Doctrinal Statement
Doctrinal Statement
 

1. The Word of God – We believe that the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments of the Bible are the divinely inspired Word of God in its entirety, written by men as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, and that it is the sole authority for the Christian’s faith and conduct. We believe that the King James Version of the Bible (KJV) is the preserved Word of God for the English-speaking people of the world. (Psalm 12:6-7[i])(2 Timothy 3:16-17[ii])(2 Peter 1:20-21[iii])


2. The Godhead – We believe in one God, Creator of Heaven and Earth, eternally existing in three persons: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe that they are equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. (Genesis 1:26[iv]) (Matthew 3:16-17[v]) (John 1:3[vi]) (Colossians 1:16-17[vii]) (Revelation 4:11[viii])


3. God the Son – We believe that Jesus Christ was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of Mary, a virgin, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men; that He is both the Son of God and God the Son. (Isaiah 7:14[ix])(Luke 1:26-28[x])(2 Corinthians 5:21[xi])


4. God the Holy Spirit – We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person, equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature. It is He who convicts of sin, of righteousness and of judgement. He is the restrainer of the Evil One until God’s purpose is fulfilled. He bears witness to the truth of the Gospel and is the agent in the new birth, baptizing all true believers into the body of Christ. We believe the indwelling person of the Holy Spirit empowers the believer to do those works consistent with the Word of God. (John 14:16[xii])(1 Corinthians 6:19[xiii])(1 Corinthians 12:12-13[xiv])(Ephesians 4:30[xv])(Galatians 5:22-23[xvi])


5. Man – We believe that man was created in the image and after the likeness of God, but he by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy estate. The resulting consequences are that all men are now sinners by nature, choice and action and are therefore under the just condemnation of God, without excuse or defense. Man, by redemption, becomes the temple of the Holy Spirit, enabled to live a holy life consistent with the desire of God for Man. (Genesis 1:26[xvii])(Genesis 3:6[xviii])(Romans 5:12[xix])
(1 Corinthians 6:19[xx])(1 Peter 1:16[xxi])


6. Atonement – We believe the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for our sins, was buried and arose again on the third day according to the Scriptures, made a substitutionary sacrifice for man’s sin and that all who believe in Him are justified on the merits of His shed blood. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4[xxii])(Hebrews 9:22[xxiii])(Galatians 2:20[xxiv])

 
7. Salvation – We believe that the salvation of sinners is accomplished by God's grace alone through faith alone and that Jesus is the only way of salvation. We believe that the blessings of salvation are made free by the Gospel and that nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner but his own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the Gospel. The true possession of salvation is evidenced by a voluntary obedience to the Word of God, through fruits of repentance, faith and newness of life. (Acts 20:20-21[xxv])(John 3:16-18[xxvi])(2 Corinthians 5:17[xxvii]) (Ephesians 2:8-9[xxviii])

 
8. Security – We believe that those who receive Jesus Christ as Saviour are eternally secure. Their security rests in the finished work of Jesus Christ and all of the redeemed are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever. (John 10:28[xxix])(Romans 8:35-39[xxx])(Philippians 1:6[xxxi])(1John 5:12[xxxii])(Jude 1[xxxiii])

 
9. Sanctification - We believe that the believer is established in a position of holiness at the moment of redemption. We believe the Holy Spirit in applying the truths of the Word of God accomplishes a progressive sanctification in the life of the believer. We further believe in complete sanctification at the Lord's return.(1Corinthians 6:11[xxxiv])(John 17:17[xxxv])(Hebrews 10:10[xxxvi])(Jude 1:24[xxxvii])

 
10. Second Coming – We believe in “The Blessed Hope,” the personal, pre-tribulational and pre-millennial, imminent return of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, at which time all believers will be gathered together unto Him. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18[xxxviii]) (1 Corinthians 15:41-44[xxxix]; 51-54[xl] )(Revelation 20:1a, 3, 6[xli])


11. Israel – We believe in the literal fulfillment of the prophecies and promises of the Scriptures, which foretell and assure the future regeneration and restoration of Israel as a nation. (Micah 4:6-8[xlii]) Romans 11:25-27[xliii])


12. Bodily Resurrection – We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust, the everlasting blessedness of the saved and the everlasting punishment of the lost. (1 Corinthians 15:50-52[xliv])

 
13. Scriptural Ordinances – We believe that the scriptural ordinances of the church are Baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Supper, that they are to be administered to believers only as a symbol of the believer's faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and as a testimony to the world of that belief and of their death, burial and resurrection with Him; and that the Lord’s Supper should be partaken by believers only to show forth His death, “till He come.” (Acts 8:36[xlv])(Acts 16:33[xlvi])(1 Corinthians 11:23-26[xlvii])

 
14. The Church – We believe that the visible church is a congregation of baptized believers practicing the New Testament principles, believing its doctrines, observing its ordinances and exercising its autonomy. We believe it is the responsibility of the local church to propagate the Gospel to the world. (Acts 2:41-47[xlviii])

 
15. The Devil, or Satan - We believe in the reality of Satan, created by God, but who by his own pride and rebellion became the enemy of God. We believe that Satan is "the god of this age; the prince of the power of the air" who is full of all subtlety and mischief, who seeks continually to frustrate the purposes of God and ensnare the sons of man. We believe that the works and end of Satan are clearly taught in the Word of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4[xlix])(Jude 1:9[l])(Revelation 20:10[li])

 
16. Present Trends in Doctrine & Practice – We believe that the church is called to glorify God through the preaching and the teaching of the whole Word of God, the Bible. Here the church is also exhorted to earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints, and accordingly, we take the following positions:

Neo-Orthodoxy – This theological persuasion is a futile attempt to reconcile, “The higher scientific Biblical criticism with the true Biblical interpretation.” Such an appeal to Biblical revelation is based on half-truths and as such is false and deceptive. We utterly reject this method and position.

Neo-Evangelicalism – This movement, while claiming to be fundamental in theology, has actually compromised the underlying principles of the Christian Faith. It questions inspiration and literal interpretation; it accepts liberals as Christians, takes a new attitude toward the ecumenical movement, promotes ecumenical evangelism, denies both ethical and ecclesiastical separation, restructures eschatology and over stresses the social aspects of the Gospel. We hold this stand to be un-Scriptural.

Ecumenical Movement – The attempt to unite the different faiths today on the basis of the least common denominator of doctrine is a betrayal of the unity of believers based upon sound doctrine of the historic Christian Faith. Its dialogue with other religions is dialectical. Its method of operation is subversive and shows a tendency to totalitarianism. Its concept of an ecclesiastical kingdom is not supported by Scripture. We reject all cooperation with this movement.

Contemporary Christian Music (CCM): We believe that worshipful music must be centered on Jesus Christ and what he accomplished for mankind, and should be objective and didactic in nature. We reject new style music that would tend to focus on self or declared contemporary manifestations of the Holy Spirit or sung in a repetitious manner. We believe that rock style music is music of the world and the natural musical expression of rebellion. We further believe that the use of this style of music opens doors to both Neo-evangelicalism and Charismaticism, all of which detracts from the polity, practice and doctrine of Historic Baptist Churches.

The Tongues Movement – We believe that the gift of tongues was given as a sign to Israel and like the gifts of apostleship and prophecy, which were for the founding of the church, is therefore not being given today. While we recognize that God may give any gift to the church at any time, we believe that the current resurgence of the practice of tongues, which is not Scripturally regulated and which is usually divisive, is not the Scriptural gift. We, therefore, urge that members base their experiences on the written Word of God, seek to use the more important gifts, and cultivate Christ-likeness, none of which requires the use of genuine or spurious tongues. The church will not accept nor tolerate a staff member who practices or encourages the speaking of tongues. (Acts 20:29-31[lii])(1 Corinthians 14:19[liii])(Jude 1[liv])

Sanctity of Life - We believe that God is the Creator and Sustainer of all human life, therefore all mankind has purpose; that God has made us in His image, therefore all mankind has intrinsic value; that God is the Sovereign Lord of life, therefore all mankind has the inherent right of life from conception to natural death. We believe that abortion, murder, suicide, and euthanasia are sinful. (Genesis 1:26; 9:6; Exodus 20:13; Job 1:21; 3:16; Psalm 51:5; 139:13-18; Isaiah 44:24; Jeremiah 1:5; Luke 1:44; Acts 17:24-28)

The Family and Sexuality - We believe that God has ordained marriage and the family; that marriage is one man and one woman lawfully joined together for life; that divorce is not the plan of God, but that marriage is to continue until death. For the protection of society and the family, God commands that sexual relations are only lawful between a husband and wife in the bonds of marriage; therefore adultery, homosexuality, and fornication are sinful. Realizing many individuals have violated God’s standard, we desire to reach out to them and help them find deliverance and freedom from sin through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. (Genesis 2:24; 19:5-7,13; 26:8-11; Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans 1:26-29; I Corinthians 5:1; 6:9; I Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4; Leviticus 18:22; Matthew 19:3-9; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

Gender Distinctions - We believe that God views men and women equal in importance, but distinct in roles; that the spiritual leadership and offices of pastor and deacon are limited to qualified men. (Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:18-23; 1 Timothy 2:12; 3:2, 12)

Separation and Co-operation - We believe that fellowship is to be based upon obedience to the Word of God; therefore, we must separate from all churches and movements that deviate from the Scriptures. We do seek to co-operate with Bible-believing churches of like faith and order.(Psalm 133:1-3; Amos 3:3; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; 1John1:6, 7; Jude 3)

Supporting Scriptures
 


[i] PSA 12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. 7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.

[ii] 2TI 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

[iii] 2PE 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

[iv] GEN 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

[v] MAT 3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17 and lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

[vi] JOH 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

[vii] COL 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

[viii] REV 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

[ix] ISA 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

[x] LUK 1:26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

[xi] 2CO 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

[xii] JOH 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

[xiii] 1CO 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

[xiv] 1CO 1:12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. 13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

[xv] EPH 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

[xvi] GAL 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

[xvii] GEN 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

[xviii] GEN 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

[xix] ROM 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

[xx] 1CO 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

[xxi] 1PE 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

[xxii] 1CO 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

[xxiii] HEB 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

[xxiv] GAL 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

[xxv] ACT 20:20 And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, 21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

[xxvi] JOH 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

[xxvii] 2CO 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

[xxviii] EPH 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

[xxix] JOH 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

[xxx] ROM 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

[xxxi] PHI 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

[xxxii] 1JO 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

[xxxiii] JUD 1:1 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:

[xxxiv] 1CO 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

[xxxv] JOH 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

[xxxvi] HEB 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

[xxxvii] JUD 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

[xxxviii] 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

[xxxix] 1 CO 15:41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: 43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

[xl] 1CO 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

[xli] REV 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven ….. 3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

[xlii] MIC 4:6 In that day, saith the LORD, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted; 7 And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever.

8 And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem.

[xliii] ROM 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

[xliv] 1CO 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

[xlv] ACT 8:36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?

[xlvi] ACT 16:33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.

[xlvii] 1CO 11:23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.

[xlviii] ACT 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. 42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. 44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. 46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, 47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

[xlix] 2CO 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

[l] JUD 1:9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

[li] REV 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

[lii] ACT 20:29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

[liii] 1CO 14:19 Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.

[liv] JUD 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
Share by: