Covenant & Articles of Faith

 

Our Beliefs

 

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

We engage 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 doctrine; to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, for the relief of the poor, and the spread of the gospel through all nations.

We also engage to maintain family and secret devotion; to religiously educate our children; to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances; to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements, and exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all tattling, backbiting, and excessive anger; to abstain from the sale and use of intoxicating drinks as a beverage, and to be zealous in our efforts to advance the kingdom of our Saviour.

We further engage 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 for reconciliation, and mindful of the rules of our Saviour to secure it without delay.

We moreover engage that when we remove from this place, we will as soon as possible unite with some other church, of like faith and practice, where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word.

 

I. THE SCRIPTURES

We believe that the Authorized 1611 King James Version is the version to be used and approved by God. We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men supernaturally inspired by God; that it has truth without admixture of error for its matter; and therefore, is and shall forever remain to the end of the ages, the only complete and final revelation of the will of God to all mankind; the true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds and opinions should be tried.

  1. By “THE HOLY BIBLE” we mean that collection of sixty-six (66) books, from Genesis to Revelation, which, as originally written does not only contain and convey the Word of God, but literally is the very Words of God.
  2. By “INSPIRATION” we mean that the books of the Bible were written by Holy Men of God as they were moved by the Holy Spirit of God, in such a definite way that their writings were supernaturally and verbally inspired and are therefore free from error and contradiction as no other writings have ever been or ever shall be inspired in this manner. (2 Tim. 3:16) (2 Pet. 1:19-21) (Acts 1:16) (Acts 28:25) (Psa. 119:160) (Psa. 119:105) (Psa. 119: 130) (Psa. 119:89) (John 17:17) (Luke 24:25-27; 44-45) (Prov. 30:54) (Rom. 3:4) (1 Pet. 1:2-3) (Rev.22:19) (John12:48) (1sa. 8:20) (Eph. 6:17) (Rom. 15:4) (Luke 16:31) (Psa.19:7-11) (John 5:39; 45-47).

 

 II. THE TRUE GOD

We believe that there is one, and only one, living and true God; an infinite, intelligent Spirit, the creator and supreme ruler of Heaven and Earth; He is inexpressibly glorious in holiness and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons…The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. (Ex 20:2-3) (Gen. 17:1) (Cor. 8:6) (Eph. 4:6)(John 4:24) (Psa. 147:5) (Psa. 83:18) (Psa. 90:2) (Jer. 10:10) (Ex 15:11) (Rev. 4:11) (1 Tim. 1:17) (Rom. 11:33) (Mark 12:30) (Mat. 28:19) (John 15:26) (1 Cor. 12:4-6) (1 John 5:7) (John 10:30) (John17:5) (Acts 5:3-4) (1 Cor. 2:10-11) (Phil. 2: 5-6) (Eph. 2:18) (2 Cor. 13:14).

 

 III. THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe the Holy Spirit is a Divine person; equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the Evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of judgment and of righteousness; that He bears witness to the truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; He is the agent in the New Birth; He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies, and helps the believer. (John 14:12-15) (Mat. 28:19) (Heb.9:14) (John 14:26) (Luke 1:35) (Gen. 1:1-3) (2 Thes. 2:7) (John 16:8-11) (John15:26-27) (Acts 5:30-32) (John 3:5-6) (Eph. 1:13-14) (Mat. 3:11) (Mark1:8) (Luke 3:16) (John 1:33) (Acts 11:16) (Luke 24:49) (John 16:13) (John 14:26) (Rom. 8:16) (2 Thes. 2:13) (1 Pet. 1:2) (Rom. 8:26-27).

 

IV. THE DEVIL OR SATAN

We believe that Satan was once holy, and enjoyed heavenly honors; but, through pride and selfish ambition to be as the Almighty, fell and drew after him a host of angels, that he is now the malignant prince of the power of the air, and the unholy god of this world system. We hold him to be man’s great tempter, the enemy of God and Jesus Christ, the accuser of the saints before God, the author of all false religions, the chief power of all the present apostasy; the lord of the Anti-Christ, and the author of all the powers of darkness; he is destined forever to final defeat at the hands of God’s own Son, Jesus Christ, at His return, and to the judgment of an eternal justice in Hell, a place that God has prepared for him and his followers. (Isa. 14:12-15) (Ezek.28:14-17) (Rev. 12:9) (2 Pet. 2:4) (Eph. 2:2) (John 14:30) (1 Thes. 3:5) (Mat.4:1-3) (1 Pet. 5:8) (Zec. 1:3) (1 John 3:8) (Mat. 13:25) (Mat. 13:37-39) (Luke22:3-4) (Rev. 12:10) (2 Cor. 11:13-15) (Mark 13:21-22) (1 John 4:3) (2 John v.7) (1 John 2:22) (Rev. 13:13-14) (2 Thes. 2:8-11) (Rev. 19:11; 19:16; 19:20) (Rev. 12:7-9) (Rev. 20: 1-3) (Rev. 20: 10) (Mat. 25:41).

 

V. CREATION

We believe in the Genesis account of creation, and is to be accepted literally, and not allegorically or figuratively; and that man was created directly in God’s own image and after His likeness; that man’s creation was not a matter of evolution or evolutionary changes of species, or development through interminable periods of time from lower to higher forms of life; that all the animal and plant life was made directly and God’s established law was that each in its own species should bring forth only “after their kind.” (Gen. 1:1) (Ex 20:11) (Acts 4:24) (Col. 1:17; 23-26) (Jer. 10:12) (Neh. 9:6) (Gen. 1 :26-27) (Gen. 2:21-23) (Gen. 1:11) (Gen. 1:24).

 

VI. THE FALL OF MAN

We believe man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression, fell from his innocent and happy state, in consequence of which, all mankind are now sinners, not by constraint, but of choice; and therefore, are under just condemnation without defense or excuse. (Gen. 3:1-6) (Rom. 5:12-19) (Rom. 3:10-19) (Eph. 2:1-3) (Rom. 1:18) (Ezek. 18:19-20) (Rom. 1:32) (Rom. 1:20) (Gal. 3:22).

 

VII. ATONEMENT OF SIN

We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace, through the mediatory offices of the Son of God, who by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Himself our nature, yet was without sin, honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and suffered death for every man, that through this death He made full and vicarious atonement for sin; that His atonement consisted not in the setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was the voluntary offering and the substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place, the Just dying for the unjust, He bearing our sins in His own body on the tree; that, having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in the Heavens and uniting in His wonderful Person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection, He is every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate and an all-sufficient Saviour of all men. (Eph. 2:8-9) (Acts 15:11) (Rom.3:24) (John 3:16) (Mat. 18:11) (PhiI. 2:7) (Heb. 2:14) (Isa. 53:4-7) (Rom.3:25) (1 John 4:10) (1 Cor. 15:3) (2 Cor. 5:21) (John 10:18) (PhiI. 2:8) (Gal. 1:4) (1 Pet. 3:18) (ls. 53:11) (Heb. 12:2) (1 Cor. 15:20) (Isa. 53:12) (Heb. 9:12-15) (Heb. 7:25) (1 John 2:2).

 

VIII. THE VIRGIN BIRTH

We believe Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Ghost in a miraculous manner; that He was born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born or can ever be born of woman and that He is both the Son of God, and God the Son. (Gen. 3:15) (ls. 7:14) (Mat. 1:18-25) (Luke 1:35) (Mark 1:1) (John 1:14) (Psa. 2:7) (Gal. 4:4) (1 John 5:20) (1 Cor. 15:47) (Prov. 8:22-31).

 

 IX. GRACE IN SALVATION

We believe in order to be saved; sinners must be born again; the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus. That it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth the one who is dead in trespasses and sins is made partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life as the free gift of God. That this new creation is brought about in a manner far above the human comprehension, it is not by culture, nor by character, nor by the will of man, but wholly and solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine Truth (The Word), so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the Gospel message. That its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of Repentance and Faith and Newness of life. (John 3:3) (2 Cor. 5:17) (Luke 5:27) (I John 5:1) (John 3:6-7) (Acts 2:41) (2 Pet. 1:4) (Rom. 6:23) (Eph. 2:1) (2 Cor. 5:19) (Col.2:13) (John 1:12-13) (Gal. 5:22) (Eph. 5:9).

 

 X. THE FREENESS OF SALVATION

We believe in God’s electing grace; that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the Gospel; that it is the immediate duty of all who hear to accept the Gospel invitation by a cordial, penitent and obedient faith, and not to prevent the salvation of the greatest of sinners, but if they continue in their disobedience and unbelief, their own voluntary rejection of the Gospel involves them in an aggravated condemnation. (1 Thes. 1:4) (Col. 3:12) (1 Pet. 1:2) (Titus 1:1) (Rom. 8:29-30) (Mat. 11:28) (Isa. 55:6) (John 3:15-16) (1 Tim. 1:15) (1 Col. 15:10) (Eph. 2:4-5) (John 5:40) (John 3:18) (Rev. 22:17) (Rom. 10:13) (John 6:37) (Acts 2:38) (lsa. 55:7).

 

 XI. JUSTIFICATION

We believe the great Gospel blessing which Christ secures, as believers in Him, is Justification; that Justification includes the pardon of sin, and the gift of eternal life on principles of His righteousness; that it is bestowed not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in the Redeemer’s blood. His righteousness is imputed to us through faith. (Acts 13:39) (Isa. 53:11) (Zech. 13:1) (Rom. 8:1) (Rom. 5:9) (Titus 3:5-7) (Rom. 1:17) (Heb.2:4) (Gal. 3:11) (Rom. 4:1-8) (Heb. 10:38).

 

XII. REPENTANCE AND FAITH

We believe that repentance and faith are solemn obligations, and also inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the quickening Spirit of God; thereby, being deeply convicted of our guilt, danger and helplessness, and convinced the way of salvation is through Christ alone, we turn to God with unfeigned contrition, confession and supplication for mercy; at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour from sin and openly confessing Him as our only and sufficient Saviour. (Acts 20:21) (Mark 1:1 5) (Acts 2:37-38) (Luke 18:13) (Rom. 10:13) (Psa. 51:1-4) (Psa. 51:7) (Isa. 55:6-7) (Luke 12:8) (Rom. 10:9-10).

 

XIII. THE CHURCH

We believe that Christ’s Church is a congregation of Born Again, Scripturally Baptized Believers associated together by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His Word, that the officers of such, by ordination, are Pastors (Elders and Bishops) and Deacons, whose qualifications, claims and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures. We believe that the true mission of the Church is found in the Great Commission (Mat. 28:18-20). First, to make disciples; Second, to baptize them into the fellowship of believers, thus building up the Church; Third, to teach and instruct them to observe the things he has commanded us. We do not believe in the reversal of this order; we hold that the local Church has the absolute right to self-government, free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that the one and only Head of the Church is Christ through the Holy Spirit; that it is Scriptural for true Churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel; that every local congregation is the sole and only judge of the measure and method of its cooperation; on all matters of membership, policy, church government, discipline, or benevolence, the will of the local Church is final. (Acts 2:41-42) (1 Cor. 11:2) (Eph. 1:22-23) (Eph. 4:11) (1 Cor. 12:4) (1 Cor. 12:8-11) (Acts 14:23) (Acts 6:5-6) (Acts 20:17-28) (1 Tim. 3:1-7) (1 Tim. 3:8-13) (Mat. 28:19-20) (Col. 1:18) (Eph. 5:23-24) (1 Pet. 5:1-4) (Acts 15:22) (Jude 3-4) (2 Cor. 8:23-24) (1 Cor. 16:1) (Mal. 3:10) (Lev. 27:32) (1 Cor. 16:2) (1 Cor. 6:1-3) (1 Cor. 5:11-13).

 

XIV. BAPTISM AND THE LORD’S SUPPER

We believe that Christian Baptism is the immersion in water of a believer; in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, with the authority of the local Church to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem of our faith in the crucified, buried and risen Saviour, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that it is a pre-requisite to the privileges of a church relation and to the Lord’s Supper; in which the members of the Church, by the sacred use of unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine (unfermented) are to commemorate together, the dying love of Christ; preceded always by solemn, self-examination. (Acts 8:36) (Mat. 3:6) (John 3:23) (Rom. 6:4-5) (Mat. 3:1 6) (Mat. 28:1 9-20) (Rom. 6 :3-5) (Col. 2:1 2) (Acts 2:41 -42) (I Cor. 23-28).

 

 XV. THE PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS

We believe that only real believers endure unto the end; that their persevering attachment to Christ is the grand mark that distinguishes them from superficial professors; that a special providence watches over their welfare; and that they are kept by the power of God through faith unto eternal salvation. (John 8:31-32) (Col. 1:21-23) (1 John 2:19) (Mat. 13:19-21) (Rom. 8:28) (Mat. 6:20) (Psa. 121:3) (Heb. 1:14) (1 Pet. 1:5) (Phil. 1:6) (John 10:29) (John 16:8) (Rom. 8:35-39).

 

XVI. THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED

We believe there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that only through faith we are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and sanctified by the Spirit of our God, are truly righteous in His esteem; while all continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight, wicked and under the curse, and this distinction holds among men both in and after death, in the everlasting happiness of the saved and the everlasting suffering of the lost. (Mal. 3:18) (Gen. 18:23) (Rom. 6:17-18) (Prov. 11:13) (1 Pet. 4:18) (Rom.1:17) (1 Cor. 15:22) (Acts 10:34-35) (1 John 3:7) (1 John 2:29) (Rom. 6:16) (1 John 5:19) (Gal. 3:10) (Rom. 6:23) (Rom. 7:6) (Prov.  14:32) (Luke 16:25) (Mat. 25:34-41) (John 8:10) (John 12:25) (Mat. 7:13-14).

 

XVII. CIVIL GOVERNMENT

We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interest and good order of human society; those magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed; except only in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ; who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the coming Prince of the Kings of the earth. (Rom. 13:7) (2 Sam.23:3) (Ex. 18:21-22) (Acts 23:5) (Mat. 22:21) (Titus 3:1) (1 Pet. 2:13-14,17) (Acts 4:19-20) (Dan. 3:17-18) (Mat. 10:28) (Mat. 23:10) (Rev.10:6) (Phil. 2:10-11) (Psa. 72:11).

 

XVIII. THE RESURRECTION AND THE RETURN OF CHRIST AND RELATED EVENTS

We believe and accept the sacred Scriptures upon these subjects at their face and full value.

Of the Resurrection, we believe that Christ rose bodily “the third day according to the Scriptures;” that He then ascended to the right hand of God; that He and He alone, is our “merciful and faithful high priest in all things pertaining to God;” that He and He alone “is the only mediator between God and man;” and “this same Jesus which is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come again in like manner as ye have seen Him go into Heaven, a bodily, personally, and visibly; that there are two phases of His return. The first shall be for His own which shall be as a thief in the night, when He shall come with the voice of the archangel and the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first then we (the saved) which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, and shall be caught up together with them (the dead in Christ which have been called forth) to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

We then believe that after a period of time, in which God shall fulfill His Divine will, that Christ shall return “WITH” His saints “and every eye shall see Him, and all the nations of the earth shall mourn because of Him.” That God shall give unto Him “THE THRONE OF DAVID;” and that He “shall rule and reign one thousand years in righteousness, until He hath put all enemies under His feet.” (Mat. 28:6-7) (Luke 24:2-6) (John 20:27) (1 Cor. 1 5:4) (Mark 16:6) (Luke 24:39) (Acts 1:8-9) (Acts 1:11) (Luke 24:51) (Mark 16:19) (Rev. 3:21) (Heb. 8:1,6) (1 Tim. 2:5) (1 John 2:1) (Heb. 2:17) (Heb. 5:9-10) (John 14:3) (1 Thes. 4:13-18) (Mat. 24:27) (Mat. 24:42) (Heb. 9:28) (1 Cor. 15:42-44) (1 Cor. 15:51-53) (Phi 1.3:20-21) (Luke 1:32) (Isa. 9:29-30) (ls. 23:1) (ls. 11 :4-5) (Psa. 72:8) (Rev. 20: 1-4,6).

 

XIX. MISSIONS

The command to give the Gospel to the world is clear and unmistakable and this commission was given to the Church. We believe that the mission endeavors of the local Church should be done on a direct and voluntary basis, solely between the local Church and their chosen Missionaries; that the mission work and the missionaries be under the authority and jurisdiction of a local Church and not a fellowship of Churches, or Boards and/or Clearing houses. That the Missionary shall report to the local Church all progress and desires and needs, and these needs be presented to the contributing or interested Churches for fulfillment. (Mat. 28:18-20) (Mark 16:15) (John 20:21) (Acts 1:8) (Rom. 10:13-15) (Mat. 16:18-19).

 

XX. THE GRACE OF GIVING

Scriptural giving is one of the fundamentals of faith. (2 Cor. 8:7)

“Therefore, as ye abound in everything, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.

We are commanded to bring our gifts into the storehouse (common treasury) of the Lord (the Church) upon the first day of the week. (1 Cor. 16:2) “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by Him In store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.” Under grace we give, we do not pay the tithe… “And Abraham gave a tenth of all the spoils…” (Heb. 7:2,4) This was four hundred years before the law was given, and so is confirmed in the New Testament. Jesus said concerning the tithe “These ye ought to have done…” (Mat. 23:23). The tithe belongs to the Lord … (Lev. 27:30). We are commanded by God to bring it into the common storehouse (treasury) of the Lord… (the Church). (Mal. 3:10) “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of Heaven and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it…” In the New Testament teachings (Acts 4:34-37).

We believe that a contributor relinquishes all rights to direct the use of the tithes or offerings once the gift has been made. All designations shall be non-binding suggestions. The contributions are made with the understanding that the church has complete control and administration over the use of the donated funds.

 

XXI. HUMAN SEXUALITY

We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity should be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman, who have always been a man and a woman (born a male or female). We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, transsexualism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex. (Gen. 2:24) (Gen. 19:5) (Gen. 26:8-9) (Lev. 18:1-30) (Rom. 1:26-29) (1 Cor. 5:1; 6:9) (1 Thes. 4:1-8) (Heb. 13:4).

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