AFFIRMATIONS AND DENIALS |
ARTICLE I (A)
We affirm that the Bible is the verbally (or word for word), plenarily (or completely), and concursively (by God through man) inspired word of God, that it is inerrant in its original manuscripts, that it is truth and that it is authoritative for our lives. II Peter 2:21 | ARTICLE I (B)
We deny that only the thoughts or general ideas in the Bible were inspired and further deny that inerrancy applies only to theological matters and not to scientific, historical, and geographical matters of fact in the Bible as well. |
ARTICLE II (A)
We affirm that there is one God who is eternally existent in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, who are each equally God, completely God, and united inseparably as one God. Gen 1:26 | ARTICLE II (B)
We deny that there are three gods, that the Trinity is in any sense modalistic of a single divine person or that any member of the Trinity is at all inferior to the others by necessity or in attributes. Deut 6:4 |
ARTICLE III (A)
We affirm that Jesus, God the Son and the Second Person of the Trinity, was virgin born and henceforth lived a sinless life as both truly and fully God and truly and fully man. | ARTICLE III(B)
We deny that Jesus ceased to be God when he was incarnate, that he is in any way lacking in his divinity or humanity, that he is two persons in one body and that he gave up his manhood at any time after his incarnation. |
ARTICLE IV(A)
We affirm that Jesus died on the cross for the sins of men, that his death paid the just penalty for the sins of those who believe in him and that only through his blood can men be reconciled to God. Christ's blood purchased salvation; his broken body purchased healing. Rom 4:25 | ARTICLE IV (B)
We deny that Christ's death served only or primarily as an influential example of God's love, or as an example of his wrath (though these are indeed aspects of the Atonement) or that his death was in any way a ransom paid to Satan. |
ARTICLE V (A)
We affirm that Jesus was bodily and physically raised from the dead on the third day after his death securing and guaranteeing the salvation and resurrection of those united to him through faith and by the Holy Spirit. He then ascended to the right hand of God the Father where he intercedes in behalf of saints. John 21:14, Rom 6:9 | ARTICLE V (B)
We deny that the resurrection of Jesus was only spiritual, that he was not raised with a physical and material body, that he simply "lived on in the hearts of his disciples", and that his resurrection is a mythical or legendary event which merely conveys timeless but unhistorical truths. |
ARTICLE VI (A)
We affirm that God created the heavens and the earth, that all things have their existence and are sustained by and through him. Gen 1:1 | ARTICLE VI (B)
We deny that the universe, and particularly man, evolved from lower states of existence as asserted by the popular theory of evolution. |
ARTICLE VII (A)
We affirm that all men, except for Jesus, are sinners and merit eternal punishment in hell which is a real postmortem state of unending and conscious torment. | ARTICLE VII (B)
We deny that sin can be forgiven by any amount of human effort and deny that hell is merely an imaginary place or an invention of human minds. |
ARTICLE VIII (A)
We affirm that regeneration by the Holy Spirit is essential for personal salvation and enables a Christian to live a godly life manifesting the fruit of the Spirit. | ARTICLE VIII (B)
We deny that true regeneration results in the immediate perfection of the individual but also deny that conversion has no positive effect on one's sinful human nature. |
ARTICLE IX (A)
We affirm that men are justified by grace through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ alone. Men are saved unto, not by good works. Those who continue in faith to the end will be saved. | ARTICLE IX (B)
We deny that good works result in, contribute to, or enhance justification in any way and deny that grace infused into men enables men to perform good works that then merit their justification before God. |
ARTICLE X (A)
We affirm that Christians should be water baptized by immersion in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit which name is the Lord Jesus Christ. | ARTICLE X (B)
We deny that those who are incapable of a profession of faith (such as infants) are eligible for water baptism and that baptism is necessary for salvation. |
ARTICLE XI (A)
We affirm that baptism in the Holy Spirit is available to all genuine believers, is generally subsequent to conversion, is normally evidenced by speaking in tongues and empowers them for witnessing. | ARTICLE XI (B)
We deny that baptism in the Holy Spirit is the same as being born of the Spirit, that it is necessary for salvation and that the Spirit does not dwell in those who have not experienced this event. |
ARTICLE XII (A)
We affirm that every Christian is a member of the body of the Lord Jesus Christ, that each member has certain gifts that are to be used in ministry for the edification of the body and for the glory of God, and that each of the spiritual gifts enumerated in I Corinthians 12 and Romans 12 are to operate in the church today according to the Lord's will. | ARTICLE XII (B)
We deny that physical healing or material wealth is insured by the practice of "positive confession", that human words create any realities in the supernatural realm or that a miraculous healing has taken place when symptoms persist. We further deny that the gift of prophecy is infallible, normative, or authoritative for the modern church. |
ARTICLE XIII (A)
We affirm that the Lord's death should be remembered in the ordinance of the Lord's supper. | ARTICLE XIII (A)
We deny that the elements used for the ordinance of communion are literally the body and blood of Jesus. |
ARTICLE XIV (A)
We affirm that the offices of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher should exist, function, and be recognized in today's church and that their purpose is to equip believers. Furthermore, elders are to serve as leaders of the church while deacons serve the people. Each of these seven offices should be filled by qualified men only. | ARTICLE XIV (B)
We deny that anyone holding one of these offices today is infallible in their teaching or authoritative in matters not specifically addressed in the biblical revelation. We also deny that the work of the ministry is to be performed exclusively by those who hold these offices since all saints should take part in ministry. |
ARTICLE XV (A)
We affirm that Satan is the real and personal enemy of God and the church and that he is a real deceiver, tempter, persecutor and accuser. | ARTICLE XV (B)
We deny that the devil is omnipotent, omniscient, or even omnipresent and deny that a genuine believer in Jesus can be demon-possessed. |
ARTICLE XVI (A)
We expect that God will prepare a bride for his Son, and that this bride will consist of a company of perfected Christians at the end of the age. | ARTICLE XVI (B)
We deny that only those in the perfected bride of Christ will be saved and that only they will enjoy the presence of God eternally. |
ARTICLE XVII (A)
We affirm that the Lord Jesus Christ will return again to the earth a second time bodily, in glory and visibly at the end of this present age. | ARTICLE XVII (B)
We deny that Jesus will return in spirit only, or secretly, or before the final Tribulation. We further deny that there will be a "third coming" or a "third resurrection". |
ARTICLE XVIII (A)
We affirm that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked, that the righteous will be raised to everlasting life and that the wicked will be raised to eternal judgment. | ARTICLE XVIII (B)
We deny that the resurrection will be in spirit only, or that only the righteous will be raised, or that ultimately all men will find salvation and eternal life. |