ARTICLES OF FAITH

I. Of the Scriptures, or Holy Bible

We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men who were supernaturally inspired; that it is truth without any admixture of error for its matter; and therefore, is and shall remain to the end of the age the only complete and final revelation of the will of God to man, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard and final authority by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried. By the “Holy Bible” we mean that the collection of sixty-six books from Genesis to Revelation, which as originally written not only contains and conveys the Word of God, but IS the very Word of God. We believe the Holy Bible as it appears in the English language is the Authorized (King James) Version, based on the Received Text. We believe this Holy Bible is the product of God’s watchful hand of preservation. By “inspiration” we mean that the books of the Holy Bible were spoken first by holy men of old, as they were moved by the Holy Spirit in such a definite way that their writings were supernaturally, verbally, and plenarily inspired and free from error, infallible, inerrant, as no other writings have ever been or will ever be inspired. (Psalm 19:7-11; 119:89, 105, 130, 160; Proverbs 30:5-6; Isaiah 8:20; Luke 16:31; 24:25-27, 44-45; John 5:39, 45-47; 12:48; 17-17; Acts 1:16; 28:25; Romans 3:4-7; 15:4; Ephesians 6:17; II Timothy 3:16-17; I Peter 1:21, 23; II Peter 1:19-21; Revelation 22:19)

II. Of the One True God

We believe that there is one, and only one, living and true God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth, inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three Persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, equal in every divine perfection and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. (Genesis 17:1: Exodus 15:11: 20:2-3; Psalm 83:18; 90:2; 147:5; Jeremiah 10:10; Matthew 28:19; Mark 12:30; John 4:24; 10:30; 15:26; 17:5; Acts 5:3-4; Romans 11:33; Ephesians 2:18; 4:6; Philippians 2:5-6; I Corinthians 2:10-11; 8:6; 12:4-6; II Corinthians 13:14; I Timothy 1:17; I John 5:7; Revelation 4:11)

III. Of God the Son, or the Lord Jesus Christ

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is and ever shall be God the Son manifested in time and in the flesh for the purpose of redemption; that He did in Himself by one sacrifice for sin put away sin; that He literally and bodily arose from the dead on the third day and is now seated at the right hand of the Father as the Advocate and Mediator for man. We believe that He was begotten by the Father, conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of Mary, a virgin, in the sense that no man before or since was born or could be born; and that in Him all the attributes of God are fully manifested. (Luke 1:30-35; John 1:1-5, 14; Galatians 4:4-5; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Hebrews 9:24-26; 1 John 1-2)

IV. Of God the Holy Ghost, or Holy Spirit

We believe that God the Holy Ghost is a divine-Person, equal with God the Father and God the Son, and of the same nature; that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains Satan until God’s purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of judgment, and of righteousness; that He bears witness to the truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the New Birth; that He seals, endues, indwells, empowers, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies, comforts, convicts, fills and helps the born-again believer. (Genesis 1:1-3; Matthew 3:11; 29:19; Mark 1:8; Luke 1; 35; 3:16; 24:29; John 1:33; 3:5,6; 14:16-17, 26; 15:26-27; 16:8-11, 13; Acts 5:30-32; 11:16; Romans 8:14; 16; 26-27; Ephesians 1:13-14; II Thessalonians 2:17, 13; Hebrews 9:14; I Peter 1:2)

V. Of Satan, or the Devil

We believe that Satan was once holy and enjoyed heavenly honors, but through pride and ambition to be above the One True God, fell and drew after him a host of angels; that he is now the malignant prince of the power of the air, and the unholy god of this world. We hold him to be man’s great tempter, the enemy of God and His Christ, the accuser of the saints, the author of all false religions, the chief power behind the present apostasy, the lord of the Anti-Christ, and the author of all the powers of darkness — destined, however, for final defeat at the hand of God’s own Son, and for the judgment of eternal justice in the lake of fire, prepared for him and his angels. (Isaiah 14:12; Ezekiel 28:14-17; Matthew 4:1-3; 13:25; 2541; Mark 13:21-33; Luke 22:3-4; John 14:30; II Corinthians 11:13-15; Ephesians 2:2; I Thessalonians 3:5; II Thessalonians 2:8-11; I Peter 5:8; II Peter 2:4; I John 2:22: 3:8; 4:3; II John7; Jude6; Revelation 2:2; 12:7-10; 13:13-14; 19:11; 16:20; 20:1-3, 10)

VI. Of Creation and Origins

We believe in the Biblical account of creation, and that it is to be literally accepted, not allegorically or figuratively; that man was created directly in God’s own image and after His own likeness; that man’s creation was not a matter of evolution or evolutionary process of change in species, or development through interminable periods of time from lower to higher life forms; that all animal and vegetable life was directly created, not subject to evolutionary processes and God’s established law was that they should bring forth only “after their kind.” (Genesis 1:24, 26-27; 2:21-23; Exodus 20:11; Nehemiah 9:6; Jeremiah 10:12; John 1:3: Acts 4:24; 17:23-26; Romans 1:20; Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 11:3; Revelation 10:6)

VII. Of the Fall of Man

We believe that the first man Adam was created in innocence under the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy state, and all men sinned in him, in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners and are totally depraved, are partakers of Adam’s fallen nature and conduct, not by constraint but by choice, and are therefore under just condemnation without defense or excuse. (Genesis 3:1-6; Ezekiel 18:19-20; Romans 1:18, 20, 28,32; 3:10-19; 5:12,19; Galatians 3:22; Ephesians 2:1, 3)

VIII. Of the Atonement for Sin

We believe that the salvation of sinners is divinely initiated and wholly of grace through the mediatorial offices of God the Son, Who, by appointment of God the Father, freely took upon Himself our nature, yet without sin, honored the divine law by His personal obedience in His death on the cross, and by the shedding of His blood made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins, fully satisfying the just demands of a holy and righteous God regarding sin; that His atonement consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was the voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place, the Just dying for the unjust, the Lord Jesus Christ, bearing our sins in His own body on the cross; that, having risen as the First fruits from the dead, He is now enthroned in Heaven and has united in His wonderful Person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection; that He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, compassionate, and all-sufficient Saviour. (Isaiah 53:4-7, 11-12; Matthew 18:11; John 3:l6; 10:18; Acts 15:11; Romans 3:24-25; I Corinthians 15:3, 20; II Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 1:4; Ephesians 2:8-9; Philippians 2:7-8; I Peter 2:24; 3:18: Hebrews 2:14; 7:25; 9:12-15: 12:2; I John 2:2; 4:10)

IX. Of Repentance and Faith

We believe that repentance and faith are solemn obligations and inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the quickening of the Holy Ghost, thereby being deeply convicted of our guilt, danger, and helplessness, and of the way of salvation by the Lord Jesus Christ, we turn to God with unfeigned contrition, confession, and supplication for mercy, at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ and openly confessing Him as our only and all-sufficient Saviour. (Isaiah 55:6-7; Psalm 51:1-4, 7; Mark 1:15; Luke 12:8; 13:3; 18:13; Acts 17:30-31; 20:21; Romans 2:4; 10:9-11, 13; II Corinthians 7:9-11)

X. Of Grace and the New Birth

We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth results in a new creature in the Lord Jesus Christ; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth, the one dead in trespasses and sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God; that the new birth is brought about in a manner beyond our comprehension, not by culture, not by character, nor by the will of man, but solely by the power of the Holy Ghost in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the Gospel; that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance, faith, and newness of life. (Luke 5:27; John 1:12-13: 3:3, 6-7; Acts 2:41; Romans 6:23;II Corinthians 5:17, 19; Galatians 5:22; Ephesians 2:1; 5:9; Colossians 2:13; II Peter 1:4; I John 5:1)

XI. Of the Freeness of Salvation

We believe in God’s electing grace; that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the Gospel; that it is the immediate duty of all to accept them by a cordial, penitent, and obedient faith; that nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but his own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the Gospel, which rejection involves him in an aggravated condemnation. (Isaiah 55:1, 6-7; Matthew 11:28; John 3:15-16, 18, 36, 5:40; 6:37; Romans 8:29-30; 10:13; I Corinthians 15:10; Ephesians 2:4; Colossians 3:12; I Thessalonians 1:4; I Timothy 1:15; Titus 1:1; I Peter 1:2; Revelation 22:17)

XII. Of Justification

We believe that the great Gospel blessing which the Lord Jesus Christ secures to such as believe in Him is justification, which is that judicial act of God whereby He declares the believer righteous; that justification includes the pardon of sin and the gift of eternal life on principles of holy righteousness; that it is bestowed not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ as Redeemer, which imputes His righteousness unto us. (Isaiah 53:11; Habakkuk 2:4: Zechariah 13:1 Acts 13:39; Romans 1:17; 4:1-8; 5:1, 9; Galatians 3:11; Titus 3:5-7; Hebrews 10:38)

XIII. Of Sanctification

We believe that sanctification is the divine setting apart of the believer solely unto God accomplished as an eternal act of God, based upon redemption in the Lord Jesus Christ, establishing the believer in a position of holiness at the moment of salvation; a continuing process in the believer as the Holy Ghost applies the Holy Bible to the believer’s life; as a final accomplishment upon the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. (John 17:17; I Corinthians 1:30; II Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 5:25-27; I Thessalonians 4:3-4; 5:23-24; Hebrews 3:1;10:10-14; I John 3:2; Jude 24-25; Revelation 22:11)

XIV. Of Eternal Security

We believe that the new birth is a one-time event even as physical birth is a one-time event. Eternal life is the result of being born into an eternal family. The words “eternal,” “everlasting,” and “forever” are used to describe our redemption, our life with God, and how long the Holy Ghost abides in us. Because 5 our salvation is entirely God’s work, and our keeping is entirely God’s work, we can have full assurance and confidence that nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in our Lord Jesus Christ. (Psalm 121:3; Matthew 13:19-23; John 1:12; 3:7, 8:31-32; 10:27-29; 14:16: Acts 15:11; Romans 4:4-5; 8:28-29, 35, 39; Ephesians 2: 8-9; Philippians 1:6, Colossians 1:21-23; II Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 1:14; 9:12; I Peter 1:3-5; I John 2:19)

XV. Of the Righteous and the Wicked

We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous in the Lord Jesus Christ and the wicked who are outside of the Lord Jesus Christ; that such only as are through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and are sanctified by the Holy Spirit of God, are truly righteous in His esteem, while all those who continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked and under the curse of sin; that this distinction holds among men both in life and after death, the everlasting bliss of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost in the lake of fire. (Proverbs 11:31; 14:32; Malachi 3:18; Matthew 7:13-14; 25:34; Luke 9:26; 16:25; John 8:21; 12:25; Acts 10:34-35; Romans 1:17; 6:16-18; 23; 7: 6; I Corinthians 15:22; Galatians 3:10; I Peter 1:18; I John 2:7; 29; 5:19; Revelation 20:14-15)

XVI. Of Missions, or the Great Commission

We believe that the command to preach the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to the world is clear and unmistakable, and this commission was given to the church, the local visible body of Christ. Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; Romans 10:13-15 XVII. Of the Resurrection and Imminent Return of the Lord Jesus Christ We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ rose bodily from the dead on the third day according to the Scriptures; that He alone is our merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God; that He ascended bodily and visibly into Heaven; that He will call His church unto Himself before the Tribulation; that He will return in glory in a personal, physical, and visible way; that He shall rule and reign for one thousand years in all righteousness until He has put all enemies under His feet; that He is the eternal God. (Psalm 72:8; Isaiah 11:4-5; Matthew 24:27, 42; 28:6-71 Mark 16:6, 19; Luke l: 32; 24:2; 4-6, 39, 51; John 20:27; Act 1:9; 11; I Corinthians 15:4, 25, 42- 44, 51-53; Philippians 3:20-21; I Thessalonians 4.13-18; I Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 2:17; 5:9-10;8:1, 6; 9: 28 12:2; I John 2:1; Revelation 3:10, 21; 20:1-4, 6)

XVIII. Of the Local Church

We believe that the local Baptist church is a congregation of baptized believers associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges given them by His Word; that its officers are pastors and deacons, whose qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures. We believe the true mission of the church is found in the Great Commission; that the local church has the absolute right of self-government, free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; that the only true superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit; that it is scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel; that every church is the sole and only judge of the measure and methods of its cooperation; that on all matters of membership, of policy, of self-government, of discipline, of benevolence, that the will of the local church is final. We believe in the unity of all believers in the local church, which is the Body of Christ. We believe that believers should not take civil actions against fellow believers, but rather that a procedure of reconciliation and arbitration under the authority of the local church be the means of redress. (Matthew 28: 19-20: Acts 2:41-42; 6:5-6; 14:23; 15:22-23; 20:17-28; I Corinthians 5:11-13; 6:1-3; 11:2; 12:4, 8-13, 16:1-2: II Corinthians 8:23-24; Ephesians 1:22-23; 3:1-6, 4:11; 5:23-24; Colossians 1:18; I Timothy 3:1-15; I Peter 5:1-4; Jude 3-4)

XIX. Of Baptism by Immersion and the Lord’s Supper

We believe that Christian baptism is the single immersion of the believer in water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, performed under the authority of the local church; that it shows forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Saviour. Baptism pictures our death to sin, our placement into Christ, and our resurrection in Him to a new life; that it is the prerequisite to the privileges of church membership and participation in the Lord’s Supper. We believe that the Lord’s Supper commemorates the death of our Lord Jesus Christ, the unleavened bread representing His body that was broken for us, and the unleavened grape juice representing His blood that was shed for us, and participated under the authority of the local church. Before partaking of these elements, each person should solemnly examine oneself under the light and authority of the Scripture. (Matthew 3:6, 16; 28:18-20; Acts 2:41-42; 8:36-39; 10:47; 16:15, 30-33; Romans 6:3-5; I Corinthians 11:23-34; Colossians 2:12)

XX. Of the Grace of Giving

We believe in scriptural giving which means the tithes and offerings to the local church in a systematic and faithful manner according to what God has provided; the amount of our scriptural giving is a gauge of our love for God, a measure of faith in His Word, and a revealer of our commitment to fulfilling the Great Commission. Scriptural giving is done cheerfully, glorifies and honors God, and provides an avenue for God to bless us now and in the future; that lack of scriptural giving results in chastisement and spiritual poverty. (Proverbs 3:9-10; 11:25; Haggai 1:6; Malachi 3:8-10; Matthew 6:21, 31-33; Luke 6:38; I Corinthians 15:58; 16:2,II Corinthians 8:7-8, 11-12: 9:6-7, 13; Galatians 6:7; Philippians 4:19)

XXI. Of Civil Government

We believe that civil government is of divine appointment, for the interests and good order of human society; that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed, with the exception only of things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only Lord of the conscience and the coming King of the kings of the earth. (Exodus 18:21-22; II Samuel 23:3; Psalm 72:11; Daniel 3:17-18; Matthew 10:28; 22:21; 23:10; Acts 4:19-20; 5:29; 23:5; Romans 13:1-7; Philippians 2:10- 11; Titus 3:1; I Peter 2:17)

XXII. Of Israel

We believe in the sovereign selection of Israel as God’s eternal covenant people, that she is now dispersed because of her disobedience and rejection of Christ, and that she will be re-gathered in the Holy Land; and, after completion of the church, will be saved as a nation at the second coming of Christ. We believe that Israel is not the church, nor is she the spiritual church of the Old Testament. We believe that Jews and Gentiles alike must be saved by grace through faith. (Genesis 13:14-17; Ezekiel 37:1-28; Romans 1:16; 10:12-13; 11:1-32)

XXIII. Of Separation

We believe in obedience to the Biblical commands to separate ourselves unto God from worldliness, ecclesiastical apostasy in all its forms and practices, not limited to the charismatic movement, ecumenicalism, New Age movement, neo-evangelicalism, the National Council of Churches, the World Council of Churches, any syncretistic philosophy, and those who would endorse or associate with these. We believe that we should separate from any secret societies and orders which would require any loyalty other than to the Lord Jesus Christ and His will. (Matthew 6:24: Romans 16:17; I Corinthians l3: 8-13; II Corinthians 6:14; 7:1; I Thessalonians 1:9-10; 1 Timothy 6:3-5; .I John 9-11)

XXIV. Of Marriage and the Family

We believe in the sanctity and divine origination of marriage as being a lifelong, covenantal relationship between one man and one woman; that children are to be raised in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; that the rearing of children is the responsibility of the family, including the spiritual, educational, social, emotional, and material needs. (Genesis 2:22-24; Matthew 19:4-6; I Corinthians 11:3-9; Ephesians 5:21-33; 6:1-4; Colossians 5:18-22; Proverbs 22:6)

A. We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex. (Gen. 2:24; Gen. 19:5, 13; Gen. 26:8-9; Lev. 18:1-30; Rom 1: 26-29; 1 Cor. 5:1; 6:9; 1 Thess. 4:1-8; Heb. 13:4)

B. We believe that God hates divorce and never intended for it and intends marriage to last until one of the spouses dies. However; God did allow Moses to make a provision for it, based on the hardness of man’s heart. Divorce and remarriage is regarded as adultery except on the grounds of fornication. Although divorced and remarried persons or divorced persons may hold positions of service in the church and be greatly used of God for Christian service, they may not be considered for the offices of pastor or deacon. (Matt. 19:3-12;Mark 10:1-12 Rom. 7:1-3; 1 Tim. 3:2, 12; Titus 1:6)

C. We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being. Abortion constitutes the unjustified, un-excused taking of unborn human life. Abortion is murder. We reject any teaching that abortions of pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, birth or population control, or the mental well-being of the mother are acceptable. (Job 3:16; Psalms 51:5; 139:14-16: Isa. 44:24; 49:1, 5; Jer. 1:5; 20:15-18; Luke 1:44)

XXV. Lawsuits Between Believers

We believe that Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against other Christians or the church to resolve personal disputes. We believe the church possesses all the resources necessary to resolve personal disputes between members. We do believe, however, that a Christian may seek compensation for injuries from another Christian’s insurance company as long as the claim is pursued without malice or slander. (Matt 18:15,16; 1 Cor. 6:1-8; Eph. 4:31-32)