WORSHIP

We believe the Holy Scriptures, Old and New Testament, to be the complete and final revelation to man as the word of God. We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and it is a complete and perfect treasure of heavenly instruction being the final authority for faith and practice and shall remain so until the end of the world. It is the only means by which people can come to a saving knowledge of God and His will for their lives, and it is a supreme standard by which all human conduct, creed, and opinions should be tried; and are the principles by which God and the “Last Day” will use to judge us.

We believe that there is one and only one true and living God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; being equal in every divine perfection, inexpressibly glorious in holiness and worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love.

We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, in holiness, under the laws of His maker. But by voluntary transgressing, he fell from that holy and happy state.  As a result of that fall, Adam and all mankind became alienated from God.  His nature became totally corrupt and of himself; totally unable to know God and unable to change his lost position. It is through grace alone mankind can be saved.

We believe the way of salvation is through grace alone and is based upon the finished work of Christ on Calvary’s hill. Who, being appointed by the Father, Christ freely took upon Himself our nature. Yet, Himself being without sin, honored the divine law by personal obedience and by His death made a full atonement for our sin; that having risen from the dead for our justification, He is now at the right hand of His Father, where He ever lives to make intercession for those who believe. We believe this salvation is freely offered to all and those, who through repentance and faith receive this salvation, are freely justified.

We believe Christ’s death secures this Gospel blessing of justification to all who receive Him as Lord and Savior. This justification includes pardon from the guilt of sin, and the promise of eternal life, bestowed, not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in the redeemer’s blood, by virtue of which faith, His perfect righteousness is freely imputed to us of God, that it brings us into a style of peace and favor with God, and secures every other blessing needful for time and eternity.

We believe all who receive Christ are and must be regenerated or born again. That this new birth consists in giving a holy disposition to the mind, that it is affected in a manner above our comprehension by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the Gospel, which its evidence appears holy fruit of repentance and faith, and newness of life.

We believe that repentance and faith are indispensable duties and inseparable graces. Wrought in the soul by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit.  Being deeply convicted of our guilt, danger, and helplessness and seeing the way of salvation by Christ, we turn to God with contrition confession and supplication for mercy.  At the same time, receiving Jesus Christ as our Savior, relying on Him alone for our total acceptance with God.

We believe that election is the eternal purpose of God, according to which He graciously regenerates, sanctifies, and saves sinners. This, being perfectly consistent with the free agency of man, comprehends all the means in connection with the end, that most glorious display of God’s sovereign goodness being infinitely free, wise, holy, and unchangeable. It excludes boasting and promotes humility, love, praise, prayer, and trust in God. It encourages the use of means in the highest degree. That it may be ascertained by its effect in all who truly believe the Gospel. That it is the foundation of Christian assurance, and that to ascertain it with regard to ourselves demands and deserves the utmost diligence on our part.

We believe sanctification is the process by which, according to the will of God, we are made partakers of this holiness, that it is a progressive work, begun in regeneration and that it is carried on in the hearts of believers by the presence of the Holy Spirit by the word of God, self-examination, self-denial, watchfulness, and prayer.

We believe real believers endure unto the end; that their continuing faith in Christ distinguishes them from superficial professions, that special providence watches over their welfare, and they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.

We believe that a visible church of Christ is a congregation of baptized believers, associated by the covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel. Observing the ordinances of Christ: Christian Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. They are governed by His laws and exercise rights and privileges invested in them by this world. That the scriptural offices are Bishops or Pastors, Elders and Deacons, whose qualifications, claims, and duties are defined in the Epistle to Timothy and Titus.

We recognize the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper and water baptism. We believe that a Christian baptism is the immersion in water of a believer into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, to show faith, in a solemn and beautiful emblem of our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, with its effects in our death to sin and resurrection to new life. The Lord’s Supper, in which the members of the church, by the sacred use of bread and wine, are to commemorate together the dying love of Christ, preceded always by solemn self-examination.

We believe that the first day of the week is the Lord’s Day, or the Christian Sabbath, and it is to be kept sacred for religious purposes, by the devout observance of all the means of grace, both private and public, and by preparation for that rest that remains for the people of God.

We believe that civil government is of divine appointment, for the interests and good order of human society, and that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored, and obeyed; except only in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the holy Lord of the conscience and the Prince of the Kings of the earth.

We believe in the bodily resurrection of the dead – both the just and the unjust. The just to the resurrection of life, and the unsaved to the resurrection of everlasting punishment. At death, we believe the soul of the redeemed are absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss, they wait the resurrection, when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord.  At death, we believe the souls of the unbelievers remain in conscious misery until the resurrection, wherein they are reunited with their bodies.  They shall appear before the Great White Throne of Judgment and shall be cast into the lake of fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment. Oh, the need for us to greatly obey the commandment to entreat all men to be reconciled to God through Christ.

We believe the end of the world is fast approaching, and that at the last day Christ will descend from heaven and raise the dead from the grave to final retribution, and that a solemn separation will take place. The wicked will be judged to endless punishment, and the righteous to endless joy. The righteous will shine forth in His Father’s kingdom. There will be a new heaven and a new earth, where in dwelleth righteousness. That God will make His dwelling among us, and that God will wipe away all tears from our eyes, for there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away. “Behold, I come quickly”, says Christ.