What We Believe:
WHAT THE ELDERS BELIEVE AND TEACH AT
WOODLAND BIBLE CHURCH
December 2003
PURPOSE
In fulfillment of the Biblical mandate for elders to ‘exhort in sound doctrine”[1], we offer the following summary of the key beliefs that we agree are essential for effective ministry and that we require all who teach the Bible at WBC to endorse and teach:
[ note: “he” means “he or she,” “his” means “his or hers,” “man” means “man or woman;” however all references to God are masculine only
THE SCRIPTURES
We believe and teach that the whole Bible is the very Word of God, that it was without error in the original manuscripts as written by holy men of God who were moved by the Holy Spirit, and that it was designed by God for our practical instruction.[2] We hold to the literal-grammatical-historical method of interpretation, by which we mean that the Bible’s message is best understood when the words are, as much as possible, taken in their normal literal sense within the grammatical structure of their original languages and the cultural setting of the time of their writing. The Bible is our final rule and authority.
THE TRINITY
We believe and teach that God eternally exists in three persons - the Father, the Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit - and that these three are yet one God, possessing all the unlimited attributes and perfections of Deity.[3]
CREATION AND MAN
We believe and teach that the Triune (i.e. three in one) God is the creator and sustainer of all things[4], that He created the heavens and earth and all forms of life that we know in six literal 24-hour days[5], and that mankind (male and female) is the pinnacle of His creation,[6]made in His own image.[7]
JESUS CHRIST
We believe and teach that the eternal Son of God came into this world to manifest God to men,[8]fulfill prophecy,[9]and become the redeemer of a lost world.[10]We believe and teach that He was born of a virgin[11]and received a human body yet retained a sinless human nature[12]- that He is the unique God-man fully human and fully divine. We believe and teach that in fulfillment of prophecy, He came first to Israel as her Messiah-King, and that being rejected by that nation, He, fulfilling the eternal plan of God, gave His life as ransom for all.[13]We believe and teach that His undeserved death on the cross was accepted by God the Father in the place of the death sentence upon all sinful men.[14]We believe and teach that Jesus Christ arose from the dead, and that His glorified body is the prototype of the resurrection body to be given to all believers.[15]We believe and teach that He ascended to His Father[16]and today intercedes for believers[17]and functions as Head of His body, the church.[18]We believe in, teach, and look for the imminent and bodily return of Jesus Christ to take His bride of all true believers to be with Him in glory for all of eternity.[19]
HOLY SPIRIT
We believe and teach that the Holy Spirit, though omnipresent from all eternity, took up His abode in the world in a special sense on the day of Pentecost[20]and thus continually indwells every believer and unites him into the fellowship of Christ’s body.[21]We believe and teach that He empowers, equips, and gifts every believer for acceptable worship and service.[22]We encourage each believer to discern and use his spiritual gift(s) for edification and maturity of our local body.[23]We believe and teach that the Holy Spirit teaches,[24]guides,[25]assures,[26]and seals[27]each believer in Christ -- all ultimately to the glory of Christ.[28]
ANGELS
We believe and teach that God created an innumerable company of sinless, spiritual beings known as angels. We believe and teach that one, Lucifer, fell through pride and became Satan, thus originating sin, and that he took a host of angels with him who became demons.[29]We believe and teach that those angels who did not lose their holy estate are today ministering spirits sent to help believers.[30]
SIN
We believe and teach that sin is present in this world and that all men possess a sin nature because of Adam’s sin of disobedience (with the exception of Jesus Christ).[31]We believe and teach that sin is anything which falls short of the character and/or will of God.[32]We believe and teach that mankind in his sin is helplessly and hopelessly lost, condemned to eternity in hell,[33]and in need of divine grace to save him.[34]We believe and teach that in his sinful, unsaved state, man’s spirit is dead,[35] his soul/mind is darkened,[36]and his body is decaying and destined for physical death.[37]
SALVATION
We believe and teach that salvation comes (and has always come) solely by God’s abundant grace through faith in Jesus Christ’s death upon the cross, in which He lovingly poured out His blood for the ransom of many.[38]Old Testament believers in faith anticipated the death of Christ in their animal sacrifices. We believe and teach that works will never save anyone, and that all must be saved by the Holy Spirit’s work of regeneration through faith.[39]We believe and teach that those who are truly saved will manifest regeneration (“being born anew”) by a repentant heart and a persistent desire for righteous living,[40]and therefore, good works will be the natural and proper fruit of regeneration.[41]We believe and teach that at the moment of a person’s salvation, all spiritual blessings become fully his (i.e. there is no so-called “second blessing” available to the seeking Christian).[42]We believe and teach that all true believers are eternally secure, i.e. kept saved forever.[43]
SANCTIFICATION
We believe and teach that a believer retains his sin nature throughout his earthly life until he receives his glorified sinless body.[44]Therefore, while his standing in Christ is perfect - i.e. God views him through the absolute righteousness of Jesus Christ - his present state may be less than perfect depending upon his spiritual experience in daily life.[45]Sanctification (being set apart to God), then, is the life-long process wherein the Christian grows in grace[46]and is changed towards Christ-likeness[47]by appropriating the power of the Holy Spirit[48]in obedience to the Word of God.[49]We believe and teach that every believer is called upon to daily walk in the power of the Holy Spirit laying aside the lusts of the flesh.[50]Sanctification will be complete when the believer is in the presence of Christ.[51]
ECCLESIOLOGY AND THE ORDINANCES
We believe and teach that Christ’s body, the church, is made up of all true believers who by faith have been regenerated.[52]We believe and teach that a local expression of the church is commanded and encouraged to fulfill God’s purposes both in the world and in individuals.[53] We believe and teach that Christ’s designated apostles committed the leadership of each local congregation into the hands of qualified men called elders.[54]These elders, who will give an account for their stewardship,[55]do not dispense grace to the people,[56]nor do they lord it over them, but are called as servant-shepherds and overseers to lead the flock to good pasture.[57]
We believe and teach that Jesus Christ established His church,[58]and gave it a five-fold purpose: Exalting (worshipping our Maker and Redeemer),[59]Encouraging (nurturing each other along in our sanctification),[60]Equipping (training believers to serve and then launching them in service),[61]Edifying (teaching the scriptures and helping believers to grow in grace and the knowledge of Jesus Christ),[62]and Evangelizing (sharing the message of salvation, the gospel, with those who don’t yet know Christ).[63]
We believe and teach the faithful observance of the Lord’s supper[64]and encourage it to be observed as often as possible so as to reverently keep the memory of Christ’s death fresh in our minds. We believe and teach that water baptism is a vital component in the testimony of God’s grace in the life of every new believer.[65]Therefore, in obedience to Christ’s command, we urge all new believers to be baptized in water as soon as possible subsequent to salvation. We do not believe that the ordinances are reserved to be administered only by elders or pastors.
ESCHATOLOGY
In an effort to remain true to the principles of interpretation stated above (The Scriptures), and in an effort to trust in the teaching of truth from the Holy Spirit, as well as use God-given logic and clarity of thought, we hold to a pre-millennial[66]understanding of the chronology and events of the end times as given to us in scripture.[67]
We believe and teach in the hope of an imminent[68], personal, and unexpected return of Jesus Christ for all believers. This return will be both visible and audible, and will be accompanied by a display of power and great glory, for the purpose of gathering His elect to himself for eternity, and raising to life the dead in Christ to be with him for eternity. Scripture urges us to be watchful and ready for Christ’s return.[69]
We believe and teach Christ will come to earth to establish His earthly kingdom for a thousand years. After this period of time, judgement is placed upon Satan and all the evil associated with him ensuring his doom for eternity. (The unsaved will then be raised and judged according to their works and separated forever from God.) We believe and teach that God in his desire to live with men (mankind,) will make everything new and create a New Jerusalem, to be filled with His presence, great glories, and those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.[70]
SUMMARY STATEMENT
We warmly welcome anyone to fellowship with us as long as he or she acknowledges our positions and does nothing to undermine them. We believe that differing viewpoints should be respected, but not allowed to form the basis for endless debates which might sidetrack us from our mission as outlined above.[71]
[1]Titus 1:9
[2]2 Tim 3:16; 1 Pet 1:21
[3]Matt 28:19-20 Mk 12:29
[4]Col 1:16-17
[5]Ex 20:11
[6]Ps 8:5
[7]Gen 1:27
[8]John 1:14-18
[9]Matt 1:22
[10]Luke 19:10
[11]Matt 1:24-25
[12]Matt 1:24-25
[13]Jn 1:1, 1 Tim 2:6
[14]1 Pet 3:18
[15]1 Cor. 15:4, Phil. 3:20-21
[16]Heb. 1:3
[17]Heb. 7:25
[18]Eph. 1:22-23
[19]Eph. 14:1-3
[20]1 Thess. 4:13-18, Tit. 2:11-14
[21]1 Cor. 6:19, Rom. 8:9, I Cor. 12:13
[22]1 John 2:20-27, 1 Cor. 12:4-11 [Elders’ positional paper on Speaking in Tongues]
[23]Eph. 4:12, 1 Cor. 12:4-31, 1 Pet. 4:10 [Elders’ Spiritual Gifts Inventory]
[24]John 16:12-15
[25]Rom. 8:14
[26]Rom. 8:16
[27]Eph. 1:13
[28]John 16:14
[29]Isa. 14:12-17, Ezek. 28:11-19, 1 Tim. 3:6
[30]Heb. 1:14
[31]Rom. 5:12
[32]Rom. 3:23
[33]Eph. 2:12, John 3:18, Matt. 25:41, Rev. 20:11-15
[34]Psa. 51:5, Rom. 3:10-19, Eph. 2:1-5
[35]Eph. 2:1-5
[36]Rom. 1:21, Eph, 4:17-18
[37]1 Cor. 15:53, 2Cor. 4:16
[38]Eph. 2:8-9
[39]John 3:5
[40]1 John 1:6, 2:3-5
[41]1 Cor. 6:19-20, Eph. 2:10
[42]Eph.1:3
[43]John 10:27-30, 1 John 5:13
[44]Eph. 4:22-24
[45]1 John 2:1-2
[46]2 Pet. 3:18
[47]2 Cor. 3:18
[48]Eph. 3:16
[49]Eph. 5:17-19, Phil. 2:12b, Col. 3:16, 2 Pet. 1:4-10
[50]Gal.5:16
[51]1 John 3:2
[52]Eph. 4:4
[53]1 Cor. 1:2, Heb. 10:24, 25
[54]Acts 20:17, 28, Tit. 1:5-9
[55]Heb. 13:17
[56]An erroneous Roman Catholic doctrine
[57]1 Pet. 5:1-4
[58]Matt. 16:18
[59]John 4:24
[60]Heb. 10:24-25, Rom. 12:10-15, Gal. 6:2
[61]Eph. 4:11-16
[62]Matt. 28:20
[63]Mark 16:15
[64]1 Cor 11:23-26
[65]Matt. 28:19-20, Rom. 6:2-11, Col. 2:11-15
[66]Pre millennial and imminent are not words found in the Bible, but are descriptive of viewpoints or ideas.
[67]Ps. 43:3, John 16:13, Ecc. 12:9, Acts 17:11, Dan. 1:17 & 5:12, Col. 2:1-5
[68]Pre millennial and imminent are not words found in the Bible, but are descriptive of viewpoints or ideas.
[69]Acts 24:15, Rom. 8:22-25, Eph. 1:18, Titus 2:11, 1 Thess. 2:19, Rev. 3:10,11 1 Thess. 4:13-5:6, Matt. 24:30-31, 42-44
[70]Rev. 20-22
[71]1 Tim. 1:4-7, Titus 3:8-9
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