THE ARTICLES OF OUR FAITH

“We also believe, and therefore speak.” 2 Cor 4:13

1. THE TRINITY

That there is one God, eternally existing in three persons: FATHER (Deut 33:27), SON (John 1:1), and HOLY SPIRIT (Heb 9:14).

2. VERBAL INSPIRATION

That the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are verbally inspired by God, and inerrant in the original writing and are of supreme and final authority in faith and life (2 Tim 3:16-17).

3. VIRGIN BIRTH

That Jesus Christ was born of the virgin Mary (Luke 1:35), truly God and truly man (1 Tim 2:5).

4. TOTAL DEPRAVITY

That man was created in the image of God (Gen 1:27), and he sinned and thereby incurred, not only physical death, but also that spiritual death which is separation from God; consequently all human beings are born with a sinful and depraved nature (Ps 51:5; Rom 3:23, 5:12).

5. JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH

That the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures (1 Cor 15:3) as a representative and substitution sacrifice; and all who believe on Him are justified on the single ground of His shed blood (Rom 3:24-25).

6. PERSON AND WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

That the Holy Spirit is a person who reproves the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment (John 16:8-11); who regenerates and baptizes all believers into the Body of Christ which is the Church (1 Cor 12:12-13); and who indwells, guides, and enlightens the individual believer (1 Cor 6:16; John 16:13).

7. EVERLASTING LIFE

That all who by faith receive the Lord Jesus Christ are born again of the Holy Spirit and thereby become children of God (John 1:12-13; Rom 8:16), and are recipients of everlasting life (1 Peter 1:3-5).

8. RESURRECTION

We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord (Acts 2:32), in His ascension into Heaven (Acts 1:9-10), and His present life there as High Priest and Advocate for the saved (Heb 4:14; 1 John 2:1-2).

9. SECOND COMING OF CHRIST

We believe in the rapture of the saved to meet Him in the air (1 Thess 4:13-18), and in the personal, visible, imminent, and glorious return of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (Acts 1:11; Rev 19:11-16).

10. ESCHATOLOGY

We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust (John 5:28-29; 1 Cor 15:44), the everlasting blessedness of the saved (Rom 6:5), and the everlasting, conscious punishment of the lost (Rev 14:9-12; 21:8).

11. SATAN

A fallen angel, called “that old serpent”, “the Devil”, and “Satan”, is a real person who deceived the whole world (1 Peter 5:8; Job 1:6-7).

12. SEPARATION FROM THE WORLD

That all Christians are called in to life of separation to the Lord and to His joyous service and from all worldly and sinful practices (1 Thess 1:9-10; 2 Cor 6:17-18, 7:1; 1 John 2:15-16).

13. MISSIONS

That all Christians are obligated to witness by word and deed to these truths and to proclaim the Gospel to all the world (Matt 28:19-20).

14. BAPTISM AND THE LORD’S SUPPER

Christian baptism is the immersion of the believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The act is a symbol of our faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Saviour. The members of the Church by use of bread and fruit of the vine commemorate the Lord’s death until he comes again (Matt 3:13-17; 28:19-20; Mark 1:9-11; Matt 26:26-27; Luke 22:19-30; John 3:22-23; Acts 8:38-39; Rom 6:3-5; 1 Cor 10:16-17, 11:23-26).

15. THE LORD’S DAY

The first day of the week is the Lord’s Day. It is a Christian institution for regular observance. It commemorates the resurrection of Christ from the dead and should be employed in exercises of worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private, and by refraining from amusements and resting from secular employments, works of necessity and mercy only excepted (Matt 28:1-6; John 20:1; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor 16:1-2; Rev 1:9-11).

16. THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED

There is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked. Those who are justified through the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and sanctified by the Holy spirit are truly righteous in His sight. Thos who continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked under condemnation. This distinction between the righteous and the wicked hold in and after death, and will be made manifest at the judgment when final and everlasting awards are made to all men. (Matt 25:31-36; Mark 9:48; Luke 23:43; John 3:36; Rom 9:22-24; 1 Cor 15:45-53; 2 Cor 5:1-10; Phil 3:20-21; 1 Thess 4:16-17; Rev 20:10-15).

17. RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

God alone is Lord of the conscience, and He has left it free from the doctrine and commandments of man which are contrary to His Word or not contained in. Church and state should be separate. The state owes to the Church protection and full freedom in the pursuit of its spiritual ends. In providing for such freedom, no ecclesiastical group or denomination should be favored by the state more than others. Civil government being ordained of God, it is the duty of Christians to render loyal obedience thereto in all things not contrary to the revealed will of God. The Church should not resort to the civil power to carry on its work. The gospel of Christ contemplates spiritual means alone for the pursuit of its ends. The state has no right to impose penalties for religious opinions of any kind. The state has no right to impose taxes for the support of any form of religion. A free Church in a free state is the Christian ideal, and this implies the right of free and unhindered access to God on the part of all men, and the right to form an propagate opinions in the sphere of religion without interference by civil power. (Matt 22:17-21; Mark 21:13-17; Rom 13:1-7; 1 Tim 2:14; 1 Peter 2:17).

18. SOCIAL SERVICE

Every Christian is under obligation to seek to make the will of Christ regnant in his own life and in human society; to oppose in spirit of Christ every form of greed, selfishness, and vice; to provide for the orphaned, the aged, the helpless, and the sick; to seek to bring industry, government, and society as a whole under the sway of principles of righteousness, truth, and brotherly love; to promote these ends Christians should be ready to work with all men of good will in any good cause, always being careful to act in the spirit of love without compromising their loyalty to Christ and His truth. All means and methods used in social service for the amelioration of society and the establishment of righteousness among men must finally depend on the regeneration of the individual by the saving grace of God in Christ Jesus. (Ex 20:16, 22:9-15; Lev 6:1-5; Deut 4:41-42, 15:1-2; 27:17; Ezek 18:5-9; Zech 8:16-17; Luke 10:25-37; 6:25-36; Rom 12:14-21; Col 3:12-17; James 2:8).

19. EVANGELISM AND MISSIONS

It is the duty of every Christian man and woman, and the duty of every Church of Christ to seek to extend the gospel to the ends of the earth. The new birth of man’s spirit by God’s Holy Spirit means the birth of love for others. Missionary effort on the part of all rests thus upon a spiritual necessity of the regenerate life. It is also expressly and repeatedly commanded in the teaching of Christ. It is the duty of every child of God to seek constantly to win the lost to Christ by personal efforts and by all other methods sanctioned by the gospel of Christ. (Matt 10:5-15, 13:1-23, 22:8-10, 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16, 16:19-20; Luke 24:46-53; Acts 1:4-8, 2:1-4, 21:39, 8:1-40, 10:42-48, 13:1-3, 13:30-33; 2 Cor 5:19-21).

20. STEWARDSHIP

God is the source of all blessings, temporal and spiritual; all that we have and are we owe to Him. We have a spiritual debtorship to the whole world, a holy trusteeship in the gospel, and a binding stewardship in our possessions. We are therefore under obligation to serve Him with our time, talents, and material possessions; and should recognize all these as entrusted to us to use for the glory of God and helping others. Christians should cheerfully, regularly, systematically, proportionately, and liberally contribute of their means to advancing the Redeemer’s cause on earth. (Lev 27:30; Mal 3:8-10; Matt 25:14-30; Luke 12:41-48; Acts 2:44-47; 1 Cor 16:2; 2 Cor 8:1-15).

CHURCH COVENANT

Having been led, as we believe by the Spirit of God, to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour and, on the profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we do now in the presence of God and this assembly most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another as one body in Christ.

We engage, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to walk together in Christian love; to strive for the advancement of this Church, in knowledge, holiness, and comfort; to promote its prosperity and spirituality; to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline, and doctrines; to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the Church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the gospel through all nations.

We also engage to maintain family and secret devotions; to bring up our children in the nurture and admonition of our Lord; to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances; to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements, and exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all tattling, backbiting, and excessive anger; to abstain from the sale of and the use of intoxicating drinks as a beverage; to be zealous in our efforts to glorify our Saviour.

We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember one another in prayer; to aid one another in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and Christian courtesy in speech; to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation and mindful of the rules of our Saviour to secure it without delay.

We moreover engage that when we remove from this Church we will, as soon as possible, unite with some other Church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word.

Bylaws