God's Doctrine

The Bible is the inspired Word of God to man. It gives a true history of the creation of the heavens, the earth, and of mankind. It contains a correct prophecy concerning the destiny of man and of all things. We believe that the Word of God is inerrant and infallible.
"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."
(II Tim. 3:16-17). We contend that there is true harmony in all the scriptures, when rightly divided. There is no salvation outside of that contained within the pages of the Bible. The only rule of faith and conduct is the Bible.

Both Old and New Testaments affirm the solemn fact that there is but one God (Deut. 6:4, Gal. 3:20, Eph. 4:6). God is a Spirit and there is but one Spirit (John 4:24; Eph. 4:4). There is but one God in essence and in person. The one God is the eternally self-existent One, the eternal "I Am" (Ex. 3:13-15), the Creator of the heavens and the earth and of all mankind. He is the one true God from whom and in whom there is a divine three-fold manifestation and relationship made known as Father (Creator, Source and Origin of all things and of all souls) (Isa. 43:10, 44:6), Son (Redeemer in time) (Matt. 1:21, John 3:16) and Holy Ghost (Indwelling Spirit, Comforter, Sustainer, Keeper and Regenerator in the Church) (John 14:16-26, Rom. 8:11). The Lord, our Savior Jesus Christ, is that God. Jesus Christ is the God-Man. He is the true Son of God and the true Son of man according to the flesh. Jesus is God manifested in the flesh and Savior of the world (John 1:1-14, I Tim. 3:16). He was conceived and born of the virgin Mary by the Holy Ghost (St. Luke 1:30-32); yet, this does not destroy His Pre-existence in Spirit as the Mighty God (Gen. 1:1, Isa. 9:6, Matt. 1:23, Col. 1:16-17).

Without the shedding of blood, there can be no remission of sin (Heb. 9:22). The need for atonement arises from the fall of Adam into sin (Rom. 5:12). It is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul (Lev. 17:11). Since mankind was unable to redeem himself due to his fallen nature, Jesus Christ, because of His Holy and righteous nature, was the only one qualified to provide atonement (Heb. 7:26, Rom. 5:11). First Peter 1:18-19 states, "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot..." Christ has made peace through the blood of His cross (Col. 1:20). "...Now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ." (Eph. 2:13). Hebrew 9:11-14 states, "But Christ being come an High Priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh; how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"

Jesus Christ was born of the virgin Mary, first prophesied in the Old Testament (Isa. 7:14, Jer. 31:22). The angel revealed to Joseph and Mary that this conception was without the knowing of any man, but was of the Holy Ghost (Matt. 1:18-25, Luke 1:30-38).

A person must come to God by faith in the gospel message (Heb. 11:6, Rom. 1:16, Mark 16:15-16). We believe that saving faith leads one to obey the gospel, and that obedience based upon such faith brings salvation. We also believe that the only means of sinners being accepted by God is by genuine repentance of their sins. Repentance is a change of heart, mind, and attitude toward sins (Isa. 55:7). "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." (Ps. 51:17). John the Baptist preached repentance. Jesus proclaimed it, and before His ascension, commanded "that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." (Luke 24:46-47).

A person must come to God by faith in the gospel message (Heb. 11:6, Rom. 1:16, Mark 16:15-16). We believe that saving faith leads one to obey the gospel, and that obedience based upon such faith brings salvation. We also believe that the only means of sinners being accepted by God is by genuine repentance of their sins. Repentance is a change of heart, mind, and attitude toward sins (Isa. 55:7). "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." (Ps. 51:17). John the Baptist preached repentance. Jesus proclaimed it, and before His ascension, commanded "that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." (Luke 24:46-47). (Luke 24:46-47). Water baptism should be administered in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 2:38, 8:16, 19:5). Baptism should not be administered in the titles Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, as some contend. Jesus was the name given to our Savior before His birth: "...for He shall save His people from their sins." (Matt. 1:21). "Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12). The apostles always administered baptism in the name of Jesus Christ from the Day of Pentecost forward (Acts 2:38, 8:16, 10:48, 19:5). Let us note in Matthew 28:19, as Jesus stated His Great Commission, that the word "name" is singular and not plural. This signifies that there is to be one name used in baptism. The apostles understood that name to be Jesus. Father, Son and Holy Ghost are titles that express God's relationship to His creatures. He is the Father in creation. He is the Son in His redemptive role in saving mankind from sin. He is also the Holy Ghost in His sanctifying and preserving the indwelt believer, but His name is one - Jesus (Zech. 14:9).

The Christian life is one of sanctification (I Thes. 4:7). After being saved, we are commanded to "go and sin no more." (John 8:11). Our lives are to be set apart from sin, consecrated, and dedicated solely to God for His glory. We are commanded to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world (Titus 2:12). We are also instructed that without holiness, no man shall see the Lord (Heb. 12:14). We must cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit (II Cor. 7:1) and separate ourselves from all worldliness (James 4:4). We contend that sanctification initially begins at regeneration. It continues progressively throughout the life of the believer and is finalized at the rapture in which the Christian will receive complete Christ-likeness (I John 3:1-3). We believe that Biblical sanctification can be produced only by the indwelling of the Holy Ghost. When the believer is fully occupied with love for his Lord, it is the "constraining love of Christ" (II Cor. 5:14) that causes him to gladly live a sanctified, consecrated, and godly life.

The Lord's Supper is an ordinance commanded by Jesus Christ (Matt. 26:26-29, I Cor. 11:23-32). Melchizedek administered the same (Gen. 14:18, Heb. 6:20). It is our conviction to use (unleavened) bread and wine (Matt. 26:17, I Cor. 5:6-8). The bread and the wine are legitimate representatives of the broken body and the shed blood of our Lord