Statements of Biblical Doctrine
1. SCRIPTURES INSPIRED – The Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, are verbally inspired of God and are the revelation of God to man, the infallible, authoritative rule of faith and conduct.
2. THE ONE TRUE GOD – The one true God has revealed Himself as the eternally self-existent “I AM,” the Creator of heaven and earth and the Redeemer of mankind. He has further revealed Himself as embodying the principles of relationship and association as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
3. THE DIETY OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST – The Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. The Scriptures declare His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, substitutionary work on the cross, bodily resurrection from the dead, and exaltation to the right hand of God.
4. THE FALL OF MAN – Man was created good and upright; for God said, “Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness.” However, man by voluntary transgression fell and thereby incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death, which is separation from God.
5. THE SALVATION OF MAN – Man’s only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God.
6. ORDINANCES OF THE CHURCH – We practice two ordinances—(1) Water Baptism by Immersion after repenting of one’s sins and receiving Christ’s gift of salvation, and (2) Holy Communion (the Lord’s Supper) as a symbolic remembrance of Christ’s suffering and death for our salvation.
7. BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT – All believers are entitled to and should ardently expect and earnestly seek the promise of the Father, the baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire, according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the normal experience of all in the early Christian Church. With it comes the enduement of power for life and service, the bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry.
8. THE INITIAL PHYSICAL EVIDENCE OF THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT – The initial physical evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit is ‘speaking in tongues,’ as experienced on the Day of Pentecost and referenced throughout Acts and the Epistles.
9. SANCTIFICATION – Sanctification is an act of separation from that which is evil, and of dedication unto God.
10. THE CHURCH AND ITS MISSION – The Church is the Body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of her great commission. Each believer, born of the Spirit, is an integral part of the General Assembly and Church of the Firstborn, which are written in heaven.
11. THE MINISTRY – A divinely called and scripturally ordained ministry has been provided by our Lord for the fourfold purpose of leading the Church in evangelization of the world, worship of God, building a body of saints being perfected in the image of His Son, and meeting human need with ministries of love and compassion.
12. DIVINE HEALING – Divine healing is an integral part of the gospel. Deliverance from sickness is provided for in the atonement, and is the privilege of all believers.
13. THE BLESSED HOPE – The resurrection of those who have fallen asleep in Christ and their translation together with those who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord is the imminent and blessed hope of the church.
14. THE MILLENNIAL REIGN OF CHRIST – The second coming of Christ includes the rapture of the saints, which is our blessed hope, followed by the visible return of Christ with His saints to reign on earth for one thousand years.
15. THE FINAL JUDGEMENT – There will be a final judgment in which the wicked dead will be raised and judged according to their works. Whosoever is not found written in the Book of Life, together with the devil and his angels, the beast and the false prophet, will be consigned to the everlasting punishment in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.
16. THE NEW HEAVENS AND THE NEW EARTH – “We, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness.”
