What We believe
God
There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body or parts, of infinite power, wisdom and goodness, the maker and preserver of all things visible and invisible, and in unity with this Godhead there are three persons of one substance, power and eternity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
Jesus Christ
The Son of who is the Word of the Father, the very and eternal God of one substance with the Father, took man’s nature, in the womb of the Blessed Virgin, so that two whole and perfect natures, that is to say the Godhead and manhood, ere joined together in one person, never to be divided, whereof is one Christ, very God and very man, who truly suffered, was crucified, dead and buried, to reconcile His Father to us and to be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for the actual sins of man, Christ did truly rise again from the dead and took again His body, with all things pertaining to the perfection on man’s nature, wherewith He ascended into heaven.
The Holy Ghost
The Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son, is of one substance, majesty and glory with the Father and the Son, very and eternal God.
The Holy Scriptures
We believe in the plenary inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, by which we mean the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, to be given by divine inspiration. These scriptures we hold to be the infallible written Word of God, superior to all human authority, containing all things necessary to our salvation, so that whatever is not contained therein is not to be considered an article of faith.
Original Sin
Original sin standeth not in the following of Adam, but it is the corruption of the nature of every man that naturally is engendered of the off-spring of Adam, whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and of his own nature inclined to evil and that continually.
Free Will
The condition of man, since the fall of Adam, is such that he cannot turn and prepare himself by his own natural strength and works to faith and calling upon God, wherefore we have no power to do good works, pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God, by Christ, assisting us that we may have a good will and work within us when we have that good will.
Repentance
Genuine repentance toward God consists in a knowledge of a sorrow for and a confession and forsaking of sins, brought about by the knowledge of the goodness and severity of God through the truth by the convincing power of the Holy Spirit.
The Justification of Man
We are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, by faith and not for our own work or deserving, wherefore that we are justified by faith only is a most wholesome doctrine and very full of comfort.
Sanctification
Entire sanctification is Christ’s baptism with the Holy Spirit, it is subsequent to regeneration, it is for all believers, it is an instantaneous experience, received by faith, cleansing the heart of the recipient from all sin, setting him apart and endowing him with power for successful accomplishment of all to which he is called.
The Witness of the Spirit
The witness of the Spirit is that inward impression wrought on the soul, whereby the Spirit of God immediately and directly assures our spirit that Bible conditions are met for salvation, and the work of grace is completed in soul (Romans 8:15, 16). Therefore none should think they are either saved or sanctified until the Spirit of God has added His testimony (I John 5:10).
Sin After Justification
Not every sin willfully committed after justification is the sin against the Holy Spirit and unpardonable; where the grant of repentance is not to be denied to such as fall into sin after justification. After we have received the Holy Ghost, we may depart from grace given and fall into sin, and by the grace of God rise again and amend our lives; and therefore, they are to be condemned who say they can no more sin as long as they live here, or deny the place of forgiveness to such as truly repent.
The Church
The Ecclesia, the church, is composed of the called-out people who have separated themselves from the world and have a living faith in Christ as their personal Savior. Her mission is the proclamation of a full gospel at home and abroad, including salvation from all sin, divine healing and the Pre-millennial coming of Jesus Christ. Her field is the world.
Eternal Security
(1) The doctrine of Eternal Security, or once in Grace Always in Grace, or Absolute Final Perseverance of the Saints, is not in harmony with teachings of the scriptures. The scriptures plainly teach that anyone, after having received the grace of God in his recovery from sin, including regeneration and sanctification, may fall from the same and finally be lost.
(2) The doctrine of Eternal Security assumes an absolute divine sovereignty and excludes all the conditional relationship involved in man’s recovery from sin.
(3) The scriptural references, as alleged proofs favoring this doctrine, may be shown to rest upon as assumption, in each case that the Word of God will not bear out
(4) Among the many scripture tests, we list the following which give ample proof on the possibility of final apostasy.
The righteous may fall into everlasting condemnation and death (Ezek. 18:24; 33:13-18).
They that had faith to sanctification may perish everlastingly (I Tim. 1:18-20; II Tim. 4:14).
Those grafted into the true vine may be broken off, never to grafted in again (Romans 11:17, 20-22). Likewise, the branches of the true vine may be purged away unto everlasting death (John 15:1-6).
Those who have escaped the pollutions of this world through Christ may fall back and perish (II Peter 2:20,21).
Those made partakers of the Holy Ghost may turn away and be finally lost (Heb. 10:38).
Those who are sanctified may fall from that grace and perish everlastingly (Heb. 10:26-29).
The Sacraments
Sacraments ordained of Christ are not only badges or tokens of Christian men’s profession, but rather they are certain signs of grace and God’s good will toward us, by which He doth work invisibly in us, and doth not only quicken, but also strengthen and confirm our faith in Him. The sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed upon, or to be carried about, the that we should duly use them, and in such only as worthily receive the same they have a wholesome effect or operation; but they that receive them unworthily purchase unto themselves condemnation, as St. Paul said.
The Supper of the Lord is an ordinance whereby the body and blood of Christ are given, taken and eaten only after a heavenly and spiritual manner and their benefits only accrue to those who, with a clear conscience, partake in faith of the material elements, unfermented wine and bread. This sacrament represents our redemption through His body.
Baptism
Baptism is an outward sign of an inward work wrought by the Holy Ghost in the soul. As to the mode, let everyone be fully persuaded in his own mind, and no preacher or layman shall insist on any certain mode. The dedication of children shall be retained in the church.
Divine Healing
We believe and embrace the scriptural doctrine of healing for the body and that it is the privilege of every child of God to be healed in answer to the prayer of faith, according to James 5:14, 15; yet we are not to sever our fellowship from or pass judgment upon those who use other providential means for the restoration of health.
The Second Coming of Christ
We believe that the coming of our Lord is to be personal and pre-millennial, also that it is imminent. We must distinguish between the Rapture - His coming in the air to receive his saints, which may occur at any moment, and the Revelation - His coming down to earth with His saints, which latter will not occur until after the gathering of Israel, the manifestation of Antichrist, and other prophesied events.
Destiny
Heaven. Everyone that has a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord on departing from this life, goes to be in felicity with Him, and will share the eternal glories of His everlasting Kingdom; the fuller rewards and the greater glories, being reserved until the final Judgment.
Hell. While the saint goes from the judgment to enjoy eternal bliss, the impenitent sinner is turned away into everlasting condemnation, punishment, and misery. As heaven is described in the Bible as a place of everlasting happiness, so hell is described as a place of endless torment, where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched.