Statement of Faith
The Fellowship of Charis Churches, believing the Bible, the whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible to be the infallible rule of faith and of practice and feeling the responsibility to make known the divine message of the Bible, presents the following articles as a statement of those basic truths taught in the Bible which are common to our Christian faith and practice.
- THE BIBLE.
The Word of God,
the sixty six Books of the Old and New Testaments,
verbally inspired in all parts,
and therefore wholly without error as originally given of God (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21). - THE ONE TRUE GOD.
Existing eternally as three persons
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:22; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14). - THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
His preexistence and deity (John 1:1 - 3),
incarnation by virgin birth (John 1:14; Matthew 1:18 - 23),
sinless life (Hebrews 4:15),
substitutionary death (2 Corinthians 5:21),
bodily resurrection (Luke 24:36 - 43),
ascension into heaven and present ministry (Hebrews 4:14 - 16),
and coming again (Acts 1:11). - THE HOLY SPIRIT.
His personality (John 16:7 - 15),
and deity (Acts 5:3 - 4),
and His work in each believer:
baptism and in dwelling
at the moment of regeneration (1 Corinthians 12:13; Romans 8:9),
and filling (Ephesians 5:18)
to empower for Christian life and service (Ephesians 3:16; Acts 1:8; Galatians 5:22 - 23). - MAN.
His direct creation in the image of God (Genesis 1:26 - 28),
his subsequent fall into sin resulting in spiritual death (Genesis 3:1 - 24; Romans 5:12),
and the necessity of the new birth for his salvation (John 3:3 - 5). - SALVATION.
A complete and eternal salvation by God's grace alone
received as the gift of God through personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
and His finished work (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-7; 1 Peter 1:18-19).
- THE CHURCH.
One true church,
the body and the bride of Christ (Ephesians 1:22 - 23; 5:25 - 32),
composed of all true believers of the present age (1 Corinthians 12:12 - 13);
and the organization of its members in local churches
for worship,
for edification of believers,
and for world wide gospel witness,
each local church being autonomous
but cooperating in fellowship and work (Ephesians 4:11 - 16). - CHRISTIAN LIFE.
A life of righteousness, good works and separation unto God from the evil ways of the world (Romans 12:1 - 2),
manifested by speaking the truth (James 5:12),
maintaining the sanctity of the home (Ephesians 5:22 - 6:4),
settling differences between Christians in accordance with the Word of God (1 Corinthians 6:1 - 8),
not engaging in carnal strife but showing a Christ like attitude toward all men (Romans 12:17 - 21),
exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22 - 23),
and maintaining a life of prayer (Ephesians 6:18; Philippians 4:6),
including the privilege, when sick, of calling for the elders of the church to pray
and to anoint with oil in the name of the Lord (James 5:13 - 18). - ORDINANCES.
The Christians should observe the ordinances of our Lord Jesus Christ
which are
(1)baptism of believers by triune immersion (Matthew 28:19) and
(2)the threefold communion service, consisting of
the washing of the saints' feet (John 13:1 - 17),
the Lord's Supper (1 Corinthians 11:20 - 22, 33 - 34; Jude 12),
and the communion of the bread and the cup (1 Corinthians 11:23 - 26). - SATAN.
His existence
and personality as the great adversary of God and His people (Revelation 12:1 - 10),
his judgment (John 12:31),
and final doom (Revelation 20:10). - SECOND COMING.
The personal, visible, and imminent return of Christ
to remove His church from the earth (1 Thessalonians 4:16 - 17)
before the tribulation (1 Thessalonians 1:10; Rev. 3:10),
and afterward to descend with the Church
to establish His millennial kingdom upon the earth (Revelation 19:11 - 20:6). - FUTURE LIFE.
The conscious existence of the dead (Philippians 1:21 - 23; Luke 16:19 - 31),
the resurrection of the body (John 5:28 - 29),
the judgment and reward of believers (Romans 14:10 - 12; 2 Corinthians 5:10),
the judgment and condemnation of unbelievers (Revelation 20:11-15),
the eternal life of the saved (John 3:16),
and the eternal punishment of the lost (Matthew 25:46; Revelation 20:15).