Our Philosophy
Doctrinal Statement
1. God
We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three Persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections. (Matthew 28.19; Luke 3.22; Acts 5.3-6; II Cor. 13.14).
2. Jesus Christ
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem all sinful men.
(Matthew 1.18-23; John 1.1-3,14; Titus 2.13; Heb. 4.15).
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the Cross as a vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice, and that our justification is made sure by His bodily resurrection from the dead.
(Isa. 53.5-6; Matt.20.28; Luke 24.36-43; John 20.25-28; Gal. 3.13; II Cor. 5.21; Heb.9.11-12; 10.12-14).
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest and Representative, He fulfills the ministry of Intercessor and Advocate.
(Heb. 4.14-16; 9.24; I John 2.1)
3. Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Triune God and who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and that He baptizes and indwells all believers, sealing them unto the day of redemption, at the moment of their regeneration.
(Matt. 28.19; John 16. 7-15; Rom. 8.9; I Cor. 12.13; Eph. 5.18; 4.30; I Cor. 6.11).
We believe that the Holy Spirit is the Divine Teacher who indwells and empowers all believers for Christian life and service, and Who guides believers into all truth; and, that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit. Some gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as the gift of the speaking in tongues and the gift of healing were temporary gifts, and never the necessary signs of the filling of the Holy Spirit.
(John 14.26; 16.12-15; Acts 4.8,31; Rom. 8.23; I Cor. 13.8; Gal. 5.22; Eph. 3.16).
4. The Bible
We believe that the Bible, composed of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, is inerrant and verbally inspired of God in all its parts, and is of supreme and final authority in faith and life.
(Matt. 5.18; John 10.35; 12.42; 17.17; II Tim. 3.16; II Pet. 1.21).
5. Man
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam's sin the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and that unregenerate man is spiritually dead, and utterly unable by himself to remedy his lost condition.
(Gen. 1.26-28; 3.1-14; Mark 7.21-23; John 3.3-5; 8.42-44; Rom. 3.23; 5.21; 7.18).
6. Salvation
We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man wholly by grace alone and received by repentance and personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of sins, and that apart from Christ there is no possible salvation.
(John 3.16; 6.28-29; Acts 16.30-31; John 14.6; Acts 4.12; Rom. 3.24; 6.23; 4.4-5; Eph. 2.8-9; Luke 13.3,5; Acts 20.21).
We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God's power, secured in Christ forever, and guaranteed never to perish; and that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of salvation through the testimony of God's Word, which, however, clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh.
(John 5.24; 10.27-30; Rom. 3.22; 6.14; 8.16; Gal. 3.26; Eph. 1.3; I Thess. 5.23-24; I John 3.1-3; 5.10-13).
We believe that every saved person possesses two natures - the old and the new nature; and, that although the old nature can never be eradicated in this life, provision has been made for victory of the new nature over the old nature through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
(Rom. 7.15-25; 13.14; I John 1.7-9).
7. Good Works
We believe that all believers should live in such a manner as to glorify their Saviour and Lord, that separation from all forms of religious apostasy and compromise, and all worldly and sinful practices, pleasures and associations is commanded of God.
(Rom. 12.1-2; II Cor. 6.14-16; Eph. 5.11; II Tim.1.13; 4.2-5).
8. Church
We believe that a New Testament church is a local body of born-again believers associated together for worship, observance of the ordinances of the church, and the spread of the Gospel to all the world. All true Christians are also members of the Universal Church which began at the day of Pentecost.
(Matt.16.15-19; 28.19-20; Acts 1.8; 2.41-42,47; I Cor. 12.12-31; Heb. 10.25).
We believe that there are two ordinances which believers are to observe until He comes - Believer's Baptism and the Lord's Supper; and that the immersion of a believer in water baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit sets forth the essential facts of redemption (the death and resurrection of Christ) and also the essential outlook of the believer (death to sin and alive unto God). The Lord's Supper is the symbolical commemoration of Christ's death until He comes and should be preceded always by a solemn self-examination.
(Matt.28.19; Luke 22.14-20; Acts 2.37-41; 8.36-39; Rom. 6.3-10; I Cor. 11.23-24).
9. Satan
We believe in the personal existence of Satan, the great adversary of God and His people, who is judged at the cross and whose final doom is certain; and, that Christians are able to resist and overcome Satan and his demons through the blood of the Lamb and the whole armor of God.
(Ezk. 28.13-17; Isa. 14.13-14; John 12.31-32; 16.11; Eph. 6.12-18; I Tim. 3.7; Rev. 20.10).
10. Future
We believe in the imminent return of the Lord for His church before the Seven-Year Tribulation Period, and in His subsequent glorious and visible return to the earth with His saints to establish His millennial kingdom.
(John 14.12; Rom.13.11; Acts 1.6-7; I Cor. 15.51-58; I Thess. 4.13-17; I Thess.2.1-8; Titus 2.13; Rev. 3.10; 19.11-16; 20.1-6; Daniel 9.24-27).
We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men - the saved to eternal conscious bliss with the Lord, and the unsaved to everlasting, conscious punishment in the lake of fire.
(Dan. 12.1-2; Matt. 25.41; Mark 9.44; John 5.25-29; Rev. 6.9-10; 20.10-15; 21.1-8).
