1. Holy Scriptures:
The Holy
Scriptures, Old and New Testaments, are the written Word of God, given by divine
inspiration through holy men of God who spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy
Spirit. In this Word, God has committed to man the knowledge necessary for salvation. The
Holy Scriptures are the infallible revelation of His will. They are the standard of
character, the test of experience, the authoritative revealer of doctrines, and the
trustworthy record of God's acts in history. (2 Peter 1:20, 21; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Ps.
119:105; Prov. 30:5, 6; Isa. 8:20; John 17:17; 1 Thess. 2:13; Heb. 4:12.)
2. Trinity:
There is one God:
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of three co-eternal Persons. God is immortal,
all-powerful, all-knowing, above all, and ever present. He is infinite and beyond human
comprehension, yet known through His self-revelation. He is forever worthy of worship,
adoration, and service by the whole creation. (Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; Eph.
4:4-6; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 Tim. 1:17; Rev. 14:7.)
3. Father:
God the eternal Father is the Creator, Source, Sustainer, and Sovereign of all creation.
He is just and holy, merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love
and faithfulness. The qualities and powers exhibited in the Son and the Holy Spirit are
also revelations of the Father. (Gen. 1:1; Rev. 4:11; 1 Cor. 15:28; John 3:16; 1 John 4:8;
1 Tim. 1:17; Ex. 34:6, 7; John 14:9.)
4. Son:
God the eternal Son became incarnate in Jesus Christ. Through Him all things were created,
the character of God is revealed, the salvation of humanity is accomplished, and the world
is judged. Forever truly God, He became also truly man, Jesus the Christ. He was conceived
of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived and experienced temptation as a
human being, but perfectly exemplified the righteousness and love of God. By His miracles
He manifested God's power and was attested as God's promised Messiah. He suffered and died
voluntarily on the cross for our sins and in our place, was raised from the dead, and
ascended to minister in the heavenly sanctuary in our behalf. He will come again in glory
for the final deliverance of His people and the restoration of all things. (John 1:1-3,
14; Col. 1:15-19; John 10:30; 14:9; Rom. 6:23; 2 Cor. 5:17-19; John 5:22; Luke 1:35; Phil.
2:5-11; Heb. 2:9-18; 1 Cor. 15:3, 4; Heb. 8:1, 2; John 14:1-3.)
5. Holy Spirit:
God the eternal Spirit was active with the Father and the Son in Creation, incarnation,
and redemption. He inspired the writers of Scripture. He filled Christ's life with power.
He draws and convicts human beings; and those who respond He renews and transforms into
the image of God. Sent by the Father and the Son to be always with His children, He
extends spiritual gifts to the church, empowers it to bear witness to Christ, and in
harmony with the Scriptures leads it into all truth. (Gen. 1:1, 2; Luke 1:35; 4:18; Acts
10:38; 2 Peter 1:21; 2 Cor. 3:18; Eph. 4:11, 12; Acts 1:8; John 14:16-18, 26; 15:26, 27;
16:7-13.)
6. Creation:
God is Creator of all things, and has revealed in Scripture the authentic account of His
creative activity. In six days the Lord made "the heaven and the earth" and all
living things upon the earth, and rested on the seventh day of that first week. Thus He
established the Sabbath as a perpetual memorial of His completed creative work. The first
man and woman were made in the image of God as the crowning work of Creation, given
dominion over the world, and charged with responsibility to care for it. When the world
was finished it was ``very good,'' declaring the glory of God. (Gen. 1; 2; Ex. 20:8-11;
Ps. 19:1-6; 33:6, 9; 104; Heb. 11:3.)
7. Nature of Man:
Man and woman were made in the image of God with individuality, the power and freedom to
think and to do. Though created free beings, each is an indivisible unity of body, mind,
and spirit, dependent upon God for life and breath and all else. When our first parents
disobeyed God, they denied their dependence upon Him and fell from their high position
under God. The image of God in them was marred and they became subject to death. Their
descendants share this fallen nature and its consequences. They are born with weaknesses
and tendencies to evil. But God in Christ reconciled the world to Himself and by His
Spirit restores in penitent mortals the image of their Maker. Created for the glory of
God, they are called to love Him and one another, and to care for their environment. (Gen.
1:26-28; 2:7; Ps. 8:4-8; Acts 17:24-28; Gen. 3; Ps. 51:5; Rom. 5:12-17; 2 Cor. 5:19, 20;
Ps. 51:10; 1 John 4:7, 8, 11, 20; Gen. 2:15.)
8. Life, Death, and Resurrection of
Christ:
In Christ's life of perfect obedience to God's will, His suffering, death, and
resurrection, God provided the only means of atonement for human sin, so that those who by
faith accept this atonement may have eternal life, and the whole creation may better
understand the infinite and holy love of the Creator. This perfect atonement vindicates
the righteousness of God's law and the graciousness of His character; for it both condemns
our sin and provides for our forgiveness. The death of Christ is substitutionary and
expiatory, reconciling and transforming. The resurrection of Christ proclaims God's
triumph over the forces of evil, and for those who accept the atonement assures their
final victory over sin and death. It declares the Lordship of Jesus Christ, before whom
every knee in heaven and on earth will bow. (John 3:16; Isa. 53; 1 Peter 2:21, 22; 1 Cor.
15:3, 4, 20-22; 2 Cor. 5:14, 15, 19-21; Rom. 1:4; 3:25; 4:25; 8:3, 4; 1 John 2:2; 4:10;
Col. 2:15; Phil. 2:6-11.)
9. Experience of Salvation:
In infinite love and mercy God made Christ, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, so that in
Him we might be made the righteousness of God. Led by the Holy Spirit we sense our need,
acknowledge our sinfulness, repent of our transgressions, and exercise faith in Jesus as
Lord and Christ, as Substitute and Example. This faith which receives salvation comes
through the divine power of the Word and is the gift of God's grace. Through Christ we are
justified, adopted as God's sons and daughters, and delivered from the lordship of sin.
Through the Spirit we are born again and sanctified; the Spirit renews our minds, writes
God's law of love in our hearts, and we are given the power to live a holy life. Abiding
in Him we become partakers of the divine nature and have the assurance of salvation now
and in the judgment. (2 Cor. 5:17-21; John 3:16; Gal. 1:4; 4:4-7; Titus 3:3-7; John 16:8;
Gal. 3:13, 14; 1 Peter 2:21, 22; Rom. 10:17; Luke 17:5; Mark 9:23, 24; Eph. 2:5-10; Rom.
3:21-26; Col. 1:13, 14; Rom. 8:14-17; Gal. 3:26; John 3:3-8; 1 Peter 1:23; Rom. 12:2; Heb.
8:7-12; Eze. 36:25-27; 2 Peter 1:3, 4; Rom. 8:1-4; 5:6-10.)