Our beliefs

The Holy Scriptures, Old and New Testaments, are the written Word of God, given by divine inspiration.
The inspired authors spoke and wrote moved by the Holy Spirit. In this Word, God has entrusted humanity with the knowledge necessary for salvation.

The Holy Scriptures are the supreme, authoritative and infallible revelation of His will. They are the standard of character, the test of experience, the ultimate revealer of doctrines, and the reliable record of God’s acts in history.
 
 (Ps. 119:105; Prov. 30:5, 6; Isa. 8:20; John 17:17; 1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Heb. 4:12; 2 Peter 1:20, 21.)

There is only one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of three co-eternal Persons.

God is immortal, almighty, omniscient, above all, and omnipresent. It is infinite and beyond human comprehension, but known through its self-revelation.

God, who is love, is forever worthy of worship and service by all creation.  

 (Gen. 1:26; Deut. 6:4; Isa. 6:8; Matt. 28:19; John 3:16 2 Cor. 1:21, 22; 13:14; Eph. 4:4-6; 1 Peter 1:2.)

God the eternal Father is the Creator, Provider, Sustainer and Sovereign of all creation. He is just and holy, merciful and gentle, slow to anger, and abundant in love and faithfulness.

The qualities and powers exhibited in the Son and the Holy Spirit are also those of the Father.

(Gen. 1:1; Deut. 4:35; Ps. 110:1, 4; John 3:16; 14:9; 1 Cor. 15:28; 1 Tim. 1:17; 1 John 4:8; Rev. 4:11.)

God the Son incarnated in Jesus Christ. Through Him all things were created, God’s character is revealed, humanity’s salvation is accomplished, and the world is judged.

God, being eternal and true, also became a true human, Jesus the Christ. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived and experienced temptation as a human being, but he perfectly exemplified God’s justice and love.

Through his miracles he manifested the power of God and was witnessed as God’s promised Messiah. He suffered and died voluntarily on the cross in our place because of our sins, rose from the dead, and ascended to heaven to minister in the heavenly sanctuary on our behalf.

He will come again in glory for the final deliverance of his people and the restoration of all things.

(Isa. 53:4-6; Dan. 9:25-27; Luke 1:35; Jn. 1:1-3, 14; 5:22; 10:30; 14:1-3, 9, 13 Rom 6:23 1 Cor 15:3, 4 2 Cor 3:18 5:17-19 Phil 2:5-11 Col 1:15-19 Heb 2:9 -18; 8:1, 2.)

God the Holy Spirit was an active part with the Father and the Son in Creation, incarnation, and redemption.

He is as person as the Father and the Son. He inspired the authors of the Scriptures. He filled the life of Christ with power. He attracts and convinces human beings; and those who respond, He renews and transforms into the image of God.

The Holy Spirit was sent by the Father and the Son to be always with their children, extends spiritual gifts to the church, enables it to bear witness to Christ, and in harmony with the Scriptures leads it to all truth.

(Gen. 1:1, 2; 2 Sam. 23:2; Ps. 51:11; Isa. 61:1; Luke 1:35; 4:18; John 14:16-18, 26; 15:26; 16:7-13; Acts 1:8; 5:3; 10:38; Rom 5:5; 1 Cor 12:7-11; 2 Cor 3:18; 2 Peter 1:21).

God has revealed in the Scriptures the authentic and historical account of his creative activity. He created the universe, and in a recent six-day creation the Lord made “the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them” and rested on the seventh day.

Thus he established the Sabbath as a perpetual reminder of the work he did and completed during six literal days, which together with the Sabbath constituted the same unit of time that we now call a week.

The first man and woman were made in the image of God as the crowning work of Creation, they were given dominion over the world and charged with the responsibility of caring for it. When the world was finished it was “very good,” declaring the glory of God.
(Genesis 1-2; 5; 11; Exodus 20:8-11; Psalm 19:1-6; 33:6, 9; 104; Isa. 45:12, 18; Acts 17:24; Col. 1:16 1:2; 11:3; Rev 10:6; 14:7.)

Man and woman were made in the image of God with individuality, power and freedom to think and do. Although they were created as free beings, each is an indivisible unit of body, mind, and spirit, dependent on God for life, breath, and everything else.
When our first parents disobeyed God, they denied their dependence on Him and fell from their high position. The image of God in them was disfigured and they submitted to death.
Their descendants share this fallen nature and its consequences. They are born with weaknesses and evil tendencies. But God in Christ has reconciled the world to himself and by his Spirit restores in penitent mortals the image of their Creator. Created for the glory of God, they are called to love Him and others, and to care for their environment.
 
(Gen. 1:26-28; 2:7, 15; 3; Ps. 8:4-8; 51:5, 10; 58:3; Jer. 17:9; Acts 17:24-28; Rom. 5:12-17; 2 Cor 5:19, 20; Eph 2:3; 1 Thess 5:23; 1 John 3:4; 4:7, 8, 11, 20)

All mankind is now involved in a great controversy between Christ and Satan regarding the character of God, his law, and his sovereignty over the universe.
 
This conflict originated in heaven when a created being, endowed with freedom of choice, in self-exaltation became Satan, the adversary of God, and led a portion of the angels into rebellion. He brought the spirit of rebellion into this world when he led Adam and Eve into sin.
This human sin resulted in the distortion of God’s image in humanity, the messiness of the created world, and its eventual devastation at the time of the worldwide flood, as presented in the historical account of Genesis 1-11. 
Watched by all creation, this world became the arena of universal conflict, from which the God of love will ultimately be vindicated. To help his people in this controversy, Christ sends the Holy Spirit and loyal angels to guide, protect, and sustain them on the path of salvation.
 
(Gen. 3; 6-8; Job 1:6-12; Isa. 14:12-14; Ez. 28:12-18; Rom. 1:19-32; 3:4; 5:12-21; 8:19-22; 1 Cor 4:9; Heb 1:14; 1 Peter 5:8; 2 Peter 3:6; Rev 12:4-9).

In the life of Christ, of perfect obedience to the will of God, his suffering, death and resurrection, God provided the only means of atonement for human sin, so that those who by faith accept this atonement may have eternal life, and all creation can better understand the infinite and holy love of the Creator.
This perfect atonement vindicates the justice of God’s law and the grace of his character; because it condemns our sin and provides our forgiveness.
Christ’s death is substitutionary and expiatory, reconciling and transforming. The bodily resurrection of Christ proclaims God’s triumph over the forces of evil, and for those who accept the atonement, it assures their final victory over sin and death. Declare the Lordship of Jesus Christ, before whom every knee will bow in heaven and on earth.
 
(Gen. 3:15; Ps. 22:1; Isa. 53; John 3:16; 14:30; Rom. 1:4; 3:25; 4:25; 8:3, 4; 1 Cor. 15 :3, 4, 20-22; 2 Cor 5:14, 15, 19-21; Phil 2:6-11; Col 2:15; 1 Peter 2:21, 22; 1 John 2:2; 4:10.)

In infinite love and mercy, God made Christ, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, so that in Him we might experience God’s justice.
Guided by the Holy Spirit, we feel our need, acknowledge our sinfulness, repent of our transgressions, and exercise faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord, Substitute and Exemplar. This saving faith comes through the divine power of the Word and is the gift of God’s grace.
Through Christ we are justified, adopted as sons and daughters of God, and set free from the lordship of sin. Through the Spirit we are born again and sanctified; the Spirit renews our minds, writes God’s law of love on our hearts, and we are empowered to live a holy life.
By abiding in Him we become partakers of the divine nature and have the assurance of salvation now and in the judgment.
 
(Gen. 3:15; Isa. 45:22; 53; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 33:11; 36:25-27; Hab. 2:4; Mark 9:23, 24; John 3:3 -8, 16; 16:8; Rom 3:21-26; 8:1-4, 14-17; 5:6-10; 10:17; 12:2; 2 Cor 5:17-21; Gal 1:4; 3:13, 14, 26; 4:4-7; Eph 2:4-10; Col 1:13, 14; Titus 3:3-7; Hebrews 8:7-12; 1 Peter 1:23; 2:21, 22; 2 Peter 1:3, 4; Rev. 13:8).

With his death on the cross, Jesus triumphed over the forces of evil. He who subdued demonic spirits during his earthly ministry has broken Satan’s power,  and  ensured his ultimate destruction.
Jesus’ victory gives us victory over the forces of evil that still seek to control us, as we walk with him in peace, joy, and assurance of his love. Now the Holy Spirit dwells in us and gives us power. Continually committed to Jesus as our Savior and Lord, we are released from the burden of our past actions.
We no longer live in darkness, fear of evil powers, ignorance and meaninglessness of our former way of life. In this new freedom in Jesus, we are called to grow in the likeness of his character, communing with him daily in prayer, feeding on his Word, meditating on it and his providence, singing his praises, gathering for worship, and participating in prayer. Church mission.
We are also called to follow Christ’s example by compassionately ministering to the physical, mental, social, emotional, and spiritual needs of humanity. As we give ourselves in loving service to those around us and in witness to their salvation, his constant presence with us through the Spirit transforms every moment and every task into a spiritual experience.
 
(1 Chron. 29:11; Ps. 1:1, 2; 23:4; 77:11, 12; Matt. 20:25-28; 25:31-46; Luke 10:17-20; John 20: 21; Rom 8:38, 39; 2 Cor 3:17, 18; Gal 5:22-25; Eph 5:19, 20; 6:12-18; Phil 3:7-14; Col 1:13, 14; 2:6, 14, 15; 1 Thess 5:16-18, 23; Heb 10:25; James 1:27; 2 Peter 2:9; 3:18; 1 John 4 :4.)

The church is the community of believers who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. In continuity with the people of God in Old Testament times, we are called to set ourselves apart from the world; and we come together for worship, for fellowship, for instruction in the Word, for the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, for service to humanity, and for the worldwide proclamation of the gospel. 
The church derives its authority from Christ, who is the incarnate Word revealed in the Scriptures. The church is the family of God; adopted by Him as sons, its members live on the basis of the new covenant.
The church is the body of Christ, a community of faith of which Christ himself is the head. The church is the bride for whom Christ died to sanctify and cleanse her.
Upon his triumphant return, he will present her to himself as a glorious church, the faithful of all ages, the purchase of his blood, without spot or wrinkle, but holy and without blemish.
 
(Genesis 12:1-3; Exodus 19:3-7; Matthew 16:13-20; 18:18; 28:19, 20; Acts 2:38-42; 7:38; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Ephesians 1:22, 23; 2:19-22; 3:8-11; 5:23-27; Colossians 1:17, 18; 1 Peter 2:9)

The universal church is made up of all who truly believe in Christ, but in the last days, a time of widespread apostasy, a remnant has been called to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. This remnant announces the arrival of the judgment hour, proclaims salvation through Christ, and heralds the arrival of his second advent.
This proclamation is symbolized by the three angels of Revelation 14; it coincides with the work of judgment in heaven and results in a work of repentance and reformation on earth. Every believer is called to have a personal part in this worldwide witness.

(Dan. 7:9-14; Isa. 1:9; 11:11; Jer. 23:3; Mic. 2:12; 2 Cor. 5:10; 1 Peter 1:16-19; 4:17; 2 Peter 3:10-14; Jude 3, 14; Revelation 12:17; 14:6-12; 18:1-4.)

The church is one body with many members, called from all nations, tribes, tongues, and peoples.
 
In Christ we are a new creation; Distinctions of race, culture, learning, and nationality, and differences between high and low, rich and poor, men and women, must not be dividing between us. We are all equal in Christ, who by one Spirit has united us in communion with himself and with one another; we must serve and be served without partiality or reservation.
 
Through the revelation of Jesus Christ in the Scriptures, we share the same faith and hope, and we reach out in one witness to all. This unity has its source in the unity of the triune God, who has adopted us as his children.
 
(Psalm 133:1; Matthew 28:19, 20; John 17:20-23; Acts 17:26, 27; Rom. 12:4, 5; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; 2 Cor. 5:16 , 17; Gal. 3:27-29; Eph. 2:13-16; 4:3-6, 11-16; Col. 3:10-15).

By baptism we confess our faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and bear witness to our death to sin and our purpose to walk in newness of life. Thus we recognize Christ as Lord and Savior, we become his people and we are received as members by his church.
Baptism is a symbol of our union with Christ, the forgiveness of our sins and the reception of the Holy Spirit.
 
It is by immersion in water and depends on affirmation of faith in Jesus and evidence of repentance from sin. Follow the instruction of the Holy Scriptures and the acceptance of its teachings.
(Matthew 28:19, 20; Acts 2:38; 16:30-33; 22:16; Romans 6:1-6; Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:12, 13.)

The Lord’s Supper is a participation in the emblems of the body and blood of Jesus as an expression of faith in Him, our Lord and Savior.
In this experience of communion, Christ is present to meet and strengthen his people. By participating, we joyfully proclaim the death of the Lord until he returns.
Preparation for the Supper includes self-examination, repentance, and confession. The Master ordained the footwashing service to signify renewed cleanliness, to express a willingness to serve one another in the humility of Christ, and to unite our hearts in love.
The communion service is open to all believing Christians.
 
(Matthew 26:17-30; John 6:48-63; 13:1-17; 1 Cor. 10:16, 17; 11:23-30; Rev. 3:20.)

God bestows upon all members of his church in all ages spiritual gifts that each member is to employ in loving ministry for the general welfare of the church and mankind.
 
Given by the agency of the Holy Spirit, who distributes to each member as He wills, the gifts provide all the abilities and ministries necessary for the church to fulfill its divinely ordained functions.
 
According to the Scriptures, these gifts include ministries such as faith, healing, prophecy, proclamation, teaching, administration, reconciliation, compassion and selfless service, and charity to help and encourage people.
 
Some members are called of God and gifted by the Spirit to church-recognized roles in pastoral, evangelistic, and teaching ministries, particularly necessary to equip members for service, to build the church to spiritual maturity, and to foster unity of faith and knowledge of God.
 
When members use these spiritual gifts as faithful stewards of God’s varied grace, the church is protected from the destructive influence of false doctrine, grows with growth that comes from God, and is built on faith and love.
 
(Acts 6:1-7; Rom. 12:4-8; 1 Cor. 12:7-11, 27, 28; Eph. 4:8, 11-16; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; 1 Peter 4:10, 11)

The scriptures testify that one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is prophecy.
This gift is an identifying mark of the remnant church and we believe it was manifested in the ministry of Ellen G. White. His writings speak with prophetic authority and provide comfort, guidance, instruction, and correction to the church.
They also make it clear that the Bible is the standard by which all teaching and experience must be tested.
(Numbers 12:6; 2 Chronicles 20:20; Amos 3:7; Joel 2:28, 29; Acts 2:14-21; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Hebrews 1:1-3; Revelation 12: 17; 19:10; 22:8, 9)

The great principles of God’s law are embodied in the Ten Commandments and exemplified in the life of Christ. They express God’s love, will and purposes in relation to human behavior and relationships and are binding on all people in all ages.
These precepts are the basis of God’s covenant with his people and the standard in God’s judgment. Through the agency of the Holy Spirit they point out sin and awaken a sense of need for a Savior.
Salvation is entirely by grace and not by works, and its fruit is obedience to the commandments.
This obedience develops Christian character and results in a sense of well-being. It is proof of our love for the Lord and our concern for our fellow man. The obedience of faith demonstrates the power of Christ to transform lives, and thus strengthens Christian testimony.
(Exodus 20:1-17; Deut. 28:1-14; Ps. 19:7-14; 40:7, 8; Matt. 5:17-20; 22:36-40; John 14:15; 15 :7-10; Rom 8:3, 4; Eph 2:8-10; Heb 8:8-10; 1 John 2:3; 5:3; Rev 12:17; 14:12).

The gracious Creator, after the six days of Creation, rested on the seventh day and instituted the Sabbath for all people as a memorial of Creation.
The fourth commandment of God’s unchanging law requires the observance of the seventh day as a day of rest, worship, and ministry in harmony with the teaching and practice of Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath.
Saturday is a day of delightful communion with God and with one another. It is a symbol of our redemption in Christ, a sign of our sanctification, a token of our allegiance, and a foretaste of our eternal future in the kingdom of God.
The Sabbath is God’s perpetual sign of his everlasting covenant between himself and his people. The joyful observance of this holy season from evening to evening, from dawn to dusk, is a celebration of God’s creative and redemptive acts.
(Genesis 2:1-3; Exodus 20:8-11; 31:13-17; Leviticus 23:32; Deuteronomy 5:12-15; Isa. 56:5, 6; 58:13, 14; Ezekiel 20: 12, 20; Matthew 12:1-12; Mark 1:32; Luke 4:16; Hebrews 4:1-11.)

We are God’s stewards, to whom He has entrusted time and opportunities, abilities and possessions, and the blessings of the earth and its resources. We are responsible to Him for its proper use.
We acknowledge God’s ownership through faithful service to Him and our fellowmen, and by returning tithes and giving offerings for the proclamation of His gospel and the support and growth of His church.
Stewardship is a privilege that God has given us to nurture us in love and victory over selfishness and greed. Stewards rejoice in the blessings that come to others as a result of their faithfulness.
(Gen. 1:26-28; 2:15; 1 Chron. 29:14; Haggai 1:3-11; Mal. 3:8-12; Matt. 23:23; Rom. 15:26, 27; 1 Cor 9:9-14; 2 Cor 8:1-15; 9:7)

We are called to be a holy people who think, feel, and act in harmony with biblical principles in all aspects of personal and social life.
For the Holy Spirit to recreate in us the character of our Lord, we engage only in those things that will produce the purity, health, and joy of Christ in our lives. This means that our fun and entertainment must meet the highest standards of Christian beauty and taste. 
Acknowledging cultural differences, our dress should be simple, modest and neat, befitting those whose true beauty lies not in outward adornment but in the enduring adornment of a gentle and calm spirit.
It also means that since our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit, we must care for them intelligently. Along with proper exercise and rest, we must adopt the healthiest diet possible and abstain from the unclean foods identified in the scriptures. Since alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and the irresponsible use of drugs and narcotics are harmful to our bodies, we must refrain from them as well.
Instead, we should engage in whatever brings our thoughts and bodies into the discipline of Christ, who desires our health, joy, and goodness.
(Genesis 7:2; Exodus 20:15; Leviticus 11:1-47; Psalm 106:3; Romans 12:1, 2; 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20; 10:31; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7: 1; 10:5; Ephesians 5:1-21; Phil. 2:4; 4:8; 1 Timothy 2:9, 10; Titus 2:11, 12; 1 Peter 3:1-4; 1 John 2: 6; 3 John 2).

Marriage was divinely established in Eden and affirmed by Jesus as a lifelong union between a man and a woman in loving companionship.
For the Christian, a marriage commitment is to both God and spouse, and should be entered into only between a man and a woman who share a common faith. Mutual love, honor, respect, and responsibility are the fabric of this relationship, which should reflect the love, holiness, closeness, and permanence of the relationship between Christ and his church.
Regarding divorce, Jesus taught that a person who divorces one spouse, except for fornication, and marries another commits adultery. Although some family relationships may fall short of the ideal, a man and woman who are fully committed to one another in Christ through marriage can achieve loving unity through the guidance of the Spirit and the care of the church.
God blesses the family and intends that its members help each other to reach complete maturity. Increasing the closeness of the family is one of the characteristics of the final message of the Gospel. 
Parents must educate their children to love and obey the Lord. By your example and your words you should teach them that Christ is a loving, gentle, and caring guide who wants them to become members of his body, the family of God that includes both single and married.
 
(Genesis 2:18-25; Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 6:5-9; Proverbs 22:6; Mal. 4:5, 6; Matt. 5:31, 32; 19:3-9, 12; Mark 10:11, 12; John 2:1-11; 1 Cor 7:7, 10, 11; 2 Cor 6:14; Eph 5:21-33; 6:1-4)

There is a sanctuary in heaven, the true tabernacle that the Lord established and not humans. In it Christ ministers on our behalf, making available to believers the benefits of his atoning sacrifice offered once for all on the cross.
At his ascension, he was inaugurated as our great High Priest and began his ministry of intercession, which was typified by the work of the high priest in the holy place of the earthly sanctuary.
 
In 1844, at the end of the prophetic period of 2,300 days, he entered the second and final phase of his atoning ministry, which was typified by the work of the high priest in the holy place of the earthly sanctuary.
It is a work of investigative judgment, which is part of the final disposition of all sin, typified by the cleansing of the ancient Hebrew sanctuary on the Day of Atonement. In that typical service the sanctuary was cleansed with the blood of animal sacrifices, but heavenly things are cleansed with the perfect sacrifice of Jesus’ blood.
The investigative judgment reveals to heavenly intelligences who among the dead are asleep in Christ and therefore, in Him, are counted worthy to have part in the first resurrection.
It also reveals who among the living remain in Christ, keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, and in Him, therefore, are ready to be translated into his eternal kingdom.
This judgment vindicates the justice of God in saving those who believe in Jesus. It declares that those who have remained loyal to God will receive the kingdom. The completion of this ministry of Christ will mark the end of the human trial before the Second Coming.
(Lev. 16; Num. 14:34; Eze. 4:6; Dan. 7:9-27; 8:13, 14; 9:24-27; Heb. 1:3; 2:16, 17; 4 :14-16; 8:1-5; 9:11-28; 10:19-22; Rev 8:3-5; 11:19; 14:6, 7; 20:12; 14:12; 22 :11, 12.)

The second coming of Christ is the blessed hope of the church, the great climax of the gospel.
The coming of the Savior will be literal, personal, visible, and worldwide. When he returns, the righteous dead will be resurrected, and together with the righteous living they will be glorified and taken to heaven, but the unrighteous will die.
The almost complete fulfillment of most lines of prophecy, along with the present condition of the world, indicates that the coming of Christ is near. The almost complete fulfillment of most lines of prophecy, along with the present condition of the world, indicates that the coming of Christ is near.
 
(Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:51-54; 1 Thessalonians. 4:13-18; 5:1-6; 2 Thess. 1:7-10; 2:8; 2 Tim 3:1-5; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 9:28; Revelation 1:7; 14:14-20; 19:11-21).

The punishment of the sin is the death. But God, who is the only immortal, will grant eternal life to his redeemed.
Until that day death is an unconscious state for all people. When Christ, who is our life, appears, the resurrected righteous and the living righteous will be glorified and caught up to meet their Lord.
The second resurrection, the resurrection of the unjust, will take place a thousand years later.
(Job 19:25-27; Ps. 146:3, 4; Eccl. 9:5, 6, 10; Dan. 12:2, 13; Isa. 25:8; John 5:28, 29; 11:11- 14; Rom 6:23; 16; 1 Cor 15:51-54; Col 3:4; 1 Thess 4:13-17; 1 Tim 6:15; Revelation 20:1-10).

The millennium is the thousand-year reign of Christ with his saints in heaven between the first and second resurrections. 
During this time the wicked dead will be judged; the earth will be completely desolate, with no living human inhabitants, but occupied by Satan and his angels.
In the end, Christ with his saints and the Holy City will descend from heaven to earth. The unrighteous dead will then be raised, and with Satan and his angels they will surround the city; but the fire of God will consume them and cleanse the earth.
The universe will thus be freed from sin and sinners forever.
(Jeremiah 4:23-26; Ezekiel 28:18, 19; Mal. 4:1; 1 Cor. 6:2, 3; Revelation 20; 21:1-5.)

On the new earth, where justice dwells, God will provide an eternal home for the redeemed and a perfect environment for eternal life, love, joy, and learning in his presence. There God himself will dwell with his people, and suffering and death will be past.
The great controversy will end, and sin will be no more. All things, animate and inanimate, will declare that God is love; and He will reign forever. Amen.
(Isaiah 35; 65:17-25; Matthew 5:5; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 11:15; 21:1-7; 22:1-5.)