Texas Corners Bible Church Doctrine and Constitution
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Texas Corners Bible Church Doctrine and Constitution Preaching God’s Word Helping God’s People 7780 South 8th Street Kalamazoo, MI 49009 (269) 375-2391 www.texascornersbiblechurch.org David E. Thompson, Pastor/Teacher DOCTRINE Since we believe we are living in the end days, it is important that the church believes in and defends sound doctrine. The following is a basic doctrinal statement concerning what we believe in at Texas Corners Bible Church. 1. The Holy Scriptures We believe the Holy Scriptures are the Word of God. We believe in the verbal and plenary inspiration of both the Old and New Testaments and that they are the final authority for faith and life, inerrant in the original writing, infallible and God- breathed (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21; Matthew 5:18; John 16:12-13). 2. The Godhead We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons - Father, Son, Holy Spirit - co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory and having the same attributes and perfections (Deuteronomy 6:4; II Corinthians 13:14). 3. The person and work of God the Father We believe that God is a spirit (John 4:24) who is: a. Infinite (I Kings 8:27; Acts 17:28) b. Eternal (Psalm 90:2) c. Self-existent (Exodus 3:14) d. Unchangeable (Malachi 3:6) e. Omnipotent (Revelation 19:6) f. Omniscient (Psalm 147:5) g. Omnipresent (Psalm 139:7-11) h. Holy (I Peter 1:15-16) i. Righteous (John 17:25) j. Loving (I John 4:8) k. Good (Psalm 100:5) l. Truthful (Deuteronomy 32:4; John 14:6) m. Sovereign (Ephesians 1:11; Romans 8:28-29) We believe that God the Father, understood as the first person of the Trinity, orders and disposes all things according to His own sovereign purpose and grace (Ephesians 1:3-11; Romans 8:28). He has decreed for His own glory all things that come to pass (Isaiah 43:7; 48:11; Ephesians 1:11). He is the creator of all things (Genesis 1:1-31; I Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 3:9) and to Him is due all glory (Romans 11:36). In His sovereignty He is not the author of sin nor does He approve it (Habakkuk 1:13; James 1:13); nor does He violate the accountability of normal, intelligent creatures (John 3:16; Luke 13:3; I Peter 1:17). The Fatherhood of God involves both His designation within the Trinity and His relationship with created mankind. As Creator He is Father to all men (Acts 17:29; Ephesians 4:6), but He is spiritual Father only to believers (Romans 8:14-15; II Corinthians 6:18; Galatians 3:26; 4:6). He saves from sin all those who come to Him, and He becomes, upon adoption, Father to His own (John 1:12; Ephesians 1:5; Hebrews 12:5-9). 4. The Person and Work of Christ We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man (John 1:1-2; Luke 1:35). We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice and that our justification is made sure by His literal physical resurrection from the dead (Romans 3:24-25; I Peter 2:24; Ephesians 1:7; I Peter 1:3-5). We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor and Advocate (Acts 1:9-10; Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25; I John 2:1-2). 5. The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, of judgment and that He is the supernatural agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption (John 16:8-11; Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 12:12-14; II Corinthians 3:6; Ephesians 1:13-14). We believe that He is the Divine Teacher who guides believers into all truth, and that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit (John 16:13; Ephesians 5:18; I John 2:20, 27). 6. The Total Depravity of Man We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God but that in Adam’s sin the race fell, inherited a sinful nature and became alienated from God, and that man is totally depraved and of himself utterly unable to remedy his lost condition (Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 3:22-23; 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-3, 12). 7. The Necessity of the New Birth We believe that because of this universal depravity and death in sin, no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless born again, and that no degree of reformation, however great; no amount of education, however esteemed; no attainment in morality, however high; no culture, however attractive; no humanitarian and philanthropic schemes and societies, however useful; no baptism or other ordinance, however administered; can help the sinner to take even one step toward heaven. Only a new nature imparted by the Holy Spirit through the Word is absolutely essential to salvation (Isaiah 64:6; John 3:5, 18; Galatians 6:15; Philippians 3:4-9; Titus 3:5; James 1:18; I Peter 1:23). 8. Salvation We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins (John 1:12; Ephesians 1:7, 2:8-10; I Peter 1:18-19). 9. The Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever (John 6:27-40, 10:27- 30; Romans 8:1, 38-39; I Corinthians 1:4-8; I Peter 1:5). We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word, which however, clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh (Romans 13:13-14; Galatians 5:13; Titus 2:11-15). 10. The Two Natures of the Believer We believe that every saved person possesses two natures with provision made for victory of the new nature over the old nature through the power of the Holy Spirit, and that all claims to the eradication of the old nature in this life are unscriptural (Romans 13:13-14; Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:10; I Peter 1:14-16; I John 3:5-9). 11. Separation We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord, and that separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and association is commanded by God (Romans 12:1-2; II Timothy 3:1- 5; I John 2:5-9). 12. Missions We believe that it is the obligation of the saved to witness by life and by word to the truths of Holy Scripture and to seek to proclaim the gospel to all mankind. It is our responsibility to do our part, as a church, in reaching our community, city, state, nation and world with the gospel of Jesus Christ (Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8; II Corinthians 5:19-20). 13. The Ministry and Spiritual Gifts We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowment of all His gifts, and that the loving exercise of these gifts is essential for the growth of a healthy church. We believe, however, that revelatory and sign gifts (including speaking in tongues, healing, interpretation of tongues, prophesying, words of knowledge or miracles) gradually ceased as the New Testament Scriptures were completed and their authority established. (I Corinthians 12:4-11; II Corinthians 12:12; Ephesians 4:7-12). We believe that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith in accord with His own will for the sick and afflicted (John 15:7; I John 5:14-15). 14. The Church We believe that the church, which is the espoused bride of Christ, is a spiritual, living organism made up of all born-again persons of this Age (I Corinthians 12:12-14; II Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:25-27). We believe that the establishment and continuance of the local church as a local organization is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures (Acts 14:27; 20:17, 28-32; I Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11). 15. Dispensationalism We believe in the dispensational view of the Bible; the Bible is to be interpreted and applied literally in view of God’s assignments to man, according to His plan and purpose for a particular period of age. We reject the extreme teaching known as “hyper- dispensationalism” which opposes the Lord’s Communion table or Water Baptism. We believe both are ordinances for the Church Age (I Corinthians 11:23-26; Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42). 16. The Personality of Satan We believe that Satan is a person, the author of sin and the cause of the fall, that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man and that he shall be eternally punished in the lake of fire (Job 1:6-7; Isaiah 14:12-17; Matthew 4:2-11; 25:41; Revelation 20:10).