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The Bible, verbally
and plenary inspired, is God’s Word; infallible,
inerrant, and authoritative in all matters of which
it speaks (II Tim.3:16-17; II Peter 1:19-21).
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There is one God,
personal, infinite, perfect, and eternal, existing
as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who are equal in
every divine perfection (Ex.20:2-3; Deut.6:4;
Rev.4:11; Matt.28:19).
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The Holy Spirit is a
Divine person who convicts men and regenerates,
sanctifies, and preserves the believer (John
14:16-17; 16:8-11; Heb. 9:14; Eph. 1:13-14).
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Satan is a created
but fallen personality, opposed to all that is holy,
destined for eternal punishment (Is. 14:12-15;
Ez.28:14-17; I Peter 5:8; Jude 6).
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God directly created
the universe from no pre-existing substance. Naturalistic and theistic evolution are rejected (Gen.1:1,
26-27; 2:7; Col.1:16-17).
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Man was made in God’s
own image but now is through Adam’s fall a sinner
both by nature and choice, and can be restored to
God’s favor only by God’s provision of salvation in
Christ as applied by the Holy Spirit (Gen.3:1-6,24;
Rom.3:10-19; 5:12,19).
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Jesus Christ was
conceived of the Holy Spirit, was born of a virgin
and is true God and true man (Is.7:14; Matt.1:18-25;
I John 5:20).
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Salvation is by grace
through faith only in Jesus Christ, through his
substitutionary atoning sacrifice apart from any
human merit (Eph. 2:8-9; Heb.2:14-17).
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Jesus Christ rose
bodily from the grave, ascended into Heaven, and
interceded on our behalf as our High Priest (I
Cor.15:3-4; I Tim. 2:5; Rev. 3:21).
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To be saved, sinners
must be born again.
This birth is instantaneous and not a
process, and is evidenced by newness of life (John
3:3; II Cor. 5:17; I John 5:1).
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Justification is an
act of God in which he declares the believer to be
righteous on the basis of faith in Christ and the
imputation of Christ’s righteousness to the
believing sinner (Acts 16:39; Titus 3:5-7).
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Sanctification is the
setting apart of a believer unto God as his
purchased possession through the work of the Holy
Spirit and the power of his Word (Heb. 10:10-14;
Eph. 5:25-27; I Thess. 4:3-4).
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Every believer is
eternally secure, being “kept by the power of God”
(John 10:28; I Pet. 2:5; Rom. 8:35-39; Eph. 1:13).
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All those who have
been born again are members of the church universal,
which is the body of Christ and are eligible for
baptism. (Acts 8:36-39; Rom. 6:4-5; I Cor. 11:2).
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Baptism and the
Lord’s Supper are ordinances of the church; they
have no merit for salvation (John 3:23; Rom. 6:3-5;
Matt. 3:16; I Cor. 11:23-28).
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The Bible calls for a
separation from sin and a pursuit of holiness and
righteousness as they seek to love God and their
neighbor (II Cor. 6:14; 7:1; I Thess. 1:9-10; I Tim.
6:3-5).
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Civil government
exists by divine sanction, and a Biblical
relationship between government and church should be
maintained (Matt. 22:21; Rom. 13:1-7).
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Israel is God’s
covenant people now dispersed because of unbelief
but yet to be regathered and saved as a nation at
the second advent of Christ (Gen. 13:14-17; II Sam.
7:12-16).
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The return of Christ
includes both the rapture of the church and his
return in glory.
The rapture is for his church, which is
personal, and imminent.
His return to earth will establish his
righteous reign over the world.
This coming is visible, personal, and in
power and great glory (I Thess. 4:16-17; Rev.
19:11-21).
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All persons will
experience resurrection; believers to a state of
eternal joy with Christ and unbelievers to eternal
punishment in hell (I Thess. 4:13; Rev. 20:11-15).
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