Statement of Faith
God:
God, existing as the first cause, is the author, sustainer, and definer of all that exists apart from Himself. God is the only being in existence that owes His existence to Himself. God is eternal, holy, omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. God is just, love, life, spirit, and truth. God is the creator and is to be worshiped, served, and proclaimed.
The Holy Trinity:
We believe that there is one God, eternally existing in three persons: The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each person equal in essence, power, and nature but differing in role.
Jesus Christ:
We believe that Jesus Christ is 100% God and 100% man (in other words fully God and fully man), eternally with God and is God, who took on flesh to be a propitiatory sacrifice to atone for sinners.
The Atonement:
Jesus the Christ suffered and died on a cross as a propitiation for our sins. He bore our sins in His body, on the cross, suffering, as a direct substitution, the penalty due us for our transgressions of the law.
The Holy Spirit:
We believe that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to draw sinners, regenerate them, indwell them, and work in them to conform them to the image of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit also helps to illuminate Scripture
The Holy Scriptures:
We believe that the Bible is the revelation of God and His purposes to us, written by men under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit inerrant and infallible in the original manuscripts. Though it is the very word of God, God inspired the text in such a way that the voice of the author also comes through. We believe that the Bible is the only revelation on such matters, and not tradition or man.
The Fall:
We believe that human nature is fallen, and as all are sinners, all are worthy of God's wrath and justice. Man, being in a fallen state and separated from God, cannot offer salvation for his race, nor can he, by his own means, save himself or restore a relationship with God enjoyed prior to the fall. Man is dead in his sin.
Salvation:
Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, by Christ alone, to the glory of God alone. This is revealed by the sole authority of scripture and the outer call of the gospel is to all men.
God the Father chooses those which he would draw to Himself. This is in no way merited by any favor we earn by thought, word, or deed and is determined by God for His pleasure according to His plan and His purpose.
God the Son, made flesh, did bear the sins, suffer, and give His life as redemption for those the Father chose to draw to Him, His elect. This sacrifice, complete in power, secured everything necessary for salvation, including faith. Through the imputed righteousness of Christ, we are justified in the eyes of God.
God the Spirit moves the elect, through an inner calling, to accept the gospel call. He regenerates the heart and through grace allows us to no longer deny or turn from truth and life. In this movement the spirit never fails; He transforms and creates new creatures with new desires. The dead are made alive.
Salvation is eternal and cannot be lost. God protects, sustains, and sanctifies those He has chosen.
The Return:
We believe that Jesus will return, bodily and visibly, to judge all of mankind; the righteous to eternal life, the unrighteous to eternal wrath.
The Doctrines of Grace:
We believe and affirm the 5 points commonly referred to as "calvinism" as true and biblical. The five points are summed up as:
1. Total Depravity (Radical sinfulness)
2. Unconditional Election
3. Limited Atonement (Particular Redemption)
4. Irresistible Grace (Effectual Calling)
5. Perseverance of the Saints
Other Issues:
On other doctrinal issues such as Eschatology, Cessationism v Non-Cessationism, etc. we take no firm doctrinal stance, but hold to orthodox beliefs concerning each.
Information:
Our Statement of Faith
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