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The Bible
The Scriptures of the Old and New
Testaments were given by inspiration of God, and are our
infallible rule of faith and practice.
God
There is one living and true God,
revealed in nature as the Creator, Preserver, and Righteous
Governor of the universe; and in the Scriptures as Father, Son,
and Holy Ghost; yet as one God, infinitely wise and good, whom
all intelligent creatures are supremely to love, adore, and
obey.
Christ
Christ is God manifest in the
flesh; in His divine nature truly God, in His human nature truly
man. The mediator between God and man, once crucified, He is now
risen and glorified, and is our ever present Savior and Lord.
The Holy
Spirit
The Scriptures assign to the Holy
Spirit all the attributes of God.
The
Government of God
God exercises a wise and benevolent
providence over all beings and all things by maintaining the
constitution and laws of nature. He also performs special acts,
not otherwise provided for, as the highest welfare of men
requires.
The
Sinfulness of Man
Man was created innocent, but by
disobedience fell into a state of sin and condemnation. His
posterity, therefore, inherit a fallen nature of such tendencies
that all who come to years of accountability, sin and become
guilty before God.
The Work
of Christ
The Son of God by His incarnation,
life, sufferings, death, and resurrection effected for all a
redemption from sin that is full and free, and is the ground of
salvation by faith.
The Terms
of Salvation
The conditions of salvation are:
- Repentance or sincere sorrow for
sin and hearty renunciation of it.
- Faith or the unreserved committal
of one's self to Christ as Saviour and Lord with purpose to
love and obey Him in all things. In the exercise of saving
faith, the soul is renewed by the Holy Spirit, freed from
the dominion of sin, and becomes a child of God.
- Continuance in faith and obedience
unto death.
Election
God determined from the beginning
to save all who should comply with the conditions of salvation.
Hence by faith in Christ men become His elect.
Freedom of
the Will
The human will is free and
self-controlled, having power to yield to the influence of the
truth and the Spirit, or to resist them and perish.
Salvation
Free
God desires the salvation of all,
the gospel invites all, the Holy Spirit strives with all, and
whosoever will may come and take of the water of life freely.
Perseverance
All believers in Christ, who
through grace persevere in holiness to the end of life, have
promise of eternal salvation.
Gospel
Ordinances
BAPTISM, or the immersion of
believers in water, and the LORD'S SUPPER, are ordinances to be
perpetuated under the Gospel. FEET WASHING, an ordinance
teaching humility, is of universal obligation, and is to be
ministered to all true believers. Both Communion and Foot
washing are open to all believers.
Tithing
God commanded tithes and offerings
in the Old Testament; Jesus Christ endorsed it in the gospel
(Matt. 23:23), and the apostle Paul said, "Upon the first
day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God
hath prospered him" (1 Cor. 16:2a).
The
Christian Sabbath
The divine law requires that one
day in seven be set apart from secular employments and
amusements, for rest, worship, holy works, and activities, and
for personal communion with God.
Resurrection, Judgement, and Final Retribution
The Scriptures teach the
resurrection of all men at the last day. Those who have done
good will come forth to the resurrection of life, and those who
have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation; then the
wicked will "go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous
into eternal life."
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