My Doctrinal Statement

I believe the Bible, the whole Bible and nothing but the Bible to be my infallible rule of faith and practice.  I understand my responsibility to make known the divine message of the Bible, and I present the following articles as a statement of those basic truths taught in the Bible which are common to Christian faith and practice.

The Bible:  the Word of God, the sixty-six Books of the Old and New Testaments, verbally inspired in all parts and wholly without error as originally given of God (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21).

The One True God:  Who spoke all things into existence (Colossians 1:16; Isaiah 44:24), existing eternally as three persons: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Luke 3:22; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14).

The Lord Jesus Christ: His preexistence and diety (John1:1-3), incarnation by the virgin birth (John 1:14;Matthew 1:18-23), sinless life (Hebrews 4:15), substitutionary death (2 Corinthians 5:21), bodily resurrection (Luke 24:36-43), ascension into heaven and present ministry (Hebrews 4:14-16), and coming again (Acts 1:11).

The Holy Spirit: His personality (John 16:7-15), deity (Acts 5:3-4), and His work in each believer; baptism and indwelling at the moment of regeneration (1 Corinthians 12:13; Romans 8:9); and filling (Ephesians 5:18) to empower for Christian life and service (Ephesians 3:16; Acts 1:8; Galatians 5:22-23).

Man: his direct creation in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-28); his subsequent fall into sin resulting in spiritual death for all mankind (Genesis 3:1-24; Romans 5:12): and the necessity of the new birth for his salvation (John 3:3-5).

Salvation: a complete and eternal salvation by God’s grace alone, received as the gift of God through personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work (Ephesians 2:8&9; Titus 3:5-7; 1 Peter 1:18-19).

The Church: one true church, the body and bride of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:25-32), composed of all true believers of the present age (1 Corinthians 12:12-13) and the organization of its members in local churches for worship, for edification of believers and for worldwide gospel witness; each local church being autonomous but cooperating in fellowship and work (Ephesians 4:11-16).

Christian Life: a life of righteousness, good works, and separation unto God from the evil ways of the world (Romans 12:1-2); manifested by speaking the truth (James 5:12); maintaining the sanctity of the home (Ephesians 5:22-6:4); settling differences between Christians in accordance with the Word of God (Matthew 18:15-17; 1 Corinthians 6:1-8); not engaging in carnal strife but showing a Christ-like attitude toward all men (Romans 12:17-21); exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23); maintaining a life of prayer (Ephesians 6:18; Philippians 4:6); and edifying the brethren by use of their spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 14:12).

Ordinances: the Christian should observe the ordinances of our Lord Jesus Christ which are:  (1) baptism of believers by immersion (Matthew 28:19) and (2) the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:23-26).

Satan: his existence and personality as the great adversary of God and His people (Revelation 12:1-10), his judgment (John 12:31) and final doom (Revelation 20:10).

The Second Coming of Christ: the personal, visible, and imminent return of Christ to remove His church from the earth (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17), before the Tribulation Period (1 Thessalonians 1:10; Revelation 3:10), and afterward to descend with the Church to establish His millennial kingdom upon the earth (Revelation 19:11-20:6).

Future Life: the conscious existence of the dead (Philippians 1:21-23; Luke 16:19-21), the resurrection of the body (John 5:28-29), the judgment and reward of believers (Romans 14:10-12; 2 Corinthians 5:10), the judgment and condemnation of unbelievers (Revelation 20:11-15), the eternal life of the saved (John 3:16), and the eternal punishment of the lost (Matthew 25:46; Revelation 20:15).

Note: Historically the core of Bible believing doctrine, instruction, and practice is embodied in the statements above.

……the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14).

…let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…

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