We believe in the Divine inspiration, accuracy, and inerrancy of God's Word—the Bible. In Genesis, the first book in the Bible, the account of the fall of man into sin is given. Ever since the dawn of time mankind has expressed their sinful nature in rebellion, violence, immorality and insolence toward God, leading them to lives of ruin and misery. We are not basically good as the secular world's academics teach, but as God puts it—have fallen short of His glory. All this is terrible news, and if it weren't for the well known fact that God is a God of mercy and love, we'd all be doomed. Because of His righteous holiness, He must punish sin. His only Son, Jesus Christ, offered himself to take the full punishment for our sins. He came to earth, lived among us and was brutally murdered by people who hated him for no other reason than what He represented—purity, sinlessness, and the very mind of God. Jesus' sacrifice was God's plan to use His Son's death to spare our lives. The words, "Father, forgive them—they know not what they do", along with his life's blood shed that day, are all that God requires by way of payment for our debt. To this day, those who admit their sin and believe that Christ paid their debts on the cross, are declared righteous in God's sight. According to the Bible, a person can become justified and becomes a new creation (born again) through faith in the words of Christ, when hanging on the cross after having suffered immensely for the sins of mankind, He shouted victoriously, "It is finished!" Salvation, therefore, has nothing to do with our religious affiliations, heritage, or anything we can attempt to do in our lifetime to try to appease God—but rather rests solely on that great statement. Statement of Beliefs The Bible is the Divinely inspired, inerrant Word of God to mankind. "All scripture is given by the inspiration of God and is profitable..." II Timothy 3:16 There is one God, expressed in three persons—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. We call this the triune Godhead. The fall of mankind, as recounted in the book of Genesis, has brought sin and ruin into the world. Because of this we need to be redeemed from our present state of alienation from God. "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23 "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23 Jesus Christ is the manifestation of God—His father—in human form. His purpose of coming to earth was to die in our place—taking the punishment for our sins, He was buried in a tomb and was resurrected on the third day, ascended back to heaven and is currently at His father's side. "And without controversy, great is the mystery of Godliness: God was manifest in the flesh; justified in the Spirit; seen by angels; preached among the gentiles; believed on in the world, received up in glory." I Timothy 3:16 Salvation is by grace through simple faith in the finality of Christ's sacrifice on the cross—and nothing we can do could possibly make us right for God's heaven. "By grace are we saved, through faith, not of works lest any should boast." Jesus Christ will soon return as He has promised to remove his followers from the earth. "And if I go, and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." John 14:3