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We believe the
Bible is our only authoritative source for practicing God's will. We believe it is "inspired"
of God, it is "God-breathed". The original autographs contained no textual variants, errors,
or doctrines of men. They were the very words that God wanted the church to have and live by.
Those original autographs are no longer available but we have over 25,000 copies of them with
very little corruption so as not to effect the major doctrines of the church such as
salvation, apostasy, the worship of the church, it's organization, or the gospel of the
death, burial, and resurrection of Christ the Lord.
We
believe the church and Christians should have no creed other than the Bible. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says The
Scriptures furnish a man unto all good works.
2 Peter 1:3 says God has given us all things that pertain unto life and
godliness.
We believe the
churches of the New Testament were governed without human creeds. The same can be done today. To
embrace the "Doctrines of Men" is to be in danger of condemnation, Matthew 15:1-15. We are not to
bind where the Bible does not bind or loose where the Bible does not
loose.
We
believe we should "Speak where the Bible speaks and be silent where the Bible is
silent." II Peter 4:11 says if any man speaks let him speak as the oracles of God. II Timothy
1:13 says we are to hold fast the form of sound words. Galatians 1:7-9 says we are to teach
nothing as doctrine that the apostles did not preach. We must teach and practice all the
truth: nothing more nothing less. We are not to go beyond the truth as revealed in the New
Testament, II John 9.
We
believe as Christians and as the church of Christ we should and must plead for the unity of all believers in Christ
upon the basis of the Word of God and the one Body. In John 17:20-21 Jesus prayed
for all that believe in Him to be one.
In I Corinthians 1:10 Paul pleaded for us to "all speak the SAME thing".
We
believe the church is to be undenominational and unified solely upon the Word
of God. Ephesians 4:4-7; Ephesians 1:22-23; Paul said in Colossians 1:18 there is one body and
the body is the church. It is undenominational has no membership in any human organization. Its
members are in no organization other than the one to which the Lord adds the saved, Acts
2:47.
We
believe we should worship in the pattern established in the New Testament is
"in spirit" (with sincerity) and "in truth" (as the word of God
directs), John 4:24.
We
believe we should and must oppose the "Doctrines of Men" as did our Lord,
Matthew 15:7. We must be careful not to bind where the Bible does not bind, or loose where
the Bible does not loose, I Timothy 4:1-3.
We believe Acts 2:42 when it said the Church is to
continue steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine.
We
believe the formal worship of the early church consisted
of weekly gathering and engaging in the
following:
Singing - Ephesians 5:19;
Hebrews 2:12 & 13:15
Giving - I Corinthians 16:1-2;
II Corinthians 9:7
Teaching/Preaching - Acts
20:7
Lord's supper - Acts 20:7; I
Corinthians 11:23-30
Praying - on the first day of
the week - Acts 2:42
We believe we are to wear the name of Christ and oppose all
names of man's invention. Acts 11:26 & 26:28; I Peter 4:16, indicates the Christians of the 1st
century were called "Christians"....PERIOD! They were simply "Christians". We are all
to wear the same name as the Bible speaks, Acts 4:12; Philippians 3:16.I Corinthians 1:10-13; 3:3-4; 4:6 condemns the wearing human
names.
We believe the Apostolic teachings in the New Testament and
the New Testament only set forth the structure for the Church under Christ as the head, with
Elders and Deacons to serve in the local congregation. Acts 20:28 says Elders are to oversee the
church. Acts 14:23 indicates they ordained Elders in every church. Philippians 1:1; I Timothy
3:1-13 indicates Elders/Bishops and Deacons were offices in the church. We also believe the Bible
sets forth the clear qualifications of the offices of Elders and deacons and MUST be adhered to, I
Timothy 3:1-13;
Titus 1:6-9. To do otherwise is to set aside the word of God. If not, why not?
We believe the Gospel as revealed and confirmed by the Holy
Spirit is able to convert sinners and bring them to salvation. Romans 1:16 says the gospel is the
power of God unto salvation. I Corinthians 15:2 says we are saved by the gospel. James 1:18 says we
are begotten by the Word of Truth. Romans 10:17 says Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. John
17:17 says we are sanctified through the truth.
We believe the Bible teaches a clear plan of salvation and
how sinners through faith are to obtain God's merciful salvation.
Hear the gospel and
believe,
Romans 10:17; Acts 16:31.
They must
repent,
Acts 3:19 & 17:30-31.
They must confess Christ with the
mouth,
Romans 10:9-10; Acts 8:37
They must be baptized for the
remission of sins,
Acts 2:38 & 22:16;Mark 16:16; 1 Peter
3:20-21.
We
believe the Bible teaches Christians to remain faithful to Christ, the head of
the Church, lest they fall and be lost. John 15:1-8 clearly teaches that unfruitful branches will
be cut off and cast into fire and burned. Hebrews 6:4-8 says it is possible to "fall away". We are
commanded to be faithful, implying clearly it is possible to be "unfaithful", Revelation
2:10.
We believe last, but surely not least, that Jesus came into
this world to save sinners. He went to the cruel cross and took upon Himself the sins of the world.
By His vicarious death we have been reconciled to God. By his death, burial and resurrection, He
gained the victory over Satan and conquered death and praise God, He is coming again!
AMEN!
Then said Jesus unto the twelve, "Will
ye also go away?" Then Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to
whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And
we believe and are
sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God."
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Then said Jesus
unto the twelve, "Will ye also go
away?" Then
Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal
life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of
the living God."
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