Our Confession of Faith

The Holy Scripture, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, is the only sufficient, certain, and infallible rule of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience. Although the light of nature and the works of creation and providence reveal the goodness, wisdom, and power of God so clearly that all people are left without excuse, they are not sufficient to give the knowledge of God and His will necessary for salvation. Therefore, it pleased the Lord, at various times and in diverse ways, to reveal Himself and declare His will to His People; and for the better preservation and propagation of the truth, and for the sure establishment and comfort of His people against the corruption of the flesh, the malice of Satan, and the hostility of the world, He committed His revelation wholly to writing. Thus the Holy Scriptures are most necessary, for those former ways of God's revealing His will have now been completed. Because Scripture is the Word of God written — God-breathed, produced through divine-human authorship as holy men spoke from God carried along by the Holy Spirit — it is inerrant in the original writings, infallible in all it affirms, and fully authoritative. Its authority is intrinsic, resting not on the testimony of any church, tradition, or human judgment, but on God Himself who speaks therein. Scripture is therefore the final, sufficient, and supreme rule by which all doctrine, worship, ethics, and church governance must be tested and judged.

There is but one living and true God, infinite in being and perfection, whose essence is simple, spiritual, eternal, and unchangeable. He is all-sufficient, all-holy, all-wise, and sovereign over all things. This one God eternally exists in three distinct Persons — the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit — each fully and truly God, sharing the same divine essence, equal in power, glory, and majesty, yet distinguished by their personal properties. The Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Spirit eternally proceeds from the Father and the Son. Thus, God is one in essence and three in Person, worthy of all worship, love, trust, and obedience. God sovereignly ordains, upholds, and governs all things according to the counsel of His own immutable will, working all things for His glory and the good of His people. His sovereignty neither violates human responsibility nor makes Him the author or approver of sin; rather, He orders all things in perfect wisdom, righteousness, and holiness.

From all eternity, God sovereignly and wisely ordained all things that come to pass, according to the counsel of His own will and for the praise of His glory. His decree is comprehensive, unchangeable, and perfectly righteous. Yet God is neither the author of sin nor does He violate the genuine moral agency of His creatures. God's decree includes the free and certain fulfillment of all secondary causes, so that events occur in time through means, contingencies, and human choices that He has ordained. His sovereignty and human responsibility are not in conflict but are harmoniously upheld in the mystery of His perfect wisdom.

God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit freely and sovereignly created all things out of nothing, calling into existence the heavens, the earth, and every creature by the word of His power and for the praise of His glory. All that God made was very good, reflecting His wisdom, beauty, and order. Humanity, male and female, was created as the crown of creation, bearing His image and entrusted with dominion under His lordship. God created the angels as holy spiritual beings, mighty in strength and appointed as His servants. Some angels, led by Satan, rebelled against God and were cast down, becoming malicious adversaries who oppose His purposes and seek to deceive and destroy. Yet they remain under God's sovereign authority and cannot thwart His redemptive plan. God continues to uphold, sustain, and govern all things by His providence, directing all events according to the counsel of His will. His providence extends to the smallest details of creation and to the greatest movements of history, accomplishing His purposes without violating the will of His creatures or diminishing human responsibility.

God created humanity, male and female, in His own image, upright, holy, and capable of fulfilling His law. Endowed with rational faculties, moral affections, and a will inclined toward obedience, humanity was created for communion with God and entrusted with dominion over the earth. Through the disobedience of Adam, the covenant head of the human race, sin entered the world, and all humanity fell in him. By this Fall, humanity became spiritually dead, wholly corrupted in nature, and inclined toward evil. Although people retain the natural capacities of mind, heart, and will, they are morally unable to love God, submit to His law, or believe the gospel apart from the regenerating grace of the Holy Spirit. Thus all are sinners by nature and by choice, justly deserving God's righteous judgment. God created humanity as male and female, equal in dignity, value, and worth, each fully bearing His image. This distinction is rooted in creation, not culture, and is therefore good, purposeful, and enduring. Within God's wise and loving order, men and women share equal standing before God and equal participation in the life of the church, yet they are entrusted with distinct roles in the home and the church. In the church, the office of elder is reserved for qualified men, as taught in Scripture. Yet both men and women are called to serve, teach, disciple, pray, and labor faithfully in accordance with God's Word and the gifts He provides.

God, from all eternity, according to the wise counsel of His own will, freely and unchangeably chose in Christ a people for Himself. This election was not based on foreseen faith, merit, or any condition met by the creature, but solely upon God's sovereign grace and good pleasure. In love, He predestined His people to adoption, holiness, and eternal life, to the praise of His glorious grace. Though God ordains whatsoever comes to pass, His sovereign decree does not nullify the reality of human responsibility. Human beings make real and meaningful choices, yet always according to their nature. In the Fall, humanity became enslaved to sin, spiritually dead, and wholly inclined toward evil. Fallen humanity retains natural faculties of mind, heart, and will, and is therefore accountable before God; yet because the will is bound by sin, no sinner is willing or able to repent, believe, or come to Christ apart from divine grace. Regeneration is a sovereign, monergistic act of God in which the Holy Spirit imparts new spiritual life, removing the heart of stone and granting a heart of flesh. By this gracious work, the sinner is made alive, given a new nature with new governing desires, and enabled to repent and believe the gospel. Repentance and faith are not autonomous human achievements but gifts of God, graciously granted to all whom He effectually calls. Thus salvation, from first to last — from election, to regeneration, to faith, to perseverance — is the work of God alone, ensuring that all glory belongs to Him.

Salvation is the gracious work of the triune God, accomplished solely through the person and work of Jesus Christ and applied by the Holy Spirit. It is rooted in God's eternal purpose, purchased by the Son, and brought to fruition in the elect through the Spirit's effectual call. Salvation is received by those who, through the regenerating work of the Spirit, repent of their sins and confess Jesus Christ as Lord, trusting wholly in Him for righteousness and life. God commands all people everywhere to repent and believe the gospel. While justification, sanctification, and glorification are works of God alone, each person bears real responsibility to respond to His call with faith, obedience, and perseverance. True believers endure not by their own strength but by the preserving grace of God, who keeps them by His power through faith for salvation. Justification is a gracious and judicial act of God in which He pardons all our sins and accepts us as righteous in His sight. This righteousness is not infused or earned but is imputed to believers through the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ, received by faith alone. Faith is the sole instrument of justification, yet it is never alone in the person justified, but is always accompanied by all other saving graces and produces the fruit of obedience. Sanctification is both definitive and progressive. At conversion, believers are set apart in Christ, freed from the dominion of sin, and united to Him in His death and resurrection. Throughout the Christian life, the Holy Spirit works within believers to renew their minds, transform their character, and conform them to the image of Christ through the Word of God. Assurance of salvation rests primarily on the promises of God in Christ, confirmed by the inward testimony of the Holy Spirit and evidenced by a life marked by repentance, faith, and obedience. Glorification is the final and complete transformation of believers into the likeness of Christ. At the return of the Lord, the bodies of the redeemed will be raised imperishable, freed from all corruption, and made perfectly blessed in the full enjoyment of God forever.

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, was appointed by the Father from all eternity to be the only Mediator between God and humanity. In this office He is our Prophet, Priest, and King; the Head and Savior of the Church; the Heir of all things; and the Judge of the living and the dead. From eternity the Father gave to the Son a people to redeem and bring to glory. The Son, true and eternal God, took upon Himself a true human nature when the fullness of time came. Conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, He became fully man while remaining fully God, two whole and perfect natures united in one Person. Anointed with the Holy Spirit without measure, Christ perfectly fulfilled the law, suffered in the place of sinners, died, was buried, and rose bodily on the third day. He ascended into heaven, intercedes for His people, and will return to judge the world and consummate His kingdom. By His perfect obedience and once-for-all sacrifice, Christ fully satisfied the justice of God and secured eternal redemption for all whom the Father has given Him. Christ effectually applies redemption to His people by His Spirit — uniting them to Himself, granting faith and repentance, governing their hearts, and conquering all their enemies. This mediatorial office belongs to Christ alone. As Prophet, He reveals God to us; as Priest, He reconciles us to God; and as King, He subdues, rules, and preserves us for His heavenly kingdom.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church, His body, which is composed of all true believers in every age who are united to Him by faith and regenerated by the Holy Spirit. This universal Church is made manifest in local congregations — visible assemblies of baptized believers who covenant together under Christ's lordship for worship, instruction, fellowship, discipline, and mission. A true church is governed by the Word of God alone. Its authority is ministerial and declarative, not legislative; the church may only proclaim what Christ has commanded, exercising its stewardship in humble submission to His will. Christ has given His Church the keys of the kingdom for preaching the gospel, administering the ordinances, and exercising discipline, all according to Scripture. The Lord Jesus Christ has ordained that each local church be led by a plurality of qualified men who together hold the one biblical office described by the titles elder, pastor, and overseer. Elders are entrusted by Christ to shepherd the flock of God through faithful teaching, prayer, counsel, and personal care. They must guard sound doctrine, refute false teaching, and protect the church from spiritual danger. Deacons are servants of the church, appointed to meet practical and mercy needs, support the ministry of the Word, and promote unity, peace, and love within the body. Under Christ, the congregation bears real responsibility and authority. The members of a local church are called to submit to godly leadership, exercise discernment, and obey Christ through His Word.

The Lord Jesus Christ builds His Church through the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit, who distributes spiritual gifts to every believer for the edification of the body, the advancement of the gospel, and the glory of God. These gifts are diverse in form yet unified in purpose, enabling the Church to grow in maturity, unity, and faithful witness. We affirm the sufficiency, finality, and completeness of Holy Scripture. Therefore, we deny that God continues to grant new revelation, new prophecy, or new doctrinal content beyond what has been once for all delivered to the saints. The apostolic and prophetic foundation of the Church has been fully and finally preserved in Scripture, which is the supreme and sufficient rule for all faith and practice. We affirm that the biblical gift of tongues refers to real human languages, given by the Spirit for the proclamation of the gospel across linguistic boundaries. Scripture teaches that tongues were governed by intelligibility, interpretation, and order, and were never intended as ecstatic speech, private prayer language, or heavenly utterance. God may act extraordinarily according to His sovereign will, yet He never authenticates error or undermines the sufficiency of Scripture. We deny that signs, wonders, or extraordinary experiences function as authoritative validation of doctrine or ministry. Scripture alone is the final test of truth, and no experience — however dramatic — may contradict or supplement the written Word of God.

The Lord Jesus Christ has instituted two ordinances for His Church: baptism and the Lord's Supper. These ordinances are visible signs of the gospel, appointed by Christ to strengthen the faith of believers, mark out the people of God, and proclaim the saving work of Christ until He returns. They are to be observed only as Christ has commanded, and not according to human invention or tradition. Baptism is an ordinance of the New Covenant, instituted by Christ as the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. It signifies union with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection; the washing away of sins; and the believer's entrance into the visible fellowship of the Church. Baptism is a public profession of faith and an act of obedience that follows conversion. Because immersion most clearly portrays the biblical symbolism of burial and resurrection, it is the normative and preferred mode of baptism. However, in cases where a believer is physically unable to be immersed due to medical limitations, the church may administer baptism by pouring as a pastoral accommodation. The Lord's Supper is an ordinance of Christ in which baptized believers, by eating the bread and drinking the cup, proclaim the Lord's death until He comes. It is a memorial of Christ's once-for-all sacrifice, a means of grace by which believers are spiritually nourished, and a communion in which the Church expresses its unity in Christ. The Supper is not a re-sacrifice of Christ, nor does the bread and cup change in substance; rather, believers partake by faith in the benefits of Christ's body and blood through the presence and ministry of the Holy Spirit. Only those who have repented of their sins, trusted in Christ, and been baptized upon profession of faith should partake of the Supper.

We believe that worship is initiated by God and grounded in His self-revelation. True worship is the reverent and joyful response of God's redeemed people to who He is and what He has revealed in His Word and works. Worship is God-centered, Christ-exalting, and Spirit-enabled, offered to the Father through the Son in the power of the Holy Spirit. God speaks through His Word, and His people respond in faith, gratitude, confession, obedience, and praise. Worship is therefore dialogical and regulated by Scripture, not by culture or personal preference. God alone determines how He is to be worshiped, and all elements of corporate worship must be shaped by His revealed will. Worship is both expressive and formative. As believers respond to God's truth, they are shaped in mind, affection, and will toward greater conformity to Christ. We believe that singing is a central and commanded expression of corporate worship, through which the Word of Christ dwells richly among the congregation. The text of congregational song must be governed by Scripture, expressing biblical truth clearly and faithfully. Corporate worship is the weekly gathering of God's people to hear His Word, proclaim His gospel, receive His grace, and respond with faith and obedience. The Lord's Day assembly is uniquely appointed for the renewal and formation of God's people until Christ returns.

We believe that the Christian life involves real spiritual conflict against the devil, the world, and the flesh. Yet this warfare is spiritual, not territorial; the kingdom of Christ is advanced not by seizing cultural power but by proclaiming the gospel, obeying Scripture, and walking in holiness. The weapons of our warfare are truth, righteousness, faith, the Word of God, and prayer — not earthly strategies of dominion. We therefore reject teachings that portray the Church's mission as conquering societal institutions or establishing earthly rule before Christ returns. Christ's kingdom is not of this world, and His Church overcomes by steadfast faith, not political or cultural conquest. Believers resist the schemes of the devil by standing firm in the gospel, renewing their minds with Scripture, and persevering in obedience. Christ has already triumphed over the powers of darkness, and His people fight from His victory, not for territory.

We believe in the personal, visible, and glorious return of the Lord Jesus Christ at the end of the age. At His coming, the dead will be raised bodily, and all people will stand before Him for final judgment. God will judge the world in righteousness through Christ, rendering to each person according to what he has done. The wicked will suffer eternal, conscious punishment, while the redeemed will enter into everlasting joy in the presence of God. In this final consummation, all of God's promises to His people will be fulfilled, and He will make all things new. Heaven is the eternal dwelling place of God with His redeemed people. Those who die in Christ enter immediately into His presence, awaiting the resurrection of the body. In the new heavens and new earth, the redeemed will enjoy unbroken fellowship with God, free from sin, death, sorrow, and pain. They will behold the glory of God, worship Him forever, and reign with Christ in perfect righteousness, peace, and joy. Hell is the eternal state of judgment for all who die in their sins apart from Christ. The wicked will be raised to dishonor and condemned to everlasting, conscious punishment under the righteous wrath of God. Its punishment is eternal, without relief or annihilation, and reflects the infinite holiness of the God who is sinned against. God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but calls all people everywhere to repent and believe the gospel.

God ordained the family as the first and foundational institution of human society, established in creation before the Fall, the state, or the church. Marriage is a covenantal union between one man and one woman, designed by God for companionship, mutual help, procreation, and the display of His covenant-keeping love. Marriage is holy, honorable, and binding, and is to be entered into with reverence, fidelity, and joy under the lordship of Christ. God has ordained distinct yet complementary responsibilities within the family. Husbands are called to lovingly lead their wives as Christ loves the church — exercising sacrificial, servant-hearted leadership marked by tenderness, understanding, and faithfulness. Wives are called to willingly and intelligently submit to their husbands' leadership, as the church submits to Christ, reflecting trust, respect, and partnership in the work of the home. These roles are rooted in creation, not culture, and are designed for the flourishing of the family and the display of the gospel. Children are a gift and heritage from the Lord, entrusted to parents for their nurture, discipline, and discipleship. Parents bear the primary responsibility to instruct their children in the knowledge, fear, and love of the Lord. We affirm that marriage, family, and sexuality are to be lived out in holiness, fidelity, and love according to God's revealed will. The gospel offers hope and redemption to all who turn from sin and trust in Christ, restoring individuals and families to God's good design and empowering them to walk in purity and obedience.

God's moral law, summarized in the Ten Commandments, is a perfect expression of His holy character and the unchanging standard of righteousness for all people in every age. The law reveals God's will, exposes sin, restrains evil, and guides believers in grateful obedience. The ceremonial laws of the Old Covenant were fulfilled in Christ and are no longer binding, and the civil laws given to Israel expired with the nation's theocratic administration. Yet the moral law remains perpetually binding as the rule of life for all humanity. Believers are not justified by the law, nor do they obey it in their own strength, but through the enabling power of the Holy Spirit who writes God's law on their hearts. The law, rightly understood, leads God's people to Christ, conforms them to His image, and teaches them to walk in love.

God alone is Lord of the conscience, and He has freed His people from the guilt of sin, the condemnation of the law, and the traditions of men that contradict or exceed Scripture. Christian liberty is not a license for sin but a freedom to serve God joyfully in obedience to His Word. In matters where Scripture does not command or forbid, believers must act in faith, guided by wisdom, love, and a desire to honor Christ. They must neither bind the consciences of others with human rules nor use their liberty in a way that causes others to stumble. The civil magistrate must not coerce the conscience in matters of faith, for Christ alone is King of the Church. Yet Christians are called to use their liberty to pursue holiness, love their neighbor, and glorify God in all things.