God is one God, holy, eternal, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, and unchanging. God is manifested in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. These three are one in nature, attributes, power, and glory.

Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 1:9-11; Matthew 28:19-20; Hebrews 1:8; Exodus 3:14; Psalm 90:2; Malachi 3:6; Psalm 139; Psalm 29:2; Psalm 24:7-10; Jeremiah 32:27; Matthew 19:26; Genesis 1:1-3; Genesis 18:14; Romans 11:33

Jesus Christ is the only Son of God. Jesus Christ is true God and true man. He was born of the virgin Mary by divine conception of the Holy Ghost, was crucified for the sins of mankind, died to save the world and give everlasting life to all who believe, and rose from the grave the third day to grant resurrection from the dead. He sits at the right hand of the throne of God.

Luke 1:26-38; Matthew 1:18; John 1:1-14; Galatians 4:4; Hebrews 1:8; I Peter 2: 21-24; II Corinthians 13:4; John 3:16; Romans 5:9-10; Romans 8:34; I Corinthians 15:12-21; Hebrews 12:2

The Holy Spirit is proven to be God through the names given to Him, the attributes pertaining to Him, and the works accomplished by Him. He is present in creation, in salvation, and indwells and empowers the believer.

John 4:24; Matthew 28:19-20; II Corinthians 3:16-18; Genesis 1:2; Hebrews 9:14; I Corinthians 6:19; John 14:16, 26; John 15:26; Romans 8:15; Galatians 3:2

Concerning the unbeliever, the Holy Spirit strives with men, testifies of Christ, and convicts of sin.

Genesis 6:3; John 15:26; John 16:8-11

The Holy Spirit is ever-present in the believer. The Holy Spirit regenerates the new believer, indwells the believer, fills the believer, liberates him and equips and empowers him for Christian service. He convicts of sin and produces fruit in the believer. The Spirit also makes intercession to God on behalf of the believer and will one day quicken the mortal body of the believer in the resurrection of the dead.

Hebrews 13:5; Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 4:30; II Corinthians 1:22; John 3:3-6; John 6:63; Romans 8:9; Ephesians 5:18; Acts 6:3; Romans 8:2, 14; I Thessalonians 5:19; Acts 1:8; Galatians 5:22-23; Romans 8:26-27; Romans 8:11

The baptism of the Spirit occurs the moment a sinner is saved by faith in Christ. There is no believer that has not experienced the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Moreover, no believer is more or less baptized by the Spirit than any other believer. The filling of the Spirit, however, concerns the degree to which the believer yields to the Spirit’s conviction and control. The more a believer yields to the desires of the flesh, the less he will yield to the Spirit of God, and vice versa. The Holy Spirit baptism occurs once for the believer, but the filling of the Spirit can occur at different occasions or in various degrees.

Matthew 3:11; I Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:2-3; Galatians 3:13-14; Galatians 3:26-27; Ephesians 5:18; Acts 6:3; Romans 8:5; Romans 8:13

Man was created by God, and for God, on the sixth of day of the creation week. Man was created in the image of God.

Genesis 1:26-31; Colossians 1:16; Genesis 1:27

Man was originally created perfect and without sin. The fall of Adam in the garden ushered sin  and death into the world.

Genesis 1:31; Romans 5:12-19

Outside of the grace of God, man is in total rebellion against God and is unable to access Him or have peace with Him. In this state, man is completely unable to please God morally or spiritually, and is under the eternal wrath of God. Outside of Christ, man is the enemy of God.

Romans 3:9-18; Romans 3:23; Hebrews 11:6; Romans 14:23; John 3:36; Romans 5:1-2; Romans 7:13-25; Romans 1:18; Romans 5:9-10; James 4:4

Sin is anything and everything (physical, spiritual, or moral) that comes short of the glory of God or opposes His holiness. Sin originated in the garden of Eden when Adam fell (one may also argue that it originated in Lucifer when he fell from heaven). The result of sin is death. The remedy of sin and death is Christ, for it is only through Him that man can be restored to fellowship with God.

Genesis 1:16-17; Genesis 3; Romans 3:10-18; James 4:17; Romans 6:19-23; Romans 5:12; Romans 5:20-21; Romans 6:1-23; Acts 4:12

Salvation is a free gift of God that He bestows upon men by His grace and mercy. A lost person can be saved by repenting of their sins and believing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Repentance and faith are inseparable concerning salvation; both occur simultaneously in the individual. Saving faith is evidenced by an apparent change in one’s works, outward and inward, although these works do not actually save the individual. Saving faith is also evidenced by the chastisement of God upon an individual. Salvation is best illustrated as a new spiritual birth. Upon faith in Christ and repentance toward God, the spirit is quickened and a new life is brought forth.

Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; Mark 1:15; Matthew 3:8; Matthew 9:13; Acts 20:21; II Corinthians 7:10; Hebrews 6:6; Ephesians 2:10; Hebrews 10:24; Titus 2:14; Titus 3:8; Titus 1:16; Hebrews 12:6; John 3:1-8

Christ’s work on the cross atoned for the sins of the whole world, but the effect of His atonement is only realized in those who believe on Him as Lord and Savior.

I John 2:2; Romans 5:11; Romans 10:13; John 3:16

To be justified is to be made righteous before God. A justified person is at peace with God and free from His wrath. A future glorification will also accompany a justified person. Justification cannot be earned by merit or works. Justification is accomplished by the grace of God when an individual places their faith in Christ. It is perhaps best defined in the simple phrase, “Just as if I had never sinned.”

Romans 3:19-26; Romans 5:1; Romans 5:9; Romans 8:30; Romans 8:33; Romans 3:28; Titus 3:4-7; Galatians 2:16

A saved person is considered a child of God and a purchased possession of Christ. These represent relationship and ownership, respectively. A relationship with God comes by spiritual birth into His family. Concerning ownership, Christ paid for the believer with His own blood. God has promised that He will never leave nor forsake His people. Neither Satan nor man can rip a believer of salvation, for a saved person is kept in the grasp of God (in the context of a sheep being guarded by a shepherd). Furthermore, since salvation is not based upon works (good or bad), but upon faith in Christ, works cannot reverse regeneration. Unbelief itself cannot reverse the work of God in salvation, for God would then have to deny himself. Moreover, the Holy Spirit seals the believer at the moment of salvation, keeping him until the day of redemption. Lastly, it is the seed of the Word of God whereby we are born again, and the Word of God is incorruptible and eternal. The Word of God is truth.

Romans 8:16-17; Ephesians 1:13-14; John 3:3-8; Acts 20:28; Hebrews 13:5; John 10:27-29; Ephesians 2:8-9; II Timothy 2:13; Ephesians 1:13-14; I Peter 1:23; John 17:17

New Testament baptism is a visual display of new life in Christ. The spiritual activity that occurs in someone the moment he is saved is visually seen in figure when he is baptized. The man standing out of the water represents the old man of sin. The immersion into water portrays the death of the old man of sin that happens at salvation. The newly baptized believer standing back out of the water represents the new life that he has in Christ. Only believers in Christ may be baptized, and they may only be baptized after they have professed genuine faith in Him. Complete immersion under water is the only way in which the death, burial, and resurrection can be fully expressed. Jesus was fully immersed in water when He was baptized.

Baptism is also the means by which believers are added to a local church body. Baptism is one of the two ordinances Christ gave to the church, thus the authority to baptize is held within the local church.

Romans 6:3-4; Colossians 2:12; Acts 2:41; Acts 8:34-39; Mark 1:9-11; Matthew 28:19-20

Sanctification means to be set apart, specifically for the service of the Lord. A Christian is sanctified by the truth of the Word of God. The complete makeup of man (spirit, soul, body) has the ability to be set apart for God’s use. Sanctification is progressive, meaning that it does not happen at one single point in time, but rather at the rate of the believer’s spiritual growth.

John 17:17; I Thessalonians 5:23; II Peter 3:18; II Timothy 2:20-21

* There are some instances in the New Testament where the word “sanctification” is used in regards of salvation; however, in these instances the word is being used to denote separation from the world and its vices, and separation unto God.

Holiness of life is maintained when the believer abides in Christ and abounds in love toward his brethren. Holiness also deals with keeping oneself morally and spiritually clean. Abiding in Christ requires obedience to the Word of God and the principles and commandments found therein. Lastly, the New Testament often attaches holiness to the return of Jesus Christ with His saints.  If the believer lives in the reality that Christ’s return is imminent, he will be more apt to live a holy life, knowing that he is soon to be before God. Jude 20-21 does a great job of tying in all of the above points, adding to them the necessity of prayer.

I John 2:6; I John 2:10; I Thessalonians 3:12-13; I Thessalonians 4:7; II Corinthians 7:1; John 15:1-12; Hebrews 12:14-15; Revelation 20:6; I Corinthians 15:50-58; Jude 20-21

When a believer dies, his spirit separates from his body and enters into the presence of the Lord. When an unbeliever dies, his spirit separates from his body and enters into the depths of hell. Both the saved and the unsaved will face judgment after death. The saved will be judged at the judgment seat of Christ. They will live eternally with God in Heaven. The unsaved, however, will be judged by their works at the great white throne of God. The unsaved will be eternally cast into the lake of fire with death and hell, which is called the second death.

II Corinthians 5:6-8; Luke 16; Hebrews 9:27; Romans 14:10-11; II Corinthians 5:10; Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:11-15

The greek word for church, “ekklesia,” literally means, “a called out assembly.” The term “church” is used in the New Testament in two different manners, both referring to this same thing, “a called out assembly.” Throughout Acts, the epistles, and the first three chapters of Revelation, the term church is mainly used to refer to a local congregation of baptized believers. These autonomous assemblies make up local representations of the body of Christ, with each member representing a different part of the body. The second manner in which the term “church” is used in scripture is to refer to the complete body of Christ that will one day be united together in one location in the presence of Christ. On earth, as in heaven, Christ is the head of the body, the church.

Acts 8:1; Acts 13:1; Revelation 1:11; I Corinthians 1:2; I Corinthians 1:12-16; I Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 5:25-27; Ephesians 5:32; Ephesians 4:11-13; Ephesians 5:23; Colossians 1:18

The mission of the church is threefold: evangelize the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ, baptize believers, and instruct them in the knowledge of God and His Word. The purpose of the church is to bring glory and honor to Christ, as it is His body, His bride, and His house. The church is the pillar and ground of the truth. Also, through the church Christians are able to observe the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s table and give tithes and offerings.

Matthew 28:19-20; II Timothy 2:2; I Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 5:25; Revelation 21:9; I Timothy 3:15; I Corinthians 11:2; I Corinthians 11:23-26; I Corinthians 16:2

Matthew 26:26-28; 1 Corinthians 11:23-30; 1 Peter 3:18

The Lord places believers in different positions and grants to them various spiritual gifts in order to perform specific functions, all to fulfill His purpose within the body of Christ. Although different members possess different spiritual gifts and talents, God uses these diversities of gifts severally as He will to the profitability of the whole body.

Ephesians 4:11-13; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; Romans 12:3-8

There are New Testament verses that refer to the speech connected with this gift as both foreign and angelic. Either way, the gift of speaking in tongues ceased centuries ago. It was given to the apostles and early Christians as a means of spreading the gospel of Christ to the Gentile world. Today the scriptures are fully canonized, and there is no need for such a gift.

I Corinthians 13:1; I Corinthians 13:8; Acts 2:1-11

It is a biblical mandate to give to God a portion of one’s increase – this has always come in the form of tithes and offerings. The word “tithe” simply means “a tenth;” thus a minimum of ten percent of one’s earnings should be given to God as a tithe. All giving in excess of this amount is an offering given cheerfully of one’s own will and purpose. Nevertheless, both tithes and offerings are commanded by God, not only the former.

Scripture sets forth the principle and practice of systematic, “storehouse tithing.” Following this practice, God’s people are to regularly give to a central locale, the funds then being distributed to benefit the community associated with that locale. In the Old Testament kingdom of Israel, all tithes and offerings were to be given to the house of God (the tabernacle or Temple). In our current dispensation, the local church serves as the house of God and is the place that all tithes and offerings are to be brought.

That tithing is a commandment which was abolished when Christ liberated us the from law is an erroneous argument when we consider that Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek during a dispensation that was without law.

Genesis 14:20; Malachi 3:8-10; 2 Corinthians 9:7; 1 Timothy 3:15; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2

There is an abundance of grace associated with the act of giving. As God’s people give to God that which He requests and which is rightfully His, He in turn supplies them with more than they previously had before they ever gave and more than they would have had if they retained their gift for themselves. By giving in accordance with scripture, God’s people are enabled to supply the needs of the local church and spread the gospel of Christ around the world.

Romans 11:35; Malachi 3:10; Luke 6:38; 1 Corinthians 9:9; 2 Corinthians 8:1-5

The scriptures teach a pre-tribulational, pre-millennial return of Christ to rapture His church from the earth. The rapture itself is the moment in time at the end of this age when Christ will gather together in the clouds all the redeemed of the earth. It is said that the dead in Christ will rise first, at the sound of the trump of God, and then those that are alive and remain will be caught up together with them. This special moment, which will take place in a twinkling of an eye, is the blessed hope of the believer today. It is at this time that all Christians everywhere will meet Christ face to face for the first time and be made like Him.

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; 1 Corinthians 15:52; Titus 2:13; 1 John 3:2

The rapture of the church occurs directly before the tribulation period begins. Unlike the second coming of Christ to the earth, when the rapture occurs the Lord will gather His people together in the clouds to meet them in the air (Christ will not touch down on earth again at this time). Those saints that are dead will rise first. Then all of the redeemed of the earth will meet Christ in the air, both literally and physically. During the tribulation time on earth, the redeemed will participate in the marriage supper of the lamb, being arrayed in righteousness.

Revelation 3:10; II Peter 2:9; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 19:1-9

The millennium concerns the thousand year reign of Christ on earth. The bodily return of Christ  to earth will usher in the millennium (thus coming immediately before the millennium). During this time, Satan will be bound from earth in the bottomless pit. Christ the King will rule the world from Jerusalem. The saved will reign with Christ a thousand years as priests of God.

Revelation 20:1-6; Zechariah 14:1-4; Isaiah 24:23; Luke 1:30-33

According to scripture, there are three sovereign and independent institutions ordained by God: the home, the church, and the state. Because each of these institutions were ordained of God, they are also answerable to God, He being the ultimate power. To resist or rebel against the powers that God has ordained is to resist God Himself. In an effort to live peaceably with all men, and for the cause of Christ around the world, Christians ought to pray for those in positions of leadership and authority. Only in instances where obedience to authority requires disobedience to God should that authority not be obeyed nor rule honored. God Himself is the supreme ruler and authority of the Christian’s soul.

Genesis 2:18-24; Matthew 10:28; Mark 12:13-17; Acts 4:19-20; Rom. 13:1-7; Ephesians 5:22-24; 1 Timothy 2:1-4; Titus 3:1; Heb. 13:17; l Pet. 2:13-17