First Things First: My Doctrinal Statement

What would be a good start for a blog? Any one who attempts the danger and thrill of blogging probably asks himself the same question. For a pastor there is a slightly different twist to the question. Someone has found our church web sight: Manchester Community Church and clicks the “pastor’s blog” button. And here we are. I feel a certain onus to be helpful. so what follows is an attempt to help. The next really long section is my personal doctrinal statement. This is me.... for the church see the web site: www.manchesterministries.org

Prolegomena

View on Theology

I have a world view that accepts God and His revelation at face value. I was taught from an early age that “In the beginning God...,” and have not since heard an adequate argument against this presupposition to refute the many arguments that substantiate it. In this world view, the Bible is seen as God’s revelation (which is verified by historical facts and my own religious experience) and is adequate and sufficient to form a theology, because if there were truly a need for further revelation, an all-knowing and omnipotent God would have provided it.

Method and Practice of Theology

Because of this world view, I hold the Scriptures to be the court of first (and last) appeal for all theological questions. Although I feel that we can truly learn from the great theologians of various times, their ideas can be accepted or rejected in as much as they adhere to or depart from the teachings in Scripture. Also, because Scripture has one ultimate Author, when a specific area of theology is being pursued, all parts of the Bible that deal with that subject must be considered to create a balanced doctrine.

Principles of Theology

I believe that there are two major concepts that should be kept in mind when attempting to do theology. God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, and yet when God revealed His word, He did so with the intent to communicate understandably. This means that, although at times God’s truth must be held in tension and our own doctrines can only be held with certainty as far as they are certainly seen in the Bible, we can, through careful exegesis, construct a theology adequate to accomplish our purpose of glorifying God.

Focus and Presuppositions of Theology

The focus of theology should ultimately be to glorify God. If the purpose of man’s existence is to fear God and obey Him (Ecclesiastes 12:13), then the practice of theology should be a means to this end. Presuppositions are ideas held true prior to being logically proven and are the foundation of any line of reasoning. God exists. God has spoken. God is true. From these three presuppositions theology can be pursued confidently, and yet not “presupposed” away.

Bibliology

Revelation

I believe that God reveals Himself in several ways: through His creative work in the material world around us (Genesis 1; Psalm 19; Romans 1:20), through His specially inspired (God-breathed) book the Bible (Hebrews 1:1; 2 Timothy 3:16), through the incarnation of the Son (John 1:1-5; Revelation 1:1-11; Hebrews 12:2), and through the working of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16, 26; 16:8-11; Acts 28:25; Romans 8:26).

Inspiration

I believe that God used men to make His message known to mankind (Exodus 24:4, 7). These writings were seen as “God breathed” (inspired – 2 Timothy 3:16). This means that while Scripture was written by human beings, it was ultimately authored by God (2 Peter 1:20, 21).

Inerrancy

I believe that the Bible is inerrant. Because every word of God is pure (Proverbs 30:5, 6) and His commandments are truth (Psalm 119:151), and because all Scripture is inspired and profitable (2 Timothy 3:16), and from the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:13, 14; 1 Thessalonians 1:5), who is Himself truth (John 15:26, 27), Scripture cannot contain error and can be compared to pure silver, purified seven times (Psalm 12:6). This is true in every area of scriptural statement, whether doctrine, history, science, biology, or prophecy.

Canonicity

I believe that whatever writings are inspired are also canonical. These writings are the sixty-six books that make up the Old and New Testaments of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, and The Revelation.

Books are not canonical because they have been included in our Bible, but were included in the Bible because they were canonical. These were recognized by the community of faith because they came in “word, power, and the Holy Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 1:5), they agreed with previously revealed Scripture (Deuteronomy 13:1-5), and they were “living and active” (Hebrews 4:12). These sixty-six books of the Bible are the complete canon by which we can measure orthodoxy and orthopraxy.

Preservation

I believe that we can depend on today’s Bible as God’s word. Although God only guaranteed the autographs to be free from error, and Scripture has passed through many hands on its way to us, we still have the word of God in its essential form. God’s word is forever settled in heaven (Psalm 119:89), lives and abides forever (1 Peter 1:23), and will outlast the heavens and the earth (Matthew 24:35). It is natural that a sovereign God would make sure that His revelation is available through all time.

Illumination

I believe that the Holy Spirit assists the believer in understanding Scripture (1 Corinthians 2:13-16). The Holy Spirit is called the “Spirit of wisdom and revelation” (Ephesians 1:17-23). The same Spirit who gave the Scripture will also help us to comprehend it. This process is aided by submission to the Holy Spirit in obedience (Psalm 119:34).

Interpretation

I believe that there is only one correct interpretation of any given Scripture passage. This is the intended message that the original author wanted to convey to his original audience. Correct interpretation is an essential link in the chain between revelation and application.

Perspicuity

I believe that God’s word is understandable. If God’s word were not understandable, theology would be impossible. Fortunately, “God is not the author of confusion” (1 Corinthians 14:33), and we can comprehend His holy word.

Translation

I believe that God’s word can be accurately transmitted through translation. Because languages tend to utilize differing structures, there will always be a tension between literal accuracy and understandability in a translation. Because of this, it is better to know the original languages, or to use a variety of translations. Fortunately, despite the different structures, human languages are based on universal rules of communication so that translations are adequate, if not perfect, to transmit God’s message to His people.

Application

Joshua 1:8 says, “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” I believe that correct application of Scripture is essential in godly living.

Theology Proper

The Existence of God

I believe that God’s existence is crucial in any system of theology. The fact that God exists can be seen in the world that He created (Psalm 19, Romans 1, 2) and in the Scriptures. As noted above, no world system adequately explains the phenomena of this world other than that which is portrayed in Scripture.

Several philosophical arguments are helpful in demonstrating the logical probability of God. These include the cosmological argument (only God is an adequate cause for this universe), the teleological argument (the design found in this world indicates a sovereign Designer), the ontological argument (finite beings would not be able to conceive of an infinite being unless one existed to be thought of), and the moral argument (man’s moral nature can only be explained through the outside influence of a moral creator).

While these arguments are not particularly helpful in and of themselves, they do help substantiate the Bible’s depiction of God as a moral, powerful, and creative being and show that the revealed truth of Scripture is logically consistent. They also militate against the atheistic and agnostic world views that attempt to remove the possibility of knowing and carrying on a personal relationship with God.

The Revelation of God

I believe that in establishing a doctrine of God, it is important to make clear the criteria on which that doctrine is based. I do not believe that man can think his way back to God. This necessitates the dependence of man on God’s revelation to determine God’s nature. Revelation comes in two basic forms: natural (what we see in the world around us) and special (what we read of God in Scripture). Although all men have an innate concept of God (Romans 2:14-15), which is sufficient to make them aware of their need for God (Romans 1:18-21), it is through special revelation that people come into a saving relationship with God (Romans 1:16, 17).

I believe that today, Scripture is the only source of revelation that believers can use to obtain an accurate knowledge of God and His plan for this world. One can easily see the inadequacy of relying on natural revelation alone by noting the vast differences in the concept of God that the various non-biblical religions hold. It is only through a proper understanding of Scripture that man can attempt to form a correct theology.

The Knowability of God

I believe that because God is so much greater than man, we as mere humans will never fully comprehend Him. Yet, because man is created in God’s image, with the explicit purpose of glorifying Him (Psalm 86:9), we are able to apprehend God and have a personal relationship with Him. This means that God can be known on the human level. God revealed Himself through Scripture, which becomes, along with the enlightening work of the Holy Spirit, the channel through which man has access to the knowledge of God.

The Perfections of God

The Perfections of Greatness

Spirituality: I believe that God is Spirit (John 4:24). This means God is not limited by a physical body. It is God’s spirit-nature that allows Him the perfection of omnipresence. Because God is not limited spatially, He can be both immanent (within everything) and transcendent (above everything). It is because God is spirit that Jeremiah can make the point that God exists both near and far away (Jeremiah 23:23). Even though the Bible sights several occurrences where God seems to have a body, these must be understood as either vision (e.g. Isaiah 6), anthropomorphism (e.g. God walking in the Garden of Eden – Genesis 3), or Theophany (or Christophany – God eating with Abraham – Genesis 18).

Personality: I believe that God is a personal being. This means humans can have a personal relationship with Him. God is not some abstract force, but an individual. God can be obeyed, served, loved, respected, and communicated with. God can make decisions, show emotion, and implement His plans. Christians can approach God as children approach their father, crying out “Abba, Father...” (Romans 8:15). Not one of these actions would be possible if God were not a personal being.

Life: I believe that God is living. Anytime God compares Himself to the other gods that humans worship, His living character is used as the main point of difference. This is especially seen in the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, where God is proven to be the only one able to respond, and therefore the only living God (1 Kings 18: 19-45). Jeremiah in light of the spiritual adultery of Israel writes, “The LORD is the true God; He is the living God and everlasting King” (Jeremiah 10:10). Anyone who desires a correct relationship with God must recognize His living nature (Hebrews 11:6).

Infinity: I believe that God is limitless. There are no limits to His power (omnipotence), or to His knowledge (omniscience). Man cannot put God in a box. God cannot be measured, because His size is infinite. Solomon understood God’s infinity when he declared “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You” (1 Kings 8:27). It is because of this infinite characteristic that we know that God is capable of all possible things and that He has the sovereign ability to run the universe (Romans 9:5).

Another aspect of God’s infinity is God’s relationship with time. Although God works in time and through time, God is not limited by time in the way man is. Man can only know the present and the past, while God knows the past, present and future. This is why God can accurately (100%) predict the future through prophecy. Man, who is a created being, has a beginning, yet God has no beginning or end. He was before creation (Genesis 1:1, John 1:1-3), and “inhabits eternity” (Isaiah 57:15).

Constancy (Immutability): I believe that God does not change. All of his perfections are the same “yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8; see also Psalm 102:27). We can see God’s constancy applied in His faithfulness to the faithless Israel (Malachi 3:6). Because of God’s constancy, the believer can depend on God to do what He says He will do. Because God is perfect in every way, any change would either indicate, if the change was for the better, the existence of a current inadequacy, or if the change was for the worse, the possibility of a future inadequacy. This obviously does not reflect the biblical portrayal of God.

The Perfections of Goodness

Moral Purity: I believe that God is morally pure. This involves God’s holiness, God’s righteousness, and God’s justice. God’s holiness guarantees God’s separateness from everything that is morally wrong. “God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone” (James 1:13). This means that God will never commit a moral evil. Because of this, God will always do right (Psalm 145:17; Romans 11:33). Part of this right-doing occurs when God judges those who sin. God’s holiness will not allow sin into His presence, and God’s righteousness requires that man’s disobedience is to be followed by God’s justice.

Integrity: I believe that God is truth (Psalm 117:2). This truth can be seen in three ways: through God being true to His own nature (genuineness); through God being true in His communication to others (veracity); and through God being proven true over time (faithfulness). The believer can rely on God and His revelation because He is true.

Love: I believe that God is love (1 John 4:8). Even though God is morally pure and hates sin, sinners are given a chance to enter into God’s salvation instead of His judgment because of God’s abundant love. God loves the world (John 3:16), and this love is manifested in four ways. First, God is benevolent. This means that God really cares for His creatures and does what is best for them, even to the point of sacrificing His Son on the cross. Second, God is graceful. This means that God’s love is not based on any worth of our own, but instead, God chose to love us despite ourselves. Grace can be pictured as the enabling power that God bestows upon those He loves so they might do the things which will please Him. Third, God is merciful. This means that God at times diverts His just wrath from those whom He loves. It is because of God’s mercy that any have hope of eternal life in God’s presence. Fourth, God is persistent in His love. This can be seen well in God’s dealings with the nation of Israel. The fact that God even now has a special plan for them (see Romans 9-11) shows that God’s love has great persistence. This should be a comfort to the believer who worries about his sin straining God’s ability to love him.

In conclusion, with regard to God’s perfections, the perfections of goodness and greatness each has separate implications with regard to the believer’s personal life. While the perfections of greatness show the extent of God’s wonderful otherness, and are beyond human grasp, the aspects of goodness mentioned above are received, and should be mirrored by God’s children. It is for this reason that some theologians describe the difference between these types of attributes as being the incommunicable (greatness) and the communicable (goodness) attributes.

The Triune God

I believe that God is triune. Although the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are distinct persons, they all are participants of the same oneness: God. The Bible makes it clear that God is both a singularity and a plurality. Deuteronomy 6:4 states, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!” And yet The Bible also affirms that God the Father is God (1 Corinthians 8:6), God the Son is God (John 1:1), and God the Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:3,4). This three-in-oneness can be seen in part in Jesus’ statement “I and My Father are one” (John 10:30). This means that all three members of the Godhead possess the perfections described in the above sections.

Orthodox christianity has reinforced the biblical teaching of the Trinity by stating that God is one with regard to essence and attributes, yet God is three with respect to persons and each One’s responsibility in the Divine economy.

The Decrees of God

I believe that because God is all-powerful, everything that occurs is part of God’s sovereign plan. If anything were to happen outside of God’s control, this would indicate a limit to God’s power. Possibly the best biblical example of this idea is in Ephesians 1:9, 11 which states that God has “made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which he purposed in Himself...in whom we also have obtained an inheritance, being predestined – marked out beforehand – according to the counsel of his will.” God’s decree is the eternal plan of God established before the creation of the world. This idea of decree is similar to the decrees of human rulers who dictate what will and will not happen within their realm. Unlike human rulers, however, God has always existed and brought creation into being for the purpose of performing His Divine will.

It is important to discern the difference between the Divine decree and a Divine precept. A Divine precept is a commandment which is followed out of obedience, or not followed out of disobedience, depending on the subject, whereas a Divine decree is that which is assured in outcome through the power of the sovereign. An example of a Divine decree was God’s creative command, “Let there be light,” which was immediately followed by the outworking of the decree (Genesis 1:3). An example of a precept was given soon after when God commanded, “Of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, you shall not eat” (Genesis 2:17), which was immediately followed by disobedience and punishment.

Many see a problem in resolving the existence of God’s decree alongside the existence of man’s free will. They see sin as being a case of God’s precept demanding one action of man and His decree demanding another. I believe that one of God’s decrees is the creation of free moral agents who make their own decisions along the lines of God’s will for their lives. Because of this I believe that God’s plan is compatible with man’s free agency. The actual outworking of God’s decrees can be accomplished either through obedience or disobedience to His precepts.

An example that is helpful in seeing the role of decree and precept in actual life is the crucifixion of Christ who was “delivered according to the determined foreknowledge – resolution formed beforehand – of God” (Acts 2:23). This act occurred through both the disobedience of the Jews and through the obedience of Jesus. The crucifixion was part of God’s eternal decree, and yet it was accomplished through sinful action. The judgment on the progenitors of this act will not be negated just because the act itself was decreed by God (see Peter’s condemnation of the people in Acts 2). This relationship can especially be seen in Proverbs 16:9: “A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.”

It is because God knows what He has decreed that He can “declare the end from the beginning” (Isaiah 46:10) and can be relied on for correct prophecy. Christians can set their hope on the promises of the Bible because “The LORD of Hosts has sworn, saying, “Surely, as I have thought, so it shall come to pass, and as I have purposed, so it shall stand” (Isaiah 14:24).

Angels

I believe that angels exist as real spiritual beings. There are two categories of angels: good angels who follow, glorify, and serve God, and evil angels who took part in the rebellion against God and follow Satan (see Matthew 25:41). These created spirit beings are seen in the Bible as having an active role in the working out of God’s plan through history. I believe that Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14 are passages that speak of the fall of Satan and his followers. This must have occurred sometime between the time God declared that all he had made was “very good” (Genesis 1:31) and the time when Satan tempted Eve into disobedience in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1, ff).

I believe that good and evil angels are involved in spiritual warfare that can affect the believer (Daniel 10:10-14). Good angels are seen predominantly as worshiping God (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8), giving aid to believers (1 Kings 19:4-8; Daniel 6:22; Acts 12:7-11), bringing God’s judgment on mankind (Genesis 19:13; 2 Samuel 24:15-17), and delivering Divine messages (Zechariah 2:3, 4; Matthew 1:20, 21; Luke 2:10-12; Acts 1:10, 11). Evil angels are seen causing mental and physical sickness (Matthew 12:22; Mark 5:15) and encouraging doctrinal aberrations (1 Timothy 4:1-3). I believe that Christians cannot be demon possessed because the indwelling work of the Holy Spirit would preclude such activity and because there is no biblical reference to this kind of demonic activity.

I believe that the Old Testament “Angel of the Lord” is the preincarnate Christ (see below under Christology)

Christology

The Deity of Christ

The Eternality of Christ

I believe that Christ is eternal. He was “sent forth” to be born (Galatians 4:4). He was active in creation (Colossians 1:16, 17). He was glorified with the Father “before the world was” (John 17:5). Though His human body was “not yet fifty years old,” Christ was also a contemporary of Abraham (who lived ca. 2000 B.C.) as the “I AM” (John 8:56-58).

In the Old Testament Christ is called the “Father of Eternity” (Isaiah 9:6), “Whose goings forth have been from of old, from the days of eternity” (Micah 5:2), terminology that indicates eternality. Because Christ is God (see below), He is of necessity eternal. I believe that the Son is eternally generated by the Father because the Son has eternal life drawn from the life of the Father (John 5:26).

The Divine Attributes Of Christ

Because Christ is God, He exhibits the Divine attributes commensurate with deity. I believe His omnipotence is seen in that: He has all authority (which is based on His power – Matthew 28:1); all things are under His feet and He is the head of all things (Ephesians 1:22); Christ is able to subdue all things (Philippians 3:21); and in Him all things consist (Colossians 1:17).

I believe His omnipresence is seen in that: Christ can be present with His disciples in diverse locations (Matthew 28:20, John 14:23); and Christ not only fills the Church, His body, but He also fills “all in all” (Ephesians 1:22, 23).

I believe His omniscience is seen in that: Christ knew the real nature of men (John 2:24, 25; 6:64); and Christ’s disciples recognized that He knew all things (John 16:30).

I believe His immutability is seen in that: Christ is said to be the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

I believe that these descriptions show Christ’s deity. They would be blasphemous if attributed to any other human. Because Christ is God, He is rightfully the object of prayer (Acts 7:59) and worship (Matthew 28:9, 16-17).

The Divine Assertions of Christ

I believe that Christ asserted that He was God. Christ considered Himself to be coequal with God the Father (John 8:58; 10:29-31; 14:8, 9; Revelation 22:13). The religious leaders of His day recognized the nature of Christ’s divine assertions and labeled them blasphemy (Matthew 26:65; John 8:58, 59).

Scripture is also clear in its divine description of Christ:

• And His name shall be called...Mighty God – Isaiah 9:6

• The Word was God – John 1:1

• Thomas...said to Him, “My Lord and my God” – John 20:28

• Christ...Who is over all, the eternally blessed God – Romans 9:5

• Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God – Philippians 2:5

• In Him dwells the fulness of the Godhead bodily – Colossians 2:9

• Our great God and Savior Jesus Christ – Titus 2:13

• To the Son He says, “Your throne O God, is forever and ever” – Hebrews 1:8

• Our God and Savior Jesus Christ – 2 Peter 1:1

The Humanity of Christ

The Incarnation of Christ

I believe that at the incarnation, the pre-existent Son added a human nature to His divine nature (John 1:14). This was specially accomplished through the virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38). This conception was brought about by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20) and was overshadowed by the “Highest” (i.e. the Father – Luke 1:35) in order to produce a human nature unstained by Adamic sin.

The Kenosis of Christ

I believe that Christ’s kenosis (emptying) in no way changed His divine nature. I believe that Christ became a servant through His incarnation to fulfill His economic objective, namely obedience to death (Philippians 2:5-8). This servanthood was for the explicit purpose of His own exaltation (v. 9), His lordship over humanity (v. 10), and His bringing glory to the Father (v. 11).

The Human Limits of Christ

Christ, in his humanity, experienced the common limitations of mankind. He became hungry (Matthew 4:2), He fell asleep (Matthew 8:42), He became tired (John 4:6), and He became thirsty (John 19:28). He did not know “the day and hour” of His second coming (Mark 13:32). Contrary to proving that Christ was not God, I believe that these limitations show that Christ was genuinely human.

The Impeccability of Christ

Even though Christ is human, and He was able to be tempted during His earthly ministry (Matthew 4; Mark 1; Luke 4), I believe that because Christ is God, He is unable to sin (Psalm 45:7; James 1:13). In the Garden of Gethsemane, Christ was able to desire something other than His Father’s will, but would only determine to do what was in obedience to the Father’s will (Luke 22:42 cf. Luke 10:21, 22; John 5:30).

The Union of the Two Natures of Christ

I believe that Christ is perfectly divine and perfectly human. The human nature was added to the divine nature at the incarnation. These two natures are united in the one person “without confusion, without change, without division, without separation” (taken from the creed of Chalcedon). This means that the two natures remain distinct, without being altered by the presence of the other, undivided in their individual essences, jointly characteristic of the one person: Christ Jesus. This definition best explains the simultaneous limited (human) and unlimited (divine) portrayal of Christ in the Bible.

The Offices of Christ

Christ functions in three distinct offices: prophet, priest, and king. First, Christ acted as a prophet in revealing God to His people and warning them of their need to turn from their sins (John 1:18; Acts 2:26). Christ was the “prophet like Moses” prophesied in Deuteronomy 18:15. Second, Christ is our great High Priest, according to the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:17), who offered Himself up as the perfect “once for all” sacrifice for our sins (Hebrews 7:26, 27). Third, Christ will reign as king in fulfillment of Old Testament promises in the Millennium (Genesis 49:10; Matthew 25:31, 34; Revelation 20:4 – see below).

The Work of Christ

The Creative Work of Christ

I believe that Christ was instrumental in the work of creation. All things were made through Him (John 1:3), by Him, and for Him (Colossians 1:16). He laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of His hands (Hebrews 1:10).

The Theophanies of Christ

I believe that the manifestations of God in the Old Testament are manifestations of Christ. “No one has seen God (the Father) at any time.” Christ alone declares Him (John 1:18). This explains how the Angel of the Lord can be called God (Jehovah – YHWH), and yet can also be depicted as separate from God (Exodus 23:23; Zechariah 1:12).

The Sinless Life of Christ

I believe that Christ lived a sinless life (1 John 3:5) always pleasing the Father (John 8:29). Christ’s sinlessness qualified Him to take on our sin, and make us righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21). He was tempted and can sympathize with our temptations, but He did not sin (Hebrews 4:15). His sinless suffering (1 Peter 2:21:22) and pure life (1 John 3:3) are a prefect standard against which we should measure ourselves.

The Death of Christ

I believe that the most significant aspect of Christ’s earthly ministry was His death on the cross. This death was a voluntary payment for the sins of mankind. Christ died of His own initiative (John 10:18), in our place (1 Corinthians 15:3), in order to procure our righteousness (1 Peter 2:24). His death included the shedding of blood which satisfied God’s requirement for a perfect sacrifice (John 19:34, Hebrews 9:22).

The death of Christ was effective in creating the basis for a relationship between man and God. This was accomplished in three distinct ways:

Redemption: Christ has bought the forgiveness of our sins (Colossians 1:14) with His death (Revelation 5:9). By this act, He has freed mankind from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13), and the believer has been freed from bondage to sin (Romans 6:22; Galatians 5:1). In His death, Christ bought rights to the unbeliever as well (2 Peter 2:1).

Reconciliation: Christ, through His death, has also reconciled mankind to God. Though we were once His enemies, now we can have peace (Romans 5:10; Ephesians 2:14-16). This reconciliation allows for a universal offer of the gospel (2 Corinthians 5:19).

Propitiation: Because of the nature of Christ’s sacrifice, it was sufficient to assuage God’s wrath, and demonstrate His righteousness (Romans 3:25). Christ was the propitiation for our sins because of God’s love for us (1 John 4:10). This propitiation is not just directed toward believers but toward “the whole world” (1 John 2:2).

The Extent of the Atonement

I believe that the provision of Christ’s death is universal. This is based on God’s universal love (John 3:16). Though Christ’s death has enabled God to impart His blessings on mankind righteously, the application of this provision to the individual remains God’s sovereign choice (Romans 8:29, 30).

The Resurrection of Christ

I believe that Christ was raised from the dead. This resurrection was literal and bodily (Luke 24:39). It was also a demonstration of God’s power (Romans 1:4). Because of our participation in Christ’s resurrection, believers have the ability to “walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). The resurrection is a demonstration of our current justification (Romans 4:25), and a guarantee of our own future resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20f).

The work of the resurrection was performed by all three of the members of the Trinity: God the Father (Ephesians 1:20), God the Son (John 10:18), and God the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 3:18).

The Ascension of Christ

I believe that Christ, forty days after His resurrection, ascended bodily into heaven (Acts 1:3, 9-11), where He currently dwells at the right hand of the Father (Acts 7:56).

The Present Work of Christ

I believe that Christ is currently active on the behalf of believers. Christ is the head of the church (Colossians 1:18) as its Savior and as its Lord (Ephesian 5:23, 24). He is operative in the sanctification of the church in order to present it to Himself “without spot or wrinkle...holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:26, 27). Christ nourishes and cherishes the church because it is His body (Ephesians 5:29). Christ is also preparing a place for us to dwell with Him (John 14:3).

Christ is our advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1), making intercession for the believer (Hebrews 7:25). Christ can speak on our behalf because of our relationship with Him and because of His place of authority at the right hand of the Father (Romans 8:30-34).

The Future Work of Christ

The Rapture: I believe that Christ will return to take the true church through a resurrection of its dead and a glorification of its living (1 Corinthians 15:51-54; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). This is the blessed hope of all believers today (Titus 2:13).

Judgment of Believers: I believe that every Christian will give an account of himself to God before the judgment seat of Christ (Romans 14:10, 12; 2 Corinthians 5:10) where we will receive reward for our good works, and “suffer loss” for our “worthless” deeds (1 Corinthians 3:13-15).

Judgment of Unbelievers: I believe that Christ will come in judgment of unbelievers (John 5:22). Just prior to His millennial reign, Christ will put down the insurrection of the beast and the nations by force (Revelation 19:19, 20). Christ will also judge the nations separating “the sheep from the goats” (Matthew 25:31-46). After the Millennium, Christ’s judgment will involve a resurrection (John 5:29), where Christ will judge the unbelievers from the “Great White Throne” according to their works (Revelation 20:11-15).

The Millennial Rule of Christ: I believe that in the future Christ will literally fulfill the promises made to the nation Israel in the Old Testament by ruling over them as their messiah (Isaiah chapters 2, 11; Micah 5:4, 7; Zechariah 8:20-23).

Pneumatology

The Person of the Holy Spirit

His Personality

I believe that the Holy Spirit is a unique personality, an ontologically equal member of the triune Godhead. This is a foundational principle of orthodox theology.

In opposition to a non-personal understanding of the Holy Spirit, I affirm that the Spirit is an individual, distinct in personality from the Father and the Son. The Scriptures substantiate this in two ways: first, although the word “spirit” is neuter in other contexts, it can be used with masculine pronouns when it names the third member of the Trinity (John 16:13-14), second, the Holy Spirit is portrayed as having all of the essential properties of personality including intelligence (1 Corinthians 2:10-12), mind (Romans 8:27), will (Acts 13:2-4), and emotion (Ephesians 4:30).

In the passages used to demonstrate the triune nature of God: Christ’s baptism (Matthew 3:13-17), the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-10), and Paul’s benediction (2 Corinthians 13:14), the Holy Spirit is viewed in similar terms as the other two members of the Trinity who clearly would be considered “persons.”

The personality of the Holy Spirit is also important in His relationship to the believer. In the upper room discourse, where Christ explained the new relationship of the Spirit to the disciples, He said that the Holy Spirit would be a “paraclete” or “a comforter/helper/advocate of the same kind” as Christ Himself (John 14:16). This means Christians can develop a personal relationship with the Spirit as He works with them in their daily lives.

His Deity

I believe that the Holy Spirit is God. Acts 5:3, 4 clearly indicates the deity of the Holy Spirit. When Ananias lies to the Holy Spirit, he is also lying to God. Although not as explicit, the passages (listed above) mentioning the three members of the Trinity implicitly group the three together as deity.

Because the Holy Spirit is God, He has all the attributes of God. This not only can be demonstrated logically, but is also borne out in Scripture. The Bible states that the Spirit has the qualities of God, being eternal (Hebrews 9:14), omnipresent (Psalm 139:7-12), and omniscient (1 Corinthians 2:10-11). He also has the character of God being holy (in His very name), loving (Romans 5:5), true (John 14:17), righteous (Romans 8:1-10), and graceful (Hebrews 9:29).

His Relation Within the Trinity

I believe that because the Holy Spirit is God, ontologically He is equal to the other two members of the Godhead, sharing the same essence. Economically, however, the Holy Spirit is subordinate to (but not less than or dependent on) the Father and the Son. The “procession” (John 15:26) or “spiration” (John 20:22) of the Holy Spirit demonstrates this relationship. These verses, along with Psalm 104:30, reveal that this condition was true during the Old Testament as well as in the gospel period. Even the name given to the Holy Spirit (both in Hebrew and in Greek) has the essential connotation of movement and source (they are also the words for “breath” or “wind” in each respective language).

The Work of the Holy Spirit

In the Old Testament

Creating: I believe that the Holy Spirit was an active member in the original creation work of God (Genesis 1:2, Job 26:13) and was also involved in the renewing and sustaining of that which had been created (Psalm 104:30). These activities show both the great power and the eternal nature of the Holy Spirit.

Revealing: I believe that the Holy Spirit was operative in the revelation given to mankind during the Old Testament period. He enabled individuals to prophesy (2 Samuel 23:1, 2; Matthew 43, 44) and to write Scripture (2 Peter 1:21), allowing man to know the true will of God.

Filling (Controlling): I believe that the Holy Spirit helped certain men to do the will of God by giving them special abilities: special power – as with Samson (Judges 13:25), ability to work – as with the tabernacle craftsmen (Exodus 31:3), capability to rule – as with David and Saul (1 Samuel 13:13,14), and competence to judge or administrate – as with the seventy elders of Israel under Moses (Numbers 11:16-17).

That this ministry was not permanent can be seen in Saul’s forfeiture of the help of the Spirit (1 Samuel 16:13-14) and David’s fear that he might also forfeit the enabling presence of the Spirit after sinning with Bathsheba (Psalm 51:11).

Restraining: I believe that the Holy Spirit was actively engaged in the restraint of sin, keeping unregenerate man from the full potential of his sin nature (Genesis 6:3).

With regard to Christ

Conceiving: I believe that the Holy Spirit was at work in the life of Jesus from the very beginning. He was an active participant in Jesus’ divinely wrought conception (Luke 1:35).

Anointing: At the baptism of Christ, the Holy Spirit anointed Jesus, marking the formal beginning of His messianic office (Matthew 3:13, 16). I believe that this was a divine authentication of Jesus similar the the anointing of kings and priests in the Old Testament. As such, it was a symbolic preface to His public ministry.

Filling: I believe that Christ, as the perfect man, was “full of the Holy Spirit” (Luke 4:1). Because He lacked the sin nature, the Spirit could fully control Jesus’ actions as a flawless example to later believers.

Empowering: I believe that the Holy Spirit empowered Christ to perform miracles, similar to the manner in which He empowered the believers in the early church. Whether Christ ever used His own power at these times or fully relied on the power of the Holy Spirit is unclear, but in at least some instances the Holy Spirit was specifically stated as the agent by whom Christ performed His miracles (Matthew 12:28).

It is also stated that the “power of the Spirit” was evident in Jesus’ teaching capacity (Luke 4:14, 15), showing that the Spirit empowered Jesus in the mundane as well as in the spectacular.

Facilitating: As the priest was the individual by whom the Israelite offered sacrifice to the Lord, I believe that the Holy Spirit was the agent by whom Christ offered Himself on the cross as an atonement for sin (Hebrews 9:11-14). He also, in conjunction with the Father (Galatians 1:1) and the Son (John 10:18), participated in the resurrection event (1 Peter 3:18).

In the Present Age

Toward Unbelievers: I believe that the Holy Spirit is active with regard to the unregenerate in two significant areas. He restrains mankind from lawlessness (2 Thessalonians 2:7), and He convicts the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8-11).

Toward Believers:

Revelation: I believe that the Holy Spirit is seen in the New Testament as the agent of revelation (Acts 2:16-21). This included giving the gift of prophecy and being active in the writing of Scripture. The aid of the Spirit was necessary to protect the accurate memory of Christ’s previously revealed teaching and ministry which was later incorporated into the New Testament canon (John 14:26).

Regeneration: I believe that every believer is “born again” (John 3:3). This aspect of the new life is an ontological change performed by the Spirit that enables the convert to please God (Titus 3:5; 2 Corinthians 5:17). The sanctification and glorification of the Christian are the assured results of this regenerate condition.

Spirit Baptism: I believe that the Holy Spirit, at the moment of salvation, places the believer into the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13). This work is universal among believers (Romans 6:3, 5), and creates a distinctive relationship between the individual believer, all other believers, and Christ Himself.

Indwelling: I believe that at the same time that the works of regeneration and the baptism into the Body of Christ take place, the Holy Spirit establishes residency within the believer. This function is in contrast to the Old Testament relationship in that it is: more intimate (John 14:16-17 “in” as opposed to “with”); universal among believers (Romans 8:9); and a permanent state (Ephesians 4:30).

This new relationship is described by two metaphors which picture the main functions of the indwelling Holy Spirit. The first of these is sealing (Ephesians 4:30) which pictures the Holy Spirit as a proof (a kind of down payment – 2 Corinthians 1:22) for the believer that sets him apart as the special property of God. The second metaphor is that of anointing (2 Corinthians 1:21) which, like the anointing for an Old Testament office (prophet, priest, or king), points toward the intended “sacred” vocation that the individual will possess as a member of the Body of Christ (1 John 2:27).

Ministering: In the upper room discourse, Jesus assured His followers that upon His departure the Father would send the Holy Spirit to come to the aid of the otherwise disorderly and disheartened band. I believe that as a part of this ministry, the Holy Spirit convicts the believer of sin (I John 3:20), witnesses to him (Romans 8:16), teaches him (1 Corinthians 2:11-13), guides him (Romans 8:14), prays for him (Romans 8:26-27), and sanctifies him (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Filling: This is a direct extension of the ministering capacity of the Spirit. I believe that being filled with the Spirit takes place when the believer submits his life to the direction of the Holy Spirit. This is compared in Ephesians 5:18 to the control that alcohol has over the drunk. The command to “be filled with the Spirit” indicates that this is both a continual process (present tense) and that the there are times when the believer is not being filled/controlled (hence the command). When the Christian stifles this ministry by ignoring the direction of the Spirit, he is said to be “quenching” (1 Thessalonians 5:19) or “grieving” (Ephesians 4:30) Him.

Gifting: I believe that an extension of the ministry of the Holy Spirit is the spiritual gifts which He imparts. There are several types of spiritual gifts mentioned in the New Testament. Romans 12:3-8 lists prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhorting, giving, ruling, and mercy. 1 Corinthians 12 includes word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues, apostles, teachers, helps, and government. Ephesians 4:11 gives apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor-teachers (or possibly, pastors and teachers).

Many of these gifts were for “signs and wonders” (Hebrews 2:4), designed to establish the church in a hostile community. These include: apostles, tongues, healing, and miracles. These, no longer being necessary, passed away as a group with the first generation of believers.

Other gifts were necessary to create and authenticate the New Testament Scriptures. These are: prophecy, word of wisdom, word of knowledge, discerning spirits, and interpretation of tongues. Upon the completion of the canon these gifts were likewise no longer needed and ceased.

The remaining gifts all appear to have the timeless application of bettering the Body of Christ either numerically (evangelists), spiritually (pastor-teacher, exhortation, faith, mercy, and ministry), or structurally (giving, leadership, administration, and helps). Therefore (not surprisingly) these gifts are available to the believer today.

All believers receive at least one gift at conversion (1 Peter 4:10), and some may receive more than one (note examples of multi-gifted individuals in the book of Acts such as Peter and Paul).

Tongues: Because of its prominence in contemporary Christian circles, the specific gift of tongues needs to be addressed more fully. I believe that there are several indications that the gift of “speaking in tongues” does not actually occur today. First of all, the original purpose of tongues is no longer an issue (see above). Second, the history of the church indicates that tongues did in fact cease (except in patently heretical circles) for over twelve hundred years. Third, the original gift of tongues (as seen in Acts 2) where the hearers could understand a native language has never been duplicated by the modern “tongues.” Fourth, the tongues heard today, as opposed to the Acts model, are unverifiable as a genuine gift. If the Acts gift were available today, it would be empirically testable. What does occur today, on the other hand, can not be tested as to whether it is truly of the Spirit or merely psychological shenanigans. Fifth, most current groups that emphasize tongues do not also follow Paul’s admonitions regarding the use of the gift: one at a time, limit of three, no women tongue-speaking in the assembly, etc. (1 Corinthians 14:26-40). These points combine to form a strong argument for the cessation of the true gift of tongues.

It is also important to note that all gifts were given for the edification of the Body (1 Corinthians 12:4-14), and should be employed in humility (Romans 12:3) and love (1 Corinthians 13:8). This last verse contrasts certain spectacular gifts which are transitory (prophesies, tongues, and knowledge), against love, which, though it is less marvelous, “never fails.”

In the Future

I believe that during the Tribulation, the Holy Spirit (the One restraining the world from sin) will be “taken out of the way” (2 Thessalonians 2:7). This indicates a severely limited work on the part of the Holy Spirit, possibly returning to a similar state as in the Old Testament era. This is in contrast to the Holy Spirit’s active participation in the Millennium where He will indwell believing Israelites (Jeremiah 31:33; Ezekiel 37:14) and bring about a revival of enormous proportion (Joel 2:28, 29; Ezekiel 2:24-27; Isaiah 32:14).

Anthropology

The Origin of Man

The Time of Man’s Creation

I believe that the creation of the world took place in six literal days. This in my mind is the only exegetically satisfactory view of the first chapter of Genesis. Although “day” can mean more than a twenty-four hour period, it is never so used with numeric qualifiers or with the addition of “morning” and evening” as in Genesis chapter one. Exodus 20:9-11 draws a direct parallel between the “week” of creation and the work week of man, where six days of work should be balanced by one day of rest. Clearly, this “day of rest” is speaking of a twenty-four hour day. The theory of evolution is incompatible with biblical creation.

The fact that Jesus refers to male and female as extant “from the beginning of creation,” (Mark 10:6) would indicate that man has dwelt on the Earth for the large majority of its temporal existence. Because of this, I do not think the “gap” view, the “day-age” view, or the theistic evolutionary view is either scripturally or intellectually satisfying.

The Manner of Man’s Creation

I believe that the description of man’s creation in Genesis, chapter two, is a historical event. According to this chapter, God created man in two stages: first, He formed the material body of Adam from the dust of the earth; second, He “breathed” the “breath of life” which added the non-material substance, animating the body and making Adam a “living being” (Genesis 2:7).

The Purpose of Man’s Creation

I believe that man was created to manifest God’s glory (Isaiah 43:7; Revelation 4:11). Man has also been a part of God’s “good” plan from the beginning. Man was created on the sixth day as the capstone of God’s creation. Within God’s created order, man is supposed to rule over the earth and all of its inhabitants (Genesis 1:28).

The Fall of Man

I believe that the fall of man is a historical event that resulted from Adam’s sin in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3). Because man was labeled “very good” (Genesis 2:31) along with the rest of creation, we know that in the beginning Adam, unlike man today, was able not to sin. For the purpose of His own ultimate glory, God created man not only sinless, but with the true freedom of will to choose obedience or disobedience to God. Unfortunately, tempted to disobey God’s specific command, in a test by Satan to determine whether Adam would submit his own will to God’s, Adam rebelled and sin entered the world.

The direct consequence of Adam’s sin (“The Fall”) has been the perpetuation of Adam’s sin nature throughout his progeny (Romans 5:12-21). Only Christ, born of a virgin and “overshadowed” by the Highest (Luke 1:34, 35), escaped the stain of Adam’s sin.

Another result of the fall of man was God’s curse in Genesis 3:14-19:

• Satan was cursed with strife against man and eventual defeat by the Son of Man (v. 15)

• The woman was cursed with multiplied sorrow and pain in childbirth (v. 16).

• The man was cursed with strenuous labor to provide food, and eventual physical death. (vv. 17-19).

The fall of man created a need for the incarnation and propitiatory atonement of Christ to return members of the human race into a right standing with God. The effects of the fall are removed forensically through justification, practically and gradually through sanctification, and completely through glorification.

The Nature of Man

Man’s Material Nature

I believe that the material aspect of man is significant to his overall nature. Unlike many dualistic religions, the Bible does not present the body as being inherently evil (being tied to the material world). Although, along with the rest of man’s nature, the body has been corrupted by the fall, it can be used for good as the agent of the soul and spirit. A believer does not become “more spiritual” by neglecting the body; instead, he or she should take care of the body and use it for God.

For the believer, the body is seen as the “temple of God” (1 Corinthians 6:19; 3:16, 17). It should be presented to God as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1; cf. 6:12-14), and brought into subjection (1 Corinthians 9:27). What we do in (by) the body will be judged by Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10).

The material part of man was affected by the fall, and therefore is mortal (Genesis 3:19; Romans 7:24). There are three natural consequences of this mortality. First, when the immaterial element leaves the body at death, the body returns to its “natural” form which is dust (Genesis 3:19). Second, at death only the immaterial self will depart from the body to enter the presence of the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:6-8; 2 Peter 1:14). And third, at the resurrection, the immaterial nature will receive its former material body in a glorified state that is no longer mortal and corruptible (Matthew 5:28, 29; Philippians 3:20, 21).

Man’s Immaterial Nature

From the very beginning of the Bible, the immaterial part of man is juxtaposed against the material. In the Garden of Eden, God breathed the “breath of life” (the immaterial nature) into Adam completing the process of his creation (Genesis 2:7).

I believe that within the immaterial nature of man, there are two general aspects: the soul and the spirit. Whereas some see these terms as being mutually inclusive, I believe that the Bible treats them as separate categories. This is seen most clearly in verses which use the two words together as descriptions of man’s immaterial substance (Hebrews 4:12; 1 Corinthians 15:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:23).

Other words describing man’s immaterial nature in its functional capacity include:

Heart: the intellect (Genesis 6:5; Matthew 15:19-20)

the emotions (Exodus 4:14)

the will (2 Kings 12:4)

Conscience: the inner witness (John 8:9; Romans 9:1)

Mind: the intellect (Romans 14:5)

the emotions (2 Samuel 17:8)

the will (Nehemiah 4:6)

Man as Creature

I believe that when man relates to God, it is always in a creature-Creator context. This means that we are God’s possession (Psalm 24:1). Therefore we are to be submissive to God’s will, not He to our will. Because He is our creator and sustainer, we have innate obligations to Him which include:

Worship: Psalm 95:6; Romans 1:25

Praise: Psalms 102:18; 148:5

Love for other creatures: Proverbs 14:31; Malachi 2:10

Reliance: Isaiah 43:1

Subjection: Isaiah 45:9

Good works: Ephesians 2:10

Trust: 1 Peter 4:19

Honor: Revelation 4:11

Man as Image-Bearer

I believe that man was created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26). This distinguishes him from the other works of God’s creation. Because all other usages of the word image in the Old and New Testaments indicate a physical representation of something else, the “Image of God” appears to distinguish man as God’s visible representation on earth. In this way, Christ was the true and perfect image of God over against the rest of humanity (Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3). I believe that the word likeness, which often parallels the concept of image, fills out the portraiture to include God’s communicable attributes.

Practically, the “image” is the basis for man’s rule over the rest of creation (Genesis 1:26). Because man is in God’s image, murder justifies capital punishment (Genesis 9:6 – note once again the “image” is tied to the physical body). This verse (Genesis 9:6) also shows that the image of God was not removed at the fall, but is still in place.

Male and Female

Marriage: I believe that marriage is the union between man and woman instituted by God in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:22-25). By marriage the couple “leave” their parents and “cleave” to one another and become “one flesh:” a physically and socially bonded unit (Genesis 2:24).

This creation of a new social unit is preformed by God and cannot be annulled by man (Matthew 19:5, 6). Divorce is never God’s will for a marriage (Matthew 19:8; Malachi 2:16). In the church, a believing husband is not to divorce his wife (1 Corinthians 7:11) and a believing wife is not to divorce her husband (1 Corinthians 7:13). Anyone who marries a divorced man or woman (assuming the former spouse is still alive) commits adultery with him or her (Matthew 19:9; Romans 7:3).

The marriage relationship is to take place within the bounds of mutual submission (Galatians 5:21), and should never be initiated between a believer and an unbeliever (1 Corinthians 7:39; 2 Corinthians 6:14).

Headship: I believe that men and women are ontologically equal in every respect (Galatians 3:28). This means that God does not place any higher value on a person because of gender. However, God has commanded a relational subordination of the female. This subordination takes place in the context of creation (Genesis 2:18; 1 Corinthians 11:2-16), in the church (1 Corinthians 14:34; 1 Timothy 2:11, 12), and in the home (Ephesians 5:22, 23). Pragmatically, this is due to the need for propriety and order (this is the same reason Christians are commanded to be subject to their governing authorities, and Christ was willing to be subject to the Father). Because of this principle of subordination within the church, I believe that women are not “qualified” to hold the office of an overseer or elder.

Hamartiology

A Definition of Sin

I believe that sin is an act or attitude of rebellion against God. An individual sins when he: transgresses against a specific command of God (Romans 2:27; 5:14; Galatians 3:19); fails to meet God’s required standard (Romans 3:23); or attempts to conduct his life outside of God’s control (1 John 3:4). Sin stands in direct opposition to faith: “whatever is not from faith is sin” (Romans 14:23).

The Reality of Sin

I believe that sin is a criteriological reality. It begins as an attitude of rebellion that produces an act of the will, resulting in an outwardly discernible action (James 1:14, 15 – e.g. a disregard for God’s standard for the marriage relationship leads to lust which in turn leads to adultery – note: Matthew 5:28). These acts of rebellion can be seen in society and in the life of the individual. The sin principle is described anthropomorphically in the Bible as our master of whom we are slaves (John 8:34; Romans 6:17).

The Origin of Sin

I believe that the first sin was committed by Satan when he rebelled against God (Ezekiel 28:11-19). This insurrection was instigated by his prideful ambition to be exalted as God (Isaiah 14:12-14; 1 Timothy 3:6). Other angels followed Satan in choosing to revolt against God (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 12:4). After his fall, Satan became the agent by whom Adam and Eve were tempted to disobey God’s commandment (Genesis 3:1 ff.)

I believe that sin entered the human race through the disobedience of Adam in the Garden of Eden (Romans 5:12, cf. Genesis 3). This act of rebellion was passed from Adam to his children (see below) so that all are sinners from birth and therefore all sin (Romans 3:23; 5:12-17).

The Imputation of Sin

I believe that Adam’s sin (and the resulting guilt) was imputed to his posterity. Romans 5:19 and 1 Corinthians 15:21, 22 parallel our standing in Adam with our standing in Christ. As God sovereignly imputed Adam’s sin-guilt (which results in death), so God imputes Christ’s sinless righteousness (which results in life).

I believe that the means by which the sin-principle is imputed to Adam’s offspring is through the seminal transmission of the now fallen immaterial nature of humanity (traducianism – note: Genesis 5:3 where Adam begat a son in his own “likeness” and Hebrews 7:4-10 where Levi paid tithe while he was in the “loins” of his father Abraham).

The Penalty of Sin

I believe that the penalty of sin is death (Genesis 2:17; 6:23; Romans 5:12). This death includes both the spiritual separation (alienation) of man from God (Genesis 3:7-10; Ephesians 2:1), and the physical separation of man’s material nature from his immaterial nature (Genesis 3:19; 5:5; Isaiah 40:6-8). The righteousness of God demands that this penalty must be paid. Individuals will either pay the penalty personally (Revelation 20:11-15) or vicariously (1 Peter 3:18). Without faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, the ultimate penalty of eternal separation from God and torment in Hell will be required.

In Hell, the unbeliever will incur either greater or lesser judgment (punishment) depending on the extent of revelation rebelled against and the character of the sins committed (Matthew 11:20-24; John 19:11).

The Implications of the Doctrine of Sin

Infants and Morally Non-culpable

I believe that infants and other morally non-culpable individuals (such as the severely retarded) upon death will enter the eternal presence of God. This is intimated by 2 Samuel 12:23 where David says he will “go to” his dead infant.

Those Who Have Not Heard the Gospel

I believe that those who do not have the opportunity to hear the gospel will be judged because they have received natural revelation, yet “suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Romans 1, 2), and commit culpable sins.

Soteriology

A Definition of Salvation

I believe that salvation is the gracious act of God in which He delivers depraved individuals from their bondage to sin and the condemnation of their sin-guilt, and bestows upon them a right relationship with Himself. This deliverance is legal (positional) and essential (ontological – see below). It both frees the individual in forgiveness and empowers the individual to act in ways that are pleasing to God.

The Provision of Salvation

The vicarious death of Christ is the sufficient provision for man’s salvation. This provision includes man’s redemption from sin (Romans 6:22), his reconciliation to God (Ephesians 2:14-16), and the propitiation of God’s wrath toward man’s sin (Romans 3:25).

The Application of Salvation

I believe that God in His sovereign mercy choose those whom he would save before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4; 2 Thessalonians 2:13). God foreknew His elect by an active initiation of a personal relationship (Romans 8:29; 11:2). God predestinated these elect to conformity with Christ (Romans 8:29), to adoption as sons (Ephesians 1:5), and to the praise of the glory of His grace (Ephesians 1:5, 6). Although it is in God’s permissive will that the unbeliever will go to Hell, He does not elect (or predestinate) them to damnation.

I believe that faith and repentance are a response to God’s effectual call to salvation (Acts 2:38, 39). This faith becomes the basis for God’s application of the redemptive work of Christ in justification (Romans 3:24; 5:1). Because the believer is justified, he is also sanctified (set apart – 1 Corinthians 1:2; 6:11). Practically, the believer is sanctified in a life-long process assisted by the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 1:15, 16). Ultimately, the outcome of salvation will be glorification, because when we see Him we will be like Him (1 John 3:2). This is the final step in the salvation process in which “God works all things together for good” (Romans 8:28-30). Glorification is an assured result of salvation through the sealing ministry of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13, 14). This shows that the believer is eternally secure, unable to lose the position or privileges of his salvation.

The Content of Salvation

Positional

I believe that the Holy Spirit, through Spirit baptism, places all believers into the Body of Christ at their conversion (1 Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:27). This placement makes them a part of the “new man” (Colossians 3:10, 11 – as opposed to our solidarity with Adam as part of the “old man”), that is, members of God’s “new creation” (Galatians 6:15).

I believe that because we have Christ’s righteousness, we stand innocent before God’s judgment (Romans 5:16), forgiven of our iniquity and absolved from guilt (Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:21, 22). Every believer is enabled to participate in the “son-placing” of adoption (Galatians 4:4, 5; Ephesians 1:5). In adoption the believer enjoys the station of a mature son, led by the Spirit (Romans 8:14), and can look forward to the future redemption of his body (Romans 8:23).

Ontological

I believe that in salvation the believer partakes of the eternal life of Christ through His indwelling ministry (Colossians 3:4; 1 John 5:11-13). This indwelling creates an essential change in the individual in which God imparts to him a new nature (2 Peter 1:4). By regeneration, God renews the believer’s fallen nature (Titus 3:5) and gives spiritual life to that which was dead (Romans 8:10, 11).

The Attainment of Salvation

I believe that salvation is by faith alone (not by any form of meritorious works), which is itself a gracious gift of God (Ephesians 2:8, 9). Repentance is a function of this faith in which the convert accepts the need to be reconciled to God’s standard through Christ, both in the act of initial faith (Acts 17:30; 2 Peter 3:9) and in the subsequent life of faith (Revelation 3:19). Although good works are the natural outcome of saving faith (Ephesians 2:10; James 1:18, 20, 26), they have no influence on God’s election or call to salvation (Romans 9:11) and are themselves possible only through the agency of God Himself working through the believer (Philippians 2:13).

The Blessings of Salvation

I believe that because of his salvation, the believer receives special blessings from God. These include the privileges of: membership in the family of God (Ephesians 2:19); citizenship in Heaven (Philippians 3:20); direct access to God through the priesthood of the believer (1 Peter 2:5); assistance by the Holy Spirit in his prayers (Romans 8:26), and in his spiritual life (Galatians 5:22-25; Ephesians 3:16); and the mediatorial work of Christ in his behalf with the Father (Hebrews 7:26, 27).

Ecclesiology

The Beginning of the Church

I believe that the church began on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2). This is indicated by several factors. During Jesus’ ministry the church was still future (Matthew 16:18). Just prior to Pentecost Jesus promised His disciples, “you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1:5). This baptizing work of the Holy Spirit, which began on Pentecost, is the exclusive act by which believers are placed into the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13), which is the church (Ephesians 1:22-23). At the conversion of the Gentiles in Cornelius’ house, Peter noted that the Spirit fell on them, just as He had fallen on the Jews “at the beginning” (Acts 11:15).

In noting that the beginning of the church was at Pentecost, it is important to distinguish the church from the nation of Israel (see “Israel” in the eschatology section). It is also important to distinguish the church from the kingdom which is yet to come (Luke 1:32, 33).

The Meaning of the Church

When the New Testament saints attempted to describe the new organization of which they found themselves a part, they generally used the term “church.” The Greek word they used designated “the called out ones” and was popularly used of an assembly (such as the Old Testament assembly – Acts 7:38) or even of an unruly mob (Acts 19:32). The term was probably chosen to distinguish this group from the synagogue from which the church saw itself distinct.

There are several figures used of the church that help describe it in more detail:

Body: This figure stresses the unity of the church as each “member” works together for the good of the whole. Christ is the head (Ephesians 1:22-23).

Bride: This figure stresses the relationship between the church and Christ. The Church is he bride who keeps herself pure and is subject to Christ. Christ is the bridegroom who loves the church – even to the point of death (Ephesians 5: 23-25; Revelation 19:7-9).

Temple: This figure stresses the organization and unity of the church, as well as the church as the special habitation of God. Christ is the cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20-22).

Priesthood: This figure stresses the accessibility of God by the church. Christ is the high priest (Hebrews 4:14-16; 1 Peter 2:9).

Flock: This figure stresses the loving care Christ shows to His church. The church is to follow and respond to Christ, and Christ as the good shepherd leads, feeds, and protects His sheep (John 10:11, 14).

Branches: This figure stresses the source of life within the church. Christ is the vine through which the nutrients flow (John 15:1-5).

The Purpose of the Church

I believe that there are three basic functions of the church: worship, evangelism, and edification.

Worship

Worship is the means by which the body gives glory to its founder and head. Worship is a natural activity based on the character of the God we serve (1 Chronicles 16:29), and should be conducted in spirit and in truth (John 4:23). It is also a means of edification for those who participate (1 Corinthians 14:26).

Evangelism

Christ, at the end of His earthly ministry, commanded His followers to evangelize the world (Matthew 28:18-20). Although there are some who are especially gifted at evangelism (Ephesians 4:11), this evangelism should be performed by all believers generally (Acts 8:4). I believe that the work of evangelism centers on the preaching of Christ to save the souls of the unregenerate (Acts 16:31; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

Edification

Edification is the building up of the church with the intent of creating a mature body after the measure of our great exemplar Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:12, 13). I believe that this ministry of the church takes place through teaching (Acts 11:26), preaching (Acts 15:35; Colossians 11:28), and fellowship (Acts 2:46, 47; Romans 12:5-16; 15:2).

The Membership of the Church

The Universal Church

I believe that the membership of the universal (“invisible”) church consists of all those who through true belief have been placed into the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Colossians 1:18). This is the church that Christ died for (Ephesians 5:25), and the one He promised to build (Matthew 16:18). I believe that the universal church is manifested through local assemblies of believers.

The Local Church

Because it would be impossible for all Christians to gather together in one assembly (this side of glory), from the earliest days the church has gathered in local congregations. This plurality can be seen whenever the word “churches” is used (e.g. Romans 16:16; Galatians 1:2; Revelation 1:11). It is also in view whenever the church is limited to a specific location (Acts 8:1; Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 1:2). I believe that it is within the local church that Christians are commanded to participate (Hebrews 10:25).

The Ordinances of the Church

I believe that an ordinance is an outward rite that symbolizes a spiritual truth that has been commanded by Christ and is performed by His church. I do not believe that the ordinances convey any special grace to the participant. I believe that there are two ordinances of the church: baptism and The Lord’s Supper.

Baptism

I believe that all believers should participate in the ordinance of baptism. Christ commanded His followers to make disciples and to baptize them (Matthew 28:19). Historically, the rite of baptism was one of identification (as with the baptism of John – Mark 1:4, 5). This concept of identification was important to the concept of baptism within the church. Believers were baptized in the name of Christ identifying them with Christ (Acts 2:38). The spiritual truth that baptism symbolizes is the union of the believer with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection (Romans 6:4-5).

Following the examples given in Acts, and the necessary implications of the symbolism, I believe that the church should baptize only confessing believers (Acts 2:41; 8:12; 38; 9:18; 10:48; 16:14-15; 32-33; 18:8). I believe that the mode of baptism that follows New Testament usage is immersion (the word itself means to dip or submerge).

The Lord’s Supper

I believe that Christ instituted the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper in the upper room on the night before His crucifixion (Matthew 26:26-29). It is a symbol of His death in behalf of believers which provided them forgiveness from their sins (Matthew 6:28). The Lord’s Supper is also seen as a unifying factor among believers (1 Corinthians 10:16, 17). Christ commanded that His followers observe this ordinance until His return (1 Corinthians 11:24-26). Christ’s words, “do this in remembrance of Me” indicate that the basic significance of the rite is that of a memorial (Luke 22:19).

The Government of the Church

I believe that the government of the church should rest ultimately in the congregation. This form of church government is a direct consequence of the correct understanding of the priesthood of the believer. The local congregation should be run democratically and autonomously.

This form of government can be seen in the New Testament examples of the election of deacons (the decision was made by the “whole multitude” – Acts 6:2-5), the decision of what to require of Gentile believers (Acts 15:22-29), and the administration of discipline (Matthew 18:17; 1 Corinthians 5:12; 2 Corinthians 2:6). Although the apostles appeared to have authority over the churches, this authority was not passed on to successive generations of leaders, and no church by itself had authority over another.

Offices of the Church

Although the government of the church is congregational, the church is to have leadership to guide the congregation. I believe that the leadership of the church has authority over the members individually, but also will be held accountable for their actions (Hebrews 13:17). This authority, like all other authority, must be in line with scriptural teaching (Acts 4:19, 20; 17:11).

I believe that there are three clearly taught positions of leadership in the New Testament: apostle, elder, and deacon.

Apostle: An apostle is someone who was present during the earthly ministry of Christ (Acts 2:21) and was used to found the church (Ephesians 2:20). Paul is a notable exception who, although absent when Christ conducted His ministry, received a personal mandate from Christ (Acts 9; Romans 1:1; Galatians 1:15, 16). The office of apostle no longer exists.

Elder: An elder is someone who is in charge of the spiritual life of the church. Elders are also called overseers (bishops) and shepherds (pastors – Acts 20:28). The qualifications for the office of elder are found in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. I believe that the plurality of elders within a single church is the New Testament model (Acts 14:23; Acts 20:17; Philippians 1:1; Titus 1:5).

Deacon: A Deacon is someone who is in charge of the physical aspect of the church. Although not specifically designated as such, it is likely that Acts 6:1-6 was the beginning of this office. The qualifications of deacons are given in 1 Timothy 3:8-13.

There is some debate whether deaconess is a scriptural office. At least one woman (Phoebe) is designated as a “deaconess” (which also can be translated “servant” – Romans 16:1). This word is the feminine form of deacon. And 1 Timothy 3:11 could be translated “women” instead of “wives” and also might indicate this office. As with the positions of trustee, clerk, secretary, and janitor, I see the office of deaconess to be functional, but not scripturally designated (although godly women of the church certainly have a duty to minister to the body – Acts 9:36; 1 Timothy 5:9; Titus 2:3-5).

The Future of the Church

I believe that the church awaits its imminent rapture to Christ (James 5:7, 8; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18), prior to the Tribulation (see below under Eschatology). The church will return with Christ to rule and reign in the millennial kingdom (Revelation 19:11-15). Afterward, the church will enter the eternal state to serve and commune with God (Revelation 21:1-22:5).

Eschatology

Hermeneutics and Eschatology

It is important at the beginning of a statement about eschatology to indicate what the hermeneutical foundation is for the doctrinal beliefs, since this is a major reason for the variety among Christians in their views of eschatology. I believe that there is only one available hermeneutic: the literal, grammatical, and historical hermeneutic. To determine the meaning of any given passage, one must determine the intended meaning that the original author wished to convey to the original recipients (see above in prolegomena).

The Biblical Covenants

Understanding the biblical covenants is essential in understanding eschatology because in them God makes certain promises that have not yet been completely fulfilled and are thus future. Below I will briefly discuss the Abrahamic Covenant, the Palestinian Covenant, the Davidic Covenant, and the New Covenant. I will not discuss the Mosaic Covenant, because it has been fulfilled in Christ (Matthew 5:17; Romans 6:15; Galatians 3:23-25) and therefore does not necessitate future action on God’s part.

The Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 12, 15)

The Abrahamic Covenant is an unconditional covenant that promised to Abraham and his descendents a land (from the Euphrates to the “River of Egypt”), a seed (both descendents as numerous as the stars of the sky and a messianic “seed”), and a blessing (directed toward the nations). This covenant is important because it was part of God’s plan to bring salvation through Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:16).

The Palestinian Covenant (Deuteronomy 29)

The Palestinian Covenant is an unconditional covenant made with the nation of Israel just prior to their entrance into the land of Palestine. It reaffirmed the terms of the Abrahamic Covenant at a crucial juncture in Israel’s history.

The Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7, Psalm 89)

The Davidic Covenant is an unconditional covenant made with David that promised him a throne, a house (lineage), and a kingdom for his line forever. This will ultimately be fulfilled when Israel accepts their Messiah in the future (Romans 11:25-27). This covenant is an enlargement on the earlier Abrahamic Covenant. David himself was a son of Abraham, and Jesus was “the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1).

The New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

The New Covenant speaks of the new relationship that God will have with His people in the “days which are coming.” This New Covenant is inherently contrasted to the “old” Mosaic Covenant. While the Mosaic Covenant deals mostly with the external forms of worship the New Covenant deals with the internal. It will:

1. Put God’s Law in the minds of His people and write it on their hearts (Jeremiah 31:33b).

2. The Lord will be their God, and they will be His people (Jeremiah 31:33c).

3. They will know Him, from the least to the greatest (Jeremiah 31:34a).

4. The Lord will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more (Jeremiah 31:34b).

Although Paul is a minister of the New Covenant (2 Corinthians 3:6), and Christ said of the communion wine, “This cup is the New Covenant in My blood” (Luke 22:20), two factors should be kept in mind concerning the church’s role under the New Covenant: first, in the context of Jeremiah 31, this covenant explicitly will be made with the nation of Israel, and second, the broad blessings of the covenant cannot be said to be fully realized by the church. Therefore I believe that while the church can in some ways participate in the New Covenant, its fulfillment will not be achieved until the millennial kingdom.

Personal Eschatology

Death

The basic biblical concept behind the word death is the idea of separation. I believe that physical death is the separation of the physical nature from the immaterial nature, and spiritual death is the personal separation of man from God. When the Lord warned Adam that disobedience to the prohibition from eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil would result in death, both aspects were in mind (Genesis 2:16-17). The spiritual death occurred immediately (Genesis 3:9), and the physical later (Genesis 5:5).

Because of the sin of Adam, sin and death entered the world and all men die (Romans 5:12). I believe that the only escape from this common fate is salvation through Jesus Christ (Romans 6:23).

The Intermediate State

I believe that between death and the resurrection the immaterial nature of man exists in an intermediate state. In the Old Testament, this abode of the dead was called Sheol. The souls of both good and evil individuals existed here (Job 3:17-19), but at differing levels (Isaiah 14:15). This is seen more clearly in the New Testament story about Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:23, 26) where the equivalent Greek term Hades is used.

I believe that at the time of Christ’s ascension, He led the Old Testament saints out of Hades into Heaven (Ephesians 4:8-10). Now all believers who die go directly into the presence of the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:6-8).

Hades itself (which now only includes the unregenerate) will be cast into the lake of fire at the time of the final judgment (Revelation 20:14).

The Future Return of Christ

I believe that in the future Christ will return in bodily form. First, Christ will return for His own and take them up to Heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) before the Tribulation (see below). This return for the church is seen in the New Testament as imminent (James 5:7, 8), unpredictable (Acts 1:7), and as a major reason for righteous conduct (1 John 3:2, 3). When Christ ascended into Heaven, His disciples were promised that He would return someday “in like manner as you saw Him go into Heaven” (Acts 1:11). Second, He will return to Earth with the heavenly host to rule and reign in the millennial kingdom (this return is usually termed the “second coming” – Revelation 19:11-15).

The Resurrection from the Dead

That the dead will be raised is clearly taught in Scripture. I believe that this resurrection will be bodily (Isaiah 26:19), and universal (John 5:28). The saved will be raised “unto the resurrection of life,” and the unsaved, “unto the resurrection of damnation” (John 5:29). Jesus who calls Himself “the resurrection and the life” will be the agent of this resurrection.

I believe that the resurrection of the church will take place at the rapture when “the dead in Christ will rise first.” This resurrection is simultaneous to the translation of the saints who are alive at that time (1 Thessalonians 4:16). Old Testament and Tribulation saints will be resurrected after the Tribulation (Daniel 12:1, 2; Revelation 20:4). After the Millennium “those who remain” (in the grave) will also be resurrected (Revelation 20:5).

The Judgment

I believe that all men will stand before God to be judged (Romans 2:6-10). Christians will stand before the “judgment seat of Christ” and will be judged according to their deeds “good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10). This is not to say that their works will determine whether they will be saved or unsaved, but what type of reward they will receive (1 Corinthians 3:13-15). At the end of the Millennium, after the great rebellion, Satan will be judged and cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10) along with his angels (Matthew 25:41). After this the unbelievers will be raised to stand before the “great white throne” where they too will be judged by their works (Revelation 20:13).

General Eschatology

The Dispensations

I believe that Scripture can be divided into distinctive dispensations. A dispensation is a distinguishable economy in the outworking of God’s purpose. The Bible speaks unambiguously of the dispensation of grace (Ephesians 3:2) which is currently in effect. There is also clearly a future dispensation (Ephesians 1:10). Inherent in the idea of a current (a different-from-before-dispensation) is the idea that there was a dispensation prior to grace (Ephesians 3:9). More dispensations might be added to the extent that separate economies can be seen in Scripture (such as pre-law versus post-law, millennial kingdom versus the eternal state, etc.), but at this point the divisions become more subjective. I agree with most Dispensationalists in seeing seven distinct dispensations (Innocence, Conscience, Government, Promise, Law, Grace, and Millennium). To these I would add the Tribulation as more than a return to Law, and the Eternal State where God will dispensate His own rule.

Israel

I believe that inherent in a fully literal interpretation of the Bible is the distinction between Israel and the church. This distinction is found in Romans 9-11. Israel has rejected Christ (chapter 10), yet this rejection is not total (11:1-10) and is for the specific purpose of the “reconciling of the world” (11:15). That the church does not replace Israel in God’s plan can be seen in 11:26-27 where Paul sees promises to Israel (not the church) as proof that Israel will some day be restored to her special covenant position.

I believe that because Israel is not the church, all of the Old Testament promises made to Israel, which are still outstanding, must be literally fulfilled in the future. This will largely take place in the millennial kingdom.

The Tribulation

I believe that the Tribulation is a seven year period of great distress that God will use to judge the world. The Tribulation is also called the seventieth week of Daniel because of the as yet unfulfilled prophecy of Daniel 9:27. The most complete account of this period is found in Revelation 6-16.

I believe that the church will not go through the Tribulation because Christ will keep them “out of the time of trial” (Revelation 3:10). Also the church is never mentioned in Revelation 6-16 where the Tribulation is described. The imminent and unpredictable nature of Christ’s return would be compromised if the Tribulation were to begin before the rapture.

The Millennium

The doctrine of the Millennium is based on two factors: the literal reading of the book of Revelation (where the Millennium is specifically described in 20:1-6), and the distinction between Israel and the church (see above).

In our description of the biblical covenants, we noted that these covenants were both unconditional and unfulfilled. The Old Testament speaks often of Israel’s return to the land in belief and obedience as a future fact (e.g. Isaiah chapter 60). I believe that in the Millennium God will turn the hearts of the people of the nation Israel to Himself in order to fulfill His outstanding promises made to Israel as a nation.

I believe that the beginning of the Millennium will be following the battle of Armageddon (Revelation 16:16; 19:19-20:2). Satan will be bound for the thousand years (Revelation 20:2), which will help establish the tranquility of the period.

I believe that Christ will reign as Messiah over the nation Israel as well as the rest of the world with a perfect government (Revelation 20:4; Isaiah 2:2-4), even the animal kingdom will be at peace (Isaiah 11:6-9), and long life will be the rule instead of the exception (Isaiah 65:20).

The Eternal State

I believe that at the time of the final judgment, after the Millennium, God will destroy the present heaven and earth, and will create a new heaven and earth (Revelation 20:11; 21:1; 2 Peter 3:7, 10; Isaiah 65:17). Those who believe will share eternity with God in close fellowship and never-ending happiness (Revelation 21:2-4), but those who reject Jesus Christ will be eternally separated from God in the lake of fire (Revelation 21:8), where “their worm does not die, and their fire is not quenched” (Isaiah 66:24).

Conclusion

The great importance of doing theology is to attempt to understand God better, and in that way to glorify Him. All doctrine is profitable only to the extent that it reflects Scripture. I do not pretend to have the last word on every subject dealt with here, but through carefully considering the subjects in light of Scripture, I feel that my views accurately reflect what the Bible teaches.