Theology
- The Bible
- God
- Jesus Christ
- Holy Spirit
- Humanity
- Salvation, Eternal Security, & Assurance
- Priesthood of the Believer, Ministry & Spiritual Gifts
- The Church & Two Ordinances: Baptism & Lord's Supper
- Second Coming of Christ
- Eternity: Heaven & Hell
The Bible
The Bible is God’s holy Word written by men under divine inspiration. It is God’s revelation to man for salvation in Jesus Christ. It is truth without error and holds authority for life, faith, and practice. It is our foundation, instruction, direction, standard, measure, and ultimate authority.
- Ps. 12.6; 119.160
- Prov. 30.5
- 2 Tim. 3.16
- 2 Pet. 1.20-21
God
There is only one true and living God. He is holy and perfect in all of his attributes. He is eternal and sovereign. He is all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-present. He is the Creator, source, and sustainer of all life. He is one-in-three, the triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They are co-equals and worthy of worship. God is ultimate and intimate and desires relationship with man for his glory.
- Gen. 1.1, 26-27
- Deut. 6.4
- Ps. 90.2
- Matt. 28.19
- John 14.9, 20
- 2 Cor. 12.14
- 1 Pet. 1.2
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who lived a sinless, human life and offered himself as the perfect substitutionary sacrifice of atonement for sin by dying on a cross. After three days, he rose from the dead to demonstrate his power over sin and death; then he ascended to heaven's glory and will someday return to earth to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is fully God and fully man, the one Mediator between God and man. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no one comes to God except through him. He now sits enthroned at the right hand of God, where he fulfills the ministry of representative, intercessor, and Advocate.
- Isa. 9.6
- Matt. 1.22-23
- John 1.1-5; 14.10-30
- Acts 1.9-11
- Rom. 1.3-4; 8.34
- 1 Cor. 15.3-4
- Titus 2.13
- Heb. 4.14-15; 7.25; 9.24
- 1 John 2.1-2
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is the divine Counselor, who inspired men to write the Bible and who convicts of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He calls humanity to the Savior, Jesus Christ, and he seals every believer as a guarantee of salvation, and he works within every believer to illuminate scripture and transform life. He empowers all believers to serve and glorify God by giving them spiritual gifts. He provides the believer with power for living, for understanding spiritual truth, for conviction of sin, and for guidance in doing right. He intercedes for believers in their weakness with groans that words cannot express in accordance with God's will. As believers, we are to live under his control every day.
- John 16.7-13; 14.16-17
- Acts 1.8
- Rom. 8.9, 26-27
- 1 Cor. 2.12; 3.16; 12.12-14
- 2 Cor. 3.6, 17
- Gal. 5.25
- Eph. 1.13; 5.18
Humanity
Humanity was created to glorify God in relationship. By choice, sin entered by Adam and eternally separated humanity from God, condemning him to death and hell. Humanity is in bondage to sin at birth through the sinful nature and is unable to please God or glorify him. Though humanity holds a design to know God, the sinful nature rebels against God, does not seek God, and is antagonistic toward the things of God. Without a savior, humanity is hopeless and helpless to know God.
- Gen. 1.26-27
- Ps. 8.3-6
- Is. 53.6a; 59.1-2
- Rom. 3.22-23
- Eph. 2.1-3, 12
Salvation, Eternal Security, & Assurance
Salvation is a gift of God given to humanity by grace and is received by a personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. By trusting Jesus as personal Savior and Lord, humanity can be rescued from hell through a new birth, called regeneration; redeemed from sin with a full acquittal, called justification; reconciled to God the Father in relationship to become more like Jesus, called sanctification; and prepared for Jesus’ return in the end times to spend eternity in heaven with God, called glorification. Because God gives eternal life through Jesus Christ, the true follower of Christ is secure in that saving relationship for eternity. If Christ-followers biblically surrender their lives to Christ and accept his gift of life through his forgiveness of sin, they cannot lose their salvation, for salvation is given, kept, and completed by his grace and power. We cannot earn it, so we cannot "unearn" it. By faith, those saved will perservere to the end.
- John 1.12; 5.24; 6.37-40, 47; 10.27-29; 14.6
- Acts 16.31
- Rom. 3.25; 5.1, 10
- 2 Cor. 5.17-21
- Eph. 2.8-9
- Gal. 3.26
- Titus 2.11-15; 3.5
- Heb. 7.25
- 1 Pet. 1.5
- 1 John 2.2; 3.14; 4.10; 5.11-14
Priesthood of the Believer, Ministry, & Spiritual Gifts
Every believer is baptized with Holy Spirit at conversion and thus has direct access to God through prayer; God hears the prayer of faith, in accordance with his will. All believers are given spiritual gifts by the sovereign will of God and are responsible to develop and use those gifts. All believers are called to serve, regardless of their vocation.
- Ex. 19.6
- Matt. 6.6
- John 15.7
- 1 Cor. 12.7, 11, 13
- Eph. 4.7-8
- 1 Pet. 2.5, 9
- 1 John 5.14-15
- Rev. 1.6; 20.6
The Church & Two Ordinances: Baptism & Lord's Supper
The church is God’s physical presence in the world, made up of those who have been rescued, redeemed, reconciled, and re-defined to the world. In the Bible, two types of churches are referred to: the universal church and the local church. Universally, the church is the bride of Christ preparing for Christ’s return, the body of Christ serving in Jesus’ name, the family of God growing in relationship with God and one another, and the army of the Lord advancing his kingdom mission. God uses both the universal and local churches to carry the gospel to the people of the world.
Christ is the recognized head of our church--not any person, group, or religious organization--, and while recognizing the value of associating and cooperating with other groups of Christians, every local church should be autonomous: self-governing and independent from any denominational control. The establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in New Testament scriptures.
We recognize believer's baptism and the Lord's Supper as scriptural means of testimony for the church of this age. Believer's baptism is a step of spiritual obedience and public testimony that symbolizes the spiritual work of salvation; however, there is no power for salvation in baptism. Likewise, the Lord's Supper elements symbolize Christ's body by the bread and his blood by the cup; again, the elements hold no power for salvation.
- Matt. 3.16; 26.26-30; 28.19
- Mark 1.9; 14.22-26
- Luke 22.19-20
- John 3.29
- Acts 2.38; 8.38; 13.1-4; 15.19-31; 18.8; 20.28
- Rom. 12.5; 16.1, 4
- 1 Cor. 3.9, 16; 5.4-7, 13; 11.23-25; 12.27
- Eph. 1.23; 4.12, 15; 5.23, 25
- Col. 1.18; 2.19
- Rev. 21.2
Second Coming of Christ
Jesus will return to this earth personally, visibly, and universally. Those who have received Jesus are sealed with the Holy Spirit and will be taken to heaven. Those who have rejected Jesus will be eternally condemned to hell. This return will usher in the eternal state.
- John 14.1-4
- 1 Thess. 5.2
Eternity: Heaven & Hell
People were create to exist forever, and we will either exist eternal separated from God by sin or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is hell, but to be eternally in union with him is eternal life. Heaven and hell are real places of eternal existence.
- John 3.16; 14.17
- Eph. 1.3-14
- Rom. 6.23; 8.17-18
- Rev. 20.15
- 2 Cor. 2.7-9