Statement of Faith

Scripture

The 66 books of the Old and New Testaments are the inspired Word of God. They are without error or contradictions in the original manuscripts. These Scriptures are the only sufficient, certain and authoritative rule of faith. Every word of the autographs are of divine origin and authoritative in all they say. God has preserved His Word in the transmission of the text of the autographs to the present day. The Word of God can be trusted as the sole and infallible guide for the Church of God.

(2 Tim 3:16, 2 Pe 1:21, Ps 19:7, Ps 19:9, Ps 18:30)

God

God is eternal, infinite, transcendent, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent and immutable. He is sovereign over all things and the creator of all that has been made. He has aseity therefore he is non-contingent, not dependent upon anything outside of himself for his existence. God as holy, just, good and love and is the perfect standard of all of these. He is absolutely perfect in his nature.

(Ps 90:2, Mal 3:6, Isa 44:6, 1 Tim 1:17, Rev 4:8, Jer 32:17, Ps 139:7, 1 Jn 3:20, 1 Jn 4:8, Ps 18:30)

Trinity

There is one God. God is one in nature and essence and he has revealed himself as three distinct persons. The three persons of the triune God are the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. All three persons of the Trinity are coequal and coeternal. God is not one person in three different modes nor is God three distinct gods.

(Isa 44:6, Isa 44:8, Isa 45:5, Ge 1:26-27, Ge 3:22, Jn 17:5, Mat 3:17, Mat 28:19, Lu 9:35, 2 Co 13:14, Ac 5:3-4, Jn 10:30, Tit 2:13, Eph 4:4-6, Ge 19:24, Ex 19:24, Am 4:11, Jn 8:24, Jn 8:58)

Jesus

Jesus is the eternal word, the second person of the Trinity. He has condescended himself to his creation and taken on the nature of a man. Jesus is one in person with a fully divine nature and a fully human nature. Jesus is not part god and part man, nor is he two persons. Jesus still exists as one person who is fully divine and fully human. Two distinct natures in one person.

(Phil 2:6-7, Heb 4:15, Jn 1:1, Jn 1:14, Heb 1:8, 1 Tim 2:5, Tit 2:13, Jn 8:24, Jn 8:58)

Resurrection

Jesus rose from the dead three days after his death on a cross. He came back to life physically in the same yet now glorified body that he died in. He is alive evermore and He continues to exist in this resurrected, exalted, glorified and incorruptible body. He is the first fruit of all the resurrected saints of God. All true believers in the triune God of Scripture will also be raised to life in an immortal body just as Jesus was.

(Ac 13:34, 1 Co 15:4, 1 Co 15:14, 1 Co 15:20, 1 Co 15:23, Rev 1:17-18, Dan 12:2)

Man

Man was created upright and good in the image of God. The first man Adam freely chose to rebel against God. Adam died spiritually the moment he rebelled against God and his sin brought death both spiritual and physical into the world. As a result of his sin all of Adam’s posterity are conceived dead spiritually and have a sinful nature that will not submit to God, cannot understand the things of God and cannot do that which is pleasing and meritorious to God.

(Ecc 7:29, Gen 1:27, Rom 5:12, Eph 2:1-2, 1 Cor 2:14, Rom 3:10-11, Rom 8:7-8)

Salvation

Salvation is a completed work by which Jesus, the second person of the Trinity, graciously saves undeserving sinners and gives them eternal life. The life, death and resurrection of Jesus is the Gospel of Salvation to all who believe. All three members of the triune God are involved and take part in the work of Salvation. The Father gives a particular people to the Son, the Son graciously saves them and the Holy Spirit is sent to apply that Salvation and redemption in time to the individual being saved. The work of the Holy Spirit seals all those being saved till the day of redemption. All this was the eternal plan of God before time began.

(Jn 3:16, Eph 2:8-9, Jn 6:29, Jn 6:37, Jn 6:39, Jn 6:44, Jn 1:12-13, Rev 13:8, Eph 4:30, Eph 1:13-14)

Justification

We are justified in the sight of God by faith alone. Faith is a gift from God which we act upon and then experience our justification. Faith is a sincere trust and hope in the saving work of Christ alone from a heart that has been regenerated by God. Justification results in peace and eternal life with God. Justification is the forensic act by which God applies the righteousness of Christ to the believer.

(Rom 5:1, Rom 3:28, Rom 4:5, Gal 3:6, Gal 3:11, Phil 1:29, 1 Jn 5:1, 2 Cor 5:21)

Regeneration

Regeneration is the sovereign act of God by which He takes out the heart of stone of a rebel sinner and gives him a new heart with new desires. Regeneration results in a new nature in the sinner that has the ability to please God, desires and understand the things of God and hates sin. A regenerated person is a new creation in Christ that places their faith and trust in the finished work of Christ for their salvation.

(Deut 30:6, Eze 11:19, Eze 36:26, Eze 36:31, Col 1:13, 1 Pe 1:3, Ac 16:14, 2 Co 5:17, Ga 6:15. Rom 6:4, Eph 4:24, Col 3:10)

Sanctification

All those who have been justified will be sanctified by the Spirit of God. This sanctification is the spiritual growth in the life of the person who has been justified. The person being sanctified grows closer to God in a personal relationship, grows in a life of repentance, their faith and trust in God increases and they grow in their understanding of the things of God. Sanctification does not lead to perfection while the person is still on this earth, perfection is finally accomplished by Christ himself when he brings his saints into final glory.

(Heb 10:14, Heb 2:11, 1 Co 6:11, Tit 3:5, Phil 1:6, 1 Thes 4:7, Eph 2:10)

Baptism

Baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is an ordinance of the New Covenant established by Jesus as a sign and symbol of our death, burial and resurrection with Him. All Christians upon confession of faith are obligated to be baptized in obedience to the Lordship of Christ. Baptism is not necessary for salvation but is an act of obedience to the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit.

(Matt 28:19, Acts 2:38, Acts 8:36, Rom 6:3-4)

Second Coming

Jesus Christ will return again to bring His saints to Glory. All the saints of God will be resurrected to new life and will be given new glorified bodies that are not corrupted by a sin nature. All those that are alive at the return of Christ will be transformed instantly to this new glorified state and will be gathered to heaven with the saints who have died. All those who have not trusted in Christ both dead and alive will be judged by God for every sin they have ever committed against God.

(1 Thes 4:16, 1 Co 15:51-52, Jud 1:14-15, 2 Pe 3:10, Mat 24:31, 2 Cor 5:8)

New Heaven and Earth

A new heaven and earth is the eternal state where all the elect angels of God and all men who trusted in Christ will spend eternity with Him. A new and final glorified creation is where man’s chief end is finally realized and man will glorify God and enjoy Him forever. There will be no tears or sorrow nor will sin or rebellion ever exist in that place. The new heaven and earth will be the eternal inheritance for all those who put their faith and trust in Christ alone.

(Rev 21:4, Jn 14:2-3, 1 Pe 1:4, 1 Co 2:9, Rev 21:1, Rev 22:3-5)

Hell

Hell is the eternal place of judgement and torment for all the fallen angels and men who have not trusted in Christ and have rebelled and sinned against their Creator. No mercy will be given and judgment and torment will continue for eternity.

(Dan 12:2, Mar 3:29, Mat 25:46, Isa 66:24, Jud 1:7, Mat 18:8, Mat 25:41, 2 Thes 1:9, Rev 21:8)