"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."
- 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Our beliefs are derived from the Bible. We look to all texts in the Old and New Testaments on any topic, and value explicit statements in the Scriptures as the foundation for our teachings. To understand and interpret any Bible texts that are unclear or ambiguous on a subject, we look to all other passages on the same topic that are clear, unambiguous, and explicit.
We value the practical nature of the Bible and its relevance to our lives today.
We believe in God the Father and Jesus Christ, who was the Word of God made flesh and who died for the remission of our sins.
We believe Jesus taught repentance from sins and baptism by immersion for the forgiveness of our sins.
We believe that the forgiveness of sins and salvation are received as gifts through faith, and not the result of personal works of obedience.
We believe that Jesus sends, from the Father, His divine Holy Spirit to dwell within Christians as a helper, teacher, and as the earnest or guarantee of our future inheritance of eternal life.
We believe that the law of God, including the Ten Commandments and the Sabbath Day, was given to mankind to define forever what are morally right and wrong behaviors. Breaking any of the Ten Commandments is sin. By entering into the New Covenant, Christians obligate themselves to live righteous lives and obey the Ten Commandments as their personal commitment to cease sinning and live righteous lives before God.
We believe that our lives are to be lived as an expression of the faith and hope that is in us, based on the gospel message.
God is the creator and sustainer of the universe, all present and all-powerful. God is revealed in the Bible as a family, currently composed of the Father and the Son, ultimately to include those as adopted sons and daughters of God, those who become Christians.
Genesis 1:1; Psalm 19:1; Psalm 50:1; Psalm 50:6-7; Isaiah 44:6; John 1:12-13; Romans 1:20; Hebrews 1:1-2; I John 3:1-2
Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, the Messiah. He has existed throughout eternity as the "Word". All that has been created has been created through Him. He became human by a miraculous birth, lived a sinless life, died for the sins of all mankind, and was resurrected and ascended to heaven as our High Priest. He will return to earth to establish the Kingdom of God and to rule that kingdom as king of kings and lord of lords with his saints forever.
Deut. 18:15; Matt. 17:15-17; John 1:1-14; John 3:16; Acts 2:32-33; Romans 5:8; Hebrews 4:14-15; Revelation 1:13-16
The whole Bible is the divinely inspired word of God, with Old and New Testaments fitting together to reveal a right way to live and God’s plan of salvation. It is the foundation of knowledge and the instruction book of life.
Deut. 8:3; Isaiah 8:16; Matt. 4:4; II Timothy 3:16-17
Faith is the sure knowledge that God exists and will accomplish those things He has promised. Faith is the expectation of the things hoped for; the evidence of the things not seen.
Romans 1:17; Romans 10:17; Hebrews 11:1-3; Hebrews 11:6; James 2:17
The Holy Spirit is the essence, power, mind, character, and spiritual extension of God. It is God’s gift, His presence in our life, guiding us to conversion, repentance and, at baptism, is given as a down payment (earnest) of eternal life.
Acts 1:8; Acts 2:38; Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 2:16; Ephesians 1:13-14
A ceremony of immersion in water based on true repentance, for the forgiveness of past sins and the acceptance of Jesus as your personal savior. A baptized person becomes the adopted child of God, spiritually begotten, awaiting birth into God’s family.
Matt. 19:13-15; Acts 6:5-6; I Timothy 4:14; Hebrews 6:2
The gospel is the good news of the coming kingdom of God, the restoration of His government on the earth, and how mankind can become members of His kingdom and His government. It includes the message of what Jesus has done by dying for our sins, and being buried, rose again on the third day, what Jesus is doing, and will do. It is the central message of the entire Bible.
Matt. 3:13-17; Matt. 24:14; Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 1:15; Luke 24:44-47; Revelation 5:10; Revelation 20:4
The law of God, including the Ten Commandments, was given to man to define what is morally right and morally wrong. As expressions of God’s divine moral standards, they are immutable and eternal. They are the only means to determine how one can live righteously. The laws of God reflect God’s own character and were magnified and made honorable by Jesus Christ. God’s law is perfect, converting men’s lives and leading them into wisdom and peace.
Exodus 20:1-17; Psalm 119:137-144; Matt. 5:17-19; Mark 16:17-19; John 14:15; Romans 7:12; I John 5:2-3
The seventh day of the week was instituted by God at creation, reaffirmed to Israel at Mt. Sinai, and observed by Jesus, the apostles, and the New Testament church. The seventh-day Sabbath is one of the feasts of the Lord and is a commanded observance for all Christians. As a perpetual sign between God and his people, its observance is a basic expectation of Christian obedience in their relationship with God.
Genesis 2:3; Exodus 20:8-11; Exodus 31:12-17; Mark 1:21; Mark 2:27-28; Mark 6:2; Luke 4:16; Luke 4:31; Luke 23:56
In addition to the weekly Sabbath day, there are seven annual Feasts of the Lord. These annual Holy Days or High Sabbaths were ordained by God and commanded to be observed by His people. They were kept by ancient Israel, Jesus, and the New Testament Christian church. These seven appointed feasts are a blessing to mankind and beautifully picture God’s plan of salvation for mankind.
Lev. 23:1-4; Acts 2:1; Acts 12:3; Acts 20:6; Acts 20:16; Acts 27:9; I Corinthians 5:8; I Corinthians 16:8
Repentance is the act of one acknowledging his sins, is moved to true sorrow, and a resolve to change his life and fully obey God. True repentance is the first step toward full reconciliation with God and a first step toward ultimate salvation.
Acts 2:38; Acts 3:19-21; Acts 8:22; Romans 2:4; Romans 2:11; I John 3:4
Resurrection from the dead to eternal life is the hope of all mankind and the promise of God to the Christian. Four resurrections of special significance are noted in the Bible: 1) the resurrection of Jesus, the first born, from the dead; 2) the resurrection of the saints at Christ’s return to the earth; 3) the resurrection back to physical lifeof everyone who died without the knowledge of God’s way of life; and 4) the resurrection of the incorrigibly wicked to be consumed in the lake of fire (the second death).
John 5:28-29; Acts 2:32; Romans 8:11; I Corinthians 15:20; I Thessalonians 4:13-17; Revelation 20:4-6; Revelation 20:3-14
Judgment is the ongoing process of God as He develops, corrects, and brings Christians to maturity. It culminates in a final judgment where the righteous are made immortal, and the incorrigibly wicked who refuse to repent, believe, and obey Jesus are condemned to the destruction of their body and soul in the fires of Gehenna.
Matt. 13:49-50; I Peter 4:17; Revelation 20:15; Revelation 21:8
The kingdom of God is the literal, world-ruling government of God, with Jesus Christ as king and the resurrected, spirit-composed saints in positions of rulership with him.
Matt. 5:6; Mark 4:11; Luke 1:33; Hebrews 10:12-13; Revelation 5:10; Revelation 20:4; Revelation 21:1-3; Revelation 21:7; Revelation 21:10
Salvation is the way God, through Jesus, saves mankind from the second death, which is the penalty of sin, and gives him eternal life. Salvation is a freely given gift of God, through his unmerited pardon (grace) of our sins. We are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling as our ultimate reward is to be given according to our works.
Matt. 16:27; John 3:16-17; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; Hebrews 6:1-2; I John 3:3; Revelation 7:14; Revelation 20:12-15
Before God created man, He created powerful Spirit beings that a) act as His agents and messengers, b) function as ministering spirits to help mankind attain salvation, c) have or had free moral agency. Although created to help God, some of these angels, led by Satan the devil, rebelled against God and were transformed into demons.
Isaiah 14:12-15; Psalm 91:11-12; Hebrews 1:7
Humans are physical beings, created in the image of God, with no inherent immortality. Although composed of flesh and blood, there is a spirit in man which makes man more than just an intelligent animal. As God’s children, mankind has the potential to become a child of God and an heir of all that God possesses.
Genesis 1:26-27; Job 34:14-15; Job 32:8; Romans 8:14-17; I Corinthians 2:11; I John 5:11-13
A Christian, in whom dwells the Holy Spirit, is a follower of Christ.
Acts 2:37-39; Romans 8:9; Galatians 5:16-26
Tithing is a biblical method of supporting the work of God and is a private matter between the individual and God.
Lev. 27:30-32; Malachi 3:8-10; Matt. 6:21; Matt. 23:23; II Corinthians 9:7; Hebrews 7:2-9
The church is the assembly of "called out people", the spiritual body of Christ, that have been baptized and received God’s Holy Spirit.
I Corinthians 12:12-18; I Corinthians 12:27; Hebrews 5:12-14; II Timothy 3:14; I Peter 5:1-7
The laying on of hands is an act performed on special occasions, such as for the receiving of God’s Holy Spirit after baptism, at ordinations, for anointing of the sick, or other special purposes.
Matt. 19:13-15; Acts 6:5-6; Acts 8:17-18; Acts 13:3; I Timothy 4:14; Hebrews 6:2
Healing is a miracle that God may extend to those that call upon Him in time of need, according to faith.
Matt. 9:1-7; James 5:14-16
"These are the Lord's appointed feasts, the sacred assemblies you are to proclaim at their appointed times."
- Leviticus 23:4 (NKJV)
Keeping the Passover each year reminds us that God is the forgiver of sin who grants us eternal life in His Kingdom through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our Passover. This observance is a memorial of our Creator's continuing role in humanity's salvation. (For information about our observance of this Holy Day, click here.)
"For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us" (1 Corinthians 5:7).
These seven days of self-examination prove invaluable in helping us to devote our lives to God and Jesus Christ. They also picture our eventual triumph over sin, made possible through the sacrifice and aid of Jesus Christ.
"Therefore, let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth" (1 Corinthians 5:8).
Pentecost serves as an annual reminder that our Creator still works miracles, granting His Spirit to those called to be the first-fruits of His spiritual harvest, empowering them to carry out His work in this world.
"Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call" (Acts 2:38-39).
The Feast of Trumpets heralds the intervention of God in the affairs of humanity on a global basis—a dramatic turning point in world history and the return of Christ to this world.
"Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, 'The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever'" (Revelation 11:15, ESV).
The Day of Atonement pictures an essential additional step in God's salvation plan that must take place before humanity can experience true peace on earth. All people suffer the tragic consequences of sin; this Holy Day symbolizes the day when its true source is exposed and removed from humanity.
"Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished" (Revelation 20:1-3).
God's plan for mankind involves restoration—and the Feast of Tabernacles symbolizes the restoration process. The preceding Holy Days set the stage for this restoration of the creation to peace and harmony with God.
"Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert" (Isaiah 35:5-6).
This final commanded festival of the year shows how deep and far reaching are the merciful judgments of God. All those who died without understanding God's truths will be at last given their first opportunity to really know their Creator and join His family.
"Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life" (Revelation 20:11-12).
