THE HOLY SCRIPTURES

We believe the Bible to be inspired of God; the infallible Word of God. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).

The Bible is the only God-given authority which man possesses; therefore, all doctrine, faith, hope, and all instruction for the church must be based upon, and harmonize with, the Bible. It is to be read and studied by all men everywhere, and can only be clearly understood by those who are anointed by the Holy Spirit (1 John 2:27). “...No prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:20, 21).

ONE TRUE GOD

We believe in the one ever-living, eternal God: infinite in power, Holy in nature, attributes and purpose; and possessing absolute, indivisible Deity. This one true God is the Father, transcendent always (John 6:27; 1 Cor. 8:6; Eph. 4:6; Phil. 2:11; 2 Peter 1:17). This one true God is Holy (Lev. 11:44-45; 1 Peter 1:15-16), and He is Spirit (John 4:24; cf. Isaiah 61:1 and Joel 2:28/Acts 2:17); He is the Holy Spirit. The term Holy Spirit refers to the Spirit that is the one true God (2 Cor. 3:17), not to a second or third divine person or a second or third god. This one true God incarnated Himself in the Son, Jesus Christ, and thus manifested Himself in flesh for our redemption (1 Tim. 3:16; Isa. 9:6; Col. 2:9; 2 Cor. 5:19; Rev. 1:7-8, 11-13, 17-18, cf. Rev. 21:5-7, esp. v. 7; and cf. Rev. 22:3, 12-13).

The Scripture does more than attempt to prove the existence of God; it asserts, assumes and declares that the knowledge of God is universal (Rom. 1:19, 21, 28, 32; 2:15). God is invisible, incorporeal, without parts, without body, and therefore free from all limitations. He is Spirit (John 4:24). A spirit hath not flesh and bones (Luke 24:39).

The first of all the commandments is, “Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord” (Mark 12:29; Deut. 6:4). There is “One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all” (Eph. 4:6).

This one true God is, and always has been, Spirit, and as such is perceivable only according to the manners and methods by which He chooses to reveal Himself. He manifested Himself in the Old Testament period in diverse ways; and in the Son, since the beginning of the Incarnation (i.e. after the conception and birth of Jesus Christ). In the Son, God was with us while He walked among men. Whenever God is seen of men in the hereafter, Jesus will be the One who is seen. The Son is the exact image of God; the visible manifestation of the invisible God. Even while we cannot now see the Son in flesh, He is with us through the infilling of His Spirit. The Holy Ghost is God in us, as well as Christ in us, by faith.

THE SON OF GOD

The one true God, the Jehovah of the Old Testament, took upon Himself the form of man, and as the Son of man, was born of the virgin Mary. As Paul says “and without controversy great is the mystery of Godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory” (1 Timothy 3:16).

“He came unto His own, and His own received Him not” (John 1:11). This one true God was manifest in the flesh, that is, in His Son Jesus Christ. “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them.” (2 Cor. 5:19).

We believe that, “… in Him [Christ] dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Col. 2:9). “For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell” (Col. 1:19). Therefore, Jesus in His humanity was man; in His Deity was and is God. His flesh was the lamb, or the sacrifice of God. He is the only mediator between God and man. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). Jesus on His Father’s side is Divine, on His mother’s side, human; thus, He’s known as the Son of God and also the Son of man.

The Bible says, “For He hath put all things under His feet. But when He saith all things are put under Him, it is manifest that He is excepted, which did put all things under Him. And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him that put all things under Him, that God may be all in all” (1 Cor. 15:27-28). And yet, Jesus says of Himself, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty” (Rev. 1:8) and, “He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.” (Rev 21:5-7 KJV, emphasis added).

THE NAME OF GOD

God has had mankind refer to Him by different titles, such as Elohim (God), El Shaddai (God Almighty), and Jehovah (or Yahweh or YHVH), meaning “I AM,” or “Eternal One” or “Self-Existent One”, often rendered in the AV as “Lord” (i.e. in small caps), which was the redemptive name for God in the Old Testament.

However, in the New Testament, through the Son, the redemptive name of God was newly revealed to be Jesus. The Son, Jesus the Lord and Christ, declared the name of the Father: “O  righteous Father … I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17:25-26 KJV).  Jesus said, “I am come in my Father's name…” (John 5:43 KJV).

Of the Son’s name it was prophesied: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: ... and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). This prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled when the Son of God was named, “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus: for He shall save His People from their sins” (Matt. 1:21).

There is evidence that this is the only name honored by God as His redemptive name under the New Testament (New Covenant): “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

REPENTANCE AND CONVERSION

Pardon and forgiveness of sins is obtained by genuine repentance, a confessing and forsaking of sins, along with baptism. We are justified by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1). John the Baptist preached repentance, Jesus proclaimed it, and the Apostles emphasized it to both Jews and Gentiles (Acts 2:38, 11:18, 17:30).

The word “repentance” comes from several Greek words which mean change of views and purpose, change of heart, change of mind, change of life, to transform, etc. Jesus said, “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3), and it is commanded, “that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47).

WATER BAPTISM

Along with repentance (see above) water baptism is for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). Repentance and water baptism are not meritorious works whereby men earn salvation, but rather are steps of obedient faith whereby the believer is viewed by God as justified through the blood of Jesus. Forgiveness of sins and remission of sins are synonymous terms. These two English words, forgiveness and remission, both come from the same Greek word in the New Testament, aphesis. Remission of sins is a process, and it is by the choice of God that both repentance and water baptism are steps of obedience to be followed by the believer (Acts 2:38). These steps are to be commanded for all sinners regarding obedient faith unto salvation.

The scriptural mode of water baptism is immersion, and water baptism is only for those who have fully repented, having turned from their sins and from love of carnal worldliness. There is no teaching in the Word of God of legitimate infant baptism. Baptism should be administered by a duly authorized, called minister of the Gospel, in obedience to the Word of God, and in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to the Book of the Acts of the Apostles 2:38, 8:16, 10:48, 19:5; thus obeying and fulfilling Matthew 28:19.

THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

John the Baptist, according to Matthew 3:11, said, “...He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.” Jesus, in Acts 1:5, said, “...ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” Luke tells us in Acts 2:4, “they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues [languages], as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

The terms “baptize with the Holy Ghost and fire,” “filled with the Holy Spirit,” and the “gift of the Holy Ghost” are synonymous terms used interchangeably in the Bible.

It is scriptural to expect all who receive the gift, filling, or baptism of the Holy Spirit to receive the same physical, initial sign of speaking with other tongues.

The speaking with other tongues, as recorded in Acts 2:4, 10:46, and 19:6, and the gift of tongues, as explained in 1 Corinthians, chapters 12 and 14, are the same in essence, but different in use, function, and purpose.

The Lord, through the Prophet Joel, said, “I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy...” (Joel 2:28). On the Day of Pentecost (Acts chapter 2), the Apostle Peter, in explaining this phenomenal experience, cited it as the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy: “But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days,’ saith God, ‘I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy…’” (Acts 2:16-17 KJV). He further said, “Having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.” (Acts 2:33). He concluded that, “...The promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call” (Acts 2:39).

FUNDAMENTAL DOCTRINE

Our basic and fundamental doctrine shall be the Bible standard of full salvation, which is repentance and baptism in water by immersion in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the initial sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance.

We shall endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit until we all come into the unity of the faith, at the same time admonishing all brethren that they shall not contend for their different views to the disunity of the body.