Sovereign Christ Bible Fellowship

ARTICLE I - COVENANT

We purpose together as follows:

Having been led by the Holy Spirit to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, and on the public confession of our faith having been immersed in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we do now, in the presence of God and this assembly, solemnly and joyfully endeavor to keep the spirit of this covenant as one body in Christ.

We purpose, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to walk together in Christian love; to strive for the advancement of this church in knowledge, holiness and comfort; to promote its prosperity and spirituality; to attend its services regularly; to sustain its worship, ordinances, and doctrines; to submit to its discipline and the authority of its officers; to give it a sacred preeminence over all institutions of human origin; to give faithfully of time and talent in its activities; to contribute cheerfully and regularly, as God has prospered us, to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, to the relief of the poor, and the spread of the gospel throughout all nations.

We also purpose to maintain family and private devotions; to train our children according to the Word of God; to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances; to walk carefully in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements, and exemplary in our conduct; to abstain from all activities, habits, and lifestyles that dishonor our Lord Jesus Christ, cause stumbling to a fellow believer, or hinder the gospel witness; to be zealous in our efforts to advance the cause of Christ, our Savior, and to give Him preeminence in all things.

We further purpose to encourage one another in the blessed hope of our Lord's return; to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember each other in prayer; to aid each other in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feelings and courtesy in speech; to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation.

We moreover purpose that when we leavethis church we will as soon as possible unite with another church of like faith and order where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God's word. In the event there is no such church, we shall seek, with the Lord's help, to establish one.

ARTICLE II - CONFESSION OF FAITH

Section 1 – The Scriptures

We believe that the Holy Bible, as originally written, was verbally inspired and the product of Spirit controlled men, and therefore is inerrant . We believe the Bible to be the only authority in all matters of faith and practice and life. (II Timothy 3:16,17; II Peter 1:19-21)

Section 2 – The Godhead

We believe in one triune God, eternally existing in three persons Father, Son, and Holy Spirit coeternal in being, co identical in nature, coequal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections. (Deuteronomy 6:4, II Corinthians 13:14)

Section 3 – The Fatherhood of God

We believe in God the Father who reigns with providential care over his universe, His creatures, and the flow of the stream of human history according to the purposes of His grace. He is powerful, all loving and all wise. God is Father in truth of those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ (Jn. 17:2, Matt. 6:9, Eph. 1:3, Rom. 11:33.

Section 4 – The Person and Work of Christ

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternally begotten (not created) Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, so that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man. (John 1:1,2,14; Luke 1:35; John 10:30-33)

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious substitutionary sacrifice; without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin; and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead. (Romans 3:24,25; I Peter 1:3 5, 2:24; Ephesians 1:7; Romans 5:1,2; Hebrews 9:22)

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven and is now at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate. (Acts 1:9,10; Hebrews 7:25, 9:24; Romans 8:34, I John 2:1,2)

We believe in the premillennial coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His redeemed ones and in His subsequent return to earth, with His saints, to establish His millennial Kingdom.(I Thessalonians 4:13-18, 5:1-10; II Thessalonians 1:5, 2:12; Luke 17:2- 37)

Section 5 – The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person, equal with the Father and Son and of the same substance and nature; that He convicts the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment; and that He is the supernatural Agent in regeneration, indwelling and sealing believers unto the day of redemption. (John 16:8 11; I Corinthians 12:12-14; Romans 8:9; Ephesians 1:13,14)

We believe that He is the Divine Teacher who guides believers to be obedient to the truth. (John 16:13; I John 2:20,27; Ephesians 5:18; John 14:16,17, 15:26)

Section 6 – Satan

We believe that Satan is a fallen angel, the deceiver and father of lies ; that he is the unholy god of this age; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and that he is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire. (Job 1:6,7; Isaiah 14:12-17; Matthew 4:2 11, 25:41; II Corinthians 4:4, Revelation 20:10)

Section 7 – Man

We believe that man was created in the image of God, but that, in Adam's sin, the race of man 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; John 6:44)

Section 8 – Salvation

We believe that salvation is possible only through the substitutionary and vicarious death of Christ for humanity. (Galatians 1:4; Isaiah 53:4 6; II Corinthians 5:21; I Peter 2:24, 3:18)

We believe that all men are without ability to come to God, but that God in sovereign grace, apart from any consideration of foreseen human merit, chose some before the foundation of the world unto salvation in Christ. (John 6:44; Acts 13:48; Ephesians 1:4,5; Romans 9:8 23; II Thessalonians 2:13)

We believe that faith in the finished work of Christ is the only condition of salvation from sin and this salvation is wholly of grace; that no works, however good, make that salvation more secure. (Acts 16:31; Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5 7; Romans 1:9-13)

We believe that every believer receives the gift of eternal life and is made a child of God and, as such, a special divine providence watches over his welfare so that he is kept in a state of grace until it is succeeded by a state of glory. (John 1:12, 10:20,29; I John 5:10-13; I Peter 1:5; Philippians 1:6; Romans 8:28,29; Ephesians 1:13,14)

Section 9 – Separation

We believe that all of 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 and its organizations and from all worldly and sinful practices is commanded of God. (II Timothy 3:15; Romans 12:1,2, 14:13; I John 2:15-17; II Corinthians 6:14-18, 7:1; Romans 16:17,18)

Section 10 – Evangelism and Missions

We believe that it is the duty of the saved to witness by life and by word to the truths of the Bible; to assist in giving the Gospel of Christ to all the world by praying, giving, and going in obedience to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:18-20)

Section 11 – Local Church

We believe a local church is a body of professing, baptized believers organized in one locality, with Biblical officers of elders and deacons, which assembles for the purpose of glorifying God through the observation of the Biblical ordinances, worship, instruction, and Gospel service. (Matthew 18:15-17; I Corinthians 1:2; I Timothy 3:1-5)
We believe that the local church has two ordinances committed to it to observe. They are baptism and the communion of the Lord's Table.

We believe that the meaning of baptism is best pictured (where physically possible) by the immersion of the believer in water; that it is a testimony of the believer's identification by faith with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection . (Acts 2:41,42, 8:36-39; Matthew 28:19-20)
We believe that the communion of the Lord's Table is the partaking of the bread and the cup by believers in remembrance of the death of Christ in our behalf; that it is to be observed until He comes. (I Corinthians 11:23-32; Matthew 26:26-29)

Section 12 – The Eternal State

We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal bliss and the unsaved to judgment and eternal punishment. (Matthew 25:46; John 5:28,29, 11:25,26; Revelation 20:5,6,12,13)
We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord where, in conscious bliss, they await the first resurrection when spirit, soul and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord. (Luke 23:43; Revelation 20:4 6; II Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23, 3:21; I Thessalonians 4:16,17)
We believe that the souls of the unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious misery in hell until the second resurrection when, with soul and spirit and body reunited, they shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment and shall be cast into the lake of fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment. (Luke 16:1- 26; Matthew 25:41-46; II Thessalonians 1:7-9; Jude 1:6,7; Mark 9:43 48; Revelation 20:11-15)

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