In Him Ministries:

In Him Ministries:
Statement of Beliefs

Introduction

We believe that liberty of thought, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit is essential to Christian beliefs and practices. Therefore we encourage the unhindered study and open discussion of Scripture, and uphold the individual’s freedom of conscience in seeking to understand and obey the will of God.

The German theologian, Rupertus Meldenius is attributed with saying, “In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity.”

Essential doctrines are those central teachings that distinguish Christian from non-Christian beliefs and practices and must be believed in order for someone to be considered a true Christian.

On essentials, Unity:

“There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5) one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6) one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Eph. 4:4-6 ESV)

On non-essentials, Liberty:

“Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand . . . 7) For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8) For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. 9) For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. 10) Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God . . . 22) The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves.” (Rom. 14:4; 14:7-10; 14:22 ESV)

 

List of subjects:

1. The Word of God 2. Creation 3. God (the Trinity) 4. God the Father 5. God the Son
6. God the Holy Spirit 7. Mankind 8. Salvation 9. Satan and the Angels 10. The Church
11. The Christian Life 12. The Ordinance of Baptism 13. The Ordinance of Communion
14. The Law of God 15. Giving and Stewardship 16. Marriage and Sexual Intimacy
17. Sanctity of Human Life 18. Eschatology (Last Things) 19. Clarity of Scripture

 

1. The Word of God:
        We believe that “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God,” by which we understand the whole Bible is inspired in the sense that holy men of God “were moved by the Holy Spirit” to write the very words of Scripture. We believe that this divine inspiration extends equally and fully to all parts of the writings: historical, poetical, doctrinal, and prophetical as they appeared in the original manuscripts. We believe that the whole Bible is infallible and without error in all matters that it covers; including theology, history, science, and any other area of knowledge that it conveys. The Bible is totally trustworthy in everything that it records and teaches. Simply put, the Bible is our final authority.
        We believe that all the Scriptures center about the Lord Jesus Christ in His person and work in 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. We also believe that all the Scriptures were designed for our practical instruction. The Word of God is our ultimate and final authoritative rule for faith and practice.
        We teach that God gave His written Word through a process of dual authorship. The Holy Spirit so superintended the human authors that, through their individual personalities and different styles of writing, they composed and recorded God’s Word to man without error in the whole or in the part.
        (2 Tim. 3:15-17; Mark 12:26, 36; 13:11; Luke 24:27, 44; John 3:16; 5:39; Acts 1:16; 17:2-3; Acts 18:28; 26:22-23; 28:23; Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 2:13; 10:11; Matt. 5:18; 1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Pet. 1:20-21; cf. Heb. 4:12; Matt. 4:4; 24:35; Luke 11:28; Ps. 119:105; John 1:1-3; 1:14; 6:63; 17:17; Eph. 6:17; Col. 3:16; Isa. 40:8; 55:11; Prov. 30:5; 1 Pet. 2:2; James 1:22).

For more information see:  The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy & The Authority and Inerrancy of Scripture.

2. Creation:
        We believe that the Book of Genesis is a true historical record of human history up to the time of the creation of Israel as a nation. We believe that the creation account found in Genesis 1-2 is literal history and not to be taken as myth, allegory, or legend. We believe that God created the universe, and everything in it, out of nothing, by His Word and power.
        We teach the literal, grammatical-historical interpretation of Scripture which affirms the belief that the opening chapters of Genesis present creation in six literal days. We believe that Adam and Eve were the first human beings, divinely created in the image of God. We believe the age of the earth to be young, not millions or billions of years old. We believe in a global flood during Noah’s day (Gen. 6-9). The apparent age of the world is due to the fact that God created the entire universe to be fully formed and functioning for our first parents. We believe that when Romans 5:12 says “sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin,” it is saying that death did not exist prior to Adam’s fall. The Creation was perfect until sin entered into the world. Jesus believed Genesis to be historically reliable because He based his doctrines of the fall of mankind and marriage on a literal understanding of the Book of Genesis. The last enemy to be destroyed will be death (1 Cor. 15:26; Rev. 21:8).
        We believe that the gap theory, progressive creation, day-age, framework hypothesis, theistic evolution, or any other view that tries to fit evolution or millions of years into Genesis are incompatible with what Scripture clearly teaches. No apparent, perceived, or claimed evidence in any field of study, including science, history, and chronology, can be valid if it contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture obtained by the historical-grammatical interpretation. Of primary importance is the fact that evidence is always subject to interpretation by fallible people who do not possess all information (Num. 23:19; 2 Sam. 22:31; Ps. 18:30; Isa. 46:9-10; 55:9; Rom. 3:4; 2 Tim. 3:16).
        In studying the biblical doctrine of creation, it should be understood that the Bible makes no claim to be a scientific textbook. Nor should the Bible, which is intended to communicate to people throughout the ages, be expected to utilize modern scientific terminology. Nevertheless, the Bible declares itself to be trustworthy in whatever it teaches to be true, whether relating to matters of faith, history, or the created order. God is the creator of everything that exists. The scientific aspects of creation are important, but are secondary in importance to the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ as Sovereign, Creator, Redeemer, King, and Judge.
        (Gen. 1:31; 2:21-24; Gen. 3:19-24; 7-9; Exod. 20:8-11; 31:17; Ne. 9:6; Ps. 146:6; Mark 10:6; 1 Cor. 15:26; Rom. 5:14; 1 Tim. 2:13-14; Luke 3:38; Matt. 19:4-5; Acts 14:17; Rev. 4:11; 10:6).

For more information see: Is Genesis True History? & Genesis Is Historically True.

3. God (the Trinity):
        We teach that there is but one living and true God (Deut. 6:4; Isa. 45:5-7; 1 Cor. 8:4), an eternal (Rev. 1:8), infinite (Job 11:7-10), absolute Spirit (John 4:24), without parts (Exod. 3:14; 1 Jn. 1:5; 4:8), perfect in all His attributes, including incomprehensibility (Rom. 11:33), omniscience (1 Jn. 3:20), omnipotence (Gen. 18:14), omnipresence (Ps. 139:7-10), immutability (Mal. 3:6), and aseity (Exod. 3:14; John 5:26).
        We teach that this God is one in essence (having one mind, one will, and one power), eternally existing in three coequal and consubstantial Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14)—each uncreated and distinct, and each equally deserving worship and obedience. Therefore, we teach that the Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding (John 5:26); the Son is eternally begotten of the Father (John 1:14; 1:18; 3:16; 5:26; cf. Ps. 2:7); and the Holy Spirit eternally proceeds from the Father and the Son (John 15:26).
         (The creator, Gen. 1; Acts 17:24; Rom. 1:25 • nearness of, Acts 17:27-28; James 4:8 • goodness of, Matt. 19:17; Acts 14:17; Rom. 2:4; 1 Jn. 4:7-11 • eternal nature of, Ps. 102:24-28; 1 Tim. 1:17; 6:16 • names of, Exod. 3:13-14; 1 Tim. 6:15; Heb. 12:9; James 1:17; 5:4 • power of, Job 9:4-19; Isa. 40:12-31; Matt. 19:26 • mercy of, Exod. 20:6; Num. 14:18; Eph. 2:4 • justice of, Ps. 67:4; Acts 17:31; Rom. 2:2).

For more information see: The Trinity, God’s Known Attributes & The Attributes of God.

4. God the Father:
        We teach 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). He is the Creator of all things (Gen. 1:1-31; Eph. 3:9). He is sovereign in creation, providence, and redemption (Ps. 103:19; Rom. 11:36). His fatherhood involves both His designation within the Trinity and His relationship with mankind. As Creator, He is Father to all men (Eph. 4:6), but He is spiritual Father only to believers (Rom. 8:14; 2 Cor. 6:18).
        He has decreed for His own glory all things that come to pass (Eph. 1:11). He continually upholds, directs, and governs all creatures and events (1 Chron. 29:11). In His sovereignty He is neither author nor approver of sin (Hab. 1:13; John 8:38-47), nor does He abridge the accountability of moral, intelligent creatures (1 Pet. 1:17). He has graciously chosen from eternity past those whom He would save to be His own people (Eph. 1:4-6); He saves from sin all who come to Him through faith in Jesus Christ; He adopts as His own all those who come to Him and thereby becomes Father to them (John 1:12; Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:5; Heb. 12:5-9).

5. God the Son:
        We teach that Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Trinity, is eternal God, coequal, consubstantial, and coeternal with the Father, possessing all the divine perfections (John 1:1; 10:30; 14:9).
        We teach that all creation came into being through the eternal Son (John 1:3; 1 Cor. 8:6; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:2) and is presently sustained by Him (Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3).
        We teach that in the incarnation the eternal Son, the second Person of the Trinity, without altering His divine nature or surrendering any of the divine attributes, made Himself of no reputation by taking on a full human nature consubstantial with our own, yet without sin (Phil. 2:5-8; Heb. 4:15; 7:26).
        We teach that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the virgin Mary (Luke 1:35) and thus born of a woman (Gal. 4:4-5), so that two whole, perfect, and distinct natures, the divine and the human, were joined together in one person, without confusion, change, division, or separation. He is therefore very God and very man, yet one Christ, the only mediator between God and man.
        We teach that in His incarnation, Christ fully possessed His divine nature, attributes, and prerogatives (Col. 2:9; cf. Luke 5:18-26; John 16:30; 20:28). However, in the state of His humiliation, He did not always fully express the glories of His majesty, concealing them behind the veil of His genuine humanity (Matt. 17:2; Mark 13:32; Phil. 2:5-8). According to His human nature, He acts in submission to the Father (John 4:34; 5:19, 30; 6:38) by the power of the Holy Spirit (Isa. 42:1; Matt. 12:28; Luke 4:1, 14), while, according to His divine nature, He acts by His authority and power as the eternal Son (John 1:14; cf. John 2:11; 10:37-38; 14:10-11).
        We teach that our Lord Jesus Christ accomplished the redemption of His people through the shedding of His blood and sacrificial death on the cross. We teach that His death was voluntary, vicarious, substitutionary, propitiatory, and redemptive (Isa. 53:3-6; John 10:15, 18; Rom. 3:24-25; 5:8; 1 Pet. 2:24).
        We teach that on the basis of the efficacy of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ, the believing sinner is freed from the punishment, the penalty, the power, and one day the very presence of sin; and that he is declared righteous, given eternal life, and adopted into the family of God (Rom. 3:25; 5:8-9; 2 Cor. 5:14-15; 1 Pet. 2:24; 3:18).
        We teach that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead and that He is now ascended to the right hand of the Father, where He intercedes as our Advocate and High Priest (Matt. 28:6; Luke 24:38-39; Acts 2:30-31; Rom. 8:34; 1 Cor. 15:12-23; Heb. 7:25; 9:24; 1 Jn. 2:1).
        We teach that in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave, God confirmed the deity of His Son and gave proof that God has accepted the atoning work of Christ on the cross. Jesus’ bodily resurrection is also the guarantee of a future resurrection life for all believers (John 5:26-29; 14:19; Rom. 1:4; 4:25; 6:5-10; 1 Cor. 15:20, 23).
        We teach that Jesus Christ will return to receive the church, which is His Body, unto Himself at the second coming when He returns in power and glory at the end of the age (Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Rev. 20).
        We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ is the One through whom God will judge all mankind (John 5:22-23): believers (1 Cor. 3:10-15; 2 Cor. 5:10); living inhabitants of the earth at His glorious return (Matt. 25:31-46); and the unbelieving dead at the Great White Throne (Rev. 20:11-15).
        As the Mediator between God and man (1 Tim. 2:5), the Head of His Body the church (Eph. 1:22; 5:23; Col. 1:18), and the coming universal King, who will reign on His eternal throne (Isa. 9:6; Luke 1:31-33), He is the final Judge of all who fail to place their trust in Him as Lord and Savior (Matt. 25:14-46; Acts 17:30-31).

6. God the Holy Spirit:
        We teach that the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity, is eternal God, coequal, consubstantial, and coeternal with the Father and the Son (Matt. 28:19; Acts 5:3-4; 1 Cor. 12:4-6; 2 Cor. 13:14), possessing all the divine perfections, including eternality (Heb. 9:14), omnipresence (Ps. 139:7-10), omniscience (Isa. 40:13-14), omnipotence (Rom. 15:13), and truth (John 16:13).
        We teach that the Holy Spirit is not merely a force or a power but a distinct divine person who thinks (1 Cor. 2:10-13), wills (1 Cor. 12:11), speaks (Acts 28:25-26), and can be grieved (Eph. 4:30).
        We teach that it is the work of the Holy Spirit to execute the divine will with relation to all mankind. We recognize His sovereign activity in creation (Gen. 1:2), the incarnation (Matt. 1:18), the written revelation (2 Pet. 1:20-21), and the work of salvation (John 3:5-7).
        We teach that work of the Holy Spirit in this age began at Pentecost (Acts 1:5; 2:4), when He was sent by the Father and the Son as promised by Christ (John 14:16-17; 15:26) to initiate and complete the building of the Body of Christ (Eph. 2:22), which is the church (Eph. 1:21-22). The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin and righteousness and judgment (John 16:8-11), glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ (John 16:14), and transforms believers into the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29; 2 Cor. 3:18).
        We teach that the Holy Spirit is the supernatural and sovereign agent in regeneration (Titus 3:5), baptizing all believers into the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13). The Holy Spirit also indwells them (Rom. 8:9), sanctifies them (2 Cor. 3:18), instructs them (1 Jn. 2:20, 27), empowers them for service (1 Cor. 12:4, 9), and seals them unto the day of redemption (2 Cor. 1:22; Eph. 1:13; 4:30).
        We teach that the Holy Spirit is the divine Teacher, who guided the apostles and prophets into all truth as they wrote God’s special revelation, the Bible (John 14:26; 16:13; cf. 2 Pet. 1:19-21). Every believer possesses the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit from the moment of salvation (Rom. 8:9), and it is the duty of all those born of the Spirit to be filled with (controlled by) the Spirit (Eph. 5:18).
        We teach that the Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to the church unto its edification (Acts 1:8; 1 Cor. 12:4-11; 14:26). The Holy Spirit glorifies neither Himself nor His gifts by ostentatious displays (1 Cor. 14:33), but He does glorify Christ (John 16:13-14) by applying His work of redemption to His people in regeneration and sanctification (2 Cor. 3:18; Titus 3:5).
        We teach, in this respect, that God the Holy Spirit is sovereign in the bestowing of all His gifts for the perfecting of the saints today (1 Cor. 12:4-11; Eph. 4:7-12), and that speaking in tongues and the working of sign miracles in the beginning days of the church have now ceased (1 Cor. 13:8-10; Eph. 2:20), having fulfilled their purpose of pointing to and authenticating the apostles as revealers of divine truth (2 Cor. 12:12; Heb. 2:1-4). The miraculous gifts were never intended to be characteristic of the lives of believers in every age (e.g., 1 Tim. 5:23).

For more information see: Miracles, signs & wonders in the Bible.

7. Mankind:
        We believe that man was created in the image of God by His direct act and did not come into being as the result of evolution. Man was created to glorify God, worship and serve Him, and have fellowship with Him. Man fell through sin by disobeying God, thus incurring both physical and spiritual death, which alienated him from God. Man’s nature was thus corrupted and he is utterly lost, “dead in trespasses and sins,” and totally incapable of saving himself and coming back into right relationship with God by his own merit or effort.
        When the repentant sinner, as enabled by the Holy Spirit, responds in faith to the divine provision of salvation. Genuine regeneration is manifested by fruits worthy of repentance as demonstrated in righteous attitudes and conduct. Good works are the proper evidence and fruit of regeneration (1 Cor. 6:19-20; Eph. 2:10), and will be experienced to the extent that the believer submits to the control of the Holy Spirit in his life through faithful obedience to the Word of God (Eph. 5:17-21; Phil. 2:12; Col. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:4-10). This obedience causes the believer to be increasingly conformed to the image of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 3:18). Such a conformity is climaxed in the believer’s glorification at Christ’s coming.
        (Rom. 8:17; 2 Pet. 1:4; 1 Jn. 3:2-3; cf. Gen. 1:26; 2:6,17; 3:17-24; Isa. 59:1-2; Rom. 3:23; 5:6-8; 6:23; Eph. 2:1-5; 2:12; 2:1-3; Luke 18:26-27).

For more information see: The Fall of Mankind.

8. Salvation:
        We believe that humanity was created in the image of God but fell from its original sinless state through willful disobedience and Satan’s deception, resulting in eternal condemnation and separation from God. All people everywhere are lost and face the judgment of God, that Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation, and that for the salvation of lost and sinful man, repentance of sin and faith in Jesus Christ results in regeneration by the Holy Spirit. Apart from the grace of God, human beings can neither think, will, nor do anything good, including believe. There is a grace of God that precedes, prepares and enables sinners to receive the free gift of salvation offered in Christ and his gospel. Only through the grace of God can sinners believe and so be regenerated by the Holy Spirit unto salvation and spiritual life. Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. God’s grace enables believers to repent, continue in faith, thought, will, and deed, so that all good deeds that can be conceived must be ascribed to the grace of God.
        The shed blood of Jesus Christ and his resurrection were provided for the salvation of all people, but are effective only for those who believe in Jesus Christ as both Lord and Savior. Christ’s death and resurrection provides the only grounds for our justification and salvation, and only those who believe become born of the Holy Spirit and thus become a child of God. We believe that God’s saving grace is resistible, that election unto salvation is conditional on faith in Christ alone, and that God will enable every true Christian to persevere in faith unto salvation because He has promised to keep us from falling away from the faith. We believe that God will reward the righteous with a resurrection to eternal life in heaven, and those who are lost unto a resurrection of eternal damnation.
         (Luke 24:46-47; John 1:12-13; 3:1-7; 3:14-16; 6:37-39; 10:28-30; 14:6; Acts 4:12; 26:20; Rom. 1:16; 3:23; 5:8-9; 8:14-17; 8:31-39; 10:9-10; 1 Cor. 15:51-57; 2 Cor. 5:10-17; Gal. 2:15-21; 3:11, 24; Eph. 1:7, 13, 14; 2:8-9; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Titus 3:4-7; 1 Pet. 1:3-5; 2:24; Rev. 20:11-15).

For more information see: God’s grace that saves.

9. Satan and the Angels:
        We believe that God created an innumerable company of sinless, spiritual beings, known as angels; that one, “Lucifer, son of the morning”—the highest in rank—sinned through pride, thereby becoming Satan; that a great company of the angels followed him in his moral fall, some of whom became demons and are active as his agents and associates in the prosecution of his unholy purposes, while others who fell are “reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day”. We believe that Satan is the originator of sin, and that, under the permission of God, he, through subtlety, led our first parents into transgression, thereby accomplishing their moral fall and subjecting them and their posterity to his own power. We believe that Satan was judged at the Cross, though not then executed, and that he, a usurper now rules as the “god of this world”. Satan will ultimately be bound and cast into the abyss for a thousand years, and after the thousand years he will be loosed for a little season and then “cast into the lake of fire and brimstone,” where he and the other fallen angels “shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever”.
        The unfallen angels are spoken of as “holy ones”. The reason is twofold. First, being the creation of a holy God, they were created perfect without any flaw or sin. Second, they are called holy because of their purpose. They were “set apart” by God and for God as His servants and as attendants to His holiness.
        (Gen. 3:1-19; Ne. 9:6; Ps. 148:2; Isa. 14:12-17; Ezek. 28:12-15; Matt. 25:41; Luke 15:10; Rom. 5:12-14; 2 Cor. 4:3-4; 11:13-15; Eph. 1:21; 6:10-12; Col. 2:15; 2 Thess. 2:4; 1 Tim. 4:1-3; Heb. 1:14; 2:6-10; Jude 1:6; Rev. 7:12; 20:1-3; 20:10; Ps. 89:5-7; Isaiah 6).

10. The Church:
        The Church is the body of Christ on earth. It is often referred to in the New Testament as ‘the saints’ (hoi hagioi – Eph. 1:23), it comprises all who are born not of natural descent, nor of human decision, or a husband’s will, but born of God (John 1:13). The Church universal includes all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, confessing him as Lord and Savior, and witnessing to that sacred commitment through loving mutual submission (Matt. 18:15-20; John 13:34-35; Eph. 5:21) and sacrificial service (Mark 8:34; Matt. 20:25-28; John 13:1-17)
        We believe in the spiritual unity of all believers. Both Jews and Gentiles are one in Christ and all true believers are members of His body, the Church. It is made visible in local churches, which are congregations of believers who are committed to each other for the worship of God, the preaching of God’s Word, the administering of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, for pastoral care, discipline and for evangelism.
        We teach 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 (also called bishops, pastors, and pastor/teachers; Acts 20:28; Eph. 4:11) and deacons, both of whom must meet biblical qualifications (1 Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Pet. 5:1-5).
        The word “overseer” identifies the men who are responsible to lead the church (cf. 1 Tim. 5:17; 1 Thess. 5:12; Heb. 13:7). In the New Testament the words “bishop,” “elder,” “overseer,” and “pastor” are used interchangeably to describe the same men (Acts 20:17, 28; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Pet. 5:1, 2). Bishops (pastors, overseers, elders) are responsible to lead (1 Tim. 5:17), preach and teach (1 Tim. 5:17), help the spiritually weak (1 Thess. 5:12-14), care for the church (1 Pet. 5:1, 2), and ordain other leaders (1 Tim. 4:14).
        We teach that these leaders are to lead the congregation as servants of Christ (1 Tim. 5:17-22) and have His authority in directing the church. The local congregation is to submit to their leadership as long as they themselves submit their lives to God and the earnest study of His word (Heb. 13:7, 17).
        We teach the importance of discipleship (Matt. 28:19-20; 2 Tim. 2:2), mutual accountability of all the believers to each other (Matt. 18:5-14), as well as the necessity of disciplining erring members of the congregation in accordance with the principles of Scripture.
        (Matt. 18:17-18; 28:19; John 10:16; Acts 2:39, 47; 5:1-11; Rom. 2:28-29; 1 Cor. 1:2-10; 5:1-13; 11:23-26; 1 Cor. 10:32; 12:12; 12:27-28; 2 Thess. 3:6-15; 2 Cor. 8:14; Gal. 3:28-29; Eph. 1:22-23; 2:11–22; 4:3; Phil. 1:1-2; 2:1-4; Col. 3:6; Titus 1:10-16; 2 Tim. 1:18; 4:1-2; 1 Pet. 5:2-3).

11. The Christian Life:
        We believe that the Christian life is the life of repentance, faith, and good works lived through the power of the Spirit and with the help of the means of grace as the Christian is conformed to the image of Christ to the glory of God. The Christian life is based upon the work of God in the new birth, justification, the gift of the Spirit, the forgiveness of sins, and our union to Christ. The goal of the Christian life is to be conformed into the image of Christ and, as a result, to share in God’s rule on the earth to the glory of God. Using various means of grace, such as Scripture, prayer, the Church, and the sacraments, God conforms the Christian into the image of Christ by the Spirit. The healthy Christian life is shown in faith and obedience, good works, sacrificial living and giving, and participation in the worldwide mission of the Church.
        The Character of saving faith, true faith is always accompanied by repentance from sin. Repentance is agreeing with God that you are sinful, confessing your sins to Him, and making a conscious choice to turn from sin (Luke 13:3,5; 1 Thess. 1:9) and pursue Christ (Matt. 11:28-30; John 17:3) and obedience to Him (1 Jn. 2:3). It isn’t enough to believe certain facts about Christ. Even Satan and his demons believe in the true God (James 2:19), but they don’t love and obey Him. True saving faith always responds in obedience (Eph. 2:10).
         (Matt. 9:35-38; 22:37-39; 28:18-20; John 12:25-26; Gal. 2:20; 1 Pet. 1:15-16; 2:11; 2 Cor. 5:14-15; Rom. 6:11-13; 1 Cor. 3:12-15; Rom. 10:9-15; 12:20-21; Gal. 6:10; Col. 2:6-10; 1 Pet. 3:15-16; 4:10-11; Eph. 2:10; 4:11-12; 4:22-24; Acts 1:8; Col. 1:10; John 15:8, 16).

The Church Sacraments:

The name sacrament is derived from the Latin word, sacramentum, which was used in Latin translations of the Bible. The Greek New Testament uses the word μυστήριον (mystērion = mystery) to refer to matters that God once hid but now has revealed through the gospel (e.g., Rom. 16:25-26; Eph. 3:3-13; Col. 1:24-27). The early church applied this term to its administration of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, considering them to reveal a mystery of divine grace. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are symbols and are not necessary for salvation.

12. The Ordinance of Baptism:
        Baptism is an act of obedience following a person’s profession of faith in Jesus Christ. It is an outward demonstration of saving faith. In Christ’s Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20), and in the book of Acts, baptism follows a profession of faith (e.g., Acts 2:41; 8:12-13; 18:8). A person must first trust in Christ as Lord and Savior, and then be baptized. For this reason, we do not baptize infants.
        Baptism is a public identification with Christ and the church. After a person has trusted in Christ, the physical act of baptism serves as a public symbol of identification with his or her crucified, buried, and risen Savior. The Apostle Paul explains that going into the water enables us to identify with the burial of Christ, and coming out of the water enables us to identify with the resurrection of Christ (Rom. 6:1-11; Col. 2:12). Baptism is also a public sign of fellowship and identification with the Church—the visible Body of Christ (Acts 2:41-42).
        Baptism is by immersion. While some believers practice sprinkling or pouring, we hold to baptism by immersion for several reasons: The lexical authorities agree that the primary meaning of the word “baptize” (Greek: baptizo) is to dip or immerse. Where details are given regarding baptisms in the New Testament, immersion is implied. For example, Mark notes in his gospel that Jesus was baptized “in the Jordan” and that he came “up out of the water” (Mark 1:9-10). In the book of Acts, both Philip and the Ethiopian went “down into the water and Philip baptized him”; then they “came up out of the water…” (Acts 8:38-39). John the Baptist baptized “At Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were constantly coming and being baptized (John 3:23). The believer’s identification with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ certainly implies immersion (Rom. 6:1-11; Col. 2:12).
        Baptism is not necessary for salvation. The Bible is clear that the act of baptism does not make a person a believer. Neither is it a “second step” that completes our position in Christ. Scripture states that a person is saved by grace alone through faith alone (Eph. 2:8-9). The moment a person trusts in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, he or she is and will forever be a child of God (Rom. 8:28-39; 10:9; John 10:28-30). The thief on the cross was not baptized, and yet Jesus promised him, “...today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:39-43).
        Baptism is an act of obedience. We believe that the New Testament practice of baptism is for believers by immersion upon their profession of faith in Jesus Christ. Although it is not necessary for salvation, it is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer’s faith in the crucified, buried and risen Savior. It symbolizes the believer’s union with Christ in death to sin and resurrection to new life. It is a public sign of fellowship and identification with the church.
         (Matt. 3:11-13; 28:19; Mark 10:39; 16:16; John 1:33; 3:22, 26; Acts 2:38; 2:41; Acts 8:36; 10:47-48; Col. 2:12).

13. The Ordinance of Communion:
        Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper at his last meal with his disciples as part of the Jewish Passover (Matt. 26:26-30; Mark 14:22-26; Luke 22:14-20). The unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine were part of the meal. Jesus indicated that the bread was symbolic of his body and the fruit of the vine symbolic of his blood. The unleavened bread symbolizes the purity of Christ, for he was without sin (Heb. 4:15) and thus his body was an unblemished sacrifice for our sins. The juice symbolizes the blood that Christ shed for us. In taking communion we proclaim our willingness to suffer with Christ until He comes back for us.
        (Matt. 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:19-20; John 6:53; Rom. 11:27; 1 Cor. 10:16; 11:23-25).

14. The Law of God:
         God has different laws under each covenant. Each covenant makes its own laws. Each covenant is a new legal contract. A contract must have all of its requirements spelled out in the contract. Each of the Biblical covenants can use elements of previous covenants, reapply them, omit them completely and give new laws to live by.

The Old Covenant, Law of Moses:
         The Mosaic covenant was a conditional, bilateral agreement between God and the people of Israel that was mediated by Moses (Exod. 19-24). The Old Covenant was given specifically to the nation of Israel (Exod. 19; Lev. 26:46; Rom. 9:4), and it was made up of three parts: the Ten Commandments (the Ten Words), the ordinances and regulations, and the system of worship that included the priesthood, the tabernacle, the offerings, and festivals (Exod. 20-40; Lev. 1-7; 23).
         The Ten Commandments form the foundation for all of the rest of the laws in the covenant (Exod. 34:28; Deut. 4:13). As part of the Old Covenant, the people at Mount Sinai also agreed to obey all the laws given in Exodus 20-24. Those additional laws became part of the covenant God made with Israel. The covenant was then ratified with a blood sacrifice (Exod. 24:6-8). Deuteronomy contains additional laws and regulations for Israel regarding how they should conduct themselves in the Promised Land, but those laws were still considered part of the same covenantal agreement, or relationship between Israel and Yahweh, their God (Deut. 4:44-49; 5:1-5; 6:20-25).
         The Mosaic Covenant was given to distinguish Israel from the surrounding nations as God’s special kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exod. 19:1-7). The covenant was structured after a Hittite, suzerain-vassal covenant treaty from 1400 - 1300 B.C. and it was designed to bring Israel closer to realizing the promises made by God in the Abrahamic Covenant. The suzerain-vassal covenant was a very common, conditional covenant type used between nations around Israel at the time of the exodus. The Mosaic Covenant had very specific, blessings and curses laid out for Israel in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28-30. By reflecting God’s holiness (Lev. 19:2), Israel would serve as God’s witnesses to a watching world. The Sabbath was given for the first time after the exodus and served as a ceremonial sign of the Mosaic Covenant (Exod. 31:16-17; Ne. 9:13-14; Ezek. 20:12, 20).
         During the time of the Old Covenant, even the stranger in Jerusalem was expected to keep the Sabbath. A stranger could choose to live in Israel without becoming a Jew but they still had to follow the laws of the land. If they were trying to engage in commerce they would be tempting God’s people to sin by breaking the Sabbath (Ne. 13:15-21). A Gentile who wanted to keep the Passover and the other Jewish feasts had to be circumcised and become a practicing Jew (Exod. 12:43-49).
         The Mosaic Covenant included 613 moral, civil, and ceremonial laws meant to govern every aspect of Hebrew life. Regulations pertaining to ceremonial cleanliness, festivals, diet, and the Levitical priesthood all served to separate Israel from their surrounding nations (Lev. 20:22-26; Eph. 2:11-22; 4:18; John 10:16; Col. 1:21; Gal. 4:8).
         The Mosaic Covenant continued in force for God’s chosen people until the leaders of the nation of Israel formally rejected Jesus as their Messiah and King by declaring to Pilate that they had, “no other king but Caesar” (Matt. 21:43-45; 23:36-38).

The New Covenant is the fulfillment of the Old Covenant.
         The New Testament writers point out repeatedly that the New Covenant fulfills the Old Covenant. By this they mean that God brought to completion the plan he had been working out for the human race through the nation of Israel. The plan of redemption that God promised through Israel was brought about through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Israel’s promised messiah (Deut. 4:25-31; Judg. 2:13-16; 1 Kings 8:33-34; Ps. 81:7-10; 89:29-37; Isa. 1:16-20; Acts 2:36-39; Rom. 3:21-26).

The Old and New Covenants have similarities and differences:
         The Law of Christ and the Law of Moses have similar commandments, but just because nine of the Ten Commandments are reapplied in the New Covenant doesn’t mean that the Law of Moses is still in effect. If Christian’s steal something, they break the law of Christ, not the Law of Moses. If we choose to keep parts of the Old Covenant law, such as the Sabbath or the dietary restrictions, we are free to do so, but keeping the Law of Moses out of the belief that we are obligated to keep them denies the perfect and finished work of Jesus Christ on Calvary’s cross.

The New Covenant, law of Christ:
        The Law of Christ is God’s absolute law of the new “eternal” covenant (Rom. 6:14) that is covenantally binding upon believers (1 Cor. 9:20-21), and consists of the law of love (Matt. 5:44; Gal. 6:2; James 2:8; Rom. 13:8-10), Christ’s commands and teaching (John 13:34; Phil. 2:4-12; Matt. 28:20; 2 Pet. 3:2), and the commands and teachings of the New Testament epistles (Acts 1:1-2; 2 Pet. 3:2; Eph. 2:20; Jude 1:17; 1 Jn. 5:3). All the scriptures are to be interpreted in light of Jesus Christ and the work He has done for us (Matt. 5:17-18; Luke 24:27,44; John 1:1-3; 5:39, 46; 2 Tim. 3:16-17).

For more information see: The Major Covenants in the Bible (an outline), Understanding the Old and New Covenants, & New Covenant Theology & Progressive Covenantalism.

15. Giving and Stewardship:
        We believe that God is the source of all blessings, both temporal and spiritual; all that we have and and owe belongs to Him. Stewardship is an act of worship to God. God wants us to acknowledge His ownership over everything we have by demonstrating good stewardship. God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son as a sacrifice for our sins (John 3:16) and we are asked to do the same by giving our bodies to God as living sacrifices (Rom. 12:1). Christians are under obligation to serve Christ with their time, talents, and material possessions; and should recognize all these as entrusted to them to use for the glory of God and for helping others.
        According to the Scriptures, Christians should contribute of their means cheerfully, regularly, systematically, proportionately, and liberally for the advancement of Christ’s cause on earth. Unlike the Old Testament requirement of paying tithes (Lev. 27:30; Num. 18:21-26; Mal. 3:8-10), there is no required amount or percentage for giving to the Lord’s work specified in the New Testament. All giving to the Lord is to be free will giving and completely discretionary.
        (Gen. 14:20; Lev. 27:30-32; Deut. 8:18; Mal. 3:8-12; Matt. 6:1-4; 6:19-21; 19:21; Matt. 23:23; 25:14-29; Luke 6:38; 12:16-21; Luke 12:42; 16:1-13; Acts 2:44-47; 5:1-11; Acts 17:24-25; 20:35; Rom. 6:6-22; 12:1-2; 1 Cor. 4:1-2; 6:19-20; 1 Cor. 12; 16:1-4; 2 Cor. 8-9; 12:15; Phil. 4:10-19; 1 Pet. 1:18-19).

16. Marriage and Sexual Intimacy:
         We believe God’s design for sexual intimacy is to be expressed only within the context of marriage. God instituted marriage between one (biological) man and one (biological) woman as the foundation of the family and the basic structure of human society. Even though it is not popular today, we believe that  Biblical marriage is the only legitimate and acceptable context for sexual intimacy.
        Both Adam and Eve were created in God’s image, equal before God as persons and distinct in their manhood and womanhood. Adam’s headship in marriage was established by God before the Fall and was not a result of sin. The Fall introduced distortions into the relationship between men and women but redemption in Christ restores this relationship. In the home, husbands are to lovingly lead their wives and wives should intelligently and willingly submit to their husbands. In the church, some governing and teaching roles are restricted to men. Both the Old and New Testaments affirm the principle of male headship in the family and in the covenant community.
        (Gen. 1:26-27; 2:18-24; Matt. 19:5-6; Mark 10:6-9; Rom. 1:26-27; 1 Cor. 6:9; 11:2-16; Gal. 3:28; 1 Tim. 2:11-15; Eph. 5:21-33; Col. 3:18-19; Titus 2:3-5; Heb. 13:4-7; 1 Pet. 3:1-7).

For more information see: The Danvers Statement & The Nashville Statement.

17. Sanctity of Human Life:
        We believe that human beings are created by God in His image. Therefore every person, from conception (in the womb) to its natural end, possesses immeasurable worth and inherent dignity including preborn children, elderly individuals, those with both physical and mental disabilities, and anyone else who is marginalized by society. Christians, then, are called to defend, protect, and value all human life having concern for the physical and spiritual needs of all people.
        God’s position on abortion is clear. Unborn children are people whom God already has a plan for. God said through Jeremiah the prophet, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations (Jer. 1:5). God has a plan and a purpose for the unborn and to end that life prematurely goes against God’s divine plan.
        (Gen. 1:27; 2:7; 9:6; Job 33:4; Ps. 139:13-16; Matt. 6:26; Jer. 1:4-5; John 5:28-29; 1 Cor. 15:51-52; 2 Cor. 5:8-10; 5:14-15; Matt. 22:37-39; Rom. 12:20-21; Gal. 6:10).

For more information see: The Sanctity of Human Life.

18. Eschatology (Last Things):
        We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ will return in glory. He will raise the dead and judge the world in righteousness. The wicked will receive eternal damnation and the righteous will receive a life of eternal joy in fellowship with God in the new creation. God will make all things new and will be glorified forever.
        We believe that the souls of believers are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where they await the resurrection when their spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord. We believe that the souls of unbelievers also remain conscious after death until their resurrection when their soul and body are reunited. Then they will have to appear before the Great White Throne judgment before being cast into the Lake of Fire.
        Eschatology is the study of last things or end times. To study Scripture is to study eschatology, for all of God’s work in redemption—past, present, and future—moves toward eternal redemption. Put another way, eschatology is the thread that weaves the tapestry of Scripture into a harmonious pattern.
        Eschatology is not as critical as our understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ, but eschatology is vital to a fully rounded biblical worldview. How the people of God understand eschatology impacts how they live their lives and what to expect to occur in the unfolding plan of God in the Word of God. Eschatology can be a very divisive subject in churches today and it is important to determine if those divisions are biblical. Christians should not divide, unnecessarily, over eschatology.
         (Matt. 24:30, 44; Acts 1:11; 17:30; 1 Thess. 4:16; Rev. 1:7; 22:20; Rom. 2:5; 14:10, 12; 2 Cor. 5:10; 2 Tim. 4:1; Rev. 20:11-15; 21:3-4; 22:3-5; Matt. 25:30, 41, 46; Mark 9:43, 48; Luke 16:22-24; Rom. 8:21; 1 Cor. 15:54-57; Rev. 14:11; 21:1; Matt. 13:43, 49; 24:30-31; Mark 9:43, 48; Acts 3:21; Rom. 6:23; 1 Cor. 6:9-10; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Heb. 9:28; 1 Jn. 4:17; Luke 23:43; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23; 3:21; Matt. 25:41-46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-26; 2 Thess. 1:7-9).

19. Clarity of Scripture:
        Because God gave us His Word as authoritative in all matters related to life and faith, I believe His Word was written in a way that can be understood with the help of the Holy Spirit. Believing the Scriptures are clear does not mean that every part is equally easy to interpret, and neither does it mean we will never make mistakes in our interpretation. It does mean that with God’s help, people are capable of understanding the biblical text for themselves as they employ correct methods of interpretation. We should be growing in our understanding of scripture and should strive to make its teachings plain and clear to our understanding. It is extremely important to remember the saying, “on essentials, unity, on non-essentials, liberty.”

        “The study of theology is considered by many to be dry, boring, irrelevant, and complicated. But for those who want to know God, the study of theology is indispensable. The word “theology” comes from two Greek words, theos (“God”) and logos (“word”). The study of theology is an effort to make definitive statements about God and his implications in an accurate, coherent, relevant way, based on God’s self-revelations. Doctrine equips people to fulfill their primary purpose, which is to glorify and delight in God through a deep personal knowledge of him. Meaningful relationship with God is dependent on correct knowledge of him. 

        Any theological system that distinguishes between “rational propositions about God” and “a personal relationship with God” fails to see this necessary connection between love and knowledge. The capacity to love, enjoy, and tell others about a person is increased by greater knowledge of that person. Love and knowledge go hand in hand. Good lovers are students of the beloved. Knowledge of God is the goal of theology.

        Knowledge without devotion is cold, dead orthodoxy. Devotion without knowledge is irrational instability. But true knowledge of God includes understanding everything from his perspective. Theology is learning to think God’s thoughts after him. It is to learn what God loves and hates, and to see, hear, think, and act the way he does. Knowing how God thinks is the first step in becoming godly.”

From: Biblical Doctrine: An Overview — ESV Study Bible.
 

 

In principle, we also hold to:
New Covenant Theology / Progressive Covenantalism

See also:
The Sabbath In the Old and New Covenants

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