We
believe the Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired
by the Holy Spirit, and is a perfect treasure of heavenly
instruction; that it has God for its author, salvation for its end,
and truth without any mixture of error.
We
believe there is one and only one living and true God, an
intelligent, spiritual and personal Being, the Creator, preserver
and ruler of the universe, infinite in holiness and all other
perfections to whom we owe the highest love, reverence, and
obedience.
We
believe man was created by the special act of God, as recorded in Genesis.
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God
created he him; male and female created he them" (Genesis
1:27). "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground,
and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a
living soul".
We
believe the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace, through the mediatorial office
of the Son of God, who by the Holy Spirit was born of the virgin
Mary and took upon Him our nature, yet without sin; honored the
divine law by His personal obedience and made atonement for our sins
by His death. Being risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in
Heaven.
We believe a visible Church of Christ is a congregation of baptized
believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the
gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws;
and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by
His word.
We
believe every Christian is under obligation to seek to make the will
of Christ relevant in his own life and in human society; to oppose
in the Spirit of Christ every form of greed, selfishness and vice;
to provide for the orphaned, the aged, the helpless, and the sick.
Christians should be ready to work with all men of good will in any
good cause, always being careful to act in the spirit of love
without compromising their loyalty to Christ and His truth.
We
believe it is the duty of every Christian man and woman,
and the duty of every Church of Christ, to seek to extend the gospel
to the ends of the earth.
It is the duty of every child of God to seek constantly to
win the lost to Christ by personal effort and by other methods
sanctioned by the gospel of Christ.
We believe the scriptures
clearly teach that Jesus rose from the dead. He appeared to the disciples
after His resurrection in many convincing manifestations. He now exists in
His glorified body at God's right hand. There will be a resurrection of
the righteous and the wicked. The bodies of the righteous will conform to
the glorious spiritual body of Jesus.
