Doctrinal Statement of Redeemer Bible Church of San Jose
THE WORD OF GOD
We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, fully inspired in every word and without error in the original manuscripts, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and that it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct (2 Tim. 3.16-17; 2 Peter 1.19-21). We believe the Bible, when believed and obeyed for the glory of God, is sufficient to provide all the wisdom that is necessary to live a godly life (1 Peter 1.22; 2 Peter 1.2-4; John 17.17). We believe the Bible is infallible and absolutely accurate and reliable in all its statements. We believe the Scriptures should be interpreted in the literal, grammatical-historical context. The Bible is complete, God is not adding additional revelation to it.
THE TRINITY
We believe that there is one living and true God (Deut. 6.4), self-existent and self-sustaining, externally existing as one in essence or nature (John 10.30), yet in three persons, each equally deserving worship (John 5.23; 9.38; Acts 5.3-5); that these are equal in every divine perfection, and that they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence and redemption (Matt. 28.19; Matt. 3.16-17; John 14.16). We believe the triune God is unchanging in His attributes (James 1.17) and that His ways, judgments and moral character are infinitely perfect, above us and beyond our scrutiny (Isa. 55.9-11; Rom. 11.33-35). We believe God is perfectly righteous (Ps. 11.7), true (Rom. 3.4), omnipotent (Rev. 19.6), omnipresent (Ps. 139.7-9), love (1 John 4.7-8), holy (1 Peter 1.15-16) and omniscient. We believe God’s knowledge of the past, present and future events is exhaustive and absolute (Isa. 44.7; 46.10). We believe God’s essence or substance is spirit (John 4.24). We believe He is eternal and that He created all things that exist out of nothing, simply by the word of His power. We believe that the universe, including man, came to exist in a fully developed state as a result of this creative act of God in six literal days, not by any process of evolution (Isa. 42.5; Gen. 1 & 2).
GOD THE FATHER
We believe God the Father, as the first person of the Trinity; as Creator is Father to all men (Eph. 4.6), yet is the spiritual Father of only believers (Rom. 8.14; Gal. 3.26). He is sovereign over creation, providence and salvation (Ps. 103.19; Rom. 11.36). He has decreed for His own glory all things that come to pass (Eph. 1.11) and providentially directs all creatures and events (1 Chron. 29.11). He saves from sin all who come to Him through Jesus Christ and adopts them as His own, becoming their eternal Father (John 1.12; Rom. 8.15; Gal. 4.5).
JESUS CHRIST
We believe Jesus Christ is eternal, having no beginning (John 8.58); being fully God, equal to the Father (John 5.19, 22). We believe that at the incarnation Christ surrendered only the prerogatives of deity but nothing of the divine essence. He joined to His divine person all the essential elements of humanity so as to be fully human, while not diminishing or losing any of His divine attributes (Col. 2.9; John 14.9) In relation to God the Father He is the only begotten Son (John 1.1-2; Micah 5.2; John 8.58; 13.3; 17.5; 1 Tim. 3.16; Is. 9.6; Phil. 2.6-7).
We believe in His virgin birth; His human nature being miraculously conceived by the Holy Spirit (Isa. 7.14; Luke 1.35; John 1.14; Matt. 1.18-25); His sinless life (1 John 3.5; 1 Peter 2.22; Heb. 4.15); His miracles and teaching (John 20.30-31). We believe in His substitutionary atoning death (Rom. 3.24-25; Eph. 1.7; 1 Peter 2.24; 2 Cor. 5.21); His bodily resurrection (Rom. 1.4; 4.25); His ascension into heaven (Acts 1.9-10); His perpetual intercession for His people (Heb. 7.25; 9.24); His return to the earth at which time He will set up His kingdom (Rev. 19.11-16; 20.1-6; Matt. 24.3 – 25.46).
THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe the Holy Spirit is God, the third person of the Trinity, possessing all the attributes and nature of God including omniscience (1 Cor. 2.10-13), omnipresence (Ps. 139.7-10), and eternality (Heb. 9.14). He is co-equal with the Father and Son (Matt. 28.19; Acts 5.3-4). He was sent from the Father and Son to convince the world of sin, righteousness and judgment (John 1.8-11), and to regenerate (Titus 3.5), sanctify (2 Thess. 2.13, seal (Eph. 1.13-14), and empower (Acts 1.8) all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells, teaches, and guides (John 16.13 – 14). He sovereignly bestows spiritual gifts on Christians which are given for the purpose of building up the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12.7, 11).
MAN
We believe man was directly and immediately created by God so that man would glorify God, enjoy fellowship with Him and His life in fulfilling God’s will (Isa. 43:7; Col. 1:16; Rev. 4:11; 21:3-4; 22:3-5). We believe Adam’s sin of disobedience resulted in Adam and all of his descendant’s physical and spiritual death and their becoming sinner’s by nature and by choice (Rom. 5:11-12; Eph. 2:3; Rom. 3:10-18). Man is inherently sinful in his nature and estranged from God even from the womb (Ps. 51:7; Eph. 2:3) and is subject to the just wrath of God (Rom. 3:9-10, 13-18) and utterly incapable of choosing or doing, apart from God’s Grace, that save himself from his sin and its consequences and is hopelessly lost (Eph. 2:12; Rom. 3:23). Man’s salvation therefore is completely of God’s grace through the redemption that is provided by Christ’s death on the cross (Eph. 1:7; 2:8-9; Rom. 3:24; 6:23).
Man, because of his sinful bias against God, does not desire and therefore would never choose God nor believe in His Son (Rom. 3:10-13) unless God, in His sovereign mercy intervened (John 6:44). Man, due to his sinful heart, is spiritually dead (Eph. 2:1-3) and, therefore, apart from God’s grace, unwilling and unable to respond to the gospel (John 6:44,65). Man does not desire nor welcome the truth of God’s Word and is, by nature, rebellious and antagonistic to God’s rule (Rom. 8:6-8; 1 Cor. 2:14; Rom. 3:9-18), blind to God’s glory (2 Cor. 4:4), futile and darkened in his understanding (Eph. 4:17-19; John 8:43-47) because of his refusal to honor and submit to God (Rom. 1:20-32). He loves his sin and will not give it up nor relinquish control of his life to God (John 3:19-21). He is threatened by and hates the true Christ and His Word (John 8:37-47; 15:18-21). He is spiritually at war with God and is counted by God as an enemy (Rom. 5:6-8; James 4:4).
MARRIAGE, GENDER AND SEXUALITY
We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female (Genesis 2:18-22). These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God (Genesis 1:26-27). Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person. We believe that marriage was created by God as the covenantal union of one man and one woman in a single, lifetime, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture (Genesis 2:18-25). A civil government’s sanction of a union will be recognized as a legitimate marriage by the church only to the extent that it is consistent with the definition of “marriage” found above. We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other (1 Corinthians 6:18; 7:2-5; Hebrews 13:4). We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God (Matthew 15:18-20; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10).
We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31). Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of Redeemer Bible Church. We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ (Acts 3:19-21; Romans 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11).
SALVATION
We believe that salvation is accomplished wholly by God on the basis of the shed blood of His Son Jesus Christ, whose death provided for us redemption. Jesus Christ’s death completely and once for all provided substitutionary payment for our sins (1 Peter 2:24; 3:18; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 10:10-14). It is His death alone which satisfies forever the holy justice of God toward believing sinners (Rom. 3:25-26; Heb. 2:14-17; 10:10-14). It is on the basis of grace alone through faith in Christ that we are saved (Eph. 2:8-9).
We believe God saves any sinner who calls upon Him in faith: believing Jesus alone is Lord and that He alone has paid the penalty for their sins by dying on the cross and rising again for them (Acts 2:21; 1 Cor. 15:1-5). This faith inherently involves repentance (turning from sin) and submission to Christ alone as Lord (Acts 2:36-38).
We believe that God chose (elected) before the foundation of the world, and apart from any foreseen worthiness, or initiative on the sinner’s part, those whom He would save (Eph. 1:4: 2 Tim. 1:9; Acts 13;48; John 6:37-40). We believe His sovereign election does not in any way contradict or negate the responsibility of man to repent and trust Christ nor in any way diminish the urgency to evangelize all peoples (Ezek. 18:23,32; 33:11; John 3:18-19, 36; 5:40; Rom. 10:11-17; Matt. 28:18-20). We believe that God’s sovereignty and human responsibility, though incomprehensible to us, are perfectly compatible in the infinite wisdom and goodness of God (Rom. 9:18-20; 11:33-36).
We believe that justification before God is an act of God by which He declares a believing sinner to be perfectly and eternally righteous before Him based upon the righteousness of Christ credited to the sinner, not any work or virtue of man (Rom. 3;27-28; 4:1-5; Titus 3:5; Eph. 2:8-9; Phil. 3:9; Jude 24).
We believe that one who trusts in Christ for salvation can never lose their salvation. This is because of the righteousness of Christ credited to him, (Rom. 4:4-9), the faithfulness of God to keep him (Phil. 1:6; 2 Tim. 1:12; 2:13; Jude 24), the power of God to preserve him (1 Peter 1:4-5; John 10:27-30), the sovereignty of God in saving him (Rom. 8:28-30; 2 Tim. 1:9), and the unconditional love of Christ for him (Rom. 8:31-39; John 10:27-30; Jude 24-25).
We believe that all those who are saved will manifest it by a life of increasingly turning from sin to obedience to Christ (Matt. 7:15-23; 1 John 3:8-10). Salvation occurs at the moment the sinner first repents and believes in Christ, it is evidenced by ongoing faith and repentance toward Christ. Those claiming salvation but living an unrepentant, disobedient life may have a false assurance of salvation and are warned to examine themselves (2 Cor. 13:8; Matt. 7;21-23).
EVANGELISM
We believe the gospel must be proclaimed to all people and all that hear must be called to repentance and faith in Christ as their only means of salvation (John 3:16; 14:6; Acts 4:12). We must plead, with the compassion and persuasiveness of Christ Himself, for all peoples to respond to the gospel and receive Christ alone as their Lord and Savior (Acts 2:36-41; 2 Cor. 5:20-21).
We believe the church must proclaim the gospel message fully without deletions, additions, hesitancy or deceit (Gal. 1:9-11; 1 Cor. 1:17-2:5; 15:1-5) as modeled by the Apostles (Acts 5:17-21; 2:22-41; 3:12-26; 13:26-41).
We believe God’s sovereignty does not diminish man’s responsibility to believe nor lessen man’s guilt and accountability for sin and rejection of Him (John 8:24). God not only reveals His sovereign grace as the source of salvation; He just as clearly reveals human responsibility in believing for salvation (John 3:16). God does not believe for us. We believe and repent; yet it is not man’s wisdom, efforts, arguments, cleverness or methods that awaken a sinner’s heart to faith and repentance but God’s wonderful sovereign grace (John 1:12-13; Eph. 2:1-9; 2 Tim. 2:25-26).
God’s sovereignty does not diminish our responsibility to evangelize all nations. The Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20) is a mandate and not an option for Christians. We must passionately proclaim the gospel to all people and make disciples of Christ locally and globally, having confidence that we will be used by our great Shepherd, Jesus, to bring to Himself all His sheep (John 10:9, 16). The gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 2:1-5; 1 Cor. 1:23).
True faith and repentance are the result of the work of God in a person’s heart (2 Tim. 2:25-26; Heb. 12:1). All human efforts are futile without the regenerating work of God’s Spirit (John 6:63). Man’s methods cannot bring conversion. Man’s works cannot earn salvation (Phil 3:8-9; Tit. 3:3-5).
The human means that God has chosen to use in evangelism is His people proclaiming the gospel (Rom. 10:1; James 5:17) and godly living (1 Peter 3:15-17; John 13:34). Therefore, we are committed to earnest prayer, Christ-like living, and gospel proclamation as our priorities in evangelism.
SANCTIFICATION
Sanctification consists of two distinct aspects:
First, the Christian is made perfect in his/her standing before God because the righteousness of God is credited to him/her the moment he/she believes (Phil. 3:7-9; Rom. 3:24; 4:4-5). This is known as positional sanctification.
Sanctification is also the process of God conforming us to the image of His Son, becoming more holy [set apart from sins] (Heb. 10:14; Phil. 3:12-14). This second aspect of sanctification is accomplished through the Word of God, the Spirit of God and the people of God [the local church] (Eph. 4:13; Rom. 8:29; Col 2:10). Through obedience to the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit the believer is able to live a life of increasing holiness (Gal. 5:16-24; Eph. 4:22-24). The motivation for living obedient, holy life is not to earn salvation but out of thankfulness for God’s grace in granting salvation and out of reverence and awe of God’s worthiness. It is also for the joy of knowing, glorifying and being rewarded by God (2 Cor. 5:10, 14-15; 1Cor. 9: 24-27; 10:31; Phil. 3:8-10; Rev. 5:9). We believe that all Christians are commanded to be filled with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18); that they should live for the glory of God (Eph. 1:6, 12, 14; Rom. 12:1-2).
THE CHURCH
The Church is the Body of Christ (Eph. 1.22-23). Its existence, life and purpose are found in Jesus Christ. It is comprised of all true born-again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 2.11 – 3.6), who are placed into the Church (the body of Christ) immediately when they first believe (1 Cor. 12.13). The Church began on the Day of Pentecost and will be completed when Christ returns for His own at the rapture (Acts 2.1-21, 38-47; 1 Thess. 4.13 – 18). The Church is distinct from Israel (1 Cor. 10.32). All who are part of the Church partake of Christ’s life and are under His authority as their Head (Col. 1.18; 2.19; 3.4). They are all indwelt by Him and are the channel through which He manifests His life on the earth (Gal. 2.20). Like a branch cut off from a tree, the church has absolutely no power or life within herself, but is filled with the power and only fruitful to the extent that She is abiding in Christ who then manifests His life through Her (John 15.1-8)
We believe each local church is autonomous, free from external authority and control (Tit. 1.5).
We believe the purpose of the church is to glorify God (1 Cor. 10.31) by reflecting the love of Christ (1 Tim. 1.5; John 13.34-35), and by making disciples through evangelizing non-believers and teaching them to obey Christ (Matt. 28.18-20). A local church carries on evangelism primarily outside its walls as equipped, edified members proclaim Christ in word and deeds of love (Phil. 2.25-26; John 13.34-35). The ministries, which take place within the walls of church buildings, are primarily for the purpose of corporate worship, equipping and edifying and edifying the saints so they can do the work of the ministry (Acts 2.42; Eph. 4.11-16).
We believe the universal church is manifested through local churches and that Christians are to commit themselves together in one of these local churches (Heb. 10.25), which are to be governed by spiritually qualified men called Elders [also called bishops and pastors] (1 Tim. 3.1-10; Acts 20.28). These Elders are responsible, through the ministry of the Word, to lead, feed, spiritually guide, protect and shepherd the flock of God to increasing spiritual maturity and obedience to the Lord (Heb. 13.17; 1 Peter 5. 1-3; Acts 20.28-31; 1 Tim. 3.4-5). The ministry of pastors and teachers is to equip the saints so they will fulfill their ministry in building up the Body of Christ (Eph. 4.11-12, 16).
We believe God accomplishes His plan on the earth through the church as each member of the Body of Christ uses their spiritual gifts to serve the Body (Eph. 3.10; 4.15-16). We believe all Christians have equal access and spiritual privileges as priests to come to God in prayer through Jesus Christ, and equal affection from God as His children (1 Cor. 12.4-7; 1 Peter 4.10-11; Heb. 4.14-16; 1 Peter 2.8-9; John 1.11-13).
SPIRITUAL GIFTS
We believe there are two kinds of spiritual gifts given to the church: miraculous gifts of divine revelation and healing given temporarily in the Apostolic era for the purpose of receiving and confirming the authenticity of the apostle’s message (Heb. 2.3-4; 1 Cor. 14.21; 2 Cor. 2.12); and ministering gifts, given to equip and edify one another in the Body (Eph. 4.16). When the Apostolic era ended and the New Testament revelation was complete, scripture became the sole test of authenticating a man’s message and confirming gifts of a miraculous nature were no longer necessary to validate a man or his message (1 Cor. 13.8-12; 2 Peter 1.16-21). Though the gifts of healing and miracles are no longer residing in individuals today, God in His sovereignty does hear and answer the prayer of faith and will answer in accordance with His own will for the sick and afflicted (2 Cor. 12.6-10; James 5.13-16; 1 John 5.14-15).
THE ORDINANCES
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the local church – Baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Matt. 28.18-19; Luke 22.14-20). We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water into the name of the triune God and is an act of obedience to the command of Christ, not a condition for salvation (Acts 2.38; 8.36-39). Baptism is a picture or union with Christ and a public identification with Christ as Lord and with His Body (Acts 2.38-42; 11.47-48; Rom. 6.1-4). We believe that the Lord’s Supper was instituted by Christ for commemoration of His death (1 Cor. 11.23-33) and is only for believers and to be preceded by self-examination (1 Cor. 11.28-32). We believe that these two ordinances should be observed and administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
ANGELS AND SATAN
We believe angels are spirit beings created by God to serve Him and that they are not themselves to be worshipped or venerated in any way (Rev. 5.11-14; 22.9). Satan is a created angel and the author of sin. He incurred God’s judgment by rebelling against His creator and taking numerous angels with Him in His rebellion (Isa. 14.12-17; Ezek. 28.11-19; Rev. 12.9-10; Matt. 12.41). Satan is an enemy of God and has the world under his influence and deception (1 John 5.19; Matt. 4.8-10; 2 Cor. 4.4-5). He has been defeated through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Rom. 16.20; Heb. 2.14-15) and will be eternally punished in the lake of fire (Matt. 25.41; Rev. 20.10).
THE LAST THINGS
We believe the “blessed hope” of the church to be the rapture of the church (1 Thess. 4.16-18; Titus 2.13). We believe there will be a seven-year tribulation period of divine judgments on the earth (Dan. 9.25-27; 2 Thess. 2.7-12; Matt. 24.15-31) prior to Christ’s personal, bodily, physical return to earth (Acts 1.9-11; Matt. 24. 29-31) to set up His kingdom (Matt. 24.29-31: 25:31-46; Rev. 19.11-20.6). We believe this kingdom on earth will include fulfilling God’s promises to Israel in regenerating a believing remnant (Jer. 31.31-37; Ezek. 37.11-14), restoring their land and their nation (Ezek. 36.16-28). We believe there will be a bodily resurrection of all people: the saved unto eternal life (John 6.39; Rom. 8.19-23; Rev. 20.1-5) and the unsaved to judgment and eternal conscious punishment in separation from God in hell (Dan. 12.2; John 5.39; Rev. 20.11-15; 2 Thess. 1.8-10; Matt. 25.41). At death the believer immediately passes into the presence of the Lord (Phil. 1.23). The body of the believer will be raised at the rapture when Christ returns for His church (1 Thess. 4.13-18).