My Statement of Faith!
Senior Statement of Faith
Eugene Farley Douglass
Spring 1989
M. Div., Bethel Theological Seminary
West Campus, San Diego, CA
Integrating Motif
My statement of faith will use as the integrating motif "The Grace of God". I chose this motif because it is the grace of God which has saved me, and the grace of God which has been forming my doctrine and transforming my mind.
The grace of God is vital for all that I believe, because only with that grace am I capable of believing it.That may sound silly or trite, but it is very important for me. For without the grace of God, I would not be finishing seminary, but in jail, in a mental hospital or dead. Who knows how bad things would have gotten, if I was able to resist the call of God in my life on March 11, 1973.
The grace of God has been revealed to man, in God's creation (general revelation), and in His Word (contained in the Old and New Testaments, this is special revelation). By God's grace all God's elect (The Church) are saved. And by His grace we can live our new life with Him. It is God's grace that enables me to believe and say for myself "I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me, and the life which I now live, I live in the faith of the son of God, who loved me and gave His Life for me". (Galatians 2:20)
God's Grace Revealed to Man
1. Special Revelation
a. The Bible
I believe the Holy Bible to be the only sufficient,
certain and infallible rule of all saving faith. I believe
the Holy Bible was inerrant in the original autographs
(originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek), and so
is faithful regarding the historical record, and any other
things it presents as factual. I believe in things
scientific it is accurate and without error, but it is not
a scientific textbook with much detail, but only what is
important for the readers to know. The Bible contains the
totality of what we are to believe concerning God, and
gives us guidance on what He expects of us. (2 Tim.
3:15-17, Isa. 8:20, Romans 15:4)
I believe the Bible consists of the Old and New
Testaments in 66 books. Those commonly called "The
Apocrypha" are not part of the canon and are not of divine
inspiration, with no authority to the church of God. (Luke
24:27,44)
The authority comes from God the Author, and depends
not on the testimony of any man or church, but stands on
its own because it is the Word of God. (1 Thess. 2:13, 1
John 5:9)
My full persuasion and assurance of the infallible
truth and the divine authority thereof, is from the inward
work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness to and with the
Word in my heart. (1 Cor. 2:10-12)
I believe it contains the whole counsel of God
concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man's
salvation, faith and life in Him, is either clearly written
down, or contained in the Bible, unto which nothing at any
time is to be added, whether by "new" revelation of the
Spirit, or traditions of men. The Holy Spirit illuminates
my heart so I can understand the diverse portions of
scripture and apply them to life, and my life in
particular. (Gal. 1:8,9, John 6:45)
I believe the most important rule of interpretation of
scripture is the scripture itself, so when any question is
not evident about the true and full sense of the passage,
the Bible must be searched for places that speak more
clearly, and by that clea meaning can the unclear passage
be understood. (2 Peter 1:20,21, Acts 28:23)
b. The Nature of God and The Trinity
I believe the Lord Our God is one living and true God,
He created all things visible and invisible, and is himself
not created, but without beginning or end. He is spirit,
without body, immortal, true light, immutable, immense,
eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, infinite, holy, wise,
free, absolute, works all things as He wishes for His Own
glory, loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, good and
true, forgiving, just, wrathful against the ungodly, hating
all sin and He will judge the guilty. He has dominion over
all His Creation, and can do as He pleases with all of it.
(Deut. 6:4, Jer. 10:10, Ex. 3:14, John 4:24, I Tim. 1:17,
Mal. 3:6, I Kings 8:27, Jer. 23:23, Ps. 90:2, 95:3, Prov.
16:4, Rom. 11:36, Ex. 34:6,7, Heb. 11:6, Neh. 9:32,33, Nah.
1:2,3, Rev. 5:12-14)
I believe in God there are three persons, The Father,
The Son (or The Word), and The Holy Spirit, all of one
substance, power and eternity, each having the whole divine
essence, yet the essence undivided.
1. The Father - The Father is not created, nor does
He have a beginning, nor is He proceeding, and He directs
the Son and The Holy Spirit to do His will.
2. The Son - Eternally Begotten of the Father to do
His will, and to give His Life as a ransom for many.
3. The Holy Spirit - The Holy Spirit proceeding from
the Father and The Son to do their will, to the Glory of
God.
c. God's decree.
I believe that God has decreed all things that will
or have come to pass; yet is not the author of sin, and
allows His creation varying degrees of free will, according
to His pleasure so all are accountable to Him for their
actions. I believe by this decree that some men and angels
are predestined or foreordained to eternal life, through
the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who died to save the world
from the penalty of sin, and the others are left to act in
their sin, to receive their just condemnation to show His
justice before His elect. The number of His elect cannot
be increased nor diminished, and those are predestined from
before the foundations of the World. (Isa. 46:10, Eph.
1:11, James 1:13,17, John 19:11, Eph. 1:3-5, Rom. 8:30,
9:11-18, 22,23, 2 Tim. 2:19, John 6:44, 2 Peter 1:10).
2. General Revelation
God's general revelation is in His creation, that man
can observe and study. It pleased the Triune God to create
all things for His Glory alone, and so He reveals Himself
through all of it. He created all things in six time
periods, and on the seventh he rested and all He created is
very good. God created man, male and female in His image
for His glory, with reasonable and immortal souls enabling
them to live their lives as God had designed for them, the
Law of God written on their hearts, and yet able to do or
go contrary to the Father's will (this free will existed
only in Adam and Eve before the fall). After the fall, the
general revelation of God is still evident, and acts enough
so none are without excuse, and yet is easily misunderstood
by those who have not received the special revelation from
God. (Jon 1:1,5, Heb. 1:2, Romans 1:20, Col. 1:16, Gen.
1:26-28, 2:1,2,7, Rom. 2:14,15)
3. God's Provision for Man
a. Divine Providence
I believe God upholds, directs, orders, all creatures
and things, from the least to the greatest, to the end for
which they were created. God provides the first cause, and
so all things happen according to His will, so there is
nothing that happens by chance or due to luck. Yet, He has
things occur, as second causes. God is not the primary
cause of many events, but does have them happen using
others as agents, to have His Will be done. In the fall,
the sinfulness of their acts proceeds only from them, and
not from God who neither is or can be the author of Sin.
Often in God's providence we may be left to experience the
consequences of our sin, to teach us, or humble us, so that
we may become more dependent on God and His provision to
conquer sin in our lives, and to teach us to be careful
lest we fall again. Whatever comes upon His elect is by
His desire that we might learn from it and grow in our walk
with Him. And whatever comes upon the unbeliever is due to
His own sinfulness, and whom he serves, as the devil
destroys his own. (Heb. 1:3, Isa. 46:10,11, Ps. 13:5,6,
Matt. 10:26-33, Eph. 1:11, 2 Cor. 12:7-9, Romans 8:28,
1:24-32, 2 Thess. 2:10-12)
b. The Fall of Man
I believe God created man sinless, and perfect,
without blemish or stain, and gave him a righteous law
which would have resulted in eternal life, had he kept it,
and yet man did not abide long in this honor, Satan using
the subtle serpent to seduce Eve to disobey God's law, and
then she seduced Adam, who, without any compulsion chose to
disobey the clear edict of God by eating of the forbidden
fruit. These our first parents fell from their elevated
state, and death came upon them and all their descendants,
all becoming spiritually dead in their sins. The guilt of
Adam's sin was imputed to all his offspring, the corrupted
nature taking a greater toll with each succeeding
generation, unless the pattern is broken by one becoming a
Christian. From this original corruption we are rendered
unable to please God, and wholly inclined to do evil, and
as such all transgressions proceed from this original
corruption. We can only be freed from this corruption by
the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ upon those who
believe. (Gen. 2:16,17, 3:12,13, Rom. 3:23, 5:12-19, Titus
1:15, Jer. 17:9, Rom. 3:10-19, 6:12,20, 7:18,23-25, 8:7,
James 1:14,15, Gal. 5:17)
c. God's covenant
I believe God, knowing the state into which man had
fallen, provided a way out through which man might be saved
from his deserved condemnation, and this way out is through
Jesus Christ alone. He covenanted with His people, that by
the shedding of blood, man could be saved. The shedding of
animal's blood covered (temporarily) their sin, and pointed
to the once for all sacrifice of Jesus Christ to truly
cleanse from all sin. This covenant is a covenant of Grace
and Mercy, where He freely offers all mankind eternal life
and forgiveness of sins by Jesus Christ. He, then requires
faith in Him so that they might be savd. He, then
provides for all who believe, the Holy Spirit so they can
now have the power to live their lives to glorify God in
every way. This covenant was revealed first to Adam, with
its fulfillment in the gospels, in the sacrifice of Jesus
Christ on the cross to save the elect from their deserved
condemnation. (Luke 17:10, Gen. 3:17, Rom. 8:3, John 3:16,
John 6:44,45, Gen. 3:15, Heb. 1:1, 2 Tim. 1:9, Titus 1:2,
Heb.11:6,13, Acts 4:12)
God's Graceful Provision - Christ and Salvation
4. Christ the Mediator
I believe that God chose and ordained the Lord Jesus
Christ, His Only Son, to be the only mediator between God
and man. He is prophet, priest, and king, head and savior
of his church, the heir of all things, and judge of the
world. God gave Him a people to be His seed, and to be by
Him redeemed, called, justified, sanctified and glorified.
(Is. 42:1, Acts 3:22, Hebrews 5:5,6, Luke 1:33, Eph. 1:23,
Acts 17:31, Is. 53:10)
I believe the Son of God became man, conceived by the
Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, with two whole,
perfect and distinct natures, which were inseparably joined
together in one person; which person is God and Man, the
only mediator between God and Man. He lived a life of
total obedience to the Father's will. He underwent the
punishment due to us with his stripes and sacrifice on the
cross. He died for the sins of His elect, saw no
corruption, and on the third day rose again from the dead.
He appeared to His disciples, and then ascended into
heaven. He is now sitting at the right hand of the Father
making intercession for us before Him, and shall return at
the end of the age, to judge men and angels. (John 1:14,
Rom. 8:3, Heb. 2:14-17, 4:15, Luke 1:27-35, 1 Tim. 2:5,
Acts 10:38, Heb. 7:26, John 5:22,27, Heb. 10:5-10, Gal.
3:13, 2 Cor. 5:21, Matt. 27:46, 1 Cor. 15:3,4, John
20:25,27, Acts 1:9-11, Rom. 8:34, 14:9,10, 3:25,26, Heb.
9:15, John 16:8)
5. Free Will
I believe that man was originally created with the
freedom to choose good or evil, in his state of innocence.
He was capable of choosing good or evil, but with his fall
from this state of innocence lost any ability to choose any
spiritual good. So, man as being unregenerate is unable to
convert himself or prepare himself for fellowship with God
by his own strength. When God converts a sinner, the man
is freed from his bondage to sin and again is enabled to do
that which is pleasing to God, and yet man is unable to be
flawless in doing good until glorification. (James 1:14,
Ecc. 7:29, Gen. 3:6, Rom. 5:6, Eph. 2:1,5, Titus 3:3-5,
John 6:44, 8:36, Philipians 2:13, Rom. 7:15-23, Eph. 4:13)
6. Salvation, Sanctification and Glorification
a. Effectual Calling
I believe those whom God has predestined to eternal
life, will in His time be called by His Word and Spirit,
out of a state of sin and death to Grace and Salvation
through Jesus Christ. Their minds are enlightened to
understand the things of God, their wills renewed, and by
His Power determining them to be drawn to Jesus Christ,
willingly and freely responding to His Grace. This calling
is by God's own choice, and is not due to any merit or
power in the man who responds. By this calling the man is
enabled to respond, by his new free will, to the free gift
of God, of eternal life. I believe this calling includes
elect infants, imbeciles, and others who are incapable of
being outwardly called by the Word of God, according to
God's good pleasure. I believe that all those who die in
infancy, or before the age of accountability are subject to
the will of God, whether they are elect or not. I believe
there is biblical precedent to say that the children of an
elect parent is also elect. I believe those not elected,
cannot respond to the gospel, and so are lost forever.
(Rom. 8:30, 11:7, Eph. 2:1-6, Acts 26:18, Eph. 1:19, 2 Tim.
1:9, Eph. 2:8, 1 Cor. 2:14, John 3:3-6, 6:44,45,65, Acts
4:12)
b. Justification
I believe for those God effectually calls, He also
justifies by pardoning their sins, and accepts them as
righteous. This is not because of what they did, but for
Christ's sake alone. Jesus Christ's obedience to the whole
law fulfilled the requirements of the Law, and so we can
receive His righteousness by Faith as a gift from God.
Faith in the sacrifice Christ made for me, taking my sins
upon Himself, and dying in my place, is what justifies me.
I believe that it is Faith in the sacrifice to come that
saves the Old Testament saints, believing in the promises
given in God's word to them for a future redeemer. (Rom.
3:24,28, 4:5-8, 1 Cor. 1:30,31, Rom. 5:17-19, Eph. 2:8-10,
John 1:12, Isa. 53:5,6, Gal. 3:8, Titus 3:4-7, Rom.
4:22-24, Gen. 3:15, 22:1-14, Ex. 12:1-30)
c. Adoption
I believe that with all who are justified, God makes
them joint heirs with Jesus Christ. They have become true
children of God, and as such are cared for, and inherit the
promises, one of which is eternal life. We become His
children, and can claim the name "Children of God", whereas
before we were children of satan, and God did not know us.
(Eph. 1:5, Gal. 4:4,5, John 1:12, Rom. 8:15-17, 2 Cor.
6:18, 1 Peter 5:7, Heb. 12:6)
d. Sanctification
I believe for those God has adopted, He starts the
process of sanctification, which molds us, and transforms
us into the image of Jesus Christ. Sinful areas of life
are conquered, and brought under the power of The Holy
Spirit, and the mind is transformed, so we can walk more
and more in patient obedience to God's will for our lives.
The unregenerate portion of man diminishes, and the
regenerate increases, and this process continues until
glorification, when we are removed from this prison of our
earthly bodies, and take on the new one God has designed
for us. (Acts 20:32, Rom. 6:5,6, Eph. 3:16-19, Rom. 6:14,
2 Cor. 7:1)
e. Saving Faith
I believe that saving faith for the elect, is the work
of the Holy Spirit in their hearts, through the Word of God
preached to them. This faith is increased and strengthened
through baptism, the lord's supper, prayer and various
other means. By this faith, we believe that the Word of
God is true and trustworthy, and that it tells us what we
are to believe, and what God expects of us. By this saving
faith we receive all the promises of God to us, as new
creatures in Christ Jesus. (2 Cor. 4:13, Rom. 10:14,17,
Luke 17:5, Acts 24:14, Ps. 19:7-10, 2 Tim. 1:12, Heb.
11:13, Gal. 2:20, Heb. 5:13,14)
f. Repentance
I believe that for those who are saved, they have
repented unto life. They have turned from their life of
sin, and asked God to transform them to live their lives to
glorify God. This repentance unto life can come at any
time in a man's life, either as a child, or when he is old,
the turning is still real, and shows its effect in the
man's life. This repentance involves humbling, godly
sorrow, detestation of the sin, praying for pardon and
strength, with a new purpose to live one's life to please
God. It is all men's duty to repent of known particular
sins, as God reveals them to him, and so cooperate in their
sanctification. This repentance continues throughout life,
and plays a great part in sanctification of the believer.
(Titus 3:2-5, Acts 11:18, Ez. 36:31, 1 Tim. 1:13-15, Isa.
1:16-18)
g. Good Works
I believe that truly good works are only those which
God has commanded in His word, these good works done in
obedience to God's Word are the fruits and evidence of a
true and lively faith, and by them believers thank God for
what He has done for them. These good works do NOT save
us, or help us earn eternal life, as that is a free gift of
God in response to our faith. The good works of
unbelievers, that on the surface may seem to be what God
commands, and have "good" results apparent to all are
sinful and cannot please God, because they proceed from a
heart still tainted with sin. (Micah 6:8, Heb. 13:21,
James 2:18-22, 1 John 2:3-5, 2 Peter 1:5-11. Matt. 5:16,
Eph. 2:8-10, John 15:4,5, Matt. 25:21-23, Heb. 11:4-6,
Titus 3:5, Matt. 25:41-43)
h. Perseverance of the Saints
I believe that those saved, will NOT lose their
salvation, and this perseverance does not depend on their
own free will, but upon the immutability of their election.
One who is truly saved, will evidence that saving faith, by
his perseverance. Those who appear to be saved, and then
fall away, have been revealed as not truly having saving
faith to begin with. I believe that some may have the hand
of God on their lives, and not truly respond until later,
but may appear to repent and fall, repent and fall, until
they receive the true power to live their lives to glorify
God. I believe a true Christian is not capable of (or will
not continue in) grievious sin (such as adultery,
homosexuality, drunkenness, moral terpitude) as a lifestyle
as 1 Cor. 6:9-10 clearly states they will NOT inherit the
kingdom of God. Verse 11 clearly states that new life in
Christ transforms people so they will not do such anymore.
(John 10:28,29, Philipians 1:6, 1 John 2:19, Rom. 8:30,
Heb. 6:17,18, 1 John 3:9, Jer. 32:40, 1 John 2:3-6, 1 Cor.
6:9-11)
i. Assurance
I believe through the doctrine of perseverance of the
believer, that the true Christian can have, by the
believing of the above promises from God's word, true and
total assurance that God has saved him, made him new, and
is in process of transforming him to the image of Chris
Jesus. This assurance is infallible, as it is based on the
sacrifice Christ paid for us, by giving up His life in our
place, the inward evidences of God's working in our hearts,
and the testimony of the Holy Spirit that we have been made
children of God for good! New and weak Christians may
suffer from doubts, but that is due to a heart of unbelief,
that will not believe the clear teaching of scripture.
Some may doubt, because of persons that teach that one can
lose their salvation, and that doubt is man-made. (1 John
2:3-6, 3:14-24, 5:13, Rom. 5:1-5, Heb. 6:17,18, 2 Peter
1:4,5,10,11, Rom. 8:15,16, 1 John 3:1-3)
j. The Gospel and the Extent of Grace Thereof
I believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is special
revelation, is the only means by which man can be saved.
General Revelation is not enough to lead one to the
knowledge of the truth. The revelation of the gospel to
sinners, has been under the sovereign will of God, to go,
and reach peoples as He alone ordains. The Holy Spirit
works through the Word of God and its proclamation to save
the man whom God has predestined to be saved. And it can
happen no other way. Plainly those in nations not reached
by the gospel, cannot be saved, as they are under the curse
of God, as all are without excuse, being offspring of Adam,
the first sinner. (Rom. 10:14-17, Isa. 60:2,3, Acts 16:7,
Rom. 1:18, 1 Cor. 2:14, John 6:44, 2 Cor. 4:4-6)
The Grace of God in His Church and in His Return
7. Christian Liberty
I believe the liberty that we have as Christians
consists in the freedom from the guilt of sin, the wrath of
God, and the curse of the Law, and in deliverance from the
forces of darkness that run rampant in this world. We have
free access to God, and decide to obey our Lord, because it
pleases Him. We have also been freed from the ceremonial
law which bound the Jews, as Jesus Christ fulfilled it.
(Gal. 3:13, 1:4, Acts 26:18, Rom. 8:3,28, 1 Cor. 15:54-57,
1 John 4:18, Heb. 10:19-21)
I believe that God alone is Lord of the conscience,
and so Laws of man that are contrary to His Word, do not
bind me, likewise any that are not contained in it. (Rom.
14:4, Matt. 15:9, Col. 2:20-23) And this liberty is not a
liberty to go on sinning, but a liberty to freely choose
what is right and honorable. (Rom. 14:4, Matt. 15:19, Col.
2:20-23, Rom. 6:1,2)
8. Christian Marriage
I believe marriage is an institution designed by God
to illustrate the union between Christ and His Bride the
Church, it is to be between one man and one woman, with no
bigamy or adultery on either's part. It was designed for
the mutual help of husband and wife, for the bearing of
children, and for prevention of immorality. I believe
Christians must marry only Christians, as marrying with an
unbeliever is becoming unequally yoked with the world, and
those that do it, will reap much more than that they sowed.
I believe Christian marriage must not be incestuous, nor
have any basis in immorality on the part of either one.
(Eph. 5:22-33, Gen. 2:24, Matt. 19:5,6, Gen. 2:18, I Cor.
7:2,9, Neh. 13:25-27, 1 Cor. 5:1)
9.The Nature of the Church
a. What is the Church?
I believe in one catholic or universal church, which
by the work of The Holy Spirit may be called invisible, and
consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been,
are or will be gathered into one, under Christ, the True
Head, and is the bride of Christ, the body, and the
fullness of Him that makes us all one in Him. (Hebrews
12:23, Col. 1:18, Eph. 1:10,22,23, Eph. 5:23,27,32)
I believe that all persons throughout the world
professing the faith of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and
obedience unto God by their life in Christ, are and may be
called the visible saints (I Cor. 1:2, Acts 11:26); and of
these people all particular congregations are constituted
(Romans 1:7, Eph. 1:20-22)
I believe that the purest churches in this world are
subject to mixture and error (I Cor. 5, Rev. 2&3); and some
have so degenerated as to become churches not of Christ
(Rev. 18:2, 2 Thess.. 2:11,12), but gatherings of the
people of Satan, but in spite of all this, Christ always
has had, and ever shall have a kingdom in this world (Matt.
16:18, Ps. 72:17, 102:28, Rev. 12:17), to the end of this
world, of such as believe in Him, and make a profession of
His name.
I believe that The Lord Jesus Christ is the one True
Head of His church, and there can be none other. There is
no one representative of Him on earth. (Col. 1:18, Matt.
28:18-20, Eph. 4:11,12, 2 Thess. 2:2-9)
I believe in that God has instituted local churches
for the preaching and teaching of the Word, the edification
of believers, the propagation of the gospel, and the
fellowship of the believers. (John 10:16, 12:32, Matt.
18:15-20, 28:20)
I believe the members of these churches are saints
(Rom. 1:7, I Cor. 1:2), visible to all in the world,
showing people with their lives, what they confess is true.
(Acts 2:41,42, 5:13,14, I Cor. 4:13).
b. Church Government
I believe in a particular church so gathered, and
completely organized according to the Will of God, consists
of officers and members: and the officers appointed by
Christ, to be chosen and set apart by the church, so called
and gathered, for the specific administration of
ordinances, and the execution of power or duty, which He
calls them to or trusts them with, are bishops or elders
and deacons. (Acts 20:17,28, Philipians. 1:1, Titus 1, I
Tim. 3)
I believe the way appointed by Christ for the calling
of any man, fitted and gifted by the Holy Spirit, unto the
office of elder or deacon in a church is chosen by the
members of the church itself (Acts 14:23) and solemnly set
apart by fasting and prayer, with the laying on of hands by
the eldership of the church. (I Tim. 4:14, Acts 6:3,5,6)
I believe the deacons and elders of the church are to
be men, above reproach, only once married (if married, I
Cor. 7 indicates that Paul may not have been married), not
divorced and who manage their family well, and no woman is
to preach, teach or have spiritual authority over men, but
content themselves with the God given extremely important
roles of ministering to other women and children. (1 Tim
2:10-16, Titus 1, I Tim. 3, I Pet. 3:1-7)
I believe the work of pastors is to teach, preach,
counsel, equip and confront the people of God, and the
world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and with the Word of
God, with what God expects of us, as Christians, and
challenging the unsaved elect, with the good news of Jesus
Christ, that can save man from his sin. (Acts 6:4, Heb.
13:17, Ez. 3) It is the responsibility of the churches to
whom they minister, not only to give them all due respect,
but also to pay them responsibly, according to their
ability, so the minister will live comfortably,
without themselves being caught up in secular affairs. (I
Tim. 5:17-18, Gal. 6:6-7, 2 Tim. 2:4, 1 Tim. 3:2, I
Cor.9:6,14)
I believe however it the responsibility of all
believers to share their faith with their neighbors both in
their words and actions. And so we are all ministers and
priests to those who need help. (Acts 11:19-21, I Pet.
4:10,11)
c. Communion of Saints
I believe it is the responsibility of all believers to
unite themselves with a local body of believers, when and
where they have opportunity to do so, for nurture,
fellowship, and correction; so all are admitted unto the
privileges, censures, and government of a church according
to the rule of Christ. (I Thess. 5:14, II Thess. 3:6,14,15)
I believe in cases of difficulty or differences,
either in point of doctrine or administration; wherein
either the churches in general are concerned or any one
church, or any member or members of the churches are
affected in censures not agreeable to truth and order, it
is appropriate for messengers of like churches to meet and
consider and give their advice in this matter, and report
the result to all the churches concerned that the matter
might be resolved. These messengers however do not have
the authority or power to exact discipline or impose their
determination on any involved. As this is the
responsibility of the local church. (Acts
15:2,4,6,22,23,25, 2 Cor. 1:24, I John 1:4)
10. The Ordinances
a. Baptism
I believe Baptism is an ordinance of the New
Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, to be done to the new
believer, as a sign of his new fellowship with him in his
death and resurrection (Rom. 6:3-5, Col. 2:12, Gal. 3:27);
of his being united with Christ; of forgiveness of sins
(Mark 1:4, Acts 26:16); and of his giving up unto God,
through Jesus Christ, to live and walk in newness of life.
(Rom. 6:4)
I believe the only ones who actually profess
repentance towards God, faith in and obedience to our Lord
Jesus Christ, are the proper subjects for Christian
baptism.
I believe if practiced on an infant, it only can serve
as an infant dedication to the Lord for His service, and
does not save, nor is it a new circumcision replacing the
old act of circumcision.
I believe the fluid to be used in baptism is water, in
the name of The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit (Matt.
28:19,20, Acts 8:38).
I believe the proper way to baptize is to immerse or
dip the person in water (Matt. 3:16, John 3:23).
b. The Lord's Supper
I believe the supper of the Lord Jesus, was instituted
by Him, on the same night that He was betrayed, to be
observed in His churches unto the end of the world, for the
perpetual remembrance and showing forth the sacrifice of
Himself in His death, and serves as confirmation of the
faith of believers in all the benefits thereof (I Cor.
11:23-26), their spiritual nourishment and growth in Him,
their further obedience to Him, and to be a pledge of their
communion with Him, and with each other (I Cor.
10:16,17,21).
I believe the Lord's supper is only a memorial to the
sacrifice Christ offered on the cross for us once for all,
and is not a repeated sacrifice of the body and blood of
Christ. (Heb. 9:25,26,28, I Cor. 11:24, Matt. 26:26,27).
I believe the Lord Jesus has in this ordinance
appointed His ministers to pray, and bless the elements of
bread and wine (or grape juice), and by this sets them
apart for a holy use, and to take and break the bread and
to take the cup and give both to the communicants (I Cor.
11:23-26).
I believe that the elements remain in substance both
bread and wine, and they remain as they were before (I Cor.
11:26-28).
I believe that worthy receivers outwardly partaking of
the visible elements of bread and wine, do then also
inwardly, by faith, spiritually and to a unknown degree
physically receive and feed upon Christ crucified and all
the benefits of his death (I Cor. 10:16, 11:23-26): the
body and blood of Christ, under, with and in and
spiritually present in the elements.
I believe because of the above that anyone who
partakes of communion with unrepentant sin brings judgment
upon himself that can lead to sickness or even death. (I
Cor. 11:29) I believe that if there was no real presence
physically or spiritually, and it was just a memory, this
scripture would be effectively disarmed.
11. The State of Man after death/resurrection
I believe that the bodies of men after death return to
dust from which they were made (Gen. 3:19); but their
souls, which neither die nor sleep, are immortal, and
immediately enter into the presence of God if they are
Christians, or into Hades if they are not Christians as
they wait for the Last Judgement, and the resurrection of
the body. The godly are comforted in this state (Ecc.
12:7, Luke 16:19-31, Luke 16:25).
12. The Second Coming, Tribulation/Millennium
I believe the second coming of the Lord is both
imminent and impending, and will occur when we least expect
it. Whatever the millennial view we have, the return of
Christ is not dependent on what we believe, but what God
makes clear in His word. (Mark 13:35-37, Luke 12:35,36,
Rev. 22:20)
I believe the second coming to be post-tribulational,
and if there is a millennium, pre-millennial. (Matt.
24:22) This verse does not promise removal from the
tribulation, but shortening for the sake of the elect. I
believe the scripture describing the rapture, describes the
dead in Christ rising and those still alive will be
transformed, and meet Christ in the air. I believe the
second coming describes both a coming with His people, and
a coming for His people. (1 Thess. 4:11-17)
I believe that there will no be a millennium as the
only direct evidence for a millennium found in Rev. 20, is
symbolic, using 1000 years to describe our eternal reign
with Jesus Christ, because it is a perfect number 10x10x10.
However, if I there is a millennium, I don't know what the
situation will be like. There seems to be some inherent
contradictions in this concept. "Why would we have
incorruptible bodies on a corrupted earth?" is just one
example.
I believe at the Last day, those of the saints who are
alive on the earth shall not die or sleep but be changed (I
Cor.15:51,52, I Thess. 4:17) and the dead shall be raised
up with incorruptible physical bodies, and shall be united
with their souls forever. (Job 19:26,27, I Cor. 15:42,43)
I believe the bodies of the ungodly shall be raised
again to dishonor; the bodies of the godly raised to honor
and made conformable to Christ's body, by His power and
might (Acts 24:15, John 5:28,29, Philip. 3:21)
13. The Last Judgement
I believe that God has appointed a day where He will
judge the world in righteousness by Jesus Christ, in that
day all angels, and all people shall appear before Jesus
Christ to give account of their thoughts, words and deeds,
and to receive according to what they have done in the
body, whether good or evil (Acts 17:31, John 5:22,27, I
Cor. 6:3, Jude 6, 2 Cor. 5:10, Ecc. 12:14, Matt. 12:36,
25:32, Romans 14:10,12).
I believe at the end of this judgement day, there will
be the manifestation of His glory of His Mercy, in the
eternal salvation of the elect; and of His justice, in the
eternal damnation of the non-elect (Rom. 9:22,23). The
righteous shall go into eternal life, and receive their
reward, in the presence of the Lord, but the wicked shall
be cast into eternal torments and punished with everlasting
destruction, away from the presence of the Lord. (Matt.
25:21,23,34,46, 2 Tim. 5:8, Mark 9:48, 2 Thess. 1:7-11)
I believe that the ungodly will be sent to a place of
eternal torment, with no chance of it ending. It is
described in many different ways, unquenchable fire (Matt.
5:22, 18:8-9), destruction (Matt. 10:28), everlasting
torment (Matt. 13:41-42), wrath (John 3:36), lake of fire
and sulfur (Rev. 20:10,14,15, 21:8). Each man will suffer
in hell what He deserves (Luke 12:47-48).
14. The New Heavens and the New Earth
I believe that on the day of judgment God will
destroy and remake or renew the heavens and the earth to be
incorruptible, without blemish and pure. Heaven and Earth
will no longer be separated but be in the presence of each
other (Rev. 21:1-3). I believe that finally man will be
able to fulfill his calling described in Gen. 1:28, to fill
and subdue the earth without sin. There will be a new
heaven and a new earth this is clear (Is. 65:17, Rev.
21:1), but whether it is renewed or remade is really
unimportant. It will be new, we will dwell there, and in
the presence of the Lord Jesus (Rev. 21:1-4), and the
peoples of the earth will dwell together in unity, with no
tears or hurts (Rev. 22:1-5)
Bibliography
Adapted and personalized from The Philadelphia
Confession of Faith of 1742 Copyright 1981 Grace
Abounding Ministries, Sterling, VA pgs. 1-147. A
wonderful Baptist statement of faith, originally adapted
from The London Confession of Faith of 1689, and the
Westminster Confession of Faith of 1644
Hoekema, Anthony A. The Bible and The Future
Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, MI Copyright 1979 The whole book.