I. OF THE SCRIPTURES
We believe that the Holy Bible, as originally written, was verbally inspired and the product of Spirit-controlled men, and therefore, has truth without any admixture of error for its matter; and is, and shall remain to the end of the age, the true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds and opinions should be tried.
2 Tim. 3:16, 17; 2 Peter 1:19-20; Isa. 8:20; John 17:17.
(Explanatory)
A. By the HOLY BIBLE, we mean that collection of sixty-six books, from Genesis to Revelation, which, as originally written, does not contain and convey the Word of God, but IS the very Word of God.
B. By INSPIRATION we mean that the books of the Bible were written by Holy men of old, as they were moved by the Holy Spirit in such a definite way that their writings were supernaturally inspired and free from error, as no other writings have ever been or ever will be inspired.
II. OF THE 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, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. Ex. 20:2-3; I Cor. 8:6; Rev. 4:11; I Tim. 1:17; Mt. 28:19; II Cor. 13:14; Jn. 15:26; Phil. 2:5-6; Acts 5:3-4.
III. OF 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; that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of righteousness, and judgment; 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, baptizes, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the believer. Acts 5:3, 4; Jn. 14:16, 17; Mt. 28:19; Heb. 9:14; Gen. 1:1-3; 2 Thess. 2:7; Jn. 16:8-11; Acts 5:30-32; Jn. 3:5, 6; Eph. 1:13, 14; I Cor. 12:13; Luke 24:49; Jn. 16:13; Jn. 14:26; Rom. 8:16; 2 Thess. 2:13; Rom. 8:26, 27.
IV. OF THE DEVIL OR SATAN
We believe that Satan was once holy, and enjoyed heavenly honors, but that through pride and ambition to be as the Almighty, 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 back of the present apostasy; the Lord of the anti-Christ, and the author of all powers of darkness destined, however, to final defeat at the hands of God’s Son, and to the Judgment of an eternal justice in hell, a place prepared for him and his angels. Isa. 14:12-15; Ezek. 28:14-17; Rev. 12:9; Jude 6; II Peter 2:4; Eph. 2:2; I Thess. 3:5; I Peter 5:8; Matt. 13:25, 37-39; Rev. 12:10; II Cor. 11:13-15; Mark 13:21, 22; I Jn. 4:3; II Thess. 2:8-11; Rev. 19:11; 20:10; Matt. 25:41.
V. OF CREATION
We believe in the Genesis account of creation, and that it is to be accepted literally and 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 change of species, or development through interminable periods of time from lower to higher forms; that all animal and vegetable life was made directly and God’s established law was that they should bring forth only after their kind. Gen. 1:1; Ex. 20:11; Acts 4:24; Col. 1:16, 17; Heb. 11:3; Jn. 1:3; Rom. 1:20; Neh. 9:6; Gen. 1:26, 27; I Cor. 11:7; Gen. 2:7; Gen. 2:21-23; Gen. 1:11; Gen. 1:24.
VI. OF THE FALL OF MAN
We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy state in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, not only by constraint, but by choice; and therefore, under just condemnation without defense or excuse. Gen. 3:1-6; Rom. 5:12; Rom. 5:19; Rom. 3:10-19; Eph. 2:1, 3; Rom. 1:18; Rom. 1:32; Rom. 1:20; Rom. 1:28; Gal. 3:22.
VII. OF THE VIRGIN BIRTH
We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Ghost in a miraculous manner, born of Mary, a virgin as no other man was ever born or can ever be born of woman, and that He is both the Son of God, and God the Son. Gen. 3:15; Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18-25; Luke 1:35; John 1:14; Gal. 4:4.
VIII. OF THE ATONEMENT FOR SIN
We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace; through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God, who by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin, honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and by His death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins; that His atonement consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was a voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place, the Just dying for the unjust; Christ, the Lord, bearing our sins in His own body on the tree; that having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in Heaven, and uniting in His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection, He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate and an all-sufficient Savior. Eph. 2:8; Acts 15:11; Rom. 3:24; Jn. 3:16; Matt. 18:11; Phil. 2:7; Heb. 2:14; Isa. 53:4-7; Rom. 3:25; I Jn. 4:10; Cor. 15:3; II Cor. 5:21; I Peter 2:24; Heb. 9:12-15; Heb. 7:25.
IX. OF GRACE IN THE NEW CREATION
We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth the one dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension, not by culture, not by character, nor by the will of man, but wholly and solely by the power of the Holy Spirit 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 and faith and newness of life. Jn. 3:3; II Cor. 5:17; I Jn. 5:1; Jn. 3:6, 7; Acts 16:30-33; II Peter 1:4; Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:1; II Cor. 5:19; Col. 2:13; Jn. 3:8; Jn. 1:12, 13; Gal. 5:22; Eph. 5:9.
X. OF JUSTIFICATION
We believe that the great gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is Justification; that Justification includes the pardon of sin, and the gift of eternal life on principles of righteousness; that it is bestowed not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done; but solely through faith in the Redeemer’s blood, His righteousness is imputed unto us. Acts 13:39; Isa. 53:11; Zech. 13:1; Rom. 8:1; Rom. 5:9; Rom. 5:1; Titus 3:5-7.
XI. OF REPENTANCE AND FAITH
We believe that Repentance and Faith are solemn obligations, and also inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the quickening Spirit of God; thereby, being deeply convicted of our guilt, danger and helplessness, and the way of salvation by 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 Savior. Acts 20:21; Mk. 1:15; Acts 2:37-38; Luke 18:13; Rom. 10:13; Ps. 51; Isa. 55:6, 7; Luke 12:8; Rom. 10:9, 10.
XII. OF THE CHURCH
We believe that a church of Christ is a congregation of immersed believers associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in 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: First, to make individual disciples; Second, to build up the church; Third, to teach and instruct, as He has commanded. We do not believe in the reversal of this order. We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government, free from interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that the one and only 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 each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation; on all matters of membership, of policy, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final. Acts 2:41, 42; I Cor. 11:2; Eph. 1:22, 23; Eph. 4:11; Acts 14:23; Acts 6:1-6; Acts 20:17-28; I Tim. 3:1-13; Matt. 28:19, 20; Col. 1:18; Eph. 5:23, 24; Acts 20:17-28; I Tim. 3:1-13; Matt. 28:19, 20; Col. 1:18; Eph. 5:23, 24; I Pet. 5:1-4; Acts 15:22; II Cor. 8:23, 24; I Cor. 16:1; I Cor. 5:11-13.
XIII. OF BAPTISM AND THE LORD’S SUPPER
We believe that Christian Baptism is the immersion of a believer in the water to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried and risen Savior, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life, that it is prerequisite to the privileges of a church relation and to the Lord’s Supper. We believe that the Lord’s Supper is a commemoration of His death until He comes, and should be preceded always by solemn self-examination. Acts 8:26-39; Jn. 3:23; Rom. 6:3-5; Matt. 3:16; Col. 2:12; Acts 2:41-42; I Cor. 11:23-28.
XIV. OF THE SECURITY OF THE SAINTS
We believe that all who are truly born again are kept by God the Father for Jesus Christ. Phil. 1:6; John 10:28; Rom. 8:35-39; Jude 1.
XV. OF THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED
We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that such only as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and sanctified by the Spirit of our God, are truly righteous in His esteem; while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked, and under the curse; and this distinction holds among men both in and after death, in the everlasting felicity of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost. Mal. 3:18; Gen. 18:23; Rom. 6:17, 18; I Jn. 5:19; Rom. 7:6; Rom. 6:23; Prov. 14:32; Luke 6:25; Matt. 25:34-46; Jn. 8:21.
XVI. 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; except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the coming Prince of the Kings of the earth. Rom. 13:1-7; II Sam. 23:3; Ex. 18:21, 22; Acts 23:5; Matt. 22:19-21; Acts 5:29; Acts 4:19; Dan. 3:17, 18; Phil. 2:10, 11; Ps. 72:11.
XVII. OF THE RESURRECTION, PERSONAL, VISIBLE, PRE-MILLENNIAL RETURN OF CHRIST, AND RELATED EVENTS
We believe in and accept the Sacred Scriptures upon these subjects at their face and full value.
THE BODILY RESURRECTION
Matt. 28:6, 7; Luke 24:39; Jn. 20:27; I Cor. 15:4; Mk. 16:6; Luke 24:2-6.
THE ASCENSION
Acts 1:9-11; Luke 24:51; Mk. 16:19; Rev. 3:21; Heb. 8:1; Heb. 12:2.
THE HIGH PRIESTHOOD
Heb. 8:6; I Tim. 2:5; I Jn. 2:1; Heb. 2:17; Heb. 5:9-19.
THE SECOND COMING BEFORE THE TRIBULATION
Jn. 14:3; Acts 1:11; I Thess. 4:16; Matt. 24:27; Matt. 25:13; James 5:8; Matt. 24:42; Heb. 9:28.
THE RESURRECTION OF THE RIGHTEOUS DEAD
I Thess. 4:13-18; I Cor. 15:42-44; I Cor. 15:52.
THE CHANGE OF THE LIVING IN CHRIST
I Cor. 15:51-53; I Thess. 4:13-18; Phil. 3:20, 21; I Jn. 3:2.
THE THRONE OF DAVID
Luke 1:32; Isa. 9:6-7; Acts 2:29, 30; II Sam. 7:13, 16.
THE MILLENNIAL REIGN
I Cor. 15:25; Isa. 32:1; Isa. 11:4, 5; Ps. 72:8; Rev. 20:14; Rev. 20:1-6.