Nehemiah Bible Church Statement of Faith 

The issue of doctrinal beliefs is important to us as leaders. We recognize that merely having a written doctrinal statement or creed or confession of faith, does not constitute a full statement of what is true nor does is constitute a true and saving faith. However, we do believe that there are core beliefs that can be stated about God and his work in this world that will help us to monitor our adherence to maintaining God in the center of His church. The following are some of the statements we believe sum up briefly our understanding of God and his actions and therefore help us to guide this community with God at the center. The Scriptures are our guide on this quest, but our center is God as revealed by Jesus and illuminated by the Spirit.

I. Articles of Faith of Nehemiah Bible Church

Section 1 ‑ The Scriptures

We believe that the Holy Bible, as originally written, was verbally inspired and the product of Spirit‑controlled men, and there fore is inerrant . We believe the Bible to be the only authority in all matters of faith and practice and life. (II Timothy3:16,17; 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

1. We believe 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, so that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man.(John 1:1,2,14; Luke 1:35; John 10:30‑33)
2. We believe that due to the Lord Jesus Christ’s sinless life and death He was resurrected and exalted as the King of kings and Lord of Lords above everyone, and that in everything He is preeminent; therefore inaugurating, establishing and is building His Kingdom which is the Kingdom of God. (Col. 1:13,18;Phil. 2:8-10; Dan. 2:44,45; Rev. 1:5, 17:14, 19:16)
3. 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; II Cor. 5:21; I Peter 1:3‑5, 2:24;Ephesians 1:7; Romans 5:1,2; Hebrews 9:22)
4. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven and is now at the right hand of God in the midst of the throne, where, as our King and Great High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of our Shepherd, Representative,Intercessor, and Advocate. (Acts 1:9,10; Rev. 5:6, 7:7; Hebrews 7:25, 9:24;Romans 8:34, I John 2:1,2)
5. We believe in the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His redeemed ones and in Him along with His saints finally judging the wicked on earth; therefore consummating His Kingdom and bringing about the end of this age. (I Thessalonians 4:13‑18, 5:1‑10; II Thessalonians 1:5-10; Rev. 2:25-27, 20:7-15)

Section 5 ‑The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

1. 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)
2. 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‑Humanity

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) We believe that God created humans as male and female and ordained marriage to be between one man and one woman who unite in one flesh to reflect God’s glory. (Genesis 1:27-28, Genesis 2:23-24, Matthew 19:4-6, Ephesians 5:22-33). Sexual intimacy is reserved for those bound together in the covenant of marriage only (1 Corinthians 7:8-9).

Section 8 – Salvation

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

1. 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)
2. 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.
3. 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)
4. 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 Corinthians11:23‑32; Matthew 26:26‑29)

Section 12 ‑The Eternal State

1. We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal bliss and the unsaved to judgment and eternal punishment. (Matthew25:46; John 5:28,29, 11:25,26; Revelation 20:5,6,12,13)
2. 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 Corinthians5:8; Philippians 1:23, 3:21; I Thessalonians 4:16,17)
3. 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 16:19‑26; Matthew 25:41‑46; II Thessalonians 1:7‑9; Jude 1:6,7; Mark 9:43‑48;Revelation 20:11‑15)