Beliefs Articles of Faith THE WORD OF GOD - We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the verbally inspired Word of God, inerrant in the original writings, and complete as the revelation of God's plan of redemption. It is the supreme and final authority in all matters to which it speaks, and sufficient for the equipping of God's people for every good work. THE TRINITY - We believe in one God, Creator and Sustainer of all things, eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; that these are equal in every divine perfection and that they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence, and redemption. GOD THE FATHER - We believe in God the Father, an infinite, sovereign, personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. We believe He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of humanity, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. JESUS CHRIST - We believe that Jesus Christ is God's only begotten and eternal Son, and has precisely the same nature, attributes and perfections as God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. We believe further that He is not only true God, but true man, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. We also believe in His sinless life, His substitutionary atonement , His bodily resurrection from the dead, His ascension into heaven, His priestly intercession on behalf of His people, and His personal, visible return from heaven. HOLY SPIRIT - We believe in the Holy Spirit, His personality, and His work in regeneration, sanctification, and preservation. His ministry is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, and implement Christ's work of redeeming the lost and empowering the believer for godly living through obedience and service. We also believe that it is the work of the Holy Spirit to comfort and teach the people of God in and through the illumination of His Word. HUMANITY - We believe that on the sixth day God created man, male and female, in the image of God and free from sin. We further believe that in Adam all people are sinners and are therefore spiritually dead, unable and unwilling to understand spiritual things or to contribute anything toward their own salvation. SALVATION - We believe in salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. We further believe that this salvation is based solely upon the sovereign grace of God, was purchased by Christ on the cross, and is received through faith, apart from any human merit, works, or ritual. We further believe that salvation will inevitably result in the progress of holiness and spiritual maturity. THE CHURCH - We believe that the Church is the spiritual body of which Christ is the head. We believe that the true Church is composed of all persons who have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. We believe that this body expresses itself in local assemblies whose members have been immersed upon a credible confession of faith and have associated themselves for worship, for instruction, for evangelism, and for service. We believe the ordinances of the local church are believer's baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper. We also believe in the interdependence of local churches of like faith and the mutual submission of believers to each other in love. SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE - We believe that each local church is self-governing and must be free from interference by any political authority. We further believe that every human being is directly responsible to God in matters of faith and life, and that each should be free to worship God according to the dictates of his or her conscience. CHRISTIAN CONDUCT - We believe that the supreme task of all believers is to glorify God by striving toward holiness, being faithful stewards of the possessions that God has entrusted to them, and by seeking to realize for themselves the full stature of maturity in Christ. SATAN - We believe that Satan is a person, the accuser of the brethren, the prince of this world system, and that he shall be eternally punished. LAST THINGS - We believe in the bodily resurrection of the saved and the lost, the eternal existence of both in either heaven or hell, in divine judgments, rewards, and punishments. For a fuller explication of our position concerning these doctrines, see London Baptist Confession of 1689. This we regard as a full and clear expression of those doctrines that we hold dear. We consider it to be an assistance in controversy, a confirmation in faith, and a means of edification in righteousness. In this Confession the members of our church have a short but comprehensive body of sound biblical teaching and by means of Scriptural proofs will be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in them (1 Peter 3:15). NOTE - In subscribing to these Articles and Confession of Faith, we by no means set aside or undervalue any of the Scripture of the Old and New Testaments, all of which we believe to be God's written Word, given to us by the Holy Spirit. We deem the knowledge and belief of the truth as stated in our Articles and Confession of Faith as necessary to sound doctrine and unity and therefore, requisite for Church membership.