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STATEMENT OF FAITH |
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I.
Of the True God |
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We believe: |
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That there is one, and only
one, living and true God - an infinite, intelligent Spirit, the Maker
and Supreme Ruler of Heaven and Earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness
and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love. |
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That existing eternally in
the unity of the Godhead there are three Persons: God the Father,
Jesus Christ the Son and the Holy Ghost, equal in every divine perfection,
and executing distinct but harmonious office in the great work of
redemption. |
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Ref: |
Gen. 17:1; Ex. 15:11; Ex. 20:2-3; Psa.
83:18; Psa. 90:2; Psa. 147:5; Jer. 10:10; 1.Cori. 8:6; Eph. 4:6; John
1:1-6; John 4:24; Rev. 4:11;
1.Tim. 1:17; Rom. 11:33; Mark 12:30; Matt. 28:19; John 15:26;
1.Cori. 12:4-6; 1.John 5:7; John 10:30; John 17:5; 1.Cori. 2:10-11;
Phil. 2:5-6; Eph. 2:18; 2.Cori. 13:14.
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II.
Of the Holy Spirit |
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We believe: |
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That the Holy Spirit is a
Divine person, equal with God the Father and God the Son, and of the
same nature. |
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That He was active in the
creation. In His relationship to the unbelieving world, He restrains
the evil one until God's purpose is fulfilled. |
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That He convicts of sin,
of judgment, and of righteousness. |
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That He bears witness to the
truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the indwelling
agent in the new birth and He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses,
sanctifies and helps the believer. |
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Ref: |
Gen. 1:1-3; John 14:16-17; John 14:16-17;
Matt. 28:19; Heb. 9:14;
John 14:26; Luke 1:35; 2 Thess. 2:7; John 16:8-11; John 15:26-27;
Acts 5:30-32; John 3:5-6; Eph. 1:13-14; Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke
3 : 16;
John 1:33; Acts 11:16; Luke 24:49; John 16:13; Rom. 8:14; Rom. 8:16;
2 Thess. 2:13; 1 Pet. 1:2; Rom. 8:26-27.
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III.
Of the Scriptures |
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We believe: |
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That the Holy Bible was written
by men supernaturally inspired by the Holy Spirit. |
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That it has truth without
any admixture of error for its matter; and therefore is, and shall
remain to the end of the ages, the only complete and final revelation
of the will of God to man; the true center of Christian union and
the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creed and options
should be tried.
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A. |
By " The Holy Bible" we mean
that collection of sixty-six books, from
Genesis to Revelation, which as originally written does not only "contain
and convey" the Word of God, but is the very Word of God. |
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B. |
By "inspiration" we mean
that the books of the Bible were written by holy men of old, as
they were moved by the Holy Spirit, in such a definite way that
their writings were supernaturally and verbally inspired and is
inerrant and infallible. No other writings have been or ever will
be inspired.
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Ref: |
2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:19-21; Acts 1:16;
Psa. 119:105; Psa. 119:130
Luke 24:25-27; John 17:17; Luke 24:44-45; Psa. 119:89; Pro. 30:5-6;
Rom. 3:4; 1 Pet. 1:23; Rev. 22:19; John 12:48; Isa. 8:20; Eph. 6:17;
Rom. 15:4; Luke 16:31; Psa. 19:7-11; John 5:45-47; John 5:39. |
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IV. Of
the Devil or Satan |
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We believe: |
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That Satan was once holy,
and enjoyed heavenly honors; but through pride and ambition to be
as the Almighty, fell and drew after him a host of angels,
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That he is now the malignant
prince of the power of air and the unholy god of this world. |
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That he is man's great tempter,
the enemy of God and His Christ, the accuser of the saints, the author
of all false religions, the chief power back of the present apostasy;
the lord of the antichrist, and the author of all the powers of darkness
- destined however to final defeat at the hands of God's own Son,
and to the judgment of an eternal justice in Hell, a place prepared
for him and his angels. |
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Ref: |
Isa. 14:12-15; Eze. 28:14-17; Matt. 4:1-3;
Rev. 12:9; Jude 6; 2 Pet 2:4;
Eph. 2:2; John 14:30; 1 Thess. 3:5; 1 Pet. 5:8; 1 John 3:8; Matt.
13:39;
Luke 22:3-4; Rev. 12:10; 2 Cori. 11:13-15; Mark 13: 21-22; 1 John
4:3;2 John 7; 1 John 2:22; Rev. 13:13-14; 2 Thess. 2:8-11; Rev.19:11,16,20;
Rev. 12:7-9; Rev. 20:1-3; Rev. 20:10; Matt. 25:41.
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V. Of Creation
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We believe: |
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The Genesis account of creation,
and that it is to be accepted literally, and not allegorically or
figuratively. |
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That man was created directly
in God's own image and after His own likeness. Man's creation was
not a matter of evolution or evolutionary changes of species, or development
through interminable periods of time from lower to higher forms. |
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That all animal and vegetable
life was made directly, and that God's established law was that they
should bring forth only ' after their kind." |
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Ref: |
Gen. 1:1; Gen. 1:11; Gen. 1:24; Gen. 1:26-27;
Gen. 2:21-23; Ex. 20:11;
Jer. 10:12; Neh. 9:6; John 1:3; Acts 4:24; Acts 17: 23-26; Rom. 1:20;
Col. 1:16-17; Heb. 11:3; Rev. 10:6. |
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VI. Of
the Fall of Man |
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We believe |
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That the man was created in
innocence under the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression
fell from his sinless and happy state; in consequence of which all
mankind are now sinners, not by constraint, but of choice; and therefore
under just condemnation without defense or excuse. |
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Ref: |
Gen. 3:1-6,24; Eze. 18:19-20; Rom. 1:8;
Rom. 1:28; Rom. 3:10-19;
Rom. 5:12; Rom. 5:19; Gal. 3:22; Eph. 2:1-3. |
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VII. Of
the Virgin Birth |
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We believe: |
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That Jesus Christ was begotten
of the Holy Ghost in a miraculous manner; born of Mary, a virgin,
as no other person was ever born or can ever be born of woman and
that He is both Son of God and God the Son. |
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Ref: |
Gen. 3:15; Isa. 7:14; Psa. 2:7; Matt.
1:18-25; Mark 1:1; Luke 1:35;
John 1:14; 1 Cori. 15:47; Gal. 4:4; 1 John 5:20. |
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VIII. Of
the Atonement for Sin |
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We believe: |
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That the salvation of sinners
is wholly of grace; through the mediatorial office of God the Son,
who by appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature,
yet without sin; honored the divine law by His personal obedience,
and by His death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins. |
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That His atonement consisted
not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was the
voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner's place, the Just
dying for the unjust, Christ the Lord, bearing our sins in His own
body on the tree. |
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That having risen from the
dead, He is now enthroned in Heaven and uniting in His wonderful Person
the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection, He is, in every way,
qualified to be a suitable and compassionate and an all-sufficient
Saviour. |
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Ref: |
Isa. 53:4-7; Isa. 53:11-12; Matt. 18:11;
John 3:16; John 10:18; Acts 15:11;
Rom. 3:24-25; 1 Cori. 15:3,20; 2 Cori. 5:21; Gal. 1:4; Eph. 2:8; Phil.
2:7-8;
Heb. 2:14; Heb. 7:25; Heb. 9:12-15; Heb. 12:2; 1 Pet. 2:24; 1 Pet.
3:18;
1 John 2:2; 1 John 4:10. |
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IX. Of
the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ |
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We believe: |
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That Jesus Christ died on
the cross, and that three days later, He rose literally and bodily
from the dead. |
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That He was first seen of Mary and other
women, then of Peter and other disciples, then finally, of above 500
brethren; |
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That his resurrected body
was changed, but could be felt and handled and that it still bore
the nail-prints in his hands and the spear-print in His side. |
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That after walking for a time
on this earth, Christ, in the presence of witnesses, ascended to Heaven
where He is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God making
intercession for us. |
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Ref: |
Mark 16:9; Matt. 28:9; 1 Cori. 15:5-7;
Luke 24:15-31; John 20:19,24,26-28;
John 21:1-24; Matt. 28:16-17; Heb. 7:25. |
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X. Of Grace
in the New Birth |
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We believe: |
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That in order to be saved,
sinners must be born again. |
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That the new birth is a new
creation in Christ Jesus. |
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That it is instantaneous not
a process. |
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That in the new birth, the
one dead in trespasses and sins is made a partaker of the divine nature
and receives eternal life, the free gift of God. |
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That the new creation is brought
about in the manner above our comprehension, not by culture, not by
character, nor by will of man, but wholly and solely by the power
of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so as to secure
our voluntary obedience to the Gospel. |
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That its proper evidence appears
in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life. |
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Ref: |
Luke 5:27; John 1:12-13; John 3:3-7; Acts
2:41; Rom. 6:23; 2 Cori. 5:17,19;
Gal. 5:22; Eph. 2:1; Eph. 5:9; Col. 2:13; 2 Pet. 1:4; 1 John 5:1. |
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XI. Of
the Freeness of Salvation |
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We believe: |
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In God's infinite grace. |
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That the blessings of salvation
are made free to all by the Gospel. |
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That those who believe are
elected according to the foreknowledge of God. Nothing prevents the
salvation of any sinner on earth but his own inherent depravity and
the voluntary rejection of the Gospel, which rejection condemns him
to an eternity in Hell separate from God. |
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Ref: |
Isa. 55:1-7; Matt. 11:28; John 3:15-18,36;
John 5:40; John 6:37;
Acts 2:38; Rom. 8:29-30; Rom. 10:13; 1 Cori. 15:10; Eph. 2:4-5;
Col. 3:12; 1 Thess. 1:4; 1 Tim. 1:15; Tit. 1:1; 1 Pet. 1:2; 1 John
2:2;
Rev. 22:17. |
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XII. Of
Justification |
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We believe: |
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That the great Gospel blessing
which Christ bestows on them who put their faith and trust in Him
is Justification. |
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That it is bestowed not in
consideration of any works of righteousness, which we have done, but
that solely through faith in the Redeemer's blood, His righteousness
is imputed unto us. |
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Ref: |
Isa. 53:11; Hab. 2:4; Zech. 13:1; Acts.
13:39; Rom. 1:17; Rom. 4:1-8;
Rom. 5:1,9; Rom. 8:1; Gal. 3:11; Tit. 3:5-7; Heb. 10:38. |
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XIII. Of
Repentance and Faith |
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We believe: |
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That repentance and faith
are the essential elements to the new birth. |
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That they are produced in
our souls by the quickening Spirit of God; thereby being deeply convicted
of our guilt, danger, and helplessness and the way of salvation by
Christ, we turn to God in contrition and supplication for mercy, at
the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ and openly
confessing Him as our only and all-sufficient Saviour. |
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Ref: |
Psa. 51:1-4,7; Isa. 55:6-7; Mark 1:15;
Luke 12:8; Luke 18:13; Acts 2:37-38;
Acts 20:21; Rom. 10:9-13. |
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XIV. Of
the Church |
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We believe: |
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That a New Testament Baptist
church is a congregation of baptized believers, united together by
a covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel. |
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Church being the organization
instituted by God for the propagation of the Gospel; observing the
ordinances of Christ; governed by His Word; exercising the gifts,
rights, and privileges specified therein. |
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That its officers will be
a pastor and deacons, whose qualification and duties are clearly defined
in the Scripture. |
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The true mission of the Church
is found in the Great Commission:
A. To make individual disciples, and baptize them.
B. To Build up the believers.
C. To teach and instruct as He has commanded. |
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That the local Church has
the absolute right of self-government, free from interference of any
hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that the one and only
superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit. |
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That it is scriptural for
churches of like faith and practice to cooperate with each other in
contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel. |
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That every church is the sole
judge of the measure and method of its cooperation; and that on all
matters of membership, policy, government, discipline and of benevolence,
the will of the local church is final. |
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Ref: |
Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; Acts 6:5-6;
Acts 14:23; Acts 15:22-23; Acts 20:17-28; 1 Cori. 5:11-13; 1 Cori.
6:1-3; 1 Cori. 11:2; 1 Cori. 12:4,8-11;
1 Cori. 16:1-2; 2 Cori. 8:23-24; Eph. 1:22-23; Eph. 4:11; Eph. 5:23-24;
Col. 1:18; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; 1 Pet. 5:1-4; Jude 3-4. |
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XV. Of
Baptism and the Lord's Supper |
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We believe: |
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That the scriptural Christian
baptism is the immersion in water of a believer in the name of the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost performed only under the authority
of the local Church; to show forth in solemn and beautiful symbol
of our faith in the crucifixion, the burial, and the resurrection
of our Saviour; symbolic also of our death to sin and resurrection
to a new life. |
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That it is pre-requisite to
the privileges of church membership and to participation in the Lord's
supper, in which the members of the local church, by the sacred use
of unleavened bread and the unfermented fruit of vine commemorate
together the death of our Lord; this ordinance always to be preceded
by solemn self-examination. |
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Ref: |
Matt. 3:6; Matt. 3:16; Matt. 28:19-20;
John 3:23; Acts 2:41-42; Acts 8:36-39;
Rom. 6:3-5; 1 Cori. 11:23-28; Col. 2:12. |
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XVI. Of
the Eternal Security of Believers |
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We believe: |
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That the saved are kept by
the power of God. |
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That through the all-sufficiency
of Christ's shed blood, and the "sealing" of the Holy Spirit,
we are preserved and sealed to the day of redemption. |
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That we are seated and positioned
in the 'heavenlies" with Christ eternally. |
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That we are not kept by our
own power, but are placed and kept in the hand of God by His power. |
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Ref: |
Eph. 1:13-14; Eph. 4:30; Ecc. 3:14; John
1:12-13; John 5:24; John 10:27-30;
John 6:37-39; Rom. 8:35-39; Rom. 6:14-16; Heb. 6:4-6; Heb. 9:25-28;
Heb. 9:12-14; Heb. 13:15;Heb. 10:10-14; Col. 3:3; 2 Tim. 1:7-12;
1 Tim. 1:15; 1 Pet. 1:3-5; Jude 24; 1 John 1:9. |
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XVII. Of
The Eternal State of Believers |
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We believe: |
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That God has prepared a place
called Heaven for all those who have been born again. |
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That this is a place of such
beauty that eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither has entered
into the heart of man of its splendor; there we will be with our Lord
and our loved ones for eternity. |
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God will wipe all tears from
our eyes; there will be neither death nor sorrow; nor crying nor pain;
there will be neither sin nor anything that defiles in this place. |
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Ref: |
2.Sam. 12:21-23; Isa. 64:4; Luke 23:42-43;
John 14:1-3; 1.Cori. 2:9;2. Cori. 5:8; Rev. 21:1-4 & 10-27. |
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XVIII.
Of The Eternal State of Unbelievers |
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We believe: |
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That God has prepared a place
called Hell for the devil and his angels. |
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That it is a place of unquenchable
fire and eternal punishment and separation from God. |
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That its inhabitants will
be tormented day and night forever and ever. |
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That Hell enlarges its self
to make room for the souls of unrepentant. |
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That the inhabitants thereof
are present there by personal choice and against the will of God,
who is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come
to repentance. |
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Ref: |
Isa. 5:14; Isa. 14:9; Matt. 25:41; Mark
9:42-48; Luke 16: 19-31;
Rev. 14:9-11; Rev. 19:19-20. |
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XIX. Of
The Rapture of the Church |
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We believe: |
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Since God has not appointed
us to wrath, that before the seven years of tribulation which will
come upon this earth, we the believers, will be taken up into Heaven. |
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That of that day and hour
no man knoweth, but God only. |
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That that day will so come
as a thief in the night. |
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That at the last trump we
shall all be changed, the dead in Christ shall rise first, then we
which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in
the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. |
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That we are to watch and ready,
for we know not what hour Lord doth come. |
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Ref: |
Matt. 24:36-44; Luke 17:34-36; 1.Thess.
4:13-28; 1.Thess.5:1-6, 1.Thess. 5:9; 1.Cori. 15:51-52; Rev. 4:1-2. |
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XX. Of
the Second Coming of Christ |
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We believe: |
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In the literal, bodily, and
visible return of Christ. |
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That He will come again in
the like manner as he ascended into Heaven. |
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That we will rule and reign
with Him for thousand years. |
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That after this time, Satan
will be loosed for a season to deceive the nations, then he will be
finally defeated and thrown into the lake of fire. |
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That He will come to execute
judgement on this wicked earth. |
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That He will make a new heaven
and a new earth and we finally live with Christ forever in Heaven. |
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Ref: |
Acts 1:9-12; Jude 14-15; Rev. 21:1; Rev.
20:4; Rev. 20:7-10; Rev. 21:3-5; Rev. 22:17-20. |
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XXI. Of
Civil Goverment |
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We believe: |
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We believe that civil government
is of Divine appointment, for the interest and good order of human
society. |
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That magistrates are to be
prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed, expect only in things
opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ; who is only Lord of
the conconscience and the coming Prince of the kings of the earth. |
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Ref: |
Rom. 13:7; 2.Sam. 23:3; Ex. 18:21-22;
Acts 23:5; Matt.22:21; Tit.3:1; 1.Pet. 2:13-14; 1.Pet 2:17; Acts 4:19-20;
Dan. 3:17-18; Matt. 10:28; Matt. 23:10; Phil. 2:10-11; Psa. 72:11. |
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XXII. Of
Tithing and Giving |
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We believe: |
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That the tithe belongs to
the Lord, and that we are commanded to bring all the tithes into the
storehouse, which is the local church. |
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That the tithe along with
offerings, is God's only plan for financing the local church. |
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That the tithe represents
one-tenth of everything a person earns, and the offering is an amount
above, and given in addition to the tithe. |
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That Christ also taught that
it is right to tithe. |
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That the tithe was instituted
before the law when Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek. |
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That God blesses the tither
financially by opening the windows of Heaven and pouring out blessing
that there shall not be room enough to receive it. |
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Christ said, " give and
it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together,
running over will men give into your bosom." |
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Ref: |
Gen. 14:18-20; Lev. 27:30; Mal. 3:10;
Matt. 23:23; 1.Cori. 16:2; 2.Cori. 9:7. |
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XXIII.
Of Missions |
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We believe: |
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That the command to give the
Gospel to the world is clear and unmistakable, and that this Commission
was given to the churches. |
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That in order for a church
to be considered a real New Testament church, it must be active in
mission giving. |
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Ref: |
Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; John 20:21;
Acts 1:8; Rom. 10:13-15;
2.Cori. 8:7. |
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