What We Believe

GOD

God is the Creator and Ruler of the Universe. He has eternally existed in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God.

GOD THE FATHER

He is all powerful, all knowing, all loving, and all wise. He reigns with providential care over the universe and the flow of human history goes according to His purposes and plan.

GOD THE SON

Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father. Jesus has eternally existed and became man at His incarnation. He lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He bodily arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven's glory and will return again someday to earth to reign as King of kings and Lord of lords.

GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT

He is the third person of the Trinity. He guides men into all truth; exalts Christ; convicts of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; cultivated Christian character; comforts believers; bestows spiritual gifts by which believers serve God; and, seals the believer unto the day of final redemption. His presence in the lives of believers is the assurance of God to bring us into the fullness of the stature of Christ.

THE BIBLE

The Bible is God's Word to us. It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because it is inspired by God, it has salvation for its end and is truth without any mixture of error.

HUMANITY

People are made in the image of God and are the supreme object of God's creation. All of us are marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called sin. Sin separates people from God and causes many problems in life.

SALVATION

Salvation is a gift through faith in Jesus Christ and repentance toward God. Every person who truly is saved is eternally secure in the Lord Jesus Christ, is called to live a holy life, and will spend eternity in heaven, while those who die in their sins will spend eternity in hell.

BAPTISM

We believe that scriptural baptism must be: (1) by being completely immersed under the water, and (2) after salvation, not before salvation. Jesus was immersed and all baptisms in the New Testament were by immersion. These two facts set the standard for baptism today. Baptism has no saving power but is the first act of obedience symbolizing: (1) the believer's faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus; (2) the believer's death to sin and resurrection to walk anew in Christ; and (3) the Christian's belief that he will die, be buried, and that Jesus will resurrect him from the dead.

THE LORD'S SUPPER

The Lord's Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby believers remember the death of the Lord Jesus and anticipate His second coming. The bread is symbolic of His body and the juice represents His blood.

For a more detailed explanation of what we believe, read The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 here.