1. We believe the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, to be the inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for the salvation of mankind, and the divine and final authority for all Christian faith and life. 2 Timothy 3:15-17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:19-21
2. We believe in one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The three members of the triune Godhead are co-existent, co-equal and co-eternal. Matthew 3:14-17;
Matthew 28:19; Ephesians 1:3-14; Hebrews 1:1-3; Revelation 1:4-6
3. We believe in the preexistence of Jesus the Son of God, and that Jesus Christ is true God and true man through the incarnation, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He died on the cross a sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures. Further, we believe, He arose bodily from the dead, ascended into Heaven, where at the right hand of the Majesty on High, He is now our High Priest and Advocate; and we believe in our Lord's personal, visible, pre-millennial return, and His ultimate Kingdom and reign. Colossians 1:15-23; John 1:14; Phil. 2:6-8;
Matthew 1:21-25;
1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Hebrews 7:24-25; 1 John 2:1-2; 1 Thes. 4:13-18; Zech. 14:4-11; Rev. 20:1-6
4. We believe that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, and during this age to convict mankind, regenerate the believing sinner, indwell, guide, instruct, and empower the believer for godly living and service. John 3:3-5; John 16:7-15; Romans 8:10-11; Ephesians 5:18
5. We believe that all angels, including Satan, were created by God and that Satan through pride and sinful ambition rebelled against God, becoming the great adversary of God and His people. Satan, as the leader of evil angels (demons), was defeated and judged at the cross of Jesus Christ, and his final destiny is everlasting punishment in the lake of fire. Those angels that remained faithful to God, worship and praise Him and serve Him at His desire. Isaiah 14:13-14; Ezekiel 28:13-17; John 12:31-32; Acts 5:17-20, 27:23-25; 2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 6:10-12; Hebrews 1:14;
Revelation 12:9-10, 20:7-10
6. We believe that mankind was created by God in His image, and not the product of evolution; but fell into sin by personal disobedience to the revealed will of God, and that all of humanity is sinful in nature and practice and is therefore spiritually lost, and only through regeneration by the Holy Spirit can salvation and spiritual life be obtained. Genesis 1:26-27, 3:1-24; Romans 3:23, 5:12-21; Eph. 2:1-4; Titus 3:5
7. We believe that the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the Cross and His resurrection provide the only ground for justification and salvation for all who believe, and only such as receive Jesus Christ by faith are born of the Holy Spirit, and thus become children of God and have eternal life. And that those who do not so believe remain condemned by God's righteous judgment. Romans 3:21-28; John 1:12, 3:5, 3:16-17, 36
8. We believe that sanctification is a progressive work begun in the believer's life in regeneration and continued in life by the Holy Spirit, using such appointed means as the Word of God, prayer and fellowship, and is demonstrated by spiritual fruit in the believer's life. 1 Thes. 5:23; Phil. 1:6; Eph. 2:8-10; Gal. 5:22-23; John 17:17; 1 Cor. 6:11; Heb. 9:14
9. We believe that the true Church is composed of all such persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and are united together in the body of Christ of which He is the Head, and that the visible manifestation of the church on earth is local churches where believers assemble for worship, teaching, fellowship, prayer, and observance of Christ's commands and ordinances, and that every local church has the right under Christ to decide and govern its own affairs. 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:22-23; Romans 12:3-5; Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 2;41-47; Col. 1;18; 1 Tim. 3:15
10. We believe that water baptism and the Lord's Supper are ordinances to be observed by the Church during the present age. They are, however, not to be regarded as means of salvation. Matthew 28:19; Romans 6:3-4;
Matt. 26:26-29; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34
11. We believe in the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ to His Church. That we are to preach the Gospel and make disciples of all nations and that every believer is to be a witness for Jesus Christ, trusting in the power of the Holy Spirit. Further, we are responsible to pray for, support, and send missionaries into all the world. Matt. 28:18-20;
Luke 24:47-48; acts 1:8; Romans 10:13-15
12. We believe in the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ for His Church at the rapture and that this "Blessed Hope" has a vital bearing on the personal life and service of the believer. John 14:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:11-14;
1 John 3:2-3
13. We believe in the eternal life of all believers in a new heaven and a new earth, and that upon physical death they go immediately to be with Christ in heaven awaiting their future bodily resurrection to everlasting blessedness and joy in the presence of the Lord; and in the resurrection of all unbelievers to stand before the Great White Throne Judgment of God from which they will be cast into eternal fire and everlasting punishment. John 3:16-17, 5:24, 10:28-29;
1 Cor. 15-50-57; 2 Cor. 5:8; 2 Thes. 1:7-10; rev. 20:4-6, 11-15
14. We believe that marriage is a sacred institution ordained of God for the happiness of humankind and the propagation of the human race. We believe that marriage is a spiritual and physical union in which one man and one woman enter into a covenant before God which is life-long until death separates them. We affirm that marriage, by Scriptural definition is a heterosexual monogamy. We do not believe that marriage is an arbitrary relationship created by the state or a natural outcome of social systems but rather reflects realities as fundamental as human sexuality, human nature and human anatomy. We believe that as part of the created order as revealed in the book of Genesis, marriage is not open to reinterpretation. Gen. 2:18-25; Matt. 19:3-6; eph. 5:22-33
We believe that heterosexuality is God's revealed will for humankind and that the chaste and faithful expression of this orientation, whether in singleness or marriage, is the ideal to which God calls all people. We believe that legitimate sexual relations are solely within marriage. Therefore, sexual activities, such as, but not limited to, adultery, fornication, incest, homosexuality, pedophilia and bestiality are inconsistent with the teaching of the Bible. We also believe that lascivious behavior, the creation and/or distribution and/or viewing of pornography are incompatible with the Biblical witness to purity and holiness. Hebrews 13:4; Leviticus 18:6-23; 20:10-21; Rom. 1:24-27
We believe that when humanity fell into sin, as recorded in Genesis, that God's ideal for marriage and human sexuality was damaged. Therefore, from a Biblical perspective, regardless of "sexual orientation", we are to control our sexual desires and bring them into submission to the revealed will of God through the power and grace of Christ and embrace a Biblically mandated sexual lifestyle. Genesis 19:4-8; Jude 7; 2 Peter 2:7-10; Eph. 4:17-24; 5:3
We believe that everyone is created in the "Image of God" and has great value to the Creator. Therefore, no matter what a person's behavior, lifestyle or sexual orientation is, we are to extend the same grace Christ gave to us and share with them the Good News that Christ has conquered sin and death. 1 Cor. 6:9-11; Eph. 2:1-10
Source: ODCC Constitution, Article III, February 2013