Our Beliefs

We hold, as a matter of first importance, that the Scriptures—those sacred writings breathed out by God Himself—are both harmonious and wholly true. They are not merely useful but essential, profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work¹, knowing well that right understanding is purposed to produce right behavior. In them, we find the very mind of God revealed in human words, an unerring guide for all matters of faith and life, that the will of God be revealed in Christian morals and actions.

Our chief endeavor, therefore, is to discern with clarity and humility what Christ and His Apostles truly taught, to hold fast to these truths without adulteration or addition, and to shun the perilous tendency to wander beyond the bounds of Scripture into the misty realms of speculation. We must keep the weight of doctrine in proportion, lest we allow trivialities to fracture the unity of the Body or elevate personal preference to the level of divine command.

To preserve this unity and safeguard against such abuses, we commit ourselves to calling Bible things by Bible names, doing Bible things in Bible ways, speaking where Scripture speaks, and remaining silent where it is silent. We study the Scriptures with diligence, delving into the original languages and the historical contexts in which these words were first given. We lean toward a literal understanding, but we also recognize that the Almighty, in His wisdom, employs metaphor and symbol where they best convey His truth. Here, as elsewhere, we use the reason He has bestowed upon us, trusting that His Word, having been given in human language, is meant to be understood by human minds.

We take care to trace doctrines to their sources, asking when, where, why, and how they arose, and above all, we submit ourselves to the interpretations provided by Jesus and His inspired witnesses, through whom the mysteries of the Old Testament are unlocked. Every true doctrine, we believe, must align with God’s revealed character and with the rest of His truth, for God is not the author of confusion but of peace and harmony.

Finally, we heed the solemn warning pronounced upon the Pharisees: “In vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men”². Let this never be said of us. May we, instead, be ever found faithful—worshiping in spirit and in truth, handling His Word rightly, and walking humbly with our God.

Our Confession

The Holy Scriptures, being inspired and formed of the Old and New Testaments, each containing a primary confession, respectively being: "Hear, O Israel, Yahweh our God, Yahweh is one³" and, "Jesus is Messiah, the Son of the living God.⁴"

The Great Commandments

A testimony of our Master: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandments greater than these⁵.

Fundamentals (τῆς ἀρχῆς)

On God

We hold Him to be the Father alone⁶, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus⁷, God of gods⁸, the only true God⁹. He is full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth¹⁰, Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth¹¹, taking no pleasure in the death of the wicked¹². Our God is Love¹³, and He is a jealous God¹⁴. Who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see¹⁵.

On the Son of God

Jesus of Nazareth, born of the virgin Mary¹⁶ as the power of the Highest came upon her in the Holy Spirit¹⁷, of the tribe of Judah¹⁸, descendent from David the king¹⁹, Seed of the patriarch Abraham²⁰. He is the Word become flesh²¹, God's Wisdom²², the Beginning²³, the Son of the Highest²⁴. Having come down from heaven to do the will of the Father²⁵, He has declared Him²⁶, being the only man who has seen Him²⁷. He is the image of the unseen God²⁸, and in Him dwells all the fullness of what is God bodily²⁹. He is the light that shines in the darkness³⁰, and those who see Him have seen the Father³¹. He was crucified and killed by the determined hand of God³², to save us from our sins³³, and was proven as the Son of God by the resurrection from the dead³⁴. Who was taken up into heaven³⁵, to right hand of God³⁶, where He is High Priest³⁷, and from where He will return in like manner³⁸, as we await the blessed hope and appearing of our great God and savior: Jesus Christ³⁹, Who will then judge the living and the dead⁴⁰.

On the Spirit of God

The power of the Highest⁴¹!
the illuminating and sanctifying power Rom 15.13 Rom 15.19

On Mankind

He was created from the dust of the land and the Breath of Life to be a living soul Gen 2.7, made in the image and likeness of God Gen 1.26. And she, taken from the flesh of man as helpmate Gen 2.18, male and female He made them Gen 1.27, commanding they "be fruitful and multiply", and granting them dominion over all God's earthly creation Gen 1.26. In the midst of that creation, God placed the Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil, and commanded Man that he not eat of that Tree.