Doctrinal Statement

What We Believe

The Holy Scriptures

The Scriptures teach that the Holy Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, to be the verbally inspired Word of God, the complete and final authority for faith and life, inerrant in the original writings, infallible and God breathed (Matthew 5:18; John 16:12-13; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21). We believe the Scriptures are to be interpreted in their natural, grammatical, cultural, historical, and literal sense.

The Godhead

The Scriptures teach that there is one Triune God, Creator of all things, eternally existing in three persons—Father,  Son, and Holy Spirit—equal in being, nature, power and glory, and having the same infinite attributes and perfections such as eternality, omnipresence, omniscience, and omnipotence (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 46:9-10; 2 Corinthians 13:14).

        The Person and Work of the Father

  • The Scriptures teach that God the Father is the ultimate source of all things (1 Cor. 8:6), and that He began to assume a new expression of His Fatherhood relationship to the eternal Son in the council of the Godhead prior to creation and time (Ps. 2:7-10).
  • The Scriptures teach that God the Father is referred to as the first Person of the Trinity, yet His Fatherhood relationship to the Son denotes their equality of nature, and at the same time expresses the subordination of the Son to the Father in the execution of the divine purpose (John 1:1-2; 7:18).
  • The Scriptures teach that God the Father is not the Father of all mankind (John 8:41-44; 1 John 3:9-10), but forgives the sins of believers, entering a Fatherhood relationship with them through their spiritual birth.  He also indwells them, making them partakers of the divine nature and calling them His born ones (Eph. 4:6; 2 Peter 1:3-4; 1 John 3:9). The Father, as the one to whom the Saints’ prayers are addressed, answers those requests which are in keeping with His will (John 16:23-26; 1 John 5:14-15).
  • The Scriptures teach that the uniqueness of the Father is seen in that He is the One who sent the Son as His gift into the world (John 3:16).  He, also in partnership with the Son, sent the Holy Spirit to be resident in the world on the Day of Pentecost (John 14:26; 15:26). Unlike the other Persons of the Godhead, He is the sender and is not the sent.

        The Person and Work of Christ

  • The Scriptures teach that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful people (John 1:1-2, 14; Luke 1:35; John 14:9; 1 Peter 1:18-19).
  • The Scriptures teach that our Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through the shedding of His blood and sacrificial death on the cross and that His death was voluntary, vicarious, substitutionary, propitiatory, and redemptive (John 10:15; Romans 3:24-25; 5:8; 1 Peter 2:4). This atoning sacrifice is sufficient to redeem and justify all who trust in him. Christ’s literal, physical resurrection from the dead assures that His sacrifice is sufficient (Romans 4:25; Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 2:9; 1 Peter 1:3-5; 1 Peter 2:24).
  • The Scriptures teach that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our high priest, He fulfills the ministry of intercessor, and advocate (Acts 1:9-10; Romans 8:34; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 9:24; Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 2:1-2).

        The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

  • The Scriptures teach that the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; He is  the supernatural agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ at the moment of salvation, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption (John 16:8-11; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; Ephesians 1:13-14).
  • The Scriptures teach that the Holy Spirit is the divine teacher who guides believers into all truth, and that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit (John 16:13; 1 Corinthians 2:12-13; Ephesians 5:18; 1 John 2:20, 27).

Mankind

The Scriptures teach that human beings are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). The first humans, Adam and Eve, were disobedient to the will of God with the consequence that every aspect of their human nature became sinful and corrupt (Genesis 2:16-17; 3:6). Thus, being spiritually dead, they became subject to physical death and the power of Satan.  The image of God is distorted in all humanity, with the exception of Jesus, as we inherit sinful nature at conception. Therefore we are sinners by nature and by choice, alienated from God and under His condemnation.  (Ephesians 2:1-3; Romans 3:9-10; Psalm 51:5; John 3:36; Romans 5:12-14).

Redemption/ Salvation

The Scriptures teach that redemption is accomplished solely by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was made to be sin and died in our place as an acceptable sacrifice to God. His atoning death is sufficient for all and effective for every person who repents and believes in Him, resulting in a reconciled relationship with God.  (2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 5:6-10; Galatians 3:13; 1 Peter 1:18-19)

The Scriptures teach that salvation is available only by grace through faith. This salvation is not of our own doing. It is the gift of God.  (Ephesians 2:8&9; Romans 8:28-30; John 6:44, 65)

The Scriptures teach that salvation includes being declared righteous by God (justification), being transformed into the likeness of Christ (sanctification), and being fully restored to the image of God (glorification). This salvation which includes our new birth and eternal inheritance is kept by God’s power.  It is therefore impossible for the saved to lose their salvation.  (Romans 5:1; John 17:17-19; 1 John 3:2; John 5:24; John 10:27-30.

Missions

The Scriptures teach that it is the obligation of the saved to witness by life and word to the truths of Holy Scripture and to proclaim the gospel to all mankind (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 5:19-20).

The Church

The Scriptures teach that the church, which is the body and bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all born-again persons of this present age (Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 5:25-27; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14). We believe the church is distinct from national Israel, with whom God has made irrevocable covenants (Genesis 15; 17:7, 8; Romans 11; Hebrews 6:13-18).

The Scriptures teach that the church was established at Pentecost and continues as local churches, with leadership qualifications and guidelines clearly laid out in Scripture. (Acts 2:1, 40-47; Acts 14:27; Acts 20:17, 28-32; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9).

The Scriptures teach the ordinances of believer’s baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Supper as scriptural means of testimony for the church age (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; Acts 18:8; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).

The Second Advent of Christ

We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of His Kingdom.  We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the endless suffering of the unbeliever in Hell and the eternal joy of the believer in the presence of God.  (Matt. 24:36, Matt. 25:31-46, John 14:1-3, Acts 1:7,11, 1Cor. 15:50-54, 2Cor. 5:10, 1Thess. 4:14-17, Rev. 14:11, Rev. 20-22)

Addendum:

Societal Issues change.  They change in the way the world views issues on morality, sin, what is right and wrong.  The Scriptures do not change.  They are the infallible Word of God that remain true through the ages.  100MHBC supports the positions taken regarding human sexuality and marriage as outlined in the Nashville Statement.  For insight in these matters, please refer to the following link to read the Nashville Statement:  A Coalition for Biblical Sexuality.

https://cbmw.org/nas