The following is Daniel Comings doctrinal statement presented to his ordination council on July 30, 2009:
Bibliology
I. Revelation – I believe nothing more can be learned about God beyond that which He has chosen to reveal. Therefore it is necessary for God to reveal himself to us if we are to know anything about God.
A. General Revelation – General revelation is the knowledge of God’s existence, character, and moral law, which comes through creation to all humanity. General revelation reveals God to the extent that man will be held without excuse, but not enough to bring saving faith (Rom. 1:19-21).
1. Nature – God’s handiwork displayed throughout creation (Ps. 19:1-6).
2. Divine Providence – God’s direct influence of history (Dan 2:21-22; Matt. 5:45; Acts 14:15-17).
3. Human Conscience – The inner sense of God’s existence and His laws that He has placed inside each person (Rom. 1:32; 2:14-15).
B. Special Revelation – Special revelation is how God revealed Himself to mankind through inspired Scripture.
1. The Prophets – Received direct words from God in order to communicate them to the people in the Old Testament (2 Pet 1:20-21).
2. Jesus Christ – Is God and was sent to declare the Father (John 1:18; 5:36-37; 6:63; 14:10).
3. Scripture – I believe the Bible is the written Word of God which includes the inspired words of the prophets, Jesus Christ and the Apostles. Scripture is the only source of special revelation that God has given us for today. (2 Tim. 3:16-17)
II. Inspiration – I believe that the words of Scripture are inspired (theopneustos: God-breathed) by God (2 Tim 3:16). I believe that the human authors of the Bible were moved by the Holy Spirit to write the Word of God without error in their own language and literary style (2 Pet. 1:20-21; 3:16 cf. Acts 1:16; Ps 69; 109).
III. Authority – I believe that the Bible constitutes our only infallible rule of faith and practice (Matt. 5:18; 24:35; John 16:12-13; 2 Tim. 3:15-17; Heb. 4:12; 2 Pet 1:19-21 1 John 5:9). With the completion of (the book of) Revelation, “we have in written form the final [inerrant and infallible] record of everything that God wants us to know about the life, death and resurrection of Christ, and its meaning for the lives of believers for all time” (Grudem, p. 64).
A. Inerrancy – I believe that the original autographs of Scripture are without error (Ps. 12:6; 119:89, 96; John 17:17; 2 Peter 1:19-21).
B. Infallibility – I believe that everything found within Scripture is true. The Bible accurately records events as they happened (science and history) and future events as they will happen.
IV. Sufficiency - I believe that Scripture presents everything that God intended His people to know at each stage of redemptive history. I believe that the Bible is sufficient for us to know about God, salvation and to be “complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim 3:15-17).
V. Canonicity – Canonization is the process whereby the 66 books of the Bible (39 Old Testament and 27 New Testament) were recognized to be divinely inspired by early church leaders. I do not believe that the church has the power or authority to constitute a literary work (such as the Apocrypha) as Scripture. The early church fathers recognized divine inspiration using (at least) the following five tests:
A. Apostolic Authorship – For New Testament books, was the author an Apostle or directly influenced by an Apostle (Mark, Luke, Acts)?
B. Believers Acceptance / Testimony – Was the book universally recognized by the Jews and/or by the Christian church as being God’s Word?
C. Consistency / Agreement with Scripture – Does the book agree doctrinally with the teachings of previously revealed Scripture?
D. Divine Confirmation – Did God, through the work of Jesus, the Word, the Apostles, or signs and wonders, confirm the message of the book (Heb 2:3)?
E. Edification – Is the book useful for the building up of believers (Eph. 4:16)?
VI. Interpretation – “The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself…(LBCF: 1-9)” I believe in applying a literal, grammatical-historical interpretation (hermeneutic) of Scripture. I believe that whereas there may be many applications to a passage of Scripture, there is only one true interpretation. (1 Pet. 1:20)
VII. Illumination – I believe that the Holy Spirit supernaturally enables believers to understand the Scriptures. I believe that unbelievers can only possess a superficial knowledge of Scripture due to their dead spiritual condition (John 16:13,14; Rom.1:18-19, 21b-23; 1 Cor. 2:10-12; Eph. 2:1-3; 1 John 2:20;27). “…our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth, and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts.” (LBCF: 1-5)
Theology Proper
I. The Existence of God – I believe that God exists. Belief in the existence of God requires faith and that faith is supported by man’s inner sense of God (Romans 1:18) and the methods by which God has revealed Himself to us (general and special revelation). There are four traditional “proofs” for the existence of God which serve to help man think rationally about the evidence for God’s existence. However, due to man’s fallen condition, these “proofs” are not able to compel the sinner to acknowledge God. Only God, through the Holy Spirit, can overcome man’s sin and persuade him of God’s existence.
A. Cosmological Argument – This argument states that every known thing in the universe has a cause, therefore the universe must also have a cause, and the cause of such a great universe can only be God.
B. Teleological Argument – This argument looks at the harmony, order, and design in the universe and concludes that there must be an intelligent and purposeful God Who designed it to function this way.
C. Ontological Argument – This argument postulates that no being greater than God can be philosophically conceived, therefore, since God is the greatest being that can be conceived, He must exist; because man can conceive of this being is evidence of God’s existence.
D. Moral Argument – This argument begins from man’s sense of right and wrong, and his need of justice, and contends that there must be a God Who is the source of right and wrong.
II. The Knowability of God – “If we are to know God at all, it is necessary that He reveal Himself to us” (Grudem, p. 149). Because God is infinite and we are finite, I believe that we can never fully comprehend or know God (Ps 139:6; 145:3; 147:5). However, while we may not be able to know God completely, we can know God truly, for all that the Bible tells us about God is true (Jer. 9:23-24; John 17:3; Heb. 8:11).
III. The Nature of God – The Bible teaches that God is Spirit (John 4:24) and a Person (Gen. 3:8; 7:1; Ex 3:4). The Bible also teaches that God is three persons (Matt. 3:16-17; 28:19) but has a single divine nature (Deut. 6:4; Is. 1:6).
IV. The Attributes of God – I believe that God’s attributes are revealed in Scripture. I believe that any attribute of God is to be seen in connection with, and not apart from, all other attributes. For example, God’s love cannot be seen apart from God’s wrath, neither His mercy apart from His justice. God’s attributes are usually broken down into the communicable attributes, those which we can demonstrate, and the incommunicable, those which we cannot demonstrate. Below is a partial list of God’s attributes:
A. Independence – God does not need us or anything in creation (Job 41:11; Acts 17:24-25).
B. Immutability – God is unchanging in His being, attributes, purposes, and promises (Ps. 102:25-27; Is. 46:9-11; Mal. 3:6; James 1:17).
C. Eternality – God has no beginning or end (Deut. 33:27; Ps. 90:2; John 8:58).
D. Omnipresence – God supersedes spatial dimensions and is present everywhere in space with His whole being (1 Kings 8:27; Ps. 139:7-10; Acts 7:48).
E. Holiness – God is separated from sin (Ex. 26:33).
F. Truthfulness – All God’s knowledge and words are both true and the final standard of truth (John 17:3).
G. Omniscience – God fully knows all things actual and possible (Job 37:16; Matt 11:23).
H. Wrath – God intensely hates all sin (Ex 32:9-10; Rom. 1:18).
I. Omnipotence – God is all powerful, nothing can prevent Him from completing His holy will (Gen 18:14; Ps. 24:8; Eph. 3:20).
V. The Names of God – God’s name is hallowed (Matt. 6:9) and to be honored (Ex. 20:7). God’s character is revealed in the names by which He is called throughout Scripture. These names often highlight one aspect of God’s character such as Jehovah (Yahweh) Jirah (the LORD who provides) and El Shaddai (God Almighty).
A. El Olam – The everlasting God (Gen. 21:33)
B. El Elyon – The Most High God (Gen. 14:18-20)
C. El Qodash – God, the holy One (Josh. 24:19)
D. Elohim Sabaoth – The God of Hosts (Amos 3:13)
E. Jehovah Rapha – The LORD who heals (Ex. 15:26)
F. Jehovah Nissi – The LORD, my banner (Ex. 17:15)
G. Jehovah Tsidkenu – The LORD our righteousness (Jer. 23:6)
H. Jehovah Shalom – The LORD is peace (Judg. 6:24)
I. Jehova Shammah – The LORD is there (Ezek. 48:35)
VI. The Works of God
A. Creation – “In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth” (Gen. 1:1).
B. Providence – God controls all things and works them according to His sovereign will (Rom. 8:28).
C. Miracles – God’s direct intervention into the affairs of man, often if not always, superseding scientific laws.
D. Redemption – God is actively involved in saving sinners (John 3:16; 6:37).
E. Judgment – God will execute righteous justice and judgment on mankind (Jude 1:15).
VII. The Decree of God – I believe that God has sovereignly determined from all eternity whatsoever will come to pass, and “works all things after the counsel of His will” in His entire creation, both natural and spiritual according to His predetermined plan (Eph. 1:11; 3:11; Heb. 6:17).
VIII. The Trinity – I believe that there is one co-eternal, co-existent, co-equal, indivisible Divine Being, who is God (Deut. 6:4; Jas. 2:19). God is made up of three individual Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matt. 3:16; 4:1; John 1:18; 3:16). Each Person of the Trinity is wholly God, yet has certain personal attributes that distinguishes Him from the others.
Paterology
I. God the Father’s Deity – I believe that the Father is God possessing the divine nature in common with the other Persons of the Trinity. The Father manifests all divine attributes.
II. God the Father’s Personhood – I believe that God the Father is not an impersonal force but rather a personal God. The Father’s personhood is indicated by His self-awareness (John 4:23), self-determination (John 6:38-39), moral awareness (Matt 7:11), personal distinctiveness (John 14:16), intelligence (Matt. 6:8), emotion (1 John 4:9-10), and communication (Heb. 1:1-2).
III. God the Father’s Works – God the Father is the author of the Eternal Decree (Eph. 1:11), the Creator of the Universe (Gen. 1:1), the designer of the redemptive plan (Eph 1:3-12), and the spiritual Father of all who believe (Heb. 12:9).
Christology
I. The Deity of Christ – I believe that Jesus Christ is God (John 1:1). Being God, Christ possesses all the divine attributes of God and is worthy of worship as God. This fact is foundational to salvation, for only One who is God can be the Savior (Isa. 43:11). Christ’s deity is seen throughout Scripture in divine names and attributes ascribed to Christ as well as by the worship that He accepted.
A. Divine Names of Christ
1. God – He is called “God” (John 1:1, 18; 20:28; Rom. 9:5). Christ exists in “the form of God” (Phil 2:6). Christ is “the image of the invisible God” (Col 1:15).
2. Lord – New Testament passages site Old Testament verses which refer to Christ. Yahweh is referred to in passages such as Luke 1:68 (Psalm 106:48) and 1 Cor. 1:30 (Jer. 23:5-6). Adonai is referred to in Matt. 22:41-46 (Psalm 110:1) and John 12:37-42 (Isa. 6:1).
3. The Word – Jesus is God’s expression of Himself to mankind. Only One who is God can fully reveal God (John 1:1; Rev. 19:13).
4. The Son of God – This name expresses Christ’s eternal divine relationship and equality with God the Father (Psalm 2:7; John 5:18-26; Gal 4:4).
5. Messiah – The official title Messiah, or Christ (Matt. 1:1; Luke 2:11) means “Anointed One.” This name points to God’s consecration of Christ to the specific work of the cross (Isa. 42:1-7; 61:1-2; Matt. 3:13-17; Acts 4:27; 1 Pet. 2:4).
B. Divine Attributes of Christ – Christ is shown throughout Scripture to possess attributes that belong to God alone.
1. Eternality – Mic. 5:2; John 1:1; Rev. 1:11
2. Omnipresence – Matt. 28:20; John 3:13; Col. 1:27
3. Omnipotence – John 1:1-3; 1 Cor. 1:24; Heb. 1:3
4. Omniscience – John 2:24-25; 6:64; Col. 2:3
5. Sinlessness – 1 John 3:3,5; Heb. 2:17; Rev. 19:11
6. Sovereignty – Mark 4:37-41
7. Immutability – Heb 1:10-12; 13:8
8. Self-existence – John 5:26; Col. 1:16-17
C. Worship Accepted by Christ – Scripture states plainly that God alone is to be worshiped (Ex. 20:2-6). Several times during His earthly ministry Christ accepted the worship of man, making Him either God or a liar (Matt. 14:33; 28:9, 17; John 9:38).
II. The Person of Christ – I believe that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man in one Person.
A. Preincarnate Christ – I believe that prior to His incarnation, Christ exercised a periodic ministry on the earth, appearing in bodily form at different times to express His will to His servants (Josh. 5:13-15). Many times the Preincarnate Christ is referred to as “the Angel of the Lord.” The divine position of the Angel of the Lord is verified by the divine actions for which He takes credit (Judges 2:1-3) and by the worship that He accepts (Josh. 5:14; Judges 6:12-24).
B. Incarnate Christ – I believe that part of God’s redemptive plan required that Jesus become a man. This was necessary for representative obedience (Luke 4:1-13), to be a substitute sacrifice, to be the one mediator between God and man, to fulfill God’s original purpose for man to rule over creation and to be our example and pattern in life.
1. Virgin Birth – Christ was conceived in the virgin Mary by a work of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 1:20; Luke 1:35). There was absolutely no presence or intervention of a man (Matt. 1:18). The virgin birth made possible the uniting of full Deity and full humanity (hypostatic-union) in one Person, without the presence of inherited sin.
2. Human Weaknesses and Limitations – Jesus had a human mind and body which required Him to grow, learn to walk, be obedient to His earthly parents, develop skills, learn, gain wisdom, etc. (Luke 2:40, 52). His human body also affected people around Him as they saw Him as only a man (Matt 13:53-58).
3. Sinlessness – The Bible affirms that Christ was fully man and was tempted in every way that we are and yet was without sin! (Heb 4:15).
4. Kenosis – I believe that when Christ came to earth He came in the form of a bondservant, giving up the voluntary, or independent exercise of His divine attributes (Phil 2:7) always acting in accordance with His Father’s will.
III. The Works of Christ
A. Divine Works – I believe that Christ displays His divine nature through works that only God can do and that are by nature above science. These divine works include His preincarnate activities (i.e. Creation) and the miracles He performed on earth.
1. Creation – “All things were made through Him [Christ], and without Him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3).
2. Sustaining All Things – He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of His power (Heb 1:3a).
3. Forgiving of Sins – “And when He saw their faith, He said, ‘Man, your sins are forgiven you’” (Luke 5:20-25).
4. Giving Life – “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4).
B. Atoning Works – I believe the atonement is the work that Christ did in His life and death to earn our salvation.
1. Christ’s Obedience for Us – I believe that Christ had to live a righteous, obedient life for us so that His righteousness might be imputed to us (Matt 3:15; Rom. 5:19; 1 Cor. 1:30; Phil. 3:9).
2. Christ’s Suffering and Death for Us – I believe that in Christ’s suffering and death He took on Himself all that was necessary to bear the wrath of God in order to pay the complete penalty for our sins (Isa. 53:6, 12; John 1:29; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13; 1 Peter 2:25).
3. Christ’s Exaltation
a. Resurrection – I believe that Christ rose from the dead on the third day after His crucifixion (Luke 24:5-6; Acts 2:32; 26:23; Rev. 1:8). Christ’s resurrection was a validation by the Father of Christ’s earthly ministry (Acts 2:22-24), and of His claims to be the Messiah (Acts 2:36; Rom. 2:4). Furthermore, the resurrection provides a guarantee of future resurrection for the believer (Rom. 8:11; 1 Cor. 15:20-23), and is the basis for Christ’s return (1 Pet. 1:3; Titus 2:13).
b. Ascension – I believe that forty days after Christ’s resurrection He ascended bodily into Heaven (Mark 16:19-20; Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:6-12).
c. Seated at the Right Hand of God – I believe that Christ is presently seated at the right hand of the Father and is acting as High Priest and Sovereign over all of creation (Matt 26:64; Acts 2:33-36; 5:31; 7:56; Col. 3:1).
d. The Second Coming – I believe that Christ will physically return to earth in power and glory (Matt. 24:30; 2 Thess. 1:7-10) to destroy His enemies and to rule over His people (Rom. 11:26-27; Rev. 19:11-15).
IV. The Offices of Christ – I believe Christ fulfills three major offices for the people of God.
A. Prophet – In a broad sense, Christ fulfilled the role of a prophet because He reveals God to us and speaks the words of God to us. While Christ is truly and fully a prophet, the Bible is clear that Jesus is also much more than a prophet (Heb 1:1-2).
B. Priest – Christ both offers a sacrifice to God on our behalf and is Himself the sacrifice that is offered (Heb. 9:26)! As a priest brings men closer to God, so Christ is continually bringing us near to God (Heb 6:19-20; 10:19-22) and continually praying for us (1 Tim 2:5; Heb 7:25).
C. King – Christ is the true King of the people of God, the Head of the Church and King over the entire universe (Matt 4:17, 23; 12:28; Eph. 1:20-22; 1 Cor. 15:25; Rev. 19:11-16).
Pneumatology
I. The Deity of the Holy Spirit – I believe that the Holy Spirit is God as is revealed to us in Scripture (Acts 5:1-4). The Holy Spirit is equal to the other Persons of the Trinity, therefore, the Spirit possesses a single, divine nature. The Scriptures ascribe both divine names and divine attributes to the Holy Spirit.
A. Divine Names of the Holy Spirit - The Old and New Testaments identify the Holy Spirit as God. These names include “Spirit of God” (Gen. 1:2; 1 Cor. 3:16) and “The Lord” (1 Cor. 3:17-18). Other names show the Spirit’s relationship to the Father (Spirit of God – Matt. 3:16), and to the Son (Spirit of Jesus Christ – Phil. 1:19).
B. Divine Attributes of the Holy Spirit – Scriptures reveal the divine attributes that the Holy Spirit possesses.
1. Omniscience – 1 Cor. 2:10
2. Omnipresence – Psalm 139:7
3. Eternality – Heb. 9:14
4. Holiness – Luke 11:13
5. Truth – John 14:17
II. The Personhood of the Holy Spirit – I believe that the Holy Spirit is not simply an “energy” or “force” which people can partake of at will, but instead He has a distinct personality displaying attributes that belong to a person.
A. Attributes of Personhood
1. Self Awareness – The Holy Spirit uses personal pronouns such as “me” and “I” (Acts 13:2)
2. Self Determination – 1 Cor. 12:11
3. Intelligence – 1 Cor. 2:10-12
4. Emotion – Rom. 15:30; Eph. 4:30
5. Can be lied to – Acts 5:3
6. Can be blasphemed – Matt 12:31
7. Can be insulted – Heb. 10:29
B. Works of Personhood
1. Teaching – John 14:26
2. Reproving – John 16:8
3. Interceding – Rom. 8:26
4. Calling – Rev. 22:17
III. The Works of the Holy Spirit – I believe that the primary “work of the Holy Spirit is to manifest the active presence of God in the world, and especially in the church.” (Grudem, p. 634). The Holy Spirit was active in the formulating of the divine decree in eternity past (Gen. 1:26; Acts 2:23; Eph 1:11) and can be seen working throughout the Old and New Testaments.
A. The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament
1. Creation – Scripture shows that the Holy Spirit was actively involved in the creation of the universe (Gen. 1:1-2; Job 26:13; Ps. 33:6).
2. Divine Revelation – Scripture reveals that “holy men of God (the prophets) spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Pet. 1:21, also 2 Sam. 23:1-2; Micah 3:8).
3. Relationship to Mankind – During Old Testament times the Holy Spirit anointed people for the purpose of enabling them for specific ministry (Judg. 13:25; 15:14; 1 Sam. 16:13). This was not the type of permanent indwelling that takes place in New Testament believers (Ps. 51:11).
B. The Holy Spirit in the New Testament
1. Divine Revelation – As to the Old Testament prophets, the Holy Spirit also gave revelation to the Apostles(1Cor. 2:13;Eph. 3:2-5;Heb. 10:15-17).
2. Christ’s Earthly Ministry – The Holy Spirit played a prominent role in Christ’s earthly ministry. He was active in Christ’s conception (Matt. 1:20; Luke 1:35), anointed Christ at His baptism (Luke 3:21-22), filled and led Christ during His earthly ministry (Luke 4:16-21), empowered Christ to perform miracles (Matt. 12:28; Acts 10:38), enabled Christ to offer Himself as a sacrifice for sin (Heb 9:14) and participated in Christ’s resurrection from the dead (Rom 8:11; Eph. 1:17-21).
3. The Early Church – The Holy Spirit validated, through the apostles and supernatural signs, the beginning of the early church at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4; Heb. 2:3-4).
4. The Church age
a. Restrains Lawlessness – 2 Thess. 2:7
b. Convicts of Sin – John 16:7-11
c. Regenerates – John 3:3-8; Titus 3:5
d. Sanctifies the Believer – 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Thess. 2:13
e. Indwells – 1 Cor. 6:19-20
f. Seals the Believer – Eph. 1:13; 4:30
g. Prays for the Believer – Rom. 8:26-27
h. Bears Fruit in the Believer – Gal. 5:22-23
i. Fills the Believer – Eph. 5:18; Rom. 8:1, 4
j. Gives Gifts to the Believer
(1) Office Gifts (Evangelist and Pastor/Teacher): These gifts denote a certain aspect of ministry within the local church (Eph. 4:11).
(2) Service Gifts (Giving, Servant Leadership, Mercy, and Exhortation): Such gifts are given to all believers and can (should) be developed regardless of any natural abilities (Rom. 12:7-8).
(3) Confirming Gifts (Apostleship, Prophecy, Discerning Spirits, Healing, Miracles, Tongues, and Knowledge): I believe that these gifts were used by the Holy Spirit to confirm the message of the Apostles and to validate the infant church while the Canon of Scripture was not yet complete (1 Cor. 13:8-10).
Angelology
I. The Nature of Angels
A. Created Beings – I believe that angels are not eternal beings (like God) but were created by God (Neh. 9:6; Ps. 148:2-5; Col 1:16).
B. Spiritual Beings – I believe that angels are spirits (Heb. 1:14) and cannot be seen by man unless God gives him a special ability to see them (Luke 24:39).
C. Personal Beings (Personhood) – The personality of angels is seen by their self-awareness (Luke 1:18), their emotions (Luke 5:10; Rev. 12:12), their intelligence (Ezra 28:12), and they are referred to with masculine personal pronouns (Dan. 9:21).
D. Names – Scripture refers to angels with the following names:
1. Sons of God – Job 1:6; 2:1
2. Holy ones – Ps. 89:5, 7
3. Spirits – Heb. 1:14
4. Authorities – Col 1:16
5. Powers – Eph. 1:21
E. Relationship to Humans – Angels and the human race are separate creations. Unlike man, angels are not created in the image of God and have the following important distinctions:
1. Angels possess special abilities and intelligence (Gen 19:1; 2 Pet. 2:11).
2. Angels are in some ways superior to the human race (Ps. 8:4-5).
3. Angels cannot be redeemed (Matt 25:41).
4. Angels do not marry (Matt 22:30).
II. Types of Angels
A. Holy (Elect) Angels
1. Cherubim – These beings are found guarding the entrance to the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:24), represented on the Ark of the Covenant (Ex. 25:22), and in the presence of God (Ps 18:10; Ezek. 10:1ff).
2. Seraphim – They are mentioned only in Isa. 6:2-7 where they worship the Lord continually, calling to one another “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts…”
3. Living Creatures – These beings are found around God’s throne having the appearance of a lion, an ox, a man and an eagle (Ezek. 1:5-14; Rev. 4:6-8).
B. Evil (Non-Elect) Angels
1. Their Fall – Evil angels are those who rebelled against God apparently shortly after the creation week (Gen. 1:31). Satan is the leader of these angels (Matt. 25:41).
2. Their Present State – Satan and his demonic host are actively opposing God though they are still under His sovereign control (Job 1:7-12).
3. Their Future – Satan has been judged (Genesis 3) and will be sentenced, along with the rest of the non-elect angels, to the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:10). It appears that there are already some angels in the Lake of Fire (1 Pet. 2:4).
III. The Function of Angels
A. To Glorify God – Angels are seen throughout Scripture bringing praise and worship to God (Ps. 103:20; Isa. 6:2-3; Rev. 4:8).
B. To be Examples to Us – I believe that angels serve as examples to us in matters of obedience (Matt. 6:10) and worship (Rev. 5:11-12).
C. To Carry out Various Aspects of God’s Plans
1. As messengers – Luke 1:11-19; Acts 8:26; 10:3-8
2. To mete out judgment – 2 Sam. 24:16-17; 2 Chron. 32:21; Acts 12:23
3. To wage war against Satan and his host – Dan 10:13; Rev. 12:7-8
Anthropology
I. The Origin of Mankind – I believe that God created man (the human race), both male and female, on the sixth day of creation (Gen. 1:26, 27) with the creation of the first man Adam from the dust of the earth (2:7) and the first woman Eve from Adam’s rib (2:21-23). I believe that this creation was the immediate result of a command from God and not part of a long process. Man was not created out of necessity, but like all of creation, was created for God’s glory (Isa. 43:7).
II. The Nature of Mankind – I believe that God created man to be distinctly different from the rest of creation. Man was created having a position lower than angelic beings (Ps 8:5) but higher than animals (Gen. 1:26).
A. Image of God – The image of God is wrapped up in the essence of man (Gen 1:26). Mankind is the only part of God’s creation to bear the image of God, which, I believe, is given to man at conception. The image of God means that man is like God and represents God in a similar way that a son is like and represents his father (Gen. 5:3); we are not like God in every way, but bear His likeness. Adam and Eve were created with moral purity and the capability to choose right from wrong. When Adam and Eve sinned they lost their moral purity. Sinful man still retains the image of God (Gen 9:6; James 3:9), though it is distorted by sin.
B. Material Body – God created man out of the dust of the ground and breathed life into him. Man’s body was created perfect and free from corruption (Gen. 1:31). Because of the Fall, man’s body is now destined to suffer all sorts of physical corruptions and eventually death (Gen. 3:19; Rom. 6:23). The believer looks forward to a new body free from corruption (Phil. 3:20-21).
C. Immaterial Soul/Spirit – The Bible uses two words for the immaterial and eternal part of man: soul and spirit. These words are often used interchangeably in Scripture (John 12:27; 13:21; Luke 1:46-47), and any difference between them in Scripture is small. I believe that man’s immaterial being is eternal because of his God-image, while any immaterial aspect of an animal is temporal.
III. God’s Purpose for Mankind – I believe that the chief purpose of man is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever. There are different ways that this is accomplished.
A. Man and Woman – God created men and women to be different. Obvious physical differences are coupled with emotional and relational differences. God designed these differences to be brought together through marriage in an amazing unity among man, woman and God that is used as a picture to illustrate the mystery between Christ and the Church (Eph 5:31-32). Being created in God’s image means that both man and woman are equal, while their differences are designed to help them accomplish different God-given roles (Gen. 2:18; 3:16-20).
B. Dominion – God gave Adam the mandate to have dominion over creation (Gen 1:28-30). God’s glory can be seen in creation, and the dominion mandate gave man responsibility to find and display this glory in all of creation (science). After the Fall, this mandate would include subduing a cursed earth to make it habitable for man and beast and to maximize the potential of an ultimately cursed (and doomed) earth.
Hamartiology
I. Sin’s Definition – In Romans 3:23, Paul defines sin as missing the mark. In a broader sense, I believe sin may be defined as any “failure to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude, or nature.” (Grudem, p. 490).
II. Sin’s Origin – Since God cannot sin and is incapable of evil (Gen. 18:25; Deut. 32:4; Job 34:10; James 1:13), I believe that man (Gen 3) and non-elect angels are the willful and voluntary originators of sin. I also believe that while God cannot be held culpable for sin, sin is not outside of the boundaries of His sovereign will, and therefore not only submits to His authority, but is also used to accomplish His will (Eph. 1:11). Sin is ultimately irrational. It was foolish for Satan to seek to exalt himself above God. It made no sense for Adam and Eve to think that there could be anything to gain by rebelling against their Creator. And the Bible counts it as foolishness to deny God (Ps. 14:1).
III. Sin’s Effects
A. Spiritual – Prior to the Fall, Adam and Eve had a spiritual life and relationship with God but that died when they sinned (Gen. 2:17). Their personal relationship with God ended as their sin separated them from Him (Gen. 3:8). Without intervention from God this separation would be eternal (Rev. 21:8).
B. Physical – Sin brought both spiritual and physical death to Adam, Eve, and the whole human race (Gen. 3:19; Rom. 6:23).
C. Moral – “The immediate concomitant of the first sin, and therefore hardly a result of it in the strict sense of the word, was the total depravity of human nature” (Berkhof, p. 225). Adam, upon sinning, plunged the entire human race into a state of moral pollution and guilt illustrated by Adam and Eve’s sense of nakedness and attempt to hide from a holy God (Gen 3:7-8).
D. Creation – Due to Adam’s sin, God placed a curse on the earth (Gen. 3:17-19) and the animal kingdom, including a specific curse on the snake (Gen. 3:14).
E. Satan – God placed a curse on Satan that set enmity between “thy seed and her seed (Christ)” (Gen 3:15). This curse was ultimately God’s judgment on the Devil carried out by the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross and in the future when He returns to establish his kingdom (Heb 2:14; Rev. 19:11-20:3).
IV. Inherited Sin – I believe that Adam’s sin (Original Sin) is inherited by the human race rendering all mankind guilty before God (Rom. 3:18; 5:12). Inherited sin illustrates both our lack of spiritual good before God (Jer. 17:9; Rom. 7:18; Eph. 4:18; Titus 1:15) and our inability to do spiritual good before God (John 15:5; Rom. 8:8; Eph. 2:1-2; Heb. 11:6). The human race inherits sin from Adam in two ways (next page):
A. Inherited Guilt (Federal Headship) – In Romans 5 Paul lays out the case that because of one man’s sin (Adam), all men are condemned. Paul is not referring to actual sins that are committed by people every day but to the specific sin of Adam rebelling against God. Therefore, by Adam’s rebellion, we all bear the guilt of being rebels against a holy God.
B. Inherited Corruption (Natural Headship) – The sin nature that began at the Fall is passed down from generation to generation so that every member of the human race (who isn’t also God) possesses this sinful corruption (Ps. 51:5; 58:3; Rom 7:5).
V. Sin Nature – I believe that, as stated above, man possesses a sin nature from conception rendering each individual totally depraved (Is. 53:6; Rom 1:20-21) and totally unable to do God’s will in and of himself (John 6:44). This sin nature continues to attempt to influence an individual after salvation (Rom. 7:24-25).
VI. Christians and Personal Sin – Due to the sin nature bound in our corrupted earthly bodies, a believer will inevitably sin against God. I believe that when a person is born again he receives divine judicial forgiveness of his sin (is declared righteous)(Acts 10:43). As a result, the Christian’s legal standing before God is unchanged by his sin (Rom. 6:23; 8:1; 1 Cor. 15:3). The imputed sin of Adam has been covered by the imputed righteousness of Christ. However, when a Christian sins, he needs to seek “parental” forgiveness, because sin will disrupt his fellowship (relationship) with the Heavenly Father and damage his Christian life (1 John 1:9). I believe that God is a loving God who disciplines those He loves, in order to conform them to the image of His Son (Heb. 12:6).
Soteriology
I. Man’s Need for Salvation
A. Man has offended a holy and righteous God – Because of inherited guilt and corruption, unholy and unrighteous man (Ps. 14:1-3; Rom. 3:10,12) in his natural state is from conception underneath the wrath of a holy and righteous God (Rom. 1:18).
B. As an enemy of God, man will not seek God – Scripture is clear that because of man’s sin nature, man will not seek after God (Rom 3:11).
C. Man could not attain salvation even if he could seek after it – Man’s sin is against an infinitely holy God. There is therefore nothing that a finite and unholy creature could do to earn salvation or to make restitution for his sin (Eph. 2:8-9).
D. Man is therefore at the mercy of the One whom he has offended.
II. God’s Role in Salvation – I believe that God decreed salvation from eternity past according to His divine sovereign purpose and will (Acts 2:22-23; Rev. 17:8).
A. Election –Election is the process whereby God, before creation, called out some to be saved not based on any foreseen merit in them, but based solely on God’s sovereign good pleasure. God’s election of sinners for salvation is clearly revealed in Scripture:
1. Acts 13:48 “…as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.”
2. Rom. 8:28-30 “…For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son…And those whom He predestined He also called; and those whom He called he also justified; and those whom He justified He also glorified.”
3. Eph. 1:4-6 “…He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world…He destined us in love to be His sons through Jesus Christ…”
4. See also Rom 9:11-13; 11:7; 1 Thess. 1:4-5; 2 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 1:9; 1 Pet. 1:1; 2:9; Rev. 13:7-8
B. The Gospel (Effective) Call – I believe that the effective calling is an act of God the Father whereby He speaks through human proclamation of the gospel, bringing people to Himself in such a way that they respond in saving faith (Rom. 8:30; 10:14; John 6:44; Acts 16:14). The gospel call must show man’s need for salvation (Rom. 3:23; 6:23; 5:8), the invitation to respond (Matt. 11:28-30) and the promise of forgiveness and eternal life (John 3:16; Acts 3:19).
C. Regeneration –Regeneration is an act of God, sometimes referred to as being “born again,” in which He gives life to a spiritually dead sinner (John 3). Scripture indicates that God regenerates us at the same time that He calls us (1 Pet. 1:23, 25; James 1:18), and that both God the Father and the Holy Spirit are involved in regeneration (Ezek. 36:26-27; John 3:8; Eph 2:5). I believe that the effective call and regeneration happen simultaneously, although regeneration is the result of the effective call.
D. Conversion/Faith – I believe that regeneration will always lead to the conversion of the sinner. Conversion is defined by Grudem as “our willing response to the gospel call, in which we sincerely repent of sins and place our trust in Christ for salvation.” I believe that conversion is not just knowing the facts about salvation or agreeing with those facts. Genuine conversion must include knowing and agreeing with the facts of salvation and submitting oneself to those facts by placing complete trust in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and new life in Christ. (John 3:16; Acts 16:31; Eph. 2:8-9)
E. Justification – I believe that when a sinner is converted, God declares him righteous based upon the righteousness of Christ (Rom. 3:26, 28; 5:1; 8:30; Gal 2:16). Justification is “a judicial act of God, in which He declares, on the basis of the righteousness of Jesus Christ, that all the claims of the law are satisfied with respect to the sinner” (Berkhof, p. 513). I believe that justification removes the guilt of sin and qualifies the sinner to all the rights belonging to a child of God. I believe that justification is a judicial act of God that takes place outside of man and is not to be confused with sanctification’s role in the inner life of man. Justification is a one-time transaction however “they are not justified personally until the Holy Spirit doth in time due actually apply Christ unto them” (LBCF: 11-4). (Titus 3:4-7)
F. Adoption – “But to all who received Him, who believed in His name, He gave power to become children of God” (John 1:12). I believe that when God regenerates and justifies the converted sinner, that sinner becomes a child of God. I believe that this status as God’s children was not fully realized until Christ came (Gal 3:23-26).
G. Sanctification – I believe that sanctification is man’s cooperation with the progressive work of God whereby He sets His children apart from sin (holiness) by conforming them to the image of His Son (Titus 3:5; 1 Cor. 6:11; Rom 6:11, 14). I believe that sanctification begins at regeneration and will only be complete when we stand before Christ either by death or the Rapture. I believe that sanctification is primarily the work of God (1 Thess. 5:23), with Christ as our example (Heb 12:2), and the Holy Spirit working within us to change us and give us greater holiness of life (2 Thess. 2:13; Gal. 5:16-18).
H. Perseverance – I believe that God will keep all who are truly born again. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand” (John 10:27-29 ESV). Those who “fall away” (Luke 8:13; Heb. 3:12; 6:6) are therefore not true believers. As such, I believe that perseverance will usually, if not always, be evident through outward manifestations (see sanctification and the book of James).
I. Glorification – I believe that when Christ returns He will give all believers perfect glorified bodies, “the dead shall be raised imperishable” and the bodies of living believers “shall be changed” (1 Cor. 15:51-52).
III. The Purpose and Extent of the Atonement
A. Purpose - I believe that before creation, God purposed that the atonement would affect His relationship to the sinner in a way that would bring Him the most glory. As such I believe that God also decreed Christ’s state and condition as the mediatory author of salvation, as well as the state and condition of the sinner.
B. Extent – I believe that the atonement not only made salvation possible for the sinner but actually secured it. Therefore, issues of sufficiency, application, the offer of salvation being genuine (God says it is), and benefits to the non-elect (there are) are not issues for me. I believe the only question to be answered is: “Did the Father in sending Christ, and did Christ in coming into the world to make atonement for sin, do this with the design or for the purpose of saving the elect only or all men?” (Berkhof, p. 394) I believe that God’s salvific design for the atonement was for the actual salvation of the elect. (John 10:26-27)
Ecclesiology
I. The Nature of the Church
A. Called out in Christ – I believe that the Church is made up of those whom God has “called out” (ekklesia) to Himself through the work of Jesus Christ. Christ is therefore the head and foundation of the Church (Matt. 16:18; Eph. 2:19-21).
B. Visible and Invisible – In the spiritual sense, the Church is invisible, for only God truly knows the heart of man (2 Tim. 2:19). The visible results of faith in Christ allow for believers to fellowship together as a visible organism in the world. However, we are warned in Scripture that false teachers and imposters often infiltrate the Church (Acts 20:29-30; Matt 7:15-16). The invisible and visible Church can be summarized this way: The invisible church is the church as God sees it. The visible church is the church as Christians on earth see it.
C. Local and Universal – I believe that the true Church consists of all those who are saved in Christ. In an ultimate sense “There is one body and one Spirit–just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call– one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, Who is over all and through all and in all.” (Eph 4:4-6 ESV). The Church is also referred to as an assembly of believers that regularly meets together. The New Testament points to the fact that these bodies of believers were organized and autonomous in their administration and decision making.
II. The Purpose of the Church – I believe that the Church exists to bring honor and glory to God. This is done through:
A. Worshiping God – I believe first and foremost that the Church is to worship God by singing praises, giving thanksgiving (Col. 3:16) and living lives for “the praise of His glory.” (Eph 1:12). We see this in Paul’s instruction to the Church at Ephesus to sing and make “melody to the Lord with all your heart” (Eph.5:16-19).
B. Nurturing Believers – I believe that in order to worship God, a believer must be continually growing in Christ. Therefore Scripture teaches us that the Church is obligated to nurture believers in order to “present every man mature in Christ…” (Col 1:28). In order to accomplish this, God has provided the Church with leaders to “equip the saints…for the building up of the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:12-13).
C. Presenting Christ to the World – I believe that the Church is to fulfill the command of Christ to “make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19). This is done through the preaching of the gospel to the lost, through living lives that reflect Christ and by showing compassion to the poor and needy within the Church (Acts 11:29; 2 Cor. 8:4; 1 John 3:17) and in the world (Luke 6:35-36).
III. Leadership of the Church – I believe that there are only two offices of the Church seen in the New Testament: pastor and deacon. As such I believe that each local Church is autonomous (1 Tim. 3:15), making each Church responsible for governing itself by choosing its own leadership, making its own decisions (Acts 6:3-5) and disciplining its own members (2 Thess. 3:14).
A. Office of Pastor – I believe that the function of the office of pastor (elder, bishop) is to shepherd the Church. Scripture shows that this is to be done in love and not with a domineering attitude (1 Pet. 5:2-5) and the church is to submit to their leadership (Heb. 13:7, 17). I believe that Scripture allows for multiple elders, (i.e. youth pastors, associate pastors, executive pastors, etc.) in order to meet the needs of the Church (Acts 4:23; 20:17; I Tim. 4:14; Titus 1:5; James 5:14). Because of the great responsibility of this position, certain qualifications are to be met (1 Tim 3:2-7; Titus 1:6-9).
B. Deacon – The office of deacon (servant), instituted in Acts 6, provided administrative assistance so that the Apostles could devote their time to preaching the Word of God and to prayer. This passage along with the qualifications given for a deacon in 1 Timothy 3:8-13 indicate that the role of deacon should be to “exercise oversight in the practical matters of church life” (MacArthur) so that the pastor may best care for the spiritual needs of the Church.
IV. Church Ordinances – I believe that the Church has only two ordinances.
A. Believer’s Baptism – As part of Christ’s “Great Commission,” I believe that baptism was given to the Church for believers to identify themselves with the death, burial and resurrection of Christ (Matt. 28:19; Acts 2:38-41; Rom. 6:3-4).
B. The Lord’s Supper – I believe that the Lord’s Supper was instituted by Christ and given to the Church to be practiced in remembrance of Christ’s death (Luke 22:19-21; 1 Cor. 11:23-24).
V. Baptist Distinctives – I affirm the Baptist distinctives of: Biblical authority, Autonomy of the local Church, Priesthood of all believers, Two ordinances, Individual soul liberty, Saved (baptized) Church membership, Two offices and Separation of Church and state.
Eschatology
I believe that it is impossible for any human to know the future with certainty. I also believe that God not only knows the future, but has planned it to the minutest detail, and has given us a glimpse of the future in His revealed Word. I believe that God’s purpose for revealing some of His future plans to us is first and foremost to direct our attention to Christ (Rev. 1:1) while also providing encouragement and a sense of urgency to the Church (1 Thess. 4:17; 2 Pet. 2:10).
I. The Second Coming of Christ – I believe that there will be a sudden, personal, visible, bodily return of Christ (Matt 24:44; John 14:3; Acts 1:11; Heb. 9:28; James 5:8; 1 John 3:2). The return of Christ will include the Rapture of the church and a time known as the Great Tribulation at the end of which Christ returns suddenly to usher in the Millennial Kingdom.
A. Rapture – I believe that Christ will take believers away to be with Him in what is known as the Rapture (1 Thess. 4:13-18). I believe that this will happen prior to the events known as the Great Tribulation.
B. The Great Tribulation – I believe that the Great Tribulation is a seven-year period of time corresponding to the seventieth week prophesied by Daniel (Dan. 9:24-27). During this period, God will pour out His judgments on the world. Those who believe in Christ during this time will also experience great persecution (Rev. 6:10).
C. The Marriage Supper of the Lamb – I believe that the marriage supper celebration begins with the establishment of the millennial kingdom. This supper celebrates the marriage of Christ to his bride, the church. (Rev. 19:7-9)
II. The Millennial Kingdom – I believe that the Millennium is the one thousand year reign of Christ on earth following the Great Tribulation. During this time Satan is bound and humanity enjoys the tremendous blessings that come from living under the perfect reign of Christ. I believe that during the Millennium God will fulfill specific covenants made to ethnic Israel (Gen. 12:1-3, 6-7; Deut. 30:1-10; 2 Sam. 7:12-17; Jer. 31:31-33; Luke 1:31-33).
III. The Final Judgments – I believe that there will be a time of judgment for both believers and unbelievers, as well as for Satan and his angels.
A. The Bema Seat – I believe that the Bema Seat is a judgment of the works of believers and in no way affects their salvation (Rom. 8:1). This will take place after the Rapture as all the dead in Christ are raised first along with those who are “alive and remain” and are judged with a judgment that is not condemnatory, but gives rewards based on the works of the believer (Rom. 14:10-12; 1 Cor. 3:10-15).
B. The Great White Throne – I believe that the Great White Throne Judgment occurs after the Millennium and is a judgment of all who have rejected Christ. According to Revelation 20, the Book of Life will be opened and those whose names are not written therein will be cast into the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:11-15).
IV. The New Heavens and New Earth – I believe that following the final judgment, Christ will purge creation by fire and create “a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more” (Rev 21:1).
Works Cited
Barackman, Floyd H. Practical Christian Theology: Examining the Great Doctrines of the Faith. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 1998
Berkhof, L. Systematic Theology. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1941
Grudem, Wayne. Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1994
“The London Baptist Confession of Faith”. 1689
MacArthur, John. “MacArthur Study Bible Notes”. Nashville, TN: Nelson, 1997.
