1. The Old and New Testament Scriptures were written by men divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit (2 Pe. 1:21), and are the only sufficient and perfect rule of faith and practice, being in the original manuscripts without error (2 Tim. 3:15-17; Jn. 10:35).

 

2. There is one God (Deut. 6:4), and only one, who is self-existent, eternal (Ex. 3:14; Ps. 90:2), holy (Is. 6:3), and infinite in every excellence, and who has revealed Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (1 Jn. 5:7), the same in essence, though distinct in personality. He is the Creator and Supreme Ruler of Heaven and Earth (Rev. 4:11; 1 Tim. 1:17).

 

3. Man was created without sin (Gen. 1:27). By disobedience to the command of God (Gen. 2:16, 17) he fell, thereby losing his innocence, becoming subject to death (Rom. 5:12) and to the eternal displeasure of God. Apart from the grace of God (Eph. 2:8), the sinner is totally unable to respond to the gospel (Jn. 6:44).

 

4. Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God who became man (Jn. 1:14), came into the world, being born of a virgin (Is. 7:14), to save men from the guilt and condemnation of sin (Lk. 19:10), vicariously living a perfect life (Rom. 5:19), bearing our sins (2 Cor. 5:21), and offering His blood as an atonement (Rom. 5:11; Heb. 9:22), thus making salvation certain to all who exercise faith in Him (Jn. 3:16). His ministries include those of Prophet (Acts 3:22), Priest (Heb. 3:1), and King (Rev. 19:16).

 

5. The result of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His shed blood is justification, whereby we are declared righteous and are brought into a state of peace and favour with God (Rom. 3:24-26; 5:1).

 

6. The human means by which this salvation is secured is repentance (Lk. 13:3; Acts 17:30) and faith (Acts 16:31; 20:21; Eph. 2:8) whereby we turn to God in sincere sorrow for sin and receive Jesus Christ as an all sufficient Saviour and Lord (Acts 5:3). Both of these acts are gifts of God’s grace.

 

7. God has, in eternity, elected a people for Himself (Eph. 1:4; 1 Pe. 1:2). His gracious purposes are made effectual by the giving of His Son (1 Jn. 4:10), and in the constraining and regenerating influence of the Holy Spirit (Jn. 3:8). But these purposes do not set aside human responsibility or the proclamation of the gospel to all (Mt. 28:19, 20).

 

8. Nothing can separate true believers from the love of God (Rom. 8:38, 39), but they are kept by the power of God (1 Pe. 1:5), through faith, unto final salvation (Mk. 13:13). The sure proof of this is their patient continuance and progress in righteousness and true holiness (Eph. 4:24; 2 Cor. 5:17; Heb. 12:14).

 

9. The ordinances which the Lord gave to the church are baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism is the immersion (Mk. 1:9, 10) in water of a believer in Christ “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Mt. 28:19), symbolizing the believer’s identity with the death and resurrection of Christ and also the fact of regeneration (Rom. 6:3-5). The Lord’s Supper is a commemoration of His sacrificial death (1 Cor. 11:23-29), and symbolizes the fact that the believer is continuously fed and nourished by Christ. In its observance, the supper is to be placed after baptism, according to its symbolic and historical order, and as required by the teaching of the New Testament (Acts 2:41, 42).

 

10.The universal church includes the whole company of believers of whatever era or nationality and is known only to God (Rev. 5:9; Eph. 5:27). The local church is a company of baptized believers who are observing the forms, ordinances, and principles laid down in the New Testament (Acts 2:41, 42).

 

11.The first day of the week (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2) is to be observed as the Lord’s Day (Rev. 1:10).

 

12.Civil government is of divine appointment for the interests and good order of human society (Rom. 13:1-5). Earthly rulers are to be prayed for (1 Tim. 2:1, 2), conscientiously honoured and obeyed, except only in things opposed to the will of Christ (Acts 4:19, 20), who is the only Lord of the conscience and the Prince of the kings of the earth.

 

13.Jesus Christ, having accomplished our redemption (Jn. 19:30), rose from the dead (1 Cor. 15:4), ascended into Heaven (Acts 1:9-11), and is now seated at God’s right hand (Acts 2:32, 33), and will return again (1 Thess. 5:1-6) to judge the nations (Acts 17:31; Mt. 25:31-46; 2 Pe. 3:9-14).

 

14.There will be a resurrection of the just (1 Thess. 4:16, 17) and the unjust (Jn. 5:28, 29) – the just for eternal blessedness and reward in Heaven (Ps. 16:11), the unjust for judgement and eternal punishment in Hell (Mt. 25:46; Rev. 20:10).