Our
Doctrinal Statement is at the very heart of all subjects taught at the
Seminary, in both Resident Study and by Independent Study.
We
are reminded of the Apostle Paul's words as he instructed Timothy and Titus
regarding the responsibilities of a minister: "If you put the brethren in
remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ,
nourished up in words of faith and of good doctrine..."
(I Timothy 4:6) "You
must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine"
(Titus 2:1)
We
believe that our Doctrinal Statement maintains “good” and “sound
doctrine” that presents basic and essential Biblical tenets that our
faculty hold in common, as follows:
We
believe in the plenary and verbal inspiration and authority of all the
sixty-six (66) canonical books of the Old and New Testaments as the divinely
inspired and inerrant Word of God and submit to them as the only infallible
authority in all matters of faith and practice. We believe the
original documents were inerrant as to fact and infallible as to truth.
We
believe in one God, revealed to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, eternal in
being, identical in nature, equal in power and glory, and having precisely the
same attributes and perfection.
We
believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but through
Adam's sin, became alienated from God, acquired a sin nature, and came under
the law and penalty of death.
A.
We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, Who was conceived in human flesh when the
Holy Spirit came upon the virgin Mary and the Power of the Highest overshadowed
her. This holy thing which was born of
Mary was the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ.
He came into this world in order that He might reveal Himself to us as
God in human flesh and save us from all our sins. He accomplished
our salvation through His substitutionary sacrificial death on the cross and
our redemption is made available to us by His resurrection from the dead as the
only sinless man who ever lived. Our eternal salvation from sin,
death and hell is assured only by faith in Him and reserved in heaven for all
eternity.
B.
We believe in the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and that He is now
reigning in Heaven and in the lives of all believers in Him; He is exalted at
the right hand of God the Father, where He fulfills the ministry of
intercession for all believers.
C.
We believe in the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Who will,
at His Second Coming, bring about: the Resurrection from the dead of all who
ever lived; the Final Judgment; the End of this present world; the Eternal
Damnation of all who reject Him; the Eternal Salvation of all true believers in
Him who will continue to reign with Him for all eternity, in His New Heaven,
His New Earth and His Holy City, the New Jerusalem, “and there shall be no more
curse” (Rev. 22:3).
We
believe that eternal salvation is a free gift from God offered to man by His
grace and received only by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, wherein a
believer's sins are forgiven eternally and the Holy Spirit of God takes up
residence in the believer's heart, manifesting good works pleasing to God for
time and eternity.
A.
We believe that the Holy Spirit dwells in all believers and offers guidance into
the fuller experience of truth which He is ever granting to those who
diligently seek after Him in accordance with the Holy Scriptures.
B.
We believe that all true believers have been spiritually Baptized in the Holy
Spirit into One Body, the Body of Christ Jesus (1 Cor. 12:13,
25-27).
C. We believe that the Fruit of the Holy
Spirit, in the life of all believers, is the evidence and witness of having
been Baptized in the Holy Spirit and walking in the Spirit with: “love, joy,
peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance”
(Gal. 5:22-26) in all that we say and do, in living our lives for Christ Jesus
today.
D: We believe
that the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, in the life of all believers, are given
according to the Holy Spirit’s will (Heb. 2:4).
Believers may or may not receive a specific gift from the Holy Spirit:
as “there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:4) and “the
selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man as He will” (1 Cor. 12:11). A believer, Baptized in the Holy Spirit, may
not have the same gift or gifts that another believer may have, because it is
not the Holy Spirit’s will to do so. We
must leave these matters to the Holy Spirit (Prov. 3:5 & 6). “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk
in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of
vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another” (Gal 5:22-26).
E.
We believe that the mission of the Holy Spirit is to testify of Jesus Christ
and to bring glory and honor to Him. The Holy Spirit helps, teaches,
and empowers believers who seek to live for Christ in accordance with the clear
teaching of Scripture.
We
believe the Church is body of Christ Jesus for those who trust, by faith alone,
in Him as their personal God and Savior.
This includes all believers in Him who are now in heaven, as well as
those who are temporarily on this earth.
The Church is referred to in the Old Testament as the “Congregation”, or
the “Assembly”. Stephen’s sermon (Acts
7:38) makes this clear: “This is He
(Christ Jesus), that was in the Church in the Wilderness”, referring to the Old
Testament Church, the Congregation or Assembly.
It was only after the saving work of Christ Jesus was accomplished that
the Old Testament Church took on the Gospel Ministry as the New Testament
Church. Today the Church is entrusted,
by Christ Jesus, with the Great Commission to go and make disciples of all
people, to baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit
and to teach them to love and obey the Lord and His Holy Word, the
Bible. The Church is to be faithful in the proclamation of the
Gospel by the preaching of the Holy Scriptures and in the observance of Holy
Baptism and Holy Communion. The Church is to manifest the fruit and
the gifts of the Holy Spirit in worship and service of the Lord, Jesus Christ.
We
believe that Heaven is a real place where believers will forever be with the
Lord; it is the final blessed eternal home for all who have their faith in
Jesus Christ (see Article 4 C).
We
believe that hell is a real place and after the Final Judgment of Christ Jesus,
death and hell will be cast into the lake of fire where there is no
annihilation, but conscious eternal punishment of the wicked. This
is the second death and the final state of damnation for all who have rejected
God’s eternal love and forgiveness, through His Son, Jesus Christ.
We
believe that the ministry is devinely called and ordained of God for the
evangelization of the world and the edifying of the body of
Christ. We believe we should follow the clear teachings in the Bible
regarding role relationships of men and women in Ministry. God has
made a man and a woman to be complimentary to each other, with different
Scriptural role relationships that must be observed for unity as laborers
together with Christ our Lord, who is the Head of the Church.
·
1 Corinthians
11:3; 14:33-40; 1 Timothy 2:9-14; Titus 2:1-5
We
believe that we are to love one another and do all we can to keep unity among
all believers in Jesus Christ.
We
believe that Satan is the Devil who sinned from the beginning. He is
known by many names in the Bible and is the prince of this cursed earth and the
fallen angels who are demonic spirits. Satan desires to deceive all
people in any way he can so they will not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as
their personal God and Savior. Satan was defeated by Jesus Christ
through His sinless life, death, and resurrection from the
dead. Satan's ultimate end is eternal damnation in the “lake of
fire”, with all who have rejected God's love and forgiveness through Jesus
Christ our Lord.
We
believe that God created supernatural heavenly beings called angels who serve
the Lord and worship Him in Heaven. They also assist, protect, and
deliver believers from Satan's attacks.
We
believe that demonic spirits are fallen angels who serve Satan against God and
all mankind. Their purpose is to separate believers from
God. They assist Satan who wants to destroy all people and spread
false doctrine. They will have their part in the lake of fire with
Satan and all who reject the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. If
believers submit themselves to God and resist the devil, he will flee from
them.
We
believe that Baptism, when administered according to the command of Jesus
Christ and when received with believing faith in Him for the forgiveness of our
sins, is an act of obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ as an outward testimony
that we have died to self, in Christ, and have been washed by His atoning blood
for newness of eternal life.
We
believe that Communion, when administered according to the command of Jesus
Christ and when received with believing faith in Him is an act of obedience to
Christ our Lord as we remember His death until He comes again. It is
also a time for spiritual self-examination in the presence of the Lord Jesus
Christ as we take Communion with Him and our fellow believers.
We
believe that marriage between a man and a woman is a Divine Order established
by God in creation. God made man and woman in His
image. Each is made, by God, for the other with their essential
natures being complementary so that they may be brought into oneness in
marriage. However, any sexual relationships outside of marriage, by
a man and a woman, or any sexual relationships between members of the same sex
are absolutely forbidden by God.
We
believe that it is the will of God to have us pray to Him for healing of body,
mind, and spirit. We realize that God works to heal us for all
eternity and sometimes He permits physical illness in our life to accomplish
His divine purpose.
We
believe that the Atonement is holy, vicarious and unlimited. It is
the central doctrine of faith regarding all that the Lord Jesus Christ
accomplished by His sufferings and sacrificial death on the Cross for the sins
of all people; redeeming mankind and bringing about the reconciliation of God
to man through Jesus Christ, for those who do not resist the Holy Spirit and do
receive Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. John
3:15-16; 12:32, 47; Acts 2:21; 17:30-31; Romans 5:8-11; 1 Timothy 2:1-6; 2
Peter 3:9; Revelation 22:17.
A. The Millennium
(1000 years):
We believe that the Millennium, the “thousand years”, as defined spiritually by
the Bible in Psalms 90:4 and 2 Peter 3:8; and as specifically used in Rev.
20:2-6, represents God’s Covenant of Grace, thru Christ Jesus in His Church
(Acts 2:47; 7:38; Eph. 2:1-10; 3:2, 5-10; Titus 2:11-15) as evidenced by Christ
Jesus’ First Coming (John 3:16-17; Eph. 2:8-9) and His Ascension to heaven
(Acts 1:9-11), where He lives and reigns with the souls of believers in heaven
(Rev. 20:4,6), as well as within the souls of believers who are now on earth
(Rom. 5:17, 21; 8:34; I John 4:13-17); until the “thousand years are expired”
(Rev. 20:7) and “the Son of Man cometh at an hour when ye think not” (Luke
12:40); in His Second Coming for the Final Judgment (2 Peter 3:7-13; Rev.
20:11-15). He will then “make all things new” (Rev. 21:1-5) and all
believers will reign with Him in His New Heaven and New Earth, forever (Rev.
5:10, 22:3-5). Amen.
We believe that Christ Jesus had His angel bind Satan and cast him into the
bottomless pit for the symbolic “thousand years” (Rev. 20:1-3). This
binding of Satan took place when Christ Jesus “was manifested that He might
destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8); and “the prince of this world be
cast out” (John 12:31). “The prince of this world is judged” (John
16:11). Satan is “the strong man bound” in Mt. 12:28-29. All
believers in Christ Jesus may now “resist the Devil and he will flee from you”
(James 4:7). Satan has now been bound for over 2,000 years and he
cannot stop the Gospel Ministry (Mt. 28:18-20; Acts1:8-11) nor can Satan stop
believers from resisting him, because he has been bound and defeated by Christ
Jesus (James 2:6-7). Our Lord, Christ Jesus, may come at anytime,
for His Second Coming and the Last Things.
B. The Last Things
(Eschatology):
We believe that the Last Things, as presented in the Bible, are as follows:
1.
We believe that the Lord, at His Second
Coming, has the beast (the world’s dictator) and the false prophet (the world’s
false religious leader) cast alive into the lake of fire and brimstone, forever
and their evil kings and armies killed to await the Final Judgment (Rev.
19:19-21). Also, at Christ Jesus’ Second Coming “Fire came down from
God, out of heaven and devoured them (Satan and his host); and the devil
(Satan) who deceived them (the nations) was cast into the lake of fire and
brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented
day and night forever and ever” (Rev. 20:7-15).
2.
We believe that the Lord, at His
Second Coming, brings to pass the Resurrection of the Dead for the Final
Judgment of all people (John 12:48; 1Thess. 4:13-17; 5:1-2; Hebrews 9:27-28; 2
Peter 3:7; Rev. 20:7-15). There is the Damnation of the lost who did
evil, and rejected Christ Jesus, who will spend all eternity in the lake of
fire (John 5:28-29; Rev. 20:15); and the Salvation of all who did good and love
the Lord, Christ Jesus, who will spend all eternity with the Lord and His
Church (John 5:28-29; Rev. 21:24-27; 22:3-5).
3.
We believe that the Lord, at his
Second Coming, brings an End to the World, (Matthew 24:3; 28:20; Hebrews
9:26-28) where the present heavens and this present cursed earth (Gen. 3:17-19;
Rev. 22:3-5) will be “dissolved”, by fire (2 Peter 3:7-13; Rev. 20:9; 21:3-5)
and made new. Believers, living on
earth, at His Second Coming “shall be caught up together, with them in the
clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord (1
Thes. 4:13-18).
4.
We believe that the Lord, at His
Second Coming, makes “all things new” (Rev. 21:5): a new heaven and a new
earth, with the Holy City the New Jerusalem, that will come down from God out
of heaven, where Christ Jesus will dwell with believers and they shall be His
people and God will be with them and be their God, and God will make “all
things new” (Rev. 21:1-27). There shall be no more curse; we shall
see His face and reign with Him, forever and ever (Rev. 11:15; 22:5).
It is here, that the Covenant God made with Abraham (Gen. 17:7-8)
is finally fulfilled, as an everlasting covenant”; on His new and perfect
“Canaan Land”, called the new earth, because this present earth will be totally
“burned up”, on the “Day of the Lord”, at Christ’s Second Coming (2 Peter 3:
7-13).
We believe that the Bible makes it clear that Christ Jesus
will not reign on this present earth, until after the Great White Throne Final
Judgment when “the earth and the heavens fled away; and there was found no
place for them” (Rev. 20:11), and a “new heaven and a new earth… and the Holy City,
New Jerusalem” came down “from God out of heaven” and God will then dwell with
His people (Rev. 21:1-3), and “there shall be no more curse…and His servants
shall serve Him…and they shall reign (with Him) forever and ever" (Rev.
22:3-6). In fact, Jesus will not reign on this “cursed” earth until
He makes “all things new…and there shall be no more curse” (Rev. 21:5;
22:3). Also, just prior to Christ Jesus’ sacrificial death on the
Cross for all people, Jesus told Pilate: “My Kingdom is not of this world”
(John 18:36). The Apostle Peter confirms Jesus’ statement to Pilate
when he wrote: “Looking for and hasting unto the Coming of the Day of God,
wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall
melt with fervent heart, nevertheless we, according to His Promise, look for
new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwellth righteousness” (2 Peter
3:12-13). “Amen. Even so, Come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20).
We recommend the following textbooks for an indepth study of Systematic
Theology, on an interdenominational basis, at Covenant Bible Seminary:
1.
Reformed view: “A summary of Christian Doctrine” by Louis Berkhof; Pub.
The Banner of Truth, resit edition, 2005, ISBN 10: 0-85151-055-8 and ISBN 13:
978-0-85151-055-2
2.
Conservative
Evangelical Lutheran view: “Doctrinal
Theology” by Heinrich Schmid, 1875 Pub. Augsburg 1961. “Christian
Doctrine” by Prof. E. Hove, Pub. Augsburg 1930. “Christian
Dogmatics” by John T. Muller, Pub. Concordia 1955. “Christian
Dogmatics” by F. Pieper, Pub. Concordia 1970.
3.
Evangelical
Reformed Charismatic view: “Renewal
Theology, The Church, the Kingdom & Last Things” Vol.3 by J. Rodman
Williams, Ph.D., Pub. Zondervan 1988 ISBN 0-310-24890-6
4.
Conservative
Biblical view: “Biblical Hermeneutics’”, by
Milton S. Terry, Pub. Zondervan, 1981, ISBN 0-310-36831-6
We realize that we may not share the same exact doctrinal
views with all Christians, but we seek: “to love one another and do all we can
to keep unity among all believers in Jesus Christ” (Article 11, page 46).
There
are a number of Christian denominations, colleges and theological seminaries
that reject much of what the Bible clearly teaches to be true. For
example, a survey of over 7,000 ministers was taken regarding what they
believed concerning the doctrines of the Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ and the
Holy Scriptures. Two questions were asked these ministers in
America’s largest denominations: (1) Do you believe in the Virgin
Birth of Jesus Christ?; (2) Do you believe that the Bible is true
and the final authority regarding what we should believe and how we should live
our lives? The majority of these ministers said “no” to these two
questions, and accordingly they rejected Article 1 of our Doctrinal Statement
concerning the inerrancy of Scripture.
We believe in doing something about what we believe. As a part of
our Mission Statement, it is the desire of the Seminary to teach and train our
students in the truths of the Holy Bible, so they may be better enabled to
serve in Christian ministry vocations in our community and throughout the
world, as a part of Jesus’ Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20).
Please
study our Doctrinal Statement, so you will understand what we uphold and teach
from God's Holy Scriptures.