What We Believe  

Because the Lord saved me as a direct result of reading His Word, I have a high regard for the Bible. I believe it is God's revelation of Himself and His ways to mankind. It is also His revealed purpose and plan for the ages, past, present and future. The Apostle Paul taught the young preacher Timothy: "All Scripture is is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works". I believe this, and also that God's Word has been preserved by Him so that we have a reliable translation of that same Word that was once delivered unto the prophets and apostles. Therefore, it is my earnest desire that men and women, boys and girls, and especially those who are called to preach and teach, would take seriously, and without doubt, this Word that was left for us. In so doing, it may be that many will hear, and be converted, and that times of refreshing might come from God before the great and terrible day of the Lord come. 

•     I believe the Bible teaches man, in his natural estate, is lost and without hope of reaching God or attaining to everlasting life. The Bible clearly teaches, and history bears out the fact, that the heart of man is desperately wicked at worst, and hopelessly proud, stubborn and rebellious at best, and does not seek after God, but would rather continue making its own way (Psalm 14:1; Romans 3:12). As a consequence of this rebellion man is destined for the place prepared for the rebellious, which the Bible calls the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:15). This is a place where there is no further hope of salvation, a place ready to receive all of God's enemies.

•     I believe the Bible teaches because God is a loving God, not willing that any should perish (even though many will because God created us with a will to choose, and many choose not God), that He made a way of escape for all those who will receive it (John 3:13-21). And this way is Jesus Christ whom God sent to become sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (II Corinthians 5:21). 

•     I believe the Bible teaches that all who call upon the name of the Lord - Jesus, Yeshua, Jesu or whatever name by which He is known as the Son of God/Son of man - will be saved. I believe that is a conclusive decision and statement; in other words: will be saved meanswill be saved! TheBible makes it very clear that when salvation takes place it is understandable, a one time event, and there is something new that takes place within a person.  "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2Co 5:17). Jesus Himself made plain the assurance of our salvation when, as the Bible tells us: "Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one". 

    Many people have trouble with statements like these because they don't understand who Jesus is. Though there are many reasons for this, I would like to cite two, both from the Hebrew Scriptures.

    (1). Psalm 2  
     Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. 
    (2) Isaiah 53
    Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?  For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.  He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. 
    Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. 

    I believe the Bible to be crucial for man's survival in this fallen world, as well as a road-map which will lead us to everlasting life in the one to come. 

    Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom 
                                                                                        (Colossians 3:16)
    

    For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, 
and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will 
in all wisdom and spiritual understanding 
                                                                (Colossians 1:9)