ARTICLES OF FAITH AND BELIEFS

1) About God

God is the Creator and the Ruler of the universe. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are each equally and eternally the one true God (Genesis 1:1, 26-27, 3:22; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14).

2) About Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on the cross. He arose from the dead on the third day to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to heaven’s glory and will return to earth to reign as the King of kings and the Lord of lords. (Matthew 1:22-23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5; 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14-15; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Romans 1:3-4; Acts 1: 9-11; 1 Timothy 6:14-15; Titus 2:13).

3) About the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son of God. He is present in the world to make men and women aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. He gives every believer a spiritual gift when they are saved. As Christians, we seek to live under His control daily (2 Corinthians 3:17; John 16:7-17; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 2:12, 3:16; Ephesians 1:13; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 5:18).

4) About the Bible

The Bible is the inerrant Word of God. Human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit wrote it. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because God inspired it; it is the Truth without error or fault in all of its teachings (2 Timothy 1:13, 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Psalm 12:6, 119:105, 160; Proverbs 30:5).

5) About Human Beings

People are made in the image of God and are the supreme object of God’s creation. Although every person has tremendous potential for good, all of us are marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called “sin.” This attitude separates people from God and causes problems in life (Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6, 59:2; Romans 3:23).

6) About Salvation

Salvation is God’s gift to us, but we must accept it. We can never make up for our sins by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin’s penalty. God’s penalty for sin is death. When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith, we are saved. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 1:12, 14:6; Titus 3:5; Galatians 3:26; Romans 5:1).

7) About Eternal Security

Because God gives us eternal life through Jesus Christ, the true believer is secure in that salvation for eternity. If you have been genuinely saved, you cannot lose it. Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian. It is the grace and keeping of the power of God that gives us security (John 10:29; 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 7:25, 10:10, 14; 1 Peter 1:3-5).

8) About Eternity

People were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is hell. To be eternally in union with God is eternal life. Heaven and hell are real places of eternal existence (John 3:16; John 14:17; Romans 6:23; Romans 8:17-18; Revelation 20:15; 1 Corinthians 2:7-9).

9) Statement on Family

God has ordained the Family as the foundational institution of human society. It is composed of persons related to one another by marriage, blood, or adoption. Though various cultures and customs have evolving definitions of marriage, it is God alone Who has the ultimate authority to prescribe and describe the marital relationship (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:1-9; Mark 10:1-12).