There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body or parts, of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the maker and preserver of all things, both visible and invisible. And in unity of this Godhead there are three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Genesis 1:1; 17:1; Exodus 3:13–15; 33:20; Deuteronomy 6:4; Psalm 90:2; Isaiah 40:28–29; Matthew 3:16–17; 28:19; John 1:1–2; 4:24; 16:13; 17:3; Acts 5:3–4; 17:24–25; 1 Corinthians 8:4, 6; Ephesians 2:18; Philippians 2:6; Colossians 1:16–17; 1 Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 1:8; 1 John 5:20.

Father is the Source of all that exists, whether of matter or spirit. With the Son and the Holy Spirit, He made man, male and female, in His image. He relates to people as Father, thereby forever declaring His goodwill toward them. In love, He both seeks and receives those who repent of their sins.

Psalm 68:5; Isaiah 64:8; Matthew 7:11; John 3:17; Romans 8:15; 1 Peter 1:17.

Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, truly God and truly man. He died on the cross and was buried, to be a sacrifice both for original sin and for all human transgressions, and to reconcile us to God. Christ rose bodily from the dead, and ascended into heaven, and there intercedes for us at the Father’s right hand until He returns to judge all humanity at the last day.

Psalm 16:8–10; Matthew 1:21, 23; 11:27; 16:28; 27:62–66; 28:5–9, 16–17; Mark 10:45; 15; 16:6–7; Luke 1:27, 31, 35; 24:4–8, 23; John 1:1, 14, 18; 3:16–17; 20:26–29; 21; Acts 1:2–3; 2:24–31; 4:12; 10:40; Romans 5:10, 18; 8:34; 14:9; 1 Corinthians 15:3–8, 14; 2 Corinthians 5:18–19; Galatians 1:4; 2:20; 4:4–5; Ephesians 5:2; 1 Timothy 1:15; Hebrews 2:17; 7:27; 9:14, 28; 10:12; 13:20; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:2; 4:14.

The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, and is of the same essential nature, majesty, and glory as the Father and the Son, truly and eternally God. He is the Administrator of grace to all, and is particularly the effective Agent in conviction for sin, in regeneration, in sanctification, and in glorification. He is ever present, assuring, preserving, guiding, and enabling the believer.

Job 33:4; Matthew 28:19; John 4:24; 14:16–17; 15:26; 16:13–15; Acts 5:3–4; Romans 8:9; 2 Corinthians 3:17; Galatians 4:6.

The Holy Scripture contains all things necessary to salvation. Whatsoever is not contained in them, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of anyone that it should be believed as an article of faith, or be thought necessary for salvation. We believe that the books of the Old and New Testaments constitute the Holy Scriptures. They are the inspired and written Word of God, superior to all human authority, and have been transmitted to the present without corruption of any essential doctrine. Both in the Old and New Testaments life is offered ultimately through Christ, who is the only Mediator between God and humanity. The New Testament teaches Christians how to fulfill the moral principles of the Old Testament, calling for loving obedience to God made possible by the indwelling presence of His Holy Spirit.

The canonical books of the Old Testament are:
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, The Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.

The canonical books of the New Testament are:
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, and Revelation.

Psalm 19:7; Matthew 5:17–19; 22:37–40; Luke 24:27, 44; John 1:45; 5:46; 17:17; Acts 17:2, 11; Romans 1:2; 15:4, 8; 16:26; 2 Corinthians 1:20; Galatians 1:8; Ephesians 2:15–16; 1 Timothy 2:5; 2 Timothy 3:15–17; Hebrews 4:12; 10:1; 11:39; James 1:21; 1 Peter 1:23; 2 Peter 1:19–21; 1 John 2:3–7; Revelation 22:18–19.

We believe that the two great commandments which require us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, and our neighbors as ourselves, summarize the divine law as it is revealed in the Scriptures. They are the perfect measure and norm of human duty, both for the ordering and directing of families and nations, and all other social bodies, and for individual acts, by which we are required to acknowledge God as our only Supreme Ruler, and all persons as created by Him, equal in all natural rights. Therefore, all persons should so order all their individual, social, and political acts as to give to God entire and absolute obedience, and to assure to all the enjoyment of every natural right, as well as to promote the fulfillment of each in the possession and exercise of such rights.

Leviticus 19:18, 34; Deuteronomy 1:16–17; Job 31:13–14; Jeremiah 21:12; 22:3; Micah 6:8; Matthew 5:44–48; 7:12; Mark 12:28–31; Luke 6:27–29, 35; John 13:34–35; Acts 10:34–35; 17:26; Romans 12:9; 13:1, 7–8, 10; Galatians 5:14; 6:10; Titus 3:1; James 2:8; 1 Peter 2:17; 1 John 2:5; 4:12–13; 2 John 6.

God created human beings, male and female, in His own image, innocent, morally free and responsible to choose between good and evil, right and wrong. By the disobedience of Adam and Eve, humans as the offspring of Adam are corrupted in their very nature so that from birth they are inclined to sin. People are by their own strength and work unable to restore themselves into a right relationship with God and to earn eternal salvation. God provides all the resources of the Trinity to make it possible for all people to respond to His grace through faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. By God’s grace and direction people are enabled to do good works with free will. The prevenient grace of God makes possible what humans in self effort cannot do. It is bestowed freely upon all, enabling all who will to put faith in Christ and be saved.

Genesis 6:5; 8:21; Deuteronomy 30:19; Joshua 24:15; 1 Kings 20:40; Psalm 51:5; Isaiah 64:6; Jeremiah 17:9; Mark 7:21–23; Luke 16:15; John 7:17; Romans 3:10–12; 5:12–21; 1 Corinthians 15:22; Ephesians 2:1–3; 1 Timothy 2:5; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 11:6; Revelation 22:17.

The effects of sin include disruption of the relationship between God and humanity, deterioration of the natural order of creation, and exploitation of persons by evil or misguided social systems. The whole of creation groans for redemption. Each person is born with a proclivity toward sin, manifested in an inordinate orientation toward self and independence from God, leading to deliberate acts of unrighteousness. The residual effects of Adam and Eve’s disobedience include a marred human nature from which arise involuntary shortcomings, faults, infirmities, and imperfect judgments, which should not be accounted the same as willful sin. However, as manifestations of the fallen nature of humanity, these shortcomings of God’s holiness still necessitate the merits of the atonement, the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, and the self-control of the believer. Willful sin results when a morally accountable person chooses to violate a known law of God, using freedom of choice to please self rather than obey God. The consequences of willful sin include a loss of fellowship with God, a self-absorption with one’s own interests rather than love and concern for others, a bondage to things which distort the divine image, a persistent inability to live righteously, and ultimately everlasting misery and separation from God. The atoning work of Christ is the only remedy for sin, whether original, willful, or involuntary.

Genesis 3; 6:5; Psalm 1; 32:1–5; 51; Isaiah 6:5; Jeremiah 17:9–10; Matthew 16:24–27; 22:36–40; Mark 7:20–23; John 16:8–9; Romans 1:18–25; 3:23; 5:12–14; 6:15–23; 7:1–8:9; 8:18–24; 14:23; I Corinthians 3:1–4; Galatians 5:16–25; Ephesians 2:1–22; Colossians 1:21–22; 3:5–11; I John 1:7–2:4; 3:7–10.

We believe that Christ’s offering of Himself, once and for all, through His sufferings and meritorious death on the cross, provides the perfect redemption and atonement for the sins of the whole world, both original and actual. There is no other ground of salvation from sin but that alone. This atonement is sufficient for every person.

Isaiah 52:13—53:12; Luke 24:46–47; John 3:16; Acts 3:18; 4:12; Romans 3:20, 24–26; 5:8–11, 13, 18–20; 7:7; 8:34; 1 Corinthians 6:11; 15:22; Galatians 2:16; 3:2–3; Ephesians 1:7; 2:13, 16; 1 Timothy 2:5–6; Hebrews 7:23–27; 9:11–15, 24–28; 10:14; 1 John 2:2; 4:10.

We believe that for men and women to appropriate what God’s prevenient grace has made possible, they must voluntarily respond in repentance and faith. The ability comes from God, but the act of repentance is done by the individual. Repentance is prompted by the convicting ministry of the Holy Spirit. It involves a willful change of mind that renounces sin and longs for righteousness, a godly sorrow for and a confession of past sins, proper restitution for wrongdoings, and a resolution to reform the life. Repentance is the precondition for saving faith, and without it saving faith is impossible. Faith, in turn, is the only condition of salvation. It begins in the agreement of the mind and the consent of the will to the truth of the gospel, but issues in a complete reliance by the whole person in the saving ability of Jesus Christ and a complete trusting of oneself to Him as Savior and Lord. Saving faith is expressed in a public acknowledgment of His Lordship and an identification with His Church.

Mark 1:15; Luke 5:32; 13:3; 24:47; John 3:16; 17:20; 20:31; Acts 5:31; 10:43; 11:18; 16:31; 20:21; 26:20; Romans 1:16; 2:4; 10:8–10, 17; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:8; 4:4–6; Philippians 3:9; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 2:25; Hebrews 11:6; 12:2; 1 Peter 1:9; 2 Peter 3:9.