The following is a summary of our Articles of Faith:
I. The Scriptures
The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by the inspiration of God and are the only sufficient, certain, and authoritative rule of all saving knowledge, faith and obedience. The Scriptures are infallible, inerrant and the absolute final authority of God.
II. God
There is but one God, the Maker, Preserver and Ruler of all things, having in and of Himself, all perfections, and being infinite in them all; and to Him all creatures owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience.
III. The Trinity
God is revealed to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, each with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence or being.
IV. Providence
God, from eternity, decrees or permits all things that come to pass, and perpetually upholds, directs and governs all creatures and all events; yet so as not in any way to be the author or approver of sin nor to destroy the moral responsibility of intelligent creatures.
V. Election
Election is God’s choosing of His people before the foundation of the world according to His foreknowledge and His will by the sanctifying work of the Spirit to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood for the praise and glory of His grace.
VI. The Fall of Man
God originally created man in His own image, and free from sin; but through the temptation by Satan, he transgressed the command of God, and fell from his original holiness and righteousness; whereby his posterity inherit a nature corrupt and wholly opposed to God and His law, are under condemnation, and as soon as they are capable of moral action, become actual transgressors.
VII. The Mediator
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is the divinely appointed mediator between God and man. Having taken upon Himself human nature, yet without sin, He perfectly fulfilled the law, suffered and died upon the cross for the salvation of sinners. He was buried, and rose again on the third day, and ascended to His Father, at whose right hand He ever lives to make intercession for His people. He is the only Mediator, the Prophet, Priest, and King of the Church, and Sovereign of the Universe.
VIII. Regeneration
Regeneration is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit, who quickens the dead in trespasses and sins, enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the Word of God, and renewing their whole nature, so that they love and practice holiness. It is a work of God’s free and special grace alone.
IX. Repentance
Repentance is a gift of God, wherein a person being, by the Holy Spirit, made sensible of the wickedness of his sin, humbles himself for it, with godly sorrow, he detests and hates it, with a purpose and endeavor to walk before God so as to please Him in all things.
X. Faith
Saving faith is the belief on God’s authority, or whatsoever is revealed in His Word concerning Christ, accepting and resting upon Him alone for justification and eternal life. It is wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit, and is accompanied by all other saving graces, and leads to a life of holiness.
XI. Justification
Justification is God’s gracious and full acquittal of sinners who believe in Christ. Through the satisfaction that Christ has made, all who believe in Him are freely forgiven of all sin. This is not because of anything accomplished in them or done by them, but on account of the obedience and satisfaction of Christ; they receiving and resting upon Him and His righteousness by faith.
XII. Sanctification
Those who have been regenerated are also sanctified by God’s Word and Spirit dwelling in them. This sanctification is progressive through the supply of divine strength, which all saints seek to obtain, pressing after a heavenly life in full obedience to all Christ’s commands.
XIII. Perseverance of the Saints
Those whom God has accepted in the Beloved, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere to the end. Though they may fall, through neglect and temptation, into sin, whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, bring reproach on the Church, and physical judgments on themselves, yet they shall be renewed again unto repentance, and be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.
XIV. The Church
The Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church, which is composed of all His true disciples, and in Him is invested supremely all power for its government. According to His commandment, Christians are to associate themselves into churches, and to each of these churches He has given needful authority for administering that order, discipline and worship which He has appointed.
XV. Baptism
Baptism is an ordinance of the Lord Jesus, mandatory for every believer, wherein he is immersed in water in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, as a sign of his fellowship with the death and resurrection of Christ, of remission of sins, and of giving himself up to God, to live and walk in newness of life. It is prerequisite to church membership.
XVI. The Lord’s Supper
The Lord’s Supper is an ordinance of Jesus Christ, to be administered with the elements of bread and the fruit of the vine, and to be observed by His churches till the end of the world. It is in no sense a sacrifice, but is designed to commemorate His death, to confirm faith and other graces of Christians, and to be a bond, pledge and renewal of their communion with Him, and of their church fellowship.
XVII. The Lord’s Day
The Lord’s Day is a Christian institution for regular observance, and should be employed in exercises of worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private.
XVIII. The Resurrection
The bodies of men after death return to dust, but their spirits return immediately to God–the righteous to rest with Him; the wicked to be reserved under darkness to the judgment. At the last day, the bodies of all the dead, both just and unjust, will be raised.
XIX. The Judgment
God has appointed a day, wherein He will judge the world by Jesus Christ, when everyone shall receive according to his deeds–the wicked shall go into everlasting punishment; the righteous, into everlasting life.