Article 1: The Scriptures
We believe that the Holy Bible was (a) written by men controlled
by the Holy Spirit;
(b) that it has truth without any admixture of error for its matter;
and (c) therefore is, and shall
remain to the end of the age, the only complete and final revelation of
the will of God to man;
the true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which
all human conduct,
creeds and opinions should be tried. We believe in the
verbal-plenary inspiration
(d) and providential preservation (e) of the Holy Bible.
(EXPLANATORY)
By "The Holy Bible," we mean that collection of sixty-six
books, from Genesis to Revelation,
which, as originally written, does not contain and convey the Word of
God but IS the very Word of God.
By "Inspiration," we mean that the books of the Bible were written by
holy men of old, as they were moved
by the Holy Spirit, in such a definite way that their writings
were supernaturally inspired and free from error,
as no other writings have ever been or ever will be inspired.
(a) II Tim. 3:16-17; II Peter 1:19-21; Acts 1:16; Acts 28:25
(b) Psa. 119:160; Psa. 119:105; Psa. 119:130; Luke 24:25-27; John 17:17
Luke 24:44-45
(c) Psa. 119:89; Prov. 30:5-6; Rom. 3:4; I Peter 1:23; Rev. 22:19; John
12:48; Isa. 8:20;
Eph. 6:17; Rom. 15:4; Luke 16:31; Psa. 19:7-11; John 5:45-47; John 5:39
(d) Prov. 30:5; Psa. 119:40; John 10:35
(e) Psa. 119:89; Matt. 5:17-18; Psa. 119:152
Article II: The
True God
We believe that there is (a) one, and only one, living and true
God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit,
the maker and supreme ruler of heaven and earth; (b) inexpressibly
glorious in holiness,
and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love; (c) that in the
unity of the Godhead there are
three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, equal in every
divine perfection, and executing
distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.
(a) Ex. 20:2-3; Gen. 17:1; I Cor. 8:6; Eph 4:6; John 4:24; Psa. 147:5;
Psa. 83:18; Psa. 90:2; Jer. 10:10
(b) Ex. 15:11; Rev. 4:11;
I Tim. 1:17; Rom. 11:33; Mark 12:30
(c) Matt. 28:19; John 15:26; I Cor. 12:4-6; I John 5:7; John 10:30;
John 17:5;
Acts 5:3-4; I Cor. 2:10-11; Phil. 2:5-6; Eph. 2:18; II Cor. 13:14
Article III:
The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person; (a) equal with
God the Father and
(b) God the Son and (c) of the same nature; (d) that He was active in
the creation;
(e) that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the Evil
one until God's purpose if fulfilled;
(f) that He convicts of sin, of judgment and of righteousness; (g) that
He bears witness to the
Truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; (h) that He is the
agent in the New Birth;
(i) that He seals, baptizes, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses,
sanctifies, and helps the believer.
And that the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, long-suffering,
gentleness, goodness,
faith, meekness and temperance) is the evidence of His indwelling
rather than the
speaking in tongues and other spectacular demonstrations.
(a) John 14:16-17
(b) Matt. 28:19
(c) Heb. 9:14; John 14:26; Luke 1:35
(d) Gen. 1:1-3
(e) II Thess. 2:7
(f) John 16:8-11
(g) John 15:26-27; Acts 5:30-32
(h) John 3:5-6
(i) Eph. 1:13-14; Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33; Acts
11:16;
Luke 24:49; John 16:13; John 14:26; Rom. 8:14; Rom. 8:16; II Thess.
2:13;
I Pet. 1:2; Rom. 8:26-27; Gal. 5:22-23: Eph. 5:18-21
Article IV:
Sanctification
We believe that sanctification has a two-fold meaning, (a) that of
setting apart of things,
days, or persons specifically for God, and that the believer at the
time of his regeneration is so
set apart by God the Father; (b) the progressive work of the Holy
Spirit whereby the believer,
obedient to the Word of God experiences the power of the indwelling
Christ for holiness
of life and victory over the old nature, which work will be completed
when the believer
stands in Christ's presence.
(a) I Cor. 1:30; Heb. 10:10, 14
(b) Co. 1:26-28; John 17:17; I Thess. 5:23; II Cor. 3:18
Article V:
The Devil, or Satan
We believe that Satan was once (a) holy, and enjoyed heavenly
honors; but through pride and ambition
to be as the Almighty, fell and (b) drew after him a host of angels;
that he is now (c) the malignant prince
of the power of the air, and the unholy god of this world. (d) We
hold him to be man's great tempter,
(e) the enemy of God and His Christ, (f) the accuser of the saints, (g)
the author of all false religions,
the chief power back of the present apostasy, (h) the Lord of the
anti-Christ, and (i) the author
of all powers of darkness--destined, however, (j) to final defeat at
the hands of God's Son, and
(k) to the judgment of an eternal justice in hell, a place prepared for
him and his angels.
(a) Isa. 14:12-15; Ezek. 28:14-17
(b) Rev. 12:9; Jude 6; II Pet. 2:4; Eph. 2:2; John 14:30
(c) I Thess. 3:5; Matt. 4:1, 3
(d) I Pet. 5:8
(e) Zech. 1:3; I John 3:8; Matt. 13:25, 37-39; Luke 22:3-4
(f) Rev. 12:10
(g) II Cor. 11:13-15; Mark 13:21-22
(h) I John 4:3; II John 7; I John 2:22
(i) Rev. 13:13-14; II Thess. 2:8-11
(j) Rev. 19:11, 16, 20; Rev. 12:7-9; Rev. 20:1-3
(k) Rev. 20:10; Matt. 25:41
JEB 11/11/09