DOCTRINE OF GOD'S WORD

We believe the Old and New Testaments, the Holy Scriptures, to be the verbal and inspired Word of God, the final authority for faith and life, inerrant in the original writings, infallible and God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Matthew 5:18; John 16:12-13).

 

DOCTRINE OF GOD

We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections (Deuteronomy 6:4; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; John 10:30). 

 

THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST

1.         We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God, and redeem sinful mankind (John 1:1,2,14; Luke 1:35; Luke 19:10). 

 

2.         We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Romans 3:24-25; 1 Peter 1:3-5). 

 

3.         We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He is also our Advocate with the Father (Acts 1:9-11; Hebrews 4:14; Hebrews 8:1-2; 1 John 2:1). 

 

THE DOCTRINE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

1.         We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world concerning sin and righteousness, and judgment; and that He is the supernatural agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the Body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption (John 16:8-11; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Ephesians 1:13-14).

 

2.         We believe that He is the divine teacher who guides believers into all truth and that the saved are filled with the Holy Spirit (John 16:13; Ephesians 5:18; 1 John 2:20, 27, Ephesians 1:13, 14).    

  

THE DOCTRINE OF MAN

We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam's sin the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and, that man is totally depraved and completely unable to remedy his lost condition (Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 3:20, 23; Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-3, 12). 

 

THE DOCTRINE OF SIN

Sin entered into all humanity through the rebellion and disobedience of Adam.  Because of his choice to disobey God, all humanity possesses a sinful nature and is lost.  The penalty of sin is death, both physically and spiritually (Romans 3:23; Romans 5:12-21). 

 

THE DOCTRINE OF SALVATION

1.         We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on the cross for the forgiveness of sins (John 1:12; Ephesians 1:7; Ephesians 2:8-10; 1 Peter 1:18-19)

 

2.         We believe that all the redeemed once saved, are kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ forever.  It is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God's Word which also warns against the use of Christian liberty as an opportunity for the flesh.  (John 6:37-40; John 10:27-30; Romans 8:1, 28-30, 38-39; 1 Corinthians 1:4-8; 1 Peter 1: Romans 6:1-23; 13:13-14; Galatians 5:13; Titus 2:11-15). 

 

3.         We believe that every saved person possesses two natures, with provision made for victory of the new nature over the old nature through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit; and that all claims to the eradication of the old nature in this life are unscriptural (Romans 6:13; Romans 8:12-13; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 4:22; Colossians 3:10; 1 Peter 1:14-16; 1 John 3:5-9). 

 

4.         We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord (2 Time 3:1-5; Romans 12:1-2; Romans 14:13; 1 John 2:15-17). 

           

THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH

1.         We believe that the Church, which is the body and promised  bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all born-again persons (Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 5:25-27; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; 2 Corinthians 11:3). 

 

2.         We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament (Acts 14:23-27; Acts 20:17, 28-32; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11). 

 

3.         We believe that it is the mission of the local body to witness by life and by word to the truths of the Old and New Testament, and to seek to proclaim the Gospel to all mankind (Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 5:19-20). 

 

4.         We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowment of all His gifts to believers and all spiritual gifts should be exercised in love to unite and edify the Body of Christ. We acknowledge that as a community chapel our members come from many different faith backgrounds, therefore, the use of gifts in a way that is divisive and contrary to unity and edification of the local church body will be discouraged (I Corinthians 12:1-31; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13; I Corinthians 14:1-40; Ephesians 4:7-12). 

 

5.         We believe God can and will do a work of divine healing (James 5:12-16). 

 

6.         The ordinances of this church shall be two in number:

a.         The Lord's Supper (Communion) is to be partaken by believers in remembrance of Him.  It should be observed regularly (1 Corinthians 11:23-26).  

b.         Water baptism shall be administered to that person who has given evidence of a personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, as an outward testimony of an inward work.  The mode of baptism shall be by immersion (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; Acts 18:8). 

 

THE DOCTRINE OF ANGELS

1.         God's angels are created beings who are spirit in nature.  They can take physical form and have intelligence.  The following activities are attributed to angels; they praise and glorify God, they communicate God's message to humans, they minister to believers, they execute judgment on the enemies of God, and they will be involved in the Second Coming of Christ (2 Samuel 14:20; Psalms 148:2; Acts 27:23; 1 Thessalonians 2:18; James 4:7).

 

2.         Evil angels are very real and represent angels that were created by God and then sinned and became evil.  The chief of all evil angels is satan.  He is the great deceiver and opposes God and the work of Christ.  His power is limited and can be resisted (1 Peter 2:4; Jude 6; Acts 5:3; 2 Corinthians 4:4; 2 Corinthians 12:7; Ephesians 6:12; 1 Thessalonians 2:18; James 4:7). 

 

THE DOCTRINE OF THE FUTURE

1.         We believe in the "blessed hope," the personal, imminent, pre-tribulational, and pre-millennial coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His redeemed ones; and in His subsequent return to earth, with His saints, to establish His millennial Kingdom (Zechariah 14:4-11; 1 Thessalonians 1:10, 4:13-18; 5:9; Revelations 3:10, 19:11-16; 20:1-6). 

 

2.         We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:46; John 5:28-29; Matthew 11:25-26; Revelation 20:5, 6, 12, 13). 

 

3.         We believe that the souls of the redeemed are at death absent from the body and present with the Lord, where they await the resurrection, when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord (Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23, 3:21; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 20:4-6). 

 

4.         We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious misery until the second resurrection, when with soul and body reunited they shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment, and suffer everlasting conscious punishment (Matthew 25:41-46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-26; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Judge 6-7; Revelation 20:11-15).