Faith

I. GOD

I believe that there is only one true and living God Who is worthy of my worship and service, that He as Eternal Spirit is transcendent of His creation; infinite in all His attributes; omnipotent; omnipresent; omniscient; infinite in wisdom; perfect in goodness, mercy, love, justice and faithfulness; holy in His essential nature, attributes and purpose; and as Triune God in essential being is revealed as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

I believe God the Father is co-eternal, co-equal, consubstantial and has personal subsistence with the Son and the Holy Spirit.

I stand opposed to tritheism, that there are three gods; sabellianism, that there is one God manifest in three relationships to the human race; arianism, that the Godhead consists of one eternal person, who in the beginning created a superangelic being, the only begotten Son, who in turn created the Holy Spirit; polytheism, that there are many gods; dualism, that the universe is composed of two impersonal forces—mind and matter; and pantheism, that God and the universe are one and the same.

I believe that God’s providence is inherent in His sovereign will in maintaining the universe, that the miracles of God on earth are the laws of God in heaven, and that He does not violate the free moral agency of His created beings in things pertaining to their salvation and eternal destiny.

Scriptures: Deuteronomy 4:35; 1 Kings 8:60; Psalm 86:9, 10; Isaiah 43:10, 11; John 17:3; Ephesians 4:6; Colossians 1:15; Genesis 21:33; Psalm 90:2; Revelation 4:8-11; Jeremiah 23:24; 2 Chronicles 6:18; Job 11:7-9; Psalm 147:5; Isaiah 40:28;

Romans 11:33-36; Jeremiah 32:17; Revelation 19:6; Genesis 1:1; Psalm 33:13, 14; Jeremiah 23:23, 24; Isaiah 46:9, 10; Isaiah 40:12-15; Psalm 113:5-9; Daniel 2:20-22; Ephesians 1:7-9; Matthew 19:17; 1 Peter 1:16, 17; Jonah 3:4, 10; Psalm 104:4, 5;

Matthew 3:13-17; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 2:18.

John 3:13; 6:32, 33, 38, 50, 51, 58, 62; John 1:1-3, 14; Hebrews 2:14- 16; 1 Timothy 1:17; 6:16; Isaiah 9:6; Revelation 1:11; 2:8; 22:13; Matthew 28:20; John 2:24, 25; Galatians 2:3; Philippians 3:21; Hebrews 1:10-12; John 16:15; Colossians 2:9; Matthew 9:2-7; Galatians 3:13; Philippians 3:20, 21; Hebrews 1:6; Revelation 5:11, 12; Philippians 2:9-11; John 14:16, 17, 26; 15:26; 17:7, 14, 15; 1 Corinthians 2:10, 11; Acts 15:28; Acts 7:51; Isaiah 63:10; Ephesians 4:30; Matthew 12:31, 32; Acts 5:3, 4, 9; Genesis 6:3; John 16:13; Romans 8:26; 15:19; 1 Corinthians 6:11; Acts 13:2, 4; 1 Corinthians 12:11; Ephesians 1:13; 4:30; 2 Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 6:5, 9; Romans 8:26, 27; 1 Corinthians 2:10, 11; Romans 15:19; Titus 3:5; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Matthew 10:20; Galatians 4:6; Matthew 28:18; Ephesians 1:22; Hebrews 1:3; Revelation 17:14.

Job 9:5-8; Psalm 104:32; Matthew 5:45; Isaiah 40:12.

II. THE BIBLE

I believe the Bible is God’s complete revelation of His will for the whole human race concerning our eternal salvation, as well as our duties and privileges in relation to His sovereign will for time and eternity, which could not be revealed by His material creation or human reasoning.

I believe that God’s progressive revelation was completed within my present Bible of 39 books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament, so that whatever is not found written therein is not to be imposed as a doctrine or practice upon the Church of Jesus Christ.

I believe the Bible became the infallible Word of God as God superintended the natural powers and faculties of holy men to write His Word without error. This is best explained in 2 Peter 1:20, 21.

I believe the purpose of the Bible is clearly stated in 2 Timothy 3:16, 17.

I believe in a literal interpretation of the Bible. I stand opposed to all forms of criticism which do not accept the whole Bible as the Word of God. There was a flood, Jonah was swallowed by a great fish, Jesus was born of the virgin Mary, etc.

I stand opposed to any further written or oral revelation that is to bring new light to the Church or to the world. Furthermore, I do not accept the apocryphal books as a part of the Old Testament Scriptures.

Scriptures: 2 Peter 1:20, 21; 3:16; 2 Timothy 3:16, 17; Psalm 119; Matthew 2:23; John 6:45; Revelation 22:18, 19; Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32; Proverbs 30:6; Exodus 32:33.

III. SPECIAL CREATION

I believe true science and a correct interpretation of the Bible are never in conflict with each other. The Bible acts as a supplement to the revealed truths of creation.

I believe special creation reveals the existence of God, His natural attributes, His works, and awakens me to a sense of accountability to Him.

I believe as my Creator and Redeemer, God has the authority to command my loving service and complete obedience for time and eternity.

I believe the creation was planned by God the Father, brought forth by God the Son through God the Holy Spirit, as an act of His love and desire for fellowship and exultation.

I believe God created everything (material and spiritual) from nothing and formed them into the present creation as explained in Genesis 1 and 2 and Hebrews 11:3.

I stand opposed to atheistic materialism, which acts as though God does not exist and material is eternal; pantheism, which says matter is the eternal God; and all forms of naturalistic progressive evolution, which deny the plain teaching of God’s Holy Word.

Scriptures: Gen. 1; 2; Hebrews 11:3; Psalm 19:1-6; 33:6; 148:5; John 9:17; Genesis 49:26; Job 38:4; Proverbs 8:22; John 1:1-3; Romans 1:20.

IV. ANGELS

I believe that angels are intelligent beings possessing great strength; are not able to reproduce their kind; have spiritual bodies; are incorruptible, immortal, and invisible; are not omnipotent, omnipresent, or omniscient; and that God created them as holy beings with the power to choose between good and evil.

I believe that a great number of the angels chose evil and plunged themselves into apostasy, torment, and damnation, and are organized totally against the plans and purposes of God.

I believe there is an actual devil, called Satan, who is the incarnation of evil, the avowed enemy of the human race, the leader of the wicked angels (demons) that fell in the beginning. Furthermore, he is the antichrist spirit, who is in the world today transforming himself into an angel of light to deceive people. He is limited in his wicked influences by the providence of God, and his end is eternal fire and brimstone in hell.

I believe people can be possessed (under complete control) by demons or oppressed (afflicted and tormented) by demons.

I believe that the holy angels are ministering spirits to the saints to:

a. reveal God’s will in special cases;

b. preserve them from evil;

c. convey their souls to heaven at death; and

d. gather them together when they are raptured.

I believe that angels have revealed themselves to people in visible forms.

I stand opposed to any teaching, which states that angels are only impersonal good or evil principles or influences.

I stand opposed to angels being worshiped.

Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 15:44; Genesis 18:2; 2 Peter 2:11; Psalm 103:20; 1 Peter 1:12; Matthew 22:30; Job 38:7; Hebrews 1:14; Jude 6; 1 Timothy 3:6; Ephesians 2:2; 6:12; Matthew 18:20; 2 Peter 2:4; Matthew 25:41; Matthew 13:39; John 8:44; Job 1; Ephesians 2:2; Revelation 20:7, 8; 2 Thessalonians 2:9, 10; 2 Corinthians 2:11; 1 Peter 5:8; 2 Samuel 14:17; Matthew 25:31; Daniel 10:13; 2 Kings 19:35; Psalm 91:10, 12; 34:7; Matthew 18:10; Luke 16:22; Revelation 19:10.

V. MANKIND

I believe that mankind in his original state was created with a threefold nature of body (which was of the dust of the earth), soul (which is our life energy), and spirit (which was created in God’s image and likeness), possessing the attributes of being spiritual, social, creative, a free moral agent, rational, holy and immortal; had a complete and unbroken communion with his Creator God; was created as a finite being a little lower than the angels; and was placed in the Garden of Eden (a land of perfect happiness), to rule the earth, to reproduce their kind, and to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord.

I believe that Adam, as the representative of mankind, was created first; that Eve was created from a rib of Adam; and these two were the common parents of the whole human race.

I believe that when Adam fell from his original state by an act of disobedience, he died spiritually; the image of God in mankind was defaced; he became totally depraved, and plunged the whole human race into sin with all its consequences.

I believe mankind as a free moral agent, who is able to know right from wrong, can freely choose the moral path he will take.

I believe mankind is unable to save himself from sin.

I believe mankind can be restored to moral purity in this life through the blood of Jesus Christ.

I believe God has provided a complete restoration for the whole human race through the blood atonement of Jesus, which must be accepted on an individual basis.

I stand opposed to rationalism, which says the rational part of man was not affected by the fall and makes reason the sole source of knowledge for actions; gnosticism, which says the spirit of man is an emanation from God and thus makes me a little god; and socialism, which denies depravity in the human race, and makes injustices within the social environment the cause of moral depravity.

Scriptures: Genesis 1-3; Psalm 8; Genesis 5:3; 6; Genesis 3:15; John 3:16; 2 Peter 3:9; Isaiah 53.

VI. SIN

I believe sin is twofold in nature, in that it is a willful transgression against a known law of God, and an inherited proneness toward evil, which corrupts the whole human nature.

I believe this corruption of human nature remains in the born-again child of God until it is eradicated by the infilling of the Holy Spirit at sanctification.

I believe the effect of sin is total depravity to the extent that without a Redeemer I would be hopelessly and eternally lost.

I believe sin is in the world because of Adam’s fall and man’s own willful rebellion against God.

I believe the penalty of sin is both physical and spiritual death.

I believe God’s attitude toward sin is present wrath and eternal vengeance on the sinner who refuses to repent.

I believe everyone is a sinner by birth and by choice until Jesus becomes His Saviour and Lord.

I stand opposed to any teaching that denies the utter sinfulness of the whole human race.

Scriptures: Genesis 3; 5:3; 6:5; Psalm 10:2-11; 51:5; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3; 6:23; Ezekiel 18:20-23; John 3:36; 1 Corinthians 3:1-3.

VII. THE JEWISH NATION

I believe the Jews are God’s chosen people to bring the Redeemer of mankind and His earthly kingdom into the world.

I believe the Old Testament Scriptures show God’s dealings with the Jewish people.

I believe the promises God has given to the Jews are literal and will be literally fulfilled.

Scriptures: Isaiah 51:2; Deuteronomy 7:6, 7; 14:2; Exodus 19:5, 6; Deuteronomy 32:10, 11; 33:27-29; Psalm 105:13-15; Psalm 121:3-5; Genesis 49:10; Daniel 9:25; Psalm 14:7; Romans 11:26; Ezekiel 39:29; Zechariah 12:10; Romans 11:25; Hosea 3:5; Isaiah 44:22; 59:20; Jeremiah 33:8; Isaiah 44:23; 49:13; 52:8, 9; 66:10, 19; Jeremiah 3:18; Isaiah 11:15, 16; 14:1-3; 49:22, 23;

60:11, 12, 14, 19; 61:4-6; Isaiah 59:20; Zechariah 2:11; Romans 11:24.

VIII. SALVATION

I believe that Jesus Christ (Who was born of the Virgin Mary), lived a life without sin, died on a cross, was buried in a tomb, rose the third day, revealed Himself alive in a resurrected body by many infallible proofs for 40 days, ascended into heaven having obtained eternal redemption for me, and is now seated on the right hand of God the Father, interceding for me. He is perfect God

and perfect man—the God-man. I believe Jesus will come again to put away wickedness and set up His kingdom upon this earth. I believe Jesus is the only provision for my eternal redemption.

I believe salvation is threefold:

a. I am saved from the guilt of sin when I repent of my sins and accept Jesus as my own personal Savior by faith.

b. I am saved from the power of sin when I fully consecrate myself to God and by faith accept the Holy Spirit as my Sanctifier after I am saved.

c. I am saved from the effects of sin, either when I die a Christian or I am raptured into glory at the second coming of Jesus Christ.

I believe salvation is received by faith in God’s finished work, which is through Jesus Christ.

I believe salvation is personal and knowable.

I believe salvation is for the whole person for time and eternity.

I believe “saved,” “eternal redemption,” “regeneration,” “born-again,” “conversion” are all expressions showing a new life through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

I believe “atonement,” “justification,” “reconciliation,” “propitiation” are expressions showing God’s mercy in forgiving my sins and freeing me from its guilt and penalty when I repent of my sins and receive Jesus as my Savior.

I believe adoption is that gracious act of God whereby I am made a child of God.

I believe eternal life is God’s gift to me when I become a child of God.

I believe I receive regeneration, justification, adoption and eternal life in the first definite work of God’s grace. I believe I receive the Holy Spirit at this time. I believe the original sin remains in a subdued condition in this first work of God’s grace until removed when I am wholly sanctified.

I believe “original sin,” “selfishness,” “the old man,” “carnality,” “the flesh,” “the body of sin,” “the law of sin and death,” “the body of death,” “the besetting sin,” “the sin of the world” are all expressions of the inherited depravity of my moral nature by which I am led into sin from birth to sanctification, at which time this nature is purged out.

I believe entire sanctification is a second definite work of God’s grace by which God cleanses His adopted child from the inner defilement of his human nature. I believe when I give my life completely to God and trust Him for His cleansing, I am filled with the Holy Spirit. I believe entire sanctification brings me into a life of holy living. I believe this can and should take place at the time of the first work of regeneration when I am born again. No long time span is advised.

I believe “holiness,” “Christian holiness,” “Christian perfection,” “perfect love,” “perfect peace,” “heart holiness,” “rest of faith” are all expressions of a life of love, which can only be lived as the Holy Spirit sheds the love of God abroad in my heart.

I believe the life of holiness is both instantaneous and progressive in that I grow in the grace and knowledge of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ all my Christian life after I receive the Holy Spirit in entire sanctification. In the first work of grace I have the Holy Spirit. In the second work of God's grace the Holy Spirit has me. Both of these works of grace and witnessed by the Holy Spirit.

I stand opposed to: baptismal regeneration, which states a person is born again into God’s family when baptised in water with the baptismal formula; a limited atonement, which states God has elected some to be saved and some to be lost, or that you have to fight the carnal spirit all your Christian life; a works salvation, which says I am saved by works or receive grace through the good works of others; and unconditional eternal security, which says once I am saved I never can backslide and be eternally lost in hell.

Scripture: Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-23; Hebrews 4:15; Matthew 27:50, 58-60; 28:5-10; Acts 1:3-11; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Hebrews 7:25; 9:12; 1 Timothy 3:16; Matthew 25:31-46; Revelation 20:11-15; John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 5; 6; 1 Corinthians 15; Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:8-10; John 3:16; Acts 15:8, 9; John 3:1-3; Romans 8:14-21; Hebrews 10:14, 15; 1 John 5:18-21; Romans 8 with 1:8; 1 Thessalonians 1 with 4:3-8; 5:23, 24; John 7:37-39; Acts 8:14-17; 19:1-7; Romans 5:5; 2 Corinthians 7:11. Galatians 2:20; 4:4-6; 5:16-26; 6:7-9,14-16; 2 Peter 1:1-9; 3:18.

IX. THE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY

I believe in a God-inspired, God-called, and God-equipped Christian ministry.

I believe that both men and women are called into the Christian ministry to preach God’s Word and pastor a church.

I believe the extent of the Christian ministry is for each organized church, for all cultures, for all time.

I believe the purpose of the Christian ministry is to propagate the gospel of Jesus Christ to the ends of the world, to organize new churches, and to administer the laws, sacraments, and disciplines of the church.

I believe the Christian ministry is equipped spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and socially through personal experience and training. I believe the Christian minister should know the gospel, live the gospel, be gentle to the contentious, and be apt to teach and ready to preach the gospel to others individually and collectively.

I believe only those who meet the qualifications, as set forth in 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus, should be allowed to preach or teach in the church.

I believe every Christian has a called ministry, whether it is being a good parent or pastoring a church. I believe the gifts of the Spirit are given to Christians to minister to and for the advancement of God’s kingdom upon the earth through the Church of Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour.

I stand opposed to an unprepared ministry, which allows one to minister without showing Biblical qualifications for it; a liberal ministry, which rejects the literal and authoritative nature of the Word of God; an elite ministry, which states only the pastor can witness for Christ and have a full understanding of the deep things of God; and a social ministry, which places social issues above

spiritual issues and denies my need of a born-again experience within the church membership.

Scriptures: 1 and 2 Timothy; Titus; 1 Thessalonians 5:12, 13; Matthew 26:18-20; Acts 1:8; 2:17, 18; Romans 10:11-17; 1 Corinthians 12.

X. THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH

I believe the true Christian Church consists of all true “called-out” followers of God in all generations who have organized themselves together to propagate the gospel of Christ to the uttermost parts of the earth.

I believe the purpose of the Christian Church is to provide Christian worship, Christian fellowship, a Christian ministry, and a Christian witness for every born-again child of God.

I believe the true Christian Church is separated from the world by the mighty working of the Holy Spirit, with the purpose of pointing the unregenerate world to a better way of life.

I believe Jesus is the head of the Church, which is the body of Christ.

I believe the power of the Christian Church is through the moral purity and inspiration it receives from the indwelling Holy Spirit.

I believe the purity of the Christian Church covers three areas:

a. not conformed to the world,

b. freed from the carnal nature, and

c. not bound by evil influences of satanic powers.

I believe this purity makes the Christian Church free to follow God completely in all things.

I believe the Church has the right and obligation to discipline its members.

I believe the Church has two sacraments, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which were instituted by Jesus for all generations.

I believe the financial needs of the Christian Church should be met by tithes and offerings.

I stand opposed to a one church salvation, which states I have to be a member of their church to get to heaven; a formalized worship, which leaves no place for God to work in a church service to bring a sinner to a personal faith in Christ; consubstantiation or transubstantiation, which states the body and blood of Christ is with, or becomes one with the elements of the Lord’s supper,

respectively; denominationalism, which places dogma and traditions above the plain teachings of the Bible.

Scriptures: Matthew 16:18; 18:17-20; Acts 2:47; 5:11; 7:38; 14:23; 20:28; 1 Corinthians 4:17; 11:20-30; 12:28; 14:5, 33; Ephesians 5:23-32; Colossians 1:18, 24; 1 Timothy 3:5, 15, 16; Hebrews 12:23; James 5:14; Matthew 26:26-30; Luke 14:22-26; Luke 22:14-20; Matthew 28:19.

XI. THE CIVIL GOVERNMENT

I believe the laws of the civil government are instituted by God and that I am to )obey them, so long as they do not violate my God-given freedoms of worshiping and witnessing for Him.

I believe the purpose of the civil government is to secure my God-given rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as stated in the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776.

I believe the civil government has a right to finance its constitutional obligation to its citizens through fair and representative taxation.

I believe the civil government is to administer protection and justice to its people, the Church is to minister to the spiritual needs of the people and that the two are not to interfere with each other’s God-given duties.

I stand opposed to the civil government regulating the Christian Church; to a State Elite Church, which only sanctions one denomination as the Official Church that can function within its citizenship; and to Atheistic Socialism, which wants to remove everything that has to do with God and the Church out of my governmental and public institutions.

Scriptures: Acts 4:19, 20; 5:29; Romans 13; 1 Peter 3:22; Psalm 9:17.

XII. THE WORLD

I believe “the world” is the unregenerate segment of my society, under the control of Satan, working as a substitute for real Christianity.

I believe the Christian is to be separated from worldly pleasures (dancing, movies, drug addiction, loose living), worldly fads (religious fads, indecent dress), and worldly attitudes (rebellion, party spirit). As a Christian, I am in the world, but not a part of its ungodly system.

Scriptures: Romans 12:1, 2; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Galatians 1:4; Titus 2:12; Matthew 5:14; 16:26; John 1:10-13, 29; John 4:42; 14:17; 15:19; 16:8-11, 33; 17:14, 16, 21; Romans 3:19; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 2:12; 3:19; 5:10; Galatians 6:14; Ephesians 2:2; Philippians 2:15; 1 Timothy 1:15; James 1:27; 4:4; 2 Peter 1:4; 2:20; 1 John 2:15-17; 3:1; 5:4, 5, 19; Revelation 11:15; Deuteronomy 22:5; 1

Timothy 2:9, 10; 1 Peter 3:3, 4.

ARTICLES OF FAITH