Articles of Faith
Abridged
A. Holy Scripture
We believe in the Holy Scriptures, the Old and New Testament, as the very Word of God, verbally inspired in all parts and therefore wholly without error as originally given of God. They are the final and supreme authority. (Matt. 5:18; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:21).
B. God
We believe in the One Triune God, who is personal, spirit, and sovereign; perfect, infinite and eternal in His being, self-existence, holiness, love, wisdom and power; absolutely separate and above the world as its Creator and yet everywhere present in the world as the upholder of all things. (Gen. 1:1; Psa. 90:2; Psa. 139:1-16; John 4:24; Col. 1:15-17).
C. Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is eternal and was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born a man by the virgin birth thus to continue forever as both true God and true man. He made full atonement for our sins through His vicarious suffering and death on the cross; He rose triumphantly from the grave the third day, ascended into heaven, and is now at the right hand of God interceding on our behalf. (Matt. 1:18-25; Isa. 53:4-6; Heb. 4:14-16).
D. The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit, the third person in the Godhead, is the Divine Agent in creation, revelation, and redemption. In this age of grace He convicts the world of sin, regenerates those who believe, and indwells, baptizes, seals, empowers, guides, teaches, and gives spiritual gifts to believers. (Gen. 1:2; Acts 5:3-4; John 16:8-11; I Cor 6:19, 12:13; Eph 4:30).
E. Trinity
We believe that God eternally exists in three persons; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are of one essence and equal in power and glory, therefore, to be honored and worshiped equally as true God. (Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor 13:14).
F. Satan
We believe that Satan is a real, supernatural personality, a fallen angel of great power, cunning, and wickedness. He is the enemy of God and of all good, seeking the destruction of Christ and the eternal ruin of every person. However, Satan has been defeated by Christ’s death and is doomed to be cast into the lake of fire. (Mark 1:13; John 13:2; Col. 2:15; Rev. 20:10).
G. Angels
We believe in the existence of angels, a higher order of created spiritual beings superior to man. They were active in the earthly life and ministry of Jesus Christ, and presently minister to believers. (Matt. 4:11; Luke 1:28-35; Acts 1:10-11; Heb. 1:13-14).
H. Man
1. His Creation
We believe that man was directly created by God in the divine image. (Gen. 1:26-27).
2. His Fall
We believe that man was originally sinless, but when tempted by Satan, disobeyed God’s command and became a sinful creature incurring both physical and spiritual death. As a result all members of the human race are born in sin and are sinners by nature and practice. (Gen. 2:15-17, 3:1-6; Rom. 1:19-32, 3:23, 5:12).
3. His Salvation
We believe that salvation is a gift of God’s grace, freely offered to us on the basis of Christ’s substitutionary death on the cross. It is received by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and is in no way obtained by human effort. This salvation results in eternal life, a new nature, right standing before God, sonship in the family of God, and provision for sanctification and victory over the power of sin. (John 1:12-13, 3:3-8; Rom. 3:24; Gal. 3:26, 5:22-23; Eph. 2:8-9).
4. His Resurrection
We believe that every person will be physically raised from the dead: the saved to life everlasting and the unsaved to eternal condemnation (John 5:28, 29).
I. Church
We believe in the one true church, the body and bride of Christ, which He began to build on the day of Pentecost and will complete at His second coming, and into which all regenerated believers of this age are baptized by the Holy Spirit. We believe that the local visible church is composed of professing, baptized believers in Christ, voluntarily joined together and meeting at stated times to worship, fellowship, observe ordinances, and when necessary, administer and accept discipline. (Matt. 16:18, 28:18-20; Acts 2:41-47; 1 Cor. 12:13; Heb. 10:25).
J. The End Times
1. Second Coming of Christ
We believe in the personal, visible, imminent, premillennial return of Christ to rapture all believers; the great tribulation; the revelation of Christ at the end of the great tribulation period; the Millennial Age; and The Great White Throne judgment. (Matt. 24:21-31; John 14:3; Acts 1:11; 1 Thes. 4:13-17; Rev. 19:11-16, 20:1-15).
2. The Final State
We believe that believers will be judged according to their deeds at the judgment seat of Christ and that they will enjoy a future life in the presence of Christ; and that unbelievers will be judged according to their works at the Great White Throne and subsequently cast into the lake of fire where they will consciously suffer forever. (1 Cor. 3:11-15; 2 Cor. 5:10; Rev. 20:11-15, 22:12).
Note: The complete Articles of Faith is included in the Constitution of the Fellowship of Evangelical Bible Churches.
April 2004