STATEMENT OF FAITH
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Faith Response
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This statement of faith is highly similar to that
of most evangelical churches. This
statement of faith speaks to the holy scriptures, the Personhood
of God, the nature of man, the sinless God-man Jesus Christ, the
means of salvation, the purpose of the Holy Spirit, the assurance
of our salvation, the future resurrection of the dead, the
purposes and practices of baptism and the Lord's supper, and the
purpose of the church of all believers.
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This
should not be viewed as
a dry doctrinal statement; it deserves a personal response to
God. Why not worship God by echoing the prayers of the psalmists
right now?
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| The Scripture |
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The sole basis of our beliefs is the Bible,
the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments. It was uniquely,
verbally, and fully inspired by the Holy Spirit and was
written without error in the original manuscript. It is the
supreme and final authority in faith and life in every age.
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"I delight in
Your decrees; I will not neglect Your word." Psalm 119:16
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| God |
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There is but one God, infinite in power, wisdom,
justice, goodness and love, Creator of the universe,
eternally existing in three persons-Father, Son and
Holy Spirit - each of whom possesses all the attributes
of Deity and the characteristics of personality.
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"Be exalted,
O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be over all
the earth." Psalm 57:5
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| Man |
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God created man in His own image, and
man as he was originally created, was innocent before
God. But man chose to sin by disobeying God, and
therefore was alienated from his Creator and came
under divine condemnation. Thus all human beings are
born with a corrupted nature and without spiritual
life, and are totally incapable of pleasing God in
and of themselves.
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"Against
You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your
sight, so that You are ... justified when You judge."
Psalm 51:4
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| Jesus Christ |
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God the Father, by His own choice and
out of love for sinful men and women, sent Jesus
Christ into the world to reconcile sinners to Himself.
Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born
of a virgin. He was God in the flesh, both true God and
true man. Jesus Christ lived a sinless life and voluntarily
suffered and died as our substitute to pay the penalty
for our sins, thus satisfying God's justice and
accomplishing salvation for all those who trust in Him
alone. He rose from the dead in the same body, though
glorified, in which He lived and died. He bodily ascended
into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God the Father,
where He, the only mediator between God and man, makes
intercession for His own. He will return to earth
personally, visibly, and bodily to judge all men and
establish His kingdom.
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"I will
give You thanks, for You answered me; You have become
my salvation." Psalm 118:21
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| Salvation
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Men and women are freed from the penalty
for their sins not as a result, in whole or in part,
of their own works, goodness, or religious ceremony, but
by the undeserved favor of God alone. God declares
righteous all who put their faith in Christ alone for their salvation.
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"Guide me
in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior;
my hope is in You all day long." Psalm 25:5
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| The Holy Spirit |
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The Holy Spirit has come into the world
to reveal and glorify Christ, to convict men and women
of their sins, and to impart new life to all who place
their faith in Christ. He indwells believers from the
moment of spiritual birth, seals them until the day of redemption, and empowers them to live a life pleasing
to God.
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"Teach me
to do Your will, for You are my God; may Your good
Spirit lead me on level ground." Psalm 143:10
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| Assurance |
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All who are born again of the Spirit
can be fully assured of their eternal life from the
very moment they put their faith in Christ. This
assurance is not based on any kind of human merit,
but upon the fact of God's election, upon Christ's
complete payment for our sins, and upon the indwelling
of the Holy Spirit, whom is the deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.
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"The
boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance." Psalm 16:6
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| The Resurrection of the Dead |
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At physical death, the believer enters
immediately into eternal, conscious fellowship with
the Lord and awaits the resurrection of his or her
body to everlasting glory, and blessing. At physical
death, the unbeliever enters into eternal, conscious
separation from the Lord and awaits the resurrection
of his or her body to everlasting suffering, judgment, and condemnation.
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"I will
exalt You, My God the King; I will praise Your Name for
ever and ever." Psalm 145:1
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| Baptism and the Lord's Supper |
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Jesus Christ has instructed those who
believe in Him to be baptized in water as a symbol of
their new birth in Christ. Baptism is only for those
who have personally believed in Christ. Our practice
is to baptize by immersion. The Lord also instituted the Lord's Supper as a remembrance of His suffering,
death, and resurrection. Neither baptism nor the Lord's Supper has any merit in helping a person
obtain eternal life.
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"I will
remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember
Your miracles of long ago." Psalm 77:11
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| The Church |
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All true believers make up the church
worldwide and should assemble together in local
churches for worship, prayer, fellowship, and
teaching, in order to become conformed to the image of
Christ and to become equipped to carry out the "Great
Commission" that Christ gave His followers in
Matthew 28:19-20.
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"Glorify
the Lord with me; let us exalt His name together." Psalm 34:3
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