1) THE SCRIPTURES
I believe that the books of the Old and New Testaments, comprising the Holy Bible, are the inspired Word of God. I believe that the Holy Spirit supervised the writers of the Scriptures in what they wrote so that using their own individual personalities, the very words recorded in the original manuscripts are the inerrant revelation of God. I further believe that the Bible not only contains the Word of God, but actually is God's Word and, therefore, is immutable and the final authority for belief and behavior. I believe that this inspiration extends equally and fully to all parts of Scripture: historically, poetically, doctrinally, and prophetically. ( 2 Ti,. 3:16, 2 Peter 1:21, 1 Cor. 2:13, 1 Thes. 2:13, John 17:17, 1 Peter 1:23, Matt.5:18.)
2) THE TRINITY
I believe that there is one, and only one, true and living God, an infinite Spirit who is the maker and supreme ruler of the universe. I believe the Scriptures reveal Him to be holy, soverign, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, eternal, immutable, full of love, justice goodness, mercy, and truth. Although there is only one God, I believe that in the unity of the Godhead there are three eternal and co-equal persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I believe these members of the trinity are the same in substance, having precisely the same nature, attributes and perfections, but are distinct in subsistence, excuting different but harmonious functions. ( Mark 12:29, John 4:24, Matt. 3:16-17, Matt. 28:19, 2 Cor. 13:14, Isa. 44:6.)
3) JESUS CHRIST
I believe that Jesus Christ is the pre-exixtent and eternal Son of God who became man in order to reveal God and redeem man. I believe He was supernaturally conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. In His person, I believe the Lord Jesus combined forever full and undiminished Deity with true and perfect humanity to become the God-man. I believe Christ died on the cross as a substitute for all sinful men, was buried, arose bodily from the tomb, ascended into Heaven where He ministers on behalf of the saints, and someday will come again for His own. ( John 1:1, John 1:18, John 8:58, Matt. 1:21, Col. 1:15-17, Heb. 1:1-3, 1 Tim. 1:15, 1 Tim 3:16, 1 John 2:2. )
4) THE HOLY SPIRIT
I believe that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, fully equal with God the Father and God the Son. Although He is of the exact same essence, I believe He is a personality distinct from the other members of the Godhead. The Holy Spirit, I believe, has an active ministry to the to the worldin general which includes the restraining of evil, convicting of the unsaved and bestowing of God's goodness on all mankind. He also has a ministry to every Christian which consists on regenerating, sealing, indwelling, baptizing into the body of Christ, and the giving of spiritual gifts. I believe other ministries of the Spirit to obedient Christians include filling, assuring, teaching, guiding and comforting. ( Acts 5:3-4, 2 Thes. 2:3-9, John 16:7-11, Titus 3:5, Eph. 1:13, 1 Cor. 6:19, 1 Cor. 12:13, Eph. 5:18, Romans 8:16, John 16:7, Romans 8:14, Eph. 3:20, Heb. 2:3-4, 1 Cor 2:10-13, 2 Cor. 1:21=22, Eph. 4:30. )
5) MAN
I believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God in a state of innocence. Through deliberate disobedience, i believe man fell from his sinless state, and as a consequence, lost his fellowship with God and became subject to spiritual and physical death. I believe that through Adam's transgressions the entire human race has inherited a corrupt nature which is essentially evil and unable to please God. ( Gen. 1:26-27, Gen. 3:24, Romans 5:12, Eph. 2:1-3, Eph. 2:8, Jer. 17:9, Psalms 51:5. )
6) SIN
I believe that sin is anything contrary to the character of God. Every person born into the world is alienated from God because of his depraved nature as well as personal acts of sin and is completely incapable of meriting salvation and avoiding the judgment of God. The sin nature, I believe, is never really eradicated, even for those who are born into the family of God, but it remains until the end of life. However, I believe God has made provision for forgiveness of sin through the blood of Jesus Christ and victory over sin through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. (Romans3:10, Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Eph. 4:18, 1 John 1:8-10, Gal. 5:16-17.)
7) SALVATION
I believe that salvation from the penality and power of sin is provided only through the blood of Jesus Christ, which He shed on the cross when He was made sin for us and died in our place. There is nothing man can do, I believe, to attain salvation through good works, moral achievement, or religious status. I believe the one and only condition for salvation is personal faith in Jesus Christ as one's own substitute for, and Savior from, sin. At the time of salvation, I believe a person is spiritually regenerated, his sins are forgiven, God's righteousness is imputed to him, and he is declared righteous in the sight of God, This salvation, i believe, is a present possession of all believers, which remains theirs forever. ( 1 Peter 1:18-19, 2 Cor. 5:21, 1 Peter 2:24, Eph. 2:8-9, Titus 3:5, Eph. 4:32, Romans 5:1, Romans 8:38-39. )
