Statement of Faith

I have been associated with the Body of Christ at Fellowship Bible Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado, since the summer of 1998. I concur with the FBC Doctrinal Statement, which reads as follows:

Purpose

This doctrinal statement expresses the beliefs of the Elders of Fellowship Bible Church of Colorado Springs. Everyone involved in a major leadership position is expected to be in agreement with it.

The Bible

We believe that the Old and New Testaments are inspired ('breathed-out') by God and are without error in the original manuscripts. We believe that the Bible is the authoritative Word of God and that it stands alone as the vehicle for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness. Furthermore, we believe that the Scriptures are to be interpreted in a normal and literal way and that they are understood and applied personally as the believer is guided by the Spirit of God. (2 Tm. 3:16; 1 Thess. 2:13; 1 Cor. 2:14-16)

God

We believe in one God eternally existing in three persons - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Deut. 6:4; John 1:1-2; Acts 5:3,4; 2 Cor. 13:14; Mt. 28:19; Is. 48:16)

We believe that God the Son took on human flesh in Jesus Christ and that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. We believe that Jesus Christ is both fully God and fully man and that while on earth he became the only person ever to live a sinless life. (Jn. 1:14; Mt. 1:18-25; Heb. 4:15)

We believe that God the Holy Spirit is a Person who convicts man of his sin, his need for righteousness, and judgment if he rejects the Savior, Jesus Christ. At salvation the Holy Spirit places the believer into the family or 'body' of Christ, comes to indwell him fully and permanently, and sets him a part and empowers him to live a godly life. (1 Cor. 2:9-10; Ps. 139:7; Jn. 3:5-7, 14:16-17, 16:11; Eph. 1:13; Rm. 8:9)

The Past, Present and Future Work of Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ died as a substitutionary sacrifice for sin and that all who believe in Him are declared righteous on the basis of His death on the cross. (2 Cor. 5:14; Mk. 10:45; Rm. 3:24-26, 5:8-10; 1 Pt. 3:18)

We believe in the bodily resurrection of Christ, His ascension into heaven, and His present life there as intercessor and advocate for us before the Father. Jesus, as He did on earth, continues to serve us as Friend and Lord, praying for us and defending us. (Rm. 1:4; Jn. 15:12-15; 20:25-27; 1 Jn. 2:1; Heb. 7:25; Acts 1:9-11)

We believe in the personal, bodily return of Jesus Christ to set up on earth a kingdom in which He shall reign in righteousness and peace. (Acts 1:11; Mt. 24:30; Rev. 20:4-6; Is. 9:6,7; 11:2-5)

Man

We believe that Adam and Eve were created in the image of God and thus man has great value in God's sight. But man sinned and consequently experienced not only physical death, but also spiritual death (which is separation from God). The consequences of this sin affect the entire human race so that all human beings are now born with a sin nature and reveal this nature by committing acts of sin. While they are able to do some good works in the eyes of other humans yet as to their spiritual standing before God all are lost apart from the sacrificial death of Christ. (Gen. 1:26,27, 2:17, 3:6; Rm. 3:10-18,23, 5:12-19; Eph. 2:1-3, 4:17-19; Mk. 7:20-23; Jn. 2:24,25)

We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men. Those who believe in Christ are resurrected to face judgment of the loss or gain of eternal rewards and then to enjoy eternal life with God. Those who never trusted in the Savior are resurrected to face judgment (for having rejected the Father's Son, Jesus Christ) and then to suffer eternal separation apart from God. (1 Cor. 15:52; 1 Thes. 4:16-18; Rev. 20:4-6, 12-15, 21:1-8; Jn. 5:28,29; Dan. 12:2; 1 Cor 3:11-15; 2 Cor. 5:10)

Salvation

We believe that whoever trusts in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior receives eternal life. The salvation is not the result of any human effort or merit. Faith itself achieves nothing; rather, it is the object of faith (Christ and His substitutionary death for sin) which has value. To become a Christian, a person places his trust in Jesus Christ who died in his place, suffering the punishment for his sin. (Jn. 1:12; Eph. 2:8,9; Rm. 3:28)

Life as a Christian

We believe that all believers are kept eternally secure by the power of God through the indwelling and sealing of the Holy Spirit and the intercession of Christ. In other words, once saved, always saved. (Jn. 10:28-30, 14:16,17; 1 Pt. 1:23; Eph. 4:30; 1 Jn. 2:1; Rm. 8:38,39)

We believe that all Christians still struggle with indwelling sin (from within) and spiritual warfare (from outside) in this life, but that from the moment of salvation God has made provision for believers to resist these and to live for God through identification with Christ, obedience to the Word of God, fellowship with other Christians, and the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. We do not believe sinless perfection is possible in this life. (Rm. 5:12-19, 6:1-11, 8:11-13; Eph. 2:1-3,10; 2 Pt. 1:3; Phil. 2:12,13; Gal. 5:17)

We believe that the purpose of the church is to glorify God by helping every believer mature in his relationship to Christ and by making the Savior known to the whole world. Every follower of Christ shares in this purpose. In relation to the world, believers are sent by Christ to communicate to unbelievers the forgiveness of God, found only through faith in Jesus Christ. (Mt. 28:18-20; 2 Cor. 5:18-20; Jn. 17:18-20; Acts 1:8; Rm. 10:12-15)

We believe that all believers are, by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, to make progressive steps of growth toward spiritual maturity. Furthermore, the grace of God assures us that we are loved and accepted just as we are. So, instead of working for God's acceptance we walk with Christ upon a foundation of acceptance. (Romans 6:14; 2 Peter 3:18)

Within the unity of the body of Christ there is also a diversity expressed by special abilities given to each believer by God. These spiritual gifts or abilities enable a believer to function especially well in a certain area of service; thus, there are no superiors or inferiors in the body of Christ. To ignore spiritual gifts is to ignore the thrust of New Testament teaching on church life and ministry. (1 Tm. 3:1-12; Titus 1:5-9; Col. 1:28; Phil. 3:12-16; Eph. 4:11-16; 1 Cor. 12:1-31; Rm. 12:3-8)

The Church, The Body of Christ

We believe that the universal church, the body of Christ, consists of all believers regardless of organizational affiliation and that Christ commanded for His church the observance of water baptism and the Lord's Supper until He returns. These observances are in no way required for salvation, but instead are observed in obedience to Christ after the free gift of salvation is received by faith in the Savior. (Col. 1:18; Eph. 4:4-6; Acts 1:5, 11:15,16; 1 Cor. 12:13; 1 Thess. 4:13-17; Mt. 16:18, 28:19; 1 Cor. 11:24-26)

We believe in the imminent, visible return of Christ for the Church. All believers in Christ, living or dead, will at that time be caught up to be with the Lord forever. (1 Thess. 4:13-18; 1 Cor. 15:51-53; Titus 2:13)

We believe that the local church is to be ruled by Elders who have equal authority, make decisions both in unity and unanimously under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and who listen respectfully to the views of the congregation. The Elders are assisted by individuals (i.e., deacons, deaconesses etc.) when necessary to carry out the ministry. All are selected according to standards expressed by the New Testament. (Acts 14:23; Acts 15; Phil. 1:1; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Tm. 3:1-13)

We believe in the unity of the local church and therefore reject an emphasis on, or teaching of, minor or unclear doctrines in a way that threatens division. (Eph. 4:1-6; Phil 2:1-11; Rm. 14:1-23; 1 Tm. 1:3-7; 1 Cor. 12-14)