We believe the Bible is the only book ever written that was inspired of God in the sense God personally guided the writers; that He so directed the human authors, that without destroying their own individuality, literary style, or person interest, His complete and connected thought toward man was recorded. That though God used human authors the Bible is God’s message to man rather than a message of man to his fellow man.
We believe in the verbal plenary inspiration of the scriptures, the Spirit of God guided in the Choice of the Words used in the original writings. Although there are human elements evident in the Bible, inspiration Contends that God directed so that all in the words that were used were equally inspired of God.
We also believe that Scripture is infallible in the sense of being unfailingly accurate, it does not contain only error as a statement of fact. This verbal plenary full infallible and inerrant inspiration applies to the original writings only and not to copies- translation or quotations. With all of that it was not mechanical dictation. The scriptures are God breathed meaning of proceeds from God and by this fact it takes on the same perfections that characterize God Himself, it would be impossible for God to be the author of error. The inspiration extends not so much to the authors but to the word of God itself. While the authors are fallible and subject to error, God breathed through them His infallible word, and by Divine power and guidance so directs the human authors that what they wrote was the infallible word of God.
We believe in the Triune God and the unity of the Divine Trinity, God the Father- God the Son- God the Holy Spirit any departure from this is considered a departure from Scriptural truth. Although the word Trinity does not occur in the Bible, the facts of scriptural revelation permit no other explanation. While it has no parallel in human experience, it is best defined as holding that while God is one, He exists in three persons. These persons are equal, have the same attributes, and are equal. Yet the doctrine of the unity of the Godhead makes clear that they are not 3 separate gods, like 3 separate human being such as Peter, James and John. Thus, the true Christian faith is not tritheism, a belief in 3 gods, and must be explained as 3 modes of existence, ie God manifesting Himself in three ways.
We believe in the Deity and Eternal nature of the Son of God. In the hyper static union of the Son of God, that He is fully God and fully man. We believed He existed before He was born. We also believe that His pre-existence was not in the sense of (the so-called Arian heresy from the 4th century) disserting that He was the First created being, no, we believe that He is uncreated.
We believe that He was virgin born, not the product of man, and that at His incarnation, He veiled His glory and at the same time maintained His Deity. This is essential to His work on the Cross, if He were not man, He could not die, if He was not God, His death would not have infinite value.
We also believe in the impeccability of Christ that not did He not sin, but He could not sin, and that He is Holy.
We believe in the substitunary death was sufficient for the sins of the whole world. That the unmeasured righteous judgment against a sinner were borne by Christ to the full satisfaction of God.
We believe He was resurrected from the grave on account of our justification, and it constitutes the most important proof for the Deity of Jesus Christ. Because of the Resurrection is such an outstanding doctrine, the first day of the wreck in this dispensation has been set apart for commemoration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and accordingly supersedes the law of the Sabbath which had set aside the 7th day for Israel. The resurrection is therefore the cornerstone of our Christian Faith.
We believe the Ascension of Christ marked the end of His earthly ministry. That as Christ had come, born in Bethlehem, so now He had returned to the Father. That His ascension also marked the return to His manifested glory which was hidden in His earthly life even after His resurrection. That His entrance into heaven was a great triumph, signifying the completion of His work on earth, and an entering into His new sphere of work at the right hand of the Father.
We believe in the Advent of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost to form the universal body of Christ that though all participate, God the Father takes the lead in creation, that God the Son takes the lead in Salvation, and God the Holy Spirit takes the lead in the formation of the church. That the Holy Spirit regenerates- indwells- seals- baptizes and fill the believer. That He at the moment of the believers acknowledgment of their faith in the finished work of Christ on Calvary that He takes up a permanent abideing in the believer.
We believe in the rapture of the church prior to the tribulation period. The coming of the Lord for His saints.
We believe in the Second Coming of Christ to establish the Millennial Kingdom. The coming of the Lord with His saints and we know that the rapture of the church is different from the second coming of Christ.
We believe that man is a fallen creature, that he is totally and completely depraved, meaning he is unable to help himself and unable to perform any action thought-word- or deed to God favor. That sin has affected him to the greatest extent possible, that his fall (corruption) has extended to all aspects of his nature, corrupting the mind, the conscience is unclean, the heart is deceitful.
Throughout this document the words “we know” will be substituted in the place of “we believe”. The reason being as a Christian you do start out believing these things, but as the Christian grows, they transition from believing to knowing.