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The Bible teaches that
there is “one faith” which
has been once for all
delivered to the saints
(Ephesians 4:5; Jude 3). The
question is, What is this
One Faith? We recognize that
all believers do not agree
on every detail of doctrinal
interpretation or every
application of truth; yet
Paul admonished us to all
“speak the same thing” (1
Corinthians 1:10). This
suggests that we must decide
which doctrines we do agree
on and commit ourselves to
not sowing discord over
those on which we do not
agree. Eventually, it is
hoped, we will all grow
together into the “unity of
the faith” (Ephesians 4:13).
Based on this premise, we
can confidently affirm that
we do believe the following
doctrines:
- WE BELIEVE THAT
the Bible in its
original languages is
uniquely the infallible,
unchangeable, divinely
inspired Word of God by
which all believers are
to order their lives. (2
Timothy 3:16; Proverbs
30:5-6; Psalm 119:89;
Matthew 7:24-27)
- WE BELIEVE THAT
there is one God, who is
Creator of all things
and Lord over all
creation; that He is an
eternal, invisible,
omnipresent, almighty
Spirit; that He is holy;
that He is merciful and
good; and that He is the
author and arbiter of
all Truth; and that God
is ONE. (Isaiah 45:5; 1
Corinthians 8:6;
Revelation 4:11; Matthew
11:25; Psalm 90:2; 1
Timothy 1:17; Jeremiah
23:24; Genesis 17:1;
John 4:24; 1 Peter 1:16;
Psalm 103:8; Psalm
145:9; Deuteronomy 32:4;
6:4)
- WE BELIEVE THAT
God was manifest in
flesh as the Man, Jesus
of Nazareth, who is the
Son of God, the Christ,
and our Savior; that in
Him dwells all the
fulness of the Godhead
bodily; and that the
name JESUS is the only
personal name of Deity
given among men whereby
we must be saved. (1
Timothy 3:16; Romans
1:3; Matthew 16:16; John
4:42; Colossians 2:9;
John 5:43; Hebrews 1:4;
Philippians 2:9; Acts
4:12)
- WE BELIEVE THAT
Jesus Christ, the Son of
God, was fully human;
that He was begotten of
the Spirit, born of the
virgin Mary, lived a
sinless life, was
crucified for our sins,
rose bodily from the
dead on the third day,
ascended into heaven,
poured out the Holy
Spirit, gave ministerial
gifts to the Church, and
is coming again to
reward all human beings
according to their
works. (1 Timothy 2:5;
Hebrews 2:16; Matthew
1:18; Luke 1:35; Hebrews
4:15; 1 Corinthians
15:3; Luke 24:51; Acts
1:9-11; 2:1-4; Ephesians
4:7-11; Revelation
22:12).
- WE BELIEVE THAT
salvation was purchased
for all by the blood of
Jesus Christ, but is
effective only in those
who repent, believe, and
obey. (2 Corinthians
5:14; Luke 13:3; Mark
1:15; Acts 16:31;
Hebrews 5:9)
- WE BELIEVE THAT
salvation is based
solely and entirely upon
the death, burial, and
resurrection of Jesus
Christ, but that
salvation is received
through repentance from
sin and faith in Jesus
Christ, which must be
expressed by baptism
(full immersion) in
water in the name of
Jesus Christ for the
remission (or
forgiveness) of sins;
and that those so doing
are promised the gift of
the Holy Spirit, which
is initially evidenced
by speaking in other
tongues as the Spirit
gives utterance. (Acts
2:38; Acts 10:44-48;
Acts 19:1-6; Acts 2:1-4)
- WE BELIEVE THAT
all believers must
follow on to know the
Lord, to keep His
commandments, to perfect
holiness, to love their
neighbors as themselves,
and to live in a manner
that reflects a total
commitment to the
principles and standards
of Christianity as set
forth in the Bible—and
that anything less than
this will ultimately
result in a departure
from the faith, a
falling away, and a
fearful expectation of
judgment. There is no
unconditional eternal
security. (Hosea 6:3; 1
John 2:3; 2 Corinthians
7:1; Matthew 22:39;
Titus 3:12; 1 Timothy
4:1; Hebrews 6:4-6;
Hebrews 10:26-27)
- WE BELIEVE THAT
there will be a bodily
resurrection of the just
and the unjust; that all
must appear before the
judgment seat of Christ;
that all who have been
faithful will live
forever with Jesus
Christ; and that all who
are unbelieving and
unfaithful will
destroyed in the lake of
fire, which God has
prepared for the devil
and his angels. (Daniel
12:2; Acts 24:15; Romans
14:10; 1 Thessalonians
4:13-18; Revelation
20:12-15; Matthew 25:41)
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