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THE SCRIPTURES:
The Bible is the inspired Word of God, the product of Holy men of old who spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. The New Covenant as recorded in the New Testament, we accept as our infallible guide in matters pertaining
to conduct and doctrine. (II Timothy 3:16, I Thessalonians 2:13, II Peter 1:21)
THE GODHEAD:
Our God is One, but manifested in three persons: The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (Philippians 2:6, Matthew 3:16-17).
1. God, the Father is greater than all, the source of the Word
(Logos) and the Begetter (John 14:28, John 16:28, John 1:14)
2. Jesus is the Son, One with the Father, the Word
flesh-covered, the One Begotten has existed with the Father from
the beginning. (John 1:1, John 1:18, John 1:14, John 10:30)
3. The Holy Spirit proceeds forth from both the Father and the
Son and is eternal.
MAN, HIS FALL AND REDEMPTION:
Man is a created being, made in the image of God, but through
Adam's transgression and fall, sin came into the world.
"All have sinned and come short of the glory of God."
"As it is written, there is none righteous, no not
one." Jesus Christ, the Son of God was manifested to undo
the work of the devil and gave His life and shed His blood to
redeem and restore man back to God. (Romans 5:12, Romans 3:23,
Romans 3:9-10, I John 3:8, Galatians 3:13-14)
Salvation is the gift of God to man, separate from works and the
law, and is made operative by grace through faith in Jesus
Christ, producing works acceptable to God. (Ephesians 2:8)
ETERNAL LIFE AND NEW BIRTH:
Man's first step toward salvation is Godly sorrow that worketh
repentance. The new birth is necessary to all men, and when
fulfilled produces eternal life. (II Corinthians 7:10, I John
5:12, John 3:3-5)
WATER BAPTISM:
Baptism in
water is by immersion and is a direct commandment of our Lord,
and is for believers only. The ordinance is a symbol of the
Christian's identification with Christ in His death, burial and
resurrection. (Matthew 2819, Romans 6:4, Colossians 2:12, Acts
8:36-39)
The following recommendation regarding the Water Baptismal
formula is adopted to-wit: "On the confession of your faith
in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and by His authority,
I baptize you in the name of Jesus Christ in whom dwells all the
fullness of the Godhead bodily, Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
Amen." (Colossians 2:9)
BAPTISM IN THE HOLY GHOST:
The
baptism in the Holy Ghost and Fire is a gift from God as
promised by the Lord Jesus Christ to those who are believers in
this dispensation and is received after the new birth. This
experience is accompanied by the initial evidence of speaking in
other tongues as the Holy Spirit Himself gives the utterance.
(Matthew 3:11, John 14:16-17, Acts 1:8, Acts 2:38-39, Acts
19:1-7, Acts 2:4)
SANCTIFICATION:
The Bible
teaches that without Holiness no man can see the Lord. We
believe in the doctrine of sanctification as a definite yet
progressive work of grace, commencing at the time of
regeneration and continuing until the consummation of salvation.
(Hebrews 12:14, I Thessalonians 5:23, II Peter 3:18, II
Corinthians 3:18, Philippians 3:12-14, I Corinthians 1:30)
DIVINE HEALING:
Healing is
for the physical ills of the human body and is wrought by the
power of God through the prayer of faith, and by laying on of
hands. It is provided for in the atonement of Christ and is the
privilege of every member of the Church today. (Mark 16:18,
James 5:14-20, I Peter 2:24, Matthew 8:17, Isaiah 53:4-5)
THE RESURRECTION OF THE JUST AND
THE RETURN OF OUR LORD:
The angels said, "This
same Jesus shall so come in like manner. " His coming is
imminent. When He comes, "The dead in Christ shall rise
first, then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up
together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the
air". (Acts 1:11, I Thessalonians 4:16-17)
Following the tribulation, He shall return to earth, as King of
Kings, and Lord of Lords and together with His saints, who shall
be kings and priests, He shall reign a thousand years. (Rev.
20:6)
HELL AND ETERNAL RETRIBUTION:
The one who physically dies in his sins without Christ is
hopelessly and eternally lost in the lake of fire and therefore
has no further hope of hearing the Gospel or for repentance. The
lake of fire is literal. The terms "eternal" and
"everlasting" used in describing the duration of the
punishment of the damned in the lake of fire carry the same
thought and meaning of endless existence as used in noting the
duration of joy and ecstasy of the saint in the presence of God.
(Hebrews 9:27, Revelation 19:20, Hebrews 6:1-2)
COMMUNION - THE LORD'S SUPPER:
We
partake of the Lord's Supper to show the Lord's death till He
comes. (I Corinthians 11:23-31) The bread symbolized the Lord's
broken body (Isaiah 53:5, I Corinthians 11:24). The cup
represents the New Covenant in His blood, which provides us
forgiveness and relationship with God (Hebrews 9, I Corinthians
11:25). We judge ourselves and realize that this is our
salvation and receive it (I Corinthians 11:28-30), for if we
receive it unworthily - without giving it honor as our
salvation, we are guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. (I
Corinthians 11:27)
LAYING ON OF HANDS:
A
simple belief that power or anointing or any other necessary
quality can be transmitted from one person touching another.
Laying on of hands was practiced by the Levitical Priesthood.
Jesus practiced it in Mark 10:13-16 as a blessing, laying on of hands for healing (Mark 5:22-23 and 41, Mark
5:28-31, Acts 28:8, 19:11-12), laying on of hands to confer office (Acts 6:2-6), laying on of hands to receive the Holy Ghost (Acts 8:16-18), laying on of hands to believe words spoken, receive anointing
and cultivate anointing (I Timothy 4:14), laying on of hands for ordination to consecrate and receive the
necessary ministry tools (I Timothy 4:14).
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