The Holy Scripture is the only sufficient, certain, and infallible rule of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience. Although the light of nature, conscience, and the works of creation and providence generally reveal the goodness, wisdom, providence, and power of God, thus leaving man without excuse, yet they do not afford sufficient light to reveal the knowledge, counsel, and will of God necessary for salvation. Therefore it pleased the Lord at sundry times and in divers manners to reveal himself, and to declare that to be his will unto mankind; and for the preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of his children against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan, and of the world, to commit that revelation of himself unto writing; which makes the Holy Scriptures to be most necessary, the former ways of God's revealing his will unto his people being now ceased.

II Tim. 3:15-17; Isa. 8:20; Luke 16:29-31; Psa. 19:1-11; Rom. 1:19-21; Rom. 2:14; Rom. 11:34-36; Heb. 1:1; Isa. 45:18-21; Prov. 22:19-21; Rom. 15:4; II Pet. 1:19-20; Rev. 22:18-19

Their Inspiration – The Bible, consisting of thirty-nine Old Testament books (but not those commonly known as Apocryphal) and twenty-seven New Testament books written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, was revealed by God to the writers of Scripture and perfectly recorded by them, unmixed with the opinions, interpretations, and errors of men, so that the Scriptures, both in the individual words (verbal) and as a whole (plenary), are the inspired words of God, inerrant, infallible, and eternal.

I Cor. 2:13; II Tim. 3:16; II Pet. 1:20-21; Psa. 119:89; John 17:17

Their Preservation – The Old and New Testaments in their original languages, being immediately inspired by God, have, by his singular care and providence, been kept pure in all ages, and are therefore authentic, that they may be used to convict, reprove, and call the sinner to repentance, to teach, edify, and comfort the believer, and to judge the world in the last day. Since God who cannot lie has promised the perfect preservation and general availability of the very consonants, vowels, and accent pointings of the Hebrew Old Testament (being the Hebrew Masoretic Text), and of the words of the New Testament (being the Greek Received Text, or TR), those words have never been lost and therefore have never needed restoration or re-breathing, either in the original tongues or by any subsequent translation. The Divinely preserved words in the original languages are to be the authority for all translations.

Psa. 12:6-7; Prov. 30:5; Isa. 59:21; Mat. 4:4; John 5:39; Jas. 1:21-25; Psa. 19:8; Heb. 4:12; II Tim. 3:16-17; John 12:48; Tit. 1:2; Heb. 6:18; Mat. 5:17-18; Luke 16:17; Mat. 24:35; Rom. 10:8

Their Translation – Because the original languages are not known to all the people of God, who have a right unto, and interest in the Scriptures, and are commanded in the fear of God to read and search them, therefore they are to be translated faithfully and accurately into the common language of every nation unto which they come, that the Word of God dwelling plentifully in all, they may worship him in spirit and in truth, and through patience and comfort of the Scriptures may have hope.

John 5:39; Acts 17:11-12; Mat. 28:19; Col. 3:16; John 4:24; Rom. 15:4

For a translation of the Scriptures to be faithful and accurate, it must have been translated from the words commonly received and generally available to believers in every generation, according to the Biblical doctrine of word-perfect preservation; using a Biblical theology of Scripture, rejecting the worldly wisdom of textual criticism; and by using the method of formal equivalence. In the English language, the King James Version meets this standard, while all subsequent modern versions fail in one or more of the above areas due to their corrupt text and methods of translation, and therefore must be rejected.

Psa. 12:6-7; Mat. 5:18; Mat. 24:35; Prov. 30:5-6; Rev. 22:18-19; I Cor. 3:19-21; I Thes. 2:13

As the writers of the New Testament recorded and cited accurate translations of Old Testament passages, calling such translated words Scripture and recognizing that the translation of the divinely breathed and preserved Hebrew words of God remained the words of God in the Greek language to which they were faithfully translated, so may people of any language refer to the accurate translation of the preserved Biblical language texts as Scripture. Because of its faithful and true rendering of the inspired and preserved Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek words of Scripture (in contrast to the modern versions), the King James Version may confidently be called the Word of God in English, neither exalted above the preserved words of the original languages nor the re-breathing of God's Word into English, but not any less God's Word by virtue of its being a faithful translation.

Mat. 21:42; Mar 15:28; John 19:36-37; Acts 8:32; Rom.4:3; Gal. 4:30; I Tim. 5:18; Jas. 2:23; I Pet. 2:6; Rev. 22:18-19

Their Authority – The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed and obeyed, does not depend upon the testimony of any man or church, but wholly upon God, the Author thereof, who himself is Truth and Light. Therefore the Bible is to be received because it is the Word of God. While many external testimonies may be furnished as evidence of the divine authority of Scripture, yet our full persuasion and assurance of its infallible truth and divine authority come not from the external evidence and witness of men, but from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts. As He has exalted the Scriptures above all His name, it is the solemn duty of man to believe them and obey them, rather than to question them or doubt them. They alone are the authority for all our faith and practice.

One God – The Lord our God is but one only living and true God; self-existent, infinite in being and perfection; who will not share his glory with another; whose essence cannot be comprehended by any but himself; a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto. He is unchanging, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, every way infinite, most holy, most wise, most free, most absolute; working all things according to the pleasure and counsel of his own most righteous will for his own glory; most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; the rewarder of them that diligently seek him, and withal most just and terrible in his judgments, jealous of his glory and holiness, hating all sin, and who will by no means clear the guilty.

Deut. 6:4; Jer. 10:10; Isaiah 48:11-12; Ex. 3:14; John 4:24; 1 Tim. 1:17; Deut. 4:15-16; I Tim. 6:16; Mal. 3:6; 1 Kings 8:27; Jer. 23:23; Psa. 90:2; Gen. 17:1; Isa. 6:3; Psa. 115:3; Isa. 46:10; Rev. 4:11; Prov. 16:4; Rom. 11:36; Ex. 34:6-7; Heb. 11:6; Neh. 9:32-33; Ex. 34:14; Psa. 5:5-6; Ex. 34:7; Nah. 1:2-3

God, having all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of himself, is alone all-sufficient, standing in no need of any creature which he hath made. In his sight all things are open and manifest. His knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature, so that nothing is to him contingent or uncertain. All his ways are righteous and holy, and to him is due from angels and men whatsoever worship, service, or obedience, as creatures they owe unto their Creator, and whatever he is further pleased to require of them.

John 5:26; Psa. 148:13; Psa. 119:68; Job 22:2-3; Dan. 4:25; Heb. 4:13; Ezek. 11:5; Acts 15:18; Psa. 145:17; Rev. 4:11; Rev. 5:12-14

Three Persons – In this divine and infinite Being there are three distinct Persons: the Father, the Word or Son, and Holy Spirit; of one substance, power, and eternity, each having the whole divine essence, yet the essence undivided. The Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son; all infinite, without beginning, therefore but one God, who is not to be divided in nature and being, but distinguished by several peculiar relative properties and personal relations; which doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our communion with God, and comfortable dependence on him.

I John 5:7; Mat. 28:19; II Cor. 13:14; Ex.3:14; John 14:11; I Cor. 8:6; John 1:14; John 1:18; John 15:26; Gal. 4:6; I John 5:20; Isa. 48:16-17

The Person of Jesus Christ – The Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Word made flesh, and the second person in the Holy Trinity, being very and eternal God, the brightness of the Father's glory, of one substance and equal with him who made the world, who upholds and governs all his creation by the word of his power, did, when the fullness of time was come, take upon himself man's nature, with all its essential properties and common infirmities, yet without sin; being conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the virgin Mary, the Holy Spirit coming down upon her: and the power of the Most High overshadowing her; and so was born of a woman of the tribe of Judah, of the seed of Abraham and David according to the flesh as the Scriptures foretold; so that two whole, perfect, and distinct natures were inseparably joined together in one person, Jesus of Nazareth, without conversion, composition, or confusion; which person is very God and very man, yet one Christ, the only mediator between God and man.

John 1:14; I Tim. 3:16; Gal. 4:4-5; Rom. 8:3; Heb. 2:14; Heb. 2:16-17; Heb. 4:15; Mat. 1:22-23; Isa. 7:14; Luke 1:27-35; Rom. 1:3; Rom. 9:5; Acts 4:10-12; I Tim. 2:5

The Lord Jesus Christ, his human nature thus united to the divine in the person of the Son, was sanctified and anointed with the Holy Spirit above measure, having in Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; in whom it pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell, to the end that being holy, harmless, undefiled, and full of grace and truth, he might be throughly furnished to execute the office of mediator and surety; which office he took not upon himself, but was thereunto called by his Father; who also put all power and judgment in his hand, and gave him commandment to execute the same.

Psa. 45:7; Acts 10:38; John 3:34; Col. 2:3; Col. 1:19; Heb. 7:26; John 1:14; Heb. 7:22; Heb. 5:5; John 5:22; John 5:27; Mat. 28:18; Acts 2:36

The Work of Christ – The Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake the mediatorial work demanded by the law of God, did perfectly and obediently fulfil it, and bore the punishment due to us, which we should have suffered, being made sin and a curse for us; enduring most grievous sorrows in his soul, and most painful sufferings in his body. He was crucified, and died, yet saw no corruption. On the third day, fulfilling the Scriptures, he arose from the dead with the same body in which he suffered, with which he also ascended into heaven, and there sits at the right hand of his Father, making intercession for the saints as their great High Priest and Divine Advocate, edifying his churches for whom he shed his blood, and shall return to receive his saints unto himself, and to judge men and angels at the end of the world.

Psa. 40:7-8; Heb. 10:5-10; John 10:18; Gal 4:4; Mat. 3:15; Gal. 3:13; Isa. 53:4-6; I Pet. 3:18; II Cor. 5:21; Luk. 22:44; Mat. 26:37-38; Mat. 27:46; Acts 13:37; I Cor. 15:3-4; John 20:25-27; Mark 16:19; Acts 1:11; Rom. 8:34; Heb. 9:24; Acts 10:42; Rom. 14:9-10; Heb. 2:17; Mat. 16:18; I John 2:1; Acts 20:28; Heb. 9:11-28; Acts 1:11; II Pet. 2:4

His Substitutionary Sacrifice – By his perfect obedience and sacrifice of himself through the shedding of his blood, which he through the eternal Spirit once offered up unto God, Jesus Christ has fully satisfied the justice of God, procured reconciliation, and purchased an everlasting inheritance in his kingdom for all those who repent and put their confidence in him alone, their hearts purified by faith.

Heb. 9:14; Heb. 10:14; Rom. 3:25-26; John 17:2; Heb. 9:15; I Pet. 1:3-4; II Pet. 1:11; Acts 15:9

Although the price of redemption was not actually paid by Christ until after his incarnation, yet its virtue, efficacy, and benefit were applied to believers in all ages since the beginning of the world, and were seen in the promises, types, and sacrifices wherein Christ was revealed to be the seed which should bruise the serpent's head, and the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, being the same yesterday, and to-day and for ever.

Gal. 4:4-5; Heb. 4:2; Gen. 3:15; I Pet. 1:10-11; Rev. 13:8; Heb. 13:8

The Completeness of Redemption - Having finished his work on the cross, and having offered once for ever a sacrifice of his own blood in the heavenly holy place, the Lord Jesus sat down at the right hand of the Father, signifying that no further sacrifice needed to be offered, and that the redeemed are fully saved and heirs of eternal life.

John 19:30; Heb. 9:11-12; Mark 16:19; Heb. 8:1; Heb. 10:10-14; Heb. 7:25; Rom. 5:9; Heb. 5:9; John 3:16; John 10:28

The Holy Spirit – The Holy Spirit, being the third Person of the Triune God, proceeds from the Father and the Son. Yet, being equal with both the Father and the Son and possessing all the attributes and perfections of the eternal Godhead, he convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. He regenerates the repentant sinner by the Word of God, and indwells the Lord's children and churches. He seals, sanctifies, illuminates, instructs, comforts, and guides every regenerated person. All who by faith, receive the Lord Jesus Christ, are born again by the Holy Spirit, and thereby become the children of God in the Kingdom of God

John 15:26; John 16:7; Acts 5:3-4; Gen 1:1-2; Mat. 3:16-17; Mat. 28:19-20; John 16:7-15; John 14:17; John 14:26; I Cor. 3:16; I Pet. 1:23; Eph. 4:30; I Cor. 2:10-12; John 1:12-13; John 3:5-17; I Pet. 1:18-19

Spirit Baptism – As a sign to his covenant people of Israel, the Lord Jesus Christ baptized believers in the Holy Spirit on four occasions following his glorification, manifesting his blessing upon and approval of his new house of worship, the New Testament church, in fulfillment of the Baptist's prophecy that the Messiah would baptize with the Holy Ghost. Having thus authenticated the New Testament assembly as the house of God and pillar and ground of the truth for all nations under the new covenant, the Lord has left but one baptism – in water – for believers today.

Joel 2:28-29; Mat. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33; Acts 1:5; Acts 2:1-4; Acts 8:15-17; Acts 10:44-45; Acts 11:15-17; Acts 19:6; I Tim. 3:15; Eph. 4:5

The World – In the beginning it pleased God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, for the manifestation of the glory of his eternal power, wisdom, and goodness, to create or make the world, and all things therein, whether visible or invisible, from nothing, in the space of six literal and consecutive days, speaking them into existence, and all very good.

Gen. 1:1-2; John 1:2-3; Heb. 1:2; Job 26:13; Rom. 1:20; Col. 1:16; Heb. 11:3; Gen. 1:31; Ex. 20:8-11

The Angels – The angelic realm, including Michael, Gabriel, and Lucifer, was created by God during the six days of creation, whose perfection, beauty, and wisdom were to glorify and honour the Lord God.

Ezek. 28:15; Col. 1:16; Ezek. 28:12

Ezek. 28:12-17; Isa. 14:12-14; I Tim. 3:6; Rev. 12:4; Jude 1:6; Rev. 12:10; Mat. 4:3; II Cor. 4:4; Mat. 13:39; I Pet. 5:8; Gen 3:1; I Tim. 6:9; II Thes. 2:8-10; Rev. 20:7-8; Rev. 20:10; Mat. 25:41

Man – After God had made all other creatures, he created man, and woman from man – male and female – with immortal souls and the ability to reason, rendering them fit unto that life to God for which they were created; being made after the image of God, in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness; having the law of God written in their hearts, and power to fulfil it, and yet under a possibility of transgressing, being left to the liberty of their own will. Besides the law written in their hearts, they received a command not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which while they kept, they were happy in their communion with God, and had dominion over the creatures.

Gen. 1:27; Gen. 2:7-25; I Tim. 2:14-16; Gen. 5:2; Ecc. 7:29; Eph. 4:23-24; Gen. 1:26; Rom. 2:14-15; Gen. 3:6; Gen. 2:17; Gen. 1:26-28

Adam – Although God created man in his image, upright and perfect, and gave him a righteous law, which had been unto life had he kept it, and threatened death upon the breach thereof, yet he did not long abide in this honour; Satan using the subtlety of the serpent to subdue Eve; after which Adam, without any compulsion, did wilfully transgress the law of their creation, and the command given unto them, in eating the forbidden fruit. The first Adam, by this sin, fell from his original righteousness and communion with God, and we in him, whereby death, both spiritual and physical, came upon all: all becoming dead in sin, and wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts of soul and body.

Gen. 1:27; Gen. 2:16-17; Gen.3:12-13; II Cor. 11:3; I Tim. 2:14; Rom. 3:23; Rom. 5:12-21; Tit. 1:15; Gen. 6:5; Gen. 2:17; Heb. 9:27; Jer. 17:9; Rom. 3:10-19

Adam's Posterity – The first Adam being the root, and standing in the room and stead of all mankind, the guilt of his sin was imputed, and his corrupted nature conveyed, to all his posterity descending from him by ordinary generation, being now conceived in sin, and by nature the children of wrath, the servants of sin, and the subjects of death and all other miseries, unless the Lord Jesus set them free; and as the knowledge of the law brings condemnation; so those who, having attained an age of moral responsibility, remain unrepentant in their sins are condemned to reap the everlasting judgment of the most holy God, their names blotted out of the book of life.

Rom. 5:12-19; I Cor. 15:21-22; I Cor. 15:45; I Cor. 15:49; Psa. 51:5; Job 14:4; Eph. 2:3; Rom. 6:20; Rom. 5:12; Heb. 2:14-15; I Thes. 1:10; Rom. 7:7-10; Luke 13:3; Ex. 32:33; Rev. 20:12-15

Rom. 7:18; Rom. 7:23; Ecc. 7:20; I John 1:8; Rom. 7:23-25; Gal. 5:17

Justification – God freely justifies those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous; not for anything wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ's sake alone; not by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness; but by imputing Christ's active obedience unto the whole law, and passive obedience in his death for their whole and sole righteousness by faith, which faith they have not of themselves; it is the gift of God. Such justification of sinners is both commanded and freely offered to all without reservation. Further, the justification of believers under the Old Testament was, in all these respects, one and the same with the justification of believers under the New Testament.

Rom. 3:24; Rom. 8:30 Rom. 4:5-8; Eph. 1:7; I Cor. 1:30-31; Rom. 5:17-19; Phil. 3:8-9; Eph. 2:8-10; Gal. 2:16, 20; Phil. 3:9; II Pet. 1:1; John 1:12; Heb. 12:2; Isa. 45:18-22; John 3:16; I Tim. 2:4; I Tim. 4:10; Gal. 3:9; Rom. 4:22-24

Grace – Christ, by his obedience and death, did fully discharge the debt of all those that are justified; and did, by the sacrifice of himself in the blood of his cross, undergoing in their stead the penalty due unto them, make a proper, real, and full satisfaction to God's justice in their behalf; yet, inasmuch as he was given by the Father for them, and his obedience and satisfaction accepted in their stead, and both freely, not for anything in them, their justification is only of free grace, that both the exact justice and rich grace of God might be glorified in the justification of sinners.

Heb. 10:14; I Pet. 1:18-19; Isa. 53:5-6; Rom. 8:32; II Cor. 5:21; Rom. 3:26; Eph. 1:6-7; Eph. 2:7; Tit. 2:11; Tit. 3:4-7

Repentance – There is none that does good and sins not, and the best of men, through the power and deceitfulness of the corruption dwelling in them, with the prevalence of temptation, fall into great sins and provocations. God has by His grace mercifully provided that sinners so sinning and falling may be renewed through repentance unto salvation. This saving repentance is an evangelical grace, whereby a person, being by the Holy Spirit made sensible of the manifold evils of his sin, does, by faith in Christ, humble himself for it with godly sorrow, detestation of it, and self-abhorrence, praying for pardon and strength of grace, with a purpose and endeavour, by supplies of the Spirit, to walk before God unto all well-pleasing in all things. It is neither a work of man nor a mere change in belief, but a grace of God wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit and accompanied by saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ecc. 7:2; Rom. 3:10-11; Acts 11:18; II Tim. 2:25; Ezek. 36:31; II Cor. 7:10-11; Phil. 2:13; Mar. 1:15

Faith – Faith receives and rests on Christ and his righteousness and is the sole instrument of justification. Such faith does not exist alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied by all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but works by love. By this faith a Christian believes to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word for the authority of God himself, and also apprehends an excellency therein above all other writings and all things in the world, as it bears forth the glory of God in his attributes, the excellency of Christ in his nature and offices, and the power and fullness of the Holy Spirit in his workings and operations: and so is enabled to cast his soul upon the truth thus believed; and also acts differently upon that which each particular passage thereof contains; yielding obedience to the commands, trembling at the threatenings, and embracing the promises of God for this life and that which is to come; but the principal acts of saving faith have immediate relation to Christ, accepting, receiving, and resting upon him alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace. This faith, although it be different in degrees, and may be weak or strong, yet it is in the least degree of it different in the kind or nature of it, as is all other saving grace, from the faith and common grace of temporary believers; and therefore, though it may be many times assailed and weakened, yet it gets the victory, growing up in many to the attainment of a full assurance through Christ, who is both the author and finisher of our faith. 

Rom. 3:28; Eph. 2:8-9; James 2:17, 22, 26; Gal. 5:6; Acts 24:14; Ps. 27:7-10; Psa. 119:72; II Tim. 1:12; John 14:14; Isa. 66:2; Heb. 11:13; Acts 16:31; Gal. 2:20; Acts 15:11; Heb. 5:13-14; Mat. 6:30; Rom. 4:19-20; II Pet. 1:1; Eph. 6:16; I John 5:4; Heb. 6:11-12; Col. 2:2; Heb. 12:2

Assurance and Security – Although temporary professors of Christ, and other unregenerate men, may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presumptions of being in the favour of God and state of salvation, which hope of theirs shall perish; yet such as truly believe in the Lord Jesus, and love him in sincerity, endeavouring to walk in all good conscience before him, may in this life be certainly assured that they are in the state of grace, and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, which hope shall never make them ashamed. This certainty is not a bare conjectural and probable persuasion grounded upon a fallible hope, but an infallible assurance of faith founded on the blood and righteousness of Christ revealed in the Gospel; and also upon the inward evidence of those graces of the Spirit unto which promises are made, and on the testimony of the Spirit of adoption, witnessing with our spirits that we are the children of God; and, as a fruit thereof, keeping the heart both humble and holy.

Job 8:13-14; Mat. 7:22-23; I John 2:3; I John 3:14, 18-19, 21, 24; I John 5:13; Rom. 5:2, 5; Heb. 6:11, 17-19; II Pet. 1:4-5, 10-11; Rom. 8:15-16; 1 John 3:1-3

This assurance teaches the true believer that he is eternally secure in Christ and can never utterly fall from grace or from eternal life. Such assurance does not work in the believer a looseness of living or an anti-nomian spirit; rather, the grace of God educates and rears the true believer to walk in godliness, holiness, and in increasing sanctification during his earthly life, having been called not only to glory, but also to virtue.

John 10:27-29; Rom 6:1-23; Titus 2:12-14; II Pet. 3:17-18; II Pet. 1:3-7

Preservation of the Saints – Those whom God has accepted in the beloved can neither totally nor finally fall from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved, seeing the gifts and callings of God are without repentance, whence he still begets and nourishes in them faith, repentance, love, joy, hope, and all the graces of the Spirit unto immortality. Though many storms and floods arise and beat against them, yet they shall never be able to take them off that foundation and rock which by faith they are fastened upon; notwithstanding, through unbelief and the temptations of Satan, the sensible sight of the light and love of God may for a time be clouded and obscured from them, yet he is still the same, and they shall be sure to be kept by the power of God unto salvation, where they shall enjoy their purchased possession, they being engraven upon the palm of his hands, and their names having been written in the book of life from all eternity.

John 10:28-29; Phil 1:6; II Tim. 2:19; I John 2:19; Rom. 11:29; Psa. 89:31-32; Heb 12:5-11; I Cor. 11:32; Mat. 7:24-25; Mal. 3:6; I Pet. 1:3-5; Isa. 49:16; Phil. 4:3; Rev. 21:27

Sanctification of the Believer – Having been justified freely by the grace of God, believers are made partakers of His holiness according to the will of God. Sanctification is a progressive work begun in regeneration and carried on in the hearts of believers by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, the Sealer and Comforter, in the continual use of the divinely appointed means: especially the word of God, self-examination, self-denial, watchfulness and prayer, in the context of the Lord’s assembly. Although indwelling sin remains in a believer for his earthly life, the Lord accomplishes sanctification throughout his days, until he be received to glory. Such sanctification involves a denial of worldliness and of the lusts of the flesh, including practices such as divorce and remarriage, sodomy, bestiality, fornication, adultery, pornography, and any practice that would defile the marriage bed or confuse the divinely created and Biblically-mandated gender roles, as well as abortion and cremation. 

Rom. 3:24; Heb. 12:10; John 14:16; John 17:17; Rom. 8:9-14; I Cor. 1:2; I Thes. 4:3; I Pet. 1:2; II Pet. 1:5-7; Phil 2:13; Psa. 73:27; Tit. 2:12-14; Gen 2:24; Gen. 18:20; Gen. 19:4-7; Mat. 5:27-28; I Thes. 4:3; I Cor. 6:9-11; Gal. 5:19-21; Lev. 18-20; Deut. 22:5; Ex. 20:13; Ps. 139:13-16; I Sam. 31:12; I Cor. 15

Such sanctification involves separation from all forms of religious and ecclesiastical apostasy, and all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices, and associations so commanded by God in His Word. As God has appointed His children kings and priests in the New Testament economy, whose charge is to discern between holy and unholy and to teach His statutes to all nations, and whose hope is not of perishing, but of rejoicing in an eternal inheritance; such offices must be executed in all soberness and apart from the influence or consumption of intoxicating substances or strong drink.

Rom. 12:1-14:13; II Cor. 6:14-17; I John 2:15-17; II John 1:9-11; I Pet. 2:5; Rev. 1:6; I Pet. 1:14-16; Mat. 28:18-20; I Pet. 1:3-9; Lev. 10:8-11; Prov. 31:4-7

Before The Resurrection – The bodies of men after death return to dust, and see corruption; but their souls, which neither die nor sleep, having an immortal subsistence, immediately return to God who gave them. The souls of the righteous being then made perfect in holiness, are immediately received into paradise, where they are with Christ, and behold the face of God in light and glory, waiting for the full redemption of their bodies; and the souls of the wicked are immediately cast into hell; where they remain in torment and utter darkness, reserved to the judgment of the great day. Besides these two places, for souls separated from their bodies, the Scripture acknowledges none. 

Gen. 3:19; Acts 13:36; Ecc. 12:7; Luke 23:43; II Cor. 5:1, 6, 8; Phil. 1:23; Heb. 12:23; Jude 1:6-7; I Pet. 3:19; Luke 16:23-24

After The Resurrection – God has appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in righteousness, by Jesus Christ. The end of God's appointing this day, is for the manifestation of the glory of his mercy, in the eternal salvation of the elect; and of his justice, in the eternal damnation of the reprobate, who are wicked and disobedient; for then shall the righteous go into everlasting life, and receive that fulness of joy and glory with everlasting rewards, in the presence of the Lord; but the wicked, who know not God, and obey not the gospel of Jesus Christ, shall be cast aside into everlasting torments, and punished with everlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.

Acts 17:31; Rom. 9:22-23; Mat. 25:21, 34; II Tim. 4:8; Mat. 25:46; Mark 9:48; II Thes. 1:7-10

As Christ would have us to be certainly persuaded that there shall be a day of judgment, both to deter all men from sin, and for the greater consolation of the godly in their adversity, so will he have the day unknown to men, that they may shake off all carnal security, and be always watchful, because they know not at what hour the Lord will come, and may ever be prepared to say, Come Lord Jesus; come quickly. Amen.

II Cor. 5:10-11; II Thes. 1:5-7; Mark 13:35-37; Luke 12:35-40; Rev. 22:20

Origin – The Lord Jesus Christ established the New Testament church as the institution of His choice, the object of His great love, and the entity for which He shed His blood. No other entity has the authority to evangelize, to baptize, or to disciple the nations. The Lord began His church during his earthly lifetime, using the baptized converts of John the Baptist, and commissioning twelve as Apostles to carry out His work. The New Testament church was edified during the Lord's earthly ministry with church discipline, the Lord's Supper, and the Great Commission. This New Testament institution was then publicly inaugurated with the Jerusalem assembly on the Day of Pentecost.

Eph. 5:25-26; Acts 20:28; Mat. 28:18-20; Mat. 3:2-6; John 1:35-42; Mat. 10:2-4; Mat. 16:18; Mat. 18:16-17; Mat. 26:26-30; Mat. 28:18-20; Ex. 40:34; I Kings 8:11; Ezek. 43:2-3; Acts 1:5, 14-15; Acts 2:1-4

Interpretation – The word church (Gr. ekklesia) means a visible assembly in every New Testament usage, referring to either the particular assembly of Israel, the historical Greek civil assembly, or a Christian congregation, either particularly or generically. A visible congregation, or church, is the body of Christ. When ekklesia refers to the Christian assembly, it refers to an organized congregation of baptized believers associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the Gospel, meeting on the first day of the week as the Lord’s day, observing the ordinances of Christ, governed by his laws, and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His word; and its only proper officers are bishops and deacons. 

Acts 2:41-47; Acts 7:38; Acts 19:32, 39, 41; Acts 20:28; I Cor. 12:27; Heb. 12:23; Mat. 18:20; I Cor. 11:17-18; I Cor. 16:1-2; Rev. 1:13

Ordinances – The church, as a golden candlestick of the Lord Jesus, must practice the biblical ordinances of Christ in unity.

Rev. 1:20; I Cor. 5:7; I Cor. 10:17; I Cor. 12:13

Baptism – Scriptural Baptism is the public immersion of a believer in water, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem, our faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior, and our new life in Him; and that it is the means by which God puts the believer into the assembly, and that it is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership. Its scripturalness is not validated simply by the good intentions of the candidate, but is determined by Scriptural authority, mode, motive, and candidate. 

Mat. 3:5-6, 13-17; Acts 2:38-41; Acts 8:37; Rom. 6:3-5; I Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:27; Col. 2:12; I Pet. 3:21

Authority – Just as Jesus walked approximately 60 miles to receive His baptism, so also His followers must receive their baptism from the right administrator, one who baptizes under the authority of a Scriptural New Testament Baptist church. 

Mark 1:9; Mat. 28:18-20

Mode – Scriptural baptism, the English word for which is a transliteration of the Greek word baptizo, requires the immersion into and emersion from the water, invalidating all other modes which cannot truly picture the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.

Acts 8:37; Rom. 6:3-6; Col. 2:12

Motive – Baptism neither regenerates the sinner, nor completes salvation which is provided by Christ alone, who baptized not. It is a step of obedience, a fruit of salvation, in which the candidate identifies with Christ and testifies to the world and other believers that he is a new creature in Christ.

John 4:2; I Cor. 1:17; Rom. 6:3-6; Gal. 3:27

Candidate – As only those who could repent of their sins and believe on the Messiah were baptized both by John, then by Jesus' disciples before His death and resurrection, and also by His disciples after His ascension, so today baptism can only be Scriptural where the candidate has professed faith in Christ and brought forth fruits meet for repentance.

Mat. 3:7-9; Acts 19:1-6

Lord's Supper – The ordinance of the Lord’s Supper has been given to the assembly as members receive the bread and juice of the fruit of the vine as emblems of the broken body of Christ and His shed blood, respectively, and by which His death is commemorated, and because of which the individual members of His body must solemnly examine themselves.  Communion at the table of the Lord is a church ordinance, not a denominational ordinance, and when commemorated scripturally,  manifests the unity and purity of the body. It is closed to all but the particular church members.

Mat. 26:26-30; Acts 2:42; I Cor. 11:18-34; I Cor. 5:1-13; I Cor. 10:16-21

Church Discipline – The New Testament assembly has the authority to exercise church discipline upon itself with the two-fold purpose of restoring as erring member and of keeping the purity of the body. The means of this has been laid out for matters of private sin, public sin, and the teaching of false doctrine.

Mat. 18:16-18; Gal. 6:1; I Cor. 5:1-13; II Thes. 3:14; Tit. 3:10

Separation – The church and its particular members must separate themselves both individually and corporately from all forms of worldliness and religious compromise, including liberalism, ecumenism, new evangelicalism, the new age movement, the charismatic movement, and man-centered fundamentalism.

Rom. 16:17-19; II Cor. 6:14-18; II Thes. 3:6, 10-15

Autonomy – The Lord's churches have been instituted by Him to be free of any external authority or control of any hierarchy, government, state or any other entity. The church is not a legal entity, but rather a scriptural and spiritual body placed under the headship of God alone.

Acts 5:29; Acts 13:1-4; Acts 15:19-31; Acts 20:28; Rom. 16:1; I Cor. 3:9, 16; I Cor. 5:4-7, 13; I Pet. 5:14

Training Men – The authority for training and equipping men for the ministry has been given exclusively to the New Testament assembly, so that they may do the work of the ministry in leading their homes, evangelizing the lost, and discipling all nations.

Acts 18:24-28; Eph. 5:25-30; II Tim. 2:2; Tit. 2:1-2; I John 2:14

Pastors – The New Testament congregation has as the leader of the church the Pastor, known also as Bishop or Elder.  His responsibility includes prayer, Bible study, and the oversight of the assembly as a caring under Shepherd.  He must meet and maintain the qualifications of Scripture. Those pastors who exert themselves in the laborious study of God's Word are to be counted worthy of double honour.

John 10:11, 14; Acts 6:4; Acts 20:28; Phil 1:1; I Tim. 3:1-7; I Tim. 5:17; Tit. 1:5-9; I Pet. 5:1-4

Deacons – The second office in the New Testament church is the office of Deacon.  His necessity and duties are connected to the care of true widows.  The deacon and his wife must meet the qualifications of Scripture. The Scriptures do not support the notion that deacons are to rule over or keep the pastor in check beyond what is Biblically required of every church member.

Acts 6:1-6; Phil 1:1; I Tim. 3:8-13; I Tim. 5:3-16

The Seventy Weeks – Daniel’s Seventy Weeks (Heb. heptads) refers to God’s judgment on Israel, with the first sixty-nine heptads covering the period from the rebuilding of Jerusalem to the Cross, and the last heptad of one week or seven years, referring to the Tribulation.  The interval between the first sixty-nine and the last seven includes the crucifixion of Christ and the destruction of Jerusalem, and allows for the period of the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven. 

 Dan. 9:24-27; Rev. 6-19

The Catching Away – The catching away of believers, commonly known as the Rapture, will occur before the seven year Tribulation.  The saints who will be raptured will be New Testament saints, and not “the universal church,” nor inclusive of the Old Testament saints. The rapture is not of “the church,” but rather of those who are “in Christ.” The Scriptures teach the pre-Tribulation Rapture of New Testament saints. Any other interpretation requires a distortion of the Biblical doctrine of the church, an allegorization of vast amounts of Old Testament and New Testament prophecy, and a rejection of God's unrepenting gifts and calling of Israel.

I Thes. 4:13-5:11; Rom. 11:29

The Tribulation – The Great Tribulation, a seven-year period described as the time of Jacob's trouble, will be the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy of divine judgment on Israel and the world with the purpose of calling multitudes to salvation from the Antichrist and his program.  The church-age saints will not enter into nor go through the Tribulation.

Isa. 24-26; Jer. 30:7; Zech. 14:1-21; Rev. 6-19; Rev. 3:10

The Revelation of Christ – The second coming of Christ has two aspects: one to the New Testament saints (the Rapture), and one to the Old Testament and Tribulation saints (the Revelation). At the Revelation of Christ, the Tribulation will come to a conclusion. Christ will destroy the unsaved armies surrounding Jerusalem, cast the Antichrist and the False Prophet into the Lake of Fire, and resurrect the OT saints and deceased Tribulation saints. All of Adam’s seed, saved or unsaved, will be resurrected either to life or to damnation. All of the righteous, saved saints from Adam to the last Millennial saint, according to his own order, will receive bodily resurrection for eternal life. All of the unrighteous, unsaved sinners from Adam’s seed will receive bodily resurrection for eternal death.

Isa. 26:19; Dan. 12:1-2; I Thes. 4:13ff; Rev. 19:7-21;John 5:28-29; Acts 1:11; I Cor. 15:5-28; II Cor. 5:1-11; Phil. 3:20-21; I John 3:1-3; Rev. 20:10-15

The Millennial Reign – The resurrected Lord Jesus Christ will sit on the throne of David as King of kings and Lord of lords. He will rule the earth with a rod of iron for one thousand years.

Isa. 9:6-7; Luke 1:32; Acts 2:29-30; Rev. 19:16; Psa. 72:8; Isa. 11:4-5; Isa. 32:1; I Cor. 15:25; Rev. 20:1-4, 6

Dispensationalism – The Scriptures interpreted according their literal, historical, and grammatical sense reveal divinely determined dispensations or rules of life which define man’s responsibilities in successive ages. These dispensations are not ways of salvation, but rather are divinely ordered stewardships by which God directs man according to His purpose.

Gen. 1:28; I Cor. 9:17; II Cor. 3:9-18; Gal. 3:13-25; Eph. 1:10; Eph. 3:2-10; Col. 1:24-25, 27; Rev. 20:2-6

God has ordained and created all authority existing in three basic institutions: the family, the church, the state. Every person is subject to these authorities, but all, including the authorities themselves, are answerable to God and governed by His Word. God has given each institution specific Biblical responsibilities and has balanced those responsibilities with the understanding that no institution has the right to infringe upon the other. The family, the church, and the state are equally sovereign in their respective Biblically assigned spheres of responsibility under God.

Rom. 13:1-7; Eph. 5:22-24; Heb. 13:17; I Pet. 2:13-14