CONTENTS

I. BIBLIOLOGY:  THE HOLY SCRIPTURES

A. Revelation

B. Authorship of Scripture

C. Character of Scripture

D. Illumination of Scripture

E. Interpretation of Scripture

            F.         Canon of Scripture

 

II. THEOLOGY PROPER: THE TRIUNE GODHEAD

A. God's Existence

B. God's Nature

C. God's Attributes

            D.        God's Decree

 

III. CHRISTOLOGY: THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST

A. His Person

            B.         His Work

 

IV. PNEUMATOLOGY: THE DOCTRINE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

A. His Person

            B.         His Work

 

V.        ANTHROPOLOGY: THE DOCTRINE OF MAN

 

VI.       HARMARTIOLOGY: THE DOCTRINE OF SIN

 

VII.      SOTERIOLOGY: THE DOCTRINE OF SALVATION

 

VIII. ECCLESIOLOGY: THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH

A. Description of the Church

B. Formation of the Church

C. Nature of the Church

D. Manifestation of the Church

E. Government of the Church

F. Ministry of the Church

            G.         Ordinances of the Church

 

IX. ANGELOLOGY: THE DOCTRINE OF ANGELS

A. Holy Angels

            B.        Fallen Angels

 

X. ESCHATOLOGY: THE DOCTRINE OF LAST THINGS

A. The Intermediate State

B. The Rapture of the Church

C. The Tribulation Period

D. The Millennial Kingdom

E. The Eternal State

   

I. BIBLIOLOGY:  THE HOLY SCRIPTURES

 

We believe:

 

A. Revelation

Revelation is primarily that act of God by which He communicates Himself to others. The content of such communication is not the result of creaturely wisdom, but is knowledge of the Godhead unknown apart from His initiating the unveiling (I Cor. 2). The revelation of God is not the invention of man but is only able to be discovered by man (Gal. 1:6-17; Heb. 1:1-2).

 

God's revelation to man of Himself is not exhaustive but is sufficient and worthily demands a positive response (Deu. 29:29). Revelation to man occurs through two basic means:

 

1. General Revelation.

a. Externally in the creation (Ps. 19:1-6; Rom. 1:20; Acts 14:16-17) and in history (Dan. 2:20-22; Acts 17:26-27).

b. Internally in the conscience (Rom. 1:19; 2:14-16).

Note: General revelation is God's non-verbal communication to all men. Each individual is accountable before God for responding positively to it. However, in itself it is insufficient to save (Jn 14:6; Acts 4:12; Rom. 10:9-10,13-14; Gen. 15:6; cf. Rom 4). A negative response to general revelation is just cause for moral degradation and eternal punishment (Rom. 1:20, 24, 26, 28).

 

2. Specific Revelation.

a. In the written Word of God, the Holy Scriptures (Ps. 19:7-11; II Tim. 3:15-16; II Pet. 1:19-21).

b. In the incarnate Word of God, Jesus Christ (Jn. 1:1, 14-18; Heb. 1:1-3; I Jn. 1:1-3).

Note: Specific revelation is necessary for salvation (Jn. 14:6; Acts 10:43; II Tim. 3:15; Rom. 1:16). It is not ongoing (Heb. 1:2; 2:3-4; Prov. 30:6; Rev. 22:18-20; Jude 3).

 

 

B. Authorship of Scripture

 

God spoke in His written Word by a process of dual authorship, in which the Holy Spirit so superintended the human authors that through their individual personalities and styles of writing, they wrote God's Word to man (II Pet. 1:20-21; Acts 4:25) in the original documents.

 

 

C. Character of Scripture

 

1. Scripture is inspired--God-breathed (II Tim. 3:16). It is the result of the breath of God and not the writers' thoughts. This inspiration is plenary (extends to the whole--II Tim. 3:16) and is verbal (extends to the part--Jn. 17:8; Ex. 20:1; I Cor. 2:10-13; Jn. 6:63; Mt. 5:17-18).

 

2. Scripture is infallible (Ps. 19:7; Mt. 5:18; 24:34; Jn. 10:35; 16:12-13). All Scripture is completely trustworthy for faith and practice.

 

3. Scripture is inerrant (Is. 30:8; 40:8; 45:19; Prov. 30:5-6; II Tim. 3:16). God's revelation to man is consistent with His character. Because God is true and perfect (Mt. 5:48), His Word is true, perfect and without error. If there is one error, there may as well be a thousand.

 

D. Illumination of Scripture

 

Illumination is the work of the Holy Spirit in which He makes clear, enlightens and teaches the truth of the written revelation. It involves a supernatural awakening from within (Jn. 16:12-15; I Cor. 2:14-15; Ps. 119:18; Eph. 1:13-18).

 

E. Interpretation of Scripture

 

There are several applications of any given passage, but there is only one interpretation (Neh. 8:8), because God as the originator of Scripture intended only one meaning (2 Pet. 1:19-21). This interpretation may be understood as one diligently (II Tim. 2:15) applies proper literal-grammatical-historical principles of literary interpretation (Jn. 16:12-15).

 

F. Canon of Scripture

 

The 66 books of the Bible compile the canon of Scripture. This canon was recognized by the early church as the Word of God based on the following standards:

1. New Testament (27 books).

  a. Apostolic origin or a close relationship to an Apostle.

  b. Universal reception by the early church.

c. Consistency of doctrine and spiritual nature of its contents.

d. Inspiration, shown in part by its effects of changed lives.

 

2. Old Testament (39 books).

  a. Written during prophetic period (Moses to 400 B.C.).

  b. Written by men called of God.

  c. Attested to by the Lord and the Apostles.

 

 

 

II. THEOLOGY PROPER: THE TRIUNE GODHEAD

 

We believe:

 

Every theological heresy stems from a misunderstanding of the person and work of God. We believe the Word of God teaches the following about theology proper:

 

A. God's Existence

God's existence is assumed in His Word (Gen. 1:1; Ps. 90:2), it is not proven.

 

B. God's Nature

1. God is a person possessing:

a. Emotion (Ex. 34:14; Heb. 3:10).

b. Reason (Mic. 6:1-2; Is. 1:18; Ps. 8:4; 144:3).

c. Will (Gen. 17:1-2).

 

2. God is Triune.

a. The Ontological Tri-unity:

1) God is one in number and in His essential nature (Deu. 6:4; Mk. 12:29; Jn. 10:30; I Cor. 8:4; Jam. 2:19).

2) While God's essence is indivisible (Is. 45:5-6), it belongs to three divine persons (Is. 48:16; Mt. 28:19; Jn. 15:26; II Cor. 13:14).

3) Each of these three are ascribed attributes of deity and are called God and seen as equal to each other: (a) the Father (I Pet. 1:2); (b) the Son (Jn. 1:1); (c) the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4).

b. The Economic Tri-unity:

1) God the Father is predominantly presented as being the divine author/designer of all things (I Cor. 8:6; Mt. 26:39; Acts 17:29).

2) God the Son is predominantly presented as being the divine agent of all things (I Cor. 8:6; Jn. 1:3; Col. 1:16).

3) God the Holy Spirit is predominantly presented as being the divine helper/assister of all things (Jn. 14:26; 16:7-8; Eph. 2:18).

 

C. God's Attributes

 

God has revealed His nature through specific attributes. These attributes suggest two basic categories: communicable (those possessing a counterpart in man), and incommunicable (those possessing an absolute characteristic of God with no counterpart in man).

 

 

Although God is known by His attributes as revealed in Scripture, they do not exhaust His essential nature.

 

1. Examples of God's communicable attributes:

a. Holy (Is. 6:3; I Pet. 1:15).

b. Long-suffering (II Pet. 3:15).

c. Gracious (Eph. 1:6-7; 2:8).

 

2. Examples of God's incommunicable attributes:

a. Immutable (Mal. 3:6; Heb. 13:8).

b. Self-existent (Ex. 3:14; Jn. 5:26).

c. Infinite (I Kings 8:27).

d. Perfect (Mt. 5:48).

 

D. God's Decree

 

Our all-sovereign and all-wise God has freely predetermined all things outside of Himself. All that comes to pass has been ordained by God. He has not decreed anything because He foresaw it as future (Is. 14:26-27; 45:12; 46:9-11; Rom. 11:36).

 

 

III. CHRISTOLOGY: THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST

 

We believe:

 

A. His Person

 

1. Jesus Christ as the second person of the triune Godhead pre-existed eternally and is co-equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit in the triune Godhead (Jn. 1:1; 8:58; 10:30; Col. 1:15-17).

 

2. Jesus came to dwell with men as the God-Man, undiminished in deity and perfect in humanity, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin (Jn. 1:1, 14; Lk. 1:34-35; Mt. 1:18-25; Phil. 2:5-8).

 

3. Jesus in the hypostatic union united deity and humanity in one person without any mingling of the attributes. There was, therefore, no loss in the identity of the two natures (Jn. 1:1, 14; I Tim. 2:5).

 

4. Jesus, in His humiliation, gave up His divine glory with the Father in order to take a servant-form. In this act, He resigned not the possession nor yet entirely the use but rather the independent exercise of the divine attributes (Phil. 2:5-8; Jn. 17:5; II Cor. 8:9).

 

5. Jesus as God-Man lived a sinless life, without sin as to nature, and yet being tempted in all things, He did not sin (Lk. 1:35; I Pet. 2:22, II Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15; I Jn. 3:5).

 

B. His Work

 

1. The primary purposes of the incarnation were to reveal God to man, to seek and to save lost sinners, to die a sacrifice for sin, and to rule over God's kingdom (Jn. 1:18; 14:9; Lk. 19:10; I Tim. 1:15; Mk. 10:45; Heb. 2:9; I Jn. 3:5; Ps. 2:7-9; Is. 9:6).

 

2. The death of Christ accomplished redemption. His death was voluntary, substitutionary, propitiatory, reconciliatory and redemptive (Jn. 19:30; Mk. 10:45; Mt. 20:28; I Tim. 1:16; I Pet. 2:24; I Jn. 2:2; Rom. 3:25; II Cor. 5:18-19; Col. 1:13-14; Rom. 6:5-10).

 

3. Jesus died, was buried and then raised on the third day in bodily form, victorious over death and sin (Mt. 28:6; Lk. 24:5-6; I Cor. 15:3-4). He appeared to many witnesses (I Cor. 15:5-8; Jn. 20:27-29). He ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9-11) and now sits at the right hand of God the Father as the only mediator between God and man, interceding for the saints (Col. 3:1; Heb. 1:3; 8:1; I Tim. 2:5-6; I Jn. 2:1-2).

 

4. The atoning work of Christ was sufficient for all (I Jn. 2:2; Jn. 4:42; 11:51-52; I Tim. 4:10; Heb. 2:9) but effective for the elect (Jn. 3:16; Rom. 10:13).

 

5. Jesus is the head of the church, His bride, and will personally return to receive the church to be with Him forever at the rapture. He will then judge these believers (Col. 1:18; Eph. 1:22; I Thes. 4:16-17; Jn. 14:1-3; I Cor. 3:13-15; II Cor. 5:10).

 

6. Jesus will physically return in power and great glory to sit on the throne of David, judge unbelievers and establish His kingdom forever (Mt. 25:31-34; Rev. 19:11-14; 20:4; 22:12-16).

 

 

IV. PNEUMATOLOGY:  THE DOCTRINE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

 

We believe:

 

A. His Person

He is the third person of the triune Godhead possessing will, intellect and emotion (I Cor. 2:11; 12:11; Eph. 4:30). He is co-equal with the Father and the Son and is all that is divine (Acts 5:34; Heb. 9:14; Jn. 16:13; Ps. 139:7-10; Is. 40:13).

 

 

B. His Work

1. His sovereign work was related to the world of men in part through involvement in creation, inspiration, the incarnation and the resurrection (Gen. 1:2; II Pet. 1:21; Lk. 1:35; Rom. 8:11).

 

2. In relationship to the unbeliever, the Spirit convicts of sin, righteousness and judgment (Jn. 16:9-11), restrains sin (II Thes. 2:6-7) and witnesses of Christ (Jn. 15:26).

 

3. In relationship to the believer, the Spirit regenerates (Jn. 3:5; Tit. 3:5), baptizes into the body of Christ (I Cor. 12:13), indwells (I Cor. 6:19), seals (Eph. 1:13; 4:30), sanctifies (Rom. 15:16), bestows gifts (Rom. 12:6-8; I Pet. 4:10), intercedes (Rom. 8:26), instructs (I Cor. 12:8; Rom. 8:26; Eph. 1:13-18) and empowers for service (II Cor. 3:6) unto the day of redemption.  The church is commanded to demonstrate spiritual maturity which the Spirit produces by means of the Word (Eph. 5:18; Col. 1:9-10; Eph. 4:11-14).

 

4. The Spirit bestows gifts, however the sign gifts (e.g. tongues, miracles) gradually ceased as the New Testament Scriptures were completed and their authority was confirmed (I Cor. 12:4-11; II Cor. 12:12; Eph. 2:20; 4:7-12; Heb. 2:1-4; I Thes. 5:1).