We believe and teach the Doctrines of Grace. These doctrines, drawn out of Scripture, reveal the abundant and sufficient grace of God for the salvation of sinful people. These doctrines result in all glory being given to God.

Radical Depravity

Though Adam was created in righteousness and uprightness, due to his sin in the Fall, mankind has received not only his guilt but his sinful and corrupt nature (Rom 5:12-21). Therefore, though man can perform beneficial actions, all of his faculties are corrupted by sin. He is darkened in his knowledge of God and understanding of truth and seeks to reject God’s revelation of Himself in order to continue living in his sin (Rom 1:18-31). Man is born spiritually dead as children of wrath and wickedness (Eph 2:1-3; Tit 3:3). No person naturally seeks after God (Rom 3:9-20).

Unconditional Election

According to His mysterious will and gracious  purposes, God chose individuals unto salvation from before the foundation of the world (Eph 3:4-5). This is what the Bible calls “election” or “predestination.” God makes this choice based not upon any unforeseen knowledge of what man will do or how man will respond to the Gospel, but upon His sovereign will (Rom 8:28-30, 9:11-18). A believer in no way merits his election. God does not start with humanity and condemn some to Hell before they were born and designate others to heaven; instead, God shows mercy to some and leaves others in their natural state of rebellion and sinfulness; this magnifies both His mercy and His justice (Rom 9:22-23; Jude 4). Furthermore, this doctrine of election should not hinder nor produce apathy in the Christian life but rather encourage it (2 Pet 1:3-11).

Particular Redemption

Christ’s death on the cross accomplished salvation for the elect rather than a potential salvation for an undefined number of people ( Mt 20:28; John 10:15; Acts 20:2; Eph 5:25). This is not to say that Christ’s death isn’t powerful enough to save the entire world, but rather that the atoning work of Christ’s death and the life-giving power of His resurrection are applied only to those who believe; those who believe are those who have been predestined to believe by God. Christ does not intercede for the whole world as high priest, but is a high priest on behalf of God’s covenant people (Heb 2:10-18).

The Spirit’s Effectual Call

The Gospel is to be proclaimed to the entire world (Acts 1:7-8). In this sense, there is a general calling found in the Scriptures: all men everywhere are commanded to repent and believe in Jesus (Acts 17:30-31). However, because of man’s deadness in sin and radical depravity, he cannot and will not respond to the Gospel in faith unless God effectually calls Him. God effectually calls His elect to salvation (John 10:1-42, Rom 8:30). This gracious calling does not leave the choice in man’s hands, but rather is God’s sovereign work in making His people alive with Christ upon hearing the Gospel (Eph 1:13, 2:4-6). In this way, the Spirit enables and causes the sinner to cooperate, believe, repent, and come freely and willingly to Christ. No-one can come to Christ apart from God’s drawing (John 6:44).

God’s Preservation of His People

God’s elect are kept by God’s preservation though the divine gift of faith (1 Pet 1:7).  All whom the Father has given the Son will be brought by His providence and care to the end of their lives remaining in their salvation (John 6:44, 10:1-42). God promises to complete the good work begun in His people at their salvation (Phil 1:6). The Bible doesn’t teach that anyone who makes a mere profession of Christ can then live as they want and still expect salvation; instead, the Bible teaches that God will work in His people to produce fruits of righteousness (Gal 5:22-25; 2 Pet 1:3-11). Those who make professions of faith in Christ but then reject Him and apostatize were not recipients of His saving grace, but merely false converts (1 Jn 2:19).