I thought you might want to know what I believe before you download
files that I consider worth posting.
DOCTRINAL STATEMENT

(In case you were wondering, I didn't create this statement. It
is pieced together from a couple of different ones. It's a fairly
straight-forward Protestant Doctrinal Statement that could be
posted for any Evangelical church)

1. The Holy Bible
I believe that the Holy Bible, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New
Testaments, as originally written was verbally and plenarily inspired, the product of God
through Spirit-controlled men; that it has truth without any admixture of error for its
matter; that it not only contains and conveys the Word of God, but IS the very Word of
God; that it is and shall remain to the end of the age the only, complete, and final
revelation of the Will of God to man; that it is the true center of Christian unity and the
supreme, all-sufficient and only authority by which all human conduct, creeds and
opinions shall be tried.

Psalm 19:7-11; 119:89, 105, 130, 160; Proverbs 3:5-6; Isaiah 8:20; Luke 16:31; 24:25-
27, 44-45; John 5:39, 45-47; 12:48; 17:17; Acts 1:16; 28:25; Romans 3:4; 15:4;
Ephesians 4:3; 6:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 1 Peter 1:23; 2 Peter 1:19-21; Revelation 22:19

2. God
I believe that there is one true and living God; that He is Creator, Preserver and
Sovereign of the universe; that He is infinite in every excellence, inexpressibly glorious in
holiness, and worthy of all possible honour, confidence and love; that in the unity of the
Godhead there are three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, equal in every divine
perfection, and executing distinct by harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.

Genesis 17:1; Exodus 15:11; 20:2-3; Psalm 83:18; 90:2; 147:5; Jeremiah 10:10;
Matthew 28:19; Mark 12:30; John 4:24; 10:30; 15:26; 17:5; Acts 5:3-4; Romans 11:33;
1 Corinthians 2:10-11; 8:6; 12:4-6; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 2:18; 4:6; Philippians
2:5-6; 1 Timothy 1:17; 1 John 5:7; Revelation 4:11

3. Jesus Christ

A. His Deity, Incarnation and Life.

I believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God; that He eternally possessed with the
Father and Holy Spirit, in one Godhead, all the essence and attributes of Deity; that as
provided and purposed by God, and as pre-announced in the prophecies of the
Scriptures, He came into this world that He might manifest God to man, fulfill prophecy,
and redeem lost men; that to this end He was born of a virgin, and received a human
body and a holy human nature; that because of that holy human nature inseparably linked
with His divine nature, He not only did no sin, but He was morally and constitutionally
incapable of sin; that He obeyed fully the law and fulfilled the Father’s will in all things.

Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Mark 1:1; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-3, 14; 14:
3; Galatians 4:4; Colossians 1:15-17; Hebrews 4:15

B. His Sacrificial Death.

I believe that He first came to Israel as her Messiah-King, was rejected of that nation
and according to the eternal counsels of God, gave His life a ransom for all who believe.  
I believe that Christ’s death is of such infinite value that it is fully sufficient to save all men
should God have chosen so to do, and that His power to save is in no sense limited; we
further believe that the sacrifice of Christ was not merely provisional, but was an actual
substitution for those chosen in Him before the foundation of the world, this vicarious
substitutionary sacrifice making full satisfaction to God for their sins and infallibly securing
their salvation by grace, through faith in Him, such faith being produced in them by the
Holy Spirit through the preaching of the Word of God, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, this
faith being the result of God’s choice and not the cause of it.

Isaiah 53:4-7, 11-12; Matthew 1:21; 20:28; 21:4-9; 27:37; John 10:11, 14-15; 3:16;
Acts 15:11; Romans 3:24-25; 10:17; 1 Corinthians 2:9-14; 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21;
Ephesians 2:8; Philippians 1:29; Hebrews 9:12-15


C. His Resurrection and Ascension.

I believe that He arose from the dead on the third day in the same body in which He
suffered and died.  I believe that our Lord ascended into Heaven: that He is now glorified
and seated at the right hand of the Father, and is our only Mediator, High Priest, and
Divine Advocate with the Father.

Matthew 28:6-7; Mark 16:19; Luke 24:39, 51; John 20:27; Acts 1:11; 1 Corinthians 15:
4; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 7:24-26; 8:1; 1 John 2:1

D. His Return and Related Events.

I believe in the imminent, personal, physical, and pre-millennial return of Christ, occurring
in two phases: first, to complete the Church Age by rapturing all believers prior to the
tribulation; and second, at the end of the Great Tribulation when He shall return with His
saints, at which time the nations shall be judged and the millennial kingdom, with re-
gathered and redeemed Israel central and Christ as King, will be ushered in.  At the end
of the 1,000 years the judgment of the Great White Throne will take place, followed by
the eternal damnation of the wicked, Satan and his cohorts, and the establishment of the
New Heavens and the New Earth wherein dwelleth righteousness.

John 14:3; Acts 1:11; 1 Corinthians 15:42-44, 51-53; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17;
Revelation 19:11-21; 20:1-15

4. The Holy Spirit
I believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person; equal with God the Father and God the
Son and of the same nature; that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to the
unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled; that He
convicts of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; that he bears witness to the truth of the
Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the new birth; that He seals,
endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the believer.

Genesis 1:1-3; Matthew 28:19; Luke 1:35; 24:49; John 3:5-6; 14:16-17, 26; 16:8-11,
13; Acts 5:30-32; Romans 8:14, 26-27; Ephesians 1:13-14; 2 Thessalonians 2:7, 13;
Hebrews 9:14; 1 Peter 1:2

5. Satan  
I believe in the personality of Satan; that he was created holy and enjoyed heavenly
honors, but through pride and ambition to be like the Almighty, he fell, and drew after
him an host of angels; that he is now the unholy god of this world, man’s greatest
tempter, the enemy of God and His Christ, the accuser of the saints, the author of all false
religions, and the power back of the present apostasy; that he is limited in his activity by
the wisdom and power of God; that he is destined to final defeat at the hands of God’s
Son, and to the judgment of eternal justice in the lake of fire, a place prepared for him
and his angels.

Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:14-17; Matthew 25:41; Mark 13:21-22; Luke 22:3-4; 2
Corinthians 11:13-15; Ephesians 2:2; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6; Revelation 12:7-9; 13:13-14;
19:11, 16, 20; 20:1-3, 10

6. Man  
I believe that man came by way of direct Divine creation and not as a product of
evolution; that he was created holy, but through disobedience he became a fallen
creature, totally depraved, and is now spiritually dead in trespasses and sins, by which
we mean his natural utter incapacity to receive the things of the Spirit of God apart from
the regenerating grace of that Spirit.  I believe that because of sin, he is a mendicant upon
the mercy of God.

Genesis 1:26-27; 2:21-23; 3:1-6, 24; Romans 1:18, 20, 28, 32; 3:10-19; 5:12, 19; 1
Corinthians 2:9-14; Galatians 3:22; Ephesians 2:1-3

7. Salvation   
I believe that salvation is by the sovereign electing grace of God; that the blessings of
salvation are made free to all by the gospel; that it is the immediate duty of all to accept
them by a cordial, penitent and obedient faith in the all-sufficient sacrifice of the Lord
Jesus Christ; that nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but his
own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the gospel, which rejection involves him
in an aggravated condemnation.

Isaiah 55:1, 6-7; Matthew 11:28; John 3:15-16, 36; 5:40; 6:37; Acts 2:38; Romans 8:
29-30; 10:13; 1 Corinthians 15:10; Ephesians 2:4-5; Colossians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:
4; 1 Timothy 1:15; Titus 1:1; Revelation 22:17

8. Grace in the New Creation  
I believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the New Birth is a
new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the New
Birth the one dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and
receives eternal life, the free gift of God; that the New Creation is brought about in a
manner above our comprehension, solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection
with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the Gospel; that its proper
evidence appears in the holy fruit of repentance and faith and newness of life.

John 3:3, 6-8; Acts 16:30-33; Romans 6:23; 2 Corinthians 5:17, 19; Ephesians 2:1;
Colossians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:4; 1 John 5:1

9. Repentance and faith
I believe that repentance and faith are solemn obligations and inseparable graces wrought
in the soul by the quickening Spirit of God; that the sinner, being deeply convicted of his
guilt, danger and helplessness and having his understanding enlightened to see the way of
salvation by Christ, turns in repentance to God with unfeigned contrition, confession and
supplication for mercy; that at the same time he receives the Lord Jesus Christ in
knowledge and trust as all-sufficient Saviour, submitting wholeheartedly to His Lordship
and openly confessing Him before men by mouth and life.

Genesis 15:6; Psalm 2:12; 51:1-4, 7; Isaiah 28:16; 55:6-7; Zechariah 1:3; Matthew 3:2;
4:17; Mark 1:15; 16:16; Luke 8:12; 12:8; 13:3, 5; 18:13; 24:47; John 1:12; 3:15-16,
18, 36; 5:24; 6:47; 11:25; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 10:43; 16:31; Romans 1:16; 10:9-13;
Ephesians 2:8  (Amendment January 29, 2005).

10. Justification  
I believe that justification is the judicial act of God whereby He once forever declares to
be righteous the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ; that justification includes forgiveness of
sin and the imputation of God’s righteousness in Jesus Christ; that it is not bestowed in
consideration of any works of righteousness on the sinner’s part, but solely through the
instrumentality of faith in Christ; that justifying faith is essentially evidenced by good
works.

Genesis 15:6; Isaiah 53:11; Habakkuk 2:4; Zechariah 3:1-4; Acts 13:39; Romans 3:20-
22, 24-26; 4:1-8, 25; 5:1, 9; 8:1, 30, 33; 10:4, 10; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:
21; Galatians 2:16; 3:6, 8, 11; Ephesians 1:7; Philippians 3:9; Colossians 1:14; 2:13;
Titus 3:5-7; Hebrews 11:4, 7; James 2:14-26.

11. Perseverance of the Saints   
I believe that persevering attachment to Christ and a profound regard for the things of
Christ, distinguish real believers from mere superficial professors; that a special
Providence watches over the welfare of the saints, and that they are kept by the power
of God through faith.  I believe that a Christian’s conduct cannot effect he eternal destiny,
but that it does affect his fellowship with the Lord, his enjoyment of salvation, his
usefulness to the church, and his helpfulness to other souls; and that persistence in
unbecoming conduct brings chastening from the Lord.

John 10:28-29; Romans 8:35-39; Philippians 1:6; Hebrews 12:5-11; 1 Peter 1:5; Jude 1

12. Sanctification   
I believe that the Scriptures teach non-conformity to the world for every believer; that it
is clearly commanded of God for all believers to live lives of separation from sinful,
worldly and doubtful practices and associations unto Christ and to be holy as He is holy.  
I believe the Bible teaches personal separation, that is, denying ungodliness and worldly
lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; and
ecclesiastical separation, which is separation from churches and organizations in or
associated with Apostasy.  I believe that positionally sanctification occurs at the moment
of regeneration and that practical sanctification is progressive throughout the entire life
span of the believer here on earth.  The means that God has provided for holy living are
the believer’s identification with Christ in His death, burial, resurrection and ascension;
the indwelling Person and Power of the Holy Spirit and the believer’s yieldedness to
Him; and by the powerful Word of God.

Romans 6:1-14; 12:1-2; 16:17-18; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 6:14-7:1;
Galatians 5:16-23; Colossians 3:1-4; 2 Timothy 3:1-5; Titus 2:14; Hebrews 10:4; 1
Peter 1:14-16; 2 John 7-11; Revelation 18:4

13. The Local Church
I believe the New Testament local church to be a company of baptized believers,
voluntarily associated together for the ministry of the Word, mutual helpfulness and
edification, the observance of the ordinances, and the propagation to the ends of the
earth of the faith once delivered to the saints.

I believe a local church should be sovereign, under God, with no ecclesiastical authority
higher than itself; that its Scriptural officers ore elders (also called in Scripture bishops
and pastors) and deacons; that when such churches co-operate, each church is the sole
and only judge of the measure and method of its co-operation; that on all matters of
membership, polity, discipline and benevolence, the will of the local church is final; that in
function, the church is to be executive of the will of Christ, and not legislative.

Matthew 18:15-17; Acts 2:41-42; 15:13-18; 20:17-28; 1 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:
22-23; 4:11; 5:23-24; Colossians 1:18; 1 Timothy 3:1-13

14. The Ordinances
I believe that there are by two church ordinances: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper; that
baptism is the single immersion of the believer in water unto the Name of the Father, Son
and Holy Spirit, by the authority of a true New Testament Church, in testimony of the
believer’s union by faith with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. Immersion in
water according to the Scriptural teaching shall be perquisite to church membership and
baptism will not be administered apart from but rather in preparation for church
membership.    

I believe the Lord’s Supper to be the symbolical partaking of unleavened bread and the
unfermented fruit of the vine in remembrance of the Lord’s death till He comes.  It should
be preceded always by solemn self-examination.

John 3:23; Acts 2:41-42; 8:26-39; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 11:23-28; Colossians 2:
12  (Amendment January 29, 2005).

15. The Righteous and the Wicked  
I believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the
wicked; that such only as through faith are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and sanctified by the Spirit of our God, are truly righteous in His esteem; while all such as
continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked, and under the curse; and this
distinction holds among men both in and after death, in the everlasting felicity of the saved
and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost.

Genesis 18:23; Proverbs 10:24; 14:32; Malachi 3:18; Luke 9:25-26; 12:5; 16:25; John 8:
21, 24; 12:26; Romans 6:17-18, 23; 7:6; 1 John 5:9

16. Church and State and Religious Liberty  
I believe in the separation of church and state; that the church possesses no God-given
authority over the state; and that the state, likewise, possesses no God-given authority
over the church or the consciences of men.

I believe in religious liberty; that every man should have the right of soul liberty and
freedom of conscience without coercion or molestation; and also the right to propagate
his faith to others.

Matthew 22:21; Acts 4:18-20; 5:29

17. Civil Government  
I believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interests and good order of
human society; that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and
obeyed, except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ as revealed in the
Holy Scriptures, Who is the only Lord of the conscience and the coming Prince of the
kings of the earth.

Exodus 18:21-22; 2 Samuel 23:3; Daniel 3:17-18; Acts 4:19-20; 5:20; Romans 13:1-7
About Me
Free Files for e-Sword!
You need Java to see this applet.
Free Files for e-Sword!
Are you a good
person?
Find out by taking
the test!