1.  We believe in God, eternally existing in the heavens, who is Spirit, a personal Being of supreme intelligence, knowledge, love, justice, power, and authority, the Creator of the heavens and the Earth and all that in them is, and the source of life (Deut. 6:4, Isa. 57:15; 40:28, Ps. 63:3, Col. 1:16, Ps. 36:9).

2.  We believe Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah, the Christ, the divine Son of the living God, begotten of the Holy Spirit, born in the human flesh of the virgin Mary, and that He is true God and true man; that God created all things by Jesus Christ, and without Him was not anything made that was made (John 1:32–24, Isa. 11:2; 7:14, I Cor. 10:4, John 1:1–3).

3.  We believe in the Holy Spirit, as the Spirit of the Father and of Christ Jesus; the power of God with which all things were created and made; that thru the Holy Spirit, God is everywhere present; that the Holy Spirit is divine love, faith, understanding, power, joy, and all the attributes of God—the Spirit of life eternal (John 14:16–17, I Pet. 10–12, Gen. 1:2, Ps. 139:7–12, Gal. 5:22).

4. We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are God’s revelation and complete expressed will to man, inspired in thought and word, and infallible in the original writings; that they are of supreme and final authority in faith and in life, and the source of truth. We believe all teachings contrary to the Holy Bible are false. We accept the Bible alone, and not the Bible and something else (Luke 24:44, 2 Sam. 23:1–2, Acts 7:37–38, Rev. 22:18–19).

5.  We believe Satan is a personality, a spirit being; and as the Devil is the adversary of God and the children of God; and that he now has dominion over the world which God allowed him—leading the children of Adam into rejection of God’s law and therefore rebellion against God.  Satan’s power is merely to influence and lead, not to force men arbitrarily against their will. He has ruled by deception with the aid of a host of demons which are rebellious angels, spirit beings, who have followed Satan in his rebellion.  He will, at the time of Christ’s return, be forced to rest from his works of deception while Christ rules the nations of the Earth (Ezek. 28:13–15, 2 Cor. 4:4, I Tim. 4:1, Rev. 20:1–3).

6.  We believe man was created in the image of God, formed of flesh, which is material substance, living by the breath of life, and is wholly mortal, subject to corruption and decay, without possibility of eternal life inherent in himself, except as the gift of God under God’s terms and conditions as expressed in the Bible; that God placed before the first man, Adam, his free choice of eternal life through obedience to God’s commandments, or death through sin; that Adam sinned, thereby incurring the death penalty without having received eternal life, having yielded to the temptation of Satan, and that the sinful fleshly nature with its sensual desires and its pride passed on all men, so that all become sinners, thus bringing upon themselves the penalty, death (Gen. 1:26; 3:19, Deut. 30:19, Rom. 8:5–7).

7.  We believe sin is the transgression of the law; that the law is spiritual, perfect, holy, just, and good, summed up in the word “love;” that it involves the two great principles of love to God, and love to neighbor, and that the Ten Commandments compose the ten points of that law, and that the breaking of only one point makes one guilty of sin.  We believe this fundamental spiritual law reveals to us the only right and true way to life—the only possible way of happiness, peace and joy; that it has existed from Adam, is immutable and binding throughout eternity; and that all unhappiness, misery, poverty, anguish, and woe has come from its transgression (I John 3:4, Mark 12:30–31, Ps. 119:165, Matt. 5:18, Rom. 2:8–9).

8.  We believe God so loved this world of helpless sinners that He gave His only begotten Son, who, though in all points tempted as we are, lived without sin in the human flesh, and died for us as a representative and substitute sacrifice, thus making it legally possible for man’s sins to be forgiven and for God to release him from their penalty, since Jesus, whose life was of greater value than the sum-total of all other human lives (because it was He who brought them into being) has thus paid the penalty in man’s stead (John 3:16–17).

9.  We believe that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead after His body reposed three days and three nights in the grave, thus making immortality possible for mortal man; that He thereafter ascended into heaven where He now sits at the right hand of God the Father, as our High Priest and Advocate (Acts 26:22–23, Matt. 12:38–40, Rom. 8:11, Eph. 4:8–10, I Pet. 3:22, Heb. 4:14–16).

10.  We believe that all who truly repent of their sins, in full surrender and willing obedience to God, accepting Jesus Christ as personal Savior in faith believing, are forgiven their sins by an act of divine grace, justified, pardoned from the penalty of past sins, reconciled to God, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit which literally comes and abides within, supplying the divine love which alone can fulfill the law and produce righteousness; and thus are baptized by the Spirit into the body of Christ which is the true Church of God. We believe in a true change in life and attitude, and that only those who have the indwelling presence of, and are being led by, the Holy Spirit are Christ’s.  Bible evidence of being thus baptized by the Spirit is the fruit of the Spirit in one’s life.  “Manifestations” regulated by I Corinthians 14 (Acts 2:38, Eph. 1:7–10, Matt. 7:20, Gal. 5:22, 23).

11.  We believe in two ordinances for this age; water baptism by immersion, into Jesus Christ (not a denomination) for the remission of sins, following genuine repentance; and the Lord’s Supper as continuation of the Passover, observed at night on the anniversary of the death of our Savior, the fourteenth of Abib (Matt. 28:19–20, Rom. 6:3–7, Lev. 23:5, Matt. 26:17–20, 26–29).

12.  We believe that from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset, the seventh day of the week, is the Sabbath of the Lord our God.  On this day we must rest from our labors, following the commands and example of the Apostle Paul, the New Testament Church, and Jesus (Gen. 2:1–3, Ex. 31:13–17, Luke 4:16, Acts 13:42–44, Isa. 66:22–23).

13.  We believe the seven annual holy days as given to ancient Israel by God through Moses, kept by Christ, the Apostle Paul, and the New Testament Church, as evidenced by the books of Acts and Corinthians, are to be kept today.  The sacrifices, which were added, are not to be kept on those days nor any other day of the year. During the spring festival of seven days, leavening in any form is not to be eaten, as Paul instructed the Corinthians (Lev. 23:1–44, Matt. 26:18, Acts 2:1; 18:21, Heb. 9:12–15, I Cor. 5:6–8).

14.  We believe that certain foods called “unclean” are not to be eaten under any circumstances as they are harmful to body and health and also violate our bodies which are called the temple of the Holy Spirit of God (Lev. 11:1–47, Acts 10 thru 11:18).

15.  We believe that Christian disciples of Christ are forbidden by Him and the commandments of God to kill, or in any manner directly or indirectly to take human life; by whatsoever means; we believe that bearing arms is directly contrary to this fundamental doctrine of our belief; we therefore conscientiously refuse to bear arms or to come under the military authority (John 18:36, Ex. 20:13, Matt. 5:43–45, I Cor. 7:21–23).

16.  We believe the promises were made to Abraham and his “seed,” Christ, and that the covenants (including the New Covenant), and the promises pertain alone to Israel.  That salvation is through Christ alone, and not inherited through the birthright (right of birth) and that salvation is freely open to Gentiles, who, through Christ, become Abraham’s children and are adopted into the family of Israel and become heirs according to the promises (Gen. 22:17–18, Gal. 3:16, Heb. 8:6–10, Col. 3:11).

That the Anglo-Saxon peoples of today are enjoying the national phases of the promises—that of material blessings—called the “birthright,” which was handed down thru the sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh, whose descendants we are; but that the “scepter”—the promise of kings, and the spiritual phase of the promises, including Christ and salvation thru Him—was given to and shall not depart from Judah of whom are the race we know today as the Jews.  We believe eternal life is God’s gift resting upon the promises made to Abraham and his “seed,” Christ, designating this Earth (made new), not heaven, as our eternal home and reward (Gen. 48:1–5, 19; 49:10, Rev. 21:2–3).

17.  We believe God’s purpose is the creation of high spiritual character, and therefore the very object of redemption is to rescue mankind from sin (transgressing the fundamental spiritual law), and its resulting degradation, misery and unhappiness; and that the object of the present dispensation is to fit those whom God now calls, with their consent, thru a life of trial and test and overcoming sin, growing in grace and knowledge, to possess the kingdom and to become kings and priests reigning with Christ after His return.  We believe Christians must therefore live a clean, pure, holy life by faith according to the Bible standard, with constant Bible study and surrendered prayer, trusting God in and for all things; that yielding to pride and lust of the flesh is sin; that God hears and literally answers the believing prayers of His children who keep His commandments—according as He has promised in His word, including physical healing, deliverance from temptation and trouble, providing the way for every actual need (Ps. 19:7–11, 2 Pet. 3:9, Rev. 3:21; 20:6, I Pet. 4:18).

18.  We believe the church is merely that body of believers who have, and are being led by the Holy Spirit; that the true Church of God is not a denomination; that the inspired name for this spiritual organism is “The Church of God;” that the Bible name for each local assembly is “The Church of God,” and, considered collectively, “The Churches of God;” that the mission of the church in this time is to preach the Gospel (good news) of the coming Kingdom of God,  to reconcile to God, and to save, thru Christ, such people as are now called; and to minister to the Church of God, strengthening and edifying the brethren in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (I Cor. 12:12–14, 27; I Cor. 1:2, Acts. 19:8, Eph. 4:11–16).

19.  We believe the only hope of eternal life for mortal man lies in the resurrection, thru the indwelling (now) of the Holy Spirit; and that there shall be a bodily resurrection of the just and unjust—the just to eternal life as spirit beings upon earth, the unjust to receive the second and final death in hell (Gehenna) fire, in which they shall perish in eternal punishment (I Cor. 15:50–54, Rom. 8:11, John 5:28, Phil. 3:21, Rev. 20:13–15).

20.  We believe in the personal, visible, pre-millennial, imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ to rule the nations of Earth as King of Kings, and to continue His priestly office as Lord of Lords; that at that time He will sit upon the throne of David, restoring all things during a thousand-year reign upon Earth, and establish the Kingdom of God upon Earth forever (Rev. 19:11–16).

21.  We believe that Pentecost always falls on a Monday following a complete fifty-day count from the morrow after the Sabbath occurring within the Days of Unleavened Bread; that this day pictures the receipt of God’s Holy Spirit and the beginning of the New Testament Church (Acts 2:1–4, see our articles on Pentecost for a more complete explanation).

22.  We believe proper administration of church government does not include the exercising of authority over the personal lives of members.  It is the responsibility of the ministry to proclaim the truth, to maintain peace and harmony among the brethren, to stop heresy within the Body of Christ, and to remove blatant sin from within the church if it occurs.  The responsibility of the ministry is limited, therefore, to those areas which affect the church membership as a whole.  Beyond that, it is the responsibility of each member to live up to his own conviction and level of faith (I Cor. 3:9, Rom. 10:8–15, I Thes. 5:14, Acts 20:29–30, 2 Cor. 13:2).

Each member, whether minister or lay member, will be judged as an individual before God (Rom. 14:12).  We believe free moral agency involves the right of free choice, without coercion from the ministry or lay members.  Therefore, the basis of baptism and the hand of fellowship must not involve conformity to outward appearance.  Each member must be given the right to develop individually and is responsible before God for his own actions.  It is not the church’s responsibility to force members into conformity resulting from fear of being disfellowshipped or ostracized.  It is through patience and understanding that each member must be allowed to develop his own character and level of true Christianity, and this development can come only by each individual constantly examining himself before God (Phil. 2:12, I Cor. 11:28).

23.  We believe prophecy is a forecast of future events, signifying God’s intent and purpose (Heb. 1:1, Neh. 9:30).  A prophecy is a charge placed upon the one who proclaims it, as well as upon the one who receives it.  Prophecies are either short or long in range:

a) Short-range prophecies are given to substantiate both God and the prophet representing Him.  Such prophecies are understood quickly, due to the limited time period which they involve.

b) Long-range prophecies do not concern themselves with the prophet’s substantiation, except as a historical record.  These prophecies, therefore, are intended to substantiate God only.  They are understood only after they happen.

Hence, there is no Bible authority for forecasting the future based on conclusions derived from personal Bible study.  General prophetic understanding can be derived from Bible study, as a result of inspiration by the Holy Spirit; however, specific dates cannot be discerned except by direct revelation.  Every Bible example of true prophetic insight is that of direct revelation (Num. 12:6).

While the Bible indicates prophetic gifts will be manifested “in the latter days,” the substantiation of any prophet is the fulfillment of his prophecy.  Prophecies which fail to materialize are a proof of the presumption of the prophet who gave them (Deut. 18:22, Matt. 7:22).

24.  We believe spiritual truth is divinely revealed.  This revelation comes directly as a result of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16–17, 26).  While Bible study and research are valuable aids to understanding God’s word, we believe they are not the basis for spiritual understanding.  The basis for spiritual truth is the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, along with Bible study and prayer, motivating the mind and heart of each true Christian (John 16:13; 6:44).  Therefore, Bible truth and understanding do not come by scholarship, research, or superior human intelligence (Matt. 11:25–27, I Cor. 2:9–14).

Furthermore, we believe divine truth to be unalterable and unchanging.  Spiritual truth is permanent and cannot be changed.  While God exercises the prerogative to change His mind, relative to His dealings with man, He never changes His law, His overall purpose, or His plan for mankind.  Therefore, doctrinal changes cannot reflect new insight or new understanding, for original truth is revealed and unalterable.  The only legitimate doctrinal changes are those which the Bible clearly indicates (e.g., sacrificial system, priesthood, etc.).  All other doctrinal changes are unauthorized and do not have Biblical substantiation (Heb. 13:8, I Cor. 1:19–21, Mal. 3:6.)

We have included only a few Scriptures for these highlight explanations of our beliefs.  Please see additional articles and sermons for a much more thorough explanation of each subject.

Sermons: