THIS IS WHAT I BELIEVE
1. OF THE SCRIPTURE
I believe that the Holy Bible as originally written was verbally inspired and the product of Spirit-controlled men and, therefore, is truth without a mixture of error in all it teaches, whether about science, history, ethics or religion. I believe the Bible to be the true centre of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds and opinions shall be tried.
(2 Timothy 3:16, 17; 2 Peter 1:19-21)
2. OF THE TRUE GOD
I believe there is one and only one living and true God, an infinite 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 Spirit, equal in every divine perfection and executing distinct, but harmonious, offices in the great work of redemption.
(Exodus 20:2, 3; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Revelation 4:11)
3. OF THE FATHER
God the Father reigns with providential care over His universe, His creatures and the flow of the stream of human history according to the purposes of His grace. He is all powerful, all loving, and all wise. God is Father in truth to those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
(John 14:6; Hebrews 1; Ephesians 1:1-4)
4. OF THE SON
I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary as no other man ever was nor can be born of a woman. He is very God of very God, being manifest in the flesh. He lived a life of absolute sinlessness providing our redemption when in His death on the cross He made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins, dying not as a martyr, but as a voluntary substitute in the sinners place. Our redemption is made sure by His resurrection from the dead. On the third day he rose. Later He ascended bodily into heaven, as our great High Priest, there to appear before God as our advocate and intercessor. He is coming again to rapture his saints and to set up the throne of David and to establish His millennial kingdom. The rapture coming is imminent and will be personal, pretribulational and the second coming will be premillenial.
(Isaiah 7:14; Romans 4:23-25; 5:1; Matthew 1:18-25; 28:6; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; John 1:1; 14:3; 2 Thessalonians 2:6-8; Acts 15:16; 1 Peter 2:22; 3:18).
5. OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
I 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 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 righteousness and of judgment; 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 with spiritual gifts, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the believer.
(John 14:16; Matthew 28:19; Hebrews 9:14; John 14:26; Luke 1:35; Genesis 1:1-3; John 16:8-11; Acts 5:30-32; John 3:5-6; Ephesians 1:13-14; Mark 1:8; John 1:33; Acts 11:16; Luke 24:49; Romans 8:14,16, 26, 27).
6. OF THE DEVIL, OR SATAN
I believe that Satan is a person and 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; that he is now the malignant prince of the power of the air and the unholy god of this world. I hold him to be man's great tempter, the enemy of God and His Christ, the accuser of the saints, the author of the false religions, the chief power behind the present apostasy, the lord of the Anti-Christ and the chief of all the powers of darkness destined, however, to final defeat at the hands of God's Son and to the judgment of an eternal justice in hell, a place prepared for him and his angels.
(Revelation 12:9; Isaiah 14:12-15; Luke 22:3-4; 2 Corinthians 11:13-15; Mark 13:21-22; 1 John 4:3; 2 John 7; 1 John 2:22; Revelation 13:13-14; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-11; Revelation 19:11,16,20; Revelation 12:7-9; Revelation 20:1-3; Revelation 20:10; Matthew 25:41; Jude 6; 2 Peter 2:4; Ephesians 2:2).
7. OF THE CREATION
I 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 by evolution or evolutionary change of species or development through interminable periods of time from lower to higher forms; that all animal and vegetable life was effected by special creation and God's established law was that they should bring forth only "after their kind". I believe that the days of Genesis 1 were literal twenty-four hour days.
(Genesis 1:1; Exodus 20:11; Acts 4:24; Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 11:3;
John 1:3; Revelation 10:6; Romans 1:2-; Acts 17:23-26; Jeremiah 10:12;
Nehemiah 9:6; Genesis 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 11:7; Genesis 2:7, 1:11, 1:24).
8. OF THE FALL OF MAN
I 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 which all mankind are now sinful and are sinners not by constraint, but by choice and therefore under just condemnation, without defence or excuse, and that man in his natural state is in a condition of total depravity, by which we mean his natural utter incapacity to receive the things of the Spirit of God apart from the quickening grace of the Holy Spirit.
(Genesis 3:1-6; Romans 5:12; Romans 5:19; Romans 3:10-19; Ephesians 2:1-3;
Romans 1:18; Ezekiel 18:19-20; Romans 1:20,28,32; Galatians 3:22).
9. OF THE VIRGIN BIRTH
I believe Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Ghost in a miraculous manner, born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born or can be born of woman and that He is both the Son of God and God, the Son.
(Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:35; John 1:4).
10. OF THE ATONEMENT FOR SIN
I believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace, through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God, who by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Himself our nature, yet 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 a voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner's place, the just dying for the unjust; Christ, the Lord, bearing our sin 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 the
tenderest sympathies with divine perfection. He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate and all-sufficient Savior.
(Ephesians 2:8; Acts 15:11; Romans 3:24; John 3:16; Matthew 18:11; Philippians 2:7; Hebrews 2:14; Isaiah 53:4-7; Romans 3:25; 1 John 4:10; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
11. OF GRACE IN THE NEW CREATION
I 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; that the new creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension 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.
(John 3:3; Corinthians 5:17; 1 John 5:1; John 3:6-7; Acts 16:30-33; 2 Peter 1:4; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1, 8-9; 2 Corinthians 5:19; Colossians 2:13; John 3:8).
12. OF THE FREENESS OF SALVATION
I believe in God's electing grace and that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the Gospel; that it is the immediate duty of all to accept them by a cordial, penitent and obedient faith; that nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but his own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the Gospel, which rejection involves him in an aggravated condemnation.
(1 Thessalonians 1:4; Colossians 3:12; Romans 8:29-30; Titus 1:1; Matthew 11:28; Isaiah 55:1; Revelation 22:17; Romans 10:13; John 6:37; Isaiah 55:6; Acts 2:38; Isaiah 55:7; John 3:15-16; 1 Timothy 1:15; Ephesians 2:4-5; John 5:40; John 3:36).
13. OF JUSTIFICATION
I believe that the great gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is justification :
a) That justification includes the pardon of sin and the gift of eternal life on principles of righteousness;
b) 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, His righteousness is imputed to us.
(Acts 13:39; Isaiah 53:11; Zechariah 13:1; Romans 8:1; Romans 5:1,9; Eph 2:8-9).
14. OF REPENTANCE AND FAITH
I 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 convinced of our guilt, danger and helplessness and 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 and Lord.
(Acts 20:20; Mark 1:15; Acts 2:27-38; Luke 18:13; Romans 10:13; Psalms 51:1-4; Psalms 51:7; Isaiah 55:6-7; Luke 12:8; Romans 10:9-11).
15. OF THE LOCAL CHURCH
I believe that the local church is a congregation of immersed believers associated by covenant of faiths and fellowship of the Gospel, observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His Word; that its officers are pastors and deacons whose qualifications, claims and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures. We believe the true mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as we have opportunity. 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 it is scriptural for two churches to co-operate with each other in contending for the faith and the furtherance of the Gospel; that each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its co-operation of all matters of membership, of policy, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final.
(Acts 2:41-42; 1 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 4:11; Acts 20:17-28; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus1: 5-16; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 5:23-24; Acts 15:13-18).
16. OF BAPTISM AND THE LORD'S SUPPER
I believe that the Christian baptism is the single immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried and risen Savior, with its effect in our death to sin and our resurrection to a new life; that it is pre-requisite to the privileges of a church relation. I believe that the Lord's Supper is the commemoration of His death until He comes; that it is only a memorial, not a sacrament and that it should be preceded always by solemn self-examination.
(Acts 8:26-39; John 3:23; Romans 6:3-5; Matthew 3:16; Colossians 2:12; 1 Corinthians 11:23-28).
17. OF THE SECURITY OF THE SAINTS
I believe that all who are truly born again are kept eternally by God the Father for Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6; John 10:28-29; Romans 8:35-39; Jude 1).
18. OF THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED
I believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that such only as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and are sanctified by the Spirit of our God, are truly righteous in His esteem; while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked and under the curse; and this distinction holds among men both in and after death in the everlasting felicity (joy, happiness) of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost.
(Malachi 3:18; Genesis 18:23; Romans 6:17-18; 1 John 5:19; Romans 7:6; 6:23; Proverbs 4:32; Luke 6:25; Matthew 25:34-41; John 8:21).
19. OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT
I believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interests and good order of human society; that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed; except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only Lord of the conscience and the coming King of the kings of the earth.
(Romans 13:1-7; 2 Samuel 23:3; Exodus 18:21-22; Acts 23:5; Matthew 22:21; Acts 5:20; Acts 4:19; Daniel 3:17-18).
20. OF THE RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST
I believe in the bodily, personal premillennial return of Jesus Christ; that He will come only into the air, before the seven years tribulation period, to catch away His church and that at the end of the tribulation period He will come with His church to judge the living nations and to set up His kingdom on earth.
(1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Matthew 25:46; Revelation 19:11-21).
21. OF THE RESURRECTION
I believe in the bodily resurrection. Both believers and unbelievers will receive resurrection bodies which shall be everlasting. Christians will be raised at the time of the rapture and caught up with the transformed living saints to meet the Lord in the air.
(John 5:21-30; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Revelation 7:9-17; Revelation 20:11-15).
22. OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT
I believe that Scriptural giving is a vital mark of genuine spirituality. I believe such giving must be voluntary, without constraint or supervision; that it should be liberal and in accordance with the pattern of giving found in the Bible. I believe that a Christian's giving should demonstrate a loyalty, sacrifice and commitment to the local church of which he is a member.
(2 Corinthians 8:7; Malachi 3:10; 1 Corinthians 9:13-14; 1 Corinthians 16:2; Hebrews 7:2-4; Matthew 23:23; Leviticus 27:30; Acts 4:34-35, 37).
23. OF DIVINE OR BODILY HEALING
I believe that sickness, together with every other disorder and evil in human life and the world, are the effect of sin. The New Testament clearly teaches that "Christ died for our sins" and that "He was made sin for us". Divine healing is not in the atonement made by Christ in the sense that salvation and the forgiveness of sins are His atonement. The suffering and death of Christ was substitutionary, penal and vicarious (Romans 4:25; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:31; 1 Peter 2:24, 3:18). It is nowhere taught in Scripture that Christ died for the effects of sin, but for sin. The effect of sin did not need a satisfactory penalty metered out, but sin did, because it is an infringement of His Law and will and is an offence against God's Holiness. Christ, therefore, bore the penalty of sin in His suffering and death. I further believe that when Matthew 8:17 quotes Isaiah, "Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses", it was not that He took them in the sense that He died for them and put them away as He did the sins of the believer, but as the context clearly reveals by "bearing" them, in the sense of sympathetically bearing them, so that He took them away by healing the sick. The passage clearly refers to what took place during our Lord's public ministry and not what took place in His death. In His vicarious death, Christ bore the penalty of sin and accomplished a redemption which covers every possible effect of sin and will, therefore, when He brings in full and eternal redemption, put an end to all sin and sickness, as well as to every other disorder in the world because of sin.
I believe that the present dispensation is distinctly and pre-eminently the time for spiritual salvation and of spiritual blessing in the heavenlies. During this dispensation, the Lord heals the body in answer to believing prayer, but only according to His own sovereign will and for His glory and not because He is bound to do so because of what He has accomplished on the Cross. The Word of God does not make a promise of specific bodily healing to the Christian in this age, but the child of God can bring his physical needs to God just as he brings all of his other burdens (Philippians 4:6-7).
Furthermore, the Word of God does not authorize public healing meetings for the Church Age (James 5:14).
I believe that when the Lord Jesus Christ returns according to His own promise (John 14:3) and the revelation of a great mystery through Paul (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18), the saints of the present dispensation will receive glorified bodies and shall then possess and enjoy the full benefits of an accomplished redemption by the Lord Jesus Christ. Until then, they carry about with them a sin nature and a mortal body which is subject to pain, sickness and death. When the Lord Jesus Christ returns and triumphs over all His enemies, subduing them and putting an end to them all, He will bring in the eternal Day of God, when heaven and earth and the existing nations shall know and enjoy the full and eternal benefits of the redemption He has accomplished on the Cross (2 Peter 3:10-13; 1 Corinthians 15:25-28; Revelation 21,22).
The healings and deliverances of Christ in connection with His earthly ministry were but the evidence and manifestations of His power as the Son of God and servant of Yahweh, as well as illustration and forecasts of the power that shall be manifest in His earthly kingdom when He shall reign over restored Israel and the nations of earth.
(Isaiah 11:1-9, 35:18-25).
24. OF TONGUES AND OTHER SIGN GIFTS
I believe the Scriptures teach that in the opening days of the Church Age, the Holy Spirit gave special revelatory gifts to individual believers. (1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 28-31). Among these were the gifts of tongues, healings, prophecy, interpretation and knowledge (1 Corinthians 12-14). All of these gifts were ways in which God revealed and endorsed the New Testament teachings and Scriptures. The gift of tongues was the ability to speak real languages (Acts 2:1-12) and it was a sign of judgment against the generation of Jews who rejected the Messiah (1 Corinthians 14:20-22; Isaiah 28:11-12). Other miraculous gifts such as healings were given for the benefit of the faithful of Israel as an endorsement of the new message. These gifts were the fulfillment of the Old Testament promises concerning the credentials of the Messiah (Luke 7:18-23; Hebrews 2:3-4; 1 Corinthians 1:22). With the completion of the Bible these revelatory gifts of the Holy Spirit, which were partial and temporary (1Cor 13:8-10), were no longer exercised. We have God's complete and final revelation in the Holy Scriptures and need no other manifestations.
25. BIBLICAL SEPARATION
Personal Separation :
I believe the Scriptures teach that every believer shall be separated unto God from the world and by the aid of the Holy Spirit should walk in Christian love and holiness, exhibiting qualities of honesty, integrity, forgiveness and loving kindness.
I further believe that any achievement in these characteristics will be evidenced by sincere humility and genuine zeal for the advancement of the cause of Christ. I also believe the Scriptures admonish every believer not to love the world or the things in the world, but rather to flee avid desire, avoid every kind of evil and refrain from questionable practices which destroy one's testimony, offend one's brother and fail to glorify God.
(Proverbs 15:33; Galatians 5:22-25; Romans 14:19-21; Ephesians 4:32, 5:1,2
5:7-10, 5:15-20; 1 Corinthians 6:18-20, 8:9-13, 10:23,33; Philippians 4:8,11; Corinthians 7:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:7; 1 Peter 5:5-6).
Ecclesiastical Separation:
I believe the Scriptures teach that the believer shall be separated from apostasy as exemplified in ecclesiastical organizations which include radicals, liberals and those who sanction theological compromise. This belief is based upon God's eternal principle of division between truth and error and His specific command to be separate from unbelievers and disobedient brethren. This truth is to be practiced with an attitude of devotion to God, humility, compassion and yet with conviction, to create the proper condition and atmosphere for the main objective i.e. the salvation of the lost through the Gospel of God. I believe ecumenical evangelism, which involves apostates, violates the principles taught in God's Word.
(Matthew 10:34-39; 18:15; 1 Timothy 6:3-6; Romans 16:17, 1; 1 Timothy 2:16-18;
1 Corinthians 5:7-13; Titus 3:10; 2 Corinthians 6:14; 11:4,1; 1 John 9-11).