What We Believe

We Believe …

… in the inspiration, inerrancy, authority, and sufficiency of the original manuscripts of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments in all matters to which they speak.

…that Bible translations are inspired to the degree that they accurately communicate the terms and ideas of the existing Greek and Hebrew texts. (i.e., They are inspired in a derivative sense.)

…that no single English translation possesses God’s special authorization or blessing, and that any translation must by judged by comparison to the existing Greek and Hebrew texts.

…that God’s Word should be approached and interpreted from a dispensational perspective.

…that the infinite and holy God exists in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Each divine person is identical in nature and perfection, but is distinct in function.

…that in eternity past God freely decreed all things which have and will come to pass in creation.

…that though God decreed all things, He is not the author of sin.
that one aspect of God’s decreed will was the election of some to eternal life, and the allowance of others to eternal damnation.
that in six twenty-four hour days God created all things from nothing.

…that God in infinite power and wisdom upholds, governs, controls, and disposes of all things both animate and inanimate.
that God created man in His image and in a state of temporary creature holiness.

…that although God created man upright he fell from his temporary creature holiness and became dead in sin and completely defiled in all the faculties and parts of soul and body.

…that the guilt of Adam’s sin was imputed and the corruption of Adam’s nature was conveyed to all his posterity through procreation.

…that because of that imputed sin and corruption, every human being is totally depraved in every aspect of his being, is completely inclined to evil, and is by nature unable to do good, or seek God or salvation.

…that before the foundation of the world was laid God the Father ordained God the Son to be the sacrifice for all mankind, and to fulfill the offices of prophet, priest and king.

…that God the Son was born of a virgin and was both 100% God and 100 % man.

…that God the Son was incapable of and completely without sin and thus could function as God’s perfect sacrifice for sin.

…that today the Holy Spirit restrains sin and Satan; convicts men of sin righteousness and judgment; regenerates God’s elect; and baptizes, indwells, seals, illuminates, sanctifies, and bestows gifts to believers.

…that the gifts of healing, prophecy and tongues were given to some early Christians as temporary signs authenticating God’s message and messenger. With the completion of the NT canon all sign gifts have ceased.

…that though man had a free will prior to the fall, his will is now controlled by sin and thus is adverse to all good and is unable to make anything other than sinful free choices.

…that man’s mind and will are in complete bondage to sin until that time when God in His mercy and grace regenerates him.

…that those whom God has elected unto eternal life are called out of their totally depraved state, regenerated, and given the undeserved and unsought gifts of repentance and faith.

…that God’s election of an individual to eternal life is of God’s free and holy purposes and is absolutely apart from anything foreseen in man.

…that those not chosen to eternal life in eternity past are left to their own sinful free choices and to the eternal reward which those choices deserve.

…that those who have been united with Christ through repentant faith are new creations who are free from sin’s control and hungry for righteousness.

…that as new creations in Christ, believers struggle daily with sin and labor to submit to the Lord’s biblical directives.

…that repentance is the gracious gift of God involving a change of mind regarding God, sin and righteousness.

…that faith is the gracious gift of God involving the knowledge of, complete trust in and serious commitment to Jesus Christ as one’s Sin-bearer and Master.

…that those who have been united with Christ will persevere in their commitment to Christ, the gospel, and cardinal Christian doctrine.

…that though a believer may rebel against the Lord, the normal Christian path is one of obedience and perseverance in godliness and good works.

…that though all believers are preserved in their faith, not all believers are given the grace of Christian assurance.

…that the Holy Spirit grants Christian assurance to those who have exercised repentant faith in Christ, and are submitting to Christ’s lordship and scriptural directives.

…that Christian liberty refers to the believer’s freedom to do right in a wicked world, not the freedom to practice worldliness or cherish sin.

…that Satan and his demons are personal spirit beings created by God who because of pride and ambition have rebelled against God and become His eternal enemies. Satan and his demons will ultimately be cast into the eternal Lake of Fire.

…that a local church is an organized and autonomous congregation of immersed believers engaged in making disciples from all nations, learning the apostles doctrine, participating in edifying fellowship, celebrating the Lord’s Supper, laboring in corporate prayer, and following the leadership of biblically qualified Pastors and deacons.
that the dispensation of grace will end with the rapture of the church just prior to the Great Tribulation lasting seven years.

…that the Great Tribulation will culminate with God’s effortless defeat of the Antichrist and his armies and the institution of the Millennial Kingdom.

…that Christ’s Millennial reign will be followed by the Great White Throne judgment, the destruction of the present heavens and earth, the creation of new heavens and a new earth, and the establishment of God’s eternal Kingdom (heaven) in which His children will forever reside.

…that civil government has been appointed by God to maintain order and justice in society and should as God’s instrument be prayed for, honored and obeyed (except in those things opposed to the will of God).

…that as people set apart for God’s service and glory we must separate from all ministries and religious organizations that are directed and/or manned by unbelievers or disobedient or compromising believers.