Among other equally biblical truths, we believe and maintain the following:
The verbal, plenary, divine inspiration and preservation of the Scriptures in the original languages, their consequent inerrancy and infallibility, and, as the Word of God, the supreme and final authority in faith and life;
The Triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit;
The essential, absolute, eternal deity, and the real and proper, but sinless, humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ;
His birth of the Virgin Mary;
His substitutionary propiatory death, in that He gave His life "a ransom for many";
His resurrection from among the dead in the same body in which He was crucified, and the second coming of this same Jesus in power and great glory;
The total depravity of man through the Fall;
Salvation, the effect of regeneration by the Spirit and the Word, not by works, but by grace through faith;
The everlasting bliss of the saved, and the everlasting torment of the wicked in hell;
The real spiritual unity in Christ of all redeemed by His precious blood;
The necessity of maintaining, according to the Word of God, the purity of the Church in doctrine and life.
This ministry particularly emphasizes these doctrines which are under broad, systematic and exceptionally grave attack and compromise. We believe --
That the Five Solas of the Reformation declare God's Christ and His Word as the believer's sole authority and hope:
Sola Scriptura ("Scripture alone"): The Bible alone and in its entirety is the authoritative, divine Word of God
Sola Fide ("Faith alone"): We are saved only by faith in Jesus Christ
Sola Gratia ("Grace alone"): We are saved only by the grace of God, totally apart from our works of righteousness
Solus Christus ("Christ alone"): Christ alone is Lord, Savior and Sovereign King of Kings
Soli Deo Gloria ("to the Glory of God alone"): All is to be done to the glory of God alone.
That the Textus Receptus is the holy, inerrant, preserved Word of God, though we are not KJV-onlyists
In a literal six-day creation
That the mode of baptism should not serve as a litmus test for fellowship or church membership
That the supernatural Apostolic gifts have ceased
That dispensational teaching, though containing much truth, fails to fully mesh significant doctrines of Scripture, particularly viewing some Old Testament prophecies as unfulfilled
That any teaching aiming to destroy the role of law of God is incorrect
In the New Covenant, we walk by faith in God's promises, not by law
That psalms, hymns and spiritual songs should be used to regulate our worship, and to distinguish our gatherings from the world
That the Bible provides clear but strict rules for identifying and ordaining church leaders (married men with children in subjection; no women pastors, teachers or deacons)
In a gospel millennium (or, A-millennial) view of the end-times
That those who hold historical (not dispensational) pre-millennial views are not to be discouraged from fellowship
That those who are more interested in the return of Christ, rather than the returning Christ, are to be avoided
HELPFUL CONFESSIONS
The first confession we hold is actually found in scripture:
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. (1Corinthians 15:3-8)
We find the Apostle's Creed is a simple yet helpful statement concerning the triune God we worship.
"I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen."
We are quick to point out the phrase holy catholic church does not refer to a denomination (i.e. the Roman Catholic church), but rather to the universal church throughout all time. Why not say universal? Because the word catholic means universal throughout all time.
In general, the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF), its Shorter Catechism, and the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith are useful, though they differ on the mode and targets of baptism. We particularly enjoy WCF's first chapter, which (oddly enough) most reformed and presbyterian churches effectively abandon today when they use corrupt translations such as the ESV. Why? Because the ESV, along with many other modern translations, base their translation on a new Greek text --called the Critical Text-- built on the conjecture that God failed to preserve His Word since the 4th century, and two 19th century heretical scholars (Westscott and Hort) aided God by fixing the Scriptures some 1,500 years later. This betrays WCF chapter I paragraph VII, which states that
"The Old Testament in Hebrew ... and the New Testament in Greek ... being immediately inspired by God, and by His singular care and providence kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentical ...".
We take exception to WCF's suggestion of exclusive Psalmody (WCF chapter XXI, para V); that the believer's rule of life is the law (WCF chapter XIX, para VI); or that remarriage is permitted after divorce (WCF chapter XXIV, para V).
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