THE CHURCH (Ecclesiology)
A. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church, which is composed of God’s elect in this age. The church was established on the Day of Pentecost and did not exist in the Old Testament period. The Church is new covenant in scope and design and is not to be confused with national Israel.
B. We believe the Church is both universal/invisible and local/visible.
C. Christians are to gather in local churches, be committed to a local assembly of believers, and be under the established leadership of that church. To each local assembly God has given authority and responsibility for administering order, discipline, and worship. The leaders in the Church are elders and deacons.
D. We reject the concept of para-church organizations, which are not under the authority of a local church, because they circumvent, supplant, are autonomous from, and exercise authority over local churches with no Biblical mandate or warrant. They also rob local churches of their responsibilities, prerogatives, glory, and funds, and to a large extent are responsible for the Church’s weakness.
E. The marks of a true church are: 1) The administering of ordinances of the Lord’s Supper and Baptism; 2) The interpretation, exposition and application of the entire Bible, the teaching of Apostolic doctrine and the warning and exhortation of contemporary dangers and evils; 3) The necessary obligation and practice of church discipline of all members and those in fellowship. We hold as Scripturally sound: That any ‘church’ which fails to practice these marks is not a true Biblical church.
F. The Church’s main mission is to call out a people for Christ and to disciple them in all the Truth of Scripture. We reject the concept that the church is to entertain those who attend. We believe and hold that the local church is to be a strong theological center wherein its worshippers are to be trained in all areas of theology and Godliness of life.
G. We reject and hold as heretical that the church’s mission is to be engaged in the ‘Social Gospel’ agenda. Though rejecting the ‘Social Gospel’ agenda, the true church manifests itself in the care of the physical and spiritual needs of its worshippers.
Matt. 28:18; 16:17; Eph. 1:22-23; 4:7-13; Rev. 1:13; 2:1; Jer. 32:31; Matt. 26:28; Lk. 22:20; Acts 13:2-3; 14:23; 26-28; 15:22,32,33,35,36,40; 18:22-23; 20:17; Eph. 4:11-14; Tit. 1:5.
The following books and materials reflect in fuller detail our position on the doctrine of the Church.
BAPTISM
A. Baptism is an ordinance of the Lord Jesus Christ obligatory for every believer, by immersion in water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is a symbol of union with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. It signifies the washing away of sins and is a prerequisite for church membership. Baptism is not necessary for salvation.
B. The usual mode of baptism is immersion, except in life threatening situations where charity would be expressed.
C. Baptism is to be administered by the elders of the church with deacons assisting.
D. We reject infant baptism and any concept of baptismal regeneration.
Matt. 28:19; Acts 2:38,41; 22:16; Rom. 6:3-4; 1 Cor. 1:13; Col. 2:12.
THE LORD’S SUPPER
A. The Lord’s Supper is an ordinance of Jesus Christ to be administered with the elements of bread and “fruit of the vine,” (See Lk 22:18; Mk 14:25) and to be observed by the Church until He returns. Its purpose is to commemorate Christ’s death, to confirm the everlasting covenant in Christ’s blood, to strengthen union with Christ in His love, the union and communion with each other, as well as to reassure the believer of Christ’s imminent return in the rapture of the church: The blessed hope of the Church which is His bride.
B. If there is unforgiveness between members, this should be removed before coming to the table.
C. The Lord’s Supper is in no sense a re-sacrifice of Christ. Christ is spiritually present at the Lord’s Supper. We reject the concepts of consubstantiation, transubstantiation and the memorial view of the Lord’s Supper as being either inadequate or heretical.
D. This ordinance is to be administered exclusively by the elders of the church, with deacons assisting.
2 Cor. 11:23-26; Lk. 22:19-20.
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A. It is the duty of every church and every Christian to extend the gospel to all men everywhere and to make disciples, teaching them to observe all that Christ commanded.
B. As faith comes by hearing the Word of God, we are to warn men by methods sanctioned in Scripture to seek Jesus Christ and His salvation through the proclamation of the Gospel. We believe that the proclamation of the Word of God under the sovereign control, direction and agency of the Holy Spirit is solely effectual, sufficient and absolutely necessary for the salvation of men. We reject all man-centered sales techniques in evangelism and the concepts and practices of easy-believe-ism and decisional regeneration.
Matt. 28:19; Rom. 10:14-17; 1 Cor. 9:22.
THE LORD’S DAY
A. On the Lord’s Day, the first day of the week, Sunday, we are to give ourselves to the worship and service of God. To neglect public worship for the pursuit of worldly pleasure or gain is sin, and should be repented of by change in practice.
B. All true worship must be produced by the Holy Spirit and be according to revealed truth in Scripture. It is the obligation of believers to worship God based upon deep reflection of the Godhead in His essence, attributes, and works, and not upon the whims of their emotions.
Matt. 22:37-38; John 4:23; Acts 20:7; Deut. 6:4.
THE STATE
A. Civil government is ordained of God (Noahic Convenant) and it is the duty of Christians to obey those who have the rule over them in all matters consistent with the teaching of Scripture.
B. Christians are also to pray for their rulers.
Matt. 22:21; Mk. 12:17; Lk. 20:25; Gen 9:1-17; Rom. 13:1-7; 1 Pet. 2:13-17.
Complete Statement
The Bible
Doctrine of God
Angels
Mankind
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