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Statement of Faith

 
2014 Universal Statement of Truths of The Christian Faith

(2017 revision [in progress] to include summarized affirmation, scripture proofs, historical supports, and denials; for each doctrine to shape clear orthodoxy of the Christian Faith)


The Bible | God | Jesus | The Trinity | The Holy Spirit | Satan | Humanity
Salvation | The Church | Things To Come |

Article 1.  THE BIBLE


ARTICLE 1:  THE BIBLE.  The Bible made up of divinely inspired writings from God that were recorded by man under the direct influence and inspiration of God himself.  The Bible is the authority of God in all that is true and untrue, right and wrong, his character, nature, desire, and will; revealed to the Prophets of the Old Testament and Apostles of the New Testament.  The Bible is perfect, infallible, and inerrant in its original writings.  Its message and meanings have been preserved through history by The Holy Spirit.  The Bible is complete and perfectly sufficient for knowing God and saving faith.

  1. The Source of Scripture:  Holy Scripture is from God in that God himself directly influenced and persuaded the authors to record exactly what he wanted them to record.  All Holy Scripture is “God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16).  The Holy Spirit guided the words of the prophets and apostles (2 Peter 1:20-21).  God spoke directly to Prophets (Exodus 3:4; 1 Samuel 3:11; 1 Kings 21:17; 2 Kings 20:1; Jeremiah 1:2; Ezekiel 1:3; Malachi 1:1-2).  Paul wrote according to the wisdom that God have him (2 Peter 3:15).  The words recorded were taught by God (1 Corinthians 2:13).  God instructs exactly what he wants written (Exodus 34:27).  The Holy Spirit speaks through Holy Scripture (Hebrews 3:7).  Jesus spoke the words of God (John 16:13).  The Holy Spirit teaches and speaks the words of God (John 14:10).
  2. The Authority of Scripture:  Holy Scripture is the authority of God himself (Exodus 24:4; Jer 26:2).  It is the law of God (Deut 31:11; Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:2).  Jesus validated scripture as the authority of God (Matthew 19:3-6; Luke 16:31; John 5:46-74).  Jesus names which writings were the authority of God (Matthew 23:35; John 5:46-47; Luke 17:26-32)
  3. The Infallibility of Scripture:  Holy Scripture is the test of truth (Acts 17:10-11).  Holy Scripture comes from the will of God and not man (2 Peter 1:20-21).  The law of God is perfect and sure (Psalm 12:6, 19:7; Proverbs 30:5).  God’s word is truth (John 17:17).  God does not lie or change his mind (Numbers 23:19; Hebrews 6:17–18)
  4. The Sufficiency of Scripture:  Jesus says knowing scripture keeps from error (Matthew 22:23-34).  Scripture is complete were as Moses records the beginning of time and John records the end of time (Gen. 1:1; Matthew 5:18; Jude 3; Rev 22:18-19).  Paul reasoned with Jews from Holy Scripture (Acts 17:1-3,11).  Though not everything Jesus did was recorded, all that was recorded is sufficient for saving faith (John 20:30; 2 Thes 2:15).  What is recorded is used by God for his glory (Hebrews 4:12).  God’s word is preserved (Matthew 5:17-18, John 10:35, Isaiah 59:21)
  5. The Office of Prophet and Apostle and Gift of Prophecy:  The Office of Prophet and Apostle are unique special offices chosen by God.  They convey, in detail, exactly all that God tells them before the completion of Holy Scripture or regions where Holy Scripture is not accessible (Deut 18:18).  The Office of Apostle differs from The Prophet in that they were chosen by God to walk with God incarnate (Acts 1:21-22).  They were made eye witnesses of the person and works of Jesus Christ on earth.  Because God’s Word is truth, Prophets and Apostles of God will never contradict what God has already declared and not add anything new that has not already been revealed (Rev. 22:18; Deut 4:2, 12:32).  The Holy Spirit gives gifts of prophecy to God’s chosen few where Holy Scripture is not accessible.  Prophets are to be tested and their claims verifiable (1 John 4:1; Jeremiah 28:9; Deuteronomy 18:22-23; Isaiah 8:20; Jer 23:14; Isaiah 41:21-24).  The church is called to watch out for, test, and expose false prophets (1 John 4:1; Matt. 7:15, 24:11; 2 Peter 2:1-3).
  6. Orthodoxy Support:  Christ's division of Scripture (Luke 24:44) into the three classes accepted by the Jews (the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms) endorses the Jewish canon.  Irenaeus, (130-202), “We have known the method of our salvation by no other means than those by whom the gospel came to us; which gospel they truly preached; but afterward, by the will of God, they delivered to us in the Scriptures, to be for the future the foundation and pillar of our faith,” (Adv. H. 3:1).  Cyprian of Carthage (200?-258), “Whence comes this tradition? Does it descend from the Lord’s authority, or from the commands and epistles of the apostles? For those things are to be done which are there written . . . If it be commanded in the gospels or the epistles and Acts of the Apostles, then let this holy tradition be observed,” (Cyprian of Carthage, Ep. 74 ad Pompeium).  Hippolytus (d. 235), There is, brethren, one God, the knowledge of whom we gain from the Holy Scriptures, and from no other source. For just as a man if he wishes to be skilled in the wisdom of this world will find himself unable to get at it in any other way than by mastering the dogmas of philosophers, so all of us who wish to practice piety will be unable to learn its practice from any quarter than the oracles of God. Whatever things then the Holy Scriptures declare, at these let us look; and whatsoever things they teach these let us learn. (Against Heresies, 9).   Athanasius (300?-375), These are fountains of salvation, that they who thirst may be satisfied with the living words they contain. In these alone is proclaimed the doctrine of godliness. Let no man add to these, neither let him take ought from these. For concerning these the Lord put to shame the Sadducees, and said, 'Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures.' And He reproved the Jews, saying, 'Search the Scriptures, for these are they that testify of Me.' " (Athanasius, Festal Letter 39:5-6).  Ambrose (340?-396), “How can we use those things which we do not find in the Holy Scriptures?” (Ambr. Offic., 1:23).  Gregory of Nyssa, “What then is our reply? We do not think that it is right to make their prevailing custom the law and rule of sound doctrine. For if custom is to avail for proof of soundness, we too, surely, may advance our prevailing custom; and if they reject this, we are surely not bound to follow theirs. Let the inspired Scripture, then, be our umpire, and the vote of truth will surely be given to those whose dogmas are found to agree with the Divine words. (Dogmatic Treatises, Book 12. On the Trinity, To Eustathius.).  More detailed support expressed in The 1978AD Chicago Statement of Biblical Inerrancy and the Three Forms of Unity (Belgic Confession, Heidelberg Catechism, Canons of Dort.
  7. We Deny the unorthodoxy of the following (given scriptural proofs above):  
    1. The divine inspiration and authority of Apocryphal writings which Jesus, Old Testament Prophets, and the Apostles did not quote from and have been rejected by the early church.  
      1. Rejection of Gnosticism and Apocryphal writings in the Catholic bible.
    2. The existence of any other writing or any tradition that is equally authoritative to Holy Scripture which conflicts with what has been revealed in scripture.
      1. Rejection of  Apocryphal writings, Catholic doctrine of Sacred Tradition, The Quran, Book of Mormon, and Watchtower Organization publications.
    3. The continuance of the office of Apostle which conflicts with the offices’ declared requirements revealed in scripture.
      1. Rejection of the New Apostolic Reformation claims.
    4. The truth of any person claiming to be a Prophet or who claims to prophecy that adds new revelations, no matter the source (Gal 1:8), and who are unverifiable.
      1. Rejection of Montanism, Gnosticism, Muhammad, Joseph Smith, the Watchtower organization.
  8. Apologetic Support: Philo the Jewish philosopher (20BC-AD40) never once quotes from the Apocrypha.  Josephus the Jewish historian (AD30-100) specifically identifies the 22 books which equate to the Protestant canon (Antiquities, Against Apion 1:8).  The Jews acknowledged the cessation of prophecy with Malachi ca.400BC.  1 Maccabees admits that there was no true prophet at the time (c110 BC) - 1 Macc. 14:41 c.f. 9:27, while 2 Maccabees 15:38 reads in a way no prophet wrote: 'If it [my book] is found well written and aptly composed, that is what I myself hoped for; if cheap and mediocre, I could only do my best' c.f. 2:23-27.   John Damascene (c. 675 or 676 – 4 December 749), “There is also the superstition of the Ishmaelites which to this day prevails and keeps people in error, being a forerunner of the Antichrist. They are descended from Ishmael, [who] was born to Abraham of Agar, and for this reason they are called both Agarenes and Ishmaelites… From that time to the present a false prophet named Mohammed has appeared in their midst. This man, after having chanced upon the Old and New Testaments and likewise, it seems, having conversed with an Arian monk, devised his own heresy. Then, having insinuated himself into the good graces of the people by a show of seeming piety, he gave out that a certain book had been sent down to him from heaven. He had set down some ridiculous compositions in this book of his and he gave it to them as an object of veneration.”

Also read articles on Doctrine of The Bible


Article 2.  GOD

ARTICLE 2:  GOD.  
  1. Attributes and Existence.  There is only one God who is the only creator of all things
    (Deuteronomy 6:4;Colossians 1:16).  God created time and is outside of time.  He eternally exists and is infinite (Psalm 90:2; 1 Timothy 1:17).  God created space and all material things.  He is omniscient (Psalm 139:1-6), omnipresent (Psalm 139:7-13), omnipotent (Revelation 19:6).  Existing outside of space and time and as creator of all knowledge, he does not learn or change (Malachi 3:6).  God is not limited by space and time and as creator of all things, he is absolutely sovereign (Psalm 93:1).  God has revealed Himself as three distinct 'Persons'—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 13:14), in one being, essence, and glory (John 10:30). He has always been The Triune God and was never anything else (Psalm 90:2).
  2. Character and Nature.  God is holy (Isaiah 6:3), just (Deuteronomy 32:4), and righteous (Exodus 9:27). God is love (1 John 4:8), gracious (Ephesians 2:8), merciful (1 Peter 1:3), and good (Romans 8:28).
  3. Worship and Glory aloneHe is to be worshiped (Gen. 24:26; Ex. 4:31; 2 Chron. 29:28; 1 Cor. 14:25; Rev. 7:11). He is to be served (Matt. 4:10; 1 Cor. 6:19; Phil. 3:7; 1 Thess. 1:9; Heb. 9:14). He is to be proclaimed (Matt. 28:19f.; John 14:15f.; Acts 1:8).  The reason for creation, is to glorify God (1 Cor 10:31)
  4. Orthodoxy Support:  The Council of Nicaea, First Council of Constantinople, and The 3rd Council of Constantinople and expressed in the Athanasian Creed.  The Three Forms of Unity (Belgic Confession, Heidelberg Catechism, Canons of Dort)
  5. We Deny the unorthodoxy of the following (given scriptural proofs above):  
    1. Deny non existence or unknowability
    2. Deny more than One God
    3. Deny God as creator of evil or being evil
  6. Apologetic Support:


Also read articles on the Doctrine of God


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Article 3.  THE TRINITY

A) There is one triune God in whom are three eternal, distinct, simultaneous 'persons': the Father, the Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. All three are the one God, coeternal, coequal, in perfect harmony, unity, and relationship. Still remaining as the only one triune God. Not three gods and not one person who took three modes, offices, or forms. (Isaiah 44:6, 8; 45:5; Gen. 1:26-27; 3:22; Matt. 3:17; 28:19; Luke 9:35; 2 Cor. 13:14). God is a trinity of 'persons' consisting of one substance and one essence. God is numerically one. Within that single divine substance and essence are three individual subsistence's that we call 'persons'. the Father is first, the Son is second, and the Holy Spirit is third. As supported by The Council of Nicaea, First Council of Constantinople, and The 3rd Council of Constantinople and expressed in the Athanasian Creed.  Supported by Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Irenaeus of Lyons, Melito of Sardis, and Hippolytus of Rome.


B) The Father is not begotten, but the Son is (John 3:16). The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father (John 15:26). The Father sent the Son (1 John 4:10). The Son and the Father send the Holy Spirit (John 14:26; 15:26). The Father creates (Isaiah 44:24), the Son redeems (Gal. 3:13), and the Holy Spirit sanctifies (Rom. 15:16). This subordination of order does not imply that each of the members of the Godhead are not equal or not divine (Matt. 28:19; 1 Cor. 12:4-6; 13:14; Eph. 4:4-7; 1 Pet. 1:2; Jude 20-21)

Also read the article about The Triune God of Christianity
Article 4.  JESUS CHRIST

A) The deity of the Lord Jesus Christ is essential. He is God incarnate, God in human form, the expressed image of the Father, who, without ceasing to be God, became man in order that He might demonstrate who God is and provide the only way of salvation possible for all man (Matthew 1:21;John 1:18;Colossians 1:15). He added human nature to His divine nature. He is both human and divine; therefore, He has two natures while remaining one person; not two. He is not part God and part man. He is presently a man, one person, with two natures where one nature is wholly and fully God and the other wholly and fully man. (Phil. 2:5-11; Col. 2:9; 1 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 1:5-13; John 1:1-3, 14).

B) Jesus Christ was conceived of the Holy Spirit and was born of the virgin Mary; Mary ceased to be a virgin after the birth of Jesus (Matt. 1:25). He is truly fully God and truly fully man; that He alone lived a perfect, sinless life; that all His teachings are true (Isaiah 14;Matthew 1:23).

C) Jesus Christ died on the cross for all humanity (1 John 2:2) as a substitutionary sacrifice (Isaiah 53:5-6). He willingly died in our place, suffering the consequences of the breaking of the Law (1 John 3:4), which is physical death (Rom. 6:23) and spiritual death (Isa. 59:2), that was for us (Isaiah 53:4-6). He became sin on our behalf (2 Cor. 5:21). His sacrifice was a legal substitution for us (1 John 2:2; John 19:30; 1 Pet. 2:24). It was legal because sin is breaking God's Law (1 John 3:4) and substitutionary because Christ took punishment we deserved (Isaiah 53:4-6) and tasted death for everyone (Heb. 2:9). God's justice was satisfied for the eternal offense of sin, allowing for genuine Christian believers release from eternal punishment (1 Pet. 3:18; Matt. 1:21; 25:46; Rom. 5; 1 John 2:2), and their debt that our sin brings against has been cancelled (Col. 2:14). His death is completely sufficient to provide salvation fully for all who receive Him as Lord and Savior (John 1:12;Acts 16:31); that our justification is grounded in the shedding of His blood (Romans 5:9;Ephesians 1:7);

D) He literally and physically resurrected from the dead as proof (Matthew 28:6;1 Peter 1:3). Jesus Christ rose from the dead in the same body He died in after being in the grave for three days. Likewise, we Christians will be raised bodily from the dead and spend eternity with the Lord.

E) Unlimited Invitation and value but Limited Substitutionary Atonement; which means: Though Jesus' sacrifice was sufficient for all, it was not efficacious for all but only 'many'. All man is invited to believe in the atonement of Jesus but not all will. Some will remind in their sins and in debt under God's judgment. Therefore, Jesus only bore the sins of the elect, because not all will be saved (Matt. 26:28; John 10:11, 15 Matt. 25:32-33; John 17:9; Acts 20:28; Eph. 5:25-27; Isaiah 53:12). 

F) The Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven in His glorified body (Acts 1:9-10) and is now seated at the right hand of God as our High Priest and Advocate (Romans 8:34;Hebrews 7:25). Jesus will eternally remain as a man and intercedes for us eternally as a high priest after the order of Melchezedek (Heb. 6:20; 7:25).

G) The principle 'Christ Alone' emphasizes the role of Jesus in salvation. The Roman Catholic tradition had placed church leaders such as priests in the role of intercessor between men and God.  This principle emphasized Jesus as our “high priest” who intercedes on our behalf before the Father (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus is the One who offers access to God, not a human spiritual leader.

H) The principle 'Hypostatic Union' explains the union of Jesus' two natures (Divine and human). Jesus is God in flesh (John 1:1,14;10:30-33; 20:28; Phil. 2:5-8; Heb. 1:8). He has a fully divine nature and a fully human nature (Col. 2:9); thus, he has two natures: God and man. He is not half or partly God and half or partly man. He is completely God and completely man. He never lost his divinity; He willingly humbled himself and never stopped being God. He continued to exist as God when he became a man and added human nature to Himself (Phil. 2:5-11). Therefore, there is a "union in one person of a full human nature and a full divine nature." There is a man, Jesus, who is our Mediator between us and God the Father (1 Tim. 2:5).

All of which are supported by The Council of Nicaea, First Council of Constantinople, The Council of Chalcedon, The 3rd Council of Constantinople, and the Three Forms of Unity.  Clement of Rome, Polycarp, Ignatius, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Melito, and Hippolytus also validated these Apostolic teachings.

Also read articles on the Doctrine of Jesus

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Article 5.  THE HOLY SPIRIT

A) The deity and personality of the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4). He regenerates sinners (Titus 3:5) and indwells believers (Romans 8:9). He is the agent by whom Christ baptizes all believers into His body (1 Corinthians 12:12-14). He is the seal by whom the Father guarantees the salvation of believers unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:13-14). He is the Divine Teacher who illumines believers’ hearts and minds as they study the Word of God (1 Corinthians 2:9-12).

B) The Holy Spirit is not a force but a person who speaks (Acts 13:2); can be grieved (Eph. 4:30); has a will (1 Cor. 12:11).

C) The Holy Spirit is ultimately sovereign in the distribution of spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:11). Some of the miraculous gifts of the Spirit, while by no means outside of the Spirit’s ability to empower now, no longer function to the same degree they did in the development and establishment of the church (1 Corinthians 12:4-11;2 Corinthians 12:12;Ephesians 2:20;4:7-12). He is not particularly visible in the Bible because His ministry is to bear witness of Jesus (John 15:26).


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A) The real existence and personality of angels. God created the angels to be His servants and messengers (Nehemiah 9:6;Psalm 148:2;Hebrews 1:14). There is a spiritual realm of angels and demons. Angels serve God and carry out his will.

B) Demons are fallen angels (2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6) who war against God and who will ultimately face eternal punishment (Matt. 25:41; 2 Per. 2:4). Christians cannot be demon-possessed. The existence and personality of Satan and demons. Satan is a fallen angel who led a group of angels in rebellion against God (Isaiah 14:12-17;Ezekiel 28:12-15). The demons are his servants and seek to mislead, blind, and cause evil. He and his demons will be eternally punished in the lake of fire (Matthew 25:41;Revelation 20:10).

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Article 7.  HUMANITY

A) Humanity came into existence by direct creation of God and that humanity is uniquely made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27). God created the universe and all that is in it by his creative effort. God brought the universe into existence by the exertion of his will. Adam and Eve were real people, created by God just as Genesis says. We believe that all humanity, because of Adam's fall, has inherited a sinful nature, that all human beings choose to sin (Romans 3:23), and sin is eternally offensive to God (Romans 6:23). Humanity is utterly unable to remedy this fallen state (Ephesians 2:1-5,12). Man is fallen, corrupt, and wicked. 

B) Man believes in God by God's grace through faith (John 6:28-29;15:5; Phil. 1:29), is unable to come close to God through his own efforts (John 6:44; Rom. 3:10-12), he cannot be born again of his own will (John 1:13), he cannot understand and see the spiritual things of God on his own (1 Cor. 2:14; Rom. 8:7), he cannot earn salvation by his attempt at good works (Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 4:1-6), once saved he cannot maintain his salvation by his works (Gal. 3:1-3).

C) Eternal punishment in hell and separation from the presence of God are the consequences of the unregenerate person's sinfulness who has not trusted in the redemptive sacrificial work of Christ on the cross (Eph. 2:1-3; Rom. 6:23).

D) Free will is the ability of a conscious being to be able to make choices that are not coerced or forced. All people possess free will and exercise it according to the conditions revealed about it per the scriptures (1 Cor. 2:14; Rom. 6:14-20). Free will choices require the ability to be aware of a choice to be made. Free will does not necessitate the option of choosing between good and bad; otherwise, God would not be free since he cannot choose to sin. God knows what we would freely choose before creation and gives us what we would ultimately freely desire, salvation or not because of his perfect Love and perfect Justice. All humans knows of God and his Law and freely chooses based on what has been revealed to them (Romans 1). God rightly gives what the humans ultimately desire out of pure Love but also remaining perfectly just in administering the consequences. God elects those who would choose him and does not elect those who would not choose him given the perfect opportunities.

E) The principle 'Total Depravity' means: Sin has affected all parts of man. The heart, emotions, will, mind, and body are all affected by sin. Humanity is completely sinful. Man's heart is evil (Mark 7:21-23) and sick (Jer. 17:9). Man is a slave of sin (Rom. 6:14-20). He does not seek for God (Rom. 3:11). He cannot understand spiritual things (1 Cor. 2:14). He is at enmity with God (Eph. 2:15). And, is by nature a child of wrath (Eph. 2:3). Christians are born again not by their own will but God's will (John 1:12-13); God grants that Christians believe (Phil. 1:29); faith is the work of God (John 6:28-29); God ordains people to eternal life (Acts 13:48); and God predestines (Eph. 1:1-11; Rom. 8:29; Rom. 9:9-23).

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Article 8. SALVATION:

A) Salvation is a gift of God’s grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross (Ephesians 2:8-9). Christ’s death fully accomplished justification through faith and redemption from sin. Christ died in our place (Romans 5:8-9) and bore our sins in His own body (1 Peter 2:24).

B) The Principle 'Grace Alone' emphasizes grace as the reason for our salvation. In other words, salvation comes from what God has done rather than what we do (Ephesians 2:8-9). Salvation is received by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Good works and obedience are results of salvation, not requirements for salvation.

C) The completeness, sufficiency, and perfection of Christ’s sacrifice, all those who have truly received Christ as Savior are eternally secure in salvation, kept by God’s power, secured and sealed in Christ forever (John 6:37-40;10:27-30;Romans 8:1,38-39;Ephesians 1:13-14;1 Peter 1:5;Jude 24). Just as salvation cannot be earned by good works, neither does it need good works to be maintained or sustained. Good works and changed lives are the inevitable results of salvation (James 2).

D) The principle 'Irresistible Grace' means: When God calls his elect into salvation, they do not resist. God offers to all people the gospel message because he is perfectly in love and just. This is called the external call. But the elect, are the ones who respond. This call is by the Holy Spirit who works in the hearts and minds of the elect to bring them to repentance and regeneration whereby they willingly and freely come to God ( Rom. 9:16; Phil. 2:12-13; John 6:28-29;Acts 13:48; John 1:12-13; 2 Thess. 2:13; Eph. 1:4-5)

E) The principle of 'Unconditional Election' means: God does not base His election on anything He sees in the individual. He chooses the elect according to the kind intention of His will (Eph. 1:4-8; Rom. 9:9-11) without any consideration of merit or quality within the individual. As some are elected into salvation, others are not (Rom. 9:15,21). 

F) Justification is being declared legally righteous by God. This justification is received by faith alone without any ceremony/baptism (Rom. 4:1-6), in the work of Christ fulfilling the Law in his earthly ministry (1 Pet. 2:22), and his removing of sin by his sacrifice. Justification is a gift from God (Rom. 3:24) and is received apart from the works of the Law (Rom. 3:28; Gal. 2:21).

G) The principle 'Faith Alone' emphasizes salvation as a free gift. In some parts of the church good works, including baptism, were seen as required for salvation. Faith Alone states that salvation is a free gift to all who accept it by faith (John 3:16). Salvation is not based on human effort or good deeds (Ephesians 2:9).

H) Regeneration is the work of God that occurs with faith. This regeneration means the person is made a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17) and is then able to resist his sin and seek to increase in sanctification before the Lord. Persons who are genuinely regenerated do not seek to live in sin though they do fall into it but war against it and repent of sin before the Lord.

I) Sanctification is the process by which the Holy Spirit makes us more like Christ in all that we do, think, and desire and increases our ability to repent from sin, by God's grace (1 Thess. 4:7; Eph. 2:10; 1 Tim. 4:4; 1 Peter. 3:15; 2 Tim. 2:25). This process continues all of the Christian's life and is the result of salvation, not a cause of it, nor a contributing factor to it. No one is completely free from sin while living in the body while sin remains in the world and until we are given our uncorrupted glorified bodies. Only Christ lived a sinless life in the body.

J) The principle "Glory to God Alone." It is the teaching that all glory is to be given to God alone. This is because salvation , sanctification, and glorification are accomplished through God's will and action not man's effort, even including the good works of men (Eph 2:10; John 10:27-28).

K) Christ has done all that is needed for our salvation, and he says that those who have eternal life will never perish. Those who appeared to be Christian but fell away never were Christians to begin with (1 John 2:19). Eternal security does not mean that we have a license to sin nor does it imply that we do not have to live by Christ's commandments (Rom. 5:21-6:2), and those who say it is a license to sin do not understand eternal security and how God regenerates the sinner and turns his heart to repentance (2 Tim. 2:25).

L) The principle 'Perseverance of the Saints' also called 'Once Saved Always Saved' means: You cannot lose your salvation. Because the Father has elected, the Son has redeemed, and the Holy Spirit has applied salvation, those who are truly saved are eternally secure. They are eternally secure in Christ (John 10:27-28; 6:47; Romans 8:1; 1 Cor. 10:13; Phil. 1:6).

Also read articles on the Doctrine of Salvation

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Article 9. THE CHURCH:

A) The Church, the Body of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all believers of this present age (1 Corinthians 12:12-14;2 Corinthians 11:2;Ephesians 1:22-23,5:25-27).

B) The ordinances of believer’s water baptism as a testimony to Christ and identification with Him; Baptism is an important action of obedience for a Christian and signifies a person's identification with Christ. Baptism is not necessary for salvation. It is an outward manifestation of an inward reality of trust in the sacrifice for Christ, of conversion, and of identification with Christ. The act of water baptism does not save anyone. Man is made right before God by faith alone, not by faith and baptism (Rom. 3:28-30; 4:3, 5; 5:1; Gal. 2:16, 21; Phil. 3:9; see also Acts 10:44-48).

C) the Lord’s Supper as a remembrance of Christ’s death and shed blood (Matthew 28:19-20;Acts 2:41-42,18:8;1 Corinthians 11:23-26).

D) Through the church, believers are to be taught to obey the Lord and to testify concerning their faith in Christ as Savior and to honor Him by holy living. The Great Commission from the Lord is the primary mission of the Church. It is the obligation of all believers to witness, by word and life, to the truths of God’s Word. The gospel of the grace of God is to be preached to all the world (Matthew 28:19-20;Acts 1:8;2 Corinthians 5:19-20). 

E) Christians are to live in peace with all men, suffering wrongs, false accusations, and misrepresentations with charity. However, Christians are free to defend themselves (Luke 22:36) and promote the truth of Christianity by correcting false teachings and refuting error (2 Tim. 2:25; 1 Pet. 3:15). Christians are to live in the world as examples of godliness and are not to participate in the sinful passions of the world.

F) The work of evangelism which means that believers must teach the gospel of Jesus Christ to all people in every nation (Matt. 28:19-20). Believers are to refute false doctrines, false religions, and whatever else might contradict the word of God; but are to do this without insult (1 Pet. 3:15) if per chance God would grant them repentance (2 Tim. 2:25).

G) Being a Christian means to participate in expanding the Kingdom of God. Every Christian is to work for this end according to the gifts given him or her by the Lord (Matt. 28:18-20; Rom. 12). Not all are pastors or evangelists or teachers (Rom. 12), but each Christian is expected to do his or her part to promote the gospel.

H) God calls qualified Christians to be ordained and to serve Jesus Christ in special leadership capacities and offices such as Elders, Deacons, Ministers of the Word, and Evangelists. The office(s) of pastor and elder is limited to qualified men only who are called by God, recognized by the body, and who meet the biblical standard of eldership (Titus 1:5-9). Women are not to be pastors nor elders and are not to hold positions of authority in the Christian Church where that authority is exercised over men (1 Tim. 2:11-15; 3:11-13; Titus 1:5-9). 

I) Doctrine and teachings that deviate from the historical, orthodox, and biblical position of the Christian Church, throughout Church history are not Christianity. There are heresies that are damnable (denying the Deity of Christ, denying Christ's physical resurrection, denying justification by grace through faith, etc.). There are heresies that are not damnable (advocating women pastors; practicing polygamy, divorce for convenience sake, etc.) There are also teachings within Christianity that are debatable whereas differences of opinion are not heresy and are left free for the conscience of the individual (eating or not eating meat, worship on Saturday or Sunday, etc.)( Rom. 14:1-12).

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Article 10. THINGS TO COME:

A) The blessed hope and literal return of Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13), the personal and imminent coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to rapture His saints (1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:2). Will then forever be with the Lord (1 Thess. 4:16-5:2). The visible and bodily return of Christ to the earth with His saints to establish His promised millennial kingdom (Zechariah 14:4-11;1 Thessalonians 1:10;Revelation 3:10,19:11-16,20:1-6). We believe in the physical resurrection of all men—the saints to everlasting joy and bliss on the New Earth, and the wicked to eternal punishment in the lake of fire (Matthew 25:46;John 5:28-29;Revelation 20:5-6,12-13).

B) The souls of believers are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where they await their resurrection when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord (Luke 23:43;2 Corinthians 5:8;Philippians 1:23,3:21;1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). The souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious misery until their resurrection when, with soul and body reunited, they shall appear at the Great White Throne judgment and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire to suffer everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:41-46;Mark 9:43-48;Luke 16:19-26;2 Thessalonians 1:7-9;Revelation 20:11-15). All who are not justified by faith in Christ and the blood of Christ will face eternal, conscious, and agonizing judgment away from the presence of God (Matt. 8:12; Luke 16:19-31; Rev. 20:14-15;21:8)

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