We believe in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Bible,¹ the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament canon which, being inerrant in the original manuscripts,² is the final authority on all matters of faith and practice and any other subject on which it touches.³ We believe in a dispensational understanding of the Bible, an approach to Scripture based on the progressive unfolding of the divine mysteries or new revelation from God which results in various dispensations or distinguishable administrations/stewardships of God’s revealed truth,⁴ such as Promise,⁵ Law,⁶ Grace,⁷ Kingdom,⁸ among others. This approach recognizes a fundamental distinction between Israel and the Church⁹ in origin, purposes, and destiny.

We believe in the original direct creation of the universe, a voluntary act of God whereby for his own glory and according to His eternal counsel, in six successive days of twenty-four hours each, He gave existence to all things in distinction from Himself. We oppose all forms of the evolutionary hypothesis of origins, whether theistic or atheistic.

Gen 1–2; Exod 20:11; Ps 19:1–6; 33:6, 9; 90:2; Isa 40:28; 1 Cor 8:6; Heb 11:3; Rev 4:9–11

We believe that man was created directly by God on Day Six of the creation week,¹ in His image² (a finite, creaturely replication of the infinite Creator), and in a state of sinlessness or innocence, righteousness, and holiness.³ We believe that originally man freely chose to transgress the expressed will of God⁴ and thereby mankind incurred sin,⁵ condemnation,⁶ and physical and spiritual death,⁷ so that man is a sinner by nature and by choice,⁸ and is totally depraved, destitute of any moral good, and utterly unable to merit God’s favor or contribute to his salvation.⁹

¹ Gen 1:26–31; 2:7–25, ² Gen 1:26–27; 1 Cor 11:7; Jas 3:9, ³ Ecc 7:29; Eph 4:24; Col 3:9–10, ⁴ Gen 3:1–7; 1 Tim 2:14, ⁵ Ps 51:5; Rom 5:12, 19, ⁶ Rom 5:16, 18, ⁷ Gen 2:17; Rom 5:12, 14, 15, 17, 21; 6:23; 1 Cor 15:21–22; Eph 2:1, ⁸ Gen 8:21; 1 Kgs 8:46; Isa 53:6; Jer 17:9; Rom 3:10, 12, 23; 1 John 1:8, 10, ⁹ Isa 64:6; Matt 19:25–26; Rom 4:5–6; Eph 2:9; Titus 3:5

We believe in the salvation of sinners through Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, who is the only Savior of men¹ by virtue of His shed blood,² i.e., His substitutionary death for sinners.³ We believe that salvation is completely dependent on the grace of God,⁴ is a free gift of God⁵ that man cannot earn or merit in any way,⁶ is applied by the work of the Holy Spirit using the instrumentality of the Word of God,⁷ and is appropriated by repentance⁸ and faith in the resurrected Son of God.⁹ We hold that in salvation the believer is called,¹⁰ regenerated,¹¹ Spirit baptized into union with Christ,¹² justified¹³ (including the forgiveness of sin¹⁴ and restoration to favor with God through the merit or righteousness of Christ¹⁵), adopted,¹⁶ sanctified,¹⁷ and glorified.¹⁸ We believe that God secures and guarantees the final salvation of every true believer,¹⁹ and that the genuine believer must and will persevere finally in his faith and Christian life until he meets the Lord.²⁰

¹ John 14:6; Acts 4:12; 1 Tim 2:5, ² Rom 3:25; 5:8–10; Eph 1:7; Heb 9:14–15, 22; 1 Pet 1:18–19, ³ Isa 53:4–6, 8–9, 11–12; 2 Cor 5:21; Gal 3:13; 1 Pet 2:24,⁴ John 6:65; Rom 4:16; Eph 2:8, ⁵ Rom 5:15–17; 6:23; Eph 2:9, ⁶ Eph 2:9; Titus 3:5, ⁷ John 16:8–11; Eph 5:26; Jas 1:18; 1 Pet 1:23, ⁸ Matt 3:2, 8; Acts 3:19; 20:21; 26:20; Heb 6:1, ⁹ Acts 16:31; Rom 4:5, 16; Eph 2:8–9; Heb 6:1, ¹⁰ John 5:25; Rom 8:28, 30; 1 Cor 1:9, 24; 1 Tim 6:12; 2 Tim 1:9, ¹¹ John 1:13; 5:25; Titus 3:5; 1 Pet 1:3, 23, ¹² Rom 6:3–10; 1 Cor 12:13; Gal 3:27–28, ¹³ Rom 4:1–5, 25; 5:1, 18–19, ¹⁴ Acts 10:43; Eph 1:7; 4:32; Col 1:14; 2:13; 1 John 2:12, ¹⁵ 1 Cor 1:30; 2 Cor 5:21, ¹⁶ Rom 8:15; Gal 4:5; Eph 1:5, ¹⁷ 1 Cor 1:2, 30; 6:11; Heb 10:10, 14, ¹⁸ Rom 8:30, ¹⁹ John 6:39; 10:27–30; Rom 8:35–39; 1 Cor 1:8–9; Phil 1:6; Jude 24, ²⁰ John 8:31–32; 1 Cor 15:2; Col 1:23; 2 Tim 2:12; Heb 3:14; 4:14; 6:11–12; 12:14; 1 John 2:19; 5:4; Jude 21–24

We believe that the sanctification of the believer means to be separated from sin and set apart unto God, and has three aspects. First, there is positional sanctification by which the believer is given a perfect standing before God, i.e., the status of a saint.¹ Second, there is experiential or present sanctification by which the believer is cleansed of the daily defilement of sin and is progressively brought into conformity to the image of Christ.² After the new birth the believer still has a sinful nature (unsubdued tendencies to evil and a complex of sinful attributes) which is in constant and life-long conflict with the spiritual nature (a set of righteous attributes and propensities to and desires for holiness which came with the new spiritual life and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit).³ While the believer’s addiction to sin is gone, the presence of sin and its tendencies are not. Present sanctification is the progressive elimination of sin in the believer’s life and a gradual conformity to Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit through the means of the Word of God and prayer,⁴ faith,⁵ obedience,⁶ self denial,⁷ and an active resistance against sin and Satan.⁸ Third, there is final sanctification when the believer will be fully conformed to the image of Christ and sin will be eliminated forever from his experience.⁹

¹ Acts 26:18; 1 Cor 1:2; 6:11; Heb 10:10, 14, ² John 13:10; 2 Cor 3:18; 1 Thess 5:23, ³ Rom 7:22–23; Gal 5:17, ⁴ Mark 14:38; John 17:17; 1 Pet 2:2; Jude 20–21, ⁵ Rom 6:11, ⁶ Rom 6:12–14, 12:1–2; Jas 4:7–8, ⁷ Rom 8:13; Col 3:5; Titus 2:12; 1 Pet 1:14–15, ⁸ 1 Cor 6:14, 18; Heb 12:1; 1 John 3:3, ⁹ Phil 3:21; 1 Thess 3:12–13; Heb 9:28; 1 John 3:2; Jude 24

We believe that a spiritual gift is an ability or a capacity to serve the Lord through an aspect of the life of the local church. While God is sovereign in the bestowment of all His spiritual gifts,¹ every believer has a function to serve in the church and has been gifted by God accordingly.² Gifts were given for the common good of the church,³ the edification of the church,⁴ the service work or ministry of the church,⁵ and the attestation or accreditation of God’s messengers and their new revelation for the church age.⁶ We believe that certain gifts prevalent in the church in the first century were miraculous in nature, such as speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues, prophecy, and the working of miracles. They were foundational and transitional, having served the church in its infancy and immature stage. These gifts have ceased, being no longer needed because the nation of Israel has dissolved, the Scriptures have been given, the church has been launched and divinely certified, the transition from Law to Grace has been made, and the apostles have gone to their eternal reward.⁷

¹ Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 12:11, 18, 28–31; Eph 4:7–8; Heb 2:4, ² 1 Cor 12:27; 1 Pet 4:10, ³ 1 Cor 12:7, ⁴ 1 Cor 14:12, ⁵ Eph 4:11–12, ⁶ 2 Cor 12:12; Heb 2:4, ⁷ 1 Cor 13:8–12; Eph 2:20; Heb 2:1–4

We believe that the Church as set forth in the New Testament has both a universal and a local aspect. The church as the Body of Christ, of which Christ is the Head,¹ is an organism composed of genuine believers in Jesus Christ, the total number of Spirit baptized believers of this age regardless of location or circumstances.² We believe that a local church is the visible expression of the body of Christ in a particular time and place,³ being an organized body of immersed believers,⁴ sharing a common faith or body of truth,⁵ observing the ordinances of baptism⁶ and communion,⁷ meeting at regular and stated times⁸ for worship, preaching and teaching, fellowship, and prayer,⁹ carrying out the Great Commission,¹⁰ and whose biblical offices are pastor¹¹ and deacon.¹² We believe that the local church is an autonomous body solely responsible to preserve its internal unity,¹³ maintain pure doctrine and practice,¹⁴ elect its own officers, leaders, and messengers,¹⁵ settle its own internal affairs,¹⁶ and determine the extent of its cooperation with other churches.¹⁷ We believe that the institution of the local church is God’s ordained instrument for His work and witness in this age.¹⁸

¹ Eph 1:22–23; 5:23; Col 1:18, 24, ² 1 Cor 12:13; Eph 2:11–22, ³ Acts 13:1; Rom 16:1, 5; 1 Cor 1:2; 1 Thess 1:1; Phlm 2, ⁴ Matt 28:19; Acts 2:41, 47, ⁵ Acts 2:42; 2 Thess 3:6; Jude 3, ⁶ Matt 28:19; Acts 2:41; 10:47–48; 16:15, 33; 18:8; 19:5; 1 Cor 1:16, ⁷ Matt 26:26–30; Acts 2:42; 20:7; 1 Cor 10:16–22; 11:23–32, ⁸ Acts 20:7; 1 Cor 16:2; Heb 10:25, ⁹ Acts 2:42, 47, ¹⁰ Matt 28:19–20; Luke 24:46–48; Acts 1:8, ¹¹ Acts 20:17, 28; Eph 4:11; Phil 1:1; 1 Tim 3:1–7; Titus 1:5; 1 Pet 5:1, ¹² Acts 6:1–6; Phil 1:1; 1 Tim 3:8–13, ¹³ Rom 12:16; 1 Cor 1:10; 2 Cor 13:11; Phil 4:2, ¹⁴ 1 Tim 3:15; Jude 3; Rev 2–3, ¹⁵ Acts 6:1–6; 11:22; 13:2; 15:3, 4, 22; 1 Cor 16:3; 2 Cor 8:19, ¹⁶ Matt 18:15–17; 1 Cor 5:4–5, 12; 6:1–5; 2 Cor 2:6; 2 Thess 3:6, ¹⁷ Acts 15:2–32; 2 Cor 8:19; Col 4:16, ¹⁸ 1 Tim 3:15

We believe in the literal return of Jesus Christ that will take place in two stages. The first stage is the Rapture, or His personal,¹ imminent,² and pretribulational³ coming for all saints of the church age.⁴ The second stage is the Revelation or the Second Coming in Glory, which is His personal and public coming at the close of the Tribulation Period to establish the messianic, Millennial Kingdom on the earth⁵ when Israel will be restored to covenant favor with God⁶ and to her land in faith⁷ and the Church will reign with Christ for the thousand years.⁸ After the Millennium there will be a new heaven and earth wherein God will dwell eternally with His people.⁹

We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust, though occurring at separate intervals.¹ The souls of those who trust in Christ go immediately into His presence at death² where they remain in a state of conscious bliss until the resurrection of the just, at which time they will receive their glorified bodies,³ and thereafter spend eternity serving the Lord in unending fellowship and love.⁴ The souls of unbelievers go immediately into a state of conscious torment and punishment at death,⁵ where they remain until the resurrection of the unjust, when they will be cast into the lake of fire to endure eternal suffering as a just retribution for their sin.⁶ The resurrection of the just begins at the Rapture of the Church and is completed at the conclusion of the Tribulation Period.⁷ The resurrection of the unjust is after the Millennium.⁸

¹ Dan 12:2; John 5:28–29; Acts 24:15; 1 Cor 15:21–24, ² Acts 7:59–60; 2 Cor 5:8; Phil 1:21–23, ³ Rom 8:11, 23; 1 Cor 15:22–24, 35–38; Phil 3:20–21; 1 John 3:2, ⁴ 1 Cor 13:13; 2 Pet 3:13; Rev 21:1–7, 9–27; 22:1–5, 14, ⁵ Deut 32:22; Luke 16:23–25, ⁶ Matt 8:12; 18:8; 25:41, 46; Mark 9:43–48; Rev 14:10, 11; 20:14–15; 21:8, ⁷ Dan 12:2; 1 Cor 15:23; 1 Thess 4:16; Rev 11:11–12; 20:4–5, ⁸ Rev 20:5, 11–15

We believe in both personal and ecclesiastical separation. The doctrine of separation is grounded in the character of God Himself. Holiness carries the basic idea of separation or apartness. God is holy in that He is separate or apart from all that is created and finite¹ and from all that is sinful or morally unclean,² and He demands that His people be holy or separated.³ God constituted the nation of Israel a holy or separated people who were to be separated from the customs and practices of the surrounding heathen.⁴ God commands His people today to be personally separated from the world,⁵ the transient system of evil led by Satan,⁶ organized against God and His will,⁷ that has its own philosophies, goals, life styles, amusements, habits, and practices. Ecclesiastical separation is the refusal to collaborate with a church, ecclesiastical organization, or religious leader which does not hold to the fundamental, cardinal doctrines of the Christian faith,⁸ and a like refusal concerning those who maintain connections or are content to walk with those who do not hold to the fundamental, cardinal doctrines of the Christian faith.⁹

¹ Ps 99:1–3; Isa 57:15, ² Isa 6:3, 5; Matt 6:9–10; 1 Tim 6:16; 1 Pet 1:15; 1 John 1:5, ³ Matt 5:48; Rom 12:1; Eph 1:4; 1 Pet 1:15–16; 1 John 2:1, ⁴ Exod 19:5–6; Lev 20:24–26; Deut 7:1–6; Ps 135:4, ⁵ Rom 12:2; Eph 5:11; Jas 4:4; 1 John 2:15, ⁶ John 12:31; 2 Cor 4:4; 1 John 2:17; 5:19, ⁷ John 7:7; 15:18; Jas 4:4, ⁸ Matt 7:15; Rom 16:17–18; 2 Cor 6:14–18; Gal 1:18–19; 1 Tim 6:3–5; 2 Tim 2:16–21; Titus 3:10–11; 2 John 10–11; Rev 2:14, ⁹ 2 Thess 3:6, 14