Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ. I Cor. 11:1
What We Believe in
THE BIBLE
The entire Bible in its original writing is verbally inspired of God and is of plenary (full) authority. 2 Tim, 3:16, 17; 2 Pet. 1:21
THE GODHEAD
There is one God, eternally existing in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 4:4-6; 1 Tim. 2:5
THE PERSON OF CHRIST
Jesus Christ was begotten by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, and is true God and true man. Luke 1:35; Rom. 1:3, 4; Phil. 2:6-9
PERSONALITY AND WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is a Person who convicts the world of sin and regenerates, baptizes, identifies, indwells, enlightens, seals, and empowers believers. John 16:8; 1 Cor. 12:13; Eph. 1:13, 17, 18; 3:16; Titus 3:5
TOTAL DEPRAVITY
All men by nature are dead in trespasses and sins, and are therefore totally unable by their own wisdom or strength to do anything pleasing to God. Rom. 3:9-12; 1 Cor. 1:18-31; Eph. 2:1-3
SALVATION (REDEMPTION)
God justifies sinners by His grace upon the ground of the shed blood of Christ through the means of faith. This complete personal salvation is bestowed as a free gift of God apart from man's work. Rom. 3:24-28; 5:1, 9; Eph 2:8, 9
ETERNAL SECURITY
All the saved are eternally secure in Christ. John 10:27-29; Rom. 8:1, 29-34, 38-39; Eph. 1:13-14; Phil. 1:16; Col. 3:1-4
THE CHURCH
In the present dispensation of Grace there is only one true Church, called the Body of Christ, separate and distinct from the prophesied, earthly Kingdom of Christ. The historical manifestation of the Body of Christ began with the apostle Paul before he wrote his first epistle. 1 Cor. 12:13-27 cf. Acts 18; Eph. 1:22-23; 3:1-6; 1 Thess. 2:14-16 cf. Acts 13:45-46; Phil. 1:6 cf. Acts 16
GIFTS
The gifts necessary for the ministry of the Body of Christ are those listed in Romans 12:3-9 and Ephesians 4:7-16. All the miraculous sign gifts of the Acts period, e.g. tongues, prohecy, healing, being temporary in character, have ceased. 1 Cor. 12:1-31; 13:8-13.
WALK
By reason of Christ's victory over sin and of His indwelling Spirit, all of the saved may and experience deliverance from the power of sin by obedience to Romans 6:11; but we deny that man's nature of sin is ever eradicated during this life. Rom. 6:6-14; 8:37; 2 Cor. 2:14; 10:2-5; Gal. 5:16-25
BAPTISM
All saved persons have been made members of the Body of Christ by one divine baptism. By this one baptism every member of the Body of Christ is identified with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. In light of the statement concerning the one baptism in Eph. 4:5, the statements concerning baptism in Col. 2:12 & Rom. 6:3-4, and Paul's statement in 1 Cor. 1:17, "Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Gospel,"we affirm that water baptism has no place in God's spiritual program for the Body of Christ in this day of Grace.
RESURRECTION
Jesus Christ was resurrected bodily from the dead. Therefore, all men will have a bodily resurrection: the saved to everlasting glory and the unsaved to everlasting punishment. Luke 24:39-43; John 5:29; Acts 24:15; 1 Cor. 15:21; Rev. 20:11-15
THE RAPTURE AND SECOND COMING OF CHRIST
(a) The Rapture of the Church which is His Body, and the Second Coming of Christ will be pre-millennial. He will come first to receive the members of His Body to Himself, and
(b) Later to receive His millennial Kingdom over which He will reign.
(c) Because of its distinctive nature, the resurrection and Rapture of the Church which is His Body will take place before the Great Tribulation, at His appearing in the air.
(d) The resurrection of the other saved dead will occur after the Tribulation.
Scripture References:
(a) Phil. 3:20, 21; 1 Thess. 4:13-18
(b) Zech. 14:4, 9; Acts 1:10, 11; Rev. 19:11-16; Rev. 20:4-6
(c) 1 Cor. 15:51-53; Phil. 3:20, 21; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Titus 2:13, 14
(d) Jer. 30:7; Matt. 24:15-31; Rev. 20:4-6
(b) Later to receive His millennial Kingdom over which He will reign.
(c) Because of its distinctive nature, the resurrection and Rapture of the Church which is His Body will take place before the Great Tribulation, at His appearing in the air.
(d) The resurrection of the other saved dead will occur after the Tribulation.
Scripture References:
(a) Phil. 3:20, 21; 1 Thess. 4:13-18
(b) Zech. 14:4, 9; Acts 1:10, 11; Rev. 19:11-16; Rev. 20:4-6
(c) 1 Cor. 15:51-53; Phil. 3:20, 21; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Titus 2:13, 14
(d) Jer. 30:7; Matt. 24:15-31; Rev. 20:4-6
STATE OF THE DEAD
(a) The Scriptures do not extend the hope of salvation to the unsaved dad, but instead reveal that they will ever continue to exist in a state of conscious suffering.
(b) The teachings of universalism, of purgatory after death (2nd chance), of annihilation of the unsaved dead, and of the unconscious state of the saved or unsaved (soul sleep), are opposed by us as being thoroughly unscriptural doctrines.
(a) Luke 16:23-28; John 3:36; Rom. 1:21-32; Phil. 3:19; Col. 3:6; 2 Thess. 1:9; Rev. 14:11; Rev. 20:14, 15
(b) Luke 16:23-28; 2 Cor. 5:6-8; Phil. 1:23
(b) The teachings of universalism, of purgatory after death (2nd chance), of annihilation of the unsaved dead, and of the unconscious state of the saved or unsaved (soul sleep), are opposed by us as being thoroughly unscriptural doctrines.
(a) Luke 16:23-28; John 3:36; Rom. 1:21-32; Phil. 3:19; Col. 3:6; 2 Thess. 1:9; Rev. 14:11; Rev. 20:14, 15
(b) Luke 16:23-28; 2 Cor. 5:6-8; Phil. 1:23
MISSION
(a) The mission and commission of the Church which is His Body is to proclaim the message of reconciliation, and to preach Jesus Christ according the revelation of the Mystery will all boldness.
(b) We should follow Paul, the apostle of the Gentiles, in this distinctive message which he calls my gospel, also called the gospel of the grace of God.
(c) We, like Paul, must preach the entire Word of God in the light of this gospel and strive to reach those in the regions beyond us where Christ is not yet named.
Scripture References:
(a) 2 Cor. 5:14-21; Rom. 16:25; Eph 3:8, 9
(b) Acts 20:24; Rom. 2:16; 11:13; 15:16; 1 Cor. 4:16; 11:1; Phil. 3:17; 4:9; 1 Tim. 1:11-16
(c) Rom. 15:20; 2 Cor. 10:16; Gal. 1:8, 9; 2 Tim. 4:2
(b) We should follow Paul, the apostle of the Gentiles, in this distinctive message which he calls my gospel, also called the gospel of the grace of God.
(c) We, like Paul, must preach the entire Word of God in the light of this gospel and strive to reach those in the regions beyond us where Christ is not yet named.
Scripture References:
(a) 2 Cor. 5:14-21; Rom. 16:25; Eph 3:8, 9
(b) Acts 20:24; Rom. 2:16; 11:13; 15:16; 1 Cor. 4:16; 11:1; Phil. 3:17; 4:9; 1 Tim. 1:11-16
(c) Rom. 15:20; 2 Cor. 10:16; Gal. 1:8, 9; 2 Tim. 4:2
