Statement of faith for daveshearth Christian ministries
Statement of Faith
We are biblicists: we believe in a supernatural Bible, which tells of a supernatural Christ, Who had a supernatural birth, Who spoke supernatural words, Who performed supernatural miracles, Who lived a supernatural life, Who died a supernatural death, Who rose in supernatural splendour, Who intercedes as a supernatural priest and Who will one day return in supernatural glory to establish a supernatural kingdom on the earth.
Section 1. The True God
What we see around us is evidence that there must be an eternal, infinite, intelligent, personal Creator of the universe that is interested in His creation (Psalm 19:1-6; Rom. 1:20), and that He would have and has communicated with man through supernatural revelation (the Holy Scriptures) which clearly confirms His being (Ex. 20:2,3; Gen. 1:1; Gen. 17:1; Eph. 4:6); He is a Spirit and is the one and only true God, inexpressibly glorious in holiness and worthy of all possible honour, confidence and love (John 4:24; Psalm 147:5; Psalm 83:18; Psalm 90:2; Jer. 10:10 Ex. 15:11; Rev. 4:11; 1 Tim 1:17; Rom. 11:33; Mark 12:30); in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption (1 Cor. 8:6; Matt. 28:19; John 15:26; 1 Cor. 12:4-6; 1 John 5:7; John 10:30; John 17:5; 1 Cor. 2:10,11; Phil. 2:5,6; Eph. 2:18; 2Cor. 13:14).
Section 2. The Bible
The Holy Bible was written by men supernaturally inspired (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:19-21; Acts 1:16; Acts 28:25); it has truth without any admixture of error for its matter (Psalm 119:160; John 17:17; Prov. 30:5,6) and therefore is, and shall remain to the end of the age (Psalm 119:89), the only complete and final revelation of the will of God to man, the true centre of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried (Psalm 119:105; Psalm 119:130; Luke 24:25-27; Luke 24:44,45; John 12:48; Isa. 8:20; Eph. 6:17; Rom. 15:4; Psalm 19:7-11).
1) By “The Holy Bible” we mean that collection of sixty-six books, from Genesis to Revelation, which as originally written and since preserved by the supernatural providence of God in the Hebrew Masoretic text and the Greek Textus Receptus (Psalm 119: 89,142, 160; Psalm 12:6,7; 1 Pet 1:23) does not only contain and convey the Word of God, but is the very Word of God (Rom. 3:4). 2) By “inspiration” we mean that the books of the Bible were written by holy men of old, as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, in such a definite way that their writings were supernaturally and verbally inspired and free from error, as no other writings have ever been or ever will be inspired (2 Pet. 1:19-21).
Section 3. God The Father
God the Father is perfect in holiness, infinite in knowledge and wisdom, and measureless in power (Eph. 4:6; Rev. 4:8; Rom. 16:27; Psalm 147:5; Job 9:4; Psalm 104:24; Rev. 19:1); in love He mercifully concerns Himself in the affairs of men (Luke 6:36; John 3:16), He graciously saves from sin and death all who will come to Him through Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:6; Rom. 3:22-24), and He graciously hears and answers prayer (Heb. 4:16; John 15:16; Matt. 18:19).
Section 4. God The Son
The Lord Jesus Christ is the second person of the Godhead (Col. 2:9; 1 John 5:7); He exists eternally with the Father (Is. 9:6; Mic 5:2; John 1:1; John 17:5; Heb. 13:8); He willingly took upon himself the form of man (Phil. 2:5-7), being begotten of the Holy Spirit in a miraculous manner (Matt. 1:18,20; Luke 1:35), was born of the virgin Mary, then being very man in flesh and very God in Spirit (Matt. 1:23: Luke 1:27,31,34; Luke 2:7); He lived a sinless, impeccable life (1 Pet. 2:22; 1 John 3:5; Heb. 4:15; 2 Cor. 5:21); He died a substitutionary death for all men (Matt. 26:28; John 1:29; John 10:15; Rom. 3:24,25; Rom. 8:32; 2 Cor. 5:14,15), was buried, and physically rose from the grave the third day (Matt. 28:6,7; Luke 24:46; Acts 1:3; Acts 13:30,31; 1 Cor. 15:4), then ascended into Heaven where He is presently fulfilling His intercessory and mediatorial ministry (Mark 16:19; Acts 1:9; Eph. 1:20; Heb. 1:3; Heb 4:14; Heb. 9:24); He is physically coming again to the earth in judgment, and will reign on the earth for one thousand years (Acts 1:11; Matt. 24:27,30; Acts 3:20,21; 1 Thess. 4:15-17; 2 Thess 1:7-10; 2 Pet. 3:3,4,10-12; Rev. 1:7; Rev. 20:4-6).
Section 5. God The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is a divine person (John 14:16,17,26; John 15:26), equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature (1 John 5:7; Matt. 28:19; Heb. 9:14; Luke 1:35); He was active in the creation (Gen. 1:1-3); He was active in the inspiration of Scripture (2 Pet. 1:21); in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the Evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled (2 Thess. 2:7); He convicts of sin, of judgment and righteousness (John 16:8-11); He bears witness to the Truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony (John 15:26,27; Acts 5:30-32); He is the agent in the new birth (John 3:5,6); He indwells from the moment of regeneration (Matt. 3:11; Rom. 8:9), seals (Eph. 1:13,14), endues (Luke 24:49), guides (John 16:13; Rom. 8:14), teaches (John 14:26; 1 Cor. 2:13,14), witnesses (Rom. 8:16), sanctifies (2 Thess. 2:13; 1 Pet 1:2), and helps the believer (Rom 8:26,27).
Section 6. The Devil, or Satan
Satan is a literal spirit being, created by God; he was once holy and enjoyed heavenly honours, but through pride and ambition to be as the Almighty, fell and drew after him a host of angels (Ezek. 28:14-17; Isa. 14:12-15; Rev. 12:9; 2 Pet 2:4; Jude 6); he is now the malignant prince of the power of the air and the unholy god of this world (Eph. 2:2; John 14:30); he is mans’ great tempter (1 Thess. 3:5; Matt. 4:1-3; 1 Pet. 5:8), the enemy of God and His Christ (1 John 3:8; Matt. 13:39; Luke 22:3-4), the accuser of the saints (Rev. 12:10), the author of all falsehood, lies, deceit, and powers of darkness (John 8:44), the author of all false religions and the chief power back of the present apostasy (2 Cor. 11:13-15), the lord of the coming antichrist (Mark 13:21,22; 1 John 4:3; 2 John 7; 1 John 2:22; Rev. 13:1-4): destined however to final defeat at the hands of God’s own Son, and to the judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire, a place prepared for him and his angels (2 Thess. 2:8-11; Rev. 19:11, 16,20; Rev. 12;7-9; Rev. 20:1-3; Rev. 20:10; Matt. 25:41).
Section 7. The Creation
The Genesis account of creation is the true account of the origin of the universe (2 Tim. 3:16); it is to be accepted literally, and not allegorically or figuratively, and it is the account of the original creation; in the beginning of space and time the heavens and earth were created directly by the eternal, omnipotent, Spirit God (Gen. 1:1; Heb. 11:3; Acts 4:24; Col. 1:16,17; John 1:3; Rev. 10:6; Acts 17:24; Jer. 10:12); all animal and vegetable life was made directly and God’s established law was that they should bring forth only “after their kind” (Gen. 1:11, 21, 24, 25); and the history of the creation is according to the time scale as recorded in the Bible, being six literal days (Ex. 20:11).
Section 8. The Creation of Man
Man was created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26,27; Gen. 5:1; Gen. 9:6); he was created a living soul with a physical body in the physical realm, and a spirit in the spiritual realm (Gen. 2:7; 1 Thess. 5:23; Heb. 4:12); woman was afterward created by God out of man for the purpose of being a fit helper (complement) to him and becomes one flesh with him in marriage (Gen. 2:18,21-25; 1 Cor. 11:7-9).
Section 9. Right
As the Creator, God has the absolute right of ownership of His creation, it being the product of Himself, the right of full obedience by His creatures, and the right of full enjoyment of His creation as created (Deut. 10:14; Ex. 19:5; Job 41:11; Eccl. 12:13; Rev. 4:11); it is right for man to love God with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength (will) above all else (Mark 12:30; Matt. 22:37; Deut. 6:5), and not to have any other god before Him, nor make any graven image as a god, nor to take His name in vain, and to give to God all that He asks of his time and physical possessions (Ex. 20:3-11); all human life being created equally in the image of God, it is right to value all human life and to love all men equally (Mark 12:31; Rom. 13:9,10): it is right to give honour to one’s parents, the child’s life being an extension of the father’s life (Ex. 20:12); it is not right to hate or kill any innocent human life (including the unborn) (1 John 3:15; Ex. 20:13; Ex. 23:7; Psa. 10:8); it is not right to abuse or desire to abuse ones own or another’s body for selfish gratification in adultery, fornication, pornography, homosexuality, or bestiality (Ex. 20:14; Matt. 5:28; Lev. 18:22,23; Lev. 20:10-21; Deut. 23:17; Rom. 1:26,27); it is not right to steal what belongs to another because he has a right to own the product of his labour or what is given to him by a rightful owner (Ex. 20:15; Deut. 5:19; Matt. 19:18); it is not right to lie to, deceive, or bear false witness to another (Ex. 20:16; Ex. 23:1; Gen. 3:1-24); it is not right to covet any thing that belongs to another because God is gracious to all and what He gives is sufficient (Ex. 20:17; Psa. 10:3; Matt. 6:24,25,31-33; 1 Tim. 6:5-8; Heb. 13:5).
Section 10. The Fall of Man
Man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker (Gen. 2:17; Eccl. 7:29), but by ordinance of God was tempted by Satan and fell from his sinless and happy state, in full and complete free will voluntarily yielding to temptation (Gen. 3:1-6,24; Gen. 2:17); because the eternal God must by His Holy nature maintain His perfection separate from all imperfection, He in justice condemned corrupted man to spiritual separation (death) from Himself and His life (Lev. 19:2; Habb. 1:12,13; Rom. 3:4-6; Eph. 4:18; Rom. 5:12,19; Eph. 2:1,3; Matt. 8:22).
Section 11. The Condition of Mankind
Since all human life is descended from one sinful man, all mankind are now sinners, not by constraint, but by nature and choice, without excuse (Rom. 5:12,19; Rom. 3:10-19; Gal. 3:22; Rom. 1:18; Ezek. 18:19,20; Rom. 1:32; Rom. 1:20; Rom. 1:28). Man in his sinful state is and always has been incapable of making himself worthy of coming to a Holy God through his own efforts or religious works (Gen. 6:5; Job 14:4; Isa. 64:6; Jer. 2:22; Rom. 3:10-12).
Section 12. The Atonement For Sin
God, in ordaining the temptation and fall of man, in full justice and love also fore-ordained that He Himself would make full and complete payment (redemption) for the sin of man (Rom. 3:26; 1 Pet. 1:18-20; Rev. 13:8; Rom. 5:15-19); then in the fulness of time, the Son of God freely took upon Himself human flesh, lived a sinless life under the divine law, and by His death made a full and vicarious atonement for all sin (Heb. 2:14; Rom. 3:24,25; 1 John 4:10; Rom. 4:25; Rom. 5:6-11; 1 Cor. 15:3; 1 John 2:2); His atonement consisted not in setting us an example by His living a good life and dying as a martyr, but was the voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place, the Just dying for the unjust, Christ, the Lord, bearing our sins in His own body and shedding his precious blood on the tree (John 10:18; Phil. 2:8; Gal. 1:4; 1 Pet. 3:18; 2 Cor. 5:21; Isa. 53:11,12; 1 Pet. 2:24; Heb. 9:12-15); and having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in heaven and uniting in His wonderful person the most tender sympathies with divine perfection, He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate, and an all-sufficient Saviour (1 Cor. 15:20; Heb. 12:2; Heb. 7:25; Heb. 4:14,15).
Section 13. The Way of Salvation
God, having made full atonement for all sin, in his mercy and love has offered salvation from death to all men (Eph. 2:4; John 3:16,17; Rom. 3:22; Rom. 5:18; Acts 17:30); this salvation consists of full justification of the sinner by imputing the righteousness of Christ to the sinner (Rom. 3:24-26,28; Rom. 8:30; Rom. 4:6,11,22-24); it is and has always been since the fall of man completely and wholly of the grace of God, without regards of any works or deeds of righteousness or religious ritual, being a truly free gift of God bestowed upon an unworthy sinner (Rom. 3:24; Rom. 4:1-8,16; Rom. 5:15-21; Rom. 11:5,6; Eph. 2:8,9; 2 Tim. 1:9; Tit. 3:5,7); it is and has always been received solely by faith, that is, by repenting from sin and unbelief to belief in God and His Son Jesus Christ as Saviour, faith being not a work, but rather a rational being believing truth (Habb. 2:4; Rom. 5:1,2; Rom. 4:5,16; Rom. 3:27-31; Rom. 4:22-24; Mark 16:16; John 1:12; John 3:14-16,18; John 3:36; John 5:24; John 6:29; John 6:35; John 7:38; John 11:25,26; John 12:44,46; John 20:31; Acts 10:43; Acts 15:9; Acts 16:31; Acts 20:21; Rom. 10:4,9,10; Gal. 2:16; Gal. 3:2; Gal. 3:22, 26; Gal. 5:6; Eph. 1:12,13; Eph. 2:8; Phil. 3:9; 1 Tim. 1:16; 2 Tim. 3:15; 1 John 3:23; 1 John 5:4,5; 1 John 5:13).
Section 14. The Work of Salvation
The instant a sinner believes, the Holy Spirit miraculously places (baptizes) the repentant sinner spiritually into Christ, where he is united with Christ in death, burial, and resurrection (Rom. 6:3-7; Gal. 2:20; Gal. 3:27); in death, he dies to sin (Rom. 6:2,3; 1 Pet. 2:24), and in resurrection, he is spiritually born again (anew) of the Holy Spirit (1 Pet. 1:3; John 3:3-8; John 1:13; James 1:18; Tit. 3:5; 1 Pet. 1:23; 1 John 5:1); in this new birth (creation) he receives newness of life in the spirit, being the eternal life, and the divine sinless nature of the Father (2 Cor. 5:17; Rom. 6:4; 1 John 5:11-13; 2 Pet. 1:3; John 3:15,16; John 5:24; John 6:40,47,53-58; Rom. 5:21; Rom. 6:22,23; Tit. 1:2; 1 John 2:25; 1 John 5:20; 2 Pet. 1:4; 1 John 3:9; 1 John 2:29; 1 John 4:7; 1 John 5:18); the one having been born of God becomes a son of God by birth, and one of God’s elect (John 1:12; Rom. 8:14; 1 John 3:1,2; 1 Pet. 1:2; 1 Thess. 1:4); and he is then predestinated to adoption (that is, the redemption or sanctification of the body at resurrection, which until then remains corrupt) at which time he will receive his full inheritance as a son of God and joint heir with Christ, having the full earnest and witness of the Holy Spirit dwelling in union with his spirit from the moment of regeneration (Eph. 1:5; Rom. 8:29; Rom. 8:23; Gal. 4:5-7; Rom. 8:15-17; 1 Pet. 1:3-5; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 6:17).
Section 15. The State of the Dead
At death, the soul and spirit of the believer pass instantly into the presence of the Lord and remain in conscious joy with Him until the resurrection of the body (2 Cor. 5:8; Philp. 1:23; Luke 16:22); the soul and spirit of the unbeliever, being already condemned, pass instantly into hell (hades) where they remain in conscious torment in the flame until the resurrection of the body at the time of the Great White Throne judgment (John 3:18; Luke 16:22-24; Rev. 20:11-13).
Section 16. Sanctification
A person who has been born of God has been wholly sanctified in the spirit, but then lives in this world in corrupt flesh to mature and to prepare to be with God for eternity through the trial of his faith (1 Cor. 6:11; Heb. 10:10,14; Gal. 4:1,2; Heb. 5:12-14; 1 Pet. 2:2; 1 Pet. 1:7; 1 Pet. 4:1,2,12); he is then commanded to live as a son of God in holiness and sanctification of the soul by:
1) reckoning himself crucified with Christ and dead to sin,
2) putting off the works of the flesh,
3) resisting the temptation of Satan to walk in the flesh, and
4) yielding to the Spirit of God that he might be filled with the Holy Spirit and walk in the spirit bearing the fruits of the Spirit and bringing glory to God (1 Pet. 1:14-16; Rom. 6:2,11; Col. 3:5,8,9; Jam. 4:7; Rom. 6:12,13; Eph. 5:18; Gal. 5:16; Rom. 6:19,22; Gal. 5:22-25; 1 Cor. 6:20); the filling of the Holy Spirit is not evidenced by speaking in unknown tongues, but rather by the fruits of the Spirit: the Biblical speaking in tongues, the miraculous ability to communicate the gospel to people in a foreign language (tongue) unlearned (unknown) by the speaker as a miraculous sign to unbelievers, having been only occasional and temporary, has ceased; the modern speaking in tongues being at best vain babbling but often the work of deceiving spirits (Matt. 7:20; Eph. 5:9; Rom. 6:22; Acts 2:7-11; 1 Cor. 14:22; 1 Cor. 13:8-10; 2 Tim. 2:16; 1 Tim. 6:20; 1 John 4:1). The child of God’s whole duty is to walk in truth loving God with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love his neighbour as himself (1 John 3:10; Matt. 22:37-39).
Section 17. God’s Dispensation
God as the Creator is the absolute Sovereign of the universe, having created all things for His own purpose, pleasure, and glory, and ordaining (arranging) the course of history in order to accomplish His purpose (1 Chr. 29:11,12; Ex. 15:18; Rev. 4:11; Isa. 46:9,10); His purpose being to gather together in Christ (through the new birth) many holy, blameless children who will enjoy His great love for eternity (Eph. 1:4-12); in order to accomplish his purpose God has from the beginning dealt with man in certain time periods or ages with each age culminating in judgment and promise, being:
1) the age of innocence, then spiritual death, ejection from the garden and the curse, and promise of a Saviour (Gen. 1-3),
2) the age of anarchy, then the world-wide flood and promise to never again destroy man by a flood (Gen. 6-8),
3) the age of the patriarchs, then bondage in Egypt and promise of deliverance (Gen. 9-50),
4) the age of covenant law, then the dispersion of Israel and promise of restoration (Ex.-Mal.), 5) the present age of world evangelism, then the coming tribulation period and battle of Armageddon and the promise of the second coming (Matt. 1-Rev. 19),
6) the age of peace, followed by the final battle of Gog and Magog and the Great White Throne Judgment and the promise of a new heaven and new earth (Rev. 20).
Also, God has from the beginning dealt with mankind through specific temporal earthly institutions in order to accomplish His purpose, these being:
1) the home (Gen. 2:23,24),
2) the nation of Israel (Ex. 19:5,6),
3) the church (Matt. 16:18; 1 Tim. 3:15),
4) and the coming earthly kingdom of Christ (Rev. 20:4)
Section 18. The Church
The church is an assembly or body of scripturally baptized believers (:see below), duly organized by Christ to carry out His work in the world during this age (Matt. 16:18; Acts 2:41); it is by definition local and visible as evidenced by the usage of the word church in the New Testament (translated from the Greek word ekklesia meaning a gathering or assembly, is also called a body which portrays the idea of a collection of physical things or persons as a whole) (1 Cor. 1:2; 1 Cor. 14:34,35; 2 Cor. 1:1; Gal. 1:2; Phile. 2); the first church in Jerusalem was established by Christ Himself during His earthly ministry, He being the foundation, when He called to Himself a group of believers who had been properly baptized by John the Baptist, a man specially chosen and authorized by God (Matt. 16:18; Luke 16:16; John 1:35-45; John 1:6; Mark 1:2-4); throughout the time since Christ, true churches holding the same basic fundamental doctrines have existed which were established by believers scripturally baptized by existing churches (Matt. 16:18).
Section 19. The Organization of The Church
Christ is the head of the church and it is governed by His laws, the Bible being its sole rule of faith and practice (Eph. 1:22,23; Eph. 5:23,24; Matt. 28:20); its officers of ordination are pastors, or elders, whose qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures, and this office is only open to men who are called by God and meet the scriptural qualifications (Acts 14:23; Acts 15:23; Acts 20:17,28; 1 Tim. 3:1-13); it may have deacons (servants or ministers) as needed for assisting the elders in running the physical aspects of the church, who are also to meet the qualifications laid out in the Scriptures (Acts 6:1-6; 1 Tim. 3:8-13); its only superintendent being Christ through the working of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of its elders and members, the church has the absolute right of congregational self government, free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals, organizations, or state (1 Pet. 5:1-4; Acts 15:22); the church has the right and responsibility to judge in all matters of membership, policy, discipline, and benevolence (1 Cor. 6:1-4; 1 Cor. 5:11-13); true churches are to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel, each church being the sole and only judge of the measure and method of its cooperation (Jude 3,4; 2 Cor. 8:23,24; 1 Cor. 16:1); the church and its elders are to be supported by the tithes and freewill offerings of its members (1 Cor. 16:2; Mal. 3:10; Lev. 27:32; 1 Cor. 9:6-16); and women are not to assume any position of authority over or teaching of men in the church (1 Cor. 14:34,35; 1 Tim. 2:11-14; Tit. 2:3-5).
Section 20. The Church Ordinances
Christian baptism and the Lord’s supper are the two ordinances given to the church (1 Cor. 1:2; Matt. 28:19; 1 Cor. 11:25); they are only ordinances and not sacraments, as neither they nor any other work has any part in salvation (Eph. 2:8,9; Rom. 11:6); baptism is the immersion (by definition of the Greek word baptisma which is transliterated baptism) of a believer in water by the authority of the church in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (Matt. 3:7,8, 13-16; Acts 2:41; Acts 8:36-38; John 1:31; Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15,16), to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, and our participation by spiritual union with Him, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life (Rom. 6:3-5); it is prerequisite to the privileges of a church relation and to partaking of the Lord’s supper (Acts 2:41,42). The Lord’s supper is the sacred use of unleavened bread and the unleavened fruit of the vine to commemorate the dying love of Christ in sacrificing His body and shedding His blood, partaken of by qualified members of the church only, always preceded by solemn self-examination (Luke 22:17-20; Luke 22:7; Exodus 12:15; Matt. 26:18-20; 1 Cor. 11:18; 1 Cor. 5:7-12; Luke 22:14; 1 Cor. 11:20-34).
Section 21. The Commission of the Church
The church has clearly and unmistakably been commanded to preach the gospel to all people, baptize believers, and then disciple believers, first locally as a church, then nationally and internationally by sending missionaries to plant indigenous churches for the continuance of this commission (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; John 20:21; Rom. 10:13-15).
Section 22. Civil Government
Civil government is of divine appointment, for the interests and good order of human society (Rom. 13:1-7; Ex. 18:21-22); magistrates have a responsibility to pass laws that are in agreement with principles of right and wrong as established by God, but no authority to prohibit or restrict the free exercise of the commandments of God nor responsibility to financially support the activities of the church; magistrates are to be prayed for, and conscientiously honoured and obeyed, excepting only in things opposed to the word of God and our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the coming Prince of the kings of the earth (2 Sam. 23:3; Acts 23:5; Matt. 22:21; Tit. 3:1; 1 Pet. 2:13,14; 1 Pet. 2:17; Acts 4:19,20; Dan. 3:17,18; Matt. 10:28; Matt. 23:10; Phil. 2:10,11; Psa. 72:11).
Section 23. The Future
The blessed hope of the believer is the imminent physical, personal, and visible return of Jesus Christ to the earth for his saints and resurrection with a new and glorified body (Tit. 2:13; Acts 1:9,11; Rev. 1:7; John 14:2,3; 1 Thess. 4:15-17; Matt. 24:27; Matt. 24:42; Matt. 24:31; Dan. 12:2; Rom. 8:11; 1 Cor. 15:20-23,35-54; 2 Cor. 5:1-4; Phil. 3:21); the present age will end with seven years of tribulation and judgment, during which time the antichrist of Satan will be revealed and rule the earth in rebellion against God, and great plagues and destruction will be poured out on rebellious mankind, culminating in Christ’s return with His saints to the earth, when He will defeat the assembled armies of the world at Armageddon with the word of His mouth (2 Thess. 2:3-12; Matt. 24:21; Dan. 7:19-27; Dan. 9:27; Rev. 6-19; Zech. 14:1-5) and establish an earthly kingdom of peace, having bound Satan in the bottomless pit, and will rule with a rod of iron with His saints for a thousand years (Rev. 20:1-6; Isa. 2:2-4; Isa. 11:2-5; Zech. 14:9); then, Satan will be loosed and will deceive many into rebelling, but Christ will defeat him and the armies of the world in a final battle (Rev. 20:7-10). The Scriptures clearly teach that this present universe (heavens) and earth will finally be destroyed and pass away with a fervent heat (2 Pet. 3:7,10-12; Matt. 24:35; Isa. 34:4; Ps. 102:26; Heb. 1:10-12); then, God will resurrect and judge the unjust at the Great White Throne Judgment and afterwards cast them into the Lake of Fire for eternity (Rev. 20:11-15; Rev. 21:8) and will create new heavens and a new earth in which His children will dwell with Him for eternity as the glorious bride of Christ (Rev. 21-22).
“Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” Note: We have adopted the statement of faith of Stikine Valley Baptist Church, an independent Baptist Church located in Dease Lake, British Columbia, Canada, where we were members. Visit our church website at https://www.stikinevalleybaptist.com. Don’t forget to sign the guestbook!