Abiding in the Word Ministries Doctrinal Statement
1. ABOUT GOD
There is but one living and true God (Deut. 6:4; Isa. 45:5-7; 1 Cor. 8:4), an infinite intelligent Spirit (Jn. 4:24), perfect in all His attributes, in one essence but eternally existing, and subsistent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Mt. 28:19; Psa. 139:8; 2 Cor. 13:14), each equally deserving the same in worship and obedience (Acts 17:24-29; 1 Cor. 8:6; Rev. 19:10).
God the Father
God the Father – the first person of the Trinity is the Creator and ruler of the universe. He is sovereign in creation, providence and redemption. He saves from sin all who come to Him through Jesus Christ and He relates Himself to His own as their Father (Luke 3:38, John 1:12-18; Eph. 1:3-6; Heb. 4:13).
God the Son
Jesus Christ – the second person of the Trinity possesses all the Divine excellencies, and thus He is co-equal with the Father, and He is co-substantial and co-eternal with Him (Jn. 10:27-30; Jn. 14:9). Jesus was virgin-born (Is 7:14; Mt. 1:25; Lk. 1:26-35), was God incarnate (Jn. 1:13; 14-18; 1 John 1:3), lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven’s glory and will return again someday to earth to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
God the Holy Spirit
God the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person, eternal, possessing all the divine excellencies, and that in these, He is co-equal with the Father and the Son, and is co-substantial with them (Acts 5:3-4). He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. As Christians, we seek to live under His control daily (2 Cor. 3:17, Rom. 8:9; Eph. 5:18; 1 Jn. 2:20, 27). He gives to every believer spiritual gifts when they are saved (1 Cor. 12:4-11; 2 Cor. 12:12; Eph. 4:7-12; Heb. 2:1-4; 1 Thess. 5:11).
2. ABOUT THE BIBLE
The Bible is the written revelation of God, and the 66 books of the Bible constitute the complete Word by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 2:7-14). It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit (2 Tim. 3:16). It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living (Mt. 5:18; Mt. 24:34; Jn. 10:35). Because it is inspired by God, it is the truth without any mixture of error (Isa. 30:8). There may be several applications of any given passage of Scripture, but there is but one true interpretation, and it is to be found as one diligently applies the grammatical-historical-contextual method of interpretation under the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit (Jn. 7:17; Jn. 16:12-15; 1 Cor. 2:7-15; 1 Jn. 2:20).
3. CONCERNING MAN
Man is made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character. People are the supreme object of God’s creation. The purpose of man’s creation was to glorify God, enjoy His fellowship, live his life in the will of God, and by this accomplish His purpose for man in the world (Gen. 1:26-30; Isa. 43:7; Col. 1:16; Rev. 4:11). He was created free from sin with a rational nature, intelligence, free will, self-determination, and moral responsibility to God. Because of Adam’s sin of disobedience, he lost his innocence and incurred the penalty of spiritual and physical death. He and all people of all ages are hopelessly lost, apart from salvation, which is in the redemptive work of Jesus. All men, thus, are sinners by divine declaration, by nature, and by choice (Psa. 14:1-3; Jer. 17:9; Rom. 3:9-18, 23; 5:10-20; James 2:10).
4. ABOUT SALVATION
Salvation is God’s free gift to us, but we must accept it. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works (Jn. 1:12; Eph. 1:7; 2:8-10; 1 Pet. 1:18-19). Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer for forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin’s penalty (Rom. 6:23). When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith we are saved. God declares as righteous those who believe in Christ (Rom. 8:33). This righteousness is through faith alone and only through the merit of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith.
5. ABOUT ETERNAL SECURITY
The redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are, thus, secure in Christ forever (John 5:24; 6:37-50; 19:27-30). The grace and power of God, not the self-effort of the Christian, maintain salvation. It is the grace and keeping power of God that gives us this security (2 Tim. 1:12; Heb. 7:25, 10:10, 14; 1 Pet. 1:3-5). We are also sealed by the Holy Spirit of God until we see Jesus (Eph. 4:30).
6. ABOUT ETERNITY
People were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life. Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence (Jn. 3:16; Jn. 14; Rm. 6:23, 8:17-18; Rev. 20:15; 1 Cor. 2:7-9).
7. ABOUT ANGELS
Angels are created beings, and therefore are not to be worshipped. Although they are a higher order of creation than man, they were created to serve God and to worship Him (Lk. 2:9-14; Heb. 1:6-7, 14; 2:6-7; Rev. 8:11). The bible teaches the literal existence of Satan (a created angel and the author of sin), as an evil and powerful adversary, who acts as personal tempter and accuser, and his current and future defeat at the hands of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
8. ABOUT THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD
This ministry believes in the Biblical record as stated in Genesis, including the six-day creation of the universe and everything in it, Adam and Eve as the parents of all human life, the literal Fall and its resultant curse on creation, and the worldwide Flood and its cataclysmic effect (Genesis 1, 2).
9. ABOUT FUTURE THINGS
Physical death involves no loss of consciousness (Rev. 6:9-11; Mt. 10:28), that the soul of the saved passes immediately into the presence of Christ, that there is a separation of soul and body, and that such separation will continue until the resurrection (I Thess. 4:13-15, Rev. 20:4-6).
The bible teaches the bodily resurrection of all men: the saved to eternal life and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment (Dan. 12:2; Rev. 20:11-15; Jn. 5:28-29; Rev. 20:6, 13-15). The bible teaches that the souls of the unsaved at death descend immediately into torment, where they are kept under punishment until the second resurrection (Lk. 16:19-26; Rev. 20:1-15).
This ministry believes in the pre-millennial return of our Lord to translate His church from this earth (Jn. 14:1-3; 1 Cor. 15:51-52; 1 Thess. 4:15-5:11), and to reward believers according to their works (Rm. 14:10-12; 1 Cor. 3:11-15; 2 Cor. 5:10), with sufficient time elapsing between this event and His visible, glorious return with His church to allow for the judgment of believer’s works. This interval period includes Daniel’s 70thweek, otherwise biblically known as the Time of Jacob’s trouble (Dan. 9:24-27; Jer. 30:7; Mt. 24:15-31; 25:31-46).