What We Believe

While individual believers are free agents before God and may differ in how they interpret some passages of Scripture, we hold the following to be an accurate account and a general consensus of the beliefs of true believers, and, as such, what we advocate as the accepted beliefs that are taught and practiced at Sunrise Mountain Baptist Church.

I. The Bible

The Bible was written by men who were directly and divinely inspired by God. Consequently, although men were the scribes God worked through, God Himself is the author of the Bible. As a result it is without error and profitable to everyone for instruction, direction, reproof and correction. It is God's personal revelation of Himself to man.
- Therefore, it is totally true and trustworthy.
It reveals the principles by which God judges us, and is the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried.
All Scripture is a testimony to Jesus Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation.

II. God

There is one and only one living and true God.
He is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being, the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe. He is completely and only holy, all powerful and all knowing; and His perfect knowledge extends to all things, past, present, and future, including the future decisions of His free creatures.
To Him we owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience.
The eternal triune God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being.
A. God the Father
- God as Father reigns with providential care over His universe, His creatures, and the flow of the stream of human history according to the purposes of His grace. He is all powerful, all knowing, all loving, and all wise.
- God is Father in truth to those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
- He is fatherly in His attitude toward all men, women, boys and girls.
  - Genesis 1:1; 2:7; Exodus 3:14; 6:2-3; 15:11ff.; 20:1ff.; Leviticus 22:2; Deuteronomy 6:4; 32:6; 1 Chronicles 29:10; Psalm 19:1-3; Isaiah 43:3,15; 64:8; Jeremiah 10:10; 17:13; Matthew 6:9ff.; 7:11; 23:9; 28:19; Mark 1:9-11; John 4:24; 5:26; 14:6-13; 17:1-8; Acts 1:7; Romans 8:14-15; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 4:6; Colossians 1:15; 1 Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 11:6; 12:9; 1 Peter 1:17; 1 John 5:7.
B. God the Son
- Christ is the eternal Son of God.
- In His incarnation as Jesus Christ He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.
- Jesus perfectly revealed and did the will of God the Father, taking upon Himself human nature with its demands and necessities and identifying Himself completely with mankind yet without sin.
- He honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and in His substitutionary death on the cross He made provision for the redemption of men from sin.
- He was raised from the dead with a glorified body and appeared to His disciples as the person who was with them before His crucifixion, speaking with them, eating with them, spending time with them.
- He bodily ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where He is the One Mediator, fully God, fully man, in whose Person is effected the reconciliation between God and man.
- He will bodily return in power and glory to judge the world and to consummate His redemptive mission.
- He now dwells in all believers spiritually as the living and ever present Lord.
  - Genesis 18:1ff.; Psalms 2:7ff.; 110:1ff.; Isaiah 7:14; 53; Matthew 1:18-23; 3:17; 8:29; 11:27; 14:33; 16:16,27; 17:5; 27; 28:1-6,19; Mark 1:1; 3:11; Luke 1:35; 4:41; 22:70; 24:46; John 1:1-18,29; 10:30,38; 11:25-27; 12:44-50; 14:7-11; 16:15-16,28; 17:1-5, 21-22; 20:1-20,28; Acts 1:9; 2:22-24; 7:55-56; 9:4-5,20; Romans 1:3-4; 3:23-26; 5:6-21; 8:1-3,34; 10:4; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2:2; 8:6; 15:1-8,24-28; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21; 8:9; Galatians 4:4-5; Ephesians 1:20; 3:11; 4:7-10; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:13-22; 2:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 3:16; Titus 2:13-14; Hebrews 1:1-3; 4:14-15; 7:14-28; 9:12-15,24-28; 12:2; 13:8; 1 Peter 2:21-25; 3:22; 1 John 1:7-9; 3:2; 4:14-15; 5:9; 2 John 7-9; Revelation 1:13-16; 5:9-14; 12:10-11; 13:8; 19:16.
C. God the Holy Spirit
- The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, fully divine. He inspired holy men of old to write the Scriptures as He led them, directed them.
- Through illumination He enables men to understand truth.
- He exalts Christ.
- He convicts men of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment.
- He draws/calls men to the Saviour, and effects regeneration.
- At the moment of regeneration He spiritually baptizes/joins every believer into the Body of Christ.
- He cultivates and develops Christian character within the hearts and lives of every believer, comforts believers, and bestows the spiritual gifts by which they serve God through His church.
- He seals the believer (keeps them saved) unto the day of final redemption.
- His presence in the Christian is the guarantee that God will bring the believer into the ultimate personal presence of God in eternity.
- He enlightens and empowers the believer and the church in worship, evangelism, and service.
  - Genesis 1:2; Judges 14:6; Job 26:13; Psalms 51:11; 139:7ff.; Isaiah 61:1-3; Joel 2:28-32; Matthew 1:18; 3:16; 4:1; 12:28-32; 28:19; Mark 1:10,12; Luke 1:35; 4:1,18-19; 11:13; 12:12; 24:49; John 4:24; 14:16-17,26; 15:26; 16:7-14; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4,38; 4:31; 5:3; 6:3; 7:55; 8:17,39; 10:44; 13:2; 15:28; 16:6; 19:1-6; Romans 8:9-11,14-16,26-27; 1 Corinthians 2:10-14; 3:16; 12:3-11,13; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30; 5:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; 1 Timothy 3:16; 4:1; 2 Timothy 1:14; 3:16; Hebrews 9:8,14; 2 Peter 1:21; 1 John 4:13; 5:6-7; Revelation 1:10; 22:17.

III. Man

Man is the special creation of God, made in His own image.
God created human beings male and female as the crowning work of His creation.
- The gift of gender is thus part of the goodness of God's creation.
In the beginning man was innocent of sin and was endowed by his Creator with freedom of choice.
- However, in exercising his free choice man (and woman) sinned against God and brought sin into the human race.
Through the temptation of Satan man transgressed the command of God, and fell from his original innocence whereby every human being born since Adam and Eve's sin now inherits a nature and an environment inclined toward sin.
- Therefore, as soon as he/she is capable of moral action, each person becomes a transgressor and is under condemnation.
Only the grace of God can bring human beings into His holy fellowship and enable us to fulfill the creative purpose of God.
The sacredness of human personality is evident in that God created man in His own image, and in that Christ died for all men and women; therefore, every person of every race possesses full dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love.

IV. Salvation

Salvation involves the redemption of the whole man, and is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, who by His own blood obtained eternal redemption for the believer.
In its broadest sense salvation includes regeneration (being born spiritually upon receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior), justification (being forgiven of all sin and "made right" in God's judgment toward us -- also called being made "righteous"), sanctification (being set apart for God's special purpose on earth), and glorification (when we will be saved from even the presence of sin, allowed to spend eternity with God in heaven).
There is no salvation apart from personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord. Man cannot earn it on his own.
Jesus alone has lived a life without sin, and yet, because of His great love for us He offered His blood as the subsitutionary payment for our sin, offering the opportunity of salvation to all who will receive His gift of eternal life, accepting it by faith and submitting to the Lordship of Christ.
- A. Regeneration, brought about by repentance.
  - Regeneration, or the spiritual new birth, is a work of God's grace whereby believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus.
  - It is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
  - Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of grace.
    - Repentance is a genuine turning from sin toward God.
    - Faith is the acceptance of Jesus Christ and commitment of the entire personality to Him as Lord and Saviour.
- B. Justification.
  - Justification is God's gracious and full acquittal upon principles of His righteousness of all sinners who repent and believe in Christ.
  - Justification brings the believer unto a relationship of peace and favor with God.
- C. Sanctification.
  - Sanctification is the experience, beginning in regeneration, by which the believer is set apart to God's purposes, and is enabled to progress toward moral and spiritual maturity through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in him. Growth in grace should continue throughout the regenerate person's life.
- D. Glorification.
  - Glorification is the culmination of salvation and is the final blessed and abiding state of the redeemed.
    - Genesis 3:15; Exodus 3:14-17; 6:2-8; Matthew 1:21; 4:17; 16:21-26; 27:22-28:6; Luke 1:68-69; 2:28-32; John 1:11-14,29; 3:3-21,36; 5:24; 10:9,28-29; 15:1-16; 17:17; Acts 2:21; 4:12; 15:11; 16:30-31; 17:30-31; 20:32; Romans 1:16-18; 2:4; 3:23-25; 4:3ff.; 5:8-10; 6:1-23; 8:1-18,29-39; 10:9-10,13; 13:11-14; 1 Corinthians 1:18,30; 6:19-20; 15:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17-20; Galatians 2:20; 3:13; 5:22-25; 6:15; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-22; 4:11-16; Philippians 2:12-13; Colossians 1:9-22; 3:1ff.; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24; 2 Timothy 1:12; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 2:1-3; 5:8-9; 9:24-28; 11:1-12:8,14; James 2:14-26; 1 Peter 1:2-23; 1 John 1:6-2:11; Revelation 3:20; 21:1-22:5.

V. God's Purpose of Grace

Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners.
- It is consistent with the free agency of man, and comprehends all the means in connection with the end.
- It is the glorious display of God's sovereign goodness, and is infinitely wise, holy, and unchangeable.
- It excludes boasting and promotes humility.
Simply put, God elects to save all who choose to receive His gift of eternal life in Christ.
Even before the world was created God chose to elect/choose those who would be saved, those who would choose to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior.
And yet, God doesn't "force" people to be saved or eliminate man's free will.
God's grace can be and is, unfortunately, often resisted by human beings.
Still, God's desire is that every person would come to repentance and receive eternal life.
God's grace is unearned and offered freely to all who will receive the salvation God offers to those who will receive Jesus as Lord and Savior by faith.
All true believers endure to the end.
Those whom God has accepted in Christ, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never fall away from the state of grace, but shall persevere to the end.
- Believers may fall into sin through neglect and temptation, whereby they grieve the Spirit, and lose the joy of being related to Christ; they can even bring reproach on the cause of Christ and temporal judgments (consequences on earth) on themselves; yet they shall be kept by the power of God through faith as God's child, God's elect.
- This truth is called eternal security, and is often referred to as the truth that once a person is saved he/she is always saved.
  - Genesis 12:1-3; Exodus 19:5-8; 1 Samuel 8:4-7,19-22; Isaiah 5:1-7; Jeremiah 31:31ff.; Matthew 16:18-19; 21:28-45; 24:22,31; 25:34; Luke 1:68-79; 2:29-32; 19:41-44; 24:44-48; John 1:12-14; 3:16; 5:24; 6:44-45,65; 10:27-29; 15:16; 17:6,12,17-18; Acts 20:32; Romans 5:9-10; 8:28-39; 10:12-15; 11:5-7,26-36; 1 Corinthians 1:1-2; 15:24-28; Ephesians 1:4-23; 2:1-10; 3:1-11; Colossians 1:12-14; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14; 2 Timothy 1:12; 2:10,19; Hebrews 11:39–12:2; James 1:12; 1 Peter 1:2-5,13; 2:4-10; 1 John 1:7-9; 2:19; 3:2.

VI. The Church

A New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel.
A New Testament church...
- Observes the two ordinances of Christ (baptism and the Lord's Supper)
- Is governed by His laws
- Exercises the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word
- Seeks to extend the gospel to the ends of the earth
- And provides encouragement and assistance to other believers.
Each congregation operates under the Lordship of Christ, and each member is responsible and accountable to Christ as Lord.
The two Scriptural officers of the church are pastors (sometimes referred to as bishops or undershepherds or overseers) and deacons (sometimes referred to as elders).
- While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the Bible is clear that the office of pastor is limited to men only.
The New Testament speaks also of the church as the Body of Christ which includes all of the redeemed of all the ages, believers from every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation.

VII. Baptism and the Lord's Supper

A. Baptism.
- Baptism is not a sacrament, has no "saving qualities," and is not required for salvation.
- However, baptism is an important act of obedence, whereby the new believer attests to the change that has occurred in his/her life as the result of receiving by faith Jesus as Lord and Savior, and willingly identifies with Jesus and proclaims Him to be Lord of his/her life.
- Baptism is best pictured by the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit because immersion best symbolizes that he/she has already placed his/her faith in Jesus Christ who was crucified, buried (symbolized by being buried/immersed in the water of baptism), and risen (symbolized by coming up out of the baptismal water).
- In baptism the believer is testifying of his/her own death to sin, the burial of the old life, and how God has "resurrected" or raised the person to live a new life, sometimes described as "walking in the newness of life in Christ Jesus."
- Baptism is also a testimony of the believer's faith in the final resurrection of the dead.
B. The Lord's Supper.
- The Lord's Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby believers, through partaking of unleavened bread (symbolic of Jesus' pure, broken and pierced body offered as our sacrifice) and the fruit of the vine (symbolizing Jesus' blood shed on the cross), memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming.
  - Matthew 3:13-17; 26:26-30; 28:19-20; Mark 1:9-11; 14:22-26; Luke 3:21-22; 22:19-20; John 3:23; Acts 2:41-42; 8:35-39; 16:30-33; 20:7; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 10:16,21; 11:23-29; Colossians 2:12.

VIII. The Lord's Day

The first day of the week is the Lord's Day.
- It is certainly not the only day we should worship the Lord, because we should worship Him every day, and every day should be a day where we demonstrate our devotion to the Lord through our activities and conduct.
- It is also not the only "allowable" day for churches to gather together to worship. Worship is not about the day, it's about the Lord.
However, while Old Testament believers were instructed to honor the Sabbath (the 7th day of the week) and keep it holy in their thoughts and actions, New Testament believers began to view the 1st day of the week as the Lord's Day and their choice to worship on the first day of the week has been carried on throughout the centuries since then by most believers of every generation in commemoration of the fact that Jesus' resurrection occurred on Easter Sunday, the first day of the week.

IX. The Kingdom

The Kingdom of God includes both His general sovereignty over the universe and His particular kingship over men who willfully acknowledge Him as King.
Particularly the Kingdom is the realm of salvation into which men enter by trustful, childlike commitment to Jesus Christ.
Christians ought to pray and be obedient to the Lord so that God's will is done on earth as it is in heaven, with an understanding that the full consummation of the Kingdom awaits the return of Jesus Christ and the end of this age.

X. Last Things

God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring the world to its appropriate end.
According to His promise...
- Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth
- The dead will be raised
- And Christ will judge all men in righteousness.
  - The unrighteous will be consigned to Hell, the place of everlasting punishment by virtue of being forever separated from the presence of God.
  - The righteous in their resurrected and glorified bodies will receive their reward and will dwell forever in Heaven with the Lord.
    - Isaiah 2:4; 11:9; Matthew 16:27; 18:8-9; 19:28; 24:27,30,36,44; 25:31-46; 26:64; Mark 8:38; 9:43-48; Luke 12:40,48; 16:19-26; 17:22-37; 21:27-28; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:11; 17:31; Romans 14:10; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 15:24-28,35-58; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Philippians 3:20-21; Colossians 1:5; 3:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18; 5:1ff.; 2 Thessalonians 1:7ff.; 2; 1 Timothy 6:14; 2 Timothy 4:1,8; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 9:27-28; James 5:8; 2 Peter 3:7ff.; 1 John 2:28; 3:2; Jude 14; Revelation 1:18; 3:11; 20:1-22:13.

XI. Evangelism, Discipleship and Missions

A. Evangelism.
- The new birth of man's spirit by God's Holy Spirit effects within the believer a godly love for other persons and a desire that all will hear the good news of the gospel and respond in faith so that many will come to Christ and receive Him as personal Lord and Savior.
- Spreading the good news message that God loves all human beings, and that He has demonstrated His love in sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die once for all person's sin, is not only the desire of true believers, but it is also a commandment in the teachings of Christ.
- The Lord Jesus has commanded the preaching of the gospel to all nations.
B. Discipleship.
- It is the duty and privilege of every follower of Christ and every church of the Lord Jesus Christ to endeavor to make disciples, meaning faithful followers of Christ, throughout every nation, race, language, and people group of the world.
- Discipleship requires submission to God's will, and is given evidence as a believer grows in intimacy with the Lord through...
  - Prayer
  - Bible Study
  - Service to others
  - Incorporating and using his/her spiritual gifts
  - And telling others the good news of the gospel.
- Discipleship is a process of maturing in our faith, allowing Jesus to mold and shape us into His obedient followers to best accomplish His purposes through us.
C. Missions.
- Missions, in its purest definition, involves providing assistance and help to those in need.
  - Missions includes but is not limited to feeding the hungry, comforting the grieving, providing shelter and material assistance to the poor, visiting those in prison, caring for the sick, lending a hand in accomplishing tasks, etc.
- Missions, in a broader sense, can also be understood as ministering to people's tangible needs while also presenting the good news of the gospel, which is the only answer to the spiritual needs of each person, and in living a life that gives evidence of the presence of the Holy Spirit within by treating every person with respect and dignity, and being ready to be of help to all.
  - Genesis 12:1-3; Exodus 19:5-6; Isaiah 6:1-8; Matthew 9:37-38; 10:5-15; 13:18-30, 37-43; 16:19; 22:9-10; 24:14; 28:18-20; Luke 10:1-18; 24:46-53; John 14:11-12; 15:7-8,16; 17:15; 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2; 8:26-40; 10:42-48; 13:2-3; Romans 10:13-15; Ephesians 3:1-11; 1 Thessalonians 1:8; 2 Timothy 4:5; Hebrews 2:1-3; 11:39-12:2; 1 Peter 2:4-10; Revelation 22:17.

XII. Education

Christianity is the faith of enlightenment and intelligence.
In Jesus Christ abide all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
All sound learning is, therefore, a part of our Christian heritage.
The new birth opens all human faculties and creates a thirst for knowledge.
Moreover, the cause of education in the Kingdom of Christ is compatible with the causes of missions and general benevolence, and should receive along with these the liberal support of the churches.
An adequate system of Christian education is necessary to a complete spiritual program for Christ's people.
In Christian education there should be a proper balance between academic freedom and academic responsibility.
Freedom in any orderly relationship of human life is always limited and never absolute.
- Hence, the freedom of a teacher in a Christian school, college, or seminary is limited by and guided by the pre-eminence of Jesus Christ, by the authoritative nature of the Scriptures, and by the distinct purpose for which the school exists.
  - Deuteronomy 4:1,5,9,14; 6:1-10; 31:12-13; Nehemiah 8:1-8; Job 28:28; Psalms 19:7ff.; 119:11; Proverbs 3:13ff.; 4:1-10; 8:1-7,11; 15:14; Ecclesiastes 7:19; Matthew 5:2; 7:24ff.; 28:19-20; Luke 2:40; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31; Ephesians 4:11-16; Philippians 4:8; Colossians 2:3,8-9; 1 Timothy 1:3-7; 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:14-17; Hebrews 5:12-6:3; James 1:5; 3:17.

XIII. Stewardship

God is the source of all blessings, temporal and spiritual; all that we have and are we owe to Him.
Christians have a responsibility to take care of God's creation as well as to be a faithful steward in spreading the good news of the gospel, and to be a faithful and consistent steward in their earthly possessions.
Believers therefore are under obligation to serve Him with their time, talents, and material possessions; and should recognize all these as entrusted to them to use for the glory of God and for helping others.
According to the Scriptures, Christians should contribute of their means cheerfully, regularly, systematically, proportionately, and liberally for the advancement of the Redeemer's cause on earth.

XIV. Cooperation

Christ's people should, as occasion requires, organize such associations and conventions as may best secure cooperation for the great objectives of the Kingdom of God.
- Such organizations have no authority over one another or over the churches: they are voluntary and advisory bodies designed to elicit, combine, and direct the energies of our people in the most effective manner.
Members of New Testament churches should cooperate with one another in carrying forward the missionary, educational, and benevolent ministries for the extension of Christ's Kingdom.
Christian unity in the New Testament sense is spiritual harmony and voluntary cooperation for common ends by various groups of Christ's people.
- As such, cooperation is desirable between the various Christian denominations, when the end to be attained is itself justified, and when such cooperation involves no violation of conscience or compromise of loyalty to Christ and His Word as revealed in the New Testament.
  - Exodus 17:12; 18:17ff.; Judges 7:21; Ezra 1:3-4; 2:68-69; 5:14-15; Nehemiah 4; 8:1-5; Matthew 10:5-15; 20:1-16; 22:1-10; 28:19-20; Mark 2:3; Luke 10:1ff.; Acts 1:13-14; 2:1ff.; 4:31-37; 13:2-3; 15:1-35; 1 Corinthians 1:10-17; 3:5-15; 12; 2 Corinthians 8-9; Galatians 1:6-10; Ephesians 4:1-16; Philippians 1:15-18.

XV. The Christian and the Social Order

All Christians are under obligation to seek to make the will of Christ supreme in our own lives and in human society.
Means and methods used for the improvement of society and the establishment of righteousness among men can be truly and permanently helpful only when they are rooted in the regeneration of the individual by the saving grace of God in Jesus Christ.
In the spirit of Christ, Christians should oppose...
- Racism
- Every form of greed, selfishness, and vice
- And all forms of sexual immorality, including...
  - Adultery, polygamy, and sexual intercourse outside of marriage
  - Homosexuality
  - Beastiality
  - Pornography.
We should work to support and provide for...
- Those who are orphaned
- Those who are homeless or in need of food and shelter
- Those who have been or are being abused
- Those who are helpless
- Those who are sick
- Those who are imprisoned.
We should speak on behalf of and contend for the sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death, while never being insensitive to the concerns and feelings of others.
Every Christian should seek to bring industry, government, and society as a whole under the sway of the principles of righteousness, truth, and brotherly love.
In order to promote these ends Christians should also be good citizens, submitting to the governments of men as agents of God for our well-being, and while never compromising our beliefs we should be ready to work with all men of good will in any good cause, always being careful to act in the spirit of love without compromising their loyalty to Christ and His truth.

XVI. Peace and War

It is the duty of Christians to seek peace with all men on principles of righteousness.
In accordance with the spirit and teachings of Christ, believers should do all in their power to put an end to war.
However, we are to give honor where honor is due, and submit to the laws of the land where they are not incongruent with the laws of God.
As a result, we are to respect those who serve our country in the Armed Service of our nation, recognizing that Ecclesiastes reminds us there is a time for peace, but there is also a time for war.
We recognize that the true remedy for the war spirit is the gospel of our Lord.
Therefore we know that the supreme need of the world is the acceptance of His teachings in all the affairs of men and nations, and the practical application of His law of love.
Therefore, Christian people throughout the world should pray for the reign of the Prince of Peace and seek every opportunity to promote peace, both peace within the heart and peace among nations.

XVII. Religious Liberty

God alone is Lord of the conscience, and He has left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men which are contrary to His Word or not contained in it.
Church and state should be separate.
- The state owes to every church protection and full freedom in the pursuit of its spiritual ends.
- Therefore, in keeping with and by way of maintaining such freedom no ecclesiastical group or denomination should be favored by the state more than others.
Civil government being ordained of God, it is the duty of Christians to render loyal obedience thereto in all things not contrary to the revealed will of God.
Therefore the church should not depend upon the civil powers to carry on the work of the church.
- The gospel of Christ contemplates spiritual means alone for the pursuit of its ends.
Our nation was founded on the principle that the state has no right to impose penalties for religious opinions of any kind.
- This extends to the principle that the state should also never impose taxes for the support of any form of religion.
A free church in a free state is the Christian ideal, and this implies the right of free and unhindered access to God on the part of all men, and the right to form and propagate opinions in the sphere of religion without interference by the civil power.

XVIII. The Family

God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society.
The family is composed of persons related to one another by marriage, blood, or adoption.
Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime.
- It is God's unique gift to reveal the union between Christ and His church and to provide for the man and the woman in marriage the framework for intimate companionship, the channel of sexual expression according to biblical standards, and the means for procreation of the human race.
The husband and wife are of equal worth before God, since both are created in God's image.
The marriage relationship models the way God relates to His people.
A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church.
- He has the God-given responsibility to provide for, to protect, and to lead his family.
Husbands and wives are to practice "mutual submission" in caring for one another and demonstrating love for one another.
And yet, for the sake of functionality, perfect unity, and as a picture of Christ's love for the church, a wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ.
- She, being in the image of God as is her husband and thus equal to him, has the God-given responsibility to respect her husband and to serve as his helper in managing the household and nurturing the next generation.
Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and heritage from the Lord.
Parents are to demonstrate to their children God's pattern for marriage.
- Parents are to teach their children spiritual and moral values and to lead them, through consistent lifestyle example and loving discipline, to make choices based on biblical truth. Children, in turn, are to honor and obey their parents.
  - Genesis 1:26-28; 2:15-25; 3:1-20; Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Joshua 24:15; 1 Samuel 1:26-28; Psalms 51:5; 78:1-8; 127; 128; 139:13-16; Proverbs 1:8; 5:15-20; 6:20-22; 12:4; 13:24; 14:1; 17:6; 18:22; 22:6,15; 23:13-14; 24:3; 29:15,17; 31:10-31; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; 9:9; Malachi 2:14-16; Matthew 5:31-32; 18:2-5; 19:3-9; Mark 10:6-12; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 7:1-16; Ephesians 5:21-33; 6:1-4; Colossians 3:18-21; 1 Timothy 5:8,14; 2 Timothy 1:3-5; Titus 2:3-5; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Peter 3:1-7.

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