Main doctrines

The Bible. We believe that the Bible, which is comprised of the Old and the New Testaments, represent the Word of God, verbally inspired by Him. It is a complete and infallible guide and standard of authority in all matters of religion and morals; whatever it teaches is to be believed, and whatever it commands is to be obeyed; whatever it commends is to be accepted as both right and useful; whatever it condemns is to be avoided as both wrong and hurtful; but what it neither commands nor teaches is not to be imposed on the conscience as of religious obligation. The New Testament is the constitution of Christianity, the charter of the Christian Church, the only authoritative code of ecclesiastical law, and the warrant and justification of all Christian institutions.

God the Father. We believe God the Father is the Creator (with God the Son and God the Holy Spirit) of all things. He is all-powerful, all present and all knowing. He is without beginning or end, is perfectly holy, is great in grace and mercy, loves man supremely and eternally saves all who come to Him in faith. God is the Sovereign and the Sustainer of His whole creation, and is actively involved in its every detail.

Jesus Christ. We believe that Jesus Christ is God the Son. He was with the Father from the beginning and is equal with Him. He willingly humbled Himself to be born of a virgin, becoming God in the flesh, and was miraculously conceived by the Holy Spirit. He was totally sinless in His life and ever obedient to the Father. In dying on Calvary, He made a vicarious atonement for the sins of His people, of all those that believe in Him. His body was buried but the third day He arose victorious over sin and death. He ascended into Heaven and is seated on the right hand of the Throne of God, where He continues His High Priestly work, making intercession for His elect people. He has promised to return for His people and we believe His return is imminent.

Holy Spirit. We believe God the Holy Spirit is co-equal with both the Father and the Son. His work in the world is to reprove men of their sin, of righteousness, and of judgment to come. His work in the elect is to regenerate them, which means to impart life to their previously dead spirit, to enable them to turn to God in repentance and to believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. He indwells believers, guides and teaches them in the truth of the Word of God and empowers them to live for the glory of God, in an active imitation of Christ. The fruit of the Spirit and the perseverance in holiness are the proofs that one has the Holy Spirit.

Man. We believe that man was created by God in His image and after His likeness. But man, by an act of wilful disobedience, plunged himself and the whole human race into sin. Every man is spiritually dead, in his trespasses and sins. He is a sinner both by nature and choice. No part of man remained unaffected by sin, and he became incapable of choosing God by his own will. In order to be saved, he must have a spiritual birth first. If a man dies without being saved (being spiritually born again), he is eternally separated from God and tormented forever in the lake of fire.

Devil. We believe that the devil is a spiritual being. He was created perfect by God and remained so until iniquity was found in him. Pride caused him to rebel against God and he was cast out of Heaven. He now rules as prince of the power of the air and over the kingdoms of this world. He was instrumental in the fall of man and today he continues to deceive people, presenting himself as an angel of light. By his work of counterfeiting, he tries to cause confusion, chaos and apostasy in the Kingdom of God, to keep saved people away from the true churches of Christ and to hinder the progress of the Gospel in the world.

Salvation. We believe that God furnished only one way of salvation for man, which is presented in the Gospel. Its message is about Jesus Christ, God manifested in the flesh, who died for our sins, was buried and rose again the third day, fulfilling, thusly, the Scriptures. Anyone hearing the Gospel is called to cease his rebellion toward God and to turn to Him to be forgiven. Salvation is obtained through repentance toward God and faith in the Person and work of Jesus Christ. Salvation depends wholly on the grace of God and cannot be earned by any man. It is a pardon granted by God, the just and holy Judge, to the rightfully condemned sinner. No man can save himself, and no religious institution can procure salvation for anybody. Man’s salvation depends on his personal relationship with God. Salvation consists of the forgiveness of our sins, the imputation of the righteousness of Christ and the securing of eternal life. Being the work of God, man cannot lose his salvation. It is guaranteed by God the Father, who elected us unto salvation and predestinated us to be conformed to the image of His Son, by the sacrifice of Christ and His continual intercession before God in behalf of the elect, by the perpetual indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who works in us the desire to cease sinning and to persevere in holiness until the end of our earthly life.

Heaven and Hell. We believe heaven and hell are literal places. All men will reside in one of the two for all eternity. Heaven is the abode created by God for Christ and for all His redeemed. They will live eternally in the presence of God. This generic term includes the new heavens and earth that will be made by God, as well as the New Jerusalem, the city prepared by Christ to be the abode of His Bride. The unbelievers will spend eternity in the lake of fire with the devil, the antichrist, and all the agents of evil, being eternally separated from God.

Congregation. We believe the institution of the congregation (church) was started personally by the Lord Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry. The congregation that Christ formed was both local and visible. The New Testament does not know any other kind of congregation, therefore, we reject the concept of a universal church, visible or invisible, and believe that this concept is unbiblical and harmful, because it undermines the authority of local congregations. The congregation consists of born-again believers who have been scripturally baptized and organized, with the purpose of carrying out the work of Christ. The congregation is God’s spiritual house, the only place in which God receives the believer’s public worship and service. It is the pillar and ground of the truth, for to her were given the teachings of Christ to proclaim and defend. To her, Jesus Christ promised His perpetual presence in her midst as well as victory in the spiritual war against Satan and his powers. Christ’s Congregation was never defeated because there was no time in history in which there were no true congregations on earth. Every believer has the duty to seek to be part of an authentic congregation.

Missions. We believe that the Great Commission was given by Lord Jesus to His congregation. The commission consists of the command to make disciples, by proclaiming the Gospel to the world, baptizing those that believe it and gathering them together in congregations, where they are taught all the commandments of Christ. The Great Commission represents the pattern of the Congregation’s perpetuity, until His return. The evangelists (missionaries) are to be called by God and commissioned by the local church in which they are members, to preach wherever they are led by the Holy Spirit. They must me supported financially by their sending congregation, and, if need be, by other local churches of like faith and order. They must be accountable to their congregation for the work they are doing.