EBCB Doctrinal Statement
Last Update: 2020
SECTION 1.
We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – co-eternal in being; coidentical in nature; co-equal in power and glory, creator of heaven and earth, and having the same attributes and perfections. (Luke 3:21-22, I Peter 1:2, II Corinthians 13:14, Matthew 28:19, Deuteronomy 4:35, 6:4, Genesis 1:1).
SECTION 2.
We believe the Holy Scriptures, the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, to be the verbally inspired Word of God, wholly inerrant in the original writing, infallible and God-breathed, the final authority for faith and life (II Timothy 3:16, 17; Matthew 5:18; II Peter 1:20; John 16:12-15).
SECTION 3.
We believe that the first eleven chapters of Genesis are the literal history of the early Earth. We believe that this material universe is the result of a sequence of unique creative acts of God the Son, accomplished with the aid of God the Holy Spirit and directed by God the Father. We believe these creative acts were ex nihilo, completed by the mere spoken commands of God. We further believe that these creative acts were accomplished in six literal twenty-four hour days. Therefore we hold to a young earth view supported by the genealogies and other time information provided in the Word of God. We also believe that the material universe was created in total perfection but subsequently was sentenced to a slow decay and eventual destruction by the Curse (Binding), which was part of the penalty for the disobedience of the parents of all mankind, Adam and Eve, whom we 3 view as real, literal people, created on the sixth day of Creation. We reject all concepts of a pre-Adamic race. We believe that Adam and Eve were married and that marriage is ordained by God and between one man and one woman. We believe that the Biblical Noahic Flood was a real, year-long global event, the result of the judgment of God on the hopelessly rebellious descendants of Adam and Eve, and resulted in much of the present geology of the Earth, including most of the fossil graveyards of myriads of plants and animals then living. We believe that only eight human souls, Noah and his family, survived the Flood and that all mankind now living are descended from this family, dispersed over the face of the Earth by the confusion of tongues described in Genesis 11. (Matthew 19:4, 24:37; Genesis 1:1-2, 27, 31, 2:7, 3:19, 2:20-25, 6:1-8:22; Colossians 1:16; II Peter 3:5; Exodus 20:11; I Peter 3:6).
SECTION 4.
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became fully man, without ceasing to be fully God; having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men (John 1:1-14; Luke 1:26- 35, Matthew 1:18-24 ). We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, substitutionary sacrifice in providing an unlimited atonement for the sins of the whole world; that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the scriptures, and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Romans 3:24- 25, 5:9-10; I Peter 1:3-5, 18-19, 2:24; Ephesians 1:7; I Corinthians 15:3-8; Colossians 1:12-14). We believe that the literal, physical resurrected Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where, as our High Priest, he fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate (Luke 24:1-8, 36-44; Acts 1:9-11; I Corinthians 15:4; Hebrews 4:13-16, 9:24; Romans 8:34; I John 2:1-2).
SECTION 5.
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam’s sin the race fell, inherited a sinful nature, incurred not only physical death but also became alienated from God, and that man is totally depraved, accountable for their sins of thought, word, or deed, and of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition (Genesis 1:26-27,3:1-24; Ephesians 2:1-3; Romans 3:19-25; 4 5:12, 6:23,). We believe that there is only one way to salvation and eternal life; the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins (Ephesians 2:8-12; John 1:12, 14:6; Ephesians 1:7; I Peter 1:18, 19). The Christian has two natures, one carnal and one spiritual, which become a source of spiritual conflict (Rom. 8:1-13; I Cor. 2:15-3:3). While his position is perfect in Christ, the believer’s present condition is no more perfect than his daily experience. He is called upon to live a separated life and can have a spiritually mature experience in which he will evidence the fruits of righteousness through the new nature, the Holy Spirit’s control and the assimilation of God’s Word (2 Cor. 7:1; John 17:14, 16; Gal. 5:16-25; Eph. 4:22-32; 5:17-21). We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, become children of God, immediately receive eternal life, are sealed by the Holy Spirit, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever (John1:12, 6:37-40; 10:27- 30; Romans 8:1, 38, 39; I Corinthians 1:4-8; I Peter 1:5; II Corinthians 1:21-22). We believe it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word; which, however, clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh (Romans 13:13, 14; Galatians 5:13; Titus 2:11-15).
SECTION 6.
We believe that the Church, which is the body and espoused bride of Christ, is a living spiritual organism made up of all born-again persons of this present age whom Christ is the head (Ephesians 1:22- 23, 4:2-6, 5:25-27; I Corinthians 12:12-13; II Corinthians 11:2). We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures, that the Church is not Israel and has not replaced Israel. (Acts 14:27; 20:17, 28-32; I Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11, I Corinthians 10:32 ).We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has left two ordinances to be observed by the local church in commemoration of His person and work. The one is that of baptism (immersion) in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The other is the partaking of the Lord’s Supper. No person is qualified to have part in either of these two ordinances unless he is a child of God. (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:41, 46, 47; 16:33; I Corinthians 11:23-32).
SECTION 7.
We believe that God gives spiritual enabling gifts for service to all believers (Romans 12:6- 8; I Corinthians 12:4-11; Ephesians 4:11- 16; I Peter 4:10). We believe that the apostolic age of signs and the gifts of healing and tongues ceased with the ministry of the apostles chosen personally by Christ and with the completion of the written Word of God. We believe that speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of the baptism nor of the filling of the Spirit. The gifts which remain are sufficient for the ministry and the perfecting of the Church today. We believe that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith, according to His will, for the sick and afflicted (James 5:14, 15; 1 Corinthians 12:29-31; 13:8).
SECTION 8.
We believe that it is the obligation of the saved to witness by life and by word to the truths of Holy Scripture and to seek to proclaim the Gospel to all mankind (Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8; II Corinthians 5:19, 20).
SECTION 9. We believe, according to Scripture, in the personal premillennial return of the Lord Jesus Christ; that this second coming will be a literal, bodily, personal appearance to the earth; that His coming for His Bride, the Church, precedes the Tribulation and constitutes the blessed hope set before us, for which we should be constantly looking (Acts 1:11; Matthew 24:27, 30, 44; John 14:1-3; I Thessalonians 1:10; 4:13-17; Revelation 19:11-19, 22:20).
SECTION 10.
We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:31-46; John 5:28-29; 11:25-26; Revelation 20:5-6, 13- 14).
SECTION 11. We believe in the reality and personality of Satan - enemy of God, Israel, and the Church. As believers we should not take Satan lightly, but be on alert to Satan’s attacks, resist and stand decisively against Satan using the armor of God, knowing that Christ prays for us. (Matthew 4, Jude 8-9, I Peter 5:8-9, James 4:7, Ephesians 6:11-18, Hebrews 7:25).
We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – co-eternal in being; coidentical in nature; co-equal in power and glory, creator of heaven and earth, and having the same attributes and perfections. (Luke 3:21-22, I Peter 1:2, II Corinthians 13:14, Matthew 28:19, Deuteronomy 4:35, 6:4, Genesis 1:1).
SECTION 2.
We believe the Holy Scriptures, the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, to be the verbally inspired Word of God, wholly inerrant in the original writing, infallible and God-breathed, the final authority for faith and life (II Timothy 3:16, 17; Matthew 5:18; II Peter 1:20; John 16:12-15).
SECTION 3.
We believe that the first eleven chapters of Genesis are the literal history of the early Earth. We believe that this material universe is the result of a sequence of unique creative acts of God the Son, accomplished with the aid of God the Holy Spirit and directed by God the Father. We believe these creative acts were ex nihilo, completed by the mere spoken commands of God. We further believe that these creative acts were accomplished in six literal twenty-four hour days. Therefore we hold to a young earth view supported by the genealogies and other time information provided in the Word of God. We also believe that the material universe was created in total perfection but subsequently was sentenced to a slow decay and eventual destruction by the Curse (Binding), which was part of the penalty for the disobedience of the parents of all mankind, Adam and Eve, whom we 3 view as real, literal people, created on the sixth day of Creation. We reject all concepts of a pre-Adamic race. We believe that Adam and Eve were married and that marriage is ordained by God and between one man and one woman. We believe that the Biblical Noahic Flood was a real, year-long global event, the result of the judgment of God on the hopelessly rebellious descendants of Adam and Eve, and resulted in much of the present geology of the Earth, including most of the fossil graveyards of myriads of plants and animals then living. We believe that only eight human souls, Noah and his family, survived the Flood and that all mankind now living are descended from this family, dispersed over the face of the Earth by the confusion of tongues described in Genesis 11. (Matthew 19:4, 24:37; Genesis 1:1-2, 27, 31, 2:7, 3:19, 2:20-25, 6:1-8:22; Colossians 1:16; II Peter 3:5; Exodus 20:11; I Peter 3:6).
SECTION 4.
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became fully man, without ceasing to be fully God; having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men (John 1:1-14; Luke 1:26- 35, Matthew 1:18-24 ). We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, substitutionary sacrifice in providing an unlimited atonement for the sins of the whole world; that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the scriptures, and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Romans 3:24- 25, 5:9-10; I Peter 1:3-5, 18-19, 2:24; Ephesians 1:7; I Corinthians 15:3-8; Colossians 1:12-14). We believe that the literal, physical resurrected Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where, as our High Priest, he fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate (Luke 24:1-8, 36-44; Acts 1:9-11; I Corinthians 15:4; Hebrews 4:13-16, 9:24; Romans 8:34; I John 2:1-2).
SECTION 5.
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam’s sin the race fell, inherited a sinful nature, incurred not only physical death but also became alienated from God, and that man is totally depraved, accountable for their sins of thought, word, or deed, and of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition (Genesis 1:26-27,3:1-24; Ephesians 2:1-3; Romans 3:19-25; 4 5:12, 6:23,). We believe that there is only one way to salvation and eternal life; the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins (Ephesians 2:8-12; John 1:12, 14:6; Ephesians 1:7; I Peter 1:18, 19). The Christian has two natures, one carnal and one spiritual, which become a source of spiritual conflict (Rom. 8:1-13; I Cor. 2:15-3:3). While his position is perfect in Christ, the believer’s present condition is no more perfect than his daily experience. He is called upon to live a separated life and can have a spiritually mature experience in which he will evidence the fruits of righteousness through the new nature, the Holy Spirit’s control and the assimilation of God’s Word (2 Cor. 7:1; John 17:14, 16; Gal. 5:16-25; Eph. 4:22-32; 5:17-21). We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, become children of God, immediately receive eternal life, are sealed by the Holy Spirit, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever (John1:12, 6:37-40; 10:27- 30; Romans 8:1, 38, 39; I Corinthians 1:4-8; I Peter 1:5; II Corinthians 1:21-22). We believe it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word; which, however, clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh (Romans 13:13, 14; Galatians 5:13; Titus 2:11-15).
SECTION 6.
We believe that the Church, which is the body and espoused bride of Christ, is a living spiritual organism made up of all born-again persons of this present age whom Christ is the head (Ephesians 1:22- 23, 4:2-6, 5:25-27; I Corinthians 12:12-13; II Corinthians 11:2). We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures, that the Church is not Israel and has not replaced Israel. (Acts 14:27; 20:17, 28-32; I Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11, I Corinthians 10:32 ).We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has left two ordinances to be observed by the local church in commemoration of His person and work. The one is that of baptism (immersion) in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The other is the partaking of the Lord’s Supper. No person is qualified to have part in either of these two ordinances unless he is a child of God. (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:41, 46, 47; 16:33; I Corinthians 11:23-32).
SECTION 7.
We believe that God gives spiritual enabling gifts for service to all believers (Romans 12:6- 8; I Corinthians 12:4-11; Ephesians 4:11- 16; I Peter 4:10). We believe that the apostolic age of signs and the gifts of healing and tongues ceased with the ministry of the apostles chosen personally by Christ and with the completion of the written Word of God. We believe that speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of the baptism nor of the filling of the Spirit. The gifts which remain are sufficient for the ministry and the perfecting of the Church today. We believe that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith, according to His will, for the sick and afflicted (James 5:14, 15; 1 Corinthians 12:29-31; 13:8).
SECTION 8.
We believe that it is the obligation of the saved to witness by life and by word to the truths of Holy Scripture and to seek to proclaim the Gospel to all mankind (Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8; II Corinthians 5:19, 20).
SECTION 9. We believe, according to Scripture, in the personal premillennial return of the Lord Jesus Christ; that this second coming will be a literal, bodily, personal appearance to the earth; that His coming for His Bride, the Church, precedes the Tribulation and constitutes the blessed hope set before us, for which we should be constantly looking (Acts 1:11; Matthew 24:27, 30, 44; John 14:1-3; I Thessalonians 1:10; 4:13-17; Revelation 19:11-19, 22:20).
SECTION 10.
We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:31-46; John 5:28-29; 11:25-26; Revelation 20:5-6, 13- 14).
SECTION 11. We believe in the reality and personality of Satan - enemy of God, Israel, and the Church. As believers we should not take Satan lightly, but be on alert to Satan’s attacks, resist and stand decisively against Satan using the armor of God, knowing that Christ prays for us. (Matthew 4, Jude 8-9, I Peter 5:8-9, James 4:7, Ephesians 6:11-18, Hebrews 7:25).