Statement Of Faith

1. The Scriptures:

We believe that the sixty-six books of the Holy Bible, both Old and New Testaments, were written by men who were verbally inspired by the Spirit of God.

- the Bible is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction;

- it has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth without any mixture of error for its matter;

- it reveals the principles by which God will judge us, and therefore is and shall remain to the end of the world the true center of Christian union, and

- the Bible is the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds and opinions should be tried.

Psalm 119:89

John 10:35; 12:47,48

11 Timothy 3:16,17

11 Peter 1:21

2. God

We believe in one God, creator of all, holy, sovereign, eternal, existing in three equal persons: The Father, The Son, The Holy Spirit. These persons are equal in every divine perfection, and execute distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.

Psalm 83:18

Matthew 3:16,17; 28:19

Mark 12:30

John 4:24

1 Corinthians 12:4-6

2 Corinthians 13:14

3. The Fall of Man

We believe that man was created in holiness under the law of his Maker;

- but by voluntary transgression fell from that holy and happy estate;

- in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, not by constraint but positively inclined to evil; and

- therefore under just condemnation to eternal ruin, without defense or excuse.

Genesis 1:27; 2:16,17; 3:6-24

Ecclesiastes 7:29

Romans 5:12,19; 1:18,20; 3:19

Ephesians 2:3

4. Satan

We believe that Satan exists as an evil personality, the originator of sin, the arch-enemy of God and man.

Romans 5:12

Acts 13:10

1 Peter 5:8

5. God's Purpose of Grace

We believe the Scriptures teach that election is the eternal purpose of God, according to which He graciously regenerates, sanctifies and saves sinners;

- that being perfectly consistent with the free agency of man, it comprehends all the means in connection with the end;

- that utterly excludes boasting and promotes humility, love, prayer, praise, trust in God and active imitation of His free mercy;

- that it encourages the preaching of the Gospel to all men;

- that it may be ascertained by its effect in all who truly believe in the Gospel;

- that it is the foundation of Christian assurance; and

- that to ascertain it with regards to ourselves demands and deserves the utmost diligence.

Romans 8:30

2 Timothy 1:8,9

1 Thessalonians 1:4

2Thessalonians 2:13,14

1 Peter 1:2

2 Peter 1:10

6. The Way of Salvation

We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace;

- through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God

- who according to the will of the Father, assumed our nature, yet without sin;

- honoured the divine law by His personal obedience and by His death made a full atonement for our sins

- that, having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in heaven; and

- uniting in His wonderful person the tenderest of sympathies with divine perfection, He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate and all-sufficient Saviour.

Isaiah 53:4,5

John 3:16; 12:9,14

Acts 15:11

2 Corinthians 5:21

Ephesians 2:5

Philippians 2:6,7

Hebrews 4:14,15; 7:25

1 John 4:10

7. Of Regeneration

We believe regeneration, or the new birth, to be that change, wrought in the soul by the Holy Spirit, by which a new nature and a spiritual life, not before possessed, are imparted and the person becomes a new creature in Christ Jesus;

- a holy disposition is given to the mind, 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 incomprehensive to reason;

- the evidence of it is found in a changed disposition of mind, the fruits of righteousness and a newness of life; and

- without it salvation is impossible.

John 1:13; 3:36

Romans 6:13

1 Corinthians 6:11

2 Corinthians 5:17

Ephesians 4:24

James 1:18

1 Peter 1:23

1 John 2:29

8. Of Repentance

We believe that repentance is a personal act, promoted by the Spirit;

- and consists in a godly sorrow for sin, as offensive to God and ruinous to the soul;

- that it is accomplished with great humiliation in view of one's sin and guilt together with prayer for pardon;

- also it is a sincere hatred of sin and a persistent turning away from and the abandonment of all that is evil and unholy;

- since none are sinless in this life, repentance needs to be often repeated.

Isaiah 55:7

Acts 20:21; 26:20; 17:30

2 Corinthians 7:10

9. Of Faith

We believe that faith, as an evangelical grace wrought by the Spirit, is the medium through which Christ is received by the soul as its sacrifice and Saviour;

- it is an assent of the mind and a consent of the heart, consisting mainly of belief and trust;

- the testimony of God is implicitly accepted and believed as true, while Christ is unreservedly trusted for salvation;

- by it the believer is brought into vital relationship with God, freely justified and lives as seeing Him who is invisible;

- faith cannot save, but reveals Christ to the soul as a willing and sufficient Saviour and commits the heart and life to Him.

Romans 1:17; 5:1; 10:10

Hebrews 11:6

10. Of Justification:

We believe that the great Gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is justification;

- that justification includes pardon of sin and the promise of eternal life on the principles of righteousness;

- that it is bestowed not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in the Redeemer's blood, by virtue of which faith in His perfect righteousness is freely imputed to us of God;

- that it brings us into a state of most blessed peace and favour with God; and

- secures every other blessing needful of time and eternity.

Acts 13:39

Romans 5:1,9; 8:1

1 Corinthians 1:30,31

11. Of Adoption:

We believe that adoption is a gracious act, by which the Father, for the sake of Christ, accepts believers to the estate and condition of children, by a new and spiritual birth;

- sending the Spirit of adoption into their hearts, whereby they become members of the family of God and entitled to all the rights, privileges and promises of children to the heritage of saints on earth and an inheritance reserved in heaven for them.

Romans 8:14-16

Galatians 3:26; 4:7

12. Sanctification:

We believe that sanctification is the process which, according to the will of God, makes us partakers of His holiness;

- that it is a progressive work

- that it is begun in regeneration;

- that it is carried on in the hearts of the believers by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, the Sealer and Comforter, in the continual use of the appointed means – especially the Word of God, self-examination, self-denial, watchfulness and prayer; and

- in the practice of all godly exercises and duties.

1 Corinthians 6:14; 7:1

Philippians 2:12,13

1 Thessalonians 4:3

13. Of the Perseverance of the Saints:

We believe that such as are truly regenerated, being born of the Spirit, will not utterly fall away and finally perish, but will endure unto the end;

- that their persevering attachment to Christ is the grand mark which distinguishes them from superficial professors

- that a special Providence watches over their welfare; and

- that they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.

John 6:39,6:31

Romans 8:28

Philippians 1:6

1 John 2:19

Jude 24,25

14. The Law and the Gospel:

We believe that the Law of God is the eternal and unchangeable rule of His moral government

- that it is holy, just and good;

- and that the inability which the Scriptures ascribe to fallen men to fulfill its precepts arises entirely from their sinful nature

- to deliver them from which and to restore them through a Mediator to unfeigned obedience to the holy law is one great end of the Gospel and of the means of grace connected with the establishment of the visible church.

Romans 3:31; 7:12; 8:2,4,7,8

15. The Local Church:

We believe that a church is a company of baptised believers;

- called out from the world;

- separated unto the Lord Jesus;

- voluntarily associated for the ministry of the Word;

- the mutual edification of its members; and

- the propagation of the faith and the observance of the ordinances.

It is a sovereign independent body, exercising its own divinely awarded gifts, precepts and privileges under the Lordship of Christ, the Great Head of the Church.

We believe that its officers are elders and deacons.

Matthew 18:15-20; 28:20

1 Corinthians 11:2

Ephesians 4:11,12

Acts 14:21-25

Titus 1

1 Timothy 5:17-20

1 Peter 5:1-4

16. Ordinances:

We believe that there are only two ordinances for the Church regularly observed in the New Testament:

1. Baptism, which is the immersion of the believer in water, whereby he obeys Christ's command and sets forth his identification with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection.

Matthew 28:19

Acts 2:41; 8:36-39

Romans 6:4

Colossians 2:12

2. The Lord's Supper, which is the memorial wherein the believer partakes of the two elements, bread and wine, which symbolize the Lord's body and shed blood, proclaiming His death until He comes.

1 Corinthians 11:23,32

17. The Christian Day of Worship:

We believe that the first day of the week is the Lord's Day;

- and is to be kept sacred to religious purposes;

- by the abstaining from all secular labour except works of mercy and necessity;

- the devout observance of all the means of grace, both private and public; and

- by preparation for that rest that remains for the people of God.

Acts 20:7

1 Corinthians 16:1,2

Hebrews 10:25

18. Marriage:

We believe marriage is the intimate personal union between one man and one woman of like faith status.

2 Cor. 6:14

It is explained by Christ in the New Testament in Mark 10:6-9, as He quoted Genesis 2:24: “But at the Beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”

As a Church we are called to honour marriage as defined by scripture. Hebrews 13:4: “Marriage should be honoured by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer, and all the sexually immoral.” (amended Jan 28, 2016)

Ecclesiastes 9:9

Ephesians 5:22,25

19. Civil Government:

We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interest and good order of human society; and

- that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honoured and obeyed except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the only Lord of the Conscience and the Prince of the kings of the earth;

- that civil rulers have no rights of control over or interference with religious matters.

We believe in the separation of the roles of church and state.

We also believe in religious liberty for all men; that is, every man has the right to practice and propagate his beliefs.

Matthew 22:21

Romans 13:1-7

1 Timothy 2:1-8

1 Peter 2:13

20. Righteous and Wicked:

We believe that there is radical and essential differences between the righteous and the wicked;

- that such only as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and sanctified by the Spirit of God are truly righteous in His esteem;

- while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked and under the curse; and

- this distinction holds in this life as well as after death.

Malachi 3:18

Proverbs 14:32

Romans 6:16

1 John 5:19

21. Future Things:

We believe in the personal, bodily and glorious return of the Lord Jesus Christ; in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust; in the eternal blessedness of the redeemed and in the judgement and eternal conscious punishment of the wicked.

Matthew 24:21,29,30; 20:6; 25:31-46; 20:12-15

1 Thessalonians 4:14-17

Revelation 22:14,15,20

22. Resolutions:

Sanctity of Human Life

1. Abortion:

Whereas human life is declared by Scripture to be created by and in the image of God and is therefore sacred;

Genesis 1:26-28

Whereas children are a gift and a blessing given by God to their parents;

Psalm 127:3-5

Romans 17:6

1 Timothy 2:15

Whereas children are created, known and loved by God from conception

Psalm 139:13-16

Isaiah 44:2

Jeremiah 1:5

Galatians 1:15

Mark 10:13-16

Whereas Scripture clearly states that power over life and death and even our own bodies belongs to God

Exodus 20:13; 21:12

Job 1: 21-22; 13:14-15

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Let it be resolved that we do strongly reject the right of any person to terminate the life of an unborn child beginning with conception by any means and emphatically declare that such termination of life is abhorrent in the sight of God.