Beliefs

The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is the record of God’s revelation of
Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation
for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. It reveals the principles by
which God judges us; and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of
Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious
opinions should be tried. The criterion by which the Bible is to be interpreted is Jesus Christ.

Ex 24:4; De 4:1-2; 17:19; Jos 8:34
Psa 19:7-10; 119:11, 89, 105, 140
Isa 34:16; 40:8; Jer 15:16; 36:1-32
Mat 5:17-18; 22:29; Lu 21:33; 24:44-46
Joh 5:39; 16:13-15; 17:17; Ac 2:16; 17:11
Rom 15:4; 16:25-26; 2Ti 3:15-17
Heb 1:1-2; 4:12; 1Pe 1:25; 2Pe 1:19-21

There is one and only one living and true God. He is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being,
the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe. God is infinite in holiness and all
other perfections. To Him we owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience.
The eternal God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal
attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being.

A. God the Father
God as Father reigns with providential care over His universe, His creatures, and the flow of the
stream of human history according to the purposes of His grace. He is all powerful, all loving,
and all wise. God is Father in truth to those who become children of God through faith in Jesus
Christ. He is fatherly in His attitude toward all men.

Gen 1:1; 2:7; Ex 3:14; 6:2-3; 15:11; 20:1
Lev 22:2; De 6:4; 32:6; 1Ch 29:10; Psa 19:1-3
Isa 43:3, 15; 64:8; Jer 10:10; 17:13
Mat 6:9; 7:11; 23:9; 28:19; Mark 1:9-11
John 4:24; 5:26; 14:6-13; 17:1-8; Acts 1:7
Rom 8:14-15; 1Co 8:6; Gal 4:6; Eph 4:6
Col 1:15; 1Ti 1:17; Heb 11:6; 12:9; 1Pe 1:17; 1Jo 5:7

B. God the Son
Christ is the eternal Son of God. In His incarnation as Jesus Christ he was conceived of the Holy
Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus perfectly revealed and did the will of God, taking upon
Himself the demands and necessities of human nature and identifying Himself completely with
mankind yet without sin. He honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and in His death
on the cross He made provision for the redemption of men from sin. He was raised from the dead
with a glorified body and appeared to His disciples as the person who was with them before His
crucifixion. He ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where He is the
One Mediator, partaking of the nature of God and of man, and in whose Person is effected the
reconciliation between God and man. He will return in power and glory to judge the world and to
consummate His redemptive mission. He now dwells in all believers as the living and ever
present Lord.

Gen 18:1; Psalm 2:7; 110:1; Isa 7:14; 53:1-12
Mat 1:18-23; 3:17; 8:29; 11:27; 14:33; 16:16, 27
Mat 17:5; 27; 28:1-6, 19; Mark 1:1; 3:11
Luke 1:35; 4:41; 22:70; 24:46
John 1:1-18, 29; 10:30, 38; 11:25-27; 12:44-50
John 14:7-11, 16:15-16, 28; 17:1-5, 21-22; 20:1-20, 28
Acts 1:9; 2:22-24; 7:55-56; 9:4-5, 20
Rom 1; 3-4; 3:23-26; 5:6-21; 8:1-3, 34; 10:4
1Co 1:30; 2:2; 8:6; 15:1-8, 24-28; 2Co 5:19-21
Gal 4:4-5; Eph 1:20; 3:11; 4:7-10; Php 2:5-11
Col 1:13-22; 2:9; 1Th 4:14-18; 1Ti 2:5-6; 3:16
Tit 2:13-14; Heb 1:1-3; 4:14-15; 7:14-28
Heb 9:12-15, 24-28; 12:2; 13:8; 1Pe 2:21-25; 3:22
1Jo 1:7-9; 3:2; 4:14- 15; 5:9; 2Jo 7-9
Rev 1:13-16; 5:9-14; 12:10-11; 13:8; 19:16

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God. He inspired holy men of old to write the Scriptures. Through
illumination He enables men to understand truth. He exalts Christ. He convicts of sin, of
righteousness and of judgment. He calls men to the Saviour, and effects regeneration. He
cultivates Christian character, comforts believers, and bestows the spiritual gifts” by which they
serve God through His church. He seals the believer unto the day of final redemption. His
presence in the Christian is the assurance of God to bring the believer into the fulness of the
stature of Christ. He enlightens and empowers the believer and the church in worship,
evangelism, and service.

Gen 1:2; Jud 14:6; Job 26:13; Psa 51:11; 139:7
Isa 61:1-3; Joel 2:28-32
Mat 1:18; 3:16; 4:1; 12:28-32; 28:19; Mk 1:10, 12
Luke 1:35; 4:1, 18-19; 11:13; 12:12; 24:49
John 4:24; 14:16-17, 26; 15:26; 16:7-14
Acts 1:8; 2:1-4, 38; 4:31; 5:3; 6:3; 7:55; 8:17, 39 Acts 10:44; 13:2; 15:28; 16:6; 19:1-6
Rom 8:9-11, 14-16, 26-27; 1Co 2:10-14; 3:16; 12:3-11
Gal 4:6; Eph 1:13-14; 4:30; 5:18; 1Th 5:19
1Ti 3:16; 4:1; 2Ti 1:14; 3:16; Heb 9:8, 14
2Pe 1:21; 1Jo 4:13; 5:6-7; Rev 1:10; 22:17

Man was created by the special act of God, in His own image, and is the crowning work of His
creation. In the beginning man was innocent of sin and was endowed by his Creator with
freedom of choice. By his free choice man sinned against God and brought sin into the human
race. Through the temptation of Satan man transgressed the command of God, and fell from his
original innocence; whereby his posterity inherit a nature and an environment inclined toward
sin, and as soon as they are capable of moral action become transgressors and are under
condemnation. Only the grace of God can bring man into His holy fellowship and enable man to
fulfill the creative purpose of God. The sacredness of human personality is evident in that God
created man in His own image, and in that Christ died for man; therefore every man possesses
dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love.

Gen 1:26-30; 2:5, 7, 18-22; 3; 9:6
Psa 1:1-6; 8:3-6; 32:1-5; 51:5; Isa 6:5; Jer 17:5
Matt 16:26; Acts 17:26-31
Rom 1:19-32; 3:10-18, 23; 5:6, 12, 19; 6:6
Rom 7:14-25; 8:14-18, 29; 1Co 1:21-31; 15:19, 21-22
Eph 2:1-22; Col 1:21-22; 3:9-11

Salvation involves the redemption of the whole man, and is offered freely to all who accept Jesus
Christ as Lord and Saviour, who by His own blood obtained eternal redemption for the believer.
In its broadest sense salvation includes regeneration, sanctification, and glorification.
A. Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of God’s grace whereby believers become new
creatures in Christ Jesus. It is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit through conviction of
sin, to which the sinner responds in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of grace. Repentance is a genuine turning from
sin toward God. Faith is the acceptance of Jesus Christ and commitment of the entire personality
to Him as Lord and Saviour.
Justification is God’s gracious and full acquittal upon principles of His righteousness of all
sinners who repent and believe in Christ. Justification brings the believer into a relationship of
peace and favor with God.
B. Sanctification is the experience, beginning in regeneration, by which the believer is set apart
to God’s purposes, and is enabled to progress toward moral and spiritual perfection through the
presence and power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in him. Growth in grace should continue
throughout the regenerate person’s life.
C. Glorification is the culmination of salvation and is the final blessed and abiding state of the
redeemed.

Gen 3:15; Ex 3:14-17; 6:2-8
Mat 1:21; 4:17; 16:21-26; 27:22-28:6
Luke 1:68-69; 2:28-32
John 1:11-14, 29; 3:3-21, 36; 5:24; 10:9, 28-29
John 15:1-16; 17:17; Acts 2:21; 4:12; 15:11; 16:30-31
Acts 17:30-31; 20:32; Rom 1:16-18; 2:4; 3:23-25; 4:3
Rom 5:8-10; 6:1-23; 8:1-18; 29-39; 10:9-10, 13
Rom 13:11-14; 1Cor 1:18, 30; 6:19-20; 15:10
2Co 5:17-20; Gal 2:20; 3:13; 5:22-25; 6:15
Eph 1:7; 2:8-22; 4:11-16; Php 2:12-13; Col 1:9-22; 3:1
1Th 5:23-24; 2Tim 1:12; Titus 2:11-14
Heb 2:1-3; 5:8-9; 9:24-28; 11:1-12:8, 14
James 2:14-26; 1Pe 1:2-23; 1Jo 1:6-2:11
Rev 3:20; 21:1-22:5

Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates, sanctifies, and
glorifies sinners. It is consistent with the free agency of man, and comprehends all the means in
connection with the end. It is a glorious display of God’s sovereign goodness, and is infinitely
wise, holy, and unchangeable. It excludes boasting and promotes humility.
All true believers endure to the end. Those whom God has accepted in Christ, and sanctified by
His Spirit, will never fall away from the state of grace, but shall persevere to the end. Believers
may fall into sin through neglect and temptation, whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their
graces and comforts, bring reproach on the cause of Christ, and temporal judgments on
themselves, yet they shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.

Gen 12:1-3; Ex 19:5-8; 1Sa 8:4-7, 19-22
Isa 5:1-7; Jer 31:31
Mat 16:18-19; 21:28-45; 24:22, 31; 25:34
Luke 1:68-79; 2:29-32; 19:41-44; 24:44-48
John 1:12-14; 3:16; 5:24; 6:44-45, 65; 10:27-29
John 15:16; 17:6, 12, 17-18; Acts 20:32
Rom 5:9-10; 8:28-39; 10:12-15; 11:5-7, 26-36
1Co 1:1-2; 15:24-28; Eph 1:4-23; 2:1-10; 3:1-11
Col 1:12-14; 2Th 2:13-14; 2Ti 1:12; 2:10, 19
Heb 11:39-12:2; 1Pe 1:2-5, 13; 2:4-10
1Jo 1:7-9; 2:19; 3:2

A New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is a local body of baptized believers who are
associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel, observing the two ordinances of
Christ, committed to His teachings, exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them
by His Word, and seeking to extend the gospel to the ends of the earth.
This church is an autonomous body, operating through democratic processes under the Lordship
of Jesus Christ. In such a congregation members are equally responsible. Its Scriptural officers
are pastors and deacons.
The New Testament speaks also of the church as the body of Christ which includes all of the
redeemed of all the ages.

Mat 16:15-19; 18:15-20
Acts 2:41-42, 47; 5:11-14; 6:3-6; 13:1-3; 14:23, 27
Acts 15:1-30; 16:5; 20:28; Rom 1:7
1Co 1:2; 3:16; 5:4-5; 7:17; 9:13-14; 12
Eph 1:22-23; 2:19-22; 3:8-11, 21; 5:22-32
Php 1:1; Col 1:18; 1Ti 3:1-15; 4:14

Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer’s faith in a crucified, buried,
and risen Saviour, the believer’s death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to
walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. It is a testimony to his faith in the final resurrection of the
dead. Being a church ordinance, it is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership and to
the Lord’s Supper.
The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members of the church, through
partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, memorialize the death of the Redeemer and
anticipate His second coming.

Mat 3:13-17; 26:26-30; 28:19-20; Mk 1:9-11; 14:22-26
Luke 3:21-22; 22:19-20; John 3:23
Acts 2:41-42; 8:35-39; 16:30-33; 20:7
Rom 6:3-5; 1Co 10:16, 21; 11:23-29; Col 2:12

The first day of the week is the Lord’s Day. It is a Christian institution for regular observance. It
commemorates the resurrection of Christ from the dead and should be employed in exercises of
worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private, and by refraining from worldly
amusements, and resting from secular employments, work of necessity and mercy only being
excepted.

Ex 20:8-11; Mat 12:1-12; 28:1; Mk 2:27-28; 16:1-7
Luke 24:1-3, 33-36; John 4:21-24; 20:1, 19-28
Acts 20:7; 1Co 16:1-2; Col 2:16; 3:16; Rev 1:10

The Kingdom of God includes both His general sovereignty over the universe and His particular
kingship over men who willfully acknowledge Him as King. Particularly the Kingdom is the
realm of salvation into which men enter by trustful, childlike commitment to Jesus Christ.
Christians ought to pray and to labor that the Kingdom may come and God’s will be done on
earth. The full consummation of the Kingdom awaits the return of Jesus Christ and the end of
this age.

Gen 1:1; Isa 9:6-7; Jer 23:5-6
Mat 3:2; 4:8-10, 23; 12:25-28; 13:1-52; 25:31-46; 26:29
Mk 1:14-15; 9:1; Luke 4:43; 8:1; 9:2; 12:31-32
Luke 17:20-21; 23:42; John 3:3; 18:36
Acts 1:6-7; 17:22-31; Rom 5:17; 8:19
1Co 15:24-28; Col 1:13; Heb 11:10, 16; 12:28
1Pe 2:4-10; 4:13; Rev 1:6, 9; 5:10; 11:15; 21-22

God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring the world to its appropriate end. According
to His promise, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth; the dead will
be raised; and Christ will judge all men in righteousness. The unrighteous will be consigned to
Hell, the place of everlasting punishment. The righteous in their resurrected and glorified bodies
will receive their reward and will dwell forever in Heaven with the Lord.

Isa 2:4; 11:9; Mat 16:27; 18:8-9
Mat 19:28; 24:27, 30, 36, 44; 25:31-46; 26:64
Mark 8:38; 9:43-48; Luke 12:40, 48; 16:19-26
Luke 17:22-37; 21:27-28; John 14:1-3
Acts 1:11; 17:31; Rom 14:10; 1Co 4:5
1Co 15:24-28, 35-58; 2Co 5:10; Php 3:20-21
Col 1:5; 3:4; 1Th 4:14-18; 5:1; 2Th 1:7; 2:1-17
1Ti 6:14; 2Ti 4:1, 8; Tit 2:13; Heb 9:27-28
James 5:8; 2Pe 3:7; 1Jo 2:28; 3:2
Jude 14; Rev 1:18; 3:11; 20:1-22:13

It is the duty and privilege of every follower of Christ and of every church of the Lord Jesus
Christ to endeavor to make disciples of all nations. The new birth of man’s spirit by God’s Holy
Spirit means the birth of love for others. Missionary effort on the part of all rests thus upon a
spiritual necessity of the regenerate life, and is expressly and repeatedly commanded in the
teachings of Christ. It is the duty of every child of God to seek constantly to win the lost to
Christ by personal effort and by all other methods in harmony with the gospel of Christ.

Gen 12:1-3; Ex 19:5-6; Isa 6:1-8
Mat 9:37-38; 10:5-15; 13:18-30, 37-43; 16:19
Mat 22:9-10; 24:14; 28:18-20; Luke 10:1-18; 24:46-53
John 14:11-12; 15:7-8, 16; 17:15; 20:21
Acts 1:8; 2; 8:26-40; 10:42-48; 13:2-3
Rom 10:13-15; Eph 3:1-11; 1Th 1:8; 2Ti 4:5
Heb 2:1-3; 11:39-12:2; 1Pe 2:4-10; Rev 22:17

The cause of education in the Kingdom of Christ is co-ordinate with the causes of missions and
general benevolence, and should receive along with these the liberal support of the churches. An
adequate system of Christian schools is necessary to a complete spiritual program for Christ’s
people.
In Christian education there should be a proper balance between academic freedom and
academic responsibility. Freedom in any orderly relationship of human life is always limited and
never absolute. The freedom of a teacher in a Christian school, college, or seminary is limited by
the pre-eminence of Jesus Christ, by the authoritative nature of the Scriptures, and by the distinct
purpose for which the school exists.

De 4:1,5,9,14; 6:1-10; 31:12-13; Neh 8:1-8; Job 28:28
Psa 19:7; 119:11; Pro 3:13; 4:1-10; 8:1-7, 11; 15:14
Ecc 7:19; Mat 5:2; 7:24; 28:19-20; Luke 2:40
1Co 1:18-31; Eph 4:11-16; Php 4:8; Col 2:3, 8-9
1Ti 1:3-7; 2Ti 2:15; 3:14-17; Heb 5:12-6:3
James 1:5; 3:17

God is the source of all blessings, temporal and spiritual; all that we have and are we owe to
Him. Christians have a spiritual debtorship to the whole world, a holy trusteeship in the gospel,
and a binding stewardship in their possessions. They are therefore under obligation to serve Him
with their time, talents, and material possessions; and should recognize all these as entrusted to
them to use for the glory of God and for helping others. According to the Scriptures, Christians
should contribute of their means cheerfully, regularly, systematically, proportionately, and
liberally for the advancement of the Redeemer’s cause on earth.

Gen 14:20; Lev 27:30-32; De 8:18; Mal 3:8-12
Mat 6:1-4, 19-21; 19:21; 23:23; 25:14-29
Luke 12:16-21, 42; 16:1-13; Acts 2:44-47
Acts 5:1-11; 17:24-25; 20:35; Ro 6:6-22; 12:1-2
1Co 4:1-2; 6:19-20; 12; 16:1-4; 2Co 8-9; 12:15
Php 4:10-19; 1Pe 1:18-19

Christ’s people should, as occasion requires, organize such associations and conventions as may
best secure cooperation for the great objects of the Kingdom of God. Such organizations have no
authority over one another or over the churches. They are voluntary and advisory bodies
designed to elicit, combine; and direct the energies of our people in the most effective manner.
Members of New Testament churches should cooperate with one another in carrying forward the
missionary, educational, and benevolent ministries for the extension of Christ’s Kingdom.
Christian unity in the New Testament sense is spiritual harmony and voluntary cooperation for
common ends by various groups of Christ’s people. Cooperation is desirable between the various
Christian denominations, when the end to be attained is itself justified, and when such
cooperation involves no violation of conscience or compromise of loyalty to Christ and His
Word as revealed in the New Testament.

Ex 17:12; 18:17; Jud 7:21; Ezr 1:3-4; 2:68-69; 5:14-15
Ne 4; 8:1-5; Mat 10:5-15; 20:1-16; 22:1-10; 28:19-20
Mk 2:3; Luke 10:1; Acts 1:13-14; 2:1; 4:31-37; 13:2-3
Acts 15:1-35; 1Co 1:10-17; 3:5-15; 12; 2Co 8:1-9:15
Gal 1:6-10; Eph 4:1-16; Php 1:15-18

Every Christian is under obligation to seek to make the will of Christ supreme in his own life and
in human society. Means and methods used for the improvement of society and the establishment
of righteousness among men can be truly and permanently helpful only when they are rooted in
the regeneration of the individual by the saving grace of God in Christ Jesus. The Christian
should oppose in the spirit of Christ every form of greed, selfishness, and vice. He should work
to provide for the orphaned, the needy, the aged, the helpless, and the sick. Every Christian
should seek to bring industry, government, and society as a whole under the sway of the
principles of righteousness, truth, and brotherly love. In order to promote these ends Christians
should be ready to work with all men of good will in any good cause, always being careful to act
in the spirit of love without compromising their loyalty to Christ and His truth.

Ex 20:3-17; Lev 6:2-5; De 10:12; 27:17
Psalm 101:5; Mic 6:8; Zech 8:16
Mat 5:13-16, 43-48; 22:36-40; 25:35
Mk 1:29-34, 2:3; 10:21; Luke 4:18-21; 10:27-37; 20:25
John 15:12; 17:15; Rom 12-14; 1Co 5:9-10; 6:1-7
1Co 7:20-24; 10:23-11:1; Gal 3:26-28; Eph 6:5-9
Col 3:12-17; 1Th 3:12; Phm 1:1-25; Jas 1:27; 2:8

It is the duty of Christians to seek peace with all men on principles of righteousness. In
accordance with the spirit and teachings of Christ they should do all in their power to put an end
to war.
The true remedy for the war spirit is the gospel of our Lord. The supreme need of the world is
the acceptance of His teachings in all the affairs of men and nations, and the practical application
of His law of love.

Isa 2:4; Mat 5:9, 38-48; 6:33; 26:52; Luke 22:36,38
Rom 12:18-19; 13:1-7; 14:19; Heb 12:14; Jas 4:1-2

God alone is Lord of the conscience, and He has Left it free from the doctrines and
commandments of men which are contrary to His Word or not contained in it. Church and state
should be separate. The state owes to every church protection and full freedom in the pursuit of
its spiritual ends. In providing for such freedom no ecclesiastical group or denomination should
be favored by the state more than others. Civil government being ordained of God, it is the duty
of Christians to render loyal obedience thereto in all things not contrary to the revealed will of
God. The church should not resort to the civil power to carry on its work. The gospel of Christ
contemplates spiritual means alone for the pursuit of its ends. The state has no right to impose
penalties for religious opinions of any kind. The state has no right to impose taxes for the support
of any form of religion. A free church in a free state is the Christian ideal, and this implies the
right of free and unhindered access to God on the part of all men, and the right to form and
propagate opinions in the sphere of religion without interference by the civil power.

Gen 1:27; 2:7; Mat 6:6-7, 24; 16:26; 22:21
John 8:36; Acts 4:19-20; Rom 6:1-2; 13:1-7
Gal 5:1, 13; Php 3:20; 1Ti 2:1-2; Jas 4:12
1Pe 2:12-17; 3:11-17; 4:12-19