We believe the Holy Bible was written by men who were divinely inspired, and that it is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction. God is its author, salvation is its purpose, and truth, without any mixture of error, is its content. Scripture reveals the principles by which God will judge us. Therefore, it is now, and will be to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union and the supreme standard for evaluating all human conduct, creeds, and opinions. Psalm 119, Proverbs 30:5, Isaiah 40:8, Matthew 4:4, Luke 21:33, John 17:17, Romans 15:4,1 Thessalonians 2:13, 2 Timothy 3:15-17, Hebrews 4:12, 2 Peter 1:19-21

We believe there is one and only one living and true God—an infinite, intelligent Spirit. His name is the LORD, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth. He is inexpressibly glorious in holiness and is worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love. In the unity of the Godhead there are three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They are equal in every divine perfection, and they carry out distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. Genesis 1:1-2, Exodus 3:14, Deuteronomy 4:35, 4:39, 6:4-5, 1 Samuel 2:2, Psalm 83:18, 86:10, 147:5, Isaiah 6:3, Jeremiah 10:10, Matthew 3:13-17, 28:18-20, John 17:3, 1 Corinthians 8:4-6, Ephesians 1:3-14, 1 Timothy 1:17, Revelation 4:11 We believe God the Father is fully divine and has sovereign reign over His creation. He works all things according to the counsel of His will. He is the source of all life, and the author of every event. He foreknows, chooses and predestines people according to His glorious plan of redemption. The Father draws sinners to believe in His Son through the work of the Holy Spirit. The Father forgives their sin and adopts them into His family, giving them peace with Him. Although equal in every divine perfection, God the Father serves as the functional head of the Trinity.* Luke 22:42, John 3:16, 4:34, 6:37-40, 6:44, 14:31, Romans 5:1, 8:15, 8:28-30, 1 Corinthians 8:6, 11:3, Ephesians 1:3-11, 4:6 We believe God the Son is fully divine; fully, truly God, fully, truly Man. He became man without ceasing to be God, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, died as a substitutionary sacrifice for sinners and was physically raised from the dead by divine power. He presently serves in heaven as our Intercessor and Advocate, and He will return to earth to receive all who have trusted in Him and to judge sinners who have rejected Him.* Matthew 1:18-25, 16:21, Mark 10:45, 15:39, Luke 1:34–35, 9:18–22, John 1:1–18, 3:16, 5:18–21, 8:58, 10:30, 20:28–29, Romans 1:4, 9:5, 1 Corinthians 15:3–4, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Galatians 2:20, 6:14, Philippians 2:5–11, Colossians 1:13–19, 2:9, Titus 2:13–14, Hebrews 1–2:3, 4:14, 2 Peter 3:18, 1 John 2:1-2, 4:2-3, 4:9, 4:15, 5:20, Revelation 1:5, 19:11–16 We believe God the Holy Spirit is the eternal Spirit who shares in the fullness of deity along with the Father and the Son. He is the Spirit of truth sent by God the Father and Jesus Christ to carry out the eternal plan of redemption among God’s people. His primary ministry is to exalt and glorify Jesus by applying the Gospel to sinners’ hearts, to convict them of their sin, to give them new life in Christ and to seal them until the day of redemption.* Ezekiel 36:22–27, John 14:26, 15:26, 16:7–14, Acts 13:2, 15:28, Romans 8:16, 8:27, 15:30,1 Corinthians 2:10–14, 12:7–11, 2 Corinthians 3:1–6, 3:17–18, 13:14, Galatians 4:4–7, Ephesians 1:13–14, 4:30, Hebrews 10:29

We believe humanity is the special creation of God, made in His own image. God created them male and female as the crowning work of His creation. The gift of gender is thus part of the goodness of God’s creation. God created the human race in holiness under His law. By voluntary transgression, however, humanity fell from that holy and happy state. As a result, all people are now sinners, not by external compulsion but by choice. They by nature entirely lack the holiness that is required by the law of God and are actively inclined to evil. Therefore, they are under just condemnation to a sentence of eternal ruin, without defense or excuse. Genesis 1:27, 1:31, 2:16-17, 3:6-24, 6:12, Psalm 51:5, Ecclesiastes 7:29, Isaiah 53:6, Ezekiel 18:19-20, Acts 17:26-29, Romans 1:18-20, 1:32, 2:1-16, 3:9-19, 5:12, 5:15-19, 8:7, Galatians 3:10, Ephesians 2:1-3

We believe the salvation of God’s people is completely by grace, through faith in the Son of God. By the appointment of the Father, He freely took to Himself our nature yet without sin. He honored the divine law by His personal obedience and made a full atonement for our sins by His substitutionary death, satisfying God’s wrath. He rose from the dead and is now enthroned in heaven. Jesus, the Son, unites in His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfections and, as such, is qualified in every way to be a suitable, compassionate, and all-sufficient Savior. Isaiah 53:4–5, Matthew 20:28, Luke 19:10, John 1:1–14, 3:16, Acts 15:11, Romans 3:21–26, 4:25, 1 Corinthians 15:1–3, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Galatians 4:4–5, Philippians 2:8-11, Colossians 3:1–4, Hebrews 1:3, 4:14, 7:25-26, 9:13–15, 1 John 2:25, 4:10

We believe the great gospel blessing that Christ secures to those who believe in Him is justification. Justification includes the pardon of sin, righteous standing before God and His people, and the promise of eternal life founded on principles of righteousness. It is not given because of any works of righteousness we have done but only through faith in the Redeemer’s blood. By virtue of this faith, His perfect righteousness is freely imputed to us by God. Justification immediately brings us into a state of most blessed peace and favor with God and secures every other blessing we need for time and eternity. Isaiah 53:11–12, Zechariah 13:1, Matthew 9:6, Acts 10:43, 13:39, Romans 3:24–26, 4:4–5, 4:23–25, 5:5:1–21, 6:23, Philippians 3:7–9, Titus 3:5–7

We believe the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the gospel. It is the immediate duty of all to accept them by a heartfelt, penitent, and obedient faith; and that nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but his own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the gospel; which rejection involves him in an aggravated condemnation Matthew 11:20, 23:37, Mark 1:15, Luke 10:27, John 5:40, Acts 13:46, Romans 1:15–17, 9:32, 16:25–26, 2 Thessalonians 1:8, Revelation 22:17

We believe sinners must be regenerated, or born again, in order to be saved. Regeneration consists of God’s gift of a holy inclination to the mind. It is accomplished in a way that is beyond our comprehension. It is carried out by the power of the Holy Spirit using divine truth to obtain our voluntary obedience to the gospel. The proper evidence of regeneration appears in the holy fruits of repentance, faith, and newness of life. Deuteronomy 30:6, Ezekiel 36:26, Matthew 3:8–10, 7:20, John 3:3, 3:6–8, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 5:16–23, Ephesians 4:20–24, Colossians 3:9–11, 1 Peter 1:22–25, 1 John 5:1-4, 5:18

We believe repentance and faith are sacred duties as well as inseparable graces. They are produced in our souls by the regenerating Spirit of God, who convinces us of our guilt, danger, helplessness, and the way of salvation by Christ. And they consist of turning to God with genuine sorrow, confession, and a petition for mercy; receiving heartily the Lord Jesus Christ as Prophet, Priest and King; and relying on Him alone as the only and all-sufficient Savior. Psalm 2:6, 51, Mark 1:15, Luke 15:18–21, 18:13, John 16:8, Acts 2:37–38, 3:22–23, 11:18, 16:30–31, Romans 10:9–11, 2 Corinthians 7:11, Ephesians 2:8, Hebrews 1:8, 4:14, 7:25, 2 Timothy 1:12, 1 John 5:1

We believe election is the eternal purpose of God according to which He graciously regenerates, sanctifies, and saves sinners. Election is perfectly consistent with human free agency and includes all the means necessary to achieve God’s purpose. It is a most glorious display of God’s sovereign goodness, which is infinitely free, wise, holy, and unchangeable. Election completely rules out boasting and promotes humility, love, prayer, praise, trust in God, and the active imitation of His free mercy. It encourages the greatest possible exercise of human responsibility. God’s electing grace does not diminish people’s accountability before God and is perfectly consistent with man’s responsibility to believe in Christ. The election of individuals to life may be confirmed by its effects in everyone who truly believes the gospel. Election is the foundation of Christian assurance, and confirming our election deserves our greatest diligence. Exodus 33:18–19, Isaiah 42:16, Jeremiah 31:3, Matthew 20:15–16, Luke 18:7, John 6:37–40, 10:16, 15:16, Acts 13:48, 15:14, Romans 3:27, 4:16, 8:28–30, 9:23–24, 11:5–6, 28–29, 32–36, 1 Corinthians 1:26–31, 3:5–7, 9:22, 15:10, Ephesians 1:3–14, Philippians 3:12, Colossians 3:12, 1 Thessalonians 1:4–10, 2:12–13, 2 Thessalonians 2:13–14, 2 Timothy 1:8–9, 2:10, Hebrews 6:11, James 1:17–18, 1 Peter 1:1–2, 2:9, 5:10, 2 Peter 1:10–11, 1 John 4:19

We believe sanctification is the process by which we are made partakers of God’s holiness, according to His purpose. Sanctification is a progressive work. It begins in regeneration and continues in the hearts of believers by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit by God’s appointed means, especially the Word of God, self-examination, self-denial, watchfulness, and prayer. Proverbs 4:18, Matthew 26:41, Luke 9:23, 11:35, John 3:6, 17:17, Romans 8:5, 2 Corinthians 3:18, 7:1, 13:5, 10, Ephesians 1:4, 13–14, 4:11–12, 30, 6:18, Philippians 1:9–11, 2:12–13, 3:12–16, 1 Thessalonians 4:3, 5:23, Hebrews 6:1, 1 Peter 2:2, 2 Peter 1:5–8, 3:18, 1 John 2:29

We believe all genuine believers endure to the end. Their persevering obedience to Christ and attachment to His people are the primary mark distinguishing them from superficial professors. A special providence watches over their welfare, and they are kept by the power of God through faith to salvation. Psalm 23:6, 37:28, 121:3, 125:1-2, John 10:27-29, Romans 8:30, Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:30, Philippians 1:6, Hebrews 1:14, 6:12, 9:15, 1 Peter 1:4-5, 2 Peter 1:10, 1 John 2:19, 2 John 1:9

We believe the law of God is the eternal and unchangeable rule of His moral governance. It is holy, just, and good. Fallen human beings are unable to fulfill the precepts of the law, which the Scriptures attribute entirely to their love of sin. A chief purpose of the gospel is to deliver people from this love of sin and to restore them through a mediator to a sincere obedience to the holy law. The visible church’s means of grace share this great purpose. Joshua 24:19, Psalm 119, Jeremiah 13:23, Matthew 5:17, John 5:44, 6:44, Romans 3:20, 7:7, 7:12–22, 8:2–8, 10:4, 1 Timothy 1:5, Hebrews 8:10, Jude 20–21

We believe a visible church of Christ is a congregation of baptized believers, joined together by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel. A visible church observes the ordinances of Christ, submits to His laws, and exercises the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His word and Spirit. The only scriptural officers of the church are elders also called overseers or pastors and deacons, whose qualifications and duties are defined in the epistles to Timothy and to Titus. Matthew 18:15–20, John 14:15, 15:12, Acts 2:41–42, 2:47, 11:21–23, 14:23, 15:22, Romans 16:17–20, 1 Corinthians 1:1–3, 4:12, 4:17, 5:12–13, 11:2, 11:23–24, Galatians 6:2, Philippians 1:1, 1 Thessalonians 4:2, 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 1 Timothy 3, Titus 1, 2 John 6

We believe that Christian Baptism is the immersion in water of a believer, into the name of the Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit; to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem, our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, with its effect, in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that it is prerequisite to the privileges of a church relation. We believe the Lord’s Supper is a commemoration of Jesus’ dying love through the sacred use of bread and the fruit of the vine, and is a response to the command of Christ. It is a time of remembrance and a proclamation of the Lord’s death until He returns.* Matthew 3:5–6, 26:26–29, 28:19–20, Mark 14:22–25, Luke 22:14–20, John 3:22–23, Acts 2:38, 2:41–42, 8:12, 10:47–48, 16:32–34, 18:8, 22:16, Romans 6:4, 1 Corinthians 11:23–32, Galatians 3:26–28, Colossians 2:12, 1 Peter 3:20–21

We believe 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 points to the rest that awaits the people of God. It should include exercises of worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private. Activities on the Lord’s Day should be commensurate with the Christian’s conscience under the lordship of Jesus Christ. Genesis 2:3, Exodus 20:8, Leviticus 19:30, Isaiah 56:2–8, 58:13–14, Mark 2:27, Luke 4:16, Acts 13:44, 17:2–3, 20:7, 1 Corinthians 16:1–2, Hebrews 4:3–11, 10:24–25, Revelation 1:10

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 husband and wife are of equal worth before God, since both are created in God’s image. The marriage relationship models the way God relates to His people. A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. He has the God-given responsibility to provide for, to protect, and to lead his family. A wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ. She, being in the image of God as is her husband and thus equal to him, has the God-given responsibility to respect her husband and to serve as his helper in managing the household and nurturing the next generation. 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.* Genesis 1:26-28, 2:15-25, 3:1-20, Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Joshua 24:15, 1 Samuel 1:26-28, Psalm 78:1-8, 127-128, 139:13-16, Proverbs 1:8, 5:15-20, 6:20-22, 12:4, 13:24, 14:1, 17:6, 18:22, 22:6, 22:15, 23:13-14, 24:3, 29:15, 29:17, 31:10-31, Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, 9:9, Malachi 2:14-16, Matthew 5:31-32, 18:2-6, 19:3-9, Mark 10:6-12, Romans 1:18-32, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 7:1-40, Ephesians 5:21-33, 6:1-4, Colossians 3:18-21, 1 Timothy 5:8, 5:14, 2 Timothy 1:3-5, Titus 2:3-5, Hebrews 13:4, 1 Peter 3:1-7, Revelation 19:6-9, 21:9-11

We believe civil government exists by divine appointment for the benefit and good order of human society. Government officials are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored, and obeyed. The principle exception is for matters contrary to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the Prince of the kings of the earth. Deuteronomy 16:18, 2 Samuel 23:3-4, Psalm 2, 72:11, Daniel 2:20-21, 3:15–18, 6:7–10, Matthew 22:21, Acts 4:18–20, 5:29, Romans 13:1–7, 1 Timothy 2:1–4, Titus 3:1, 1 Peter 2:13-17, Revelation 19:16

We believe there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked. Only those who are justified by faith in the name of the Lord Jesus and sanctified by the Spirit of our God are truly righteous in His judgment. In contrast, all those who continue in impenitence and unbelief are wicked in His sight and under the curse. This distinction among people holds both at death and afterward. Genesis 18:23, Psalm 10:4, Proverbs 10:24, 11:31, 12:26, 14:32, Ecclesiastes 3:17, Isaiah 5:20, 55:6–7, 57:21, Jeremiah 15:19, Malachi 3:18, Matthew 7:13–14, Luke 9:23–26, 12:4–5, 16:25, John 3:36, 8:21–24, Acts 10:34–35, Romans 1:17, 6:16-23, 7:6, Galatians 3:10, 1 Corinthians 11:32, 1 Peter 4:17–18, 1 John 2:29, 3:7, 5:19

We believe the end of the world is approaching. At the last day Christ will descend from heaven and raise the dead from the grave to final retribution. A public separation will then take place, in which the wicked will be justly assigned to endless punishment and the righteous to endless joy. This judgment will determine forever on principles of righteousness the final state of people in heaven or hell. Daniel 12:2, Matthew 13:36-50, 24:31-46, Mark 9:43-48, Luke 14:14, John 3:36, 4:36, 5:28-29, 6:40, 11:23-27, Acts 1:11, 3:21, 10:42, 17:31, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11, 2 Thessalonians 1:5-12, Revelation 20:1-22, 21