Statement of Faith

***Article III:  Articles of Faith***

Article III, Section 1:  THE SCRIPTURES

We believe the Bible, which is verbally inspired by the Holy Spirit in the original manuscripts is the infallible word of God.  This means miraculous guidance of the Holy Spirit in their writing, extending to all parts of the Scriptures equally, applying even to the choice of words, so that the results are the very word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice.

Reference:  II Timothy 3: 16-17; II Peter 1:20-21;   Matthew 5:18;   Matthew 24:35; and  I Peter 1:25.

 Article III, Section 2, Part A:  THE GODHEAD

We believe in one God, a triune Godhead in three persons:  the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Reference:  Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; II Corinthians 13:14; Isaiah 57:15;and Colossians 1:16.

 Article III, Section 2, Part B: THE FATHER

We believe that, in love, God the Father concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He orders all things according to His Sovereign purpose.

Reference:  John 3:16; Psalms 19; Ephesians 1:18-19; Genesis 1:1; John 13:3;and Psalms 90:2.

 Article III, Section 2, Part C:  THE SON

We believe in the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son of God who became man without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.  He was sinless in life, the revelation of God to man.

We believe in His substitutionary death on the cross to redeem us from our sins in His physical bodily resurrection; in His rising and exaltation to the right hand of the Father where He lives to make intercession for His own; in His personal pre-tribulation and pre-millennial return to receive His own unto Himself; and in His subsequent return to Earth, where He will rule with His Saints in His kingdom.

Reference:  John 1:1, 14; Luke 1:35; Romans 3:24-25; I Peter 2:24; Ephesians 1:17; Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 9:14; I John 2:1-2; Revelation 19:11-16; and Revelation 20:1-6.

Article III, Section 2, Part D:  THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe in the person and work of the Holy Spirit who came to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgement; that He regenerates and baptizes all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealingthem unto the day of redemption; that He is the believer’s guide, power, teacher, and companion.

Reference:  John 16:7-11, 13; I Corinthians 12:12-14; Ephesians 1:13-14; Ephesians 5:18; Romans 8:1-4, 9; John 1:11-13; and John 3:3-8.

 Article III, Section 3:  SATAN

We believe in the personality of Satan, called the Devil, and his present control over un-regenerated mankind.

Reference: Matthew 4:2-11; Revelation 20:10; Ephesians 2:2; and II Corinthians 4:3-4.

 Article III, Section 4, Part A:  CREATION OF MAN

We believe man was created by God, in the image and likeness of God.

Reference:  Genesis 1:26-27; and Romans 5:12.

 Article III, Section 4, Part B:  FALL OF MAN

We believe in the fall and lost estate of man, whose total depravity makes necessary the new birth, through Jesus Christ.

Reference:  Genesis 3:13, 16-17.

Article III, Section 4, Part C:  REDEMPTION OF MAN

We believe that men are justified by faith alone and are accounted righteous before God only through the merit of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Reference:  Acts 4:12; John 10:17-18; and Hebrews 2:9.

Article III, Section 4, Part D:  SALVATION OF MAN

We believe salvation is God’s gift of grace to man, received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ who shed His precious blood on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins and who was raised again to newness of life, which is eternal and is shared with His believers.

Reference:  Romans 6:23; Ephesians 1:7; Ephesians 2:8-10; I Peter 1:18-19;John 10:27-30; I John 5:11-13; and Romans 6:4-11.

Article III, Section 4, Part E:  ETERNAL LIFE

We believe in the visible, pre-millennial personal return of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the establishment of a world-wide kingdom of righteousness and peace with the redeemed.

Reference:  Luke 1:32-33; I Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 3:10-11;and Revelation 21:27.

We believe in the resurrection and everlasting, conscious blessedness of the saved in Heaven and in the resurrection and everlasting punishment of the unsaved in hell.

Reference:  Romans 14:10; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 19:20; and Revelation 20:12-15.

 Article III, Section 4, Part F:  SEPARATION FROM SIN

We believe that all the saved should live in a manner so as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord; and that separation unto God from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and associations is commanded in the Scriptures.

Reference:  II Timothy 3:1-5; Romans 12:1-2; Romans 14:13; 1 John 2:15-17; II John 1:9-11; II Corinthians 6:14-17; And II Corinthians 7:11.

We believe that we are being sanctified by the Holy Spirit and that we will be perfected when we die and meet Jesus Christ or when He returns to gather His Church to Himself.  Grace is not an excuse to sin and we will suffer the consequences if we choose to sin.

 Article III, Section 5, Part A:  CHURCH OF CHRIST

We believe that the Church is the Body and Bride of Christ, consisting only of those who are born again, for whom He now makes intercession in Heaven and for whom He shall come again.

Reference:   Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 5:25-27; I Corinthians 12:12-14; and II Corinthians 11:2.

 Article III, Section 5, Part B:  LOCAL CHURCH

We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament.

Reference:  Acts 14:27; Acts 20:17, 28-32; I Timothy 3:13; and Titus 1:5-11.

Article III, Section 6:  MISSIONS

We believe Christ’s great commission to the Church, to go into all of the world and preach the Gospel to every person, is the supreme responsibility of the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Reference:  Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8; and II Corinthians 5:19-20.

Article III, Section 7, Part A:  BAPTISM

We believe that baptism by water is the symbol of one’s union by faith with Christ in death, burial, and resurrection, and constitutes the public confession of these spiritual realities to the world and is the answer of a good conscience toward God.  Baptism is therefore to be administered by immersion to those who have been born again by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and who give evidence of the genuineness of their salvation.

Reference:  Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38-41; Acts 8:36-39; Romans 6:3-5; and Colossians 2:12.

 Article III, Section 7, Part B:  THE LORD’S SUPPER

Item 1)     The Lord’s Supper, also called Communion, was instituted by Christ Himself on the night of His betrayal.  We believe that it is as a memorial of Christ’s death, a center of communion and fellowship, a testimony to saving faith, and a visible seal of Christ’s redemptive covenant.  It is observed only by the children of God and consists in partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, which symbolizes the death of Christ for the remission of our sins and continual dependence upon Him for life and sustenance until He comes again.  While the Lord’s Supper is open to all true believers regardless of denomination, each one is strongly exhorted to examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup.

Reference:  Matthew 26:26-30; I Corinthians 10:16; and I Corinthians 11:23-30

Item 2)     Communion shall be held on the first Sunday of each month, the Thursday before Easter and may be held at any other time at the discretion of the Pastor.

 Article III, Section 7, Part C:  DEDICATION OF CHILDREN

We believe that the Scriptures teach the divine concern for the well-being of little children and their commitment to God.  Children and/or custodial wards of members in good standing will be formally dedicated in a public service of the Church.

Reference:  I Samuel 1:22-28; and Matthew 19:13-15