I. The Word of
God
We believe that the Bible is the Word
of God, fully inspired and without error in the original
manuscripts, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and
that it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.
II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:20,21;
Mark 13:31; John 8:31,32; John 20:31; Acts 20:32
II. The
Trinity
We believe that there is one living
and true God, eternally existing in three persons; that these are
equal in every divine perfection, and that they execute distinct but
harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence and
redemption.
Genesis 1:1,26; John 1:1,3; Matthew
28:19; John 4:24; Romans 1:19,20; Ephesians 4:5,6
III. God the
Father
We believe in God the Father, an
infinite, personal spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and
love. We believe that He infallibly foreknows all that shall come to
pass, that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men,
that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and
death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.
Luke 10:21,22; Matthew 23:9; John
3:16; 6:27; Romans 1:7; I Timothy 1:1,2; 2:5,6; I Peter 1:3;
Revelation 1:6
IV. Jesus
Christ
We believe in Jesus Christ, God's only
begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin
birth, sinless life, miracles, and teachings. We believe in His
substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into
heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal visible
return to earth.
Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; John
1:1; 20:28; Romans 9:5; 8:46; II Corinthians 5:21; I Peter 2:21-23;
John 20:30, 31; Matthew 20:28; Ephesians 1:4; Acts 1:11; Romans
5:6-8; 6:9,10; Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 9:28; I Timothy 3:16
V. The Holy
Spirit
We believe in the Holy Spirit who came
forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin,
righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify, and
empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy
Spirit indwells every believer in Christ, and that He is an abiding
helper, teacher and guide.
John 14:16,17,26; 15:26,27; John
16:9-14; Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; Galatians
5:22-26
VI.
Regeneration
We believe that man was created by God
in His own image; that he sinned and thereby incurred physical,
spiritual and eternal death, which is separation from God; that as a
consequence, all human beings are born with a sinful nature and are
sinners by choice and therefore under condemnation. We believe that
those who repent and forsake sin and trust Jesus Christ as Savior
are regenerated by the Holy Spirit and become new creatures,
delivered from condemnation and receive eternal life.
Genesis. 1:26; 5:2; Genesis 3; Genesis
2:17; 3:19; Eccl. 2:11; John 3:14; 5:24; John 5:30; 7:13; 8:12;
10:26; Romans 9:22; II Thessalonians 1:9; Rev. 19:3,20; 20:10;14,15;
21:18; Psalm 51:7; Jeremiah 17:9; James 1:14; Romans 3:19; 5:19;
Proverbs 28:13; I John 1:9; John 3:16; John 1:13; II Corinthians
5:17; Romans 8:1
VII. The
Church
We believe in the universal church, a
living spiritual body of which Christ is the head and all
regenerated persons are members. We believe in the local church,
consisting of a company of believers in Jesus Christ, baptized on a
credible profession of faith, and associated for worship, work, and
fellowship. We believe that God has laid upon the members of the
local church the primary task of giving the gospel of Jesus Christ
to a lost world.
Ephesians 2:19-22; Acts 1:8; Ephesians
5:19-21; Acts 2:42; Hebrews 10:23-25
VIII. Christian
Conduct
We believe that a Christian should
live for the glory of God and the well-being of his fellow men; that
his conduct should be blameless before the world; that he should be
a faithful steward of his possessions; and that he should seek to
realize for himself and others the full stature of maturity in
Christ.
I Corinthians 10:31; Romans 12:1-3;
Hebrews 12:1-2; John 14:15,23-24; I John 2:3-6; II Corinthians
9:6-9; I Corinthians 4:2; Col. 1:9-10
IX. The
Ordinances
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ
has committed two ordinances to the local church, baptism and the
Lord's Supper. We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of
the believer in water into the name of the triune God. We believe
that the Lord's Supper was instituted by Christ for commemoration of
His death. We believe that these two ordinances should be observed
and administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Matthew 28:18-20; Romans 6:3-5; I
Corinthians 11:23-26
X. Religious
Liberty
We believe that every human being has
direct relations with God, and is responsible to God alone in all
matters of faith; that each church is independent and must be free
from interference by any ecclesiastical or political authority; that
therefore Church and State must be kept separate as having different
functions, each fulfilling its duties free from dictation or
patronage of the other.
I Timothy 2:5; Romans
14:7-9,12
XI. Church
Cooperation
We believe that local churches can
best promote the cause of Jesus Christ by cooperating with one
another in a denominational organization. Such an organization,
whether a regional or district conference, exists and functions by
the will of the churches. Cooperation in a conference is voluntary
and may be terminated at any time.
Acts 15:36,41; 16:5; I Corinthians
16:1; Galatians 1:1-3; Revelations 1:4,10,11
This church is affiliated with the
American Baptist Churches USA and may likewise cooperate with
interdenominational fellowships on a voluntary independent
basis.
XII. The Last
Things
We believe in the personal and visible
return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of
His kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final
judgement, the eternal life and joy of the righteous and the endless
suffering of the wicked.
Matthew 16:27; Mark 14:62; John 14:3;
Acts 1:11; Phil. 3:20; I Thessalonians 4:15; II Timothy 4:1; Titus
2:13; I Corinthians 4:5; I Corinthians 15; II Thessalonians 1:7-10;
Revelation
20:4-6,11-15