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GIVE

Statement of Faith

What we believe and teach at Riverside Bible Church

  1.  We believe:
    1. In the plenary, verbal inspiration of the Old and New Testaments in the original writings allowing the believer to say with authority, God has spoken; in Biblical scriptures, as administered by the Holy Spirit, as the final and complete basis for Christian faith and life, and the only real, vital constitution of the church. Matthew 5:18; John 16:12-13; II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:19-21; Revelation 22:18-19
    2. In the eternal triune God as the one, and only one, true, infinite God, intelligent Spirit, maker and supreme ruler of heaven and earth; inexpressively glorious, perfectly holy, and worthy of all honor, trust, love, and praise; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, equal in every divine perfection and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the work of redemption. Exodus 20:2-3; Deuteronomy 6:4; Romans 13:1; I Corinthians 8:6; II Corinthians 13:14; I John 5:7; Revelation 4:11
    3. In the divine Person of the Holy Spirit, equal with God the Father and God the Son; that He convicts the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment; that He restrains the evil one; that He fulfills the will of God; that He is the divine agent in regeneration; that He baptizes all believers into the Body of Christ; that He indwells, fills, seals, empowers, guides and teaches the believer; that He bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. Genesis 1:1-3; Matthew 28:19; Mark 1:8; Luke 1:35, 24:49; John 1:33; 3:5-6; 14:16-17, 26; 16:8-13; Acts 5:30-32; 11:16; Romans 8:9; 14-16, 26-27; I Corinthians 12:12-14; II Corinthians 3:6; Ephesians 1:13-14; 5:18; Hebrews 9:14; I John 2:20
    4. In the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God; that He became man, without ceasing to be God, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin; that by the appointment of God He freely took upon Himself our nature, and though He was without sin, yet was made sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God; that He made possible the redemption of sinful man by His voluntary death, both physical and spiritual, on the cross; that by the grace of God He was our vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice so that we might stand without sin before God; and that the seal of our justification is His literal, physical resurrection from the dead; That He ascended to heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God the Father where as our High Priest He fulfills the ministry of representative, intercessor, and advocate. Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; 53:4-7; Matthew 1:18-25; 18:11; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-2, 14; 3:16; Acts 1:9-10; 15:11; Romans 3:24-25; 8:34; I Corinthians 15:3; II Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8; Philippians 2:7; I Timothy 2:5-6; Hebrews 2:14; 7:25; 9:24; I Peter 1:3-5; 2:24; I John 2:1-2, 4:10
    5. In the total depravity of man, in his inherited sinful nature as a result of Adam’s willful sin, and in his own willful rejection of God, so that man is alienated from God and completely unable to remedy his lost condition. Genesis 1:26-27; 3:1-6; 3:24; John 1:12-13; 3:5-7; 6:44, 63-65; 8:43, 47; 14:17; Acts 16:30-33; Romans 1:18-24, 32; 3:22-23; 5:12, 19; 6:23; 8:5-8; I Corinthians 2:14; II Corinthians 5:17-19; Ephesians 1:2
    6. That all God’s Elect are kept forever (eternally secure) by God the Father in and for the Lord Jesus Christ. Psalm 65:4; Isaiah 43:10-13; John 6:37-40; 10:27-29; 17:1-24; Romans 8:1, 35-39; I Corinthians 1:4-8; Philippians 1:6; I Peter 1:5; Jude 1
    7. That Satan is a created being Who became the enemy of God and our adversary who goes about seeking whom he may devour; that we are to submit ourselves to God, resist Satan and he will flee; that he is to be eternally tormented in the lake of fire. Genesis 3; Job 1:6-7; Matthew 4:2-11; 25:41; John 8:44; James 4:4-7; I Peter 5:8; Revelation 20:10
  2. We also endorse and traditionally teach the following tenets although affirmation of these is not considered a prerequisite for membership:
    1. The Sovereignty of God. Daniel 4:35; Psalm 135:6; Isaiah 43:7; 45:7; Amos 3:6; Ephesians 1:11
    2. God foreknew His own, predestinated, called, justified, and glorified by His grace. Romans 8:28-29; 8:38-39; Psalm 65:4; John 1:13; Ephesians 1:4; 2:8
    3. Christ’s atonement is effective toward all with respect to Adam’s transgression, but is limited to the Elect regarding their own transgressions. Romans 5:12-21
    4. The elect are made righteous, holy, blameless, and above reproach before God based entirely on the finished work of Christ. Romans 5:19; II Corinthians 5:21; Colossians 1:22; I Thessalonians 3:13
    5. Christ’s finished work includes:
      1. The removal of the condemnation of Adam’s sin for all men. John 1:9; 1:29; 6:33; Romans 5:12; 5:18; Romans 7:9; I Timothy 4:10
      2. Christ’s voluntary substitutionary death in the place of His own. John 15:13; Romans 5:6-8; 8:32; I Corinthians 5:7; 15:3,11; II Corinthians 5:21
      3. Complete reconciliation of God’s elect to Himself. Romans 5:10; II Corinthians 5:18; Ephesians 2:16; Colossians 1:20-22
      4. Complete redemption of His elect as the payment of God’s penalty for sin. Romans 3:24; I Corinthians 1:30; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14
      5. Complete propitiation for His elect so that God is appeased and satisfied. Romans 3:25; I John 2:2; 4:10
    6. Whereas our position in Christ is accomplished by this finished work, the primary meaning of “saved” is Christ’s deliverance of the believer in our walk (fellowship); this work of His grace is realized in the life of the believer through trusting Christ’s faithfulness. John 10:26; I Corinthians 15:1-2; I Timothy 4:16
    7. The elect are set apart or sanctified by God. John 17:17; I Corinthians 1:2, 30; Ephesians 5:26; I Thessalonians 5:23-24; Jude 1
    8. Believers are instructed to participate in a memorial of the Lord’s Supper to show forth His death until He comes. Matthew 26:26-30; Luke 22:14-22; I Corinthians 11:23-26
    9. That all believers are baptized (identified) into the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit; baptism by water is not a scriptural requirement and is not necessary for spiritual regeneration or church membership. Matthew 3:11; Luke 3:16; John 1:33; I Corinthians 1:17; Titus 3:5
    10. God gives diversity of gifts according to His sovereign will for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, and for the edifying of the body of Christ; the sign gifts of I Corinthians 13 have ceased. Romans 12:4-21; I Corinthians 12-14
    11. All believers are to live and act toward each other in the love of Christ esteeming others better than themselves; and since it is God who works in believers both to will and to do of His good pleasure, believers are to do all things without murmurings and disputings and whatsoever they do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him. Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:1-4; 4:11-16; Colossians 1:18; 3:12-17; Philippians 2:3-4; 2:13-16
    12. The nation of Israel is distinct from the church. Deuteronomy 7:6-8; Isaiah 10:20-21, 14:1; Jeremiah 23:2-6; Ezekiel 39:25; Romans 11:1-2, 12-23
    13. The literal resurrection of all men, those who are Christ’s to eternal life and fellowship with God, and the reprobate to judgment, to eternal separation from God and to everlasting punishment. John 5:28-29; Revelation 20:4-15
    14. The pretribulational, pre-millennial return of our Lord for His own. John 14:3; Acts 1:11; I Corinthians 15:51-52; I Thessalonians 1:10, 3:13, 4:13-18, 5:9-10; II Thessalonians 1:7-10, 2:6-8; I Timothy 6:14-16; Revelation 3:10, 5:9-10, 12:1-5
    15. The Seventieth week of Daniel as a literal seven year period preceding the establishment of Christ’s earthly kingdom during which time God deals with the Jew and with the Kingdoms of this world. Daniel 9:24, 27; Matthew 24:15, 21
    16. The literal and physical return of Christ to earth with His saints to establish a thousand year kingdom age. Isaiah 24:21-23; Jeremiah 23:2-6; Zachariah 14:4-9; Matthew 24:29-31; Revelation 19:11-16, 20:1-5
    17. The final judgment of the dead. Revelation 20:11-15
    18. The new heavens and the new earth. II Peter 3:10-13; Revelation 21:1