
written Word, the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments. We believe that it was
uniquely, verbally and fully inspired by the Holy Spirit and that it was written
without error (inerrant) in the original manuscripts. It is the supreme and
final authority in all matters on which it speaks.
We accept those areas of doctrinal teaching on which,
historically, there has been general agreement among all true Christians.
Because of the specialized calling of our movement, we desire to allow for
freedom of conviction on other doctrinal matters, provided that any
interpretation is based upon the Bible alone, and that no such interpretation
shall become an issue which hinders the ministry to which God has called us.
There is one true God, eternally existing in three persons - Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit - each of whom possesses equally all the attributes of Deity and the
characteristics of personality.
Jesus Christ is God, the living Word, who became flesh through His miraculous
conception by the Holy Spirit and His virgin birth. Hence, He is perfect Deity
and true humanity united in one person forever.
He lived a sinless life and voluntarily atoned for the sins of men by dying on
the cross as their substitute, thus satisfying divine justice and accomplishing
salvation for all who trust in Him alone.
He rose from the dead in the same body, though glorified, in which He lived and
died.
He ascended bodily into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God the Father,
where He, the only mediator between God and man, continually makes intercession
for His own.
Man was originally created in the image of God. He sinned by disobeying God;
thus, he was alienated from his Creator. That historic fall brought all mankind
under divine condemnation.
Man's nature is corrupted, and he is thus totally unable to please God. Every
man is in need of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
The salvation of man is wholly a work of God's free grace and is not the work,
in whole or in part, of human works or goodness or religious ceremony. God
imputes His righteousness to those who put their faith in Christ alone for their
salvation, and thereby justifies them in His sight.
It is the privilege of all who are born again of the Spirit to be assured of
their salvation from the very moment in which they trust Christ as their Savior.
This assurance is not based upon any kind of human merit, but is produced by the
witness of the Holy Spirit, who confirms in the believer the testimony of God in
His written word.
The Holy Spirit has come into the world to reveal and glorify Christ and to
apply the saving work of Christ to men. He convicts and draws sinners to Christ,
imparts new life to them, continually indwells them from the moment of spiritual
birth and seals them until the day of redemption.
His fullness, power and control are appropriated in the believer's life by
faith.
Every believer is called to live so in the power of the indwelling Spirit that
he will not fulfill the lust of the flesh but will bear fruit to the glory of
God.
Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church, His Body, which is composed of all men,
living and dead, who have been joined to Him through saving faith.
God admonishes His people to assemble together regularly for worship, for edification through the Scriptures and for
mutual encouragement.
At physical death the believer enters immediately into eternal, conscious
fellowship with the Lord and awaits the resurrection of his body to everlasting
glory and blessing.
Jesus Christ will come again to the earth - personally, visibly and bodily - to
consummate history and the eternal plan of God. The Lord Jesus Christ commanded
all believers to proclaim the Gospel throughout the world and to disciple men of
every nation. The fulfillment of that Great Commission requires that all worldly
and personal ambitions be subordinated to a total commitment to "Him who loved
us and gave Himself for us. |