As part of the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches, in harmony with our historic position, believing the Bible, the whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible to be our infallible rule of faith and of practice, and feeling our responsibility to make known the divine message of the Bible, present the following articles as a statement of those basic truths taught in the Bible which are common to our Christian faith and practice.
1. THE BIBLE – the Word of God, the sixty-six Books of the Old and New Testaments, verbally inspired in all parts, and therefore wholly without error as originally given of God.
(2 Tim 3:16)All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking,correcting and training in righteousness,
(2 Pet 1:21) For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
2. THE ONE TRUE GOD: existing eternally as three persons the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. THE TRINITY
(Luke 3:22)and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
(Matt 28:19) Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
(2 Cor 13:14) May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
3. THE LORD JESUS CHRIST: His preexistence and deity ; (John 1:1-3) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
Incarnation by virgin birth;(John 1:14) The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (Matt. 1:18-23)
Sinless life;(Heb 4:15) For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet was without sin.
Substitutionary ; (II Cor 5:21) God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Bodily resurrection;(Luke 24:36-43)
Ascension into heaven and present ministry; (Heb 4:14-16) Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Coming again; (Acts 1:11 ) “Men of Galilee ,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
4. THE HOLY SPIRIT: His personality (John 16:7-15); His deity; (Acts 5:3-4) Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God.” And His work in each believer; baptism and indwellling at the moment of regeneration; (I Cor 12:13) For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body–whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free–and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. (Rom 8:9) You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. And filling; (Eph 5:18) Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. To empower for Christian life and service; (Eph 3:16) I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, (Acts 1:8) “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Gal 5:22-23) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
5. MAN: His direct creation in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-28) Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” His subsequent fall into sin resulting in spiritual death; (Gen. 3:1-24) (Rom 5:12) Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and through sin, and in this way came to all men, because all sinned– And the necessity of the new birth for his salvation; (John 3:3-5) In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
6. SALVATION: A complete and eternal salvation by God’s grace alone, received as the gift of God through personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work. (Eph 2:8-9) For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith– and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast. (Titus 3:5-7) he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. (I Peter 1:18-19) For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious of blood Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
7. THE CHURCH: one true Church, the body and bride of Christ (Eph 1:22-23) And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. (Eph 5:25-32),
Composed of all true believers of the present age; (I Cor 12:12 -13) The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body–whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free–and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
And the organization of its members in local churches for worship, for building of believers, and carrying out the Great Commission, each local church being autonomous but cooperating in fellowship and work; (Eph 4:11-16) It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
8. CHRISTIAN LIFE: A life of righteousness, good works, and separation unto God from the evil ways of the world (Rom 12:1-2) Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Manifested by speaking the truth (James 5:12 ) Above all, my brothers, do not swear–not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, or you will be condemned.
Maintaining the sanctity of the home (Eph 5:22 -6:4)
Settling differences between Christians in accordance with the Word (I Cor 6:1-8)
Not engaging in strife but showing a Christ-like attitude toward all men (Rom 12:17 -21)
Exhibiting the Fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22 -23) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. And maintaining a life of prayer (Eph 6:18 ) And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. (Phil 4:6) Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
9. ORDINANCES: The Christian should observe the ordinances of our Lord Jesus Christ, which are (1) Baptism of believers by immersion (Matt 28:19) Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, And (2) Communion service, consisting of the communion of the bread and the cup (I Cor 11:23-26) For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
10. SATAN: His existence and personality as the great adversary of God and His people (Rev 12:1-10), His judgment (John 12:31) Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. His final doom (Rev 20:10) And the devil , who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
11. SECOND COMING of CHRIST: The personal, visible, and imminent return of Christ to remove His Church from the earth (I Thess 4:16 ,17) For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Before the tribulation (I Thess 1:10) and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead–Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath. (Rev 3:10) Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. And afterward to descend with the Church to establish His millennial kingdom upon the earth (Rev 19:11 -20:6)
12. FUTURE LIFE: The conscious existence of the (Phil 1:21 -23) For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; (Luke 16:19 -31)
The resurrection of the body (John 5:28,29) “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out–those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.
The judgment and reward of believers (Rom 14:10 -12) You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written: “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.’” So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. & (II Cor 5:10) For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
The judgment and condemnation of unbelievers ( Rev 20:11 -15)
The eternal life of the saved (John 3:16 ) “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
And the eternal punishment of the lost (Matt 25:46) “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” & ( Rev 20:15 ) If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.