THE HUMAN RACE
We believe that the human race was created in innocence by God and enjoyed direct fellowship with their Creator. However, by their deliberate disobedience they fell from their sinless and happy state and were plunged into sin and death. The ongoing consequence of their sin is that all people are now sinners not by constraint, but by birth and then, by choice. The human race, in their natural state are without holiness and fall short of the righteous standard set by their Creator. Truly, there is none righteous, no not one and therefore we fall under the just condemnation of God without defense or excuse.
Genesis 1.•27-31,• Genesis 3:6-24; Isaiah 53:6; Ezekiel 18•.19-20,• Jeremiah 17:9; Isaiah 64:6; Romans 1:20; 3•.10-12,23,•5:12, 19-20.
SALVATION
We believe that God in His love and mercy has provided eternal salvation for the entire sinning human race through the perfect redemptive and substitutionary sacrifice of our Lord Jesus who bore all the sins of the world in His own body. The conditions of salvation are repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation is totally of grace through faith without any works of righteousness or efforts on the part of any individual and is freely given to all who will receive it. We believe that any individual who repents and believes on the Lord Jesus Christ is saved instantaneously and is made a new creature in Christ. They are, from that moment, forever in Christ and are justified, forgiven, imputed with Christ’s righteousness, regenerated, given eternal life, adopted into the family of God, redeemed, given spiritual gift(s), sealed by the Holy Spirit, and eternally secure in their salvation in Jesus Christ. We believe that once a person is born again by the Spirit of God, they are also sanctified (set apart) by Him. This sanctification, we believe, is first, positional in that the believer is immediately separated unto God through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Second, sanctification is progressive in that it is a work of God the Holy Spirit in the life of the individual believers to transform them to become more like Christ as they grow in grace and in the knowledge of their Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Finally, the child of God will one day be sanctified permanently into the presence of their Saviour and Lord with the rapture or resurrection of their body at His coming. It should be noted that we do not endorse the theological position known as Calvinism nor do we hold to any of John Calvin’s five points as defined and taught by him. This would also include what is known as reformed theology and its many variations. Our position on Biblical salvation is clearly outlined above.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 1:1-12,• 10:1-10, 12
THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person equal with the Father and Son and of the same essence and nature. He was active in the work of creation. In His relationship to the unbelieving world, He restrains the evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled. He convicts the human race of sin, righteousness, and judgment and He bears witness to the truth. In His relationship to the believer, the Holy Spirit does the work of regeneration, bringing the new birth to repenting sinners. He then indwells every believer and seals us in our salvation until the day of redemption. It is the Holy Spirit Who imparts to the believer power, wisdom, and spiritual understanding of the Word of Cod. He guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies, helps, and comforts believers and He intercedes for them in prayer to the Father.
Furthermore, we believe that God the Holy Spirit is sovereign in the giving of His service sifts to every believer for the work of the ministry and for the building up of the local assembly of believers. We also believe that the speaking in tongues and the working of sign miracles ceased as the New Testament scripture was completed and its authority established. Those unique and temporary sign gifts were given to Israel in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, but were not signs of spiritual superiority. Therefore, we reject the various modern charismatic movements with their unscriptural emphasis on speaking in tongues, faith healers, visions, so-called new revelations, and other extra-biblical signs as being not of Cod.
John 14:16, 17; John 16:7-14; Genesis 1:2; Matthew 28:19; Luke 24:49; Ephesians 1:13; Romans 8•.14-16, 26; 1 Corinthians 6•.19; 12:13,• 2 Thessalonians 2•.13; Acts 13:2-4