God

There is one, and only one, true and living God. He created all things. The universe and all that is in it was supernaturally created in six twenty-four-hour days. God is the sustainer of all matter. Though indivisible and one in essence, He exists in three distinct persons and functions, equal in power, glory, and attributes:

• God the Father, the first person of the Trinity, is the source of all God is and does.
• God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity, is eternally begotten of the Father. Conceived of the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary, God became flesh in the person of Jesus. Fully God and fully man, two distinct natures were inseparably united in one person. His life was perfect by law and sinless in nature. He freely offered His life as a sacrifice on the Cross in full substitutionary payment for the sins of the whole world. He died and was buried. On the third day, He arose in recognizable bodily form and was seen by many. He later ascended into heaven, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father, interceding for all believers.
• God the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, proceeds eternally from the Father and the Son. He restrains sin and Satan, convicts and regenerates sinners; and indwells, baptizes, seals, and sanctifies believers.

The Bible

The Bible is the Word of God. Though written by men, God supernaturally inspired it. Every word of the Bible is therefore inerrant and authoritative in all matters.

Man, Sin, and Salvation

Man was supernaturally created on the sixth day in the very image of God. As God’s only fully-reasoning creation, we are free moral agents. We are responsible to govern ourselves according to God’s guidance. We were created as perfect, eternal beings.

The first man, Adam, willfully disobeyed God and thereby brought sin and death into the world. Therefore all persons are sinners, which can be seen by their own willful disobedience of God. We thus deserve eternal condemnation to a literal burning hell by a just and holy God.

Salvation is the free gift of God. It was made available for all mankind by the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. All sinners who place their faith and trust in Christ alone for the hope of heaven and exercise a willingness to turn from sin may receive it. Those who do are declared righteous saints by God, born again by the Holy Spirit and guaranteed a place in heaven.

The Church

The Church is seen in two aspects: The universal Body of Christ and the local assembly of believers.

• The Universal Church is the Body of Christ. It consists of all believers, those having been baptized by the Holy Spirit. It belongs to Jesus Christ.
• The Local Church is the local assembly. It consists of believers who have, as believers, obeyed and followed the Lord Jesus in water baptism. It is organized under the Great Commission to evangelize and teach, and it administers the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s supper. Its pastors and elders independently govern it, being under the direction of the Holy Spirit. The purpose of the local church is to bring praise and glory to God by evangelizing sinners and equipping the saints. It functions through the ministry of each believer, who in turn exercises the gifts given him by the Holy Spirit.

The End

Jesus Christ will someday return for His Church. This is the rapture, when all those in Christ, both dead and living, will be caught up to meet Him in the air. Those remaining on the earth will be subjected to great tribulation. Christ will return with His Church, at the end of the tribulation, to establish His earthly kingdom for one thousand years, known as the millennium. After this, the lost throughout all history will be bodily raised and judged according to their deeds and forever separated from God in hell. God will then create a new heaven and new earth, in which the saved will live forever in perfect, uninterrupted fellowship with God.