State Faith Pg 4

We believe in the Creation and Fall of man, that he was the direct creation of God, rather than by evolutionary or other means, but made in the divine image (Gen. 1:26-28, 2:7, 18-24; Matt. 19:4; 1 Thess. 5:23); that by personal and conscience disobedience to the revealed will of God, man became a sinful creature and the progenitor of a fallen race (Gen. 3:1-24, 5:3), who is universally sinful in both nature and practice (Eph. 2:3; Romans 3:23, 5:12), alienated from the life and family of God (Eph. 4:18; John 8:42-44), under the righteous judgment and wrath of God (Rom. 1:18, 3:19), and have within themselves no possible means of recovery or salvation (Mark 7:21-23; Matt. 19:26; Romans 5:12, 7:18). Further, all things were created in a time frame of six literal twenty-four hour days (Gen 1). We do not believe in a "theistic evolution" or "gap theory." We believe such belief is contradictory to a literal-grammatical-historical interpretation of Scripture.

We believe in Salvation by Grace through Faith alone, that salvation is the free gift of God (Rom. 3:24, 6:23, Eph. 2:8,9), neither merited nor secured in part or in whole by any virtue or work of man [this includes baptism, church membership, sacraments, etc.] (Titus 3:5; Rom. 4:4,5; 11:16), in whom all true believers have as a present possession the gift of eternal life, a perfect righteousness, sonship in the family of God, deliverance and security from all condemnation, every spiritual resource needed for life and godliness, and the divine guarantee that they shall never perish (1 John 5:13; Romans 3:22; Gal. 3:26; John 5:24; Eph. 1:3; 2 Peter 12:3; John 10:27-30), that this salvation includes the whole man, spiritual and physical (1 Thess. 5:23,24); and apart from the Lord Jesus Christ there is no possible salvation (John 14:6; Acts 4:12).

Further, we believe the Scriptures teach that regeneration, or the new birth, is that change wrought in the soul by the Holy Spirit by which a new nature and a new spiritual life, not before possessed, are imparted, and the person becomes a new creation in Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 5:17,18). The mind is given a holy disposition, the will subdued, the dominion of sin broken, and the affections changed from a love of sin and self to a love of holiness and God. The change is instantaneous, effected solely by the power of God in a manner incomprehensible to human reason. The evidence of it is found in a changed disposition of mind, the fruits of righteousness, and a newness of life. Without this regeneration, salvation is impossible (John 3:1-18, 14:6; Acts 4:12; 2 Cor. 5:17; Eph. 2:1-10; Heb. 9:22; 1 Peter1:18,19).

The gift of eternal life is received by recognizing that the Lord Jesus Christ became our substitute (1 Peter 2:24,25) upon the Tree in order to shed His blood for the punishment of our sins. Recognition comes by calling upon the name of the Lord for salvation (Romans 10:13) and repenting of our sins and confessing with our mouth that Jesus Christ has died, shed His blood for us, has been buried, and has been resurrected from the dead and is alive today (Romans 10:9-10).

Any teaching which adds works to faith is wholly unscriptural, being "another gospel" (Gal. 1:6-10) and precludes my association with any holding such belief (2 Cor. 6:14-18).