Apr-12

Preaching the Cross Work of Christ, Rightly Divided

Doctrinal Statement

GOD

         We believe God is eternal (Psalms 90:2), self-sufficient (Exodus 3:14), and holy (Isa. 6:3), existing in three persons (1 John 5:7): the Father, the Son (John 10:30), and the Spirit (1 Thess. 4:8).

The  BIBLE   

We believe the Holy Bible is the inerrant (Rom. 3:4) word of God (Prov. 30:5), written by inspiration of God (2 Tim. 3:16) and is preserved to stand forever (Isa. 40:8, 1 Peter 1:25) and forever settled in heaven (Psa. 119:89).  We believe the King James Version is the final authority in English and accept its translation as the “very words of God.”

        We believe Paul’s revelation of the mystery completed the scriptures (Col. 1:25-26).

SIN,  DEATH,  and  ETERNAL  JUDGMENT 

  We believe all men have sinned (Rom. 3:23 and 5:12) and therefore are guilty before God (Rom. 3:19) and under the curse of death (Rom. 6:23) and punishment forever in the lake of fire (Rev. 20:14, Mark 9:43-48, Luke 16:19-24).  We believe the saved will not experience the wrath of God (Rom. 5:9, 1 Thess. 1:10 and 5:9).

  SALVATION

        We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins (Rom. 5:5 and 8), was buried, and rose again (1 Cor. 15:3-4) for our justification (Rom. 5:9), and that by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8-9, Heb. 11:1, Rom. 10:17) in that gospel the soul is saved eternally (Rom. 6:23).

THE  DISTINCTIVE  APOSTLESHIP  of  PAUL 

        We believe the apostle Paul had a different ministry (Eph. 3:1-11) than that of the twelve disciples of Christ (Matt. 10:1-9, Mark 16:14-18, Acts 1:8).  We believe that Paul had a particular message which was previously a mystery (Eph. 6:19, Col. 4:3) for the Gentiles (Rom. 11:13, 1 Tim. 2:7, 2 Tim. 1:11) and a dispensation of the gospel committed to him (1 Cor. 9:17, Eph. 3:2, Col. 1:25) by which we are saved (1 Cor. 15:2), stablished (Rom. 16:25), and will be judged (Rom. 2:16).

ONE  BAPTISM 

        We believe there is one baptism for the dispensation of grace and that it is spiritual (Eph. 4:5, Rom. 6:3-4, Col. 2:12, Gal. 3:27) whereby all believers are placed into the body of Christ by the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:13) and that now there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles in Christ (Rom. 3:22 and 10:12).  We do not believe in water baptism for this dispensation (1 Cor. 1:17), but do recognize its importance to Israel in the past.  We are complete in Christ (Col. 2:10).

OUR  MINISTRY 

        Our desires as the church, functioning under grace, are as follows:

1) to have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:4)

2) to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery (Eph. 3:9)

3) to be ambassadors for Christ proclaiming the ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-20)

4) to preach Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery so that believers would be stablished according to Paul’s gospel. (Rom. 16:25-26)