our beliefs
Jesus
Who Do You Say That He Is?
Nearly 2,000 years ago, Jesus asked the question, "What do you think of Christ? A person's answer to that question can determine his or her eternal destiny.
Jesus' Humanity
His Virgin Birth, which was essential for Him to be sinless, was prophesied long before it occurred (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:18, 23). Jesus experienced everything in life that we do: pain, suffering, thirst, hunger, sorrow, anger, and so on. However, Jesus was without sin (Hebrews 4:15).
Jesus' Death
The penalty for our sins is death (Romans 6:23). Jesus died in our place and paid our penalty (Matthew 20:28; John 10:17-18). Jesus' death on the cross laid the foundation for a righteous God to forgiven people.
Jesus' Resurrection
Because of His victory over death, we have victory as well. Without the resurrection, there would be no gospel message. The empty tomb after His crucifixion was one of the credible evidences of His resurrection.
What Is Salvation?
The word salvation is defined as "deliverance from the power and effects of sin." All have sinned (Romans 3:23), but we cannot save ourselves, because only a sinless person can save a sinful person. The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ died for sinners (Romans 5:6-8).
Salvation:Certain provisions were necessary for salvation to be available to humanity: the death of Jesus Christ; the burial of Christ; the resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
1. Belief: Acknowledging Jesus Christ not only in our heads, but also in our hearts (John 3:18, 36; 5:24; Romans 10:9).
2. Repentance: This is a sincere and thorough change of mind and heart toward sin (Psalms 51:3; 2 Peter 3:9). We must not only turn from our sins, but we must also turn to God (Acts 3:19; 26:18; 1 Thessalonians 1:9).
3. Faith: This is a confiding trust. It involves our intellect, emotions, and will (Mark 4:16-17; Romans 10:9, 17; Ephesians 2:8-9; Hebrews 11:1, 6).
What Is the Bible?
The Bible is a book of history, science, poetry, and human behavior. Most importantly, it is a love story that reveals the heart of God through the person of His Son, Jesus Christ.
The Bible Is Unique.
The Bible was written over a period of 1,500 years by more than 40 authors in three languages on three continents. Rather than contradicting one another, the writers maintained complete historical, moral, prophetical, and theological accuracy. They wrote with harmony and continuity from Genesis to Revelation.
The Bible Was Inspired by God.
The Bible was written by men (2 Peter 1:20-21) under the inspiration of God (2 Timothy 3:16). God exerted His supernatural influence on the writers of the Bible. In other words, God was the author and men were His writing instruments.
What Is Baptism?
Baptism is a public, outward testimony that indicates a personal, inward faith. It gives evidence of the inner change that has already occurred in the believer's life through faith in Jesus Christ. Baptism identifies the believer with the message of the gospel, the Person of Jesus Christ, and other believers. It associates the believer with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and signifies the believer's death to the old life and his or her resurrection as a new creation in Christ (Romans 6:1-8; Colossians 2:12).
Why We Should Be Baptized
We are to be baptized because Jesus Christ commanded it (Matthew 28:19), and because we love the Lord. Jesus said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15). Throughout the book of Acts, we read how the early church gave importance to water baptism (2:41; 8:12, 38; 9:18; 10:47-48; 16:15, 33; 19:3-5).
Who Should Be Baptized?
All believers in Jesus Christ-and only believers-should be baptized (Mark 16:15-16; Acts 8:12, 36-38; 16:31-33; 18:8).