Articles of Faith

While a brief statement of beliefs cannot adequately express all the doctrines of the New Testament Church, these articles serve to clearly define the essential elements of our faith and practice. Yet, if these were merely based upon our beliefs, they would have no more value than any opinion. However, these articles are not founded on our opinions, but upon the word of God.

 

  1. We believe in the one true and living God – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost – and these three are one. (Gen. 1:1; Deut. 6:4; Jer. 10:10; Matt. 28:19; Jno. 1:1, 17:20-23; I Cor. 8:6; II Cor. 13:14; I Tim. 1:17; I Jo. 5:7)
  2. We believe the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the revealed and inspired word of God, and as such are the only rule for both faith and practice. We believe, the King James Bible is the best translation for English speaking peoples and is the preserved word of God. (Psa. 12:6-7; Rom. 15:4; Eph. 2:19-22; II Tim. 3:16-17; II Pet. 1:19-21)
  3. We believe that the Bible is our only rule for faith and practice; therefore, we should strive to follow the word of God in our daily lives. While we seek to live quiet and peaceable lives, we are bound by scripture and it is our ultimate authority. As such, we recognize the biblical qualification for membership, and the standard of living to which God holds us as members. Since we bear the name of Christ we should live a changed life, unlike the world around us, in a way that honors God and does not bring reproach up His name or the Bride of Christ which is the Church. (Exo. 1:16-21; I Ki. 18:3-4; Dan. 3:17-18; Act. 4:19-20, 5:29; Rom. 13:17; I Cor. 6:9-11, Gal. 5:19-21, I Tim. 2:1-2, 3:16; Tit. 3:1-3)
  4. We believe that all mankind is in a fallen state by nature, and consequently in a state of condemnation. Furthermore, we believe that all mankind engages in his sin nature, and none live above sin. Therefore, man is a sinner both by nature and by practice; man cannot recover himself from this fallen state by his own free will or ability. (Job 14:4; Psa. 14:1-3, 51:5; Rom. 3:9-12, 3:23, 5:12, 7:18-25; 1 Cor. 2:14; Eph. 2:1-3, 2:8)
  5. We believe God according to his good pleasure, before the foundation of the world, unconditionally elected a specific people, a definite but innumerable number of the human family, in Jesus Christ and predestined them to eternal life and glory. However, we refute the notion that God predestined all events, sin, and wickedness. (Psa. 115:3; Matt. 1:21, 25:31-46; Jno 6:37-47, 10:26-30; Acts 13:48; Romans 8:24-39,9:11-16; Eph. 1:1-11; I Thes. 1:2-4; II Tim. 1:9; I Pet. 1:2)
  6. We believe Jesus Christ suffered and died a substitutionary death in the place of His elect only and that His elect are justified in the sight of God by the imputed righteousness of Christ alone. (Jno. 10:11; Act. 20:28; Rom. 5:8-15; II Cor. 5:21; Eph. 2:5; Tit. 3:4-7; Heb. 10:14; I Pet. 3:18; I Jo. 3:9)
  7. We believe that in God’s own time and appointed way the Holy Spirit effectually calls, regenerates, and sanctifies all the elect saints of God during their lifetime, sometime between conception and death. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit isn’t dependent on man or man’s devices, nor is man involved except as the passive recipient in the work of regeneration. (Isa. 55:10-11; Jno. 3:3-8; Eph. 2:1-3; II Tim. 1:9; Jud. 1)
  8. We believe all the elect saints are kept by the power of God, preserved in the blood of Jesus Christ, through faith unto salvation, and while some may not persevere faithful until death, not one of the elect shall ever be eternally lost. (Psa. 89:28-37; Jno. 6:37-40, 10:27-30, 14:19-20; Rom. 8:28-39; Heb. 12:6-8; 1 Pet. 1:2-5; Jud. 1)
  9. We believe that a Church of Jesus Christ is a company of believers who, turning from the things of the world, are baptized upon a profession of faith in the finished work of Christ, contend for the faith once delivered unto the saints, and maintain pure and holy the ordinances as they have been delivered. (Act. 11:26, 16:31-33; Eph. 3:6; Jud. 3)
  10. We believe that while, from time to time, Churches may come together to form ties of fellowship, every Church is a sovereign body, and remains both autonomous and independent. The Church belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ and He is its only head. (Eph. 1:22, 5:23; Col. 1:18).
  11. We believe baptism and communion are the only two ordinances given to the New Testament Church in the Gospel. (Matt. 3:13-17, 26:26-29, 28:19; Mrk. 14:22-26, 16:15-16; Luk. 22:17-20; Jno. 3:23, 13:1-17; Act. 8:28-38; Rom. 6:3-5; I Cor. 10:16, 11:23-28; I Tim. 5:10)
    • Believers are the only proper subjects for baptism and the only true mode of baptism is by immersion. Only those who have been submissive to the first ordinance of baptism may be admitted to partake in the second ordinance of communion.
    • We believe the communion is made up of both the Lord’s Supper and the washing of the saints’ feet, therefore, it is the duty of our members to wash feet as taught in scripture.
  12. Furthermore, we believe that no minister has the right to administer the ordinances of the Church, except those who have been baptized, met the qualifications of scripture, have been called by God to the office, come under the imposition of the hands by the presbytery, and are at the time in good standing with the Church. (Matt. 28:18-20; Luk. 9:60; Act. 13:1-4, 20:28; I Cor. 9:16, 9:27; I Tim. 4:14, 5:22; II Tim. 2:1-6, 2:15; Tit. 1:5-9)
  13. We believe that good works and obedience to the commands of God are well pleasing in His sight. As such, it is the duty of our members to honor the covenant they have made, not to obtain eternal life but out of a thankful heart; to live God honoring lives, cheerfully give of themselves, not forsake the worship service, remain unspotted from the world and refrain from membership in worldly orders or religious institutions that teach doctrines contrary to scripture (for example, Freemasonry). (Ecc. 12:14; Am. 3:3; Matt. 5:14-16, 5:33-37, 6:24; 16:24; I Cor. 10:20, 14:40; 2 Cor. 6:14-18; Gal 5:22-23; Eph. 2:8-10, 5:11-14; Col 2:20-22; I Tim. 6:1-16; Tit. 3:8; Heb. 10:24, 13:16; Jam. 2:17-18)
  14. Finally, we believe that when Jesus returns for the second time, there will be a bodily resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. The dead will be raised from the dust of the earth; those that are alive and remain shall be changed, and all the elect will meet the Lord in the air, forever to be with Him. There will be a general judgment, where the sheep are divided from the goats, that the joys of righteous and the punishment of the wicked will be everlasting, and this world will be no more. We do not believe that Christ is returning to set up another earthly kingdom, but the Kingdom exists today having been established by Christ Himself. (Job. 14:14-15; Dan. 12:2; Matt. 4:17, 12:28, 25:31-46; Jno. 5:26-29; Act. 17:31, 24:15; I Cor. 15:35-58; II Cor. 5:10; Phil. 3:20-21; Col 1:12-13; I Thes. 4:13-18; Rev. 20:10-15)
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