What do we believe?
SCRIPTURE
We believe the whole Bible, both Old and New Testament, is the literal Word of God. We believe that scripture was inspired by God and written by holy men of old and preserved into the English language. Without reservation we hold to the Authorized King James Version as the Word of God in the English language with all modern versions having corrupted manuscripts influencing their translation and an inappropriate monetary motivation for their creation. We hold the Bible as the sole authority for our faith and practice.
2 Timothy 3:15-17, 1 Peter 1:20-21, Revelation 22:18-19, John 17:17, Psalm 12:6-7, Deuteronomy 4:2, Proverbs 3:5-6
God
We believe there is only, and has always only, been one God. He is the living, true, intelligent and supreme ruler of all and is both spirit and truth. His holiness and glory is above description and is worthy of all of our devotion, worship, praise and love. God exists in a triune nature - three individuals in one being - the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Distinct, but harmonious, in the execution of their role in redemption and are equal in their divine perfection.
Isaiah 44:6, 57:15, 1 Corinthians 8:6, Revelation 4:11, 1 John 5:7
Jesus Christ
We that believe that Jesus was begotten by the Holy Spirit in a miraculous manner and born of Mary, a virgin, and that He is both completely man and completely God. He was subject to temptation and yet without any sin. He died, was buried and rose again as Saviour of the world, and no person that desires to know God or obtain eternal life can achieve either except through Jesus Christ. He is to be worshiped and glorified as LORD.
Isaiah 7:14, 9:6-7, Luke 1:31-35, Matthew 4:1-11, Hebrews 4:15, 1 Peter 2:22, John 4:42, 14:6, 20:28, Luke 24:52, John 16:14, Philippians 2:9-11
The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is equal to God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature. He was active in creation, convicts of sin, righteousness and judgment. He bears witness to the truth of the Gospel in our preaching and testimony. He is the agent of the new birth and seals the believer. He also fills, leads, intercedes, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and comforts the believer. Regarding spiritual gifts, we hold to their reality and necessity in the edifying of the brethren and the salvation of souls. We reject the modern fallacy found in the Charismatic and Pentecostal movements.
2 Corinthians 3:17, John 4:23-24, 26, Hebrews 9:14, Luke 1:35, John 1:12-13, Genesis 1:1-3, John 16:7-11, Acts 5:30-32, John 3:5-8, Ephesians 1:13-14, John 1:33, Romans 8:14-16, 26-27, 1 Corinthians 2:10-13, 6:11, 12:13
Satan or The Devil
We believe that Satan was once holy and enjoyed heavenly honours, but through pride and ambition to be like God he fell and drew after him a host of angels. He is now ‘the prince of the power of the air’ and the unholy god of this world. We hold him to be a real and literal being directly responsible for the evil in this world.
Isaiah 14:12-15, Ezekiel 28:12-19, Ephesians 2:2, Genesis 3:16, Job 1:6-12, 41, Revelation 20:1-10
The Creation
We believe that the Genesis account of creation is neither allegory nor myth, but a literal, historical account of the direct, immediate creative acts of God in the person of Jesus Christ without any evolutionary process. While variance within created kinds is expected, the change from one kind to another kind is not possible. We acknowledge that science purports to support the evolutionary tale yet the motivation for removing the creator from the equation is openly apparent in a world that does not want to live under the acknowledgement of His existence. We believe that mankind was created with body, soul and spirit and that we are the result of a direct act of God and not previously existing forms of life. We believe that all of us are descended from the historical Adam and Eve.
Genesis 1 and 2, Colossians 1:16-17, John 1:3, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, Genesis 3:20
The Fall of Man
We believe that mankind was created in a state of innocence by their Creator, but by wilful and voluntary disobedience Adam sinned which brought sin and death into the human race. All of mankind has become inheritors his fallen nature, all of us are sinners by nature and by conduct and therefore are under just condemnation without defense or excuse.
Genesis 3:1-6, Romans 3:10-19, 5:12 and 19, Ephesians 2:1-3, John 3:18, Romans 1:18, 20, 28 and 32
Salvation
We believe that Christ atoned for our sins on the cross with His shed blood This atonement was not limited but is effectual for any sinner accepting it by faith. We believe that the new birth is the regenerative act of the Holy Spirit upon a sinner when realizes his lost condition and believes the Gospel according to the Scriptures, receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour. We believe that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and is in no way dependent on our own works or merits. As a result of the new birth the sinner is made a new creature in Christ receiving eternal life as a free gift from God; salvation makes one a son of God and this relationship is eternally secure; salvation cannot be lost and is in no way dependent upon the actions of the believer after salvation.
Hebrews 9:14; John 5:24; 3:3-8; 1:12-14; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Ephesians 2:8-9; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 1:13; 4:30.
Eternal Destiny of Mankind
We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust; the everlasting blessedness of the same in Heaven and the everlasting, literal punishment of the lost in the Lake of Fire.
John 5:28-29; 2 Corinthians 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 20:12-15.
The Church
We believe that all true believers are united into the Church which is the Body of Christ, and that all believers are added to this Church by the baptism of the Holy Spirit at the exact moment that they trust in Jesus Christ as their Saviour.
We believe that this Church is presently manifested through the local church which is a congregation of immersed believers associated by covenant of faith and the fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws in accordance with His Word; exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word; and that its officers are pastors (also called elders) and deacons, whose qualifications and duties are clearly defined in Scripture. We believe the true mission of the church is for the edification, perfection, exhortation, and comfort of its members in spiritual matters; and the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as we have opportunity. We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; that the one and only head and shepherd of the local church is the pastor, just as Jesus Christ is the Head and Chief over the entire church; that it is scriptural for the true churches to co-operate with one another in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the gospel; and that each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its co-operation; and that on all matters of membership, of policy, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final.
Ephesians 1:10, 22-23; 3:1-6; Galatians 3:26-28; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Acts 1:5; 2:4, 41, 47; 1 Corinthians 11:2; Titus 1:5-7; Ephesians 4:11-16; Acts 20:17-28; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; 1 Peter 5:14; Hebrews 13:7, 17; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 5:23-24; Acts 15:13-18.
Baptism and The Lord’s Supper
We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of the believer by in water, under the authority of the local church, to show forth in a like figure our faith in the crucified, buried and risen Saviour, through Whom we died to sin and rose to new life. We hold that only one Scriptural baptism is necessary in the life of any believer and that baptism is the prerequisite to the privileges of church membership.
We believe that the Lord’s Supper is the commemoration of His death until He comes, and should always be preceded by serious self-examination and confession.
Acts 8:36-39; Romans 6:3-5; Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 10:48; 1 Corinthians 11:23-28.
Civil Government
We believe that the civil government is of divine appointment for the interests and good order of human society; that leaders are to be prayed for, conscientiously honoured and obeyed, except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the only Lord of the conscience.
Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-16; 1 Timothy 2:1-2.
Spiritual Gifts
We believe that the gifts of the Spirit mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12 are given to the church today for the purpose of advancing the gospel. These gifts are given by the Holy Spirit at His discretion, and are not an end in themselves. We do not believe that any one gift is given to every believer or that any of these gifts are necessary for salvation. We believe that God can an does heal in accordance to His Word and divine will through faith and confession. We do not believe the “speaking-in-tongues” and “supernatural healing” associated with the Pentecostal/Charismatic movements of the past 100 years or so are the same as the gifts that the Bible teaches.
1 Corinthians 12:1-11, 14-17; Mark 16:15-20; Acts 2:4-14, 43; James 5:14-16; 1 Timothy 4:1-2.
Things to Come
We believe in the personal, imminent, pre-tribulation return of the Lord Jesus Christ to catch up to Himself the redeemed (commonly called The Rapture). We believe that the redeemed will stand before the Judgement Seat of Christ in Heaven where the individual Christian’s works and motives for service will be tested by fire for reward or loss. Simultaneously those yet on earth will be undergoing the seven years of great tribulation determined on the nation of Israel. Christ will return at the end of the tribulation to judge the nations and establish his earthly kingdom for 1000 years. Following this will be the last judgement - the Great White Throne Judgment where all the unconverted since Adam will be judged according to their works to determine their degree of punishment in the lake of fire. God will then renovate the earth with fire making a New Heaven and a New Earth.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-17; 1 Corinthians 3:11-15; Romans 14:10-12; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 6-19; Matthew 24-25; 2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 19-22.