The Scripture
I believe that God is the author of the Bible, both the Old and New Testaments, and that the Bible is verbally, plenary, infallible, preserved, inerrant, and inspired Word of God. I believe that God providentially, through the Holy Spirit, moved holy men of God to write the scriptures, recording exactly as he desired the Word of God (2 Peter 1:20-21). I believe that the Bible is perfect and that there are no errors in it, and that God has preserved His Word for man (Psalm 12:6; Psalm 119:89). I believe that God has preserved His Word for man in the original languages (Greek-TR/Hebrew-Masoretic) and that the Authorized Version is the preserved Word of God in the English language. I believe that the Bible is applicable to all aspects of the Christian’s life, that all of life falls under the direct instruction and authority of the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
The Doctrine of God
I believe that there is one and only one God (Isaiah 45:5), and that God is a triune God having three persons in the Godhead: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (Matt. 3:16, 17; Matt. 28:19). I believe that each member of the Godhead is coequal and coeternal, having the same natural (omnipotence, omniscience, etc) and moral (holiness, righteous, just, etc.) attributes as the other, but fulfilling different roles and functions within the Godhead.
The Doctrine of Christ
I believe that Jesus Christ is the second person of the Trinity, and the Son of God, having all of the natural and moral attributes of God the Father (Matt. 28:19; Mark 1:1). I believe that Christ is God incarnate (John 1:1), born of a virgin, conceived by the Holy Spirit (Matt. 1:23; Luke 1:35), lived a sinless life (Heb. 4:15), died on the cross for man’s sin, was buried, rose bodily victorious over the grave the third day, and has ascended to heaven and is making intercession for believers at the right hand of the Father (1 Cor. 15:1-4; Heb. 7:25), and that He is altogether God and man (Phil. 2:5-7). I believe that Christ took an active part in creation, and that it was by Him that all things were created, and all things consist (John 1:2-3, Col. 1:17).
The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit
I believe that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, also having all the same natural and moral attributes as God the Father and God the Son, and that He was active in creation (Gen. 1:1-3). I believe that the Spirit comforts, enables, and guides the believer, and reproves the world of sin (John 16:8-13; Eph. 5:18). I believe that the Holy Spirit indwells the believer at salvation and not at a later time as the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement would teach (Eph. 1:13-14), and that the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement over-emphasizes the work of the Spirit, neglecting His role of glorifying the Son (John 16:14). I believe that the sign gifts of the Spirit have ceased and are no longer needed because that which is perfect (God’s Word) has come (1 Cor. 13:8-11). I believe that the Holy Spirit gives to us the gifts of the Spirit enabling us to serve God (1 Cor. 12:4), and also enables the believer to live the Spirit-Filled life, a life in submission to God (Eph. 5:18ff).
The Doctrine of Man
I believe that God created man on the sixth day of the creation week, and that when man was created; he was created in the image of God, innocent, and with a free will. (Gen. 1:26-27, Gen. 2:16-17) I believe that man chose to sin, thus bringing death on mankind both spiritual and physical. I believe that as a result of Adam’s sin, sin has passed on to all men (Rom. 5:12, Ps. 51:5).
The Doctrine of Salvation
I believe that as a result of man’s sin, man must be reconciled to God, and that this reconciliation is achieved through salvation. I believe that Christ’s work on the cross purchased redemption for all mankind whereby they might be saved, and that the means by which man is saved is by deciding to place his faith in Christ and His completed work on the cross. I believe that it is only by grace through faith that man may be saved, that it is not of works, and that it is nothing that man deserves. It is the free gift of God to all man (Rom. 10:9-13, Acts 8:37, Eph. 2:8-9). I also believe that at salvation man stands before God being justified through Christ’s work (Rom. 5:1), that man is proclaimed righteous (2 Cor. 5:21). I also believe that man is eternally secure having no risk of loosing his salvation, and that man’s eternal security rest solely on God’s shoulders (John 10:27-30, Jude 1, Phil 1:6).
The Doctrine of the Church
I believe that the church first began at Pentecost (Acts 2:41-47), and that there is both the universal and local church. The universal church being the body of Christ/all believers, being a living organism, and the local church being the local body of believers who gather together for worshiping, edifying, equipping, and for practicing both ordinances given to the Church (Eph. 1:22-23, Eph. 5:23, Eph. 4:11-16). I believe that the ordinances of the Church are baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism being by immersion for believers only as identification with Christ (I Pet 3:21, Acts 2:47,10:48, 8:36-39), and the Lord’s Supper to be observed by believers who have examined themselves that they are living their lives in obedience to scripture (1 Cor. 11-23- 32).
I believe that the local church has two offices, the pastor and deacon, whose qualifications are clearly explained in scripture (1 Tim. 3, Titus 1). I also believe that the local church is to be independent and free from any hierarchy or organization that controls the local church, having only Christ as it’s head with each pastor being the under-shepherd of the flock (Col. 1:18, 1 Peter 5:2-4).
The Doctrine of Satan
I believe that Satan is a true being, that he was originally created by God to glorify Him, but fell from his original state. I believe that Satan is the great deceiver of the brethren and is the prince of this world. I believe, though, that Satan was defeated at the cross and that he is fighting a loosing battle, trying to take as many with him into eternal judgment, and having his final judgment in the lake of fire (Is 14:12-17, Eph 6:12, Gen 3:15, Rev 20:10).
The Doctrine of Last Things
I believe in the imminent pre-Tribulational rapture of the church (1 Thess. 4:13-17), and that after the rapture the seven year tribulation will begin in which time God will pour out His anger on the earth in judgment on unbelievers. It is during this time that believers will stand before the judgment seat of Christ having their works judged by God (2 Cor. 5:10). I believe that after the Tribulation, Christ will descend in His Second
Coming with His saints in glory, victorious over Satan to establish the millennial kingdom in which He will rule with His church at His side for 1000 years. After the millennial kingdom, believers will enter into eternity with Christ, while unbelievers will face the Great White Throne Judgment and be cast into the Lake of fire, separated from Christ forever. (Rev. 19:1-20:15)
Creation
I believe the Genesis account of creation is seven literal days, and that creation/man was a direct act of God without any evolutionary process (Gen 1 & 2, Col. 1:16-17, John 1:3).
Ecclesiastical Separation
I believe that the Church should not support or be part of any organization that advocates false doctrine. The Bible clearly teaches that as believers we are to separate from a brother who is walking disorderly, false teachers, sin, and the world (2 Thess. 3:6; 2 Peter 2:1; 1 Tim. 5:22, 1 John 2:15). The lack of following the teachings of scripture concerning separation has caused problems in the recent past, such as New Evangelicalism. New Evangelicalism has sought to be accepted by the world and thus has left the doctrine of separation. Harold Ockenga, the man who coined the term “new evangelical,” stated that new evangelicals “… differed from fundamentalism in its repudiation of separation and its determination to engage itself in the theological dialogue of the day” (The Battle for the Bible, intro by Harold Ockenga). Ockenga also stated, “The New Evangelicalism has changed its strategy from one of separation to one of infiltration.” New Evangelicals have sought to infiltrate mainstream society to become accepted by society and also to evangelize. The desire of the New Evangelical to evangelize and reach others for Christ is good, but they accomplish their desire incorrectly by yoking up with unbelievers (i.e. Billy Graham). They also have methods that are of the world, and compromise the truth with the world.