The Holy Scriptures
We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the Bible, as it is in truth, the Word of God (I Thessalonians 2:13). We believe in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Old and New Testaments, and God’s preservation of His pure Words to every generation. We believe the sixty six books of the Old and New Testaments to be the complete and divine revelation of God to man.
(II Timothy 3:16; Psalm 12:6-8).
We use only the King James Version of the Bible. We hold that God has given and preserved for us that which was originally written in the King James Authorized Version and we hold the KJAV to be without error. This statement of faith can in no way abrogate or amplify our true authority, which is the King James Bible itself. The KJAV to which we refer contains 66 books that were supernaturally written and we do not refer to any other version or book. It is, therefore, necessary that no other book be preached or taught. The King James Bible which we hold in our hand is God’s perfect word (the Holy Scripture) and is our final and absolute authority in all matters of faith and practice. The doctrine of inspiration and preservation cannot be separated: they are just as divinely linked as Grace and Faith.
(II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:19-21; Acts 1:16; Acts 28:15; Psalm 119:89, 105, 130, 160; Luke 24:25-27; Luke 24:44-45; Proverbs 30:5-6; Romans 3:4; I Peter 1:23; Romans 15:4; Luke 15:31; Psalm 19:7-11; John 5:45-47; John 5:29)
Salvation is a free gift
We believe that salvation is the gift of God, brought to man by grace, and received by repentance of sin and personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, Whose precious blood was shed for the forgiveness of our sins. This free gift of salvation is fully available to all who will receive it by faith. We reject the notion that only the ‘elect’ may be saved, or that God has chosen who can and cannot be saved. Salvation is available to ‘whosoever will’ receive it.
We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that once saved, the person is a new creature in Jesus Christ; 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. This new creature is brought about in a manner above our comprehension, not by culture, nor character, nor by the will of man, but wholly and solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection to the Gospel. Proper evidence of one’s salvation appears in the holy fruits of repentance, faith, and newness of life.
(I Thessalonians 1:4; I Peter 1:2; Titus 1:1; Romans 8:29-30; Matthew 11:28; Isaiah 55:1; Revelation 22:17; Romans 10:13; John 6:37; Isaiah 55:6; Acts 2:38; Isaiah 55:7, John 3:15-16; I Timothy 1:15; I Corinthians 15:10; Ephesians 2:4; John 5:40, John 3:18; John 3:36)
The Godhead
We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons – the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, co-eternal in being, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections.
(Deuteronomy 6:4; II Corinthians 13:14)
The Atonement for Sin
We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace; through the mediatorial office of the Son of God, who by appointment of the Father, freely took upon Himself our nature, yet without sin, honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and by His death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins; that His atonement consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was the voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner´s place, the just dying for the unjust, Christ, the Lord, bearing our sins in His own body on the tree; that, having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in heaven and uniting in His wonderful person the most tender sympathies with divine perfection. He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate, and an all-sufficient Savior.
Ephesians 2:8; Acts 15:11; Romans 8:24; John 3:16; Matthew 18:11; Philippians 2:7; Hebrews 2:14; Isaiah 53:4-7; Romans 3:25; I John 4:10; I Corinthians 15:3; II Corinthians 5:21; John 10:18; Philippians 2:8; Galatians 1:4; I Peter 2:24; I Peter 3:18; Isaiah 53:11; Hebrews 12:2; I Corinthians 15:20; Isaiah 53:12; Hebrews 9:12-15; Hebrews 7:25; I John 2:2
The Eternal Security of Believers
We believe that all saved believers are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever. Salvation is a gift of God and nothing can take that away from a believer.
(John 6:37-40; Romans 8:1; I Peter 1:4-5)
The Church
We believe that the New Testament church is a local assembly of baptized believers who have voluntarily joined themselves together to carry out the Great Commission. The Lord is doing His work in this world though local churches. We believe in the autonomy of the local church, free of any external authority or control. Christ is the only Head of the church.
(Acts 13:1-4, 15:19-31; Romans 16:1, 4; I Corinthians 3:9, 16)
The Person and Work of Jesus Christ
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men.
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead.
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He is our Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate before God the Father.
(Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-2; Acts 2:18-36; Romans 3:24-25; Ephesians 1:17; Acts 1:9-10; Hebrews 7:25; Romans 8:34; John 2:1-2)
The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is the person who convicts the world of sin, or righteousness, and judgment, and that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, indwelling and sealing believers unto the day of redemption.
The Holy Spirit is the Divine Teacher who assists believers to understand and appropriate the Scriptures.
We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer. God uniquely uses pastors, evangelists, and teachers to equip believers in the assembly in order that they can do the work of the ministry.
We believe the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing were temporary. We reject the charismatic movement and practices as unscriptural. We reject speaking in tongues and faith healing as practiced by the charismatic movement, though God frequently chooses to answer the prayers of believers for physical healing.
(John 16:8-11; Ephesians 1:13-14; I John 2:20 & 27; Romans 2:3-8; Ephesians 4:7-12; I Corinthians 1:22, 13:8, 14:21-22)
The Return of Christ
We believe the “Blessed Hope” of our Lord’s return is literal, personal, visible, imminent, premillenial, and pretribulational. He will rapture His saints prior to the seven years of tribulation, and at the end of the tribulation, Christ will return with His saints to establish His thousand year reign on the earth.
(I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; I Thessalonians 1:10; Revelation 3:10; Zechariah 14:4-11; Revelation 19:11-15, 20:1-6; Psalm 89:3-4)