About God:
We believe there is one God who is personal, infinite, perfect; and He exists eternally as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Deuteronomy 6:4, II Corinthians 13:14, Matthew 28:19-20.
About the Person and work of Jesus Christ:
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man. We believe that He accomplished our redemption through His sinless life, and death on the cross as a voluntary, substitutionary sacrifice. We believe that our redemption is made sure by His literal, bodily resurrection from the dead.
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is now in heaven exalted at the right hand of God, where as the High Priest for His people, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate. John 1: 1-2; Luke 1:35; Romans 3:24-25; Romans 4:25, 8:34; I Peter 1:3-5; Hebrews 7:25, 9:24; 1 John 2:1-2.
About the Person of the Holy Spirit:
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person, and works in convicting men of sin, righteousness and judgment, indwells all believers of this present age. In the life of the believer He is involved in the New Birth, the sealing of salvation, and in developing holiness. Romans 8:4; I Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4-5; Colossians 3: 16; John 16:8; Ephesians 1:13-14.
About Man:
We believe that man, male and female, was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam's rebellion the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, became alienated from God, and can be restored to God's favor only through the work of Jesus Christ and the ministry of the Holy Spirit. We believe in the literal historicity of Genesis 1-3. Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 3; Romans 3:22-23, 5:12; Matthew 19.
About Salvation:
We believe that salvation comes to man only by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, apart from any human merit. Salvation is a free gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ whose precious blood was shed for the forgiveness of our sins. Every believer's salvation is secure, being kept by the power of God. However, a believer by disobedience can mar his fellowship with God, lose his joy, testimony and incur the Father's living discipline. While we do not believe in good works are meritorious in obtaining salvation, we do believe that good works are an evidence of salvation. John 3: 18; Ephesians2:8-9; John 1:12; Ephesians 1:7, 13-14, 2:10; Romans 8:38-39; John 10:27-30; I Corinthians 1:4-8; I John 1; Hebrews 12:9-11.
Prayer of Salvation -
Our First Real Conversation With God
The "prayer of salvation" is the most important prayer we'll ever pray. When we're ready to become a Christian, we're ready to have our first real conversation with God, and these are its components:
• We acknowledge that Jesus Christ is God; that He came to earth as a man in order to live the sinless life that we cannot live; that He died in our place, so that we would not have to pay the penalty we deserve.
• We confess our past life of sin -- living for ourselves and not obeying God.
• We admit we are ready to trust Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.
• We ask Jesus to come into our heart, take up residence there, and begin living through us.
Prayer of Salvation - It Begins With Faith in God
When we pray the prayer of salvation; we're letting God know we believe His Word is true. By the faith He has given us, we choose to believe in Him. The Bible tells us that "without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6)
So, when we pray, asking God for the gift of salvation, we're exercising our free will to acknowledge that we believe in Him. That demonstration of faith pleases God, because we have freely chosen to know Him.
Prayer of Salvation - Confessing Our Sin
When we pray the prayer of salvation, we're admitting that we've sinned. As the Bible says of everyone, save Christ alone: "For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)
To sin is simply to fall short of the mark, as an arrow that does not quite hit the bull's-eye. The glory of God that we fall short of is found only in Jesus Christ: "For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." (2 Corinthians 4:6)
The prayer of salvation, then, recognizes that Jesus Christ is the only human who ever lived without sin. "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:21)
Prayer of Salvation - Professing Faith in Christ as Savior and Lord
With Christ as our standard of perfection, we're now acknowledging faith in Him as God, agreeing with the Apostle John that: "In the beginning was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made." (John 1:1-3)
Because God could only accept a perfect, sinless sacrifice, and because He knew that we could not possibly accomplish that, He sent His Son to die for us and pay the eternal price. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.." (John 3:16)
Prayer of Salvation - Say It & Mean It Now!
Do you agree with everything you have read so far? If you do, don't wait a moment longer to start your new life in Jesus Christ. Pray this with us:
"Father, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen."
Prayer of Salvation - I've Prayed It; Now What?
If you've prayed this prayer of salvation with true conviction and heart, you are now a follower of Jesus. This is a fact, whether or not you feel any different. Religious systems may have led you to believe that you should feel something - a warm glow, a tingle, or some other mystical experience. The fact is, you may, or you may not. If you have prayed the prayer of salvation and meant it, you are now a follower of Jesus. The Bible tells us that your eternal salvation is secure! "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." (Romans 10:9)
Welcome to the family of God! We encourage you now to find a local church where you can be baptized and grow in the knowledge of God through His Word, the Bible.
