GOD

The sovereignty of God: We are convinced of the absolute sovereignty of God over all His creation, and of the fact that all events transpire according to His divine plan and will (Job 23:13; Psalm 33:11; Isaiah 45:7,21; 46:10,11; 48:3; Daniel 4:35; Acts 4:28, 15:18; Ephesians 1:11; etc.).

The nature of God: We believe in the one eternal God the Father, and in His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the express image of the invisible God and firstborn over all His creation (Colossians 1:15). We do not support the doctrine of the Trinity. We consider it vanity for finite man in his fallen condition to try and accurately explain the true nature of an infinite God. These types of vain disputes (II Timothy 2:23; Titus 3:9) only lead to division, which we are to avoid (Romans 12:16; I Corinthians 1:10; Philippians 2:2; etc.).

*COMMENT: It should be noted that the apostle Paul never once in any of his epistles referred to God as a “trinity.” On the contrary, every one of his letters opened with a statement very similar to this: “To God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.” Now if Paul did not feel it important to address God as a “trinity,” then why should we?

The love of God: For God so loved the world (John 3:16)! Jesus Christ came forth as the spotless Lamb of God (John 1:29). He was the perfect and final offering for our sins (Hebrews 9:22-26) according to the divine plan of God the Father (Revelation 13:8). He tasted death for everyone (Hebrews 2:9), and will redeem all of creation from its fallen condition (Psalm 86:9; Isaiah 25:6-9; Hosea 13:14; Romans 8:21; I Corinthians 15:22-28; Colossians 1:19,20; Revelation 21:3,4; etc.).

MAN

God’s purpose for mankind: God has a plan and a purpose for the human race. In Genesis 1:26, God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.” In the very next verse, the Concordant Version of the Old Testament more accurately renders this as a present and ongoing activity: “And creating (present tense) is [God] humanity in His image. In the image of [God] He creates it. Male and female He creates them.” It is God’s wonderful plan to create each and every one of us into His express image!

The fall of man: Like everything else, this event transpired in complete accordance with God’s will. Its purpose was to provide man with a thorough knowledge of both good and evil, a necessary quality for one being conformed into the image of God. Genesis 3:22: “Behold, the man has become [literally: is becoming!] like one of Us, to know good and evil.” The joys, the sorrows, the laughter, the heartaches, the blessings and the sufferings that we experience in this world are preparing us all for life in the next (See Proverbs 22:6; Ecclesiastes 3:1-15; Isaiah 45:7).

Death: We believe “death” to be an unconscious state of existence, which has been likened unto “sleep” by numerous passages of Scripture (Deuteronomy 31:16; II Samuel 7:12; I Kings 1:21; Daniel 12:2; Luke 8:52-55; John 11:11-14; Acts 13:36,37; I Corinthians 15:6,18; I Thessalonians 4:13-15; II Peter 3:4, etc.). It is here in this unconscious state where all are awaiting the resurrection unto life (see John 5:28,29).

Resurrection: We believe that every single person who has ever lived and died will be resurrected unto life, will meet their Maker, and will be judged according to their works (Psalm 28:4; Jeremiah 25:14; I Corinthians 3:10-15; Revelation 20:12,13).

a) Jesus Christ is the firstfruits of all those who have fallen asleep, or died (I Corinthians 15:20,23).

b) Those who obtain to the first resurrection (Philippians 3:10,11; Revelation 20:4-6) unto life (apart from the spiritually dead) are those who have been predestined (Ephesians 1:3-14; II Thessalonians 2:13), or chosen by Christ to walk the difficult to find “narrow road” (Matthew 7:14).

c) All others (the spiritually dead – see Revelation 20:11-15) will walk the wide road (Matthew 7:13) into the kingdom via the second resurrection.

Judgment: God’s purpose for judgment is to finish the process of creating man in His image, which will not be completed until this corrupt body of flesh dies and is replaced with a new spiritual body (I Corinthians 15:50-54). Those who are being judged now (God’s elect) while in this body of flesh (I Corinthians 11:31,32) will not be harmed by the second death (Daniel 3:25; Revelation 2:11). Their reward will be the crown of righteousness (II Timothy 4:8), and they will rule and reign with Christ for a “thousand years” (Revelation 20:6). At the end of the “thousand years” all others will be resurrected to have their works judged in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:13-15), where they will suffer loss, but be saved (I Corinthians 3:13-15).

*COMMENT: The entire book of The Revelation of Jesus Christ is written in symbolic, or figurative language (see Revelation 1:1). Therefore, it is doubtful that the phrase “a thousand years” is referring to a “literal” one-thousand-year period of time, although this yet remains to be seen.

Salvation: Romans 10:9 tells us “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” And Philippians 2:10,11 triumphantly declares “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Isaiah 45:22,23 provides us with a second witness of this fact: “Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is none other. I have sworn by Myself; the word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that to Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath.” Nowhere in Scripture does it teach that this “confession unto salvation” must be made before the point of physical death. [If I am wrong, then will you please show me?] Conclusion: ALL will be saved (Luke 3:6; I Timothy 2:3-6; II Peter 3:9; etc.)!

Baptism: In regard to baptism, we believe it the duty of every believer to follow the dictates of his or her conscience, leaving each to judge, both of the subject and mode of baptism, as shall seem most consistent with Scripture and reason.

*COMMENT: I was baptized twice: once as a young adolescent, and once as a young adult; but in neither case did one of these outwardly acts of obedience lead me to true repentance (see Romans 2:4). True baptism (or circumcision) is a miraculous change that takes place within the heart (Jeremiah 4:4; Mark 10:38,39; Luke 3:16; Acts 1:5; Romans 2:25-29; I Corinthians 7:19; Galatians 5:1-14; Ephesians 2:11-16; Philippians 3:2,3; Colossians 2:8-12; etc.).

THE BIBLE

Authority of Scripture: We believe in the divine authenticity of the Hebrew Scriptures, from which Jesus Christ Himself often quoted. The fact that God the Father raised Him from the dead lends an incredible amount of credence to His claim that they are indeed the very words of God. We also believe that Christ’s apostles, the ones who were closest to Him and learned from Him for over 3 years, were inspired of God when writing what would later become the New Testament (see John 14:26). And we firmly believe that both the Old and the New Testaments are profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, that the servants of God may be thoroughly furnished unto all good works (2 Tim 3:16-17).

*COMMENT: Because the meanings of various words have changed over time, we believe the Scriptures in their original manuscripts to be better than the vast majority of our modern day translations, including the highly esteemed King James Version. Although its literary and poetic beauty is unparalleled by other versions, its technical accuracy leaves much to be desired. For those who are willing with an open mind to consider this possibility, please read on…