Faith Statements The Bible is the inspired Word of God, a revelation from God to mankind, the infallible rule

of faith and conduct, and is superior to conscience and reason, but not contrary to reason ( 2 Timothy 3:15 1!" 1 #eter 2:2$% The one true God has revealed &imself as the eternally self e'istent, self revealed () *+( and has further revealed &imself as embodyin, the principles of relationship and association, i%e%, -ather, .on, and &oly Ghost (/euteronomy !:0" +ark 12:21" )saiah 03:12, 11" +atthe3 24:11$% That man was created ,ood and upri,ht, for God said "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." 5ut man, by voluntary trans,ression, fell, and his only hope of redemption is in 6esus 7hrist the .on of God (Genesis 1:2! 31: 3:1 8" 9omans 5:12 21$% The grace of God, 3hich brin,s salvation, has appeared to all men, throu,h the preachin, of repentance to3ard God and faith to3ard the :ord 6esus 7hrist" man is saved by the 3ashin, of re,eneration and rene3in, of the &oly Ghost, and, bein, ;ustified by ,race throu,h faith, he becomes an heir of God accordin, to the hope of eternal life (Titus 2:11" 9omans 12:13 15" :uke 23:08" Titus 3:5 8$% The (in3ard( evidence to the believer of his salvation is the direct 3itness of the .pirit (9omans 4:1!$% The (out3ard( evidence of his salvation to all men is a life of ri,hteousness and true holiness% The ordinance of baptism by a burial 3ith 7hrist should be observed as commanded in the .criptures, by all 3ho have repented and in their hearts have truly believed in 7hrist as .avior and :ord% )n so doin,, they have the body 3ashed in pure 3ater as an out3ard symbol of cleansin,, 3hile their heart has already been sprinkled 3ith the blood of 7hrist as an inner cleansin,% Thus, they declare to the 3orld that they have died 3ith 6esus and that they have also been raised 3ith &im to 3alk in the ne3ness of life (+atthe3 24:11" *cts 12:08 04" 9omans !:0" *cts 22:21" &ebre3s 12:22$% The Lord's Supper, consistin, of the elements, bread and the fruit of the vine, is the symbol e'pressin, our sharin, the divine nature of our :ord 6esus 7hrist (2 #eter 1:0$, a memorial of &is sufferin, and death (1 7orinthians 11:2!$% )t is en;oined by all believers "until He comes." That all believers are entitled to, and should ardently e'pect, and earnestly seek, the promise of the -ather, the baptism in the &oly Ghost and fire, accordin, to the command of our :ord 6esus 7hrist% This 3as the normal e'perience of all in the early 7hristian church% With it comes the endo3ment of po3er for life and service, the besto3ment of the ,ifts and their uses in the 3ork of the ministry (:uke 20:21" *cts 1:0" 1:4" 1 7orinthians 12:1 31$% This 3onderful e'perience is distinct from and subse<uent to the e'perience of the ne3 birth (*cts 12:00 0!" 11:10 1!" 15:8 1$% In the baptism of believers as a uni<ue 3ork of the &oly Ghost=an evidence of 3hich is the speakin, 3ith other ton,ues as the .pirit of God ,ives them utterance (*cts 2:0$% The manifestation of speakin, in other ton,ues, in this instance, is the same in essence as the ,ift of ton,ues (1 7orinthians 12:0 12, 24$ but different in purpose and use. The Scriptures teach a life of holiness 3ithout 3hich no man shall see the :ord% 5y the po3er of the &oly Ghost 3e are able to obey the command, (5e ye holy, for ) am holy%( >ntire sanctification is the 3ill of God for all believers, and should be earnestly pursued by 3alkin, in obedience to God?s Word (&ebre3s 12:10" 1 #eter 1:15 1!" 1 Thessalonians 5:23 20" 1 6ohn 2:!$% The church is the bod of !hrist, the habitation of God throu,h the .pirit 3ith divine appointments for the fulfillment of the ,reat commission% >ach believer, born of the .pirit, is an inte,ral part of the church of the firstborn, 3hich is 3ritten in heaven (>phesians 1:22 23" 2:22" &ebre3s 12:33$% " divinel called and scripturally ordained ministry has been provided by our :ord for a t3ofold purpose: The evan,eli@ation of the 3orld, and the edifyin, of the 5ody of 7hrist (+ark 1!:15 22" >phesians 0:11 13$%