BELIEFS
Scripture
Scripture is holy writing as found in the sixty-six books of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, written by holy men of God who were moved by the Holy Spirit in such a definite way that their writings were supernaturally inspired and free from error. To inspire the words written on the original autographs infallibly only for them to become less perfect, less pure, less reliable over time would be contrary to God’s promise to preserve His words to all generations.
The Authorized Version (King James Version) is the infallibly preserved word of God and is the supreme and final authority for all matters of faith and practice. The word of God for Italian speaking people is the Diodati.
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Godhead
There is one living and true God, existing in three persons, all equal in divine nature, set forth in scripture as the Father, the Word (the Son), and the Holy Ghost. Within these three personages is found the expression of the triune God of the universe who is eternal, creator of all things, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent and inexpressibly glorious in holiness and worthy of all possible honor, worship, confidence, and love by His creatures.
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THE PERSON AND WORK OF GOD THE FATHER
God the Father is an infinite, personal spirit whose fatherhood involves both His designation within the Trinity and His relationship with redeemed mankind. As the eternal Father of the Son, He is relational, loving and self-giving. He exercises loving, glorifying headship over the Son and Holy Spirit – seen most powerfully in His sending of the Son, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to redeem mankind from sin and bring them into loving fellowship with Himself. He is spiritual Father only to those who have placed their faith in Christ alone for salvation and are thus born again by the Spirit.
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THE PERSON AND WORK OF JESUS CHRIST
Jesus Christ was the eternal God manifest in the flesh. He was begotten by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin named Mary and possessed both full deity and humanity. Jesus Christ was crucified to pay the penalty of our sin and He literally and bodily rose from the dead on the third day and now sits at the right hand of the Father in heaven.
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THE PERSON AND WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit in the world today is convicting mankind of sin, righteousness, and judgment. The Holy Spirit is fully God and permanently dwells within the body of the born-again believer. The Spirit gives spiritual gifts to every believer so the believer might effectively communicate the love of Christ and edify the body of Christ. The spiritual gifts of tongues and healing are not active in this age.
The Person of Satan
Satan is a real, historical being. He was a cherub who was lifted up in pride and ambition to be like the Most High. He rebelled against God and drew after him a host of angels. He is the enemy of God and His Christ and therefore the avowed enemy of all truly born-again believers. He is the accuser of the brethren, the author of all false religions, and would have all worship him. He is destined to final defeat and judgment of God in the eternal lake of fire.
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CREATION
The Genesis account of creation is to be accepted literally and not allegorically or figuratively. Adam was a historical person, the first man, created by the direct act of God and in His image. Man was created body, soul, and spirit. The creation of man, along with all animal and vegetable life, was not due to evolution from lower to higher forms.
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The Fall of Man
Adam was created in innocence and perfection and was placed in the Garden of Eden to dress it. Through voluntary transgression, Adam fell from his sinless state and thereby incurred not only physical death but also immediate spiritual death. In consequence of which all human beings are born dead in trespasses and sins and possess a sinful nature, and in the case of those who reach moral responsibility become sinners in thought, word, and deed.
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Salvation
The blessings of salvation are made free to all by the grace of God. Salvation is a free gift, not merited or earned by any works of the flesh or self-righteousness.
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REPENTANCE AND SAVING FAITH
Repentance and faith cannot be separated – they work together in the single action of turning from self-effort and trusting on Jesus Christ as Saviour. Repentance and faith are solemn obligations wrought in our souls by the quickening Spirit of God; thereby, being deeply convicted of our guilt, danger, and helplessness, and of the only way of salvation by Christ, we turn to God with unfeigned contrition, confession, and supplication for mercy; at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ and openly confessing Him as our only and all-sufficient Saviour.
Justification
Justification is the legal and judicial act of God whereby those who put faith in Christ are declared righteous in His eyes and free from guilt and punishment. In justification, all the believer’s sins are forgiven and the guilt and punishment is removed. The believer may have to pay the rest of his life in the flesh for what he has sowed but eternal punishment is out of the question. The slate is wiped clean and he is declared to have the righteousness of Jesus Christ. We are justified by His grace at the moment of repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. God is the author of justification.
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Eternal Security
Salvation is eternal life. It is the life of God. It is a divine life that could not possibly have an ending because it had no beginning. If a man possesses eternal life, he is saved. He is saved for time and for eternity.
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CHURCH
The local church is God’s vehicle to accomplish His work in this age. It is the responsibility of each local church to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ, evangelize the lost, disciple the saved, edify the believer, and spread the gospel around the world. Local, independent churches should be self-governing and reproduce themselves by establishing other local churches. The officers of ordination in the local church are pastors and deacons whose qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly defined in the scriptures. Baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Supper are the ordinances of the local church.
MARRIAGE
God instituted the home and Christian marriage should be the finest example of Christ’s relationship to the church. Husbands should lead their homes in godliness and with self-sacrifice, wives should live in joyful submission and guide the house, and children should obey and honor their parents in the Lord.
SEPARATION
Separation is twofold: “from” whatever is contrary to the revealed will of God and “unto” God Himself. Separation is first and foremost an internal matter. The testimony of every believer in Jesus Christ should be one of separation from the affections of the world-system and its philosophies opposed to the Bible. Separation is not isolation from the world but insulates the believer from being contaminated by it. When a particular brand of Christianity gains acceptance and is applauded by the world then it is of the wrong sort. Separation also includes a stand against false teachers.
HELL
The wicked who reject Christ will be turned into hell. Hell is a literal and everlasting prison that God prepared for the Devil and his angels. Hell is a place of banishment from the merciful presence of God. Hell is a place of punishment where the conscious and never-dying souls of the unsaved dead burn forever in everlasting torment.
HEAVEN
Heaven is a prepared place for believers in Christ. It is called the New Jerusalem. Heaven is a literal place where the presence of God is manifested and where Jesus Christ sits at His right hand and the angels reside. Immediately at death, the believer’s soul and spirit are in the presence of God in heaven.
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FUTURE THINGS
The Lord Jesus will return in the clouds at the pre-Tribulation Rapture of the body of Christ. The dead in Christ will rise first followed by the believer who is alive at the time of the Rapture. Both will have their corruptible bodies changed into incorruptible bodies and will arise to ever be with the Lord. After the Rapture, the born-again believer will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ. The believer is not saved by works nor kept by works, but the works that he commits after he is saved will be judged “of what sort it is.” The believer will either receive rewards or suffer loss. The Tribulation is a Jewish dispensation as seen by its being termed “the time of Jacob’s trouble.” The Tribulation is a time of wrath; the Church Age saints are given the promise that we are not appointed to wrath but to obtain salvation from the time of wrath. The Lord Jesus Christ will return to the earth with His saints to end the Tribulation. He will cast the Beast and the False Prophet into a lake of fire. The Lord will cast Satan into the bottomless pit and will establish His kingdom in fulfillment of the Covenants (Davidic, Abrahamic) as well as scores of prophecies. The literal, physical resurrection of the unsaved dead will occur after the thousand-year reign of Christ in which they will stand before the White Throne Judgment and “whosoever was not found written in the book of life” will be “cast into the lake of fire”.