SECTION 1. THE SCRIPTURES

 

We believe in the complete verbal inspiration of the Scriptures, including both Old and New Testaments, by which we understand that the Holy Spirit not only inspired the thoughts of the writers but also formulated the very word structure into which the thoughts were cast in the original documents (I Corinthians 2:13; II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21).

 

SECTION 2. THE GODHEAD

 

We believe in one God in three Persons; the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (Deuteronomy 6:4; II Corinthians. 13:14).

 

SECTION 3. MAN'S CREATION AND FALL

 

We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but in Adam's sin the race fell, inherited a sin nature and consequent alienation from God and came under the judicial sentence of death (Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 3:22-23; Ephesians 2:12;

Romans 5:12).

 

SECTION 4. THE PERSON AND WORK OF CHRIST

 

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, eternally the Son of God, through whom all things were made, became man at a specific time in history without ceasing to be God, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that he might reveal God and redeem sinful man.  We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a propitiatory and substitutionary sacrifice and that our redemption is made sure to us by His historical resurrection from the dead in the identical, though glorified body in which He was crucified (John 1:1-3,14; Luke 1:35; Romans 3:24-25; I Peter 1:3-5).

 

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is now in heaven, exalted at the right hand of God, where as High Priest for His people He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor and Advocate (Hebrews 7:24-25, 9:24; Romans 8:35; I John 2:1-2).

 

We believe that Jesus Christ will return to receive the church, which is His Body, unto Himself at the rapture, and returning with His church in glory, will establish His millennial kingdom on earth (Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 20).

 

SECTION 5. THE HOLY SPIRIT

 

We believe that the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Godhead, in the present age indwells all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ; baptizes them into the body of Christ; seals them unto the day of redemption; empowers believers for witnessing; and that every believer is commanded of God to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 12:12-14; Ephesians 1:13-14; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 5:18-20). We further believe that each believer is endued with a gift or gifts by the Holy Spirit for ministering within the body of Christ, the church.  We believe that the sign gifts (tongues, interpretation of tongues, healings, and miracles) were used by the Spirit in the foundational stages of the church as a sign basically to the Jew that the church truly was of God's design.  We believe that these sign gifts had ceased by the end of the first century and are not operative as gifts today (I Corinthians 12:4,7,11,13,27-31; 13:8; 14:12,19-23; Romans 12:4-8; Ephesians 4:8,11-13).

 

SECTION 6. SALVATION

 

We believe that salvation is the gift of God, brought to man by grace, and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and that this faith is manifested in works pleasing to God (Ephesians 2:18-20; Titus 2:11-14).

 

We further believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ forever (John 6:27-40; 10:27-30; Romans 8:1,38-39; I Corinthians 1:4-8; I Peter 1:5)

 

SECTION 7. THE CHURCH

 

We believe that the church, which is the body and bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all born again persons in this age irrespective of their affiliation with Christian organizations (Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:25-27; I Corinthians 12:12-13).

 

SECTION 8. THE FINAL STATE

 

We believe that the condition and retribution of the lost and the salvation and blessedness of the saved are conscious and everlasting (Mark 9:43-48; Revelation 20:15; 22:3-5,11).

 

SECTION 9. COVENANT

 

Having been led by the Spirit of God to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, and on profession of our faith having been baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, we do now, in the presence of God and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another as one body in Christ.

 

We endeavor, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to walk together in Christian love; to strive for the advancement of this church in knowledge, holiness and comfort; to promote its prosperity and spirituality; to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline and doctrines; to contribute cheerfully and regularly with tithes and offerings to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the gospel throughout the world.

 

We also endeavor to maintain family and personal devotions; to educate our children in the Christian life; to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances; to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings; to be faithful in our commitments; to be exemplary in our conduct; and to be zealous in our efforts to advance the Kingdom of our Savior.

 

We further endeavor to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember each other in prayer; to aid each other in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and courtesy in speech; to be slow to take offense, but always ready to seek reconciliation without delay, and to be mindful of the example of our Savior (Romans 12:18; Matthew 5:23-24).

 

SECTION 10. BIBLICAL SEPARATION

 

We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord; and, that separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and associations is commanded of God (2 Timothy 3:1-5; Romans 12:1-2; Romans 14:13; John 2:15-17; 2 John 1:9-11; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1).

 

We believe that sexual intimacy is a wonderful gift of God that is only to be expressed between one man and one woman (as genetically defined), within the love and bonds of marriage (Genesis 2:24-25; Matthew 19:4-6; 1 Corinthians 7:3-5; Hebrews 13:4). Therefore, we believe that any other form of sexual intimacy is both immoral and a perversion of God’s gift (Leviticus 18:1-30; Proverbs 6:32; 1 Corinthians 6:18; Romans 1:26-27; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8).

 

Those seeking to be married in this church facility must meet the following criteria:

1. Both bride (female) and groom (male) are born again believers.

2. The minister officiating must be one of our pastors, or an evangelical pastor approved by our Senior Pastor.

3. The couple to be married must receive Christian pre-marital counseling.

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SECTION 11. FINAL AUTHORITY FOR MATTERS OF BELIEF AND CONDUCT

 

The statement of faith does not exhaust the extent of our beliefs.  The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe.  For purposes of faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, related to Faith Community Bible Church, our Board of Overseers is our final interpretive authority on the Bible’s meaning and application.