Articles of Faith
We Believe:
I. GOD
In one true and living God: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; that these Three are One, and are harmoniously equal in infinite power, wisdom, justice, holiness, mercy, love, and truth. THE SCRIPTURES
That the Scriptures, comprising the Old and New Testaments (of which we consider the King James Translation to be the best), are of full and divine Authority, a
nd are to be accepted as the only rule of faith and practice. TOTAL DEPRAVITY OF MAN
That Adam, in his first transgression, fell under the just and full condemnation of God's holy law; that each and all of his posterity were then represented by him as their earthly head, and consequently in their descent from him have inherited his very same fallen nature and condition of guilt and depravity; so are by nature (or earthly birth) corrupted and defiled (in body, soul, intellect, will, and affections), and justly condemned under the great penalty of Adamic-sin, subject to all the sorrowful and many resulting consequences, both temporal and eternal; and that they have neither will nor power to deliver themselves from this awful curse of their lost and ruined state. ELECTION
That the doctrine of unconditional election is a very precious Bible truth; that God, for His own glory and praise, has most sovereignly and graciously chosen a certain and definite number of the descendants of Adam in Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world, and has positively ordained them to eternal life and glory. PREDESTINATION
That God has predestined all these elect subjects unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ, which was wholly according to the good pleasure of His own will, and for the praise of His marvelous grace. CHRIST THE ONLY MEDIATOR
That Jesus Christ was sent forth from everlasting as the great Mediator and heavenly Representative of His elect people and that, in the fullness of time He took upon Himself a holy and undefiled body, soul, and nature, and suffered and died in the behalf of His elect only, thereby obtaining eternal redemption for them. JUSTIFICATION
That sinners are justified before God only through the gracious imputation of the righteousness of Jesus Christ. REGENERATION
That God's elect are born again, or regenerated, while dead in trespasses and sins (or their spiritually lifeless state by nature) by the Holy Spirit, and that they shall persevere through grace unto eternal glory. GENERAL RESURRECTION
That there will be a resurrection of all the dead; and that the joys of the righteous and the punishment of the wicked shall be eternal. PURPOSE OF THE GOSPEL
That the Gospel is to be preached publicly as a statement of Bible truth, and as a witness of Jesus Christ and for His praise; for the gathering together of God's dear children in the churches; for their instruction in righteousness; for their comfort and consolation in their trials and conflicts of life and for the correction of any errors or abuses that might come among them or into the Church. The preaching of the gospel is not unto eternal salvation, but that the saved might become believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, that they might become His disciples. The preaching of the gospel is the revelation of God's will to His people. XI. GOOD WORKS
That good works and obedience to the commands of God are well pleasing in His sight, and should be maintained; but they are to be considered only as an evidence of a gracious state, and not as a condition unto salvation. XII. ORDINANCES
That baptism and the Lord's supper are ordinances of the church of Jesus Christ, and that washing of the saint's feet is an example to be kept; and that true believers, born of the Holy Spirit, are the only fit subjects for these ordinances; and that the only water baptism taught and recognized in the Bible is immersion or dipping; and the only legal administrator of these ordinances is one who has been duly called and legally ordained, coming under the hands of a presbytery, and who preaches in accordance with the doctrine of Jesus Christ and His apostles.
