Our Beliefs
Our Beliefs:
1.The Bible is the inspired word of God from Genesis through Revelation.
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
– 2 Timothy 3:16-17
2.That the Godhead is made up of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and all three were involved in creating the Heavens and the Earth.
In the beginning God [the plural Hebrew word Elohiem] created the heavens and the earth. – Genesis 1:1
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. – Genesis 1:26
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. – John 1:1
3.That in the last day, all will be judged by the word of God.
He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. – John 12:48
4.That all those of accountable age have sinned and are in need of salvation.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.– Romans 3:23
5.That God the Father sent His Son to die on the cross, in our place, so that we might have the forgiveness of our sins and be able to live with a holy God in Heaven throughout all eternity.
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. – John 3:16
All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him. – Isaiah 53:6
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. – 1 John 4:10
6.That the Gospel message by which we will be judged and which is to go out into all the world is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures – 1 Corinthians 15:1-4
And He said to them,“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.“He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. – Mark 16:15-16
7.That God wants all to be saved through obedience to the gospel message.
This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. – 1 Timothy 2:3-4
8.That God requires the same of all in order to be saved, a common salvation.
Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. – Jude 1:3
9.That salvation is based upon belief in the Word of God and Jesus Christ as the Son of God.
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. – Romans 10:17
He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. – John 3:36
10.That upon belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, we must be willing to repent of our sins.
I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. – Luke 13:3
Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” – Acts 2:38
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. – 1 John 1:9
11.That we must be willing to confess Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God.
As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?”And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him. – Acts 8;36-38
12.That we must take on His death through baptism for the forgiveness of our sins.
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin. – Romans 6:1-7
Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you– not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience– through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. – 1 Peter 3:21
13.That we need to to continue to live in obedience to His word.
For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard. – Hebrews 2:1-3
Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. – Hebrews 3:12-13
Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.
– 1 Corinthians 10:11-12
14.That once we have obeyed the gospel message, we are added to the saved which is the church universal.
Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. “For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!” So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. – Acts 2:38-41
Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved. – Acts 2:46-47
15.That we need to identify with a local faithful church
When he came to Jerusalem, he [Paul the apostle] was trying to associate with the disciples. – Acts 9:26
But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. – Ephesians 4:15-16
16.That the local church is made up of the saints (Christians), teachers, elders (shepherds, pastors, bishops), deacons, and evangelist (preachers, ministers).
And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ. – Ephesians 4:11-12
When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed. – Acts 14:23
For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you. – Titus 1:5
For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. – 1 Timothy 3:13
17.That each local church is autonomous and the elders of that local congregation have oversight only of that local body. That Christ is the Head of His church and not any synod or council of man.
Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. – 1 Peter 5:1-2
18.That the local church is bound by the example and command of the 1st century apostles.
Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ. – 1 Corinthians 11:1
The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. – Philippians 4:9
19.The local church, according to the word of God, is to meet each 1st day of the week for the purpose of remembering the death burial and resurrection of our Lord.
On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight. – Acts 20:7
20.At that time we also provide for the financial means of the local church.
On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come. – 1 Corinthians 16:2
21.That worship of the local church consist of prayer, teaching, and making melody with our hearts to the Lord.
Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord. – Ephesians 5:19
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. – Colossians 3:16-17
22.That though the individual is free to spend their money as they please (i.e. the support of orphan homes, contributing to colleges, helping any in need Christian or not) the church is accountable to God and restricted to in how they can use the church treasury to the work of the church.
You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; 16 for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs.
– Philippians 4:15-16
Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. 2 On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come. – 1 Corinthians 16:1-2
Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you without charge? 8 I robbed other churches by taking wages from them to serve you; 9 and when I was present with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for when the brethren came from Macedonia they fully supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and will continue to do so. – 2 Corinthians 11:7-9
If any woman who is a believer has dependent widows, she must assist them and the church must not be burdened, so that it may assist those who are widows indeed. – 1 Timothy 5:16
23.That although we encourage Christians to socialize and fellowship together as often as possible, the worship service is not the place for the serving of meals nor is the local church treasury to be used to provide a building for such purpose.
What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this I will not praise you.
– 1 Corinthians 11:22