Statements of Faith

The Scriptures

Without apology and without hesitation, we believe that the God who inspired the Scriptures is powerful enough to preserve them in the manner for which He intended us to have them. We believe that the providential preservation of the New Testament concentrated itself on the Greek text within the sphere of the Greek church through Antioch of Syria; and that the text of the majority of manuscripts from that area are the providentially preserved and Authorized text; in fact, the text of the majority is the standard text. This is the Textus Receptus of the Syrian (Byzantine) extraction coming to the English speaking people through the Reformation of the Balkans and Germany. The final and outstanding representative of this text is the AUTHORIZED VERSION of 1611, otherwise known as the King James Bible, which represents a purified, neutral text, without proven error [Beza's fifth edition with improvements over Erasmus] (Psalm 12:6-7; 2Tim. 3:16 and 2Pet. 1:21).

The Nature of God

We believe the only true and living God is a Triune God, eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent, the Ruler of all things. He has been revealed to man only through the Son, the Word made flesh. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God, equally divine and eternal with the Father, and is also the Son of Man, truly human, but without sin. The Holy Spirit is a person, one with the Father and Son in the Godhead, whose work it is to glorify God in Christ, convicting men and regenerating those who believe on Him, and, there is no other name given among men whereby we can be saved (1Tim. 2:4; 2Pet. 3:9; Gen. 1:1; Mt. 28:19; John 3:17-18, 10:30, 37-38; Rom. 5:10 and Acts 4:12).

The Work of Jesus Christ

We believe the eternal Son became flesh in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, born of the virgin Mary by miraculous conception and virgin birth. He lived a sinless life, perfectly fulfilling the divine law. He then offered Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of every man. He died on the Cross, shed His precious Blood, in full substitution and atonement for the sins of all men everywhere. He was buried, and on the third day He arose bodily from the grave, alive forevermore. He later ascended bodily into Heaven where, at the right hand of the Father, he now continually intercedes for those who put their trust in Him (Isa. 7:14; Mt. 1:23; Luke 1:35; Heb. 4:15, 7:26; John 2:11; 1Cor. 15:3; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14; Heb. 2:9, 9:12; John 11:25; 1Cor. 15:4; Mk. 1:19; Acts 1:11 and Rev. 19:11-16).

The Origin and Nature of Man

We believe all things were created and are sustained by God; man in particular was created for the purpose of mutual love and fellowship between him and his Creator. The Genesis account of creation is a true and historical record, revealing that man came by direct creation of God, not by a process of evolution. Though created in the image of God, man willfully sinned against God bringing sin and death into the world. Through Adam, all men have inherited a sin‑nature, evidenced by willful acts of sin; therefore, all men are guilty sinners under the just condemnation of a Holy God (Gen. 1:26-28; Gen. 5:1-2; Col. 1:16; Rom. 3:23; 1Cor. 3:16, 6:19-20; Eph. 4:40, 5:18 and Titus 3:5-7).

Salvation

We believe man is utterly unable to save himself from the power or penalty of sin. Each man must be saved wholly on the basis of the work Jesus Christ has done in dying for his sins and rising for his justification. This salvation is received instantly and appropriated by simple faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and personal Saviour. A true Christian is one who has been "saved" or "born again," being regenerated by the Holy Spirit through the gospel of Jesus Christ. The reality of this experience as well as one's personal assurance of salvation will be evidenced by a life characterized by Christ‑like motives and standards. Salvation thus includes deliverance from the penalty of sin, from the power of sin in one's life, and ultimately from the presence of sin (John 20:31, 3:36; 16; 18; 1:12; 1:29; Isa. 53:5; 1Pet. 2:24; Gal. 3:13; Gal. 3:22; Eph. 2:8-9; 1Tim. 2:5-6; 1Pet. 3:18; 2Cor. 5:21; Titus 3:5-6 and 1Cor 15:1-4, Rom. 10:9-13).

Resurrection of The Saved and The Lost

We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost: they who are saved are resurrected to eternal life in the presence of the Lord God Almighty, and the lost will be resurrected to eternal damnation (John 5:28-29).

The Institution of The Family

We believe that the family is the first God-given institution established in the Garden of Eden, and that God has given parents stewardship and primary authority over their own children (Deut. 6:4-9; Psa. 127:3-5; and Eph. 6:1-5). We believe that government is not responsible for the education or welfare of our families or our children; rather, it is the responsibility of government to reward good and punish evil judiciously (Rom. 13:1-4).

BAPTIST DISTINCTIVES and THE LOCAL NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH

A. We believe that the local (New Testament) church is a called-out assembly of Bible believing peoples, separated from the world system, to testify to the following “Baptist distinctives”:

[1] A Regenerate church membership.

[2] The autonomy and independence of the local church (i.e. Absolute freedom from any and all outside interference from state, government, other churches, other religious bodies, or other individuals).

[3] No infant baptism of any kind, for any reason.

[4] The eternal security of the believer.

[5] The priesthood of all believers.

B. We believe the local (New Testament) church should be engaged in three essential tasks:

[1] Glorifying the Saviour (Eph. 3:21).

[2] Edifying the saint (Eph. 4:11-12).

[3] Evangelizing the sinner (Mt. 28:19-20).

C. We believe, according to Acts 6:4, the Pastor of the local church should be engaged in two primary endeavors:

[1] Prayer.

[2] The ministry of the word.

D. We believe, Bible believers throughout the centuries have been marked by certain general characteristics. These general characteristics of a Biblical “called-out assembly” are as follows:

[1] The Pauline revelation is taken ahead of Matthew, Acts, and Hebrews as the standard by which Christian doctrines are to be judged.

[2] There is a freedom and liberty in the assembly which produces “joy” and “power”.

[3] There is a thirsting for heaven and the Second Coming of Christ that is never found in worldly assemblies.

[4] There is a toleration (not a promotion) of science and education, with no trust being put in the flesh.

[5] There is an absolute, unshakable belief in the power and authority of the Bible as the supreme authority and judge of all opinions of teachers, preachers, scholars, and religious leaders of any kind.

[6] Absolute rejection of infant baptism of any kind.

[7] Rejection of any form of religious ritual or “sacrament” as a means of obtaining salvation.

[8] An open, public testimony that without Jesus Christ Himself (not a cookie or wafer), there is no salvation for civilized heathen anymore than uncivilized heathen.

[9] A separation from the world and a non-conformity where “acceptable practices” are condoned by the world, that is interpreted by educators, scientists, and church leaders to be “hatred for humanity” or “heresy.”

[10] Opposition and persecution from the Roman Catholic institution, and from educators who profess to be “Christians.”