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I. The Scriptures
The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God's
revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine
instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end,
and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter.
Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. It
reveals the principles by which God judges us, and therefore is,
and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of
Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human
conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. All
Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of
divine revelation.
Exodus 24:4; Deuteronomy 4:1-2; 17:19; Joshua 8:34; Psalms
19:7-10; 119:11,89,105,140; Isaiah 34:16; 40:8; Jeremiah 15:16;
36:1-32; Matthew 5:17-18; 22:29; Luke 21:33; 24:44-46; John
5:39; 16:13-15; 17:17; Acts 2:16ff.; 17:11; Romans 15:4;
16:25-26; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2; 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25;
2 Peter 1:19-21.
II. God
There is one and only one living and true God. He is an
intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being, the Creator,
Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe. God is infinite
in holiness and all other perfections. God is all powerful and
all knowing; and His perfect knowledge extends to all things,
past, present, and future, including the future decisions of His
free creatures. To Him we owe the highest love, reverence, and
obedience. The eternal triune God reveals Himself to us as
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes,
but without division of nature, essence, or being.
A. God the Father
God as Father reigns with providential care over His universe,
His creatures, and the flow of the stream of human history
according to the purposes of His grace. He is all powerful, all
knowing, all loving, and all wise. God is Father in truth to
those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
He is fatherly in His attitude toward all men.
Genesis 1:1; 2:7; Exodus 3:14; 6:2-3; 15:11ff.; 20:1ff.;
Leviticus 22:2; Deuteronomy 6:4; 32:6; 1 Chronicles 29:10; Psalm
19:1-3; Isaiah 43:3,15; 64:8; Jeremiah 10:10; 17:13; Matthew
6:9ff.; 7:11; 23:9; 28:19; Mark 1:9-11; John 4:24; 5:26;
14:6-13; 17:1-8; Acts 1:7; Romans 8:14-15; 1 Corinthians 8:6;
Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 4:6; Colossians 1:15; 1 Timothy 1:17;
Hebrews 11:6; 12:9; 1 Peter 1:17; 1 John 5:7.
B. God the Son
Christ is the eternal Son of God. In His incarnation as Jesus
Christ He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the
virgin Mary. Jesus perfectly revealed and did the will of God,
taking upon Himself human nature with its demands and
necessities and identifying Himself completely with mankind yet
without sin. He honored the divine law by His personal
obedience, and in His substitutionary death on the cross He made
provision for the redemption of men from sin. He was raised from
the dead with a glorified body and appeared to His disciples as
the person who was with them before His crucifixion. He ascended
into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where He
is the One Mediator, fully God, fully man, in whose Person is
effected the reconciliation between God and man. He will return
in power and glory to judge the world and to consummate His
redemptive mission. He now dwells in all believers as the living
and ever present Lord.
Genesis 18:1ff.; Psalms 2:7ff.; 110:1ff.; Isaiah 7:14; 53;
Matthew 1:18-23; 3:17; 8:29; 11:27; 14:33; 16:16,27; 17:5; 27;
28:1-6,19; Mark 1:1; 3:11; Luke 1:35; 4:41; 22:70; 24:46; John
1:1-18,29; 10:30,38; 11:25-27; 12:44-50; 14:7-11; 16:15-16,28;
17:1-5, 21-22; 20:1-20,28; Acts 1:9; 2:22-24; 7:55-56; 9:4-5,20;
Romans 1:3-4; 3:23-26; 5:6-21; 8:1-3,34; 10:4; 1 Corinthians
1:30; 2:2; 8:6; 15:1-8,24-28; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21; 8:9;
Galatians 4:4-5; Ephesians 1:20; 3:11; 4:7-10; Philippians
2:5-11; Colossians 1:13-22; 2:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18; 1
Timothy 2:5-6; 3:16; Titus 2:13-14; Hebrews 1:1-3; 4:14-15;
7:14-28; 9:12-15,24-28; 12:2; 13:8; 1 Peter 2:21-25; 3:22; 1
John 1:7-9; 3:2; 4:14-15; 5:9; 2 John 7-9; Revelation 1:13-16;
5:9-14; 12:10-11; 13:8; 19:16.
C. God the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, fully divine. He inspired
holy men of old to write the Scriptures. Through illumination He
enables men to understand truth. He exalts Christ. He convicts
men of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. He calls men to
the Saviour, and effects regeneration. At the moment of
regeneration He baptizes every believer into the Body of Christ.
He cultivates Christian character, comforts believers, and
bestows the spiritual gifts by which they serve God through His
church. He seals the believer unto the day of final redemption.
His presence in the Christian is the guarantee that God will
bring the believer into the fullness of the stature of Christ.
He enlightens and empowers the believer and the church in
worship, evangelism, and service.
Genesis 1:2; Judges 14:6; Job 26:13; Psalms 51:11; 139:7ff.;
Isaiah 61:1-3; Joel 2:28-32; Matthew 1:18; 3:16; 4:1; 12:28-32;
28:19; Mark 1:10,12; Luke 1:35; 4:1,18-19; 11:13; 12:12; 24:49;
John 4:24; 14:16-17,26; 15:26; 16:7-14; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4,38;
4:31; 5:3; 6:3; 7:55; 8:17,39; 10:44; 13:2; 15:28; 16:6; 19:1-6;
Romans 8:9-11,14-16,26-27; 1 Corinthians 2:10-14; 3:16;
12:3-11,13; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30; 5:18; 1
Thessalonians 5:19; 1 Timothy 3:16; 4:1; 2 Timothy 1:14; 3:16;
Hebrews 9:8,14; 2 Peter 1:21; 1 John 4:13; 5:6-7; Revelation
1:10; 22:17.
III. Man
Man is the special creation of God, made in His own image. He
created them male and female as the crowning work of His
creation. The gift of gender is thus part of the goodness of
God's creation. In the beginning man was innocent of sin and was
endowed by his Creator with freedom of choice. By his free
choice man sinned against God and brought sin into the human
race. Through the temptation of Satan man transgressed the
command of God, and fell from his original innocence whereby his
posterity inherit a nature and an environment inclined toward
sin. Therefore, as soon as they are capable of moral action,
they become transgressors and are under condemnation. Only the
grace of God can bring man into His holy fellowship and enable
man to fulfill the creative purpose of God. The sacredness of
human personality is evident in that God created man in His own
image, and in that Christ died for man; therefore, every person
of every race possesses full dignity and is worthy of respect
and Christian love.
Genesis 1:26-30; 2:5,7,18-22; 3; 9:6; Psalms 1; 8:3-6; 32:1-5;
51:5; Isaiah 6:5; Jeremiah 17:5; Matthew 16:26; Acts 17:26-31;
Romans 1:19-32; 3:10-18,23; 5:6,12,19; 6:6; 7:14-25; 8:14-18,29;
1 Corinthians 1:21-31; 15:19,21-22; Ephesians 2:1-22; Colossians
1:21-22; 3:9-11.
IV. Salvation
Salvation involves the redemption of the whole man, and is
offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and
Saviour, who by His own blood obtained eternal redemption for
the believer. In its broadest sense salvation includes
regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification.
There is no salvation apart from personal faith in Jesus Christ
as Lord.
A. Regeneration,
or the new birth, is a work of God's grace whereby believers
become new creatures in Christ Jesus. It is a change of heart
wrought by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, to which
the sinner responds in repentance toward God and faith in the
Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance and faith are inseparable
experiences of grace.
Repentance is a genuine turning from sin toward God. Faith is
the acceptance of Jesus Christ and commitment of the entire
personality to Him as Lord and Saviour.
B. Justification
is God's gracious and full acquittal upon principles of His
righteousness of all sinners who repent and believe in Christ.
Justification brings the believer unto a relationship of peace
and favor with God.
C. Sanctification
is the experience, beginning in regeneration, by which the
believer is set apart to God's purposes, and is enabled to
progress toward moral and spiritual maturity through the
presence and power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in him. Growth in
grace should continue throughout the regenerate person's life.
D. Glorification
is the culmination of salvation and is the final blessed and
abiding state of the redeemed.
Genesis 3:15; Exodus 3:14-17; 6:2-8; Matthew 1:21; 4:17;
16:21-26; 27:22-28:6; Luke 1:68-69; 2:28-32; John 1:11-14,29;
3:3-21,36; 5:24; 10:9,28-29; 15:1-16; 17:17; Acts 2:21; 4:12;
15:11; 16:30-31; 17:30-31; 20:32; Romans 1:16-18; 2:4; 3:23-25;
4:3ff.; 5:8-10; 6:1-23; 8:1-18,29-39; 10:9-10,13; 13:11-14; 1
Corinthians 1:18,30; 6:19-20; 15:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17-20;
Galatians 2:20; 3:13; 5:22-25; 6:15; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-22;
4:11-16; Philippians 2:12-13; Colossians 1:9-22; 3:1ff.; 1
Thessalonians 5:23-24; 2 Timothy 1:12; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews
2:1-3; 5:8-9; 9:24-28; 11:1-12:8,14; James 2:14-26; 1 Peter
1:2-23; 1 John 1:6-2:11; Revelation 3:20; 21:1-22:5.
V. God's Purpose of
Grace
Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He
regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners. It is
consistent with the free agency of man, and comprehends all the
means in connection with the end. It is the glorious display of
God's sovereign goodness, and is infinitely wise, holy, and
unchangeable. It excludes boasting and promotes humility.
All true believers endure to the end. Those whom God has
accepted in Christ, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never
fall away from the state of grace, but shall persevere to the
end. Believers may fall into sin through neglect and temptation,
whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and
comforts, and bring reproach on the cause of Christ and temporal
judgments on themselves; yet they shall be kept by the power of
God through faith unto salvation.
Genesis 12:1-3; Exodus 19:5-8; 1 Samuel 8:4-7,19-22; Isaiah
5:1-7; Jeremiah 31:31ff.; Matthew 16:18-19; 21:28-45; 24:22,31;
25:34; Luke 1:68-79; 2:29-32; 19:41-44; 24:44-48; John 1:12-14;
3:16; 5:24; 6:44-45,65; 10:27-29; 15:16; 17:6,12,17-18; Acts
20:32; Romans 5:9-10; 8:28-39; 10:12-15; 11:5-7,26-36; 1
Corinthians 1:1-2; 15:24-28; Ephesians 1:4-23; 2:1-10; 3:1-11;
Colossians 1:12-14; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14; 2 Timothy 1:12;
2:10,19; Hebrews 11:39-12:2; James 1:12; 1 Peter 1:2-5,13;
2:4-10; 1 John 1:7-9; 2:19; 3:2.
VI. The Church
A New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomous
local congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant
in the faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the two
ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws, exercising the
gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word, and
seeking to extend the gospel to the ends of the earth. Each
congregation operates under the Lordship of Christ through
democratic processes. In such a congregation each member is
responsible and accountable to Christ as Lord. Its scriptural
officers are pastors and deacons. While both men and women are
gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is
limited to men as qualified by Scripture.
The New Testament speaks also of the church as the Body of
Christ which includes all of the redeemed of all the ages,
believers from every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation.
Matthew 16:15-19; 18:15-20; Acts 2:41-42,47; 5:11-14; 6:3-6;
13:1-3; 14:23,27; 15:1-30; 16:5; 20:28; Romans 1:7; 1
Corinthians 1:2; 3:16; 5:4-5; 7:17; 9:13-14; 12; Ephesians
1:22-23; 2:19-22; 3:8-11,21; 5:22-32; Philippians 1:1;
Colossians 1:18; 1 Timothy 2:9-14; 3:1-15; 4:14; Hebrews
11:39-40; 1 Peter 5:1-4; Revelation 2-3; 21:2-3.
VII. Baptism and the
Lord's Supper
Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the
name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act
of obedience symbolizing the believer's faith in a crucified,
buried, and risen Saviour, the believer's death to sin, the
burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness
of life in Christ Jesus. It is a testimony to his faith in the
final resurrection of the dead. Being a church ordinance, it is
prerequisite to the privileges of church membership and to the
Lord's Supper.
The Lord's Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members
of the church, through partaking of the bread and the fruit of
the vine, memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate
His second coming.
Matthew 3:13-17; 26:26-30; 28:19-20; Mark 1:9-11; 14:22-26; Luke
3:21-22; 22:19-20; John 3:23; Acts 2:41-42; 8:35-39; 16:30-33;
20:7; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 10:16,21; 11:23-29; Colossians
2:12.
VIII. The Lord's Day
The first day of the week is the Lord's Day. It is a Christian
institution for regular observance. It commemorates the
resurrection of Christ from the dead and should include
exercises of worship and spiritual devotion, both public and
private. Activities on the Lord's Day should be commensurate
with the Christian's conscience under the Lordship of Jesus
Christ.
Exodus 20:8-11; Matthew 12:1-12; 28:1ff.; Mark 2:27-28; 16:1-7;
Luke 24:1-3,33-36; John 4:21-24; 20:1,19-28; Acts 20:7; Romans
14:5-10; I Corinthians 16:1-2; Colossians 2:16; 3:16; Revelation
1:10.
IX. The Kingdom
The Kingdom of God includes both His general sovereignty over
the universe and His particular kingship over men who willfully
acknowledge Him as King. Particularly the Kingdom is the realm
of salvation into which men enter by trustful, childlike
commitment to Jesus Christ. Christians ought to pray and to
labor that the Kingdom may come and God's will be done on earth.
The full consummation of the Kingdom awaits the return of Jesus
Christ and the end of this age.
Genesis 1:1; Isaiah 9:6-7; Jeremiah 23:5-6; Matthew 3:2;
4:8-10,23; 12:25-28; 13:1-52; 25:31-46; 26:29; Mark 1:14-15;
9:1; Luke 4:43; 8:1; 9:2; 12:31-32; 17:20-21; 23:42; John 3:3;
18:36; Acts 1:6-7; 17:22-31; Romans 5:17; 8:19; 1 Corinthians
15:24-28; Colossians 1:13; Hebrews 11:10,16; 12:28; 1 Peter
2:4-10; 4:13; Revelation 1:6,9; 5:10; 11:15; 21-22.
X. Last Things
God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring the world to
its appropriate end. According to His promise, Jesus Christ will
return personally and visibly in glory to the earth; the dead
will be raised; and Christ will judge all men in righteousness.
The unrighteous will be consigned to Hell, the place of
everlasting punishment. The righteous in their resurrected and
glorified bodies will receive their reward and will dwell
forever in Heaven with the Lord.
Isaiah 2:4; 11:9; Matthew 16:27; 18:8-9; 19:28; 24:27,30,36,44;
25:31-46; 26:64; Mark 8:38; 9:43-48; Luke 12:40,48; 16:19-26;
17:22-37; 21:27-28; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:11; 17:31; Romans 14:10;
1 Corinthians 4:5; 15:24-28,35-58; 2 Corinthians 5:10;
Philippians 3:20-21; Colossians 1:5; 3:4; 1 Thessalonians
4:14-18; 5:1ff.; 2 Thessalonians 1:7ff.; 2; 1 Timothy 6:14; 2
Timothy 4:1,8; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 9:27-28; James 5:8; 2 Peter
3:7ff.; 1 John 2:28; 3:2; Jude 14; Revelation 1:18; 3:11;
20:1-22:13.
XI. Evangelism and
Missions
It is the duty and privilege of every follower of Christ and of
every church of the Lord Jesus Christ to endeavor to make
disciples of all nations. The new birth of man's spirit by God's
Holy Spirit means the birth of love for others. Missionary
effort on the part of all rests thus upon a spiritual necessity
of the regenerate life, and is expressly and repeatedly
commanded in the teachings of Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ has
commanded the preaching of the gospel to all nations. It is the
duty of every child of God to seek constantly to win the lost to
Christ by verbal witness undergirded by a Christian lifestyle,
and by other methods in harmony with the gospel of Christ.
Genesis 12:1-3; Exodus 19:5-6; Isaiah 6:1-8; Matthew 9:37-38;
10:5-15; 13:18-30, 37-43; 16:19; 22:9-10; 24:14; 28:18-20; Luke
10:1-18; 24:46-53; John 14:11-12; 15:7-8,16; 17:15; 20:21; Acts
1:8; 2; 8:26-40; 10:42-48; 13:2-3; Romans 10:13-15; Ephesians
3:1-11; 1 Thessalonians 1:8; 2 Timothy 4:5; Hebrews 2:1-3;
11:39-12:2; 1 Peter 2:4-10; Revelation 22:17.
XIII. Stewardship
God is the source of all blessings, temporal and spiritual; all
that we have and are we owe to Him. Christians have a spiritual
debtorship to the whole world, a holy trusteeship in the gospel,
and a binding stewardship in their possessions. They are
therefore under obligation to serve Him 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 the
Redeemer's cause on earth.
Genesis 14:20; Leviticus 27:30-32; Deuteronomy 8:18; Malachi
3:8-12; Matthew 6:1-4,19-21; 19:21; 23:23; 25:14-29; Luke
12:16-21,42; 16:1-13; Acts 2:44-47; 5:1-11; 17:24-25; 20:35;
Romans 6:6-22; 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 4:1-2; 6:19-20; 12; 16:1-4;
2 Corinthians 8-9; 12:15; Philippians 4:10-19; 1 Peter 1:18-19.
XIV. Cooperation
Christ's people should, as occasion requires, organize such
associations and conventions as may best secure cooperation for
the great objects of the Kingdom of God. Such organizations have
no authority over one another or over the churches. They are
voluntary and advisory bodies designed to elicit, combine, and
direct the energies of our people in the most effective manner.
Members of New Testament churches should cooperate with one
another in carrying forward the missionary, educational, and
benevolent ministries for the extension of Christ's Kingdom.
Christian unity in the New Testament sense is spiritual harmony
and voluntary cooperation for common ends by various groups of
Christ's people. Cooperation is desirable between the various
Christian denominations, when the end to be attained is itself
justified, and when such cooperation involves no violation of
conscience or compromise of loyalty to Christ and His Word as
revealed in the New Testament.
Exodus 17:12; 18:17ff.; Judges 7:21; Ezra 1:3-4; 2:68-69;
5:14-15; Nehemiah 4; 8:1-5; Matthew 10:5-15; 20:1-16; 22:1-10;
28:19-20; Mark 2:3; Luke 10:1ff.; Acts 1:13-14; 2:1ff.; 4:31-37;
13:2-3; 15:1-35; 1 Corinthians 1:10-17; 3:5-15; 12; 2
Corinthians 8-9; Galatians 1:6-10; Ephesians 4:1-16; Philippians
1:15-18.
XV. The Christian and the
Social Order
All Christians are under obligation to seek to make the will of
Christ supreme in our own lives and in human society. Means and
methods used for the improvement of society and the
establishment of righteousness among men can be truly and
permanently helpful only when they are rooted in the
regeneration of the individual by the saving grace of God in
Jesus Christ. In the spirit of Christ, Christians should oppose
racism, every form of greed, selfishness, and vice, and all
forms of sexual immorality, including adultery, homosexuality,
and pornography. We should work to provide for the orphaned, the
needy, the abused, the aged, the helpless, and the sick. We
should speak on behalf of the unborn and contend for the
sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death.
Every Christian should seek to bring industry, government, and
society as a whole under the sway of the principles of
righteousness, truth, and brotherly love. In order to promote
these ends Christians should be ready to work with all men of
good will in any good cause, always being careful to act in the
spirit of love without compromising their loyalty to Christ and
His truth.
Exodus 20:3-17; Leviticus 6:2-5; Deuteronomy 10:12; 27:17; Psalm
101:5; Micah 6:8; Zechariah 8:16; Matthew 5:13-16,43-48;
22:36-40; 25:35; Mark 1:29-34; 2:3ff.; 10:21; Luke 4:18-21;
10:27-37; 20:25; John 15:12; 17:15; Romans 12-14; 1Corinthians
5:9-10; 6:1-7; 7:20-24; 10:23-11:1; Galatians 3:26-28; Ephesians
6:5-9; Colossians 3:12-17; 1 Thessalonians 3:12; Philemon; James
1:27; 2:8.
XVI. Peace and War
It is the duty of Christians to seek peace with all men on
principles of righteousness. In accordance with the spirit and
teachings of Christ they should do all in their power to put an
end to war.
The true remedy for the war spirit is the gospel of our Lord.
The supreme need of the world is the acceptance of His teachings
in all the affairs of men and nations, and the practical
application of His law of love. Christian people throughout the
world should pray for the reign of the Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 2:4; Matthew 5:9,38-48; 6:33; 26:52; Luke 22:36,38;
Romans 12:18-19; 13:1-7; 14:19; Hebrews 12:14; James 4:1-2.
XVII. Religious
Liberty
God alone is Lord of the conscience, and He has left it free
from the doctrines and commandments of men which are contrary to
His Word or not contained in it. Church and state should be
separate. The state owes to every church protection and full
freedom in the pursuit of its spiritual ends. In providing for
such freedom no ecclesiastical group or denomination should be
favored by the state more than others. Civil government being
ordained of God, it is the duty of Christians to render loyal
obedience thereto in all things not contrary to the revealed
will of God. The church should not resort to the civil power to
carry on its work. The gospel of Christ contemplates spiritual
means alone for the pursuit of its ends. The state has no right
to impose penalties for religious opinions of any kind. The
state has no right to impose taxes for the support of any form
of religion. A free church in a free state is the Christian
ideal, and this implies the right of free and unhindered access
to God on the part of all men, and the right to form and
propagate opinions in the sphere of religion without
interference by the civil power.
Genesis 1:27; 2:7; Matthew 6:6-7,24; 16:26; 22:21; John 8:36;
Acts 4:19-20; Romans 6:1-2; 13:1-7; Galatians 5:1,13;
Philippians 3:20; 1 Timothy 2:1-2; James 4:12; 1 Peter 2:12-17;
3:11-17; 4:12-19.
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