Articles Of Faith

ARTICLE I – THE SCRIPTURES
ARTICLE II – THE TRUE GOD
ARTICLE III – THE DEVIL, OR SATAN
ARTICLE IV – CREATION
ARTICLE V – THE FALL OF MAN
ARTICLE VI – THE ATONEMENT FOR SIN
ARTICLE VII – GRACE IN THE NEW CREATION
ARTICLE VIII – JUSTIFICATION
ARTICLE IX – SANCTIFICATION
ARTICLE X – THE LOCAL CHURCH
ARTICLE XI – BAPTISM AND THE LORD’S SUPPER
ARTICLE XII – SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER
ARTICLE XIII – THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED
ARTICLE XIV – CIVIL GOVERNMENT
ARTICLE XV – FUTURE EVENTS
ARTICLE XVI – MARRIAGE, HOME, AND FAMILY

ARTICAL XVII - HEAVEN AND HELL

ARTICLE I – THE SCRIPTURES
We believe in the verbal-plenary inspiration of the Bible as originally written. We believe the Bible to be the true center of Christian union and the only standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions shall be tried. (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:19-21; Psalms 119:11)

ARTICLE II – THE TRUE GOD
We believe that there is only one living and true God, infinite in every excellence; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three personal distinctions–the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit–yet one in essence and equal in every divine perfection. (Exodus 20:3; Exodus 20:23; I Corinthians 8:6; I John 5:7; Matthew 28:19; II Corinthians 13:14) We believe in the absolute Deity of the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ; that He was divine as no other man can be, existing though all eternity co-equal with the Father and the Spirit; that He never ceased to be God for one instant and that His humiliation did not consist in laying aside His deity, but only the laying aside of the independent exercise of His divine attributes except as led by the Holy Spirit; that as man He was miraculously begotten of the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary. We, therefore, believe in Christ’s humanity. He is both the Son of God and the Son of man. (John 1:1-2; Philippians 2:5-11; I John 5:20; Matthew 1:20; Luke 1:26-28)
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person, equal with the Father and Son and of the same essence and nature; that He convicts of sin, righteousness and judgment; bears witness to the truth, is the Agent of the New Birth and that He baptizes, seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses to, sanctifies, and helps the Believer, indwelling every true child of God. By baptism of the Holy Spirit we mean the sovereign act of the Holy Spirit in placing believers into one Body of which Jesus Christ is the Head. This occurs the moment a person is born again. (II Corinthians 13:14; John 14:16-17; Romans 8:14-27; I Corinthians 12:13)

ARTICLE III – THE DEVIL, OR SATAN
We believe in the personality of Satan, that he was created by God but sinned by seeking to exalt himself above his Creator and was judged. He thus became the unholy god of this world system, and the author of all the powers of darkness, and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the Lake of Fire. (Matthew 4:1-3; II Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:10; Isaiah 14:12-17; Ezekiel 28:12-18)

ARTICLE IV – CREATION
We accept the Genesis account of creation and believe that man came by direct creation of God and not by evolution. We believe that the days in the Genesis account were literal twenty-four hour days. (Genesis 1:1-31; Genesis 2:1-25; Colossians 1:16-17; John 1:3)

ARTICLE V – THE FALL OF MAN
We believe that man was created in the image of God. He voluntarily transgressed and fell from his sinless and happy state in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, not only by birth, but of choice; and are therefore under just condemnation without defense or excuse. (Genesis 3:1-6; Genesis 3:24; Romans 5:10-19; Romans 1:18; Romans 1:32)

ARTICLE VI – THE ATONEMENT FOR SIN
We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace and not of works. Jesus Christ, as the God-man, became a voluntary substitute for all sinners. Christ, being sinless, was made sin for us. The Just died for the unjust. He was crucified, and buried, but was bodily resurrected. His sacrificial work was completed and fully accepted by God the Father. (Ephesians 2:8; Acts 15:11; Romans 3:24; John 3:16; Matthew 18:11; Philippians 2:7-8; Hebrews 2:14; Isaiah 53:4-7; Romans 3:25; I John 4:10; I Corinthians 15:3-4; II Corinthians 5:21)

ARTICLE VII – GRACE IN THE NEW CREATION
We believe 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 its proper evidence appears in a changed life, one of faith and good works. (John 3:3; II Corinthians 5:17; I John 5:1; John 3:6-7; Acts 16:30-33; II Peter 1:4; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1; II Corinthians 5:19; Colossians 2:13; John 3:8)

ARTICLE VIII – JUSTIFICATION
We believe that when a sinner believes and receives Christ as His Saviour, he is justified, which includes the pardon of sin and the gift of eternal life. The righteousness of Christ is imputed to us. (Acts 13:39; Isaiah 53:11; Zechariah 13:1; Romans 8:1; Romans 5:9; Romans 5:1; Titus 3:5)

ARTICLE IX – SANCTIFICATION
We believe in initial, progressive, and final sanctification, understanding that sanctification means to separate, dedicate, or set apart. When a sinner is born again, he is initially set apart unto God. Separation from sin and unto God continues or progresses through the Believer’s lifetime. At the Rapture, final sanctification takes place. “We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” While the Trinity is involved in sanctifying the Believer, the great work is wrought by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God. (I Thessalonians 4:3; I Thessalonians 5:22-23; John 17:17; Ephesians 5:25-26; Hebrews 10:10; Hebrews 13:12; II Thessalonians 2:13; I Peter 1:2; I Corinthians 1:2; I Corinthians 6:11; II Corinthians 3:18; I Thessalonians 3:12-13; I John 3:2)

ARTICLE X – THE LOCAL CHURCH
We believe that a local church is a congregation of immersed believers, associated by covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His Word. 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 the one and only superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit. See Articles II and XI of the Constitution for further statements on the church’s purpose and associations. (Acts 2:41-42; I Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 4:11; Acts 20:17-28; I Timothy 3:1-7; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 5:23-24; Acts 15:13-18)

ARTICLE XI – BAPTISM AND THE LORD’S SUPPER
We believe that Christian Baptism is the immersion of a believer in water to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried and risen Saviour, signifying our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that it is the prerequisite to the privileges of a church relation. We believe that the Lord’s Supper is the commemoration of His death until He comes, and should be preceded always by solemn self-examination. (Acts 8:26-39; John 3:23; Romans 5:3-5; Matthew 3:16; Colossians 2:12; I Corinthians 11:23-28)

ARTICLE XII – SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER
We believe that all who are truly born again are kept by God the Father for Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6; John 10:28-29; Romans 8:35-39; Jude 1:1-25)

ARTICLE XIII – THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED
We believe that only those who are justified through faith in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and sanctified by the Spirit of our God, are truly righteous in His esteem. Those who continue apart from the Saviour are wicked and will suffer everlasting judgment. (Malachi 3:18; Genesis 18:23; Romans 6:17-18; I John 5:19; Romans 7:6; Romans 6:23; Proverbs 14:32; Luke 5:25; Matthew 25:34-41; John 8:21)

ARTICLE XIV – CIVIL GOVERNMENT
We 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 Prince of the Kings of the earth. (Romans 13:1-7; II Samuel 23:3; Exodus 18:21-22; Acts 23:5; Matthew 22:21; Acts 5:20; Acts 4:19-20; Daniel 3:17-18)

ARTICLE XV – FUTURE EVENTS
We believe in the:

• Visible Bodily Return of Christ (Acts 1:11; John 14:3; James 5:8; Hebrews 9:28)

• Tribulation  (Luke 21:28; I Thessalonians 4:13-18)

• Second Coming of Christ (Colossians 3:4; I Thessalonians 3:13; II Thessalonians 1:7-10; Jude 1:14-15)

• Resurrection of Believers (Luke 14:14; Acts 24:15; I Thessalonians 4:15-16)

• Change of the Living in Christ (I Corinthians 15:51-53; Philippians 3:20-21)

• Christ’s Millennial Reign With His Bride (Isaiah 2:2-5; Isaiah 4:1-6; Isaiah 11:1-12; Isaiah 25:6-9; Isaiah 65:18-25; Micah 4:1-4; Zephaniah 3:14-20; Zechariah 8:3-8; Zechariah 8:20-23; Zechariah 14:16-21; II Timothy 2:12; Revelation 5:10; Revelation 20:4)

• Resurrection and Judgment of Sinners (Daniel 12:2; John 5:29; Revelation 20:11-15)

• Judgment of Satan (Hebrews 2:14; Revelation 20:7-10)

ARTICLE XVI – MARRIAGE, HOME, AND FAMILY
We believe that from the very beginning God willed and ordained marriage as a permanent relationship, pertaining only to earthly life. One man and one woman, having voluntarily left their parents, are to cleave to each other and become one flesh according to Scripture. There should be no unequal yoke. They are to submit themselves one to another as in the fear of God. The husband is to love his wife, as Christ loved the church, and to rule well his family while providing for them and protecting them. The husband should faithfully lead daily in family devotions and encourage each family member to have personal devotions so the whole family knows God’s will for them and are of the same mind. The wife is to love her husband and reverence him. “Marriage is honorable in all and the bed undefiled…” and, under God’s guidance, children should be desired. Parents are to love their children and seek their salvation. Parents should teach and admonish them in all spiritual Truth and discipline faithfully. Parents should provide for the dependent children through a legal will. Children are to honor their parents, loving and obeying them in the Lord. The spiritual, physical, and emotional elements of all the family members must be blended together so that all are united as one in Christ. Families should pray together, trusting God for His Divine leadership and resources in keeping them in the world. The fruit of the Spirit should be manifested by each saved family member. (Genesis 2:21-24; Genesis 9:1; Malachi 2:14-16; Romans 7:2-3; I Corinthians 7:10-11; I Corinthians 7:39; Matthew 22:30; Hebrews 13:4; I Peter 2:13-14; I Peter 3:1-7; Ephesians 4:30-32; Ephesians 5:19-25; Ephesians 6:1-4; Proverbs 22:15; Proverbs 29:15; Galatians 5:22-23; I Timothy 5:8)

ARTICAL XVII - HEAVEN AND HELL

We believe that death is not the end of life and that all people will go to one of two places after death.

We believe that Heaven is a real and a literal place.  The home of the redeemed.  A place of eternal joy and blessing (John 14:1-3; Rev. 21:1; 22:7).

We believe that Hell is a literal place. A place of endless suffering and torment.  All who die in sin, without Christ, without God, and therefore without hope, will be cast into the lake of Fire, commonly called Hell, and there be punished forever and forever (Luke 16:19-31; Rev. 20:11-15; Mark 9:42-48).