Articles of Faith Established in 1821
Art. 1. We believe in the only true and living God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost and these three are one. (1 Jn 5:7, Gen 1, Jn 1, Heb 1:8, Acts 5:3-4)
Art. 2. That the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the word of God, and the only rule of faith and practice. (2 Tim 3:16, 2 Pet 1:21)
Art. 3. We believe in the doctrine of election, and that God chose his people in Christ before the foundation of the world. (Eph 1:4, Rom 9:11)
Art. 4. We believe in the doctrine of original sin, and in man’s impotency to recover himself from the fallen state he is in by nature, either in whole or in part, by his own free will and ability. (PS 14, 53, 1 Cor 2:14, Rom 8:5-8)
Art. 5. We believe that sinners are justified in the sight of God, only by the righteousness of God imputed to them. (Tit 3:4-7, Rom 3:24)
Art. 6. We believe that God’s elect shall be called, converted, regenerated and sanctified by the Holy Spirit during this life. ** (John 3:8, 6:37-39, Eph 2:1-5)
Art. 7. We believe the saints shall be saved by grace and never fall finally away. (John 10:28-29, Rom 8:35-39)
Art. 8. We believe that baptism and the Lord’s Supper are ordinances of Jesus Christ, and that true believers are the only proper subjects, and that baptism is by immersion. (Acts 8:37-, 1 Cor 11:18)
Art. 9. We believe in the resurrection of the body, and general judgment, and that the punishment of the wicked and the joys of the righteous will be eternal. (Matt 25:31-34, 1 Cor 15, Jn 5:28-29)
Art. 10. We believe that ministers have no right to the administration of the ordinances, only such as are regularly baptized, ordained and set forward to the work of the ministry. (Tit 1:5, 1 Pet 5:2, 1 Tim 3:5, 1 Cor 11, 14:40, pattern/example of NT church)
Article 11.** We believe God instituted marriage as a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman. (Gen 2:24, Matt 19, Rom 7:2)
** Note: The word “converted” in Article 6 is used as in the changing of ones nature, not in religious beliefs or lifestyle. Though the Holy Spirit does enable and convict the child of God to change lifestyle, we battle and fail to live up to God’s standards many times. Article 6 speaks of the new birth.
**Article 11 documented in 2016
Recommended study resources can be found at www.marchtozion.com