2) THE SCRIPTURES
The Bible is the inspired Word of God, the
product of holy men of old who spoke and wrote as they
were moved by the Holy Spirit. The New Covenant, as
recorded in the New Testament, we accept as our infallible
guide in matters pertaining to conduct and doctrine
(2 Tim. 3:16; 1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Peter 1:21).
3) THE GODHEAD
Our God is one, but manifested in three Persons
- the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, being coequal
(Deut. 6:4;Phil. 2:6). God the Father is greater than
all; the Sender of the Word (Logos) and the Begetter
(John 14:28; John 16:28; John 1:14). The Son is the
Word flesh-covered, the One Begotten, and has existed
with the Father from the beginning (John 1:1; John 1:18;
John 1:14). The Holy Spirit proceeds forth from both
the Father and the Son and is eternal (John 14:16;John
15:26).
4) MAN, HIS FALL AND REDEMPTION
Man is a created being, made in the likeness and image
of God, but through Adam's transgression and fall, sin
came into the world. The Bible says "...all have
sinned, and come short of the glory of God," and
"...There is none righteous, no, not one."
(Rom. 3:10; 3:23). Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was
manifested to undo the works of the devil and gave His
life and shed His blood to redeem and restore man back
to God (Rom. 5:14; 1 John 3:8).
Salvation is the gift of God to man, separate from works
and the Law, and is made operative by grace through
faith in Jesus Christ, producing works acceptable to
God (Eph. 2:8-10).
5) ETERNAL LIFE AND THE NEW BIRTH
Man's first step toward salvation is godly sorrow that
worketh repentance. The new birth is necessary to all
men, and when experienced, produces eternal life (2
Cor. 7:10; John 3:3-5; 1 John 5:12).
6) WATER BAPTISM
Baptism in water is by immersion, is a direct commandment
of our Lord, and is for believers only. The ordinance
is a symbol of the Christian's identification with Christ
in His death, burial, and resurrection (Matt. 28:19;
Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12; Acts 8:36-39).
The following recommendation regarding the water baptismal
formula is adopted; to wit: "On the confession
of your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God,
and by His authority, I baptize you in the Name of the
Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen."
7) BAPTISM IN THE HOLY GHOST
The Baptism in the Holy Ghost and fire is a gift from
God as promised by the Lord Jesus Christ to all believers
in this dispensation and is received subsequent to the
new birth. This experience is accompanied by the initial
evidence of speaking in other tongues as the Holy Spirit
Himself gives utterance (Matt. 3:11; John 14:16,17;
Acts 1:8; Acts 2:38,39; Acts 19:1-7; Acts 2:1-4).
8) SANCTIFICATION
The Bible teaches that without holiness no man can see
the Lord. We believe in the Doctrine of Sanctification
as a definite, yet progressive work of grace, commencing
at the time of regeneration and continuing until the
consummation of salvation at Christ's return (Heb. 12:14;
1 Thess. 5:23; 2 Peter 3:18; 2 Cor. 3:18; Phil. 3:12-14;
1 Cor. 1:30).
9) DIVINE HEALING
Healing is for the physical ills of the human body and
is wrought by the power of God through the prayer of
faith, and by the laying on of hands. It is provided
for in the atonement of Christ, and is the privilege
of every member of the Church today (James 5:14,15;
Mark 16:18; Isa. 53:4,5; Matt. 8:17; 1 Peter 2:24).
10) RESURRECTION OF THE JUST AND THE RETURN OF OUR LORD
The angels said to Jesus' disciples, "...this same
Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall
so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven."
His coming is imminent. When He comes, "...the
dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive
and remain shall be caught up together with them in
the clouds to meet the Lord in the air..." (Acts
1:11; 1 Thess. 4:16,17).
Following the Tribulation, He shall return to earth
as King of kings, and Lord of lords, and together with
His saints, who shall be kings and priests, He shall
reign a thousand years (Rev. 5:10;20:6).
11) HELL AND ETERNAL RETRIBUTION
The one who physically dies in his sins without accepting
Christ is hopelessly and eternally lost in the lake
of fire and, therefore, has no further opportunity of
hearing the Gospel or repenting. The lake of fire is
literal. The terms "eternal" and "everlasting,"
used in describing the duration of the punishment of
the damned in the lake of fire, carry the same thought
and meaning of endless existence as used in denoting
the duration of joy and ecstasy of saints in the Presence
of God (Heb. 9:27; Rev. 19:20).
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