Statement of Doctrine For the Hiawatha Bible Chapel
This assembly accepts the Bible as its divinely inspired authority in all matters. The following is what we believe the Bible teaches regarding the Christian faith.
MAJOR DOCTRINES
1. THE BIBLE. Every word in the original writings of the Holy Scriptures is inspired by God, authoritative, and without error. The Bible is the only written revelation of God to man and is infallible. (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21; Proverbs 30:5-6).
3. JESUS CHRIST. The Lord Jesus is the eternal Son of God. He entered the human race miraculously by being born of a virgin. He did not sin, and He could not sin. He died as a substitute for all the sins of the human race, was buried, and rose bodily from the grave and ascended to the Father's right hand, where He now ministers as our Great High Priest. (Matthew 1:21-23; John 1:1,14; Acts 1:9; Romans 1:3-4; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:14-15; 7:25; 13:8; 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18).
5. MAN. Adam was created in the image and likeness of God and was an innocent being. He subsequently sinned, and as head of the human race, he passed on a sinful nature to all mankind. All men are sinners by nature but also by practice. Apart from God's salvation, man is lost eternally. (Genesis 1:27; 9:6; Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:1).
6. SIN. Sin is a violation of or disobedience to the revealed will of God. It is also a state, the absence of righteousness, or anything that falls short of the perfect glory of God. God has established that the penalty for sin is death. (Isaiah 53:6; Ezekiel 18:4; Romans 3:23; James 2:10; 4:17; Revelation 20:11-15).
7. SALVATION. Without the shedding of the precious blood of Christ, there is no remission of sin. Salvation is by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and entirely apart from law-keeping or good works. All those who hear and understand the gospel, repent of their sin, and trust in Jesus Christ alone as their Lord and Savior enter into salvation. (Mark 1:15; John 1:12-13; Acts 4:12; Romans 10:9-13; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Hebrews 9:22).
8. THE ASSEMBLY. The universal Church comprises all true believers in the Lord Jesus from Pentecost to the Rapture. Each local assembly or church should be a miniature of the universal Church, expressing the great truths of the latter. The local assembly comprises believers in the Lord Jesus who have been baptized following their conversion and meet together for teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, prayers, and evangelism. Christ is the head of each assembly, and He entrusts leadership to the elders, men who are recognized as Christ's under-shepherds. Each assembly is to consider having deacons to serve the practical needs of the assembly. (Acts 2:42-47; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13, 27; Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:24-25,30; Acts 6:3-6; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Hebrews 13:17).
9. ORDINANCES. There are two Christian ordinances, baptism and the Lord's Supper. Baptism by immersion signifies that the believer has died with Christ, has been buried with Him, and has risen to walk in newness of life with Him. The Lord's Supper is a memorial feast at which believers worship the Lord and show forth His death until He comes again. Following the early church, the Lord's Supper should be celebrated every Lord's day. (Matthew 28:19-20; Luke 22:19-20; Acts 10:47-48; 20:7; 1 Corinthians 11:26).
10. We believe that the term marriage has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as stated in Scripture (Genesis. 2:18-25; Matthew. 19:4-6).
OTHER IMPORTANT DOCTRINES
1. ASSURANCE AND SECURITY. All true believers can know that they are saved by the authority of the Word of God. Those who are in Christ are safe and secure for all eternity. (John 10:28-29; Romans 5:1; 2 Timothy 1:12; 1 John 5:13).
https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/jhn/10/28-29/s_10070282. CHRISTIAN LIFE & PRIORITIES. Christians are called to live a holy life. They are to be disciples of Jesus Christ and, as such, to live lives of service and testimony in the power of the Holy Spirit. This service includes ministry in the assembly and propagation of the gospel to the whole world. They are forbidden by Christ to lay up treasures on earth and are promised a reward in heaven for faithfulness in serving God on earth. (Matthew 6:19-34; Mark 8:34-35; 1 Corinthians 3:12-15; 1 Peter 1:15-16; 1 John 2:6).
3. SPIRITUAL GIFTS. Christ gives to each believer, at conversion, by the ministry of the Holy Spirit, some gift or gifts to equip him to serve the Lord and edify other believers. Gifts are given by a sovereign act of the Holy Spirit and not in respect to the desires or prayers of men. The Gifts are to edify and build up the church, knitting it together in love. (Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:7-11; 14:22; 2 Corinthians 12:12; Ephesians 2:20; 3:5; 4:11-12; Hebrews 2:3-4).
4. FUTURE EVENTS. God has revealed different dispensations, or stewardships, with corresponding rules governing life and relationship with God. In every dispensation, the way of salvation is by faith alone. The present dispensation is the age of grace. The church did not exist before this age and did not take the place of Israel in the prophecies of Scripture. We believe in a personal return of the Lord Jesus, who will Rapture the Church. There will be a time of tribulation when the antichrist will proclaim to be God. Also, God will pour out His wrath in judgment on the world but not the Church. Christ's thousand-year reign on earth, and the eternal state of punishment for the unsaved and blessing for the saved. (Matthew 24:21, 29-30; 25:46; Romans 6:14; 1 Corinthians 10:32; Ephesians 3:2-6; Colossians 1:25-27; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 5:4-10; Hebrews 7:18-19; Revelation 10:1-6).Each believer in fellowship must be in absolute agreement with the assembly on the MAJOR DOCTRINES in the doctrinal statement. In secondary matters, nonessentials, or matters of moral indifference, there shall be liberty. However, those in the fellowship who hold opposing views to the doctrinal statement of the assembly shall refrain from teaching their views either publicly or privately. No one shall be permitted to propagate views that are contrary to the doctrinal statement or that prove divisive.
First Revision July 17, 2010, by Irv Risch, John Glomski, Al Roemer, Jerry McMillinSecond Revision June 8, 2016, by Irv Risch, John Glomski, Al Roemer, Jerry McMillin, Karl Poppelreiter
