Section 1: Bible
The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired by God; it is the inerrant, infallible Word of God, and of supreme and final authority in faith and life – including, but not limited to, theological concepts as well as geographical and historical detail. The Bible constitutes God’s completed and final revelation; nothing has been added to it and it is the only source of divine truth. (Luke 24:44-48; Gal. 1:6-9; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Rev. 22:18 – 19; II Peter 1:19-21, 2 Timothy 3:16-17)
Section 2: God
There is one living and true God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit, perfect in all His attributes; He has existed from all eternity in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (commonly known as the Trinity) with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being. Jesus Christ was God come in human
flesh, being fully God and fully man, except without sin. (John 1: 1-18; 14:6-13; 17:1-5; I John 5:7)
Section 3: Creation
The biblical account of the creation of the physical universe, angels and man is a literal account and is neither allegorical or mythological. God created the heavens and the earth in six literal days. All men are descended from the historical Adam and Eve who were created by God in His own image. All that exists emanates from
God’s original creation of the world and all that is in it. (Genesis 1:1-2:3; Exodus 20:8-11; Colossians 1:15-17)
Section 4: Sin
In the beginning man was innocent of sin, created in the image of God. Man sinned against God through the disobedience of Adam and brought sin into the human race; the result of which was ushering evil and death, both physical and spiritual, into the world. Man fell from his original innocence whereby his posterity inherited a nature and an environment inclined toward sin. In this sinful and spiritually impotent state, man is totally unable to justify himself before God. All men are in violation of God’s righteous requirements and His holy character both by nature and act; and are therefore under His wrath and just condemnation. (Genesis 3; Romans 3:9-10, 23; Romans 6:23)
Section 5: Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is God; He became man, yet still divine and without sin, being conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. The central purpose of the coming of Jesus Christ was to pay the penalty for man’s sin through His shed blood as a substitutionary sacrifice on the cross – the successful accomplishment of which was attested to by His subsequent visible bodily resurrection. He arose from the dead in the body in which He was crucified. In that same body glorified, He ascended into heaven to the right hand of the Father, where He is now, our interceding High Priest. He will return again personally and visibly, in power and glory. (Matthew 1:18-21; Mark 16:19; Luke 1:26-38; 23:33-46; 24:1-8; John 1:1-18; 3:16-17; 21:24-30)
Section 6: Forgiveness
Every person can have restored fellowship with God through ‘salvation’ (accepting Christ’s offer of forgiveness for sin). Salvation involves the redemption of the whole man, and is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, who by His own blood obtained eternal redemption for the believer. There is no salvation apart from personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord. Salvation is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds in repentance toward God, a genuine turning from sin CSRA HEA toward God, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Growth in grace should continue throughout the regenerate person’s life.
Salvation is wholly of God, by grace. God in love gave His only Son to die on the cross for sin, thus procuring the redemption of those who come to Him. Man does not merit this salvation in any way; God commands men everywhere to repent of sin and believe in Christ; and this salvation is eternal in its duration and results in good works.
Salvation is offered as a gift, free to the sinner. This gift must be responded to in individual faith, not trusting in any personal works, but the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ alone. (John 3:16-17; Ephesians 2:8-9)
Section 7: Second Coming
God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring the world to its appropriate end. The dead will be raised, and Christ will judge all men in righteousness. The unrighteous will be consigned to Hell, the place of everlasting punishment. The righteous in their resurrected and glorified bodies will receive their reward and will
dwell forever in Heaven with the Lord. (Revelation 3:11; 20:1 – 22:14)
Section 8: Pagan Practice
God forbids pagan practices such as witchcraft, fortune telling, casting spells, consulting with familiar spirits, interpreting omens, and contacting the dead. (Deuteronomy 18:10-12)
Section 9: Families
God created mankind, both male and female, as the crowning work of His creation. God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. It is composed of persons related to one another by marriage, blood, or adoption. Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. It is God’s unique gift to reveal the union between Christ and His church and to provide for the man and the woman in marriage the framework for intimate companionship, the channel of sexual expression according to biblical standards, and the means for procreation of the human race. The gift of sexual relations between a husband and wife are part of the goodness of God’s creation, a blessing from God. All other sexual relations are forbidden. (Genesis 2:7, 18-24; Leviticus 18:6-30)
Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and heritage from the Lord. Parents are to demonstrate to their children God’s pattern for marriage. Parents are to teach their children spiritual and moral values and to lead them, through consistent lifestyle example and loving discipline, to make choices based on Biblical truth. Children are to honor and obey their parents. (Psalm 139:13-16)
Section 10: One Church
There is a spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ. God has ordained one church, His church. (John 17:20-21; Ephesians 1:22; 4:1-16; Colossians 1:18)