creation

We believe that the triune Godhead created the universe in six literal, 24-hour periods. We reject evolution, the Gap Theory, the Day-Age Theory, and Theistic Evolution as unscriptural theories of origin (Gen. 1-2; Ex. 20:11). 


 • Man

We believe that man was directly and immediately created by God in His image and likeness. Man was created free of sin with a rational nature, intelligence, volition, self-determination, and moral responsibility to God (Gen. 2:7,15-25; James 3:9). God’s intention in the creation of man was that man should glorify Him, enjoy His fellowship, live his life in the will of God, and by this accomplish God’s purpose for man in the world (Isa. 43:7; Col. 1:16; Rev. 4:11). In Adam’s sin of disobedience to the revealed will and Word of God, man lost his innocence, incurred the penalty of spiritual and physical death, became subject to the wrath of God, and became inherently corrupt and utterly incapable of choosing or doing that which is acceptable to God apart from divine grace. With no recuperative powers to enable him to recover himself, man is hopelessly lost. Man’s salvation is thereby wholly of God’s grace through the redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ (John 3:36;Rom. 3:23, 6:23;Eph. 2:1-3)

salvation

We believe that salvation is wholly of God by grace on the basis of the redemption of Jesus Christ, the merit of His shed blood, and not on the basis of human merit or works whatsoever (John 1:12; Eph. 1:7, 2:8-10). 

• Regeneration

We believe that regeneration is the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit by which the divine nature and divine life are given (Titus 3:5). It is instantaneous and is accomplished solely by the power of the Holy Spirit through the instrumentality of the Word of God, when the repentant sinner, as enabled by the Holy Spirit, responds in faith to the divine provision of salvation (John 5:24, 6:37,44). 

 • Election

We believe that election is the sovereign act of God by which, before the foundation of the world and without regard to the future choices of man, He chose in Christ those whom He graciously regenerates, saves, and sanctifies (Rom. 8:28-30; Eph. 1:4-11). God’s sovereign election does not negate man’s responsibility to repent and trust Christ as Savior and Lord (Eze. 18:23,32, 33:11; John 3:18-19,36). Nevertheless, since sovereign grace includes the means of receiving the gift of salvation as well as the gift itself, God’s election will result in what He determines. All whom the Father calls to Himself will come in faith and all who come in faith the Father will receive (John 6:37-40,44). 

• Justification

We believe that justification before God is an act of God (Rom. 8:33) by which He declares righteous those who, through faith alone in Christ, repent of sin and place their trust in Him as their Savior, confessing Him as sovereign Lord (Isa. 55:6-7; Rom. 2:4, 3:24-25, 10:9-10). This righteousness is apart from any virtue or work of man (Rom. 3:20, 4:6) and involves the imputation of our sins to Christ (Col. 2:14; 1 Peter 2:24) and the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to us (1 Cor. 1:30, 2 Cor. 5:21). By this means God is enabled to "be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus" (Rom. 3:26). 

• Sanctification

We believe that every believer is sanctified (set apart) unto God by justification and is therefore declared to be holy and is identified as a saint. This sanctification is positional and instantaneous and should not be confused with progressive sanctification. This sanctification has to do with the believer’s standing, not his present walk or condition (1 Cor. 1:2,30, 6:11; Heb. 2:11, 3:1, 10:10). There is also by the work of the Holy Spirit a progressive sanctification by which the state of the believer is brought closer to the standing he positionally enjoys through justification. Through obedience to the Word of God and the empowering of the Holy Spirit, the believer is able to live a life of increasing holiness in conformity to the will of God, becoming more and more like our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 6:1-22; 2 Cor. 3:18).