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THE NEW BIRTH
We believe the words of Jesus that “ye must be born again”; that being born again signifies the partaking in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (John 3:3-7; 1 Cor. 15:1-4); that “by grace are ye saved, through faith: and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God – not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). We further believe that the emphasis for a continual walk in grace should be of heart, righteousness, and purity. We hold that all believers must live pure lives, being examples to both believers and unbelievers
(Rom. 4:1-5; 2 Cor. 7:1; Col. 4:5; 1 Thes. 4:12).
THE WORK OF REPENTANCE
We believe that repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ produces the work of Justification in the believer. Through faith in the shed blood of Christ, the believer is brought onto the grounds of the New Covenant and made a partaker of the death of Christ. This is the initial step of salvation, and is not to be considered synonymous with the complete work of the “new birth”
(Luke 22:20; Rom. 5:1,9; Heb. 13:20).
THE SACRAMENT OF WATER BAPTISM
“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16). Therefore, we believe that water baptism i s a vital part of the fullness of salvation. It is necessary for complete regeneration or the new birth, which is essential to laying a foundation for going on to spiritual maturity (Heb. 6:1-3). We further believe that it is the means whereby those who have been justified by faith in the blood of Jesus receive the Covenant sign of circumcision of heart, are made partakers in the burial of Christ, and become identified with Him in His resurrection. Moreover, we believe that water baptism is the taking on of a great responsibility because in it a person makes an everlasting commitment to God and His will. These commitments require that water baptism be administered only to those who have reached an age of accountability. The sacrament of water baptism is to be performed by immersion and in the name of Lord Jesus Christ (Col. 3:17; Acts 2:38). It is a baptism into the Body of Christ rather than into a denomination or a dogma (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16; John 3:5; Acts 2:38; 22:19; 1 Cor. 12:12-13; col. 2:9-14; 3:17; 1 Pet.3: 20-21; 1 John 5:5-8; Rom. 6).
THE SEAL OF THE NEW COVENANT
We believe that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is an important and necessary experience in the life of every believer, which is not dependent upon a believer’s worthiness, but is a free gift of God. We further believe that the receiving of the Holy Spirit is the seal of the New Covenant, and the repentance, water baptism, and the Bapti sm of the Holy Spirit constitute the full experience of regeneration or the new birth (John 3:3-7; Acts 2:38; Eph. 1:13).
THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
We therefore believe that all believers are entitled to, and should ardently expect to receive, the promise of the Father, the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the normal experience of all believers in the early Christian Church (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4,8; 11:14-16). With the Baptism in the Holy Spirit comes such experiences as an overflowing fullness of the Spirit (John 7:37-39; Acts 4:8); a deepened reverence for God (Acts 2:43; Hebrews 12:28); and intensified consecration to God and dedication to His work
(Acts 2:42).
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