The Doctrinal Statement
Of
Faith Bible Church
I. Statement of Faith
We Believe:
A. The scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, to be the inspired
Word of God, without error in the original writings, the complete revelation
of His will for the salvation of men and the Divine and final authority for
Christian faith and life.
B. In one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect and
eternally in three "persons"--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
C. That Jesus Christ is true God and true man, having been
conceived of the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary. He died on the cross
a sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures. Further, He arose bodily
from the dead, ascended into heaven where at the right hand of the Majesty
on High ,He is now our High Priest and Advocate.
D. That the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord
Jesus Christ, and during this age to convict men, regenerate the believing
sinner, indwell, guide, instruct and empower the believer for godly living
and service.
E. That man was created in the image of God but fell into sin and
is therefore lost and only through regeneration by the Holy Spirit can salvation
and spiritual life be obtained.
F. That the shed blood of Jesus Christ and His resurrection
provide the only ground for justification and salvation for all who believe,
and only such as receive Jesus Christ are born of the Holy Spirit, and thus
become children of God.
G. That water baptism and the Lord's Supper are ordinances
to be observed by the Church during the present age. They are, however, not
to be reguarded as means of salvation.
H. That the true Church is composed of all such persons who
through saving faith in Jesus Christ have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit
and are united together in the body of Christ of which He is the Head.
I. That only those who are thus members of the true Church
shall be eligible for membership in the local church.
J. That Jesus Christ is the Lord and Head of the Church, and
that every local church has the right under Christ to decide and govern its
own affairs.
K. In the personal pre-millennial and imminent coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ and that this "Blessed Hope" has a vital bearing on the
personal life and service of the believer.
L. In the bodily resurrection of the dead; of the believers
to lasting blessedness and joy with the Lord, of the unbeliever to judgment and everlasting
conscious punishment.
II. The Scriptures
A. The Inspiration of the Scriptures
We believe that "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God" by which we
mean that men of God "were moved by the Holy Spirit" to write the very words
of the Bible. This divine inspiration extends equally and fully to all parts
of the writing - historical, poetic, doctrinal, and prophetic. Hence, we believe
the Bible to be without error in the very words of the original manuscripts.
(Mt 5:17-18; Mk 12:26-27, 36; Lk. 24:44; Jn. 10:35; Acts 1:16; I Cor. 2:10;II
Tim 3:16; I Pet 1:21)
B. The Authority of the Scriptures
We believe that Jesus Christ, as God's Son, was the ultimate revelation of
God; that the Holy Spirit, having given the disciples perfect recall of Christ's
teaching, has ceased His ministry of written inspiration; and that man is
now shut up to the Scripture as God's final Word, which Word, presently understood
by the illumination ministry of the Holy Spirit, is not only able to make
a man "wise unto salvation" but is also able to make a man "complete, thoroughly
furnished for every good work." (Dt. 29:29; Jn. 1:18, 14:26, 15:15; Rom 15:4;
I Cor. 10:11; Eph 2:20; II Tim 3:15-17; Jd. 3)
C. The Subject of the Scriptures
We believe that all Scriptures, even those of the Old Testament center about
the Lord Jesus Christ in His person and work in His first and second comings.
III. The Godhead
We believe that the Godhead eternally exists in three "persons" - the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit - and that these three are one God; Having precisely
the same nature, attributes, and perfections, and worthy of precisely the
same homage, confidence and obedience. (Mt 28:18-19; Mk 12:29; Jn 1:1-5,14;
Acts 5:3-4; II Cor. 13:14; Heb 1:1-3; Rev 1:4-6)
IV. The Angels
We believe that God created an innumerable company of sinless, spiritual beings,
known as angels; that the highest in rank of these angels, now known as Satan,
sinned through pride; and that a great company of the angels followed him in
his moral fall. We believe that in his rebellion against God, Satan led Adam
and Eve into sin, through subtlety, thereby accomplishing their moral fall too,
and subjecting them and their posterity to his power. We believe that Satan
and his fallen angels are the enemies of God and the people of God, but that
they were condemned by Christ at the cross, and that they will soon be punished
in the Lake of Fire. (Gen 3:1-19; Ezek 28:11-19; Mt25:41;Rom 5:12-14;II Cor
4:3-4, 11:13-15; Eph 6:10-12; I Tim 3:6, 4:1-3;Heb 2:14;II Pet 2:4;Jd 6;
Rev 5:11, 20:10)
V. Man
A. The Creation of Man
We believe that man was created, by God, sinless and in the image of God to
rule over a good creation as God's viceroy. (Gen 1:26-28, 31)
B. The Fall of Man
We believe that the image of God in man was effaced but not erased by the
sin of Adam and Eve; that sin with its effects was transmitted to the whole
human race with Christ alone excepted; and that while man still shares the
image of God, he does not and cannot share in the life of God apart from divine
grace without which man will remain essentially and unchangeably depraved.
(Gen 2:17, 5:1-3, 6:5, 9:6; Ps 14:1-3, 51:5; Jer 17:9; Jn 3:3, 5:40, 6:35,
Rom 3:10-19, 8:6-7; I Cor 11:7; Eph 2:1-3; Jms 3:9)
VI. Salvation
A. The person and Work of Christ
We believe that man, lost apart from the grace of God, is in need of a Savior
and that this Savior is Jesus Christ. (Jn 1:29, 14:6; I Tim 2:5)
We believe that in the incarnation of Christ, the Second "Person" of the Triune
God acquired a human body and a sinless human nature; that His unchangeable
and infinite divine nature was thus united with but not mixed with His sinless
and finite human nature; and that He became a the oanthropic person - a single
person with two natures, one divine and one human. (Lk 2:40; Jn 1:1-5, 14;
Phil 2:5-8; Heb 4:15)
We believe that in His first advent, Jesus Christ was born of a virgin, lived
a sinless life, performed miracles, died on a cross as a substitute for sinful
man, raised from the dead and ascended into heaven to be accepted by God the
Father. (Lk 1:30-35; Jn 19:30, 20:20; Acts 2:22-24; I Cor 15:3-4; I Tim2:6;
Heb 4:5)
B. The Nature of Salvation
We believe that, owing to universal death through sin, no one can enter the
kingdom of God unless born again; that such salvation is based solely upon
the merit of Christ's substitutionary work on the cross, the value of which
is not augmented in the least by repentance, faith, resolution, or effort
on the part of man; and the new birth comes to man through faith alone with
no future condition such as confession, baptism, commitment, or service added.
(Lev 17:11; Is 64:6; Mt 26:28; Jn 3:3, 4:10-14; Rom 4:5, 5:6-8; II Cor 5:21;
Gal 3:13; Eph 2:8-9; Tit 3:5; I Pet 1:18-19)
We believe that when an unregenerate person exercises faith in Christ he becomes
a "new creation" made in the image of Christ and His righteousness; that he
is accepted before God the Father as Christ the Son is accepted; that he, in
possession of "every spiritual blessing ", is in need of no "second
blessing"
or "second work of grace"; and that he, though still in possession of the
"law
of sin" in his members is responsible and able to live according to the
righteousness
of God which is his new and true nature. (Rom 5:1, 18-19,6:2-6,11, 7:17,22-23,
8:10; I Cor 6:11; II Cor 5:17, 21; Gal 2:20; Eph1:3, 6;Col 2:10; Jms1:18;
I Pet 1:23; I Jn 2:29-3:9)
C. The Believer's Eternal Security
We believe that the moment a person exercises faith in Christ for one's salvation,
one's eternal destiny is decided and secure; that one awaits no future judgment
regarding entrance onto heaven or punishment in hell as this judgment was
made when one believed and that one is found to be in possession of eternal
life from the moment of faith. (Jn 4:14, 5:24, 6:35, 10:28, 14:16-17; Rom
8:29-30; II Tim 2:13)
D. The Believer's Personal Assurance
of Salvation
We believe that it is the privilege, not only of some, but of all who are
born again to be assured of their salvation from the very day they believe;
and that this assurance is not founded upon subsequent obedience or blessing,
but wholly upon the promise of God in His written Word. We believe that complete
assurance of salvation, when viewed in light of the eternal security of the
believer and the unparalleled freeness of the gift of eternal life, serves
to excite within the child of God a desire to obey based on filial love and
gratitude rather than doubt and fear. (Lk 10:20; Jn 4:10, 5:24; Acts 8:39,
16:31-34; II Cor 5:1, 6-8; Heb 10:22)
E. The Work of the Holy Spirit
We believe that an unregenerate person comes to faith in Christ only by the
conviction of the Holy Spirit; that at the moment of faith the Holy Spirit
regenerates the believer; and that such regeneration is attended by the permanent
indwelling of the Spirit, the sealing of the believer unto the Day of Redemption
and the baptism of the Holy Spirit whereby the individual is joined to the
universal Body of Christ. (Jn 3:6, 6:44, 14:16-17, 16:8-11; Rom 3:9; I Cor
12:12-13; Eph 1:13-14, 4:30; Tit 3:5-6)
We believe that once a person has been saved, one is gifted by the Holy Spirit
for service; that one may avail oneself of the power of the Holy Spirit in
this service; and one is instructed in the things of God from the Word of
God by the illumination ministry of the Holy Spirit. (Rom 8:4, 13, 12:3-8;
I Cor 2:11-13, 12:7, 11; Tit 3:5-7)
We believe that certain gifts of the Holy spirit, such as apostleship, prophecy,
and the sign gifts were peculiar to the founding of the church; and that the
gift of tongues was a sign of judgment to Israel and the church, and has ceased.
(Acts 5:12; I Cor 13:8, 14:20-22; II Cor 12:12; Eph 2:20; Heb2:3-4)
VII. The Church
A. The Membership of the Church
We believe that all who exercise faith in Christ for salvation are are baptized
by the Holy Spirit into one body which is Christ's; that this body, which
is called the church, began with the advent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost;
that it is distinct from Israel, though it is constituted of both Believing
Jews and Gentiles; and that membership in and fellowship within this body
are independent of membership in any local church.
We believe that in this present age, however, the Body of Christ is constituted
of geographically-designated assemblies; that these assemblies are autonomous;
and that these individual institutions, as the "pillar and foundation of
truth,"
are responsible for interpreting, applying and proclaiming the truth in a given
area. (Mt 16:16-18; Acts 2:42-47, 20:17, 28; Rom 12:5; I Cor 12:12-27;Eph
1:20-23, 4:3-10; Col 3:14-15; Phil 1:1; I Tim 3:5, 14-15; Tit 1:9; Heb13:17;
I Pet 5:1-4)
B. The Ordinances of the Church
We believe that water baptism of believers and the Lord's Supper are the only
ordinances of the church; that they are not a means of salvation, but are the
scripturally prescribed means of fellowship and testimony in this age; and that
participation in these ordinances is not dependent upon membership in a given
local assembly. (Mt 28:19; Lk 22:19-20; Acts 10:47-48, 16:32-33,18:7-8,20:7;
I Cor 1:17, 11:17-34; Jd 12)
C. The Mission of the Church
We believe that it is the explicit message of Jesus Christ to those whom He
has saved that they are sent forth into the unsaved world even as he was sent
forth of His Father - to bring salvation to the lost; that those who are saved
are also called to encourage other believers to "love and good deeds"; and
that, wholly apart from salvation benefits which are bestowed equally upon
all who believe, rewards are promised according to the faithfulness of each
believer in his service to Christ in the mission of the church. (Mt28:18-20;
Jn 17:18; I Cor 3:9-15, 9:17-18, 12:7, 14:26; II Cor 5:10, 18-20;Eph 4:11-16;
Col 3:16; II Tim 4:6-8; Heb 3:12-13, 10:24-25, 12:15-17; I Pet5:4)
VIII. The Future
A. The Return of Christ
We believe that the next great event in the fulfillment of prophecy will be
the coming of Christ in the air to receive to Himself into heaven both His
own who are alive at His coming and those who have died and are to be
resurrected;
that following this event there will be a seven-year period of judgment on
the whole earth; and that at the end of this period of great tribulation, Jesus
Christ will descend to earth just as He ascended - bodily and in the clouds
of heaven. (Jer 30:7; Dan 9:24-27, 12:11; Mt 24:15-21,29-31; Jn 14:1-3;Acts
1:9-11; I Cor 15:51-52; Phil 3:20; I Thess 1:10, 4:13-18;Tit 2:11-14;II Pet
3:8-10; Rev 11:1-7, 13:1-5)
We believe that universal righteousness will not be realized previous to the
return of Jesus Christ to earth, but that the world is presently becoming
more and more apostate ripening for the coming judgment. (Mt. 24:36-39;I
Tim 4:1; II Tim 3:1-7; II Pet 3:3-7)
B. The Reign of Christ
We believe that upon His return to earth, Jesus Christ will institute a millennium
of righteous rule; that Satan will be bound for this thousand year period
in the Abyss; that Christ will lift the curse that has rested upon creation
since the fall of man; and that He will restore Israel to her own land and
fulfill God's covenant promises to her. (Dt 30:1-10; Is 11:1-16; Ezek 37:21-28;
Dan 9:24; Acts 3:21; Rom 8:19-23, 11:25-29; Rev 20:1-6)
C. The Eternal State
We believe that at the close of Christ's millennial reign, Satan will be
released
from the Abyss for a short while; that in a final show of power, Christ will
defeat Satan and his allies; that at a subsequent judgment called the "Great
White Throne Judgment", Christ will condemn all non-believers to eternal torment
along with Satan and his angels in the Lake of Fire; and that He will create
the new heavens and earth wherein the redeemed will live with God forever.
(II Pet 3:10-13; Rev 20:7-22:5)
D. The Future of the Individual
We believe that at death the spirits and souls of those who have trusted in
the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation pass immediately into His presence and
there remain in conscious bliss until the resurrection of the glorified body
when Christ comes for His own, whereupon soul and body reunited shall be associated
with Him forever in glory; but the spirits and souls of the unbelieving await
the final judgment of the Great White Throne at the close of the millennium,
when soul and body reunited shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be
annihilated, but to be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence
of the Lord, and from the glory of His power. (Lk 16:19-26,23:42; II Cor5:8;
Phil 1:23; II Thess 1:7-9; Jd 6-7; Rev 20:11-15)
We believe that while those who have trusted in Christ for their salvation
will not come into judgment regarding their entrance into heaven or hell,
they will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ to be judged for faithfulness
in Christian service. We believe that those who have been faithful will share
in the double portion of Christ's inheritance and thus reign with Him forever,
and that those who have been unfaithful will be denied this special reward
and thus, while they will surely enter and enjoy Christ's eternal kingdom,
they will not share in the regal responsibilities and joys of its Heir. (Ps
2:8-9; Mt 6:19-21, 16:24-27, 24:45-51, 25:21, 23; Lk 9:23-26, 19:11-27; Rom
8:17; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:5; Phil 2:9-11; Col 3:24; II Tim 2:11-13, 4:7-8;
I Pet 5:4; Rev 2:26-27, 21:6-7, 22:12)
