Statement of Faith

Lincoln Community Bible Church Doctrine

THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. We believe the orthodox protestant Bible, in the original writings of Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic to be the verbally inspired Word of God. It is inerrant, infallible, God-breathed, and of supreme and final authority in all matters of life and faith. II Tim. 3:16; Heb. 4:12; I Pet. 1:23; II Pet. 1:21

THE GODHEAD. We believe in One Triune God, existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, eternal in Being, identical in essence, equal in power and glory, and possessing the same attributes and perfection. Duet. 6:4; Matt. 3:16, 17; 28:19; II Cor. 13:14; Eph. 2:18; 4:4-6

THE PERSON AND WORK OF CHRIST. We believe in Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, Who is the Eternal Word manifested in a human body of flesh. We believe:

1. That He eternally exists as God.
   Micah 5:2; John 1:1-3, 14; 10:30; 14:9; Col. 1:15-19; and Col. 2:9
2. That He was conceived by the Holy Spirit.
   Matt. 1:18
3. That He was born of the virgin, Mary.
   Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18-25; Luke 2:4-7
4. That He is true God and true man, and that He was tempted in every way as we are,  yet He was without sin.
   Matt. 4:1-11; Heb. 4:15
5. That He died for our sins as a substitutionary sacrifice, fulfilling the Scripture.
   Matt. 27:31-54; Rom. 5:8-10; I Cor. 15:3
6. That He literally, bodily arose from the dead.
   Luke 24:1-9; I Cor. 15:3
7. That He ascended into heaven and is now seated at His Father’s right hand, assuring us of the perfection of His work of redemption.
   Acts 1:9-11; Eph. 1:20-23; Col. 3:1; Heb. 12:2
8. That He is the Head of His Church and leads in its activities, and on behalf of the individual believer, He now intercedes for our weaknesses and appears as our advocate when we sin.
   Rom. 8:34; Eph. 1:22-23; Heb. 7:25; 9:24
9. That He will return to rapture or resurrect His saints who are to be active participants in His kingdom.
   I Thess. 4:13-17; 5:4-9; Rev. 3:10; 6:6-16:17
10. That He will personally return to earth in glory, to judge the rebellious and establish His millennial reign on earth.
    Isa. 11; Matt. 24:29; Rev. 19:11-20:15; Matt. 24:30-31

THE PERSON AND WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.  We believe the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Godhead, convicts men of sin, calls them to salvation, regenerates, baptizes, indwells, seals, and sets believers apart unto a holy life, that He keeps and empowers believers day by day and bestows spiritual gifts for service, that He is the Teacher of the Word of God and Guide for our daily lives. John 3:5-8; 14:16-18, 26; 15:26; 16:7-14; Acts 1:8; I Cor. 12:4-13; Eph. 1:13-14; 4:30; 5:18

THE TOTAL DEPRAVITY OF MAN.  We believe that man was created in the image of God and that he sinned through willful disobedience to God and thereby incurred not only physical death, but also spiritual death, which has been imparted to the whole human race. We believe that all human beings are born with the law of sin within them, and are sinners in thought, word and deed. Therefore, all are in need of redemption. Gen. 1:26-27; chapter 3; Psalm 51:5; Isa. 53:6; Rom. 1:18-32; 3:9-18, 23; Eph. 2:1-5; Col. 1:21

SALVATION.   We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice, and that all who believe in Him as Savior are justified on the basis of His shed blood. We believe in justification by faith alone. John 1:12-13; 3:16; Rom. 5:1-9,11; 8:1; 10:9-10; I Cor. 15:3-4; Eph. 1:7; 2:8-9

1. Salvation is by grace; a free gift of God granted apart from human performance of righteous works. Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5
2. Salvation is by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. John 3:16; 14:6; Acts 16:30-31
3. All who receive Him are regenerated and indwelt by the Holy Spirit and become children of God. John 1:12; Rom. 8:9, 14-16
4. All who are saved will be kept forever. John 3:15-16; 5:24; 10:27-29; Rom. 8:38-39; Phil. 1:16; I Pet. 1:15

THE CHURCH.  We believe the church:

1. In her invisible form is the true body of Christ on earth and all who are born again of the Holy Spirit of God are true members regardless of their organizational affiliation. I Cor. 12:13; Eph. 1:22-23; 5:25-30
2. In her visible form is composed of those who organize according to the Word of God, or associate themselves for the purpose of worship, edification and service. Matt. 18:20; I Thess. 5:11-15; Heb. 10:24-25
3. Has been commissioned by Christ to propagate and proclaim the Gospel unto the uttermost parts of the earth, and it is the personal responsibility of each of her members to do this by means of prayers, giving of their means and witnessing. Matt. 28:19-20; II Cor. 5:18-20; 9:6-8; Col. 4:2-3

THE FUTURE. We believe in the personal premillennial return of the Lord Jesus Christ to this earth. Acts 1:10-11

1. Jesus Christ will return for His saints, to gather them unto Himself. I Thess. 4:13-17
2. Jesus Christ will return with His saints, to judge the nations and to establish upon the earth His Messianic Kingdom. Matt. 24:29-30; II Thess. 1:6-10; Rev. 19:11; 20:6
3. We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just to eternal abode in the glory of His presence, and the eternal damnation of the wicked in the lake of fire. I Cor. 15; Rev. 20:4; 22:5

CHRISTIAN LIVING. We believe Christian living includes Christian worship and service and that every believer should seek to live a holy life and separate himself from all that dishonors God. I Cor. 3:9-16; Rom. 6:11-13; Gal. 5:16-21; Eph. 4:17-29

ORDINANCES. We believe that water baptism and the Lord’s Supper are ordinances to be observed by the Church during the present age. They are, however, not to be regarded as means of salvation. Matt. 28:19; Luke 22:19-20; I Cor. 11:23-32

1. Water baptism is for those who have received Jesus Christ as their own Savior and have requested to be baptized. The mode of baptism is immersion.
2. The Lord’s Supper is for every true believer in Christ who is walking in the light. This ordinance is open to every believer in Christ regardless of church membership.