Statement of Beliefs

1. The sixty-six books of the Bible are the Inspired, Infallible, and Living Word of God. They are without error in the original manuscripts and are the supreme and final authority for one’s faith and life. (Psalm 119; Matthew 24:35; 2 Timothy 3:16- 17; 2 Peter 1:20-21)
2. There is one God, who exists in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. As God, the Father is infinite, eternal, all-sufficient, unchangeable, omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, holy, just, merciful and loving. (Genesis 1:26; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19-20; Philippians 2:5-8)
3. The Holy Spirit is God, equal with the Father and Son in essence, nature, power and glory. He is the one who convicts men of sin, regenerates, seals, indwells, and baptizes each believer into the Body of Christ at conversion. (Acts 5:3-4; John 16:7-12; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:13-14)
4. Jesus is the eternal Son of God equal with the Father and Holy Spirit in essence, nature, power and glory. He was born in this world of a virgin so that, becoming the perfect God-man, He might become the perfect sacrifice for man’s sin. (Isaiah 7:14; John 1:1-14; 20:28; Philippians 2:5-11; Hebrews 1:1-3)
5. Jesus lived a sinless life and then gave His life as a substitute for man for the atonement of our sins. (Isaiah 53:3-11; John 3:14-19; Romans 5; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 9:12-14; 1 Peter 2:22-24)
6. Jesus rose bodily and physically from the grave on Easter Sunday morning (Matthew 28:1-8; John 20:24-29; Romans 4:24-25; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8)
7. Jesus ascended to heaven where He is seated at the right hand of the Father. He serves as our High Priest and Advocate. (Acts 1:9-11; Hebrews 4:14-16; 7:25)
8. Jesus will return in the clouds to gather His church at the Rapture. He will then bodily and visibly return to earth at the end of the seven years of tribulation to establish His kingdom here on the earth for a thousand years. (Matthew 24-25; John 14:1-6; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 19:1-20:7)
9. Satan is the fallen angel Lucifer; he is the arch-enemy of God and man. He is a deceiver, liar, murderer, who masquerades as an angel of light in order to deceive. (Isaiah 14:12-14; Ezekiel 28:13-15; 2 Corinthians 11:14; Ephesians 6:11-12; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10)
10. Mankind was created by God in His own image on the sixth day of creation. The first two humans (Adam and Eve) chose to sin, and that sin brought spiritual death (separation from God) and physical death upon all mankind. The universal rebellion of all human persons against God confirms the sin of the first humans and highlights the universal need of salvation through Jesus Christ. Although fallen and in need of salvation, all human persons are made in God’s image, are intrinsically valuable, and ought to be protected from conception to natural death. (Genesis 1:26-27; 3:1-14; Romans 3:10, 23; 5:12; Ephesians 2:13)
11. Salvation is by grace, through personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ alone, it is not of works. (John 1:11-13; John 3:1-6; Romans 3:23-28; Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 3:5-7)
12. All who have received Jesus Christ as their personal Savior are eternally secure and cannot lose their salvation. (John 3:16; 5:24; 10:28-30; 1 Corinthians 5:1-5; 1 John 5:4-5)
13. All believers should be baptized by immersion following their conversion in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Baptism is an outward expression of what has occurred in the believer’s life and does not have any saving power. (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 10:47; Romans 6:3-6)
14. All believers should witness to the world by their lips and life concerning the grace they have found in Christ Jesus. We are to live separated to the Lord from the world. (Matthew 28:19-20; Romans 12:2; 1 Corinthians 6:17-20; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1; Thessalonians 5:22)
15. There is a future bodily resurrection of both the saved and the lost. Believers shall dwell eternally with the Lord and may receive rewards for their service on earth at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Unbelievers shall spend a conscious eternity in hell, having been judged at the Great White Throne Judgment. (Mark 9:42-50; John 5:28-29; 1 Corinthians 5:10; 2 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 20:12-15)
16. A local New Testament Church consists of a group of baptized believers who, led by the Holy Spirit, have voluntarily associated themselves for worship, edification, instruction, accountability, and service for their Lord Jesus Christ. A local New Testament Church should regularly remember Christ’s death through the Lord’s Supper realizing the elements are merely symbols of His body and blood. (Matthew 26:26-30; Acts 2:42-47; 1 Corinthians 11:23-27; 12:13, Galatians 6:1-10; Ephesians 4:11-13)
17. Marriage was created by God to be a permanent monogamous relationship between one man and one woman, and the essential foundation of human society. Every person is created by God as either male or female, which is an immutable distinction expressed in biological sex, and which determines suitability for marriage partnership. Marriage is the only legitimate context for human sexual relationships; and sexual activity outside the context of marriage is destructive, devalues those persons involved, and is contrary to God’s perfect design. (Genesis 2:18-25; Matthew 19:4-5; 1 Corinthians 7:2; Ephesians 5:31-32)

*This Doctrinal Statement does not exhaust the extent of my beliefs.

It includes both beliefs that are considered non-negotiable doctrine that one must believe in order to be a follower of Christ (ex. deity of Christ, Salvation) as well as secondary beliefs that may differ from church body to church body (Ex. Baptism, communion).

The Bible itself is the sole and final source of all that I believe.