I. THE SCRIPTURES:
We believe that the sixty-six canonical books of the Old and New Testament (alone and in their entirety) constitute the Holy Scriptures. We believe that these sixty-six books, in their original manuscripts, came "not by the will of man but (through) holy men of God (who) spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21). Thus we believe that "all Scripture is inspired by God" and is, therefore, inerrant (2 Timothy 3:16).
II. GOD:
We believe that within the one Being that is God there exists eternally three co-equal and co-eternal persons, namely, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and that this relationship is most accurately described by the word "Trinity" (Genesis 1:1, 26; Deuteronomy 6:4; John 1:1; 10:30; 14:16-17). We believe that Father, Son, and Spirit equally possess the attributes of God as described in the Scriptures. We are committed to the truth that God is absolutely sovereign over all things; however, in His sovereignty He neither authors nor approves of sin (Psalm 103:19; Matthew 10:29; Romans 11:36; Habakkuk 1:13).
III. JESUS CHRIST:
We believe that God the Son, Jesus Christ, is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and Holy Spirit (John 1:1). We believe that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of the Father, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin (John 1:14; Luke 1:26-38; Isaiah 7:14). We believe that Jesus, the Son, is both fully God and fully Man in an indivisible oneness (Isaiah 7:14; John 1:14; 20:28; Philippians 2:6-8; Colossians 2:9; 1 Timothy 2:5). We believe in His sinless life, His miraculous ministry, His substitutionary death on the cross, His bodily resurrection, His ascension into heaven where He sits at the right hand of the Father, His continual intercession for His people, and His personal, physical, visible, and yet future second advent to the earth (2 Corinthians 5:21; John 21:25; Romans 5:6-8; John 21:14; Acts 4:10; Acts 1:9; 1 Peter 3:22; 7:25; Acts 1:11). We believe that there is salvation in none other but Jesus Christ for "there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12; John 14:6).
IV. MAN:
We believe that the first man Adam was originally created in innocence and in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26; Ecclesiastes 7:29). We believe that when Adam sinned against God, he fell into the condemnation of both spiritual and physical death which is eternal separation from God (Genesis 2:17). And because the whole human race was in Adam when he sinned, God imputed Adam's sin (and penalty) to the whole human race. Thus, every person is born in sin, condemned under the penalty of spiritual and physical death and in need of salvation (Romans 5:12-19; 1 Corinthians 15:22).
V. SALVATION:
We believe that man is eternally justified by grace alone through faith in Christ alone (Romans 3:24; 5:1; Ephesians 2:8-10). We believe that our eternal justification is the gift of God based solely on the finished work of Christ alone and His imputed righteousness (Romans 5:18-19, 6:23; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Therefore we also believe that a believer will never forfeit eternal salvation due to a lack of personal righteousness (Romans 11:29).
VI. THE RETURN OF CHRIST:
We believe in a pre-tribulational rapture of the church where the "dead in Christ" will be resurrected and those Christians who are "alive and remain" will be translated into the presence of the Lord to experience the Judgment Seat of Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Corinthians 5:10-11). We believe in a literal seven year Tribulation upon the earth that will culminate in the second coming of Christ (Revelation 6-19). Following His return to earth, Christ will establish His Kingdom wherein He will rule (with His faithful saints) for one thousand years (Psalm 24:7-10; Zechariah 14:1-21; Luke 19:17-19; Revelation 2:26, 19:11-20:4-6). At this time, Israel will realize the fulfillment of the covenants given to them by God in the Old Testament (Genesis 12:1-3, 13:14-17, 15:12-21; Deuteronomy 29:1-30:20; 2 Samuel 7:11-16; 1 Chronicles 17:10-14; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:24-28; Romans 11:25-27). At the close of the Kingdom age, all things will be in subjection to Christ (1 Corinthians 15:24-27). At this time Christ the Son and God the Father will rule throughout the eternal ages from "the throne of God and of the Lamb" (Revelation 22:3)
VII. FINAL JUDGMENT AND THE ETERNAL STATE:
We do not believe in the annihilation of the unregenerate. We believe in a final judgment for all unbelievers and a literal place of torment where they will spend eternity (called "the Lake of Fire") (Revelation 20:10-15). We believe that following the one thousand year reign of Christ and the judgment of unbelievers, God will destroy the present heavens and earth and create a new heaven and earth where the saints of all the ages will dwell (2 Peter 3:10-13; Revelation 21:1). At this time there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, and… no more pain, for the former things have passed away" (Revelation 21:4). We believe that the eternal state of all believers is to live in the blessing of the presence of God throughout the endless ages (Revelation 21:1-4).
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