1. We believe in the plenary and verbal inspiration of the Bible as the Word of God; that it is authentic in its matter, authoritative in its counsels, inerrant in the original writings, and the only infallible rule of faith and practice. Ex. 4; 12; II Sam. 23:2; Ps. 12:6; 119:160; Jer. 1:9; Matt. 5:18; 24:35; II Tim. 3:16; II Pet. 1:20,21
2. We believe that there is but one God, eternal, infinite, perfect, and unchangeable, who exists and reveals Himself in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Deut. 6:4; Ps. 90:2, Gen. 17:1; Ps. 147:5; 139:7-12; isa. 40:28; 57:15; Mal. 3:6; Gen. 1:2; Heb. 1:8
3. We believe that the Genesis account of the Creation is a historical fact and literally true. Gen. 1:1; 21:27; Ex. 20:11; Mark 10:6-9; Heb. 1:10; 4:4; 11:3
4. We believe that man was created by an immediate act of God, in His own image and after His likeness; that by one act of disobedience he became sinful in his nature, spiritually dead, subject to physical death and to the power of the devil, from which fallen condition he was unable to save himself. Gen. 1:26, 27; 2:7,16, 17; 3:1-7; Eph. 2:1-3,12; John 6:44; Rom. 5:6
5. We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, that He was conceived of the Holy Ghost and born of a virgin - the perfect God-Man; that He was without sin, the divinely appointed substitute and representative for sinful man, being the sacrifice for man's sins by His death on the cross, making the only adequate atonement for sin by the shedding of His blood, thus reconciling man to God; that He was raised from the dead, ascended to glory, and "ever liveth to make intercession for (us)." John 1:1,14,18; Heb. 1:8; Gen. 3:15; Isa. 7:14; Luke 1:35; Matt. 1:20-25; Isa. 53:5,6; II Cor. 5:14, 21; Gal. 3:13; I Pet. 2:22, 24; 3:18
6. We believe that man is saved alone by grace through faith in the finished work of Christ; that he is justified from all things on the ground of His shed blood; that through the new birth he becomes a child of God, partaker of the eternal life and blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ. Eph. 2:8; Rom. 3:20-26; Acts 13:38, 39; John 1:12, 13; 3:4, 8, 16; 5:24; Eph. 1:3
7. We believe in the deity and personality of the Holy Spirit; that He convinces the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; that He indwells and comforts the believer, guides him into all truth, empowers for service, and enables him to live a life of righteousness. Acts 5:3, 4; II Cor. 3:3, 17; John 16:7, 8, 13; I Cor 3:16
8. We believe that it is the privilege of all believers to know that they have passed from death unto life; that God is able to keep them from falling, but that the obedience of faith is essential to the maintenance of one's salvation and growth in grace. I John 3:14; 5:13; John 8:31, 32; Rom. 8:16; 1:5; 16:25, 26; Gal. 3:11; II Cor. 12:9; Jude 24, 25; II Pet. 1:5-11
9. We believe that the church is the body of Christ, composed of all those who, through repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, have been born again and were baptized by one Spirit into one body, and that it is their divinely appointed mission to preach the Gospel to every creature, teaching obedience to all His commandments. Matt. 16:18,28:19,20: Eph. 1:23; Col. 1:18; Acts 20:21; 17:30; 1:8; Luke 24:47; Gal. 3:26; I Cor. 12:13; Mark 16:15
10. We believe that we are called with a holy calling to a life of separation from the world and its follies, sinful practices, and methods. Further, that it is the duty of the church to keep herself aloof from all movements which seek the confirmation of society, independent of the merits of the death of Christ and the experience of the new birth. I Pet. 2:9; Titus 2:11-14; II Cor. 6:14-18; Rom. 12:1, 2
11. We believe that the Lord has vested the church with authority in accordance with Scriptural teachings: (1) to chooses officials, (2) to regulate the observance of ordinances, (3) to exercise wholesome discipline, and (4) to organize and conduct her work in a manner consistent with her high calling and essential to her highest efficiency. Acts 6:1-6; 13:1-3; II Tim. 2:2; Titus 1:5-9; 2:15
12. We believe that Christian Baptism should be administered upon confession of faith (Mark 16:15,16; Acts 2:38); that the Lord's Supper should be observed as a memorial of His death by those of like precious faith who have peace with God (Matt. 26:26, 27; I Cor. 11:23-29); that Feet Washing as an ordinance should be literally observed by all believers (John 13:1-17); that Christian women praying or prophesying should have their heads covered (I Cor. 11:2-16); that the salutation of the Holy Kiss should be duly and appropriately observed by all believers (Rom. 16:16; I Pet. 5:15); that Anointing with Oil should be administered to the sick who call for it in faith (James 5:13-16; Mark 6:13); that Marriage between one man and one woman is a divine institution, dissoluble only by death; that on the part of the Christian it should be "only in the Lord" and that consistency requires that the marriage relation be entered only by those of like precious faith (I Cor. 7:39; Mark 10:6-12).
13. We believe that the latter days will be characterized by general lawlessness and departure from the faith; that on the part of the world "iniquity shall abound" and "evil men...shall wax worse and worse"; that on the part of the church there will be a falling away from the faith and "the love of many shall wax cold"; that false teachers shall abound, both deceiving and being deceived; and further, that present conditions indicate that we are now living in these perilous times. I Tim. 4:1, 2; Rom. 16:17, 18; II Tim. 3:1-5, 13; II Pet. 2:1, 2, 10; Matt. 24:11, 12; II Thess. 2:3.
14. We believe in the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ and in the bodily resurrection of all men, both the just and the unjust- of the just to the resurrection of life, and of the unjust to the resurrection of condemnation. John 20:20, 24-29; Luke 24:30, 31; I Cor. 15:42-44; Acts 24:15; John 5:28-29; I Cor. 15:20-23
15. We believe in the personal, imminent coming of our Lord as the blessed hope of the believer; that we who are alive and remain, together with the dead in Christ who will first be raised, shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air and thus ever be with the Lord. John 14:2, 3; Acts 1:11; Matt. 24:44; Heb. 10:37
16. We believe that in the interval between death and resurrection, the righteous will be with Christ in a state of conscious bliss and comfort, but the wicked will be in a place of torment, in a state of conscious suffering and despair. Luke 16:19-31; 23:43; Phil. 1:23; II Cor. 5:1-8; I Thess. 5:10; II Peter 2:9
17. We believe that hell is the place of torment prepared for the devil and his angels, where with them the wicked will suffer vengeance of eternal fire forever and ever and that heaven is the final abode of the righteous, where they will dwell in the fullness of joy forever and ever. Matt. 25:41, 46; Jude 7; Rev. 14:8-11; 20:10, 15; II Cor. 5:21; Rev. 21:3-8; 2:1-5
The source of the above article is http://www.bibleviews.com/doctrinal.html .
You are welcome to make copies of the above provided you copy it completely and distribute it as a whole unit. Brief quotations may be made in critical articles and reviews.
May God's grace and peace be with you as you study His Word. Visit the Home Page of this article for more Bible Views articles, etc.
The page is a presentation of:
Gifts to buy Bibles and pay for postage are needed.
A Call to Holy Living
P0 Box 1343
Kokomo, IN 46903-1343
We welcome your comments.
Biblical Viewpoints Publications
63100 County Road 111
Goshen, IN 46526
Phone: 574-875-8007
Webmaster.
June 22, 2000