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about us / theological values
Article Number One - The Bible The Word of God is the verbal, plenary inspiration of God. Every Word of Scripture was written by men that were superintended by the Holy Spirit’s guidance which expresses the precise words, understanding, and will of God. The Bible is the only book inspired by God and no other book, creed, or written covenant relegates equivalent authority. Verbal plenary inspiration applies to every original manuscript written by human authors. Special revelation is completed in the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments. The Holy Spirit now illuminates the Word of God to sinful man, but new revelation has ceased. Plenary inspiration protects absolute truth, circular truth, special revelation, divine authority, and sound doctrine. The Bible is not subject to reason, science, philosophy, intellectual or linguistic reason. The Bible will never contradict itself and is useful for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness, that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work (2 Tim.3.16).
Article Number Two - God
The Most High living God is eternally self-sufficient and exists for His glory and pleasure. God is the author, creator, and sustainer of all living creatures. God is infinite, impeccable, unchangeable, true, and holy. God reveals Himself as one God in three persons: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father decreed his sovereign plan before the foundation of the world and His will chiefly pursues establishing His Kingdom for His glory. The Old Testament prophesied of the Messiah’s coming. The virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ, who is the Son of Man and the Son of God. The Bible distinguishes Jesus as complete deity veiled in humanity. Jesus died on the cross as the ultimate substitutionary sacrifice to redeem sinful man. After the resurrection, Christ ascended to the right hand of God where He currently intercedes for His people. At the Father’s discretion, the Son will personally and visibly return to establish His earthly Kingdom and judge the world. The Father and the Son sent the Holy Spirit to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. By the mercy of God, the Holy Spirit regenerates, indwells, and fills the believer in Christ.
Article Number Three - Sinful Man & Satan God created Adam perfect without sin, and Adam chose to sin through Satan’s temptation. Accordingly, Adam’s initial transgression caused the entire human race to fall under condemnation that rightly deserves the eternal punishment of God. By nature, the unregenerate individual is born a child of wrath and enslaved to Adam under the law. Unregenerate man cannot discern the spiritual things of God or comprehend the light of the glory of Christ. Rather, unregenerate man loves the darkness because his deeds are evil. Moreover, the unregenerate man does not seek after God, but expresses hostility toward God, and even hates God. Concerning the reality of Satan, he is a personal devil, a murderer, and the father of all lies. This accuser of the brethren, along with his demons, facilitates the work of iniquity in this world. Respectively, all sin rebels against the person and the expressed commands of God. The end of sin is death experienced by eternal separation from God.
Article Number Four - Salvation Before the foundation of the world, God decreed the redemption of fallen men through the sufficient atonement accomplished by the Son of God through the cross. Jesus Christ is the only Savior to man from sin. Apart from the Lord Jesus, there is no salvation. The means of salvation occurs through the drawing of the Father, the calling of Christ and regeneration of the Holy Spirit. Within the salvation event, the sinner humbly by grace responds to Jesus through faith and repentance. Lordship and repentance are imperative to authentic regeneration. The glorious results of salvation include union with Christ, eternal life, new creation, indwelling and sealing of the Holy Spirit.
Article Number Five - The Church A local New Testament church consists of a voluntary association of regenerate baptized believers in Christ who have covenanted together to follow the teachings of the New Testament in doctrine, worship, and practice. The only two church ordinances are baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Both ordinances are only symbolic in nature. Only those regenerated by the Spirit are biblical candidates for the ordinances. The Scripture teaches immersion as the proper mode of baptism. The Lord’s Supper is a memorial to the Lord’s death. Supreme authority within the local church begins with Christ as the head alongside His Word and His Spirit. The pastor is the shepherd, overseer, and elder of the church. Biblical elders under the authority of the senior pastor lead the congregation in a democratic process. The deacons function to assist the pastor and serve the body.
Article Number Six - The Resurrection & Final Judgment The final resurrection of the just and the unjust will include all men. Those who are born of the Spirit in this life will be raised to everlasting life. The righteous ones will give an account for their deeds before the judgement seat of Christ, but they will escape the second death and receive their inheritance in the kingdom of heaven. The unjust ones will be raised to everlasting condemnation. These will give an account for their deeds at the great white throne judgment. The unjust ones will then be cast into a literal and inescapable lake of fire, along with the devil and his company to endure the eternal wrath of God. The very existence of the redeemed in heaven exalts the grace and mercy of God. Likewise, the very existence of the unregenerate enduring the eternal torments of hell exalts the justice and holiness of God.
Article Number seven - Sola Gloria Every facet of God’s character and sovereign will inherently gives glory to God. Every living creature exists to give glory to God. Concerning academia, every biblical concept and developed theological structure must seek to give glory to God alone. Likewise experientially, every ministerial objective and related practice should strive to give glory to God alone. |