ARTICLE IV – STATEMENT OF DOCTRINE

 

Preamble: The statement of faith does not exhaust the extent of our beliefs. The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe. For purposes of South Side Bible Church’s faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, our Elders Board is South Side Bible Church’s final interpretive authority on the Bible’s meaning and application.

 

Section A – The Holy Scriptures

 

We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the verbally inspired Word of God, the final authority for faith and life, inerrant in the original writings, and infallible. 2 Tim. 3:16‑17; 2 Pet. 1:20‑21; Mt. 5:18; Jn. 16:12‑13.

 

Section B – The Godhead

 

We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons‑‑Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—co‑eternal in being, co‑identical in nature, co‑equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfection. Dt. 6:4; 2 Cor. 13:14; 1 Pet. 1:2.

 

Section C – The Person and Work of Christ

 

(1) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son of God, became a man without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men. Jn. 1:1‑2,14; Lk. 1:3-5.

 

(2) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and, that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead. Rom. 3:24‑25; Eph. 1:7; 1 Pet. 1:3‑5; 2:24.

 

(3) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate. Acts 1:9; Heb. 9:14; Rom. 8:34; 1 Jn. 2:1‑2.

 

Section D – The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

 

(1) We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and, that He is the supernatural agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption. Jn. 16:11; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:12‑14; 2 Cor. 3:6; Eph. 1:13‑14.

 

(2) We believe that He is the divine teacher who guides believers into all truth; and, that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit. Jn. 16:13; Eph. 5:18; 1 Jn. 2:27.

 

Section E – The Total Depravity of Man

 

We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam’s sin the race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and that man, outside Christ, is totally depraved, and of himself utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. Gen. 1:26‑27; Rom. 3:22‑23; 5:12; Eph. 2:1‑3, 12.

 

Section F – Salvation

We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on the cross for forgiveness of our sins. Jn. 1:12; Eph. 2:8-10; 1 Pet. 1:18-19.

 

Section G – The Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers

(1) We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever. Jn. 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Rom. 8:1, 38-39; 1 Cor. 1:4-8; 1 Pet. 1:5.

 

(2) We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word, which, however, clearly forbids the use of Christian lib- erty as an occasion for sin to reign in the mortal body, exacting obedience to the body’s desires. Rom. 6:12; 13:13-14; Gal. 5:13; Titus 2:11-15.

 

Section H – The Two Natures of the Believer

 

We believe that every saved person possesses two natures, with provision made for victory of the new nature over the old nature through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit; and, that all claims to the eradication of the old nature in this life are unscriptural. Rom. 6:13; 8:12‑13; Gal. 5:16‑25; Eph. 4:22‑24; Col. 3:10; 1 Pet. 1:14‑16; 1 Jn. 3:5‑9.

 

Section I – Separation

 

We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord; and, that separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and associations is commanded of God. 2 Tim. 3:1‑5; Rom. 12:1‑2; 14:13; 1 Jn. 2:15‑17; 2 Jn. 9, 11; 2 Cor. 6:14‑7:1.

 

Section J – Missions

 

We believe that it is the solemn duty of the saved to witness by life and by word to the truths of Holy Scripture and to seek to proclaim the Gospel to all mankind. Mk. 16:15; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor. 5:19‑20.

 

Section K – The Ministry and Spiritual Gifts

 

(1) We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowment of all His gifts and that the gifts of evangelists, pastors, and teachers are sufficient for the perfecting of the saints today; and that speaking in tongues and the working of sign miracles gradually ceased as the New Testament Scriptures were completed and their authority became established. 1 Cor. 12:4‑11; 13:8‑10; 14:1‑25; 2 Cor. 12:12; Eph. 4:7‑12.

 

(2) We believe that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith, in accord with His own will, for the sick and afflicted. Jn. 15:7; 1 Jn. 5:14‑15.

 

Section L – The Church

 

(1) We believe that the Church, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all born‑again persons of this present age. Eph. 1:22‑23; 5:25‑27; 1 Cor. 12:12‑14; 2 Cor. 11:2.

 

(2) We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures. Acts 14:27; 20:17; 28:28‑31; 1 Tim. 3:1‑13; Titus 1:5‑11.

 

Section M – Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality

 

We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. Gen. 1:26-27. Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person.

 

We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. Gen. 2:18-25. We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other. 1 Cor. 6:18; 7:2-5; Heb. 13:4. We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. Ex. 20:14; 1 Cor. 6:18; Heb. 13:4; 1 Cor. 13:4,5.

 

We believe that any form of sexual immorality, (including but not limited to) adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, transgenderism, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography, is sinful and offensive to God. Mt. 15:18-20; 1 Cor. 6:9-10.

 

We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of South Side Bible Church as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a biblical role model to the South Side Bible Church members and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by South Side Bible Church in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, agree to and abide by this Statement on Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality. Mt. 5:16; Phil. 2:14-16; 1 Thess. 5:22.

 

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; Rom. 10:9-10; 1 Cor. 6:9-11.

 

We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. Mk. 12:28-31; Lk. 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 South Side Bible Church.

 

Section N – Sanctity of Human Life

 

We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life. Ps. 139.

 

Section O – Dispensationalism

 

We believe in the dispensational view of Bible interpretation. However, we reject the extreme teaching known as “Hyper Dispensationalism,” such as that teaching which opposes either the Lord’s Table or water baptism as a scriptural means of testimony for the Church in this age. Mt. 28:19‑20; Acts 2:41‑42; 18:8; 1 Cor. 11:23‑26.

 

Section P – The Personality of Satan

 

We believe that Satan is a person, the author of sin and the cause of the fall of man; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and that he shall be eternally punished in the lake of fire. Job 1:6‑7; Is. 14:12‑17; Rev. 20:10.

 

Section Q – The Second Advent of Christ

 

We believe in the “Blessed Hope,” the personal, imminent, pre‑tribulation and pre‑millennial coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His redeemed ones; and in His subsequent return to earth with His saints to establish His Millennial Kingdom. 1 Thess. 4:13‑18; Zech. 14:4‑11; Rev. 3:10; 19:11‑16; 20:1‑6; 1 Thess. 1:10.

 

Section R – The Eternal State

 

(1) We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment. Mt. 25:46; Jn. 5:28‑29; 11:25‑26; Rev. 20:5‑6, 12‑13.

 

(2) We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await the first resurrection, when spirit and soul will be reunited in a new body to be glorified forever with the Lord. Lk. 23:43; Rev. 20:4‑6; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23; 1 Thess. 4:16‑17.

 

(3) We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious misery until the second resurrection, when with soul and body reunited they shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment, and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment because of the rejection of God’s Son as their Savior. Lk. 16:19‑26; Mt. 25:4‑46; 2 Thess. 1:7‑9; Jude 6‑7; Mk. 9:43‑48; Rev. 20:11‑15.