As a Holy Spirit led church, the following reformed views, confessions, and creeds, are helpful to explain the doctrinal convictions of the Reformation Bible Church: The Apostles’ Creed, The Anthanasian Creed, The Nicene Creed, and the Chalcedonian Definition. Additionally, here at the RBC we affirm the doctrinal and theological convictions contained in both the 1689 London Baptist Confession as well as the Westminster Confession. Where there are disagreements arising from the differences between these two historical confessions of faith, they are prayerfully navigated with grace, love, and humility.
The Reformation Bible Church believes that the Bible is the final standard of faith and practice for the believer in Jesus Christ and for His Church. Although we greatly recognize the historical, interpretive, and instructional value of the creeds and confessions throughout history, we affirm the Bible alone as the infallible and final authority in the life of the believer. Below you will find a summary of the statement of faith and doctrinal convictions that are held by the Reformation Bible Church.
Statement of Faith #
1. We believe in the one true and living God, in three Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, who is invisible, personal, omnipresent, eternal, dependent on none, unchanging, truthful, trustworthy, almighty, sovereign, omniscient, righteous, holy, good, loving, merciful, long-suffering and gracious.
1 Cor. 8:4,6; Deut. 6:4; Jer. 10:10; Isa. 48:12; Exod. 3:14; John 4:24; 1 Tim. 1:17; Deut. 4:15–16; Mal. 3:6; 1 Kings 8:27; Jer. 23:23; Ps. 90:2; Gen. 17:1; Isa. 6:3; Ps. 115:3; Isa. 46:10; Prov. 16:4; Rom. 11:36; Exod. 34:6–7; Heb. 11:6; Neh. 9:32–33; Ps. 5:5–6; Exod. 34:7; Nahum 1:2–3; 1 John 5:7; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; Exod. 3:14; John 14:11; I Cor. 8:6; John 1:14,18; John 15:26; Gal. 4:6.
2. We believe that Almighty God has revealed all that is necessary to life and salvation in the sixty six books of Holy Scripture which are the Word of God. All Scripture was given by inspiration of God, is infallible and inerrant, and is the final arbiter in all disputes. Its authority is derived from its Author and not from the opinions of men.
2 Tim. 3:15-17; Heb. 4:12; 2 Pet. 1:19-21; Rom 15:4; John 17:17; Matt. 4:4; Ps. 119:160; Isaiah 40:8; Matt. 24:35; Luke 24:44.
3. We believe it is utterly beyond the power of spiritually dead and fallen man to love God, to keep His laws, to effectually understand the Gospel, to genuinely repent of sin, or produce saving faith in Christ.
Eph. 2:1-3; 1 Cor. 2:14; Rom. 8:7, Eph. 4:18; Rom. 3:10-18, 23.
4. We believe that God, before the foundation of the world, for His own glory did elect an innumerable host of men and women to eternal life as an act of free and sovereign grace. This election was in no way dependent upon His foresight of human faith, decision, works or merit.
Eph. 1:4-5; 2 Tim. 1:9; Rom. 8:28-30; Matt. 25:34; Rev. 13:8; John 15:16; Tit. 1:1-2; Rom. 9:23-24, 2 Thess. 2:13.
5. We believe that God sent His Son into the world, conceived of the virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit, unchangeably sinless, both God and man, born under the Law, to live a perfect life of righteousness, on behalf of all who will believe in His name.
Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18-25; Gal. 4:4; Luke 1:34-35; John 3:16; 1 John 4:9-10; Rom. 8:32; John 3:15; John 11:25-26; 1 John 3:5; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet. 2:22; Heb. 4:15.
6. We believe that God’s Son died at Calvary to effect propitiation, reconciliation, redemption, and atonement for His chosen people. God bore testimony to His acceptance of His Son’s work by raising Him from the dead.
Rom. 5:8; 1 Pet. 2:24-25; Gal. 2:20; 1 Cor. 1:18-22; Col. 2:14; John 19:30; 1 John 2:2; Gal. 3:13; Mark 10:45; Rom. 10:9; 1 Pet. 1:3; 1 Thes. 4:14; 1 Cor. 15.
7. We believe that God’s Son ascended to the right hand of His Father and is enthroned in glory, where He intercedes on behalf of His people and rules over all things for their sake.
Acts 2:33, 5:31; Mark 16:19; 1 Pet. 3:22; Eph. 1:20-23; Rom. 8:27, 34; Heb. 7:25; Col. 2:10; Phil. 2:9-11.
8. We believe that God the Son has poured out the Holy Spirit to work alongside the preached Word. The Spirit of God regenerates the elect sinner and draws him irresistibly to faith in Christ the Savior.
John 14:26; 16, 15:26; 1 Cor. 2:10-13, 6:19; 1 Pet. 1:12; 1 Thes. 4:8; Rom. 10:17; 2 Thess. 2:13-14; James 1:18; John 3:8; 1:13; 3:5, 6:37; 1 Pet. 1:23; Eph. 2:8; Acts 16:14.
9. We believe the elect, who are called by grace, are justified in the sight of God on account of the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ which is received by faith alone.
2 Cor. 5:21; Rom. 8:29-30, 4:5, 1:7, 3:21-22, 10:4; Phil. 3:9; 1 Cor. 1:30; 1 Pet. 2:24.
10. We believe that the moral law of God is summarized in the Ten Commandments and that all the Ten Commandments continue today to be the standard of righteousness which every child of God ought to love and obey.
Ex. 20:1-17; Romans 13:8–10; James 2:8, 10–12; James 2:10, 11; Matthew 5:17–19; Romans 3:31.
11. We believe that the Sabbaths commanded to be kept in the Law of God have found their ultimate fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. As the Sabbaths were representative as types and shadows, or models, of God’s true rest in right-relationship with Him, all who are found to be in Jesus Christ, by Faith in His finished work, have eternally entered into God’s perfect Sabbath rest. Being that this was accomplished through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead in victory on the first day of the week, in unity with the early church, we observe a Christian sabbath rest on the first Day of the week, which is Sunday. This day is kept as Holy and set apart to the corporate worship of our God and Fellowship in Love with His people.
Gen. 2:1-3, Ex. 20:8-11, Ex. 31:12-17, Heb. 4:1-11, Acts 20:7, 1 Cor. 16:1,2, Rev. 1:10, Col 2:16, 17
12. We believe baptism is a sacrament of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, not only for the solemn admission of the party baptized into the visible Church, but also to be unto him a sign and seal of the covenant of grace. The outward element to be used in this sacrament is water, wherewith the party is to be baptized in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, by a called and qualified minister of the gospel.
(Matt. 28:19; 1 Cor. 12:13; Rom. 4:11 with Col. 2:11-12. Rom. 6:5; Gal. 3:27; Tit. 3:5; Mark 1:4; Rom 6:3-4; Mat 28:19-20; Matt. 3:11; 28:19-20; John 1:33; Mark 16:15-16; Acts 8:37-38; Gen 17:7 with Gal 3:9, 14 and Col 2:11-12; Acts 2:38-39; Rom. 4:11-12; Matt. 28:19; Mark 10:13-16; Luke 18:15; 1 Cor. 7:14.)
Romans 6:3–5; Col. 2:12; Galatians 3:27; Mark 1:4; Acts 22:16; Romans 6:4, Mark 16:16; Acts 8:36, 37; Acts 2:41; Acts 8:12; Acts 18:8; Matthew 28:19, 20; Acts 8:38; Matthew 3:16; John 3:23; 1 Corinthians 11:23–26; 1 Corinthians 10:16, 17, 2; 2 Corinthians 6:14, 15; 1 Corinthians 11:26, 29; Matthew 7:6.
13. We believe marriage is only to be between one man and one woman and that marriage was ordained by God and, therefore, cannot be redefined by man.
Gen. 2:24; Mal. 2:15; Matt. 19:5-6; Gen 2:18; 1 Cor. 7:2, 9; Eph. 5:22-33; Mark 10:6-9; Heb. 13:4.
14. We believe that the Scriptures teach that only men—biblically qualified men—are to hold the only two offices Christ has given to the Church, that being elder and deacon.
1 Tim. 3:1-13, 5:17; Acts 14:23, 20:17, 28; Titus 1:5-7; Phil. 1:1; 1 Pet. 5:1-2; Heb. 13:17.
15. We believe that the local church is under the authority of Christ alone and not the civil government. Nevertheless, civil authorities are established by God and Christians should submit in the Lord to them to the extent that their submission does not cause them to disobey God.
Eph. 1:22, 5:23; Col. 1:18; Rom. 13:1-7; 1 Pet. 2:17; 1 Tim 2:1-2; Acts 5:29.
16. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ shall come again to raise the dead, both righteous and unrighteous, and that the righteous shall enjoy everlasting life and the wicked endure everlasting punishment.
Heb. 9:28; 1 Thess. 4:16-17; 2 Peter 3:10; Acts 17:31; John 5:22, 27; 1 Corinthians 6:3; Jude 6; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Ecclesiastes 12:14; Matthew 12:36; Romans 14:10, 12; Matthew 25:32–46.
Confessions #
We follow the 1689 Baptist Confession and openly accept the Westminster Confession as well.