Doctrinal Statement

This users.bible.org site is a sister site of bible.org and is open to all people who agree with the  bible.org doctrinal statement which has been adapted for use on the users.bible.org site below.

Overview

Bible.org is a broadly evangelical website with free access to the NET Bible with 60,237 translators' notes and a collection of thousands of biblically based articles, Bible studies, sermons, and various other trustworthy Bible study resources. The authors on bible.org are carefully scrutinized for their faithfulness to accuracy and truthfulness in interpreting scripture and you can count on their material to be "trustworthy"

Whether on bible.org or on users.bible.org. we believe there are core essential beliefs that are fundamental to our faith and we strive to ensure all of the resources of bible.org or users remain faithful and consistent to those foundational biblical beliefs. We also understand the broader doctrinal issues we deal with at bible.org and users.bible.org will have a range of interpretations within the Christian community and believe we should grant one another grace in interpretations of the non-essential beliefs. Whereas the authors on bible.org has been vetted by the staff we have not done that with the authors on users.bible.org. We require the readers on users.bible.org to check the material against the scripture and help us to detect articles that are not consistent with orthodox Christian understanding of the Bible. 

If the authors on users.bible.org have posted something you believe should be reviewed for appropriateness, biblical accuracy, or theological soundness for posting at users.bible.org, please e-mail us with your comments. If it is a blog please also comment on their blog. The possibility always exists that our new authors may have overlooked or miscommunicated something or even mislead us during the application process. We thank you in advance.

Here are our essential beliefs at bible.org and users.bible.org

The Bible

We believe the Bible to be the inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men, and the divine and final authority for all Christian faith and life. When we say inspired and without error, we mean we believe this to be verbal, plenary, infallible, and inerrant throughout.

God the Father

We believe in one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

God the Son

We believe that Jesus Christ is true God and true man, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He died on the cross as the sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures. Further, He arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, where, at the right hand of the Majesty on High, He now sits as our High Priest and Advocate.

God the Holy Spirit

We believe that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and during this age to convict men, regenerate the believing sinner, and indwell, guide, instruct, and empower the believer for godly living and service.

Mankind

We believe that human beings were created in the image of God but fell into sin and are therefore lost. Only through personal faith in Jesus Christ and regeneration by the Holy Spirit can salvation and spiritual life be obtained.

Substitutionary Death of Christ

We believe that the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ and His resurrection provide the only ground for justification and salvation for all who believe, and only such as receive Jesus Christ through faith are born of the Holy Spirit, and thus become children of God.

The Church

We believe that the true Church is composed of all such persons who through personal faith in Jesus Christ have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and are united together in the body of Christ of which He is Head.

We believe that Jesus Christ is the Lord and Head of the Church, and that every local church has the right under Christ to decide and govern its own affairs.

Eschatology

We believe in the bodily resurrection of the dead; of the believer to everlasting blessedness and joy with the Lord, of the unbeliever to judgment and everlasting conscious punishment.

How We Believe~

1. In the essentials we have unity (Eph 4:3-6)
2. In the non-essentials we have diversity (Rom 14:1-22)
3. In all things charity (1 Cor 13:2)

What We Believe~

In his Series titled Christian Basic Training Charles Buntin makes the point that the core doctrines of biblical Christianity are practical. These are not doctrines that you put up on a shelf to admire--they are doctrines that you can and must use in your everyday walk. Because our goal is to produce practicing, practical Christians who can impact their own community for the cause of Christ, we have chosen to follow his advice by composing the following doctrinal statement that we believe will help unite us in our efforts to strengthen fellow believers for more effective service to God while consistently reflecting the mind of Christ in their approach and attitude.

Charles classifies the essentials into 6 groups. 

1. The Essential Christian Worldview--We all have a worldview, whether we realize it or not. This section asks and answers two questions--this set of questions and answers constitute the Christian Worldview. (a) What is Truth? and (b) Why are we alive?

• a)… the Bible is the Word of God and is Truth and that Truth is personified in Jesus Christ. To know Truth face-to-face is to know Christ personally. (John 17:17) (John 14:6)
• b)… we are created for God’s pleasure and to bring him glory in all that we do and say. Revelation 4:11, Philippians 2:9-11, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 10:31. 

2. The Inspiration, Inerrancy (which means "without error"), and Authority of the Scriptures--This is the most basic of doctrines for the believer. If we do not understand that the Scriptures are our final authority, then we can never be certain about the other teachings of the faith.

• The Bible is the Word of God, fully inspired and without error in the original manuscripts, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct. (Matthew 5:18, 2 Tim 3:15-17, 1 Thes 2:13,1 Peter 1:21)

see also topic index : Inspiration Inerrancy

3. The Nature of God--What kind of God do YOU worship? The modern "god" is too small, he has no definite doctrines, his plans and providence are subject to man's whims and desires, he is a cosmic wimp. The God of the Bible is The Absolute God, who is:

• Sovereign, (Rom 9:1-25; Psalm 115:3; 135:6)
• Holy, (Psalm 99:9; 33:21; 77:13; John 17:11)
• Omnipotent, (Isaiah 43:13; Job 42:2)
• Omniscient, (Psalm 147:4-5; Isaiah 42:9)
• Omnipresent, (Psalm 139:7-12)
• Immutable, (James 1:17; Hebrews 1:10-12; Hebrews 13:8; Malachi 3:6)
• Wrathful, (Psalm 95:11, Rom 1:18 ,)
• Merciful, (Genesis 19:16; Exodus 34:6; Hebrews 2:17; Hebrews 8:12) and
• Loving (John 3:16; 1 Timothy 4:10; 1 John 4:19; Jeremiah 31:3; Ephesians 1:4-5). 

4. The Doctrine of the Trinity--(Father, Son, Holy Spirit) as defined in the historic creeds of the Christian faith, the doctrine of the Trinity is essential to biblical Christianity: no Trinity--no Christianity. No Trinity--No salvation!

See also topic index: Trinity

Deut 6:4, Deut 32:6, Jer 3:19, 2 Cor 6:18, John 1:1, John 14:9, Acts 5:1-5 

5. The Person and Work of Christ--"What think ye of Christ . . .Who do men say that I am?" The answer to this question is the heart of hearts of the faith. Christ is Pre-existent, God Incarnate, Crucified, Risen, Coming Again. There is salvation in no one else.

See also topic index: Christology

Matt 1:23; Heb 1; John 1:1; 14:6; Acts 2:22; 4:12; 1 Cor 15:15-21; 2 Cor 5:21; Col 1:15-20; 1 Thes 4:16-17; Rom 8:23; 2 Pet 2:13 

6. Salvation: (a) By Grace, through faith in the Person and work of Jesus Christ alone, plus nothing. This is one of the major teachings that distinguishes biblical Christianity from all other religions--Man cannot work his way to God, God must do it all. (b) Justification by Faith, plus nothing. The corollary to 6a--we contribute nothing to our salvation; we respond in faith to the finished work of Jesus Christ.

See also topic index: Salvation

• a) Ephesians 2:8-10; Phil 2:12-13
• b) Romans 3:21-24, 28; Romans 4:1-5