Article 1 – The Trinity
We, as believers, affirm that both the Old and New Testaments and the Christian Church testify to the nature of God as both One and Triune. The biblical revelation reveals that there is one God who exists eternally in three distinct persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
- God the Father: We acknowledge God the Father as the creator and sustainer of all things. He created the universe in love and fashioned humanity in His image for fellowship. After the rebellion and fall of humanity, He called us back to Himself through Christ.
- The Son: We believe that Jesus Christ is eternally God. He has been present with the Father and the Holy Spirit from the beginning, and through Him, all things were made. For the redemption of humanity, He left His heavenly abode and took on human form through the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary. He remains forever as one Christ with two natures—fully God and fully human—in one person.
- The Holy Spirit: We confess the Holy Spirit as God, the giver of life. He was active in the Old Testament and was given to the Church in fullness at Pentecost. The Holy Spirit empowers the saints for service and witness, purifies us from our old nature, and transforms us into the image of Christ. The baptism in the Holy Spirit, subsequent to conversion, releases the fullness of the Spirit and is evident through the fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Article 2 – The Scripture
We affirm that the Bible, consisting of the Old and New Testaments, is the only infallible, inspired Word of God. Its authority is ultimate, final, and eternal. It cannot be altered, added to, subtracted from, or surpassed in any way. The Bible is the sole source for doctrine, instruction, correction, and reproof, providing all that is necessary for guidance in godliness and practical Christian conduct.
Article 3 – The Atonement
The vicarious death of Christ on the cross paid the penalty for the sins of the entire world. However, the benefits of His sacrifice are only applicable to those who receive Jesus as their personal Savior. Healing in body, soul, and spirit, along with all of God’s provisions for His saints, is made available through the atonement but must be actively appropriated.
Article 4 – Salvation
Salvation is a free gift from God, granted based on the merits of the death of His Son, and it is received through faith. Salvation involves personal repentance, belief in the Lord Jesus (justification), and the personal acceptance of Him as Lord and Savior (regeneration). The new life in Christ includes the privileges of adoption and inheritance in the kingdom of God’s beloved Son. Salvation is a choice made in response to God’s personal love for humanity, predestined only in the sense that God, through His omniscience, foreknew those who would choose Him. Salvation is secure in the unchanging commitment of God, and it should manifest in an active lifestyle of loving obedience and service to Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Article 5 – The Christian Life
We understand the Christian life to be a balance between what is imputed to us as Christians and what is imparted to us through faith and maturity. God’s provision for His children is total, and His promises are final and eternal. The shortcomings of individuals and the Church are due to the ongoing sanctification of the saints. The Christian life is marked by trials, tests, and spiritual warfare. For those who remain faithful in Christ until their deaths or His return, the promises of eternal blessing in God’s presence are assured. To endure faithfully through all life’s circumstances requires dependence on the Holy Spirit and a willingness to surrender personal desires and passions.
Article 6 – The Church
The Church’s purpose is to make disciples of all nations and present the saints as complete in Christ. The five-fold ministry of Ephesians 4 governs the Church, along with the offices of elder and deacon, as mentioned in Scripture. Church governance is a balance between congregational and elder authority, emphasizing the final authority of Church leadership. It is essential that the Church practices scriptural patterns of discipline, both individual and corporate, overseen by the Church’s leadership.
Article 7 – Baptism & the Lord’s Supper
The Word of God mandates two perpetual ordinances for the Church. The first is baptism, an outward sign of what God has already done in an individual’s life and a testimony that the person now belongs to Jesus. Baptism identifies with Jesus and is conducted in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Lord’s Supper is a commemoration of the Lord’s death, observed in remembrance of Him until His return; it signifies our participation in Him. Both ordinances are reserved for believers.
Article 8 – Eschatology
We affirm the bodily, personal, second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the saints, the millennium, and the final judgment. The final judgment will determine the eternal status of both the saints and unbelievers based on their relationship with Jesus Christ. We align with the Bible regarding the final state of the new heavens and the new earth.