TENETS OF FAITH

This Church body shall accept the Holy Scriptures as the revealed will of God, the all-sufficient rule of faith and practice, and for the purpose of maintaining general unity, adopts the following statement of fundamental truths:


1. The Scriptures Inspired.
The Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, are verbally inspired of God and are the revelation of God to man, the infallible, authoritative rule of faith and conduct (2 Tim. 3:15–17; 1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Peter 1:21).


2. The One True God.
The one true God has revealed Himself as the eternally self-existent “I AM”, the Creator of heaven and earth, and the Redeemer of mankind. He has further revealed Himself as embodying the principles of relationship and association as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Deut. 6:4; Isaiah 43:10–11; Matt. 28:19; Luke 3:22).


3. The Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. The Scriptures declare:
a. His virgin birth (Matt. 1:23; Luke 1:31, 35).
b. His sinless life (Heb. 7:26; 1 Peter 2:22).
c. His miracles (Acts 2:22; 10:38).
d. His substitutionary work on the cross (1 Cor. 15:3; 2 Cor. 5:21).
e. His bodily resurrection from the dead (Matt. 28:6; Luke 24:39).
f. His exaltation to the right hand of God (Acts 1:9; Heb. 1:3).


4. The Fall of Man
Man was created good and upright; for God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” However, man by voluntary transgression, fell and thereby incurred not only physical death, but also spiritual death, which is separation from God, eternally in hell (Gen. 1:26–27; 2:17; 3:6; Rom. 5:13–19).


5. The Salvation of Man
Man’s only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God.


a. Conditions of Salvation
Salvation is received through repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ. By the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, being justified by grace through hope of eternal life (Luke 24:47; John 3:3; Rom. 10:13–15; Eph. 4:24; Titus 2:12).


6. The Ordinances of the Church.
a. Baptism in Water
The ordinance of baptism by immersion is commanded in the Scriptures. All who repent and believe on Christ as Savior and Lord are to be baptized. Thus they declare to the world that they have died with Christ and that they also have been raised with Him to walk in newness of life. (Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 20:47; Rom. 6:4).


b. Holy Communion
The Lord’s Supper, consisting of the elements—bread and the fruit of the vine—is the symbol expressing our sharing the divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:4); a memorial of His suffering and death (1 Cor. 11:26) and is enjoined on all believers “till He come”.


7. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit
All believers are entitled to and should ardently expect and earnestly seek the promise of the Father, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and power, according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the normal experience of all in the early Christian Church. With it comes the enduement of power for life and service, the bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4–8; 1 Cor. 12:1–31). This experience is distinct from and subsequent to the experience of the new birth (Acts 8:12–17; 10:44–46; 15:7–9).


8. The Church
The Church is the Body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit with divine appointments for the fulfillment of her great commission. Each believer, born of the Spirit, is an integral part of the Church of the First-born, which are written in heaven (Eph. 1:22–23; Heb. 12:23).


9. Divine Healing
Divine Healing is an integral part of the Gospel. Jesus Christ is the Great Physician, is the same yesterday, today and forever. As He healed during His earthly ministry, so healing is available to all who have faith for their healing, whatever it might be.


10. The Blessed Hope
The resurrection of those who have fallen asleep in Christ and their translation together with those who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord is the imminent and blessed hope of the Church. (1 Thess. 4:15–17; Rom. 8:23; Titus 2:13; 1 Cor. 15:51–52).


11. The Final Judgment
There will be a final judgment in which the wicked dead will be raised and judged according to their works. Whosoever is not found written in the Book of Life, together with the devil and his angels.
The beast and the false prophet will be consigned to everlasting punishment in the lake of fire which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death (Matt. 24:46; Mark 9:43-48; Rev. 19:20; 20:11-15; 21:8).