The Holy Trinity
There is but one true and living god, everlasting, of infinite power, wisdom and goodness. He is the Maker and Preserver of all things visible and invisible (Isaiah 45:21, 22; Deuteronomy 6:4; Psalm 90:2). In the unity of this Godhead there are three persons, equal in power and eternity. These three Persons are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost (John 1:1, 15:26).
God The Father
The Father is the supreme Person in the Godhead, to whom the Son and the Holy Spirit, though of equal essence, are subordinate in office. The Father sent the Son into the world; He also sends the Holy Ghost. To the Father the Son reconciles the penitent sinner. To the Father pertains the worship of every believer.
God The Son
The only begotten Son of God was eternally with the Father. He was conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He was a sacrifice, not only for original sin, but also for actual sins, for the purpose of reconciling us unto God. He truly arose from the dead, took again His body, ascended into heaven where he intercedes for us (Luke 1:27-35; John 1:14, 3:16; Acts 4:12; Romans 5:10; Hebrews 7:25).
God The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. He is the true and eternal God, of one substance, majesty, and glory with the Father and Son (Matthew 28:19; Acts 5:3,4; Romans 8:9-11). His office work is to:
- Convince the world of sin (John 16:8).
- Regenerate those that repent (John 3:5-9).
- Sanctify believers (Acts 15:8,9).
- Guide into all truth (John 16:13).
The Holy Scriptures
By the Holy Scriptures we understand the sixty-six canonical books of the Old and New Testaments to be the Word of God, given by divine inspiration (2 Tim. 3:16); containing all things necessary for salvation, so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man; that it should be believed as an article of faith, or necessary to salvation (2 Peter 1:20,21).
Original Sin
Original sin is that corruption of the human nature, which appears in every offspring of Adam in this world, a corruption whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and of his own nature inclined to evil continually (Genesis 6:5; Romans 3:12; 5:12-18; 1 Corinthians 15:22). In the Scriptures it is known as the carnal mind (Romans 8:7), the old man (Romans 6:6), the flesh (Romans 8:5-8). It continues to exist after regeneration, though suppressed until eradicated and destroyed by the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire (Acts 15:8,9; 1 John 3:8).
Atonement
The Scriptures teach that Jesus Christ, by His sufferings (Acts 3:18), by the shedding of His Blood (Romans 5:8-10; Hebrews 9:12), and by His meritous death on the cross (Ephesians 2:13,16), made full atonement (Rom. 5:11) for all sin, and that this atonement is the only ground of salvation (Acts 4:12; Ephesians 1:7), it being sufficient for every individual of Adam’s race (John 3:16; 1 John 2:2). The atonement is graciously efficacious to the salvation of the irresponsible, from birth, or the righteous who have become irresponsible (Romans 4:15), and to children in innocency (Mark 10:14); but is efficacious to salvation to those who reach the age of responsibility, only when they repent and believe (Luke 24:47; Acts 16:30,31; 17:30).
Free Will, Faith, and Repentance
Free Will
Man was created with the ability to choose between right and wrong and thus made morally responsible. The condition of man since the Fall is such that he can not prepare himself to meet God by his own natural strength and works of faith, and if left to himself would remain in his lost condition forever. But God employs the means of enlightening and awakening the mind of sinners to a sense of their poverty, and wretchedness, and then extends the invitation, “Whosoever will may come and take of the water of life freely” (John 6:44, 65; Revelation 22:17).
Faith
Living faith is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8), and without it, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). Faith becomes effective as it is exercised by man, with the aid of the Spirit, which aid is assured when the heart has met the divine condition (Hebrews 5:9).
Repentance
Genuine repentance toward God consists in a knowledge of, a sorrow for, and a confession and forsaking of sins. This is brought about by the knowledge of the goodness and severity of God, through the medium of the truth and the convincing power of the Holy Spirit. It is demanded of all who have by act or purpose become sinners against God. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23; Matthew 3:2, 2 Corinthians 7:10; John 16:7-11; Luke 13:5).
Salvation
Though these three phases of the New Birth occur simultaneously they are, in fact, three separate and distinct acts:
JUSTIFICATION
Justification is that gracious and judicial act of God whereby a soul is granted complete absolvence from all guilt and a full release from the penalty of sin (Romans 3:23-25). This act of Divine Grace is wrought by faith in the merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1).
REGENERATION
Regeneration we mean the impartation of Divine life, which is manifested in that radical change in the moral character of man, from the love and life of sin, to the love of God, and life of righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 Peter 1:23).
ADOPTION
Adoption is that gracious act of God by which the justified and regenerated believer is constituted a son of God (Romans 8:15).
Consecration and Entire Sanctification
Consecration necessary for entire sanctification is the total abandonment of the redeemed soul to the whole will of God (Romans 6:11,13,22; 12:1). As such it takes place after the work of regeneration, and must be completed before the soul is sanctified. This consecration becomes so deep that it includes perfect submission to the crucifixion of the body of sin (Romans 6:6; Galatians 2:20).
Entire sanctification is that second, definite, instantaneous work of grace, subsequent to regeneration, wrought in the heart of the justified person through faith, by the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire, whereby the heart of the believer is cleansed from the original sin, and purified by the filling of the Holy Ghost (Romans 15:16).
The Witness of the Spirit
The witness of the Spirit is that inward impression wrought on the soul, whereby the Spirit of God immediately and directly assures our spirit that Bible conditions are met for salvation, and the work of grace is complete in the soul (Romans 8:15,16). Therefore, none should think they are either saved or entirely sanctified until the Spirit of god has added His testimony (1 John 5:10).
Growth in Grace and Sin After Salvation
In order to maintain right relationship with God, it is necessary that we grow in grace (Ephesians 4:15,16; 2 Peter 3:18) both before and after entire sanctification.
Not every sin willingly committed after justification is the sin against the Holy Ghost or unpardonable. Wherefore, repentance is not denied to such as fall into sin after justification. After we have received the Holy Ghost, we may depart from grace given and fall into sin, and by the grace of God rise again to amend our lives. And therefore, they are to be condemned who say they can no more sin as long as they live here, or deny the place of forgiveness to such as truly repent (Psalm 34:5; James 5:19,20b; 1 John 2:1; Revelation 2:5).
The Church
The Ecclesia or the Church, known as the Bride of Christ (Revelation 21:2-9), is composed of the saved and sanctified (Ephesians 5:25-27); who are a peculiar people, zealous of good works (Titus 2:14). The church is the body of Christ on earth.
Human Sexuality
We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery, and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex. We believe that God disapproves of and forbids any attempt to alter one’s gender by surgery or appearance (Genesis 2:24; Genesis 19:5, 13; Genesis 26:8-9; Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans 1:26-29; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4).
We believe that the only Scriptural marriage is the joining of one man and one woman (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6; Romans 7:2; 1 Cor. 7:10; Ephesians 5:22-23).
The Christian Sabbath
We recognize the first day of the week as being the Christian Sabbath under the present dispensation. It was the custom of the New Testament churches to meet for worship on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2; Revelation 1:10), which was selected and held sacred because the Lord Himself was resurrected on that day (Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:2; Luke 24:1; John 20:1-19), and further emphasized it by pouring out the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.
The Ordinances
BAPTISM
Water baptism does not cleanse or save us (Acts 10:47,48; 1 John 1:7); rather, it is a visible or outward sign of an inward work of grace.
THE LORD’S SUPPER
The Lord’s supper was instituted by Jesus Himself with bread and the fruit of the vine in the night of His betrayal (Luke 22:19,20). We are to observe it to commemorate the fact that His Body was broken and His Blood was shed upon the cross to redeem us from the curse of sin and death (1 Cor. 11:23-29). Therefore, the supper was instituted for the children of God only. God has also directed that we examine ourselves before partaking of the bread and drinking of the cup (Matthew 26:26-29).
Last Things
THE SECOND COMING
The second coming of Christ is clearly and plainly taught in the Scriptures. We believe in the literal bodily return of Christ. It will also be premillennial. We must distinguish between His coming for His saints (I Thessalonians 4:14-18), and with His saints (Jude 14). The latter will not occur until after the great tribulation and the manifestation of the Anti-Christ (Revelation 19:20; 2 Thessalonians 2:7-11).
RESURRECTION AND JUDGMENT
The Scriptures plainly teach us that Christ was truly resurrected from the dead and took again His body wherewith He ascended into Heaven, from whence He will return for His own. According to the Scripture, there will also be a resurrection of the just and the unjust. The just will be resurrected at Christ’s second coming for His saints (1 Thessalonians 4:15,16), and shall be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye (1 Corinthians 15:52), and shall be given a body like unto His own glorious body (Philippians 3:21), from whence they shall receive their reward, according to that which they have done in this body (2 Corinthians 5:10).
ETERNAL DESTINY
The Bible clearly teaches that this present life marks the boundary of the soul’s probationary period. Moral character is unchangeable in eternity. It also teaches that heaven is a real place (John 6:38; Luke 24:51; Matthew 6:20); and that hell is a real place (Matt. 5:29; 10:28; 23:33; Luke 16:23); and every soul of the human race will make his eternal abode in one or the other of the places.