We teach that man was directly and immediately created by God in His image and likeness (Genesis 1:27: 2:7; 22). Man was created free of sin with a rational nature, intelligence, volition, self-determination and moral responsibility to God (Matthew 12:36; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; I Peter 1:17).

We teach that the purpose of man’s creation was with the divine intention that he should glorify God (Isaiah 43:7; Revelation 4:11), enjoy God’s fellowship, live his life in the will of God, and by this accomplish God’s purpose for man in the world.

We teach that in Adam’s sin of disobedience to the revealed will and Word of God, man lost his innocence; incurred the penalty of spiritual and physical death (Genesis 2:16-17; 3:1-19; Romans 3:23; 5:12; 6:23); became inherently corrupt and utterly incapable of choosing or doing that which is acceptable to God apart from divine grace. With no recuperative powers to enable him to recover himself, man is hopelessly lost (1 Corinthians 2:14), apart from the salvation which is the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:5; 2:1-3; Titus 3:5-6).

We teach that all men were in the loins of Adam and that the sin nature as well as the consequences of that original sin have been transmitted (imputed) to all men of all ages (Romans 5:12), Jesus Christ being the exception. All men are thus sinners by divine declaration (Psalms 14:1-3; Romans 3:9-18, 23), by nature (Jeremiah 17:9; Matthew 15:19) and by choice (Isaiah 53:6; James 2:10).

We teach that salvation is totally from God, by grace (Ephesians 1:7; 2:8), through the redemption of Jesus Christ, the merit of His shed blood (1 Peter 1:18-19). It is not on the basis of human merit of works (Ephesians 2:9; Titus 3:5).

We teach that regeneration is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit by which the divine nature and divine life are communicated (John 3:3-7; Titus 3:5). It is instantaneous, and it is accomplished solely by the power of the Holy Spirit through the instrumentality of the Word of God (John 5:24), so as to secure voluntary obedience to the Gospel. Regeneration is manifested by repentance, faith and righteous living. Good works are its proper evidence and fruit (Ephesians 2:10; Titus 3:8). Regeneration is experienced to the extent that the believer submits to the control of the Holy Spirit in his life through faithful obedience to the Word of God (Ephesians 5:18-19; Philippians 2:12; Colossians 3:16; 2 Peter 1:3-8). This obedience causes the believer increasingly to be conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18). Such a conformity is climaxed in the believer’s glorification at Christ’s coming (Romans 8:17; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 Peter 1:23; 1 John 3:2-3).

We teach that justification before God is an act of God by which He declares righteous those who believe in Christ (Romans 8:33). This righteousness is apart from any virtue or work of man (Romans 3:20; Galatians 2:16) and involves the imputation of our sins to Christ (Colossians 2:14; 1 Peter 2:24) and the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to us (2 Corinthians 5:21). By this means, God is enabled to “be just, and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:26).

We teach that every believer is “set apart” (sanctified) unto God by the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. Every believer therefore is declared to be holy and identified as a saint. This sanctification has to do with the believer’s positional standing in the eyes of God: He is “in Christ” (Acts 20:32; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 6:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Hebrews 2:11; 3:1; 10:10, 14; 13:12; 1 Peter 1:2). This positional sanctification is not progressive.

We teach that there is, by the work of the Holy Spirit, also an experiential sanctification by which the ongoing earthly state of the believer progressively is brought closer to the positional standing that the believer enjoys through justification. Through obedience to the Word of God and the empowering of the Holy Spirit the believer is able to live a life of increasing holiness in conformity to the will of God, becoming more and more like the Lord Jesus Christ (John 17:17, 19; Acts 20:32; Romans 6:1-22; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 5:26; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4; 5:23).

In this respect, we teach that every saved person is involved in a conflict (Romans 7:22-23; Ephesians 6:10-12). The new creation in Christ is set against the flesh. Nevertheless, adequate provision is made for victory through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 10:13; 15:56-57). The struggle continues and never completely ends throughout the believer’s earthly life. All claims to the eradication of sin in this life are unscriptural. Eradication of sin is not possible, but the Holy Spirit does provide victory over sin (Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:9-10; 1 Peter 1:14-16; 1 John 3:5-9).

We teach that all the redeemed are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever (John 5:24; 6:37-39; 10:27-30; Romans 5:9-10; 8:1, 31-39; 1 Corinthians 1:8; Ephesians 4:30; Hebrews 7:25; 13:5; 1 Peter 1:5; Jude 24). We teach that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word. However, the use of Christian liberty as an occasion for sinful living and carnality is clearly forbidden (Romans 6:15-22; 13:13-14; Galatians 5:13; Titus 2:11-15).

We teach that the doctrine of separation from sin is clearly evident throughout the Old and New Testaments (2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1), and that the Scriptures clearly indicate that in the last days apostasy and worldliness will increase (1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 3:1-5).

We teach that all the saved should live in such a manner as to not bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord. Separation from all religious apostasy and worldly and sinful practices is commanded by God (Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 5:9-13; 1 John 2:15-17; (2 John 9-11).