Our Beliefs

1. Of the Scriptures

We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired, and is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction (1); that it has God for its author, salvation for its end (2), and truth without any mixture of error for its matter (3); that it reveals the principles by which God will judge us (4); and therefore is, and shall remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union (5), and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried (6).

  1. 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:21; 1 Sam. 23:2; Acts 1:16; 3:21; John 10:35; Luke 16:29-31; Psa. 119:11; Rom. 3:1-2
  2. 2 Tim. 3:15; 1 Pet. 1:10-12; Acts 11:14; Rom. 1:16; Mark 16:16; John 5:38-39
  3. Prov. 30:5-6; John 17:17; Rev. 22:18-19; Rom. 3:4
  4. Rom. 2:12; John 12:47-48; 1 Cor. 4:34; Luke 10:10-16; 12:47-48
  5. Phil. 3:16; Eph. 4:3-6; Phil. 2:1-2; 1 Cor. 1:10; 1 Pet. 4:11
  6. 1 John 4:1; Isa. 8:20; 1 Thess. 5:21; 2 Cor. 8:5; Acts 17:11; 1 John 4:6; Jude 3:5; Eph. 6:17; Psa. 119:59-60; Phil. 1:9-11

2. Of the True God

We believe that there is one, and only one, living and true God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit, whose name is JEHOVAH, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of Heaven and earth (1); inexpressibly glorious in holiness (2), and worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love (3); that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost (4); equal in every divine perfection (5), and executing distinct and harmonious offices in the great work of redemption (6).

  1. John 4:24; Psa. 147:5; 83:18; Heb. 3:4; Rom. 1:20; Jer. 10:10
  2. Exod. 15:11; Isa. 6:3; 1 Pet. 1:15-16; Rev. 4:6-8
  3. Mark 12:30; Rev. 4:11; Matt. 10:37; Jer. 2:12-13
  4. Matt. 28:19; John 15:26; 1 Cor. 12:4-6; 1 John 5:7
  5. John 10:30; 5:17; 14:23; 17:5, 10; Acts 5:3-4; 1 Cor. 2:10-11; Phil. 2:5-6
  6. Eph. 2:18; 2 Cor. 13:14; Rev. 1:4-5

3. Of the Fall of Man

We believe that man was created in holiness, under the law of his Maker (1); but by voluntary transgression fell from that holy and happy state (2); in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners (3), not by constraint, but choice (4); being by nature utterly void of that holiness required by the law of God, positively inclined to evil; and therefore under just condemnation to eternal ruin (5), without defense or excuse (6).

  1. Gen. 1:27, 31; Eccl. 7:29; Acts 16:26; Gen. 2:16
  2. Gen. 3:6-24; Rom. 5:12
  3. Rom. 5:19; John 3:6; Psa. 51:5; Rom. 5:15-19; 8:7
  4. Isa. 53:6; Gen. 6:12; Rom. 3:9-18
  5. Eph. 2:1-3; Rom. 1:18, 32; 2:1-16; Gal. 3:10; Matt. 20:15
  6. Ezek. 18:19-20; Rom. 1:20; 3:19; Gal. 3:22

4. Of the Way of Salvation

We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace (1), through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God (2); who by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon him our nature, yet without sin (3); honored the divine law by his personal obedience (4), and by his death made a full atonement for our sins (5); that having risen from the death, he is now enthroned in heaven (5); and uniting in his wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfections, he is every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate, and an all- sufficient Saviour (7).

  1. Eph. 2:5; Matt. 18:11; 1 John 4:10; 1 Cor. 3:5-7; Acts 15:11
  2. John 3:16; 1:1-14; Heb. 4:14; 12:24
  3. Phil. 2:6-7; Heb. 2:9, 14; 2 Cor. 5:21
  4. Isa. 42:21; Phil. 2:8; Gal. 4:4-5; Rom. 3:21
  5. Isa. 53:4-5; Matt. 20:28; Rom. 4:25; 3:21-26; 1 John 4:10; 2:2; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; Heb. 9:13-15
  6. Heb. 1:8, 3; 8:1; Col. 3:1-4
  7. Heb. 7:25; Col. 2:9; Heb. 2:18; 7:26; Psa. 89:19; Psa. 14

5. Of Sanctification

We believe that Sanctification is the process by which, according to the will of God, we are made partakers of his holiness (1); that it is a progressive work (2); that it is begun in regeneration (3); and that it is carried on in the hearts of believers by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, the Sealer and Comforter, in the continual use of the appointed means-especially the Word of God, self-examination, self-denial, watchfulness, and prayer (4).

  1. 1 Thess. 4:3; 5:23; 2 Cor. 7:1; 13:9; Eph. 1:4
  2. Prov. 4:18; 2 Cor. 3:18; Heb. 6:1; 2 Pet. 1:5-8; Phil. 3:12-16
  3. John 2:29; Rom. 8:5; John 3:6; Phil. 1:9-11; Eph. 1:13-14
  4. Phil. 2:12-13; Eph. 4:11-12; 1 Pet. 2:2; 2 Pet. 3:18; 2 Cor. 13:5; Luke 11:35; 9:23;
    Matt. 26:41; Eph. 6:18; 4:30

6. Of a Gospel Church

We believe that a visible Church of Christ is a congregation of baptized believers (1), associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel (2); observing the ordinances of Christ (3); governed by his laws (4), and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by his Word (5); that its only scriptural officers are Elders, or Pastors, and Deacons (6), whose qualifications, claims, and duties are defined in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus.

  1. 1 Cor. 1:1-13; Matt. 18:17; Acts 5:11; 8:1; 11:31; 1 Cor. 4:17; 14:23; 3 John 9; 1 Tim. 3:5
  2. Acts 2:41-42; 2 Cor. 8:5; Acts 2:47; 1 Cor. 5:12-13
  3. 1 Cor. 11:2; 2 Thess. 3:6; Rom. 16:17-20; 1 Cor. 11:23; Matt. 18:15-20; 1 Cor
    5:6; 2 Cor. 2:7; 1 Cor. 4:17
  4. Matt. 28:20; John 14:15; 15:12; 1 John 4:21; John 14:21; 1 Thess. 4.2; 2 John 6;
    Gal. 6:2; all the Epistles
  5. Eph. 4:7; 1 Cor. 14:12; Phil. 1:27; 1 Cor. 12:14
  6. Phil. 1:1; Acts 14:23; 15:22; 1 Tim. 3; Titus 1

7. Of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper

We believe that Christian Baptism is the immersion in water of a believer (1), into the name of the Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost (2); to show forth, in a solemn and beautiful emblem, our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life (3); that it is prerequisite to the privileges of a Church relation; and to the Lord’s Supper (4), in which the members of the Church, by the sacred use of bread and wine, are to commemorate together the dying love of Christ (5); preceded always by solemn self-examination (6).

  1. Acts 8:36-39; Matt. 3:5-6; John 3:22-23; 4:1-2; Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 8:12; 16:32-34; 18:8
  2. Matt. 28:19; Acts 10:47-48; Gal. 3:27-28
  3. Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12; 1 Pet. 3:20-21; Acts 22:16
  4. Acts 2:41-42; Matt. 28:19-20; Acts and Epistles
  5. 1 Cor. 11:26; Matt. 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:14-20
  6. 1 Cor. 11:28; 5:1, 8; 10:3-32; 11:17-32; John 6:26-71

8. Of the World to Come

We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, the unsaved to judgement and everlasting punishment (1). We believe that the souls of believers in Christ do, at death, immediately pass into His presence, and there remain until the resurrection of the body at the rapture when soul and body reunited shall stand before Christ to be judged of their Christian works for the giving of rewards; and they shall then be associated with Him forever in glory (2). We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain after death in conscious misery until the final resurrection at the end of the millennium for judgement; the result of this judgement will be that all will be cast into the lake of fire, not to be annihilated, but to be punished with everlasting separation from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power (3).

  1. Matt. 25:46; John 5:28-29, Rev. 20:5-6, 12-13
  2. I Cor. 3:11-15; II Cor. 5:10; 1 Thes. 4:13-18
  3. Luke 16:19-26; II Thes. 1:6-9; Rev. 20:11-15