What We Believe

We believe in God’s verbal inspiration^[1] of all the Scriptures of both the Old^[2] and New^[3] Testaments, that they are without error,^[4] and are given by God to be our final authority in faith and life.^[5] To disobey or disbelieve the Bible is to disobey or disbelieve God.
 
   [1] Deuteronomy 18:18–20; Jeremiah 23:16; Ezekiel 2:7; 13:2, 6–9; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20–21.
   [2] Deuteronomy 29:1; Jeremiah 1:9; Matthew 1:22; 5:17–19; 19:4–5; 22:43; Mark 7:9–13; 12:36; Acts 1:16; 4:25; 1 Corinthians 9:8. 
   [3] John 14:25–26; 16:12–15; 17:7–8; 1 Corinthians 2:10–13; 14:37; 2 Corinthians 13:3; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 4:8, 15; 2 Thessalonians 3:6; 1 Timothy 5:18 (cf. Deut 25:4; Luke 10:7); Hebrews 1:1–2; 2 Peter 3:2, 15–16; Revelation 1:3; 22:7, 10, 18–19.
   [4] Numbers 23:19; Deuteronomy 18:22; 2 Samuel 7:28; 22:31; Psalms 18:30; 119:160; Proverbs 30:5; Jeremiah 28:9; John 14:25–26; 15:26; 16:12–15; 17:17; Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18.
   [5] John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:14–17; Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18.

We believe in one God,^[1] creator of all things,^[2] eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.^[3] God is perfectly holy,^[4] self-existent,^[5] all-knowing,^[6] all-powerful,^[7] perfectly loving,^[8] present everywhere,^[9] and is sovereign over all things.^[10]
 
   [1] Isaiah 45:5–7, 18, 21–22; 1 Corinthians 8:4; 1 Timothy 2:5.
   [2] Genesis 1:1–2:3; Job 38:4–7; Psalm 33:6; Isaiah 42:5; 45:18; Acts 14:15; 17:24; Hebrews 11:13.
   [3] Matthew 28:18–19; 1 Corinthians 12:4–6; Ephesians 4:4–6; 1 Peter 1:2.
   [4] Isaiah 6:1–4; 57:15.
   [5] Psalm 90:2; Isaiah 55:9.
   [6] John 16:30; 21:17; 1 John 3:20.
   [7] Psalm 115:3; Jeremiah 32:17.
   [8] First John 4:8, 16
   [9] Psalm 139:7–8; Jeremiah 23:23–24.
   [10] Acts 4:24; Ephesians 1:11; 1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 6:10.

We believe Jesus is both fully God^[1] and fully man.^[2] He is co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit.^[3] Through him all things were created.^[4] He took on human flesh,^[5] was descended from David,^[6] conceived by the Spirit,^[7] and born of a virgin.^[8] He lived a sinless life,^[9] was crucified and died,^[10] rose bodily from the dead on the third day,^[11] and ascended to heaven, where he sits at the right hand of the Father.^[12] He is the judge of the living and the dead,^[13] the head of the church,^[14] and is the believer’s high priest and advocate before the Father.^[15]
 
   [1] Romans 9:5; Colossians 1:15–17; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:1–3; 2 Peter 1:1.
   [2] First Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 2:5–8, 16–17.
   [3] John 1:1–3; 17:5.
   [4] John 1:3; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2.
   [5] John 1:14; Philippians 2:5–11.
   [6] Romans 1:3–4.
   [7] Matthew 1:18.
   [8] Luke 1:27.
   [9] Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22.
   [10] Matthew 17:23; Mark 15:24; Acts 2:23, 36; 5:30.
   [11] Luke 24:39; 1 Corinthians 15:1–3.
   [12] John 20:17; Acts 1:6–11; 1 Timothy 3:16.
   [13] John 5:22; Romans 2:16; 2 Timothy 4:1.
   [14] Ephesians 1:22; 5:23; Colossians 1:18.
   [15] Hebrews 2:17; 4:14; 10:19–22.

We believe that all human beings are created in the image of God,^[1] and are therefore valuable, worthy of dignity and respect,^[2] and accountable to God.^[3] All human beings are also guilty of sin,^[4] both by nature and by choice.^[5] Sin is disobedience to the moral will of God. Sin’s corrupting influence extends to every aspect of our being.^[6] As a result, all of us are, in our natural state, alienated from God and under his just judgment.^[7] We are utterly unable to remedy our sinful condition, and are completely dependent on God’s grace in order to be born again to new life and redeemed.^[8]
 
   [1] Genesis 1:26–27; 9:6; Psalm 8:5–6.
   [2] Genesis 9:6; James 3:9.
   [3] Hebrews 4:13.
   [4] Psalm 51:4–5; 1 Kings 8:46; Mark 12:28–31; Romans 2:12–15; 3:23; Galatians 5:19–21.
   [5] Genesis 6:5; 8:21; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 5:12–14, 18–21; Ephesians 2:1–3.
   [6] Romans 5:12–21; 7:21–24; Ephesians 2:1–3; Titus 1:3.
   [7] Genesis 18:25; Matthew 25:31–46; Romans 2:16; Hebrews 12:23; Revelation 16:7; 20:12–15.
   [8] John 1:9–14; 3:3; 5:21; 6:63; Romans 8:7–9; 1 Corinthians 2:14.

We believe that Christ’s death was a substitutionary sacrifice for our sins, and that with his shed blood he obtained for us forgiveness before God and an eternal redemption.^[1]
 
   [1] Isaiah 53:5–6; Matthew 20:28; John 3:16; Romans 3:21–26; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 1:7–10; 1 Timothy 2:6; 1 Peter 3:18.

We believe that salvation is a free gift from God^[1] and cannot be earned by our good works.^[2] It was purchased by Christ’s death on the cross, and is possessed permanently by all who have by faith received the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.^[3]
 
   [1] John 1:12; Ephesians 2:8–9; Revelation 22:17.
   [2] Acts 10:43; 13:38–39; Romans 3:23–28; Galatians 2:15–16; Titus 3:4–7.
   [3] John 6:39–40; 10:27–30; Philippians 1:6; Ephesians 1:13–14; 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24.

We believe the Holy Spirit is the third divine person of the Trinity,^[1] eternally present and active in all ages past,^[2] and that he permanently indwells all believers at the moment of conversion.^[3] He convicts humans of sin, righteousness, and judgment,^[4] enables us in both the proclamation^[5] and the hearing of the gospel,^[6] gives new life,^[7] makes us secure until the day of redemption,^[8] and brings about spiritual fruit in our lives,^[9] including the giving of gifts by which the church is built up.^[10]
 
   [1] Matthew 28:19; John 14:26; Acts 13:2; Romans 8:9–11, 27.
   [2] Genesis 1:2; Exodus 31:3; Isaiah 61:1–3.
   [3] First Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:13.
   [4] John 16:8.
   [5] Acts 1:8; Romans 15:18–19; 1 Corinthians 2:4–5; 1 Thessalonians 1:5; 1 Peter 1:12.
   [6] John 3:8; Acts 16:14; Hebrews 3:7–11; Revelation 22:17.
   [7] John 6:63; 2 Corinthians 3:6.
   [8] Romans 8:23; 2 Corinthians 1:21–22; Ephesians 1:13–14; 4:30.
   [9] Romans 8:5; Galatians 5:22–23.
   [10] First Corinthians 12:7–11.

We believe that Jesus Christ will return to earth visibly,^[1] bodily,^[2] unexpectedly,^[3] in power and in glory,^[4] to gather the redeemed,^[5] raise the dead,^[6] judge the nations,^[7] and establish his kingdom fully.^[8]
 
   [1] Revelation 1:7.
   [2] Acts 1:9–11; Philippians 3:20–21.
   [3] Matthew 24:42–44; 1 Thessalonians 5:2–3; 2 Thessalonians 1:5–10; 1 Peter 4:7; 2 Peter 3:10.
   [4] Matthew 25:31; Revelation 1:7.
   [5] First Thessalonians 4:15–18; 2 Thessalonians 2:1.
   [6] First Corinthians 15:22–24, 52; 1 Thessalonians 4:15–17; Revelation 20:4.
   [7] Romans 2:16; 2 Timothy 4:1; Revelation 20:4.
   [8] Matthew 25:34; Luke 22:28–30.

We believe that both believers and unbelievers will stand before God at the final judgment,^[1] although believers will not be condemned, owing only to the merits of Christ’s work on the cross and his resurrection that have been applied to them.^[2] For unbelievers, there will be just punishment in accordance with their sin.^[3] God’s judgment is perfectly just and impartial.^[4] Those made righteous by the blood of Christ will enter into everlasting joy in the presence of God,^[5] while the wicked will be condemned for their sin in everlasting punishment.^[6]
 
   [1] Matthew 25:31–46; Romans 2:5–11; 3:19; 14:10; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 2 Thessalonians 1:5–10; Hebrews 9:27; 1 Peter 1:17; Revelation 20:12–15.
   [2] Daniel 12:2; Matthew 19:29; 25:23; John 3:16; Romans 6:23; 8:1; Revelation 22:3–5.
   [3] Matthew 11:22, 24; Luke 12:47–48; 20:47; Revelation 20:12–13.
   [4] Romans 2:11; 1 Peter 1:17; Revelation 19:1–2.
   [5] Matthew 19:29; 25:23, 46; John 3:16; Romans 6:23; Revelation 22:3–5.
   [6]Second Thessalonians 1:9; Jude 12–13; Revelation 14:11.