What We Believe
I. Scripture
We believe that the Holy Bible as originally written was verbally inspired and the product of Spirit-controlled men and, therefore, is truth without any error. We believe the 66 books of the Bible to be the true supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions shall be tried. (2 Timothy 3:16, 17; 2 Peter 1:19-21)
II. True God
We believe there is one and only one living and true God, an infinite Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth, inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love, that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons-the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. (John 14:16,17; Matthew 28:19; Hebrews 9:14; John 14:26; Luke 1:35)
III. God The Father
We believe that God the Father, the first person of the Trinity, orders and disposes all things according to His own purpose and grace. He is the Creator of all things. As the only absolute and omnipotent ruler in the universe, He is sovereign in creation, providence, and redemption. His fatherhood involves both His designation within the Trinity and His relationship with mankind. As Creator, He is Father to all men, but He is the Spiritual Father only to believers. He has decreed for His own glory all things that come to pass. He continually upholds, directs, and governs all creatures and events. In His sovereignty He is neither author nor approver of sin, nor does He abridge the accountability of moral, intelligent creatures. He has graciously chosen from eternity past those whom He would have as His own. He saves from sin all those who come to Him, and He becomes, upon adoption, Father to His own. (Ps. 145:8,9; 1 Cor. 8:6; Gen. 1:1-31; Eph. 3:9; Ps. 103:19; Rom. 11:36; Eph. 4:6; Rom. 8:14; 2 Cor. 6:18; Eph. 1:11; 1 Chr. 29:11; Hab. 1:13; 1 Pt. 1:17; Eph. 1:4-6; Jn. 1:12; Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:5; Heb. 12:12:5-9)
IV. Jesus Christ
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, became Man without ceasing to be God, having been supernaturally conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ was born without sin, that He lived a sinless life and was perfect in every way, even though He was tempted. (Matthew 1:23; John 1:1,2; Luke 1:35; John 1:14; Hebrews 1:1-3; Hebrews 4:15; Titus 2:14; Isaiah 7:14)
We believe in His bodily resurrection from the grave, His ascension to the right hand of God where He ever liveth to make intercession for believers, and His personal, pre-millennial, visible, bodily return to the earth at the end of the age.
V. Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit, being the third person of the Trinity, is a divine person with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature, that He was active in the creation, that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God's purpose is fulfilled, that He convicts of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment, that He bears witness to the Truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony, that He is the agent in the New Birth that He seals, endures, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the believer, indwelling every true child of God. (Genesis 1:1-3; John 16: 8-11; Acts 5:30-32; John 3:5,6; Ephesians 1:13, 14; Mark 1:8; John 1:33; Acts 11:16; Luke 24:49; Romans 8:14, 16; Romans 8:26,27)
VI. Devil or Satan
We believe that Satan is the unholy god of this age, and the author of all powers of darkness, and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire. (Matthew 4:1-34; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:10)
VII. Creation
We believe that God created the heavens and the earth in six literal 24 hour days. This includes all life, "each after its own kind", by direct act, according to the Genesis account and not by the process of evolution, and that man was created in the image and likeness of God. (Genesis Chapters 1 and 2; Colossians 1:16,17; John 1:3)
VIII. Fall of Man
We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy state in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners not only by constraint but of choice; and therefore under just condemnation without defense or excuse. (Genesis 3:1-6; Romans 1:18-20; Romans 5:10-19; Romans 1:13; Romans 1:32)
IX. Atonement for Sin
We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God who, by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin honored the divine law by His personal obedience and by His death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins. His atonement consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr but was a voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner's place, the just dying for the unjust, Christ the Lord bearing our sin in His own Body on the tree; having risen from the dead He is now enthroned in Heaven. He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, compassionate and all sufficient Savior. (Ephesians 2:8; Acts 15:11; Romans 3:24; John 3:16; Matthew 18:11; Philippians 2:7; Hebrews 2:14-16; Isaiah 53:4-7; Romans 3:25; 1 John 4:10; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 3:18; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Corinthians 15:3,4)
X. Grace in the New Creation
We believe that in order to be saved sinners must be born again; the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus, it is instantaneous and not a process; in the new birth the one dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life; the free gift of God; the new creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the Gospel, its proper evidence appears in the Holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life. (John 3:3; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 John 5:1; John 3:6,7; Acts 16:33, 36; 2 Peter 1:4; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1; 2 Corinthians 5:19; Colossians 2:13; John 3:8)
XI. Justification
We believe that the great Gospel blessing, which Christ secures to such as believe in Him, is Justification:
(a) That justification includes the pardon of sin and the gift of eternal life.
(b) That it is bestowed not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done but solely through faith in the Redeemer's blood; His righteousness imputed to us. (Acts 13:39; Isaiah 53:11; Zechariah 13:1; Romans 8:1; Romans 5:1,9)
XII. Faith and Salvation
We believe that personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation. (Acts 16:31) We believe that salvation is completely the work of God (Ephesians 2:1-10) and that even the faith to believe is a gift from God (Romans 10:17), and not our own.
XIII. The Security of the Saints
We believe that all who are truly born again are kept by God the Father for Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6; John 10:28,29; Romans 8:35-39; Jude 1)
XIV. The Righteous and the Wicked
We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that such only as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and sanctified by the Spirit of our God, are truly righteous in His esteem, while all such as continue in unbelief are in His sight wicked; and this distinction holds among men both in and after death in the everlasting joy and peace of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost. (Malachi 3:18; Genesis 18:23; Romans 6:17, 18; 1 John 5:19; Romans 7:6; Romans 6:23; Proverbs 14:32; Luke 6:25; Matthew 25; 34-41; John 8:21)
XV. Marriage and the Home
(a) We believe the home was the first institution God provided for man (Genesis 2:12-24), and that marriage is a sacred relationship and honorable for all (Hebrews 13:4; 1 Corinthians 7:2). Marriage is used as an emblem of the union of Christ and His church (Ephesians 5:21-23). What therefore God hath joined together let no man put asunder (Mark 10:9).
(b) We believe that mixed marriages of believer and unbeliever are forbidden in Scripture. (2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1; Galatians 6:7)
(c) We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a 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. We believe that the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman. (Gen 2:24; Gen. 19:5, 13; Gen 26:8-9; Lev. 18: 1-30; Rom. 1:26-29; Rom. 7:2; 1 Cor. 5:1; 6:9; 7:10; 1 Thes. 4:1-8; Eph. 5:22-23; Heb. 13:4)
XVI. The Church
We believe that Jesus started and promised to build His church with the disciples, giving us the pattern to follow. This church was empowered at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came and filled the followers of Christ.
By definition, a local church is a congregation of immersed believers, associated by covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel observing ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word, that its officers are pastors and deacons, whose qualifications and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures. We believe that the true mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as we have opportunity. We hold the local church has the absolute right of self-government free from the interferences of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that the one and only superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit; that it is scriptural for the true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the gospel; that each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation on all matters of membership, of policy, of government, of discipline, of benevolence; the will of the local church is final. (Acts 2:41, 42; 1 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22, 23; Ephesians 4:11; Acts 20:7, 28; 1 Timothy 3:15; Acts 1:8; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 5:23, 24; Acts 15:4-28; Matthew 18:15-17)
XVII. Ordinances
We believe that baptism is the immersion of a believer in water to show a solemn and beautiful emblem of our faith in the crucified, buried, risen Savior, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life, and that it is a prerequisite for church membership. We believe that the Lord's Supper is the commemoration of His death until He comes and should be preceded always by solemn self-examination. (Acts 8:26-39; John 3:23; Romans 6:3-5; Matthew 3:16; Colossians 2:12; Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 11:23-28; Luke 22:14-20)
VIII. Civil Government
We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interest and good order of human society, the magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the coming King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Romans 13:1-7; 1 Timothy 2:1,2; Acts 5:29; Revelation 19:16
XIX. Lawsuits Between Believers
We believe that Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against other Christians or the church to resolve personal disputes. We believe the church possesses all the resources necessary to resolve personal disputes between members. We do believe, however, that a Christian may seek compensation for injuries from another Christian's insurance company as long as the claim is pursued without malice or slander. (1 Cor. 6:1-8; Eph. 4:31-32)
XX. Last Things
(a) The Second Advent of Christ–We believe in the "Blessed Hope", the personal, imminent, pretribulation and premillennial coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His redeemed ones and in His return to earth after the tribulation, with His saints to establish the Millennial Kingdom. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-12; Revelation 20:1-6)
(b) The Judgment Seat of Christ–We believe that every saved person will appear before the "Judgment Seat" to be judged by the Lord in regard to faithful service. (1 Corinthians 3:11-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10)
(c) The Eternal State–We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men; the saved to eternal life and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment. The souls of the redeemed are at death absent from the body and present with the Lord where in conscious bliss they await the first resurrection when spirit, soul and body are reunited to be forever glorified with the Lord. The souls of the unbelievers after death remain in conscious misery until the second resurrection when with spirit, soul and body reunited they shall appear before the Great White Throne Judgment and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment. (Luke 16:19-26; Matthew 25:46; John 5:28, 29; Philippians 1:23; 2 Corinthians 5:8,10; Revelation 20:1-6; Revelation 20:12-15)
(d) The Millennial Kingdom–We believe that the Millennial Kingdom on earth will be ruled from the Throne of David. (Luke 1:32; Acts 2:29, 30; Isaiah 9:6,7)
We believe that the Holy Bible as originally written was verbally inspired and the product of Spirit-controlled men and, therefore, is truth without any error. We believe the 66 books of the Bible to be the true supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions shall be tried. (2 Timothy 3:16, 17; 2 Peter 1:19-21)
II. True God
We believe there is one and only one living and true God, an infinite Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth, inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love, that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons-the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. (John 14:16,17; Matthew 28:19; Hebrews 9:14; John 14:26; Luke 1:35)
III. God The Father
We believe that God the Father, the first person of the Trinity, orders and disposes all things according to His own purpose and grace. He is the Creator of all things. As the only absolute and omnipotent ruler in the universe, He is sovereign in creation, providence, and redemption. His fatherhood involves both His designation within the Trinity and His relationship with mankind. As Creator, He is Father to all men, but He is the Spiritual Father only to believers. He has decreed for His own glory all things that come to pass. He continually upholds, directs, and governs all creatures and events. In His sovereignty He is neither author nor approver of sin, nor does He abridge the accountability of moral, intelligent creatures. He has graciously chosen from eternity past those whom He would have as His own. He saves from sin all those who come to Him, and He becomes, upon adoption, Father to His own. (Ps. 145:8,9; 1 Cor. 8:6; Gen. 1:1-31; Eph. 3:9; Ps. 103:19; Rom. 11:36; Eph. 4:6; Rom. 8:14; 2 Cor. 6:18; Eph. 1:11; 1 Chr. 29:11; Hab. 1:13; 1 Pt. 1:17; Eph. 1:4-6; Jn. 1:12; Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:5; Heb. 12:12:5-9)
IV. Jesus Christ
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, became Man without ceasing to be God, having been supernaturally conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ was born without sin, that He lived a sinless life and was perfect in every way, even though He was tempted. (Matthew 1:23; John 1:1,2; Luke 1:35; John 1:14; Hebrews 1:1-3; Hebrews 4:15; Titus 2:14; Isaiah 7:14)
We believe in His bodily resurrection from the grave, His ascension to the right hand of God where He ever liveth to make intercession for believers, and His personal, pre-millennial, visible, bodily return to the earth at the end of the age.
V. Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit, being the third person of the Trinity, is a divine person with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature, that He was active in the creation, that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God's purpose is fulfilled, that He convicts of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment, that He bears witness to the Truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony, that He is the agent in the New Birth that He seals, endures, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the believer, indwelling every true child of God. (Genesis 1:1-3; John 16: 8-11; Acts 5:30-32; John 3:5,6; Ephesians 1:13, 14; Mark 1:8; John 1:33; Acts 11:16; Luke 24:49; Romans 8:14, 16; Romans 8:26,27)
VI. Devil or Satan
We believe that Satan is the unholy god of this age, and the author of all powers of darkness, and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire. (Matthew 4:1-34; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:10)
VII. Creation
We believe that God created the heavens and the earth in six literal 24 hour days. This includes all life, "each after its own kind", by direct act, according to the Genesis account and not by the process of evolution, and that man was created in the image and likeness of God. (Genesis Chapters 1 and 2; Colossians 1:16,17; John 1:3)
VIII. Fall of Man
We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy state in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners not only by constraint but of choice; and therefore under just condemnation without defense or excuse. (Genesis 3:1-6; Romans 1:18-20; Romans 5:10-19; Romans 1:13; Romans 1:32)
IX. Atonement for Sin
We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God who, by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin honored the divine law by His personal obedience and by His death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins. His atonement consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr but was a voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner's place, the just dying for the unjust, Christ the Lord bearing our sin in His own Body on the tree; having risen from the dead He is now enthroned in Heaven. He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, compassionate and all sufficient Savior. (Ephesians 2:8; Acts 15:11; Romans 3:24; John 3:16; Matthew 18:11; Philippians 2:7; Hebrews 2:14-16; Isaiah 53:4-7; Romans 3:25; 1 John 4:10; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 3:18; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Corinthians 15:3,4)
X. Grace in the New Creation
We believe that in order to be saved sinners must be born again; the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus, it is instantaneous and not a process; in the new birth the one dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life; the free gift of God; the new creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the Gospel, its proper evidence appears in the Holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life. (John 3:3; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 John 5:1; John 3:6,7; Acts 16:33, 36; 2 Peter 1:4; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1; 2 Corinthians 5:19; Colossians 2:13; John 3:8)
XI. Justification
We believe that the great Gospel blessing, which Christ secures to such as believe in Him, is Justification:
(a) That justification includes the pardon of sin and the gift of eternal life.
(b) That it is bestowed not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done but solely through faith in the Redeemer's blood; His righteousness imputed to us. (Acts 13:39; Isaiah 53:11; Zechariah 13:1; Romans 8:1; Romans 5:1,9)
XII. Faith and Salvation
We believe that personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation. (Acts 16:31) We believe that salvation is completely the work of God (Ephesians 2:1-10) and that even the faith to believe is a gift from God (Romans 10:17), and not our own.
XIII. The Security of the Saints
We believe that all who are truly born again are kept by God the Father for Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6; John 10:28,29; Romans 8:35-39; Jude 1)
XIV. The Righteous and the Wicked
We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that such only as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and sanctified by the Spirit of our God, are truly righteous in His esteem, while all such as continue in unbelief are in His sight wicked; and this distinction holds among men both in and after death in the everlasting joy and peace of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost. (Malachi 3:18; Genesis 18:23; Romans 6:17, 18; 1 John 5:19; Romans 7:6; Romans 6:23; Proverbs 14:32; Luke 6:25; Matthew 25; 34-41; John 8:21)
XV. Marriage and the Home
(a) We believe the home was the first institution God provided for man (Genesis 2:12-24), and that marriage is a sacred relationship and honorable for all (Hebrews 13:4; 1 Corinthians 7:2). Marriage is used as an emblem of the union of Christ and His church (Ephesians 5:21-23). What therefore God hath joined together let no man put asunder (Mark 10:9).
(b) We believe that mixed marriages of believer and unbeliever are forbidden in Scripture. (2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1; Galatians 6:7)
(c) We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a 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. We believe that the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman. (Gen 2:24; Gen. 19:5, 13; Gen 26:8-9; Lev. 18: 1-30; Rom. 1:26-29; Rom. 7:2; 1 Cor. 5:1; 6:9; 7:10; 1 Thes. 4:1-8; Eph. 5:22-23; Heb. 13:4)
XVI. The Church
We believe that Jesus started and promised to build His church with the disciples, giving us the pattern to follow. This church was empowered at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came and filled the followers of Christ.
By definition, a local church is a congregation of immersed believers, associated by covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel observing ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word, that its officers are pastors and deacons, whose qualifications and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures. We believe that the true mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as we have opportunity. We hold the local church has the absolute right of self-government free from the interferences of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that the one and only superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit; that it is scriptural for the true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the gospel; that each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation on all matters of membership, of policy, of government, of discipline, of benevolence; the will of the local church is final. (Acts 2:41, 42; 1 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22, 23; Ephesians 4:11; Acts 20:7, 28; 1 Timothy 3:15; Acts 1:8; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 5:23, 24; Acts 15:4-28; Matthew 18:15-17)
XVII. Ordinances
We believe that baptism is the immersion of a believer in water to show a solemn and beautiful emblem of our faith in the crucified, buried, risen Savior, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life, and that it is a prerequisite for church membership. We believe that the Lord's Supper is the commemoration of His death until He comes and should be preceded always by solemn self-examination. (Acts 8:26-39; John 3:23; Romans 6:3-5; Matthew 3:16; Colossians 2:12; Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 11:23-28; Luke 22:14-20)
VIII. Civil Government
We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interest and good order of human society, the magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the coming King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Romans 13:1-7; 1 Timothy 2:1,2; Acts 5:29; Revelation 19:16
XIX. Lawsuits Between Believers
We believe that Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against other Christians or the church to resolve personal disputes. We believe the church possesses all the resources necessary to resolve personal disputes between members. We do believe, however, that a Christian may seek compensation for injuries from another Christian's insurance company as long as the claim is pursued without malice or slander. (1 Cor. 6:1-8; Eph. 4:31-32)
XX. Last Things
(a) The Second Advent of Christ–We believe in the "Blessed Hope", the personal, imminent, pretribulation and premillennial coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His redeemed ones and in His return to earth after the tribulation, with His saints to establish the Millennial Kingdom. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-12; Revelation 20:1-6)
(b) The Judgment Seat of Christ–We believe that every saved person will appear before the "Judgment Seat" to be judged by the Lord in regard to faithful service. (1 Corinthians 3:11-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10)
(c) The Eternal State–We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men; the saved to eternal life and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment. The souls of the redeemed are at death absent from the body and present with the Lord where in conscious bliss they await the first resurrection when spirit, soul and body are reunited to be forever glorified with the Lord. The souls of the unbelievers after death remain in conscious misery until the second resurrection when with spirit, soul and body reunited they shall appear before the Great White Throne Judgment and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment. (Luke 16:19-26; Matthew 25:46; John 5:28, 29; Philippians 1:23; 2 Corinthians 5:8,10; Revelation 20:1-6; Revelation 20:12-15)
(d) The Millennial Kingdom–We believe that the Millennial Kingdom on earth will be ruled from the Throne of David. (Luke 1:32; Acts 2:29, 30; Isaiah 9:6,7)