This is a statement showing the doctrinal beliefs of Athens Bible Church and the majority of it’s members.
1. 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, infallible and God breathed.
II Timothy 3:16,17; II Peter 1:20, 21; Matthew 5:18; John 16:12,13
2. 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, in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections.
Deuteronomy 6:4; II Corinthians 13:14
3. The Person and Work of Christ
a. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became 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.
John 1:1,2,14; Luke 1:35
b. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption, reconciliation, propitiation, and justification through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice.
I Peter 2:24; Ephesians 1:7; I Peter 1 3-5; II Corinthians5:19; I John 2:1-2; Romans 5:9
c. 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, Advocate, and the Great Shepherd of the sheep.
Acts 1:9,10; Heb. 9:24; 7:25; Romans 8:34; I John 2:1,2
4. The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
a. 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 the new creation, baptizing all believers into the Body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption.
John 16:8-11; II Corinthians 3:6; I Corinthians 12:2-14; Romans 8:9; Ephesians 1:13,14
b. We believe that He is the Divine Teacher who guides believers into all truth; and, it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit.
John 16:13; I John 2:20,27; Ephesians 5:18
5. The Total Depravity of Man
We believe that man was created in the image of God and the likeness of God, but that in Adam’s sin, the race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and, man is totally depraved, and of himself utterly unable to remedy his lost condition.
Genesis 1:26,27; Romans 3:22,23; Ephesians 2:1-3,12; Romans 5:12
6. 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 Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.
Ephesians 2:8-10; John 1:12; I Peter 1:18,19; I Corinthians 15:3,4; II Corinthians 5:21
7. The Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers
a. We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever.
John 6:37-40; 10 27-30; Romans 8:1; 8 38,39; I Corinthians 1:4-8; I Peter 1:5
b. 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 liberty as an occasion to the flesh.
Romans 13:13,14; Galatians 5:13; Titus 2:11-15
8. The Two Natures of the Believers
We believe that every saved person possesses two natures, with provisions 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.
Romans 6:13; 8:12,13; Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:10; I Peter 1:14-16; I John 3:5-9
9. Separation
We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord; walk worthy of the vocation to which they are called; and, that separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and associations is commanded by God.
II Timothy 3:1-5; Romans 12:1-2; John 2:15-17; II John verses 9-11; Romans 14:13; II Corinthians 6:14; 7:1; Ephesians 4:1
10. Missions
We believe that it is the debt 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.
Acts 1 8; II Corinthians 5:19,20; Romans 1:14
11. The Ministry and Spiritual Gifts
a. 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.
I Corinthians 12:4-11; II Corinthians 12:12; Ephesians 4:7-12
b. We believe that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith, in accord with His own will, for the sick and afflicted.
John 15:7; I John 5:14,15
12. The Church
a. 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.
Ephesians 1:22,23; 5:25-27; I Corinthians 12:12,14; II Corinthians 11:2
b. We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is dearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures.
Acts 14:27; I Timothy 3:1,13; Titus 1:5-11
13. Dispensationalism
We believe in the dispensational view of Bible Interpretation but reject the extreme teaching known as “Hyper-Dispensationalism” such as that teaching which opposes the Lord’s Table.
Ephesians 3, I Corinthians 9
14. The Personality of Satan
We believe that Satan is a personal spirit (John 8:44), created perfect (Ezekiel 28:15). He became the enemy of God and God’s people (Ephesians6:1-17), by sinning willfully (Isaiah14:12-14), becoming the first sinner and servant of sin (John 8:34). He blinds the minds of the unsaved to the Gospel of Christ (II Corinthians 4:3,4), posing as an angel of light (II Corinthians 11:13-15) going about as a roaring lion (I Peter 5:8,9). His destiny is the Lake of Fire.
15. The Second Advent of Christ
We believe in that “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.
I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Zechariah 14:4-11; Revelation 19:11-16; 20:1-6; I Thessalonians 1:10; 5:9; Revelation 3:10
16. The Eternal State
a. We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal glory, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment.
Matthew 25:46; John 5:28,29; Revelation 20 5,6; Revelation 20:12,13; John 11:25,26
b. We believe that the souls of the redeemed at death, are absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await the first resurrection, when spirit, soul, and body are reunited.
II Corinthians 5:8; Phillipians 1:23; I Thessalonians 4:16,17; Phillipians 3:21
c. We believe that the souls of unbelievers are, after death in conscious misery until the second resurrection, when with soul and body reunited they shall appear at the Great White Throne of Judgment and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment.
Luke 16:19-26; Matthew 25:41-46; II Thessalonians 1:7-9; Jude verses 6,7; Mark 9:43-48; Revelation 20:11-15
