The Holy Scriptures

The Holy Scriptures, Old and New Testaments, are the written Word of God, given by divine inspiration. The inspired authors
spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. In this Word, God has committed to humanity the knowledge necessary
for salvation. The Holy Scriptures are the supreme, authoritative, and the infallible revelation of His will. They are the standard of character, the test of experience, the definitive revealer of doctrines, and the trustworthy record of God’s acts in history.

(Ps. 119:105; Prov. 30:5, 6; Isa. 8:20; John 17:17; 1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Heb. 4:12; 2 Peter 1:20, 21.)

 

The Trinity

There is one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of three coeternal Persons. God is immortal, all-powerful, all-knowing,
above all, and ever present. He is infinite and beyond human comprehension, yet known through His self-revelation.
God, who is love, is forever worthy of worship, adoration, and service by the whole creation.

(Gen. 1:26; Deut. 6:4; Isa. 6:8; Matt. 28:19; John 3:16 2 Cor. 1:21, 22; 13:14; Eph. 4:4‑6; 1 Peter 1:2.)

 

The Father

God the eternal Father is the Creator, Source, Sustainer, and Sovereign of all creation. He is just and holy, merciful and
gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. The qualities and powers exhibited in the Son and
the Holy Spirit are also those of the Father.

(Gen. 1:1; Deut. 4:35; Ps. 110:1, 4; John 3:16; 14:9; 1 Cor. 15:28; 1 Tim. 1:17; 1 John 4:8; Rev. 4:11.)

 

The Son

God the eternal Son became incarnate in Jesus Christ. Through Him all things were created, the character of God is
revealed, the salvation of humanity is accomplished, and the world is judged. Forever truly God, He became also truly human, Jesus the Christ. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived and experienced temptation as a human being, but perfectly exemplified the righteousness and love of God. By His miracles He manifested God’s power and was attested as God’s promised Messiah. He suffered and died voluntarily on the cross for our sins and in our place, was raised from the dead, and ascended to heaven to minister in the heavenly sanctuary in our behalf. He will come again in glory for the final deliverance of His people and the restoration of all things.

(Isa. 53:4-6; Dan. 9:25-27; Luke 1:35; John 1:1‑3, 14; 5:22; 10:30; 14:1‑3, 9, 13; Rom. 6:23; 1 Cor. 15:3, 4; 2 Cor. 3:18; 5:17-19; Phil. 2:5‑11; Col. 1:15-19; Heb. 2:9-18; 8:1,2.)

 

The Holy Spirit

God the eternal Spirit was active with the Father and the Son in Creation, incarnation, and redemption. He is as much a
person as are the Father and the Son. He inspired the writers of Scripture. He filled Christ’s life with power. He draws and
convicts human beings; and those who respond He renews and transforms into the image of God. Sent by the Father and
the Son to be always with His children, He extends spiritual gifts to the church, empowers it to bear witness to Christ, and in
harmony with the Scriptures leads it into all truth.

(Gen. 1:1, 2; 2 Sam. 23:2; Ps. 51:11; Isa. 61:1; Luke 1:35; 4:18; John 14:16-18, 26; 15:26; 16:7-13; Acts 1:8; 5:3; 10:38; Rom. 5:5; 1 Cor. 12:7-11; 2 Cor. 3:18; 2 Peter 1:21.)

 

Saved By Grace

In infinite love and mercy God made Christ, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, so that in Him we might be made the righteousness
of God. Led by the Holy Spirit we sense our need, acknowledge our sinfulness, repent of our transgressions, and
exercise faith in Jesus as Saviour and Lord, Substitute and Example. This saving faith comes through the divine power of the
Word and is the gift of God’s grace. Through Christ we are justified, adopted as God’s sons and daughters, and delivered
from the lordship of sin. Through the Spirit we are born again and sanctified; the Spirit renews our minds, writes God’s law
of love in our hearts, and we are given the power to live a holy life. Abiding in Him we become partakers of the divine
nature and have the assurance of salvation now and in the judgment.

(Gen. 3:15; Isa. 45:22; 53; Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 33:11; 36:25-27; Hab. 2:4; Mark 9:23, 24; John 3:3-8, 16; 16:8; Rom. 3:21-26; 8:1-4, 14-17; 5:6-10; 10:17; 12:2; 2 Cor. 5:17-21; Gal. 1:4; 3:13, 14, 26; 4:4-7; Eph. 2:4-10; Col. 1:13, 14; Titus 3:3-7; Heb. 8:7‑12; 1 Peter 1:23; 2:21, 22; 2 Peter 1:3, 4; Rev. 13:8.)

 

The Second Coming of Christ

The second coming of Christ is the blessed hope of the church, the grand climax of the gospel. The Saviour’s coming will
be literal, personal, visible, and worldwide. When He returns, the righteous dead will be resurrected, and together with
the righteous living will be glorified and taken to heaven, but the unrighteous will die. The almost complete fulfillment of
most lines of prophecy, together with the present condition of the world, indicates that Christ’s coming is near. The time of
that event has not been revealed, and we are therefore exhorted to be ready at all times.

(Matt. 24; Mark 13; Luke 21; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Cor. 15:51-54; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; 5:1-6;

2 Thess. 1:7-10; 2:8; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; Titus 2:13; Heb. 9:28; Rev. 1:7;14:14-20; 19:11-21.)

 

Baptism

By baptism we confess our faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and testify of our death to sin and of our purpose
to walk in newness of life. Thus we acknowledge Christ as Lord and Saviour, become His people, and are received as
members by His church. Baptism is a symbol of our union with Christ, the forgiveness of our sins, and our reception of the
Holy Spirit. It is by immersion in water and is contingent on an affirmation of faith in Jesus and evidence of repentance of
sin. It follows instruction in the Holy Scriptures and acceptance of their teachings.

(Matt. 28:19, 20; Acts 2:38; 16:30-33; 22:16; Rom. 6:1-6; Gal. 3:27; Col. 2:12, 13.)

 

A Day of Sabbath Rest

The gracious Creator, after the six days of Creation, rested on the seventh day and instituted the Sabbath for all people as
a memorial of Creation. The fourth commandment of God’s unchangeable law requires the observance of this seventh-day
Sabbath as the day of rest, worship, and ministry in harmony with the teaching and practice of Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath.
The Sabbath is a day of delightful communion with God and one another. It is a symbol of our redemption in Christ,
a sign of our sanctification, a token of our allegiance, and a foretaste of our eternal future in God’s kingdom. The Sabbath is
God’s perpetual sign of His eternal covenant between Him and His people. Joyful observance of this holy time from evening
to evening, sunset to sunset, is a celebration of God’s creative and redemptive acts.

(Gen. 2:1-3; Exod. 20:8-11; 31:13-17; Lev. 23:32; Deut. 5:12-15; Isa. 56:5, 6; 58:13, 14; Ezek. 20:12, 20; Matt. 12:1-12; Mark 1:32; Luke 4:16; Heb. 4:1-11.)