What We Believe

Some Key Truths We Believe

The Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God, the complete revelation of His mind and will to man, and our infallible and all-sufficient guide for salvation and for the Christian life.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfected, thoroughly furnished to every good work.

2 Peter 1:20-21 ..knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture came into being of its own private interpretation. For prophecy was not borne at any time by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke being borne along by the Holy Spirit.

That the Godhead is a trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, His virgin birth, and His perfect, sinless humanity.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Philipians 2:6 who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God,

Matthew 1:18-25 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was this way (for His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph) before they came together, she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. But Joseph, her husband to be, being just, and not willing to make her a public example, he purposed to put her away secretly. And as he thought upon these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take to you Mary as your wife. For that in her is fathered of the Holy Spirit. And she shall bear a son, and you shall call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins. Now all this happened so that might be fulfilled that which was spoken of the LORD by the prophet, saying, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive in her womb, and will bear a son. And they will call His name Emmanuel,” which being interpreted is, God with us. And Joseph, being roused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took his wife, and did not know her until she bore her son, the First-born. And he called His name JESUS.

1 John 3:5 And you know that He was revealed that He might take away our sins, and in Him is no sin.

The total depravity of the nature of man through the fall in the Garden of Eden, and the absolute inability and helplessness of man to save himself from eternal punishment and the judgment to come by his own works.

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God,

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed to men once to die, but after this the judgment,

Revelation 20:11-15 And I saw a great white throne, and Him sitting on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And a place was not found for them. And I saw the dead, the small and the great, stand before God. And books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead in it. And death and hell delivered up the dead in them. And each one of them was judged according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death. And if anyone was not found having been written in the Book of Life, he was cast into the Lake of Fire.

The finished work of Christ on the Cross of Calvary, through which sacrifice Christ has effected complete and eternal redemption, fully manifesting to the whole world the infinite love and grace of God. Because of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection any person who truly believes on Him is both immediately and eternally saved from the penalty of sin.

Hebrews 9:26 (for then He must have suffered often since the foundation of the world), but now once in the end of the world He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Romans 5:8 But God commends His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.

John 10:28-30 And I give to them eternal life, and they shall never ever perish, and not anyone shall pluck them out of My hand. My Father who gave them to me is greater than all, and no one is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand. I and the Father are one!

1 John 5:11-13 And this is the record, that God has given to us everlasting life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I have written these things to you who believe on the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have everlasting life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God.

That all who have believed on Christ are united to Him in the one Body of Christ, the Church, or which He is the risen and ascended Head and for which he ministers as High Priest and Advocate at the right hand of God.

1Corinthians 12:12-14 For as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. For also by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free, even all were made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.

Ephesians 1:22-23 And He has put all things under His feet and gave Him to be Head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Colossians 1:8 he also having shown your love in the Spirit to us.

1 John 2:1 My little children, I write these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

The rapture of the Church at the coming of the Lord to the air. The revelation of Christ in glory at His second advent to the earth to reign in righteousness

1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 But I would not have you ignorant, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, that you be not grieved, even as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will also bring with Him all those who have fallen asleep through Jesus. For we say this to you by the Word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall not go before those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. And so we shall ever be with the Lord.

2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 since it is a righteous thing with God to repay tribulation to those who trouble you, and to give rest with us to you who are troubled, at the revealing of the Lord Jesus from Heaven with the angels of His power, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God and who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He shall come to be glorified in His saints and to be admired in all those who believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that Day.

The resurrection of all believers at the coming of the Lord to the air, and review and reward of their lives and works at the judgment seat of Christ.

1Co 3:12-15, 4:5 And if anyone builds on this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, each one’s work shall be revealed. For the Day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try each one’s work as to what kind it is. If anyone’s work which he built remains, he shall receive a reward. If anyone’s work shall be burned up, he shall suffer loss. But he shall be saved, yet so as by fire. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts. And then shall each one have praise of God.

Romans 14:10 But why do you judge your brother? Or also why do you despise your brother? For all shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

 The Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God, the complete revelation of His mind and will to man, and our infallible and all-sufficient guide for salvation and for the Christian life.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is God-breathed, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God    may be perfected, thoroughly furnished to every good work.”

2 Peter 1:20-21 “…knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture came into being of its own private interpretation. For prophecy was not borne at any time by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke being borne along by the Holy Spirit.”

The Godhead is a trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, His virgin birth, and His perfect, sinless humanity.

John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

Philipians 2:6 “…who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God….”

Matthew 1:18-25 “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was this way (for His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph) before they came together, she was found to be with  child by the Holy Spirit. But Joseph, her husband to be, being just, and not willing to make her a public example, he purposed to put her away secretly. And as he  thought upon these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take to you Mary as your wife. For  that in her is fathered of the Holy Spirit. And she shall bear a son, and you shall call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins. Now all this happened so that might be fulfilled that which was spoken of the LORD by the prophet, saying, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive in her womb, and will bear a son.  And they will call His name Emmanuel,” which being interpreted is, God with us. And Joseph, being roused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him              and took his wife, and did not know her until she bore her son, the First-born. And he called His name JESUS.”

1 John 3:5 “And you know that He was revealed that He might take away our sins, and in Him is no sin.”

The sinful nature of man through the fall in the Garden of Eden, and the absolute inability and helplessness of man to save himself (by his own works) from eternal punishment and the judgment to come.

Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

Hebrews 9:27 “And as it is appointed to men once to die, but after this the judgment…”

Revelation 20:11-15 “And I saw a great white throne, and Him sitting on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And a place was not found for them.  And I saw the dead, the small and the great, stand before God. And books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were  judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead in it. And death and hell delivered up the dead in them. And each one of them was judged according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death. And if anyone was not  found having been written in the Book of Life, he was cast into the Lake of Fire.”

The finished work of Christ on the Cross of Calvary, through which Christ has effected complete and eternal redemption, fully manifesting to the whole world the infinite love and grace of God. Because of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, any person who truly believes on Him is both immediately and eternally saved from the penalty of sin.

Hebrews 9:26 “…(for then He must have suffered often since the foundation of the world), but now once in the end of the world He has appeared to put away sin by  the sacrifice of Himself.”

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Romans 5:8 “But God commends His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.”

John 10:28-30 “And I give to them eternal life, and they shall never ever perish, and not anyone shall pluck them out of My hand. My Father who gave them to me is greater than all, and no one is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand. I and the Father are one!”

1 John 5:11-13 “And this is the record, that God has given to us everlasting life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of  God does not have life. I have written these things to you who believe on the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have everlasting life, and that  you may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

The Bible teaches that baptism is not a means of salvation, but rather a command for all who have trusted in Christ. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer’s faith in a crucified, buried and risen Savior and the believer’s death to sin, the burial of the old life and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus (mirroring the believer being immersed in water and coming out of the water). Therefore, we believe baptism is a personal choice for individuals to make once they have placed their trust in Christ and can fully understand what baptism respresents.

Romans 6:3-5 “Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into CHrist Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore bried with hin through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with hin in a resurrection like his.”

Matthew 28:19-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commaned you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

All who have believed on Christ are united to Him in the one Body of Christ, the Church, for which He is the risen and ascended Head and for which he ministers as High Priest and Advocate at the right hand of God.

1Corinthians 12:12-14 “For as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. For also by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free, even all were made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one  member, but many.”

Ephesians 1:22-23 “And He has put all things under His feet and gave Him to be Head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”

Colossians 1:8 “…he also having shown your love in the Spirit to us.”

1 John 2:1 “My little children, I write these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” The rapture of the Church in the air at the coming of the Lord. The revelation of Christ in glory at His second advent to the earth to reign in righteousness.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 “But I would not have you ignorant, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, that you be not grieved, even as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will also bring with Him all those who have fallen asleep through Jesus. For we say this to you by the  Word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall not go before those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. And so we shall ever be with the Lord.”

2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 “Since it is a righteous thing with God to repay tribulation to those who trouble you, and to give rest with us to you who are troubled, at the revealing of the Lord Jesus from Heaven with the angels of His power, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God and who do not obey the  gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He shall come to be glorified in His saints and to be admired in all those who believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that Day.”

The resurrection of all believers at the coming of the Lord, and the review of their lives and rewards for works at the Judgement Seat of Christ.

1Co 3:12-15, 4:5 “And if anyone builds on this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, each one’s work shall be revealed. For the Day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try each one’s work as to what kind it is. If anyone’s work which he built remains, he shall receive a  reward. If anyone’s work shall be burned up, he shall suffer loss. But he shall be saved, yet so as by fire. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord  comes, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts. And then shall each one have praise of God.”

Romans 14:10 “But why do you judge your brother? Or also why do you despise your brother? For all shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ.”