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THE DOCTRINAL STATEMENT OF
WORD OF GRACE BIBLE CHURCH
THE HOLY SCRIPTURES
We believe that "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God"
since "holy men of God were moved by the Holy Spirit"
to write the very words of God (Mk. 12:36; Acts 1:16; 1 Cor. 2:13;
2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pt. 1:20-21). We believe that God the Holy Spirit,
in the act of inspiration, so superintended the writing of Scripture
that He used the individual personalities and different writing
styles of the human writers to compose and record His very Word
to man without any errors whatsoever (Mt. 5:18; 2 Tim. 3:16). We
affirm that this divine, verbal, plenary, and inerrant inspiration
extended equally and fully to all parts of the writings, whether
historical, scientific, poetical, doctrinal, or prophetic in subject
matter. We believe that only the thirty-nine books of the Old Testament
canon and the twenty-seven books of the New Testament canon were
divinely inspired. We believe the Holy Spirit's unique, miraculous
act of verbal, plenary, inerrant inspiration was given only to the
original autographs of these canonical books and not to subsequent
copies or translations (2 Pt. 1:20-21); but to the degree such subsequent
copies and translations accurately reflect the inerrant originals,
they truly possess the quality of divine inspiration (2 Tim. 3:16).
We also affirm that God has faithfully and providentially preserved
His inspired Word among the multitude of extant manuscripts, but
not exclusively in any one translation, manuscript, family of manuscripts,
or text-type, since Scripture nowhere states such an exclusive manner
of preservation (2 Kg. 22:3-13; 2 Chr. 34:14-30; Ps. 119:152, 160;
Is. 40:8; 1 Pt. 1:23-25).
We believe that all of Scripture centers around the Lord Jesus
Christ in His person and work at His First and Second Comings; and
hence that no portion, even of the Old Testament, is properly read
or understood until it leads to Him (Lk. 24:27, 44; Jn. 5:39, 46;
Acts 10:43, 17:2-3, 18:28, 26:22-23, 28:23). We also believe that
Scripture is designed by God for our practical instruction and should
result in personal spiritual application (Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:11;
Jam. 1:19-25).
We believe the Bible is the only infallible rule for all faith
and practice, and it is therefore solely sufficient (apart from
human wisdom and ecclesiastical tradition) to lead an individual
to salvation and to equip and mature those already saved (Mk. 7:1-13;
2 Tim. 3:15-17; Jam. 1:18; 1 Pt. 1:23). The Scriptures, in conjunction
with the ministry of the Holy Spirit, are entirely adequate for
every spiritual or emotional problem and in no need of any supplement
from secular psycho-therapies (Jn. 17:17; Acts 20:32; 1 Cor. 3:5-10;
Eph. 4:11-16). We further believe that Scripture is the fresh and
present voice of Christ by which He communicates through the Holy
Spirit to His people (Col. 3:16); and therefore, we believe that
no further revelatory, prophetic word has been, or will be, given
throughout this Church Age beyond the twenty-seven books of the
New Testament completed in the first century by the apostles and
prophets of our Lord (Mk. 16:20; Eph. 2:20; Heb. 2:2-3).
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THE TRIUNE GODHEAD
We believe that the Godhead eternally exists in three persons –
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Gen. 1:26, 3:22, 11:7;
Is. 63:7-14; Mt. 3:16-17, 28:19; Jn. 1:14, 18; 2 Cor. 13:14; Col.
2:9; Heb. 1:1-3). We believe that these three are one God (Deut.
6:4; Mk. 12:29), having precisely the same nature, attributes, and
perfections, being equally worthy of worship, faith, and obedience.
We believe that God is the absolute and sole Creator of the universe
(Gen. 1:1; Job 26:7, 38:4; Ps. 104:2-5; Jer. 32:17), that each member
of the Trinity was involved in creation (Gen. 1:2; Job 26:13; Ps.
104:30; Jn. 1:3; Col. 1:16), and that God created everything ex
nihilo (out of nothing) and by divine fiat in six literal days rather
than through an evolutionary process (Gen. 1:3, 6, 9, 14, 20, 24,
26, 31; Ex. 20:11; Ps. 33:6-9; Rom. 4:17; Heb. 11:3; 2 Pt. 3:5).
Being the sovereign Creator of the universe, all glory rightly belongs
to God alone, and to this supreme end, all creation exists (Ps.
19:1; Is. 42:8; 1 Cor. 1:31, 10:31; 1 Tim. 1:17; Jude 25; Rev. 4:11,
5:12-14, 15:4).
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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 (Ps. 145:8-9; 1 Cor. 8:6; Eph. 1:11). As the only absolute
and omnipotent ruler in the universe, He is sovereign in creation,
providence, and redemption (Ps. 103:19, 115:3; Dan. 4:34-35; Rom.
11:36). He continually upholds, directs, and governs all creatures
and events (1 Chr. 29:11; Mt. 6:25-32). Being eternally perfect,
God is incapable of change (Num. 23:19; Mal. 3:6; Heb. 13:8; Jam.
1:17). In His omniscience, nothing is unknown to Him, since He knows
with perfect and exhaustive knowledge all things past, present,
and future, all things actual and possible, including every volitional
choice of His creatures (Ps. 40:5, 139:1-6, 147:5; Is. 46:10; Mt.
10:29-30; Rom. 11:33; Heb. 4:13). In His sovereignty He is neither
author nor approver of sin (Hab. 1:13; Jn. 8:38-47), nor does He
abridge the accountability of moral, intelligent creatures (Rom.
1:18-20; Heb. 4:13; 1 Pt. 1:17). He saves from sin and makes all
who come to Him through Jesus Christ His own (Jn. 1:12; Heb. 12:5-9;
1 Jn. 3:1-3), and He becomes upon adoption, Father to His own (Rom.
8:15; Gal. 4:5; Eph. 1:5).
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GOD THE SON
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the
Trinity, is the eternal Son of God, being the only begotten Son
of the Father, even before His incarnation (Ps. 2:12; Pro. 30:4;
Dan. 3:25; Mk. 12:6; Jn. 1:18, 3:16-17, 16:28; Gal. 4:4; 1 Jn. 4:9-10,
14-15). At His incarnation, Christ in His humanity was miraculously
conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin
Mary (Is. 7:14; Mt. 1:18-25; Lk. 1:34-35; Gal. 4:4). We believe
that at Christ's incarnation, He willingly surrendered only the
prerogatives of deity, taking the posture of a servant in subjection
to the Father's will, while at no time being divested of any of
His divine attributes (Jn. 5:30; Phil. 2:5-8). He became incarnate
for the purpose of revealing God to man (Jn. 1:18, 14:7-9; Col.
1:15; Heb. 1:2-3), reconciling sinful man to God (Mt. 1:21, 20:28;
Lk. 19:10; Jn. 1:29, 12:27; 2 Cor. 5:18-19; Gal. 4:4-5; 1 Tim. 1:15;
Heb. 2:9, 14; 1 Jn. 3:5), and ultimately reigning as the Messiah
of Israel and the world (Is. 9:6-7, 11:1-16; Dan. 7:13-14; Zech.
6:12-13; Lk. 1:32-33; Jn. 1:49, 18:33-37; 1 Cor. 15:24-25; Rev.
5:5-7, 19:11-20:9). Christ was born a descendant of Adam (Lk. 3:23-38),
yet unstained by and incapable of sin (Mt. 4:1-11; Jn. 8:46; 2 Cor.
5:21; Heb. 4:15, 7:26-28; 1 Pt. 1:19, 2:22; 1 Jn. 3:5), being born
in the lineage of Abraham and David (Mt. 1:1-17; Rom. 1:3); and
as such, He exists forevermore as one person with two distinct natures,
being both fully human (Mt. 4:2; Lk. 24:39-43; Jn. 1:14, 4:6, 11:35,
19:28; 1 Jn. 4:2; 2 Jn. 7) and fully God (Jn. 1:1; 5:15-18; 8:58;
10:30-31; Rom. 9:5; Phil. 2:6; Col. 1:19, 2:9; Heb. 1:6, 8; 1 Jn.
5:20; Rev. 1:8, 11, 17-18).
We believe that the death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross
of Calvary was a representative, vicarious, and substitutionary
sacrifice for all the sins of all humanity, including the non-elect
(Mt. 20:28; Rom. 3:24-25; 2 Cor. 5:14-15; 1 Tim. 2:1-6, 4:10; Heb.
2:9; 1 Pt. 2:24, 3:18; 2 Pt. 2:1; 1 Jn. 2:2). Based solely upon
the efficacy of Christ's death, any sinner who trusts in the Lord
Jesus Christ for his salvation is freed from sin's penalty (Rom.
6:23), from sin's reigning position of power in his life (Rom. 6:1-13),
and one day from the very presence of sin (1 Jn. 3:2, 5); and on
this same basis, such a person is declared righteous by God, forgiven
of all sins, and given eternal life (Rom. 3:24-26, 5:9-10, 8:31-34;
Eph. 1:7, 4:32; Col. 1:14).
We believe that the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the
dead was literal and physical, in the sense that He rose permanently
from the dead in the same physical body in which He died and that
His resurrected, glorified body is by nature both material and visible,
though also spiritual (Mt. 28:9; Lk. 24:39; Jn. 2:19-22; 20:17,
20:27, 21:13; Acts 1:3, 2:22-32; 1 Cor. 15:44-46). By Christ's resurrection,
God the Father confirmed the deity of His Son (Rom. 1:4) and gave
proof that He accepted the propitiatory work of Christ on the cross
(Rom. 4:25). The miraculous resurrection of Christ from the dead
guarantees the salvation (Rom. 4:25, 5:10, 8:34; 1 Pt. 1:3-5) and
future bodily resurrection of all believers in Him (Jn. 5:21, 24-29;
14:19; Rom. 8:9-11; 1 Cor. 15:20-23). We believe that the Lord Jesus
Christ ascended to heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of
God where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative,
Intercessor, and Advocate (Acts 1:9-10; Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25, 9:24;
1 Jn. 2:1-2).
We believe that Jesus Christ will return to receive the true church,
which is His body, unto Himself at the Pre-Tribulational Rapture,
and He will return to the earth with His church in glory following
the Tribulation, whereupon He will establish His millennial kingdom
on earth (Acts 1:9-11; 1 Th. 4:13-18; Rev. 19-20). As the Mediator
between God and man (1 Tim. 2:5), the Head of His corporate body,
the Church (Eph. 1:22; 5:23; Col. 1:18), and the coming universal
King Who will reign on the throne of David (Is. 9:6; Lk. 1:31-33),
He is the final judge of all who fail to place their trust in Him
as personal Savior (Mt. 25:14-46; Jn. 5:22; Acts 17:30-31).
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GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe that the Holy Spirit is fully God (Is. 6:9-10 cf. Acts
28:25-27; Acts 5:1-4) and that He is a person (Acts 8:29, 10:19-20,
13:2; 1 Cor. 2:10-11, 12:11; Eph. 4:30), being the Third Person
of the Trinity, not merely an impersonal force. In the relationship
of the members within the Triune Godhead, the Holy Spirit proceeds
from both the Father (Ps. 104:30; Jn. 14:16, 26, 15:26) and the
Son (Jn. 16:7; Rom. 8:9; Gal. 4:6; Phil. 1:19; 1 Pt. 1:11), being
functionally subordinate to, and executing the will of, the First
and Second Persons of the Trinity.
Though omnipresent from all eternity, He took up His abode in the
world in a unique sense on the day of Pentecost according to the
divine promise (Mt. 3:11; Lk. 3:16; Jn. 14:16-17, 16:7; Acts 1:4-5,
2:1-4, 11:15-18; Gal. 3:14), and now indwells every believer in
Christ (Jn. 7:37-39, 14:17; Acts 10:43-47, 11:17, 19:2; Rom. 8:9;
1 Cor. 6:19; Eph. 2:22) in this Church Age. By His baptism, the
Holy Spirit unites all believers to Christ in one body (1 Cor. 12:12-13;
Gal. 3:26-28), and He, as the Indwelling One, is the source of all
power and all acceptable worship and service (Jn. 4:24; Rom. 8:13,
15:13, 16; 2 Tim. 1:14; 1 Pt. 1:22). We believe that He never takes
His departure from the Church, nor from the feeblest of saints (Jn.
14:16; 1 Cor. 3:1-4 cf. 6:19; Gal. 3:2-3; Eph. 1:13-14 cf. 4:30)
but is ever present to testify of Christ, seeking to occupy believers
with Him and not with themselves nor with their own experiences
(Jn. 15:26, 16:13-15; 1 Pt. 1:11-12). We believe that His abode
in the world in this special way will cease when Christ comes to
receive His own at the completion of the Church (2 Th. 2:6-7 cf.
Gen. 6:3).
We believe that, in this age, certain well-defined ministries
are committed to the Holy Spirit, and that it is the duty of every
Christian to understand them and to be adjusted to them in his own
life and experience. These ministries are: the restraining of evil
in the world to the measure of the divine will (2 Th. 2:3-12); the
convicting of the world regarding sin, righteousness, and judgment
(Jn. 16:7-11); the regenerating of all believers at the moment of
faith in Christ (Jn. 3:6; Ti. 3:5); the indwelling and anointing
of all who are saved, thereby sealing them unto the day of redemption
(2 Cor. 1:21-22; Eph. 1:13, 4:30; 1 Jn. 2:20-27); the baptizing
into the one body of Christ of all who are saved (Mt. 3:11; Lk.
3:16; Acts 1:5, 11:16; 1 Cor. 12:12-13); and the continued enablement
via the filling of the Holy Spirit for growth, teaching, and service
of all those among the saved who are yielded to and dependent on
Jesus Christ and who are subject to His will (Rom. 6:11-13, 8:4,
13; 1 Cor. 2:12-13; Gal. 5:16, 25; Eph. 5:18).
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ANGELS
We believe that angels are created spirit-beings (Col. 1:16) and
are therefore not to be worshiped (Mt. 4:8-11; Col. 2:18; Rev. 19:10,
22:9-10). Although they are a higher order of creation than man
(Heb. 2:6-7), they were created to serve God and to worship Him
(Lk. 2:9-14; Heb. 1:6-7, 14; Rev. 5:11-14). We believe that there
are now strictly two fixed categories of angels, those that are
holy and elect (Mk. 8:38; Lk. 9:36; 1 Tim. 5:21; Rev. 14:10) and
those who have followed Satan in rebellion against God and are therefore
his demons (Mt. 25:41; Rev. 12:3-4, 7-9). We believe that Satan
is also a created angel (Ezek. 28:13-15), and he is the author of
sin in the universe and the cause of the fall in both the angelic
realm (Is. 14:12-17; Ezek. 28:12-19; Rev. 12:4) and in the human
realm starting with the temptation of Eve (Gen. 3:1-5, 14-15; Jn.
8:44; 1 Jn. 3:8). Satan and his demons are therefore the open and
declared enemies of God and mankind (Gen. 3:1, 4-5; 1 Chr. 21:1;
Job 1:6-2:8; Zech. 3:1-2; Eph. 6:11-12, 16; Rev. 12:1-17), and no
redemption has been or will be provided for them (Heb. 2:9, 16;
1 Pt. 1:10-12). We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has already
overcome Satan and his demons and that they have incurred the judgment
of God (Gen. 3:15; Jn. 12:31, 16:11; Eph. 1:19-22; Col. 2:15; Heb.
2:14-15). Though Satan and many of his demons have been permitted
by God to continue functioning in this present world (1 Th. 2:18;
2 Th. 2:9; Jam. 4:7; 1 Pt. 5:8-9; Rev. 2:13, 13:2), they await their
certain, future, eternal punishment in the Lake of Fire (Mt. 25:41;
Rom. 16:20; Rev. 19:20, 20:10). We also maintain that the believer
in Christ is removed from Satan’s authority and dominion (Acts
26:18; Eph. 2:1-6; Col. 1:13), and that while a true believer may
be an object of severe demonic oppression and attack (1 Cor. 7:5;
2 Cor. 2:11, 12:7), he cannot be possessed or indwelt in body, soul,
or spirit by a demon (Mt. 12:29, 43-45; 1 Cor. 6:19-20; Eph. 1:13,
4:30; 1 Jn. 4:4, 13).
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THE TOTAL DEPRAVITY OF MAN
We believe that man was originally, directly, and uniquely created
in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27, 5:1); but through Adam's fall
into sin, the entire human race has become totally depraved before
God. Though we believe that every member of the human race is born
totally depraved, we also recognize that man has retained the image
of God subsequent to the fall, and therefore he has retained his
unique and inherent dignity before God (Gen. 9:6; 1 Cor. 11:7; Jam.
3:9). God originally created man with the intention that he should
glorify God, enjoy God’s fellowship, live life in the will
of God, and by this accomplish God’s purposes in this world
(Is. 43:7; Col. 1:16; Rev. 4:11). However, we believe that as a
consequence of his sin, Adam first died spiritually toward God in
the sense that he became relationally separated from God in trespasses
and sins (Gen. 2:17, 3:6-10; Rom. 5:12), and he became subject to
sin (Rom. 6:14-20) and the power of the Devil (Eph. 2:2; Heb. 2:14-15;
1 Jn. 3:8), and later he also died physically (Gen. 5:1-5; 1 Tim.
5:6). We believe that Adam's spiritual death and total depravity
of human nature has been transmitted to the entire human race (1
Cor. 15:21-22; Eph. 2:1-3), the Man Christ Jesus alone being excepted.
We believe that by nature no man possesses even a spark of divine
life, and therefore every member of the human race is in need of
a second birth or regeneration from God (Jn. 3:3-7, 6:53; Eph. 4:18).
We believe that the depravity of man is total because: depravity
is universal among mankind (Gen. 6:5, 11-12; Ps. 14:1-3; Eccl. 7:20;
Is. 53:6; Rom. 3:9-19); depravity extends to man's very nature (Eph.
2:3, 4:17-19); man is depraved from the very moment of conception
(Gen. 8:21; Ps. 51:5, 58:3; Is. 48:8); man is essentially and unchangeably
bad apart from divine grace (Jer. 17:9; Mk. 7:20-23; Rom. 7:18);
all descendants of Adam are sinners by imputation (Rom. 5:12-19),
inherited nature (Rom. 7:17-18, 20-21), and individual choice (Rom.
3:23); all are guilty before God and the objects of His wrath (Jn.
3:36; Rom. 3:19; Gal. 3:22; Eph. 2:3, 5:6); and finally, man is
totally depraved because he is completely incapable of regenerating
himself (Jn. 1:13; Eph. 2:4-5; Col. 2:13; Jam. 1:18) or doing any
work which can merit salvation from God (Is. 64:6; Rom. 8:6-7; Eph.
2:8-9; Ti. 3:5-7).
We furthermore believe that unless God graciously works by taking
the pre-salvation initiative in convicting, enlightening, and drawing
man to Himself, no man could even believe in Christ and be saved
(Gen. 3:8-9, 6:3; Mt. 16:17; Lk. 10:21-22; Jn. 1:9, 3:27, 6:44,
65, 12:32, 16:8-11; Acts 16:14, 18:27). However, we do not believe
that man, by virtue of being in an unregenerate state, is incapable
of responding to God's gracious drawing by faith with his own volition
and will (Acts 10:1-11:18); nor do we believe that such a faith-response
is deemed meritorious by God since it relies solely upon the work
and merits of Christ (Rom. 3:27-28, 4:5, 16); nor do we believe
that such faith is the direct gift of God given only to the elect,
but rather salvation is the gift (Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:8); nor do we
believe that regeneration precedes faith either logically or chronologically
(Jn. 3:15-16, 20:31; Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:2, 11; Eph. 1:13; 1 Tim.
1:16).
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ELECTION
We believe that all the regenerate were elected individually
to salvation (Acts 13:48; Rom. 8:28-33; 1 Th. 1:3-5; 2 Th. 2:13-14;
2 Tim. 2:10) in eternity past (2 Tim. 1:9; Rev. 13:8, 17:8). We
believe that regenerated members of this Church Age were also elected
corporately in eternity past to a position in the Chosen One Himself,
Jesus Christ (Is. 42:1; Eph. 1:4; 1 Pt. 2:4, 6, 9). Election was
truly based on God's own sovereign and gracious will (Eph. 1:5-6,
11; 2 Tim. 1:9), since God in His justice was not obligated to grant
eternal salvation even to lost sinners who place their trust in
Him - and yet He freely chose to do so. Though God would have been
perfectly just in allowing sinful mankind to perish eternally (Dt.
32:4; Ps. 97:2; Rom. 1:18-20, 2:1-5, 5:16, 18), He is also a God
of great love and mercy, and therefore He established a plan for
lost humanity whereby He freely chose to save all those whom He
foreknew would choose, out of their own volition, to trust in His
Son for eternal salvation. We affirm, therefore, that God's sovereignty
was not diminished in the least by man's will or choice to believe,
since the prerogative and decision to elect believers was strictly
God's and was not determined or caused by man. We believe this doctrine
of conditional election is Scriptural because:
- In the only two passages in all of Scripture where the divine
order is mentioned, God's foreknowledge (which is not causative)
is said to have preceded His election and predestination of believers
(Rom. 8:29; 1 Pt. 1:2); and just as God had prior knowledge of
man's sin-problem and determined to send His Son accordingly (Acts
2:23, 3:13-18, 4:27-28; 1 Pt. 1:18-20; Rev. 13:8), so God in His
omniscience must have foreknown those who would believe and elected
them accordingly.
- In Scripture, God consistently offers salvation to all based
upon the condition of faith, without ever distinguishing that
the offer is only for the elect (Is. 45:22, 52:10-53:1, 55:1;
Mt. 11:28; Jn. 1:12, 3:16, 4:10; Acts 10:43, 11:17-18, 17:30-31;
Ti. 2:11; Rev. 21:6).
- In Scripture, God consistently treats the unregenerate as though
they are volitionally capable of choosing His will, without first
having to be regenerated by God and given the gift of faith as
those whom He has unconditionally elected (Dt. 30:19-20; Josh.
24:15; 1 Kg. 18:21; Is. 1:18-20; Jn. 7:17; Rev. 22:17).
- In Scripture, God consistently holds man exclusively responsible
for his eternal condemnation due to his willful unbelief and rejection
of Christ and not due to any supposed unwillingness on the part
of God to save the non-elect (Mt. 7:13-14, 23:37; Lk. 13:34; Jn.
1:10-12, 3:18-21, 5:40; Acts 7:51, 13:46-48, 17:11-12, 28:17-27;
Rom. 1:18-20; 2 Th. 1:8-10, 2:10-14).
- It is inconsistent with the just and loving character of God
revealed in Scripture (Dt. 32:4; Jer. 9:24; Lam. 3:22; Ezek. 18:23,
32, 33:11; Jn. 3:16-17), in addition to His expressly revealed
desire to save all mankind (1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Pt. 3:9), for God to
have unconditionally chosen to salvation only the minority of
mankind while choosing not to unconditionally elect the rest of
humanity.
We therefore reject, as unscriptural, the Calvinist doctrine of
unconditional election, believing rather that God's election to
individual salvation was conditioned upon personal faith for all
those who would be mentally capable of such a volitional choice.
However, in contrast to conditional, individual election to salvation,
we do believe that God unconditionally elected the nation of Israel,
the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to be His
uniquely blessed representatives above all the other nations of
the world (Gen. 12:1-3, 17:19, 25:19-26, 28:10-15; Dt. 7:6-8, 14:2;
Ps. 135:4; Is. 41:8-9, 43:10, 44:1-2; Mal. 1:1-4; Rom. 9:1-13, 10:19-11:36).
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SALVATION FROM SIN’S
PENALTY
We believe that salvation is wholly of God (Jon. 2:9), by His grace
alone (Eph. 2:8), on the basis of the redeeming work of Jesus Christ
and the merit of His shed blood (Rom. 3:24-25; Eph. 1:7; 1 Pt. 1:18-19),
and not on the basis of human merit or works (Eph. 2:8-10; Ti. 3:5).
We believe that when an unregenerate person exercises personal faith
in Christ alone he passes immediately out of spiritual death and
into spiritual life (Jn. 5:24; 1 Jn. 5:11-13), and from the old
creation into the new (2 Cor. 5:17). We believe that justification
before God is the instantaneous, permanent, judicial declaration
by God Himself that we are righteous in His sight because we have
His very own righteousness imputed to us (Rom. 4:2, 6, 11, 22-24,
8:33; 1 Cor. 1:30; 2 Cor. 5:21). This justification is by God’s
grace alone (Rom. 3:24; Ti. 3:7), through faith alone in Christ
alone (Rom. 1:16, 3:28, 4:4-5, 5:1; 2 Tim. 3:15), and for the glory
of God alone (Rom. 3:26-27; Gal. 6:14; Eph. 1:14, 2:5-9). Each believer
in Christ is now justified from all things before God (Acts 13:39),
accepted as Christ His Son is accepted, loved as Christ is loved,
having his place and portion as linked to Him and united with Him
forever (Jn. 17:23; Eph. 1:6, 5:29-30; Col. 3:1-4; 1 Jn. 4:17).
Though the one who has been saved may grow in the realization of
his blessings and come to know a fuller measure of divine power
through the study of God’s Word and yielding his life more
fully to God, he is in no way required by God to seek a so-called
"second blessing," or a "second work of grace,"
since he is positionally complete in Christ (Eph. 1:3; Col. 2:10;
2 Pt. 1:3-4).
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SOLE CONDITION FOR SALVATION
We believe the only correct response to the Gospel of grace which
saves a soul from Hell is faith alone in Christ alone, whereby the
lost sinner believes that Jesus Christ died for all his sins, was
buried, and rose again from the dead (Jn. 1:12; 3:15-18, 5:24, 6:32-40,
8:24; Acts 16:30-31; 1 Cor. 15:1-4, 17). We believe such faith is
properly understood to be trust or reliance upon Jesus Christ and
His work alone as the only basis of one's acceptance before God,
and that no works may be added to, or even considered to be part
of, genuine faith (Rom. 3:27-28, 4:4-5; Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8-9; Ti.
3:5). We do not believe good works in the Christian's life are the
necessary result of genuine, initial faith in Christ for eternal
salvation; rather they are the necessary result of a genuine walk
of faith in the Christian's life (2 Cor. 5:7-10; Col. 2:6; Jam.
2:14-26). We believe that repentance is necessary for salvation
(Lk. 5:30-32, 24:47; Acts 3:14-19, 17:30; 2 Pt. 3:9), but only as
it is properly understood to be that vital change of mind inherent
to faith in Christ (Mt. 4:17 cf. Mk. 1:14-15; Acts 10:43-48 cf.
11:17-18, 19:4, 20:21). We furthermore reject as unscriptural the
teachings of Lordship Salvation, believing them to be inconsistent
with the sole condition for salvation and the nature of God's saving
grace based solely on the work of Christ. We similarly reject the
many contemporary phrases that are often given as necessary responses
or conditions to be saved, such as: make a commitment to Christ,
give your life to Christ, believe and be baptized, believe and keep
the Ten Commandments, submit to Christ’s lordship in your
life, repent of or confess your sins, pray the sinner’s prayer,
come forward, ask Jesus into your heart, etc.
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ASSURANCE OF SALVATION
We believe it is the privilege, not only of some, but of all who
are truly born again, through faith in Christ alone, to be absolutely
assured of their salvation from the very day they trust Him to be
their Savior (Lk. 10:20, 19:9, 23:43; Phil. 4:3; 1 Jn. 3:1-2). The
proper basis for this assurance is not the saint's perseverance
in faith or holiness, nor any estimation of one's own worthiness
of salvation; but assurance of salvation is properly based solely
upon the testimony of God in His written Word (Jn. 5:24; 1 Jn. 5:9-13)
and the finished work of Christ on the believer's behalf (Jn. 19:30;
Heb. 10:10-14). We believe such assurance, far from creating self-righteous
pride, should induce within the child of God a greater humility,
gratitude, love for the Lord, and obedience to Him (Jn. 6:66-68;
2 Cor. 5:6-9, 14-15; Heb. 10:22-25). We believe that good works,
which should follow regeneration (Eph. 2:10; Ti. 3:8), are not necessary
for the child of God to have absolute assurance of eternal life,
though they may have secondary, corroborating value. We believe
that salvation itself can never be lost since it resides in the
safekeeping of God alone, but we also believe that the personal
assurance of salvation can be diminished or lost through doubt and
unbelief (Lk. 8:13; Heb. 3:7-4:11, 5:11-6:12), through the hardening
effects of sin (Lk. 8:14, 15:21; 1 Tim. 6:9-12), and through the
deceitfulness of false teaching and apostasy (Gal. 1:6-9, 5:1-4;
1 Tim. 1:19, 6:20-21; 2 Tim. 2:18).
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ETERNAL SECURITY OF THE
BELIEVER
We believe that all who have placed their faith solely in the Lord
Jesus Christ for their eternal salvation, and are thereby truly
saved, shall be kept saved forever by God Himself, because: it is
God's eternal purpose to bring each child whom He loves to eternal
glory, fully conformed to the image of His Son (Rom. 5:8-10, 8:28-39;
Jude 1:24); the redeemed are the Father's gift to the Son and consequently
Christ's sole possession and property to do with as only He determines
(Jn. 6:37, 39, 10:29-30, 17:6, 9-12; 1 Cor. 6:19-20); salvation
by its very nature is only and always by God's grace to undeserving
sinners on the basis of Christ's propitiatory work, and therefore
it cannot be lost due to demerit or unfaithfulness (Eph. 2:8-9;
Ti. 3:7; Heb. 10:10-14); God's gift of new life is eternal and unending
by its very nature (Jn. 5:24, 10:28; Phm. 1:15-16); Christ's present,
heavenly intercession and advocacy for His own is perfect and unceasing
(Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25, 9:24; 1 Jn. 2:1-2); the regenerating Holy
Spirit is perpetually present within every child of God (Jn. 14:16-17;
Rom. 8:9; Eph. 1:13-14, 4:30). We furthermore believe that this
eternal security rests strictly upon the persevering faithfulness
and power of the Savior rather than the perseverance of the saints
in faith or holiness (Jn. 6:39-40, 10:28-29; Rom. 5:9-10; 1 Th.
5:23-24; 2 Tim. 1:12, 4:18; 1 Pt. 1:3-5). However, we do not believe
that eternal security gives the child of God a license to sin, since
God, who is a holy and righteous Father, cannot overlook the sin
of His children but will chasten and correct them in infinite love
when they persistently sin (Prov. 3:12; 1 Cor. 11:30-32; Heb. 12:5-8;
Rev. 3:19). Though we do not believe that salvation can ever be
lost, we also acknowledge that as a consequence of carnality and
unfaithfulness to God, the child of God may lose: potential future
reward from God (Mt. 16:24-27; 1 Cor. 3:10-15; 2 Jn. 8); fellowship
and intimacy with God in this earthly life (1 Cor. 15:34; 1 Jn.
1:3-9, 2:3-6); the joy of salvation along with the fruit of the
Spirit (Ps. 51:12; Gal. 5:22-23); his or her testimony and ministry
to others (1 Cor. 9:27; Phil. 2:12-16); even the privilege of continuing
in earthly life itself (Acts 5:1-11; 1 Cor. 11:28-32).
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CHRISTIAN LIVING
We believe that the authentic Christian life is designed to be a
daily (Heb. 3:13, 15), personal (Rom. 7:4), vertical (Jam. 4:8)
fellowship with God (1 Jn. 1:3) based on the believer’s identification
with Jesus Christ (Rom. 6:1-13; Gal. 2:20; Col. 3:1-4), motivated
primarily by His love (2 Cor. 5:14; 1 Jn. 4:19), and provided totally
by His grace (1 Cor. 15:10; 2 Cor. 9:8, 12:9) and power (Phil. 2:13;
4:13; Heb. 13:20-21), which is enjoyed through repeated responses
of faith (2 Cor. 5:7; Gal. 2:20; Col. 2:6) as one diligently seeks
the Lord (Heb. 11:6), resulting in spiritual growth (2 Pt. 3:18)
in Christ-likeness (Rom. 8:29; 2 Cor. 3:18), faithful obedience
to God's will (Acts 22:10; 1 Pt. 1:14), and fruitful service (Jn.
15:1-7) to others in love (Gal. 5:6, 22), all to the glory of God
(1 Cor. 10:31).
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THE TWO NATURES OF THE BELIEVER
We believe that every human being possesses an indwelling sin nature
from the very moment of conception (Ps. 51:5; Eph. 2:3), but that
the child of God possesses two natures, an indwelling sin nature
and a new divine nature received at the moment of regeneration or
new birth (Jn. 3:6; Rom. 7:22; 2 Pt. 1:4; 1 Jn. 3:9b). We therefore
reject as unscriptural all claims that the indwelling sin nature
has been eradicated at any point throughout the earthly life of
the child of God or that believers in Christ currently possess only
one nature, the new divine nature (Rom. 7:15-25, 13:14; Gal. 5:17;
Jam. 4:1; 1 Jn. 1:8). We believe that God has made provision for
the victory of the new divine nature over the old sin nature (also
called "the flesh") through the believer's identification
with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection (Rom. 6:1-13;
2 Cor. 5:14-17; Gal. 2:20, 5:24; Col. 2:10-13, 3:1-4; 2 Tim. 2:11;
1 Pt. 2:24) and through the power of the indwelling Savior (Jn.
14:20, 15:4-5; 2 Cor. 4:10-11, 13:3, 5; Gal. 2:20; Eph. 3:17; Col.
1:27-29) and Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:2-4, 12-13, 15:13; 1Cor. 2:15-3:4;
2 Cor. 3:5-6, 17-18; Gal. 5:16-25; Eph. 3:16, 5:18).
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SANCTIFICATION
We believe that sanctification, which is a setting-apart unto God,
is threefold for the believer in Christ. At the very moment of regeneration
and justification, every believer has a complete, permanent, positional
sanctification, because his position toward God is the same as Christ's
position, and he is set apart unto God in the measure in which Christ
is set apart unto God (Acts 20:32, 26:18; 1 Cor. 1:30; 2 Th. 2:13;
Heb. 10:10, 14, 29; 1 Pt. 1:2). As a result of this positional sanctification,
every believer in Christ, whether persistently carnal or spiritual,
is constituted a saint before God (Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:2; 2 Cor.
1:1; Eph. 1:1; Phil. 1:1). Secondly, there is a practical sanctification
wherein the saint is to "grow in grace" and "be changed"
by the unhindered power of the Holy Spirit throughout his earthly
life (Jn. 17:17; 2 Cor. 3:18, 7:1; 1 Th. 4:3-7; 2 Tim. 2:21). Therefore,
while the position or heavenly standing of the believer is perfect,
his present condition or earthly state is no more perfect than his
experience in daily life (1 Cor. 1:2, 3:1-4, 6:11). We believe,
thirdly, that every child of God will yet have a perfect sanctification,
when he shall be perfectly and permanently set-apart to the Lord
in his condition, even as he is now set-apart in his position in
Christ; and this will occur only when he meets the Lord either at
death or the Rapture (1 Th. 5:23-24; 1 Jn. 3:1-3).
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SEPARATION
We believe that the practice of separation is our human responsibility
in light of God's holy character (1 Th. 4:7-8; 1 Pt. 1:15-16) and
our positional sanctification in Christ (Jn. 17:14, 16, 21-23; 1
Cor. 1:2, 6:11, 19-20). Biblical separation is always directionally
unto God and away from all that opposes Him (Rom. 6:11; Heb. 13:12-13),
and it automatically accompanies our growth in grace (Rom. 12:2;
Eph. 4:13-15). We believe that all the saved should live in such
a manner as to demonstrate our adoring love to God and so as not
to bring reproach upon our Lord and Savior, being motivated by deep
gratitude for the undeserved grace of God and because our glorious
God is so worthy of our total consecration (Ps. 97:10; 2 Cor. 5:14-15;
Eph. 4:1-3; Ti. 2:11-14; 1 Cor. 10:31). God encourages such separation
by promising His special felicity to the faithful (2 Cor. 6:16-7:1;
2 Tim. 2:21). We believe that the saved are commanded by God to
separate from worldly, sinful practices and associations (Rom. 12:1-2;
13:14; 1 Cor. 6:14-18; Eph. 5:11; 2 Tim. 2:22; 1 Pt. 4:3-4; 1 Jn.
2:15-17) and also to separate from religious apostasy, false teaching,
and false teachers (Rom. 16:17; 2 Cor. 6:14-7:1; Gal. 4:30-31; 2
Tim. 2:16-21, 3:1-5; 2 Jn. 9-11; Rev. 18:4). These Scriptural commands
to separate pertain even in regards to fellow brethren who are genuinely
saved but disobedient to the Lord in doctrine or practice (1 Kg.
13; Mt. 18:17; 1 Cor. 5:7-13; 2 Th. 3:6, 14-15; 1 Tim. 1:18-19;
2 Tim. 2:17-20). We further believe that this separation is necessary
in light of the Scriptural revelation that apostasy and worldliness
will increase within professing Christendom until the Lord returns
(Mt. 13:24-33; 2 Tim. 3:1-5, 13, 4:1-4; 2 Pt. 2:1-3; 1 Jn. 2:18,
4:1-3; Jude 4, 16-18). In seeking to maintain a Biblical balance
between ministry and ecclesiastical separation, we also believe
that God requires us to:
- actively, but lovingly, oppose error by reproving it, rather
than ignoring, tolerating, excusing, defending, or condoning it
(Acts 13:8-10, 15:1-2; 1 Cor. 13:6; Gal. 2:11-14; Eph. 4:14-15,
5:11-13; 2 Tim. 2:24-26, 4:2-4; Ti. 1:9-11, 3:10; Jude 3; Rev.
2:2-4).
- mark and avoid false teachers who would seek to infiltrate or
influence our local assembly (Acts 20:28-32; Rom. 16:17-18; 1
Tim. 6:20-21).
- refuse approving of, ministering in cooperation with, or financially
supporting churches or ministries that reject or distort the truths
of God's Word (Gal. 2:4-5; 2 Jn. 7-11).
- minister to (by way of sound teaching and materials) the doctrinally
confused or those in error who are receptive to the truth and
where there is reason to believe that an individual, congregation,
or ministry may be helped to become more biblical in belief and
practice, provided that our doctrinal position and liberty to
proclaim the whole counsel of God are not restricted or compromised
in any way (Acts 18:24-27, 19:1, 8-10 cf. 20:18-21, 26-27; Eph.
4:11-15).
- resist a prolonged personal ministry to individuals or groups
if there is evidence that they intend to retain their false doctrine,
compromised spiritual state, or their relations with apostate
organizations (2 Tim. 2:15-21; Ti. 3:9-11).
- support, encourage, and fellowship with other individuals, churches,
or ministries who are of like-precious faith regarding the truths
of God's Word, while maintaining the independence and autonomy
of local churches (Gal. 1:22-24, 2:9; 3 Jn. 5-8).
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CHRISTIAN LIBERTIES
We believe there are many areas in the Christian life that are neither
commanded nor condemned by God in Scripture; and therefore such
areas are a matter of personal liberty, conscience, and conviction
(Rom. 14:5-8, 22-23) in which believers are to exercise godly wisdom
(Rom. 16:19; Eph. 5:17; Phil. 1:9; Col. 1:9; Jam. 3:17). We believe
such liberties would include, but are not limited to: diet; exercise;
clothing styles; wearing make-up; hair styles; family planning;
women working outside the home; viewing television; attending movies
or theater; drinking alcohol; using tobacco products; use of varying
Bible translations; politics; sports; music; dancing; the choice
of public, private, or home-schooling; and observing holidays unto
the Lord, such as Christmas and Easter. We do not believe that doctrinal
compromise (Rom. 16:17-18; Gal. 5:1) or things defined to be sin
in the Word of God (Rom. 13:13-14; Eph. 5:18) or illegal activities
(Rom. 13:1; 1 Pt. 4:15) are matters of Christian liberty. We also
believe that though there are areas of definite liberty in the Christian
life, believers can still commit sin (Rom. 14:23; 1 Cor. 8:12) within
such areas by: using their liberties selfishly without love for
others and a concern for their edification; or by using their liberties
simply to indulge the flesh; or by creating a stumbling block in
another person's conscience; or by being controlled by an area of
liberty rather than by the Holy Spirit; or by engaging in a liberty
without being fully persuaded in one's own mind before God; or by
wrongly passing judgment upon others in legitimate areas of liberty
(Rom. 14:1-23; 1 Cor. 6:12 cf. Eph. 5:18; 1 Cor. 8:7-13, 10:23-33;
Gal. 5:13-15; 1 Tim. 2:9-10; 1 Pt. 2:16).
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THE FAMILY
We believe that God created and blessed the family as the foundation
of society (Gen. 1-2). God created the institution of marriage whereby
only one man and one woman are to be united in a lifetime commitment
exclusively to each other (Gen. 2:23-24; Mt. 19:3-9). Consequently
marriage uniquely provides for intimate companionship (Gen. 2:18-20),
pure sexual expression (Gen. 2:25; Prov. 5:15-19; 1 Cor. 7:1-5),
procreation (Gen. 1:28), and a reflection of the relationship between
Christ and the Church (Eph. 5:29-33). Husbands are commanded to
love and provide for their wives as Christ loved the Church, while
wives are commanded to respect and submit to their own husbands
as the Church submits to Christ (Eph. 5:22-28). Children are a gift
from God and fully human from conception (Ps. 127:3; 139:13-16).
Parents are to train their children by modeling a godly life, teaching
them the Scriptures, disciplining them in love, and providing them
a resource of wisdom and counsel (Dt. 6:4-7; Prov. 1:8-9; 13:24;
22:6; 24:3-4; 2 Tim. 3:15). Parents are to care for the needs of
their children (2 Cor. 12:14; Eph. 6:4; 1 Tim. 5:8), while children
are to obey their parents with respect and honor, caring for them
in the time of their dependency and old age (Ex. 20:12; Lev. 19:32;
Prov. 23:22; Eph. 6:1-3; Col. 3:20; 1 Tim. 5:4).
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THE GOVERNMENT
We believe that the institution of human government has been ordained
by God, and that believers are to be in subjection to all governmental
authority and laws for the Lord's sake (Rom. 13:1-7; 1 Pt. 2:13-15).
Believers are obligated to show respect toward all governmental
authorities (Dan. 1:8-16; Ti. 3:1-2; 1 Pt. 2:17), pray for them
(1 Tim. 2:1-6), and pay their taxes, even when disagreeing with
how a portion of those taxes are spent (Mt. 22:15-22; Rom. 13:6-7).
We believe the degree of political involvement by believers in a
lawful manner is strictly a matter of Christian liberty, since we
are neither commanded by God in Scripture to become politically
involved (activism), nor are we prohibited from doing so (pacifism).
We believe that we are to obey God rather than the government only
in such instances when government either commands us to do what
Scripture forbids or forbids us to do what Scripture commands (Dan.
3:1-28, 6:1-24; Acts 4:1-20, 5:27-29).
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THE CHURCH
We believe that all who are saved through faith in Jesus Christ
are immediately baptized by the Holy Spirit into one, united, universal
and spiritual body, the Church (1 Cor. 12:12-13), which is the body
and bride of Christ (2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:23-32; Rev. 19:7-8), of
which Christ is the head (Eph. 1:22, 4:15; Col. 1:18). We believe
that the formation of the Universal Church, the body of Christ,
began on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-21, 38-47) and will be completed
at the coming of Christ for His own at the Rapture (1 Cor. 15:51-52;
1 Th. 4:13-18). We believe that the Church is thus a unique spiritual
organism designed by Christ and made up of all believers worldwide
during this present age (Eph. 2:11-3:6). We believe the Church is
distinct from Israel (1 Cor. 10:32) and that it was a mystery unrevealed
in the Old Testament (Eph. 3:1-6, 5:32; Col. 1:24-27). We believe
that the objectives of local churches include the exaltation of
the Savior, the edification and equipping of the saved, and the
evangelization of the lost (1 Cor. 10:31, 14:5, 12, 26; 2 Cor. 5:14-21;
Eph. 4:12-13).
We believe that the one, supreme authority for the Church is Christ
(1 Cor. 11:3; Eph. 1:22; Col. 1:18) and that church leadership,
gifts, order, discipline, and worship are all appointed through
His sovereignty as found in the Scriptures. The Biblically designated
officers serving under Christ and over the assembly are elders/bishops/pastors
and deacons (Acts 6:3, 14:23, 20:17, 28; Phil. 1:1; 1 Th. 5:12;
1 Tim. 5:17), both of whom must meet Biblical qualifications (1
Tim. 3:1-13; Ti. 1:5-9). We believe that these male leaders (1 Tim.
2:9-12) are to lead as the servants of Christ and have His authority
given to them in directing the local church, so that the congregation
is to submit to their leadership within Scriptural guidelines (Heb.
13:7, 17). We believe in the autonomy of the local church, free
from any external authority or control, with the right of self-government
under Christ's headship (Ti. 1:5). We furthermore believe that it
is Scriptural for doctrinally-sound churches to cooperate with each
other for the propagation of the faith, but that each local church,
through its elders and their interpretation and application of Scripture,
along with congregational feedback, should be the sole judge of
the measure and method of such cooperation. The elders should determine
via prayer, searching the Scriptures, and the guidance of the Holy
Spirit all other matters of administration, policy, discipline,
benevolence, and government (Acts 15:19-31, 20:28; 1 Cor. 5:4-7,
13; 1 Pt. 5:1-4).
We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches
is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures (Acts
14:27, 20:17, 28-32; Eph. 4:11-16; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; Ti. 1:5-11) and
that believers in Christ are directed to associate themselves together
and actively participate in such local assemblies (1 Cor. 11:18-20;
Heb. 10:24-25). We believe that the purpose of the Church is to
glorify God (Eph. 3:21) by building itself up in the faith (Eph.
4:13-16), by instruction from the Word of God (2 Tim. 2:2, 15, 3:16-4:4),
by prayer and fellowship (Acts 2:47; 1 John 1:3), by keeping the
ordinances (Lk. 22:19; Acts 2:38-42, 20:7), and by communicating
the Gospel to the entire world (Mt. 28:19-20; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor. 5:17-21).
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ORDINANCES
We believe that prior to His death the Lord Jesus Christ instituted
only two ordinances to be practiced by the Church as Scriptural
means of testimony for the Church Age, namely the Lord's Supper
(Mt. 26:26-29; Mk. 14:22-25; Lk. 22:19-20) and water baptism (Mt.
28:19-20; Mk. 16:15-16). We believe the Lord's Supper is strictly
a memorial of Christ's death for us (Lk. 22:19; 1 Cor. 11:24) and
that it imparts neither saving nor sanctifying grace. We do not
believe that the elements of the Lord's Supper are themselves the
physical body and blood of Christ (transubstantiation), nor that
they contain the physical body and blood of Christ (consubstantiation),
nor that they contain spiritually the body and blood of Christ (spiritualistic
view). Instead, we believe the elements strictly picture or represent
the physical body and blood of Christ and that He is not specially
present, either physically or spiritually, in, with, or as, the
elements. We maintain this doctrine because Scripture declares the
element which we eat to simply be "bread" (Acts 2:42,
46, 20:7; 1 Cor. 11:26-28) and the element which we drink to simply
be "the fruit of the vine" even after Christ said, "this
is my blood" (Mt. 26:27-29). We also believe that Scripture
nowhere prescribes the regularity for observing the Lord's Supper
(Acts 2:46, 20:7; 1 Cor. 11:26), and consequently each local congregation
has the liberty from the Lord to determine the frequency of its
observance.
Regarding water baptism, we believe it is a public testimony picturing
the fact that the believer's sins have already been spiritually,
judicially, and permanently washed away (Acts 22:16; Col. 2:11-14)
and that he or she has already been spiritually identified with
Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection (Rom. 6:3-4; Col.
2:11-13). We believe this spiritual cleansing and identification
is accomplished strictly by the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:43-48; 1 Cor.
12:12-13; Ti. 3:5-7) at the moment of initial faith and new birth,
prior to water baptism, and not by water baptism itself; and consequently,
we do not believe that water baptism confers either saving or sanctifying
grace. We do not believe that infants should be baptized but only
those who have made a conscious decision to believe in Jesus Christ
for salvation (Acts 2:41, 8:12, 8:36-37, 10:43-48, 16:13-14, 16:30-34,
18:8). We furthermore maintain that the baptism of believers should
be done only once following salvation, and only by immersion (Jn.
3:23; Acts 8:38-39), in order to properly picture the believer's
complete, once-for-all judicial cleansing from sin and identification
with Christ.
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SPIRITUAL GIFTS
We believe that at the moment of regeneration every believer receives
an enabling gift or gifts for service, with all God's gifts being
sovereignly bestowed by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 12:3; 1 Cor. 12:11-13;
Eph. 4:7-11; Heb. 2:4; 1 Pt. 4:10-11). While there is a diversity
of gifts, each believer is empowered by the same Spirit and each
is called to his own divinely appointed service in love as the Spirit
directs for the purpose of fulfilling God’s blueprint for
each believer to function in a local church for the edification
of the body (Rom. 12:4-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-27, 14:3-5, 12, 17, 26). We
believe that the gifts of evangelist, pastor, and teacher are sufficient
for the equipping of the saints today (Eph. 4:11-16), and that all
revelatory gifts, such as apostleship, prophecy, and speaking in
tongues, as well as the working of sign-miracles, gradually ceased
in the first century as the nation of Israel was disciplined and
the New Testament Scriptures were completed and their authority
became established (Mk. 16:20; 1 Cor. 13:8-10, 14:21-22; 2 Cor.
12:12; Eph. 2:20; Heb. 2:3-4; Rev. 22:18-19). We believe that tongues-speaking
was never the common or necessary sign of the baptism or the filling
of the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:8, 31, 13:9-10; 1 Cor. 12:12-13, 30).
We believe that God does heal and answer the prayer of faith for
the sick and afflicted in accord with His own will; but we deny
the present existence of the spiritual gift of healing, which also
ceased with the completion of Scripture (Jn. 15:7; Acts 5:12-16;
Jam. 5:13-15; 1 Jn. 5:14-15). Though we believe that God continues
to work supernaturally among His people according to His will, we
also affirm that the complete deliverance of the body from sickness
or death awaits the consummation of our salvation in the future
resurrection of the body (Rom. 8:18-23; 2 Cor. 4:16, 12:7-10).
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MISSIONS
We believe that it is both the privilege and responsibility of the
saved to witness by life and by word to the truths of Holy Scripture
and to seek to proclaim the Gospel to all mankind (Mt. 28:18-20;
Mk. 16:15-16; Lk. 24:46-47; Jn. 17:18; Acts 1:8; Rom. 1:14-16; 2
Cor. 5:19-20). We believe that unless the lost, no matter where
they may be upon the earth, receive the particular knowledge of
the Gospel of Jesus Christ and believe specifically in Him, they
cannot be saved (Jn. 3:18; Acts 4:12, 17:30-31; Rom. 2:16, 10:14-17).
We believe in prayerfully and financially supporting the spread
of the Gospel (Rom. 15:24, 29-32; Phil. 4:14-19; 2 Th. 3:1-2) and
the establishment of local churches both at home and abroad (Acts
14:23, 15:41, 16:5). We hold that believers who are to be considered
for missionary work must reflect a godly walk and service for the
Lord, be doctrinally sound, be directed by the Holy Spirit, be confirmed
by their local church leadership, and be sent out by their local
church (Acts 13:1-5, 15:40, 16:1-3). We believe that local churches
have the central and primary role in missions and that no parachurch
organization should usurp the authority of the local church leadership,
to which each missionary is accountable. We therefore maintain that
any parachurch organization is secondary and should be of service
to local churches and their mission, not vice-versa (Acts 14:26-28;
1 Tim. 3:15; Heb. 13:7, 17).
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DISPENSATIONS
We believe that the dispensations are stewardships by which God
administers His purpose on the earth through man under varying responsibilities.
We believe that the changes in the dispensational dealings of God
with man depend upon changed conditions or situations in which man
is successively found with relation to God, and that these changes
are the result of the failures of man and the judgments of God.
We believe that different administrative responsibilities of this
character are manifest in the Biblical record, and that they span
the entire history of mankind, and that each ends in the failure
of man under the respective test and in an ensuing judgment from
God. We believe that three of these dispensations or rules of life
are the subject of extended revelation in the Scripture: the dispensation
of the Mosaic Law, the present dispensation of Grace, and the future
dispensation of the Millennial Kingdom. We believe that these are
distinct and are not to be intermingled or confused, as they are
chronologically successive.
We believe that the dispensations are not ways of salvation, nor
different methods of administering the so-called Covenant of Grace.
They are not in themselves dependent on covenant relationships but
are rules of life with responsibility to God which test the submission
of man to God's revealed will during a particular time. We believe
that, if man does trust in his own efforts to gain the favor of
God or salvation under any dispensational test, because of his inherent
sin, his failure to satisfy fully the just requirements of God is
inevitable and his condemnation is sure. We believe that according
to the "eternal purpose" of God (Eph. 3:11), salvation
in every dispensation is always "by grace through faith"
alone and rests upon the basis of the shed blood of Christ. We believe
that God has always been gracious, regardless of the ruling dispensation,
but that believers have not at all times been under an administration
or stewardship of grace as a rule of life, as is true in the present
dispensation (Rom. 6:14; 1 Cor. 9:17-21; Eph. 1:10, 3:2-9; Col.
1:24-27). We believe that it has always been true that "without
faith it is impossible to please" God (Heb. 11:6), and that
the principle of faith was prevalent in the lives of all the Old
Testament saints. However, we believe that it was historically improbable
that they should have had as the conscious object of their faith
the incarnate, crucified Son, the Lamb of God (Jn. 1:29), and that
it is evident they did not comprehend as we do that the sacrifices
depicted the person and work of Christ, nor did they fully understand
the redemptive significance of the prophecies or types concerning
the sufferings of Christ (1 Pt. 1:10-12). However, we do believe
that their faith toward God was manifested in other ways, as is
shown by the long record in Hebrews 11:1-40, and consequently that
their faith was counted unto them for righteousness (Gen. 15:6;
Rom. 4:3-8; Heb. 11:7).
We believe in a consistent, normal, grammatical, historical, and
contextual method of biblical interpretation for rightly-dividing
the Word of truth. As a result, we reject Covenant Theology, along
with Hyper-dispensationalism and Progressive Dispensationalism,
as erroneous theological conclusions. However, we do believe that
the past biblical covenants are to be consistently interpreted with
this proper method of interpretation, many of which were made to
the ethnic descendents of Israel, involving a land, seed, and blessings,
and they are yet to be fulfilled as God has promised when Christ
returns to the earth (Gen. 12:1-7, 13:14-17, 15:1-5, 17-21; Dt.
29:1-30:20; 2 Sam. 7:12-16; Jer. 31:31-34). Therefore, we do not
believe that the Church is "spiritual Israel" in any sense.
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PRETRIBULATIONAL RAPTURE
We believe that the next event in the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy
will be the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in the air to resurrect
and receive to Himself, into heaven, all Church Age believers, whether
they are walking worthily or not, including all believers who are
physically alive at the time of His coming and all who have previously
died since the beginning of the Church on the day of Pentecost (Jn.
14:1-3; 1 Cor. 15:51-52; Phil. 3:20-21; 1 Th. 4:13-18). We call
this event, theologically, the "Rapture," because it will
involve a "catching up" of all Church Age saints to Christ
(1 Th. 4:17). We believe the Rapture of the Church has always remained
an imminent event throughout the entire Church Age, so that believers
should be continually looking for the Lord Jesus as their Blessed
Hope, expecting that He could come for us at any moment (1 Cor.
1:7-8, 15:51-52, 16:22; Phil. 3:20, 4:5; Ti. 2:13; Heb. 9:28, 10:37;
Jam. 5:7-9; 1 Pt. 4:7; 1 Jn. 3:2-3; Rev. 1:1, 3, 22:7, 10, 12, 20).
We furthermore believe that since the unprecedented time of God's
wrath upon the unsaved world will begin with the commencement of
the seven year period of tribulation (Jer. 21:5-9; Ezek. 14:21;
Mt. 24:1-22; Rev. 6:1-17), and because all Church Age believers
have been promised exemption from this time of God's wrath (Jn.
3:36; Rom. 5:9; 1 Th. 1:9-10, 5:9; Rev. 3:10), the Rapture of Christ's
Church must occur prior to the Tribulation. We therefore maintain
that the Scriptures teach only the Pre-Tribulational Rapture of
the Church; and we reject as unscriptural all other Rapture views,
including the Partial Rapture, Mid-Tribulational, Post-Tribulational,
and so-called "Pre-Wrath" (3/4 Tribulation) Rapture views.
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JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST
We believe that all Church Age saints will have their post-justification
life personally evaluated by the Lord Jesus at His heavenly judgment
seat following the Rapture but prior to Christ's return to the earth.
Believers will be judged with respect to the quality of their works,
their motives, and their faithfulness to God’s will and Word,
in order to determine whether they will receive from Christ a reward,
or "crown," for pleasing Him (Lk. 14:14; Rom. 14:10-12;
1 Cor. 3:10-15, 4:1-5; 2 Cor. 5:9-10; 2 Tim. 4:7-8; Heb. 10:35-37,
11:35; Jam. 1:12; 1 Pt. 5:4; 2 Pt. 1:10-11). We do not believe that
eternal salvation will be determined at Christ's judgment seat;
nor do we believe that Christ will judge believers for their sins;
nor will His judgments be in any sense punitive, such as being cast
out of His presence or kingdom. We believe this because Scripture
states: that Christ promised to always be with believers following
the Rapture (Jn. 14:3; 1 Th. 4:17); it is believers' works that
are judged at this time, not their sins (1 Cor. 3:13-15; Rev. 22:12);
Christ was already judged for the sins of every believer with complete
propitiation for sin already accomplished strictly by His death
on Calvary's cross (2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 9:25-26, 28, 10:10, 12, 14,
17-18; 1 Pt. 2:24, 3:18); and every believer already stands fully
justified, forgiven, and accepted in Christ (Jn. 5:24; Rom. 5:1-2,
9-10, 8:1; 1 Cor. 6:11; Eph. 1:6-7; Col. 1:14, 2:10, 13). However,
we do believe Christ's judgment seat may involve shame for some
saints (1 Jn. 2:28) due to their loss of potential reward (1 Cor.
9:24-27; 2 Jn. 8).
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TRIBULATION PERIOD
We believe that the Rapture of the Church will be followed on earth
by the fulfillment of Israel's seventieth "week" (Dan.
9:24-27; Rev. 6:1-19:21), being a period of seven literal years
(Dan. 12:7, 11-12; Rev. 11:2, 13:5), during which the Church, the
body of Christ, will be in heaven (Jn. 14:3; 1 Th. 4:17b-18). This
entire seven year period will be a time of God’s judgment
and wrath upon the whole earth (Rev. 3:10), at the end of which
the times of the Gentiles will be brought to a close (Lk. 21:24).
The latter half of this tribulational period will be the unprecedented
time of Jacob's trouble (Jer. 30:7), which our Lord called the time
of "great" tribulation (Mt. 24:15-21). We believe that
universal righteousness will not be realized prior to the Second
Coming of Christ to the earth, but that the world is day by day
ripening for judgment (1 Pt. 4:7; 2 Pt. 3:10-14) and that the present
age is moving toward the fearful apostasy of the Tribulation period
(Mt. 24:1-24; 2 Th. 2:1-12; Rev. 13, 17).
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CHRIST'S RETURN &
MILLENNIAL KINGDOM
We believe that the period of great tribulation on the earth will
be climaxed by the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth
in judgment and in person on the clouds of heaven with power and
great glory (Mt. 24:26-31; Acts 1:9-11; Rev. 19:11-21) and accompanied
by resurrected Church Age saints (2 Th. 1:7-10; Jude 1:14; Rev.
19:14). We believe that Christ’s second coming to the earth
will: introduce the literal one thousand year kingdom of Christ
upon the earth (Dan. 7:13-14, 27; Zech. 14:9; Lk. 1:31-33; Rev.
20:4-6); bind Satan and place him in the abyss (Rev. 12:12, 20:1-3);
lift the curse which now rests upon the whole creation (Is. 11:1-8,
65:20-25; Rom. 8:19-23); restore Israel to her own land and give
her the realization of God's covenant promises (Dt. 30:1-10; Ezek.
37:21-28; Acts 15:16-17; Rom. 11:25-27); and bring the whole world
to the knowledge of God (Is. 11:9-12).
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DEATH, RESURRECTION,
& THE ETERNAL STATE
We believe that physical death involves no loss of immaterial consciousness
(Rev. 6:9-11); that the souls of the redeemed pass immediately into
the presence of Christ (Lk. 23:43; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23); that
there is a separation of soul and body (Phil. 1:21-24; Jam. 2:26);
and that, for the redeemed of this age, such separation wi1l continue
until the Rapture, when soul and body wi1l be reunited forever to
be glorified with our Lord (1 Cor. 15:35-44, 50-54; Phil. 3:20-21;
Col. 3:4; 1 Th. 4:13-17). Until that time, the souls of the redeemed
in Christ remain in joyful communion with the Lord Jesus (2 Cor.
5:8). We believe in the bodily resurrection of all mankind, with
the justified being resurrected to receive their eternal reward
(Lk. 14:14; Jn. 6:39-40, 11:24-27; Rom. 8:10-11, 19-23; 2 Cor. 4:14-18),
and with the unrighteous being resurrected to judgment and everlasting
punishment (Dan. 12:2; Jn. 5:21-29). We believe that, following
death, the souls of the unsaved are kept under conscious punishment
(Lk. 16:19-26; Heb. 9:27) until they appear at the Great White Throne
Judgment after the Millennial Kingdom (Rev. 20:11-15), when their
souls and resurrection bodies will be united and cast into Hell,
the Lake of Fire, where they shall not be annihilated but suffer
conscious, unceasing, eternal torment, being cut off from the life
of God forever (Dan. 12:2; Mt. 18:8-9, 25:46; Mk. 9:42-48; 2 Th.
1:9; Rev. 14:9-11, 19:20, 20:10, 21:8). In contrast, the righteous
shall enjoy conscious, unceasing, eternal fellowship with their
Redeemer in their resurrected and glorified bodies, worshipping
their sovereign and glorious Lord for all eternity (Rev. 21:4; 21:9-22:5),
all to the praise of His glory and grace (Eph. 1:6, 12, 14, 2:4-7).
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