Articles of Faith
We believe the Bible to be the Word of God and we hold to the doctrines of the Trinity,
salvation by trusting in Jesus Christ, repentance from sin, and that Christians are to live lives
separate from  conformities to this world. We believe in missions, Christian education, the
ordinances of the Lord's Supper, baptism, washing of the saint's feet, Spirit-filled lives (not
charismatic) that result in witnessing to men about Christ, eternal Hell and Heaven, and all
else the Bible teaches.
1. Trinity—We believe there is but one true and living God whose essence is spirit and who
exists in a Trinity of equal persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and that they are
each equal and infinite in their being, power, glory, and attributes.

The Father—We believe that God the Father is the First Person of the divine Trinity who is
absolute in His deity possessing all the attributes of deity and equal with the Son and the
Holy Spirit.

2. Jesus Christ—We believe in the absolute deity of Jesus Christ our Lord and that He
shares equally in all the attributes of deity with the Father and the Holy Spirit. We believe in
His virgin birth, in His perfect and sinless humanity, in His miracles and in their literalness, in
His substitutionary, satisfactory, propitiatory, atoning death on Calvary, in His bodily
resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, in His present intercessory
ministry, and in His personal return for the Church.

3. Holy Spirit—We believe in the absolute and full deity of the Holy Spirit, the Third Member of
the blessed Trinity, who is equal with the Father and the Son. It was the Father who gave His
Son, the Son who gave His life, and it is the Holy Spirit who today gives spiritual life to those
who believe in Christ. He indwells the believer and empowers him and Christ’s Church for
service giving the various gifts to the members of the body of Christ to aid the Church in
accomplishing the Great Commission.

4. Scriptures—We believe that holy men of old wrote the Bible as they were moved (lit. “Being
borne along”) by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21), which harmonizes with 2 Timothy 3:15, which
teaches that all Scripture is inspired (lit. “God breathed” or “breathed out by God”). This
means that the Holy Spirit so superintended the writers of the Holy Scripture that, although
they utilized their own vocabularies and experiences, they wrote the very exact message God
intended without any omission, addition, or error which means that the Bible is theologically,
historically, scientifically, and geographically correct since
the Holy Spirit is incapable of erring. Being plenary verbally inspired by the Holy Spirit
guarantees the infallibility and inerrancy of the Bible in every area in which it speaks and
makes it the highest authority and guide for the believer. The King James Version of the Bible
shall be the official and only translation used by the church.
    The King James Version of the Bible shall be the official translation used by the
    college in the classroom and from the chapel pulpit.

5. Salvation—We believe in salvation by grace totally apart from any human merit. Salvation is
bestowed by a gracious God upon unworthy man conditioned solely upon his faith in Jesus
Christ and His finished work on Calvary (Ephesians 2:8-10; John 3:16).

Security of the Believer—We believe that the Word of God teaches the security of the
believer, that God will keep securely in His hand (John 10:25-30) those who are trusting in
Jesus, but offers absolutely no hope for that person who is not trusting in Christ (1 Peter 1:5).
The link that unites God and man is faith (John 3:16). The security of the believer is based
upon a continuous faith in Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:21-23; John 3:16; Hebrews 3:12-13).
We believe that the Scriptures present the possibility of an authentic believer ceasing to
believe (1 John 2:24; Hebrews 3:12-13) but not in the probability (Hebrews
6:9). We believe that apostasy is committed by willful unbelief and is without remedy
(Hebrews 6:4-6). Simply stated, we believe that God has given to the believer Scriptural
grounds for knowing positively that he is saved; that God has promised and provided to keep
His children even in times of failure, when they fall out of fellowship with Him; that God has
assured His followers that as believers they are secure in Christ and shall never perish; but
that God has, also, clearly warned the Christian against the possibility of making ship-wreck
of his personal faith in Christ, and thereby, becoming an apostate, and
that, if such should happen, there is no way he could be restored to salvation—his doom
would be sealed.

New Birth—We believe that all men are born with a depraved nature and are sinful by nature
and by choice and as such are alienated from God, born dead in trespasses and sin. We
believe that this condition can only be reconciled by the new birth, which is a work of
regeneration wrought by the Holy Spirit (John 3:5-6) Titus 3:5), conditioned upon a man’s
personal faith in the atoning work of Jesus on Calvary as sufficient payment for his sin
(Ephesians 2:8-10).

6. Resurrection—We believe in future bodily resurrection of the believer, at which time he will
receive a resurrected glorified body, and that the new body will be joined with the soul so that
the child of God will spend eternity to come as a body/soul being. We likewise believe that the
unbeliever will be resurrected with a body and soul, which will forever suffer in the torments of
hell.

7. Judgment—We believe in the future Judgment Seat of Christ at which time the believer will
stand before Christ and be judged and rewarded for the deeds done in the body whether they
be good or bad (2 Corinthians 5:10). We also believe in the Great White Throne of Judgment
for the unsaved, where their lives will be reviewed and judged according to their works, which
will determine the degree of their punishment in the eternal flames of hell (Revelation 20:11-
15).

8. Devil—We believe in the existence of a literal personal evil and malicious being called
Satan or the Devil who led a rebellion against God at some point before creation and was
cast out of heaven along with the angels (demons) who followed him. He and his demonic
hordes seek to tempt men to sin and thereby doom them to eternity in the fires of hell. His
doom and that of mankind who follow him has been pronounced as the lake of fire where he
will one day be banished and shut up forever.

9. Church—We believe in the local church as God’s autonomous, self-governing, divinely
ordained institution for this age, whose head is Christ (Ephesians 5:22-23; Colossians 1:18)
and whole life and vitality are produced by the regenerating indwelling presence and power of
the Holy Spirit. We believe that the Great Commission (to evangelize and edify) is still the
great task of the Church today (Matthew 28:18-20). We believe that the individual local church
is the highest spiritual authority on earth outside the Christian home and that all other para-
church organizations or institutions exist by the authority granted by the local church or
cooperating local churches, and that their only right of existence is as they
ultimately aid the Church in fulfilling the Great Commission.

10. Pastor—We believe that the pastor, as the under-shepherd, is to lead his flock as he is
led by Christ through His Word (Acts 20:28). He is not to lord over God’s heritage but to lead
by example (1 Peter 5:2-3) and as a servant (Matthew 23:11). The sheep (as a whole or in
part) are never told to lead themselves, that is the under-shepherd’s task. We believe that the
pastor is to work in cooperation with his church board but is never to be subservient to the
board, recognizing that in the multitude of counselors there is
safety (Proverbs 11:14).

11. Ordinances—We believe that God has given His Church the ordinance of Baptism, which
is to be administered only to believers, by immersion and in the name of Father, the Son and
the Holy Spirit; and the Lord’s Supper, which is to be open to all born again believers present;
and the washing of the Saint’s feet—Matthew 28:19,20; Romans 6:3,4; 1 Corinthians 11:23-
26; John 13: 1-17.
Free Will Baptist
Church Covenant

Having given ourselves to God by faith
in Christ, and adopted the Word of God
as our rule of faith and practice, we now
give ourselves to one another be the
Will of God in this solemn Covenant.

We promise, by His Grace, to love and
obey Him in all things, to avoid all
appearance of evil, to abstain from all
sinful amusements and unholy
conformities to the world, from all sale
and sanction of intoxicating beverages,
and to “provide all things honest in the
sign of all men.”

We agree to faithfully discharge our
obligation in reference to the study of
the Scriptures, family devotions, sector
prayer, social worship; and by self-
denial, faith and good works, endeavor
to “grow in grace and knowledge of our
Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.” We will
not forsake the assembling of
ourselves together for church and
conferences, public worship and all the
observances of the ordinances of the
Gospel; nor fail to pay according to our
ability for the support of the church, of
its poor and all its benevolent work. We
agree to accept Christian admonition
and reproof with meekness, and to
watch over one another in love,
endeavoring to “keep the unity of the
Spirit” in the bond of peace. To be
careful of one another’s happiness and
reputation, and seek to strengthen the
weak, encourage the
afflicted, admonish the erring, and as
far as we are able, promote the success
of the church and the Gospel.

We will everywhere hold Christian
principle sacred and Christian
obligations and enterprises supreme,
counting it our chief business in life to
extend the influence of Christ in society,
constantly praying and toiling that the
Kingdom of God may come, and His
Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.
To this end we agree to labor for the
promotion of educational and
denominational enterprises, support of
missions, the success of Sunday
schools, and evangelistic efforts for the
salvation of the world. And may the God
of peace sanctify us wholly and
preserve us blameless unto the coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
POSITION ON THE
SIGN GIFTS OF
THE SPIRIT

We believe that the sign gifts of the
Holy Spirit, such as speaking in
tongues and the gift of healing were
temporary. We believe that speaking
in tongues was never the common or
necessary sign of the baptism or filling
of the Holy Spirit and that ultimate
deliverance of the body from sickness
or death awaits the consummation of
our salvation in the resurrection,
though God frequently chooses to
answer the prayers of believers for
physical healing ( I Corinthians 1:22;
13:8; 14:21-22).

Students, faculty, or staff are not
allowed to participate in or encourage
charismatic activities.
12. Separated Living—We believe that all Christians should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord;
and separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and associations is commanded of God.
(Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 6:14-17)

13. Human Sexuality—We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of marriage
between a man and woman. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery
and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex. Any employee of the church becoming pregnant or causing pregnancy as a
result of consensual intercourse, outside of the marriage relationship, shall be terminated from employment. (Gen. 2:22-24; Gen. 19:5-
13; Gen. 26:8-9; Lev. 18:1-30; Rom. 1:26-29, 1 Cor. 5:1,6-9; 1 Thess. 4:1-8; Heb. 13:4).
    Any employee or student of the college engaging in sexual misconduct shall be terminated from employment or dismissed from
    the student body.

We believe that the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman (Gen. 2:24; Rom. 7:2; 1 Cor. 7-10; Eph. 5:22-23).

We believe that both men and women are spiritually equal in position before God, but that God has ordained distinct and separate
functions for men and women in the home and the church. The husband is to be the leader of the home and men are to be the leaders
(pastors and deacons) of the church. Accordingly only men are eligible for licensure and ordination by the church (Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:18; 1
Tim. 2:8-15; 3:4-5, 12).
    These beliefs are determining factors concerning those accepted into the ministerial educational tract of studies.

14. Divorce and Remarriage—We believe that God hates divorce and intends marriage to last until one of the spouses dies. Divorce
and remarriage are regarded as adultery except on the grounds of fornication. Although divorced, Christians (even if they are remarried)
may hold positions of service in the church and be greatly used of God for Christian service. But they may not be considered for the
office of pastor or deacon (Mal. 2:14-17; Matt. 19:3-12; Rom. 7:1-3; 1 Tim. 2:2,12; Titus 1:6).

15. Abortion—We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being. Abortion constitutes
the unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life. Abortion is murder. We reject any teaching that abortions of pregnancies due to
rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, birth or population control, or the mental well-being of the mother is acceptable (Job 3:16;
Psalms 51:5; 139:14-16; Isa. 44:24; 49:1,5; Jer. 1:5; 20:15-18; Luke 1:44).

16. Missions—We believe that God has given the church a great commission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations so that there might
be a great multitude from every nation, tribe, ethnic group, and language group who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. As ambassadors
of Christ we must use all available means to go to the foreign nations and not wait for them to come to us (Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 13:10;
16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor. 5:20).

17. Giving—We believe that every Christian, as a steward of that portion of God’s wealth entrusted to him, is obligated to support his
local church financially. We believe that God has established the tithe (10%) as a basis for giving, but that every Christian should also
give other offerings sacrificially and cheerfully to the support of the church, the relief of those in need, and the spread of the Gospel. We
believe that a Christian relinquishes all rights to direct the use of the tithe or offering once the gift has been made (Gen. 14:20; Mal. 3:
10; 28:22; Prov. 3:9-10; Acts 4:34-37; 1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 9:6-7; Gal. 6:6; Eph. 4:28; 1 Tim. 5:17-18; 1 John 3:17).

18. Creation—We believe in the literal historicity of the Genesis account of God’s creating this earth and man in seven literal twenty-four
hour days, of man’s early home in the Garden paradise, of his fall by eating the forbidden fruit, of his spiritual death and depraved
nature resulting from this rebellion, and of his expulsion from the Garden.

We totally reject evolution as being merely an alternate theory of origins. It dictates one’s total world view including his foundation for
truth and morals. Evolution is the creation of the depraved mind of fallen man in his vain attempt to avoid God. If God did not create then
He has no right to control. Evolution turns this universe into a giant machine operated by the laws of nature, ruling God out and denying
the supernatural origin of the Bible and all biblical miracles. Evolution ultimately deifies man and makes God irrelevant and
unnecessary. Evolution and biblical Christianity are incompatible.
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Virginia Beach, VA
Virginia Beach, VA
Articles of Faith
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