What We Believe

God is a Spirit (John 4:24). He is the Eternal One, the Creator of all things, and the Father of all humanity by creation. He is the First and the Last, and beside Him there is no God (Isaiah 44:6). There was no God formed before Him, neither shall there be any after Him (Isaiah 43:10).

Jesus is the Son of God according to the flesh (Romans 1:3) and the very God Himself according to the Spirit (Matthew 1:23). Jesus is the Christ (Matthew 16:16); the creator of all things (Colossians 1:16–17); God with us (Matthew 1:23); God made flesh (John 1:1–14); God manifested in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:16); the mighty God, everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).

Jesus Himself testified of His identity as God when He said, "He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father" (John 14:7–11) and "I and My Father are one" (John 10:30). It took the shedding of blood for the remission of the sins of the world (Hebrews 9:22), but God the Father was a Spirit and had no blood to shed. He prepared a body of flesh and blood (Hebrews 10:5) and came to earth as a man to save us, for in Isaiah 43:11 He said, "Beside Me there is no Saviour."

The Holy Ghost is not a third person in the Godhead, but rather the Spirit of God (the Creator), the Spirit of the resurrected Christ. The Holy Ghost comes to dwell in the hearts and lives of everyone who believes and obeys the Gospel, as the Comforter, Sustainer, and Keeper (John 14:16–26; Romans 8:9–11).

Sin is the transgression of the law, or commandments, of God (1 John 3:4). The guilt of sin has fallen upon all humanity from Adam until now (Romans 3:23). The wages of sin is eternal death (Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:14) to all who refuse to accept salvation as set forth in the Word of God.

Salvation consists of deliverance from all sin and unrighteousness through the blood of Jesus Christ. The New Testament experience of salvation consists of repentance from sin, water baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost — after which the Christian is to live a godly life (Acts 2:36–41).

Salvation is the gift of God and cannot be earned by works, but we must be obedient to inherit eternal life. To hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1–4) and to obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ are two separate things. The very first message of how to enter the kingdom of God after the fulfillment of the Gospel was preached on the Day of Pentecost by the Holy Ghost through the Apostle Peter. We hold that message as the original and exclusive pattern for all New Testament Christians to follow.

Water baptism is an essential part of New Testament salvation and not merely a symbolic ritual. It is part of entering into the kingdom of God — God's church, the bride of Christ — and therefore is not merely a matter of local church membership (John 3:5; Galatians 3:27).

Mode: Water baptism is to be administered only by immersion. Paul said, "We are buried with Him [Jesus Christ] by baptism" (Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12); Jesus came up "out of the water" (Mark 1:10), and Philip and the eunuch went down "into the water" and came up "out of the water" (Acts 8:38–39).

Formula: The name in which baptism is administered is vitally important, and this name is Jesus. Christ's last command to His disciples was to baptize "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost" (Matthew 28:19) — notice He said name, singular, not names. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are not the names of separate persons, but titles of positions held by God, and the angel revealed that saving name: "thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). From the Day of Pentecost onward, the apostles baptized all nations in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. "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).

The baptism of the Holy Ghost is the birth of the Spirit (John 3:5). This spiritual baptism is necessary to enter the kingdom of God and is evidenced by speaking in other tongues as the Spirit of God gives utterance. It was prophesied by Joel (Joel 2:28–29) and Isaiah (Isaiah 28:11), foretold by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:11), purchased by the blood of Jesus, and promised by Him to His disciples (John 14:26; 15:16). The Holy Ghost was first poured out on the Day of Pentecost upon the Jews (Acts 2:1–4), then the Samaritans (Acts 8:17), and later the Gentiles (Acts 10:44–46; 19:6).

Speaking in other tongues, as the Spirit gives utterance, is the definite, indisputable, supernatural sign of the baptism of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:4; 10:46; 19:6), foretold by Jesus as a sign that would follow believers of the Gospel (Mark 16:17). There is also a distinct gift of "divers kinds of tongues" for the edification of the church, given for self-edification and public message, which is to be interpreted and properly regulated in church meetings (1 Corinthians 12:1–12; 14:1–40).

After we are saved from sin, we are commanded, "Go, and sin no more" (John 8:11). We are commanded to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world (Titus 2:12), and warned that without holiness no one shall see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). We must present ourselves as holy unto God (Romans 12:1), cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit (2 Corinthians 7:1), and separate ourselves from all worldliness (James 4:4). No one can live a holy life by their own power, but only through the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8).

God has made Himself known through the ages by miraculous healings, and has made special provision in the age of grace to heal all who come to Him in faith and obedience. Divine healing was purchased for us by the blood of Jesus Christ, especially by His stripes (Isaiah 53:5; Matthew 8:16–17; 1 Peter 2:24). There is no sickness or disease too hard for God. "Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord… and the prayer of faith shall save the sick" (James 5:14–16).

Jesus Christ is coming back to earth in bodily form, just as He went away (Acts 1:11). He will catch away a holy people — His bride, His church — who have accepted redemption through His blood, by birth of water and of the Spirit, and who are found faithful when He comes (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17). "Prepare to meet thy God" (Amos 4:12).

There will be a resurrection of all the dead, both just and unjust (John 5:28–29; Revelation 20:12–13). "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). The eternal destiny of every soul shall be determined by a just God who knows the secrets of everyone's heart (Matthew 25:32–34, 41, 46; 2 Corinthians 5:10).