Doctrine

We believe that…

In essential beliefs, we have unity:

“There is one Body, and one Spirit … there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of us all” (Ephesians 4:4-6)

In non-essential beliefs, we have liberty:

“As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions… Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls… So then each of us will give an account of himself to God… The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God.” (Romans 14:1, 4, 12, 22)

In all beliefs, we have charity:

“And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:2)

(Note: Church members must agree with all essential beliefs typed in bold print below.)

A.    The Scriptures

The Bible was written by men of God who were inspired by God’s Holy Spirit to write precisely the words which God intended. The Bible in its original manuscripts is the inerrant, infallible word of God, revealing the eternal, immutable God to mankind, and is trustworthy in all that it endeavors to teach. It is the ultimate guide for all who seek to have a relationship with God and should, therefore, be highly regarded, studied, and applied by all those who profess faith in Jesus Christ. The Bible is to be interpreted in a normal way with sensitivity and attention to literary genre, history, grammar, and context as the guidelines for proper interpretation. Ultimately, the criterion by which the Bible is to be interpreted is Jesus Christ. (Psalm 19:7-9; Jeremiah 18:1; Ezekiel 12:1, 8, 17, 21, 26; Hosea 1:1; Joel 1:1; Amos 3:1; Matthew 5:18; John 17:17; 1 Corinthians 11:23; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 1:1–2; 2 Peter 1:3-4, 21)

B.    God

There is only one living and true God, eternally existing in three equal persons - God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. These three are identical in essence, equal in power and glory, and possess precisely the same attributes. However, they are distinct in office and activity. God is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being, the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe. To Him we owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience. (Genesis 1:26; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 Peter 1:2)

1.     The Person and Work of God the Father

God the Father reigns with providential care over His universe, His creatures, and the flow of human history according to His purpose and grace. In His nature He is, among other things, completely holy, all-powerful, all-knowing, omnipresent, eternal, transcendent, immutable, self-sufficient, self-existent, wrathful, just, gracious, good, merciful, and loving. He is totally sovereign in all that has or shall come to pass. This in no way causes Him to be the author and approver of sin, or to abridge the accountability of moral, intelligent creatures. He is the begetter and sender of His only Son, Jesus Christ. As the Father of the elect, He is also their provider and disciplinarian. (Psalm 139:1-18, 145:8-9; Isaiah 40:18-31; Jeremiah 32:17; Matthew 3:17, 6:30-32; John 3:16; Acts 17:29; Romans 1:18, 3:26, 11:33-36; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 1:3-6; Hebrews 12:5, 13; 1 John 1:5)

2.     The Person and Work of Christ

The Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal, pre-existent Son of God.  He became man without ceasing to be God. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God to man and redeem sinful man. While He was fully human, He had a sinless human nature and lived a perfect life. We believe that He accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice. Our redemption and salvation is guaranteed by His literal, bodily resurrection from the dead. The Lord Jesus Christ is now in heaven, exalted at the right hand of God the Father, where, as High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of intercession and advocacy for His people. He will return in power and glory to judge the world and to consummate His redemptive mission. (Matthew 1:23-25; John 1:1, 14, 8:58; Romans 3:23-25, 4:25; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Hebrews 1:3, 3:1, 7:23-25; 1 John 2:1-2)

3.     The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

God, the Holy Spirit, is that person of the trinity who restrains evil in the world, and convicts men of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He also regenerates (brings life to those who are spiritually dead) those who receive Christ as Savior, baptizing them at the moment of salvation into the Church, the Body of Christ. He indwells them permanently, seals them unto the day of redemption, and bestows on them spiritual gifts. As they are yielded to Him, He overcomes the power of the sin nature, beautifies their character with the fruit of the Spirit, and empowers them for service. He helps believers to pray, interceding for them in time of need. It is the Spirit’s ministry to lead, instruct, and fill (or control) believers, as they are yielded to Him and steadfast in the study of Scripture and in prayer. He transforms yielded believers into Christ-likeness. (John 3:8, 7:37-39, 14:12, 16-17, 16:7-11, Romans 8:1-13, 26-27, 1 Corinthians 12:4-13, Galatians 5:22-23, Ephesians 1:13-14, 5:18)

C.    Creation and the Fall

All things in heaven and on earth were created by God and exist by His power and for His glory. We believe the Genesis account of creation as being neither allegory nor myth, but a historical account of the direct, immediate, creative acts of God. (Genesis 1:1; Colossians 1:16-17)

Man was created innocent and in the image and likeness of God, but that he sinned, bringing both physical and spiritual death to himself and to his posterity. We believe that man has inherited a sinful nature, and therefore is alienated from God and under His wrath. Man is incapable of redeeming himself and is in need of salvation. (Genesis 1:27, 2:17, 3:19; Romans 3:10-12, 5:12, 17-19)

The sanctity of human life is evident in that God created man in his own image, and that Christ died for man; therefore, every human being, born and unborn, possesses dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love. We affirm that life begins at conception. (Exodus 21:22-24; Psalm 139:13-16; Jeremiah 1:1-4)

The sanctity of marriage is evident in that God first created woman as a partner for man, fully complementing him, and in that God gave the man and woman to each other to be united as one, and in that God made humans both male and female to fill the earth; therefore marriage is understood as being one man united to one woman, and human sexual expression is understood as a gift reserved for marriage. (Genesis 1:27-28, 2:18-25; Matthew 19:4-6. See also Ephesians 5:22-33)

D.    Salvation and Eternity

Every person is lost in sin apart from Christ and in need of a Savior. Jesus Christ died as a full and sufficient payment for the sins of the world, and as our substitute. Christ’s shed blood is the only provision by which an individual may be delivered from the wrath of God. Salvation is a gift of God and is received by man only through personal faith in Jesus Christ. True faith is more than mental assent. It involves trust, and is evidenced by repentance, newness of life (regeneration), and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to whom submission will result in progressive transformation toward Christlikeness. Man is justified by grace through faith alone, apart from human merit, works, or ceremonies. (John 1:12, 3:16; Acts 4:12, 13:38-39; Romans 3:23-24, 6:23; Ephesians 1:3-14, 2:8-10; Titus 3:5; 1 John 2:2)

God desires everyone everywhere to believe the gospel by turning to Him in repentance and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as the payment for their sin debt, the Lord of their lives, and the Perfecter of their faith. God will raise the dead bodily and judge the world, assigning those who reject Jesus as the only all-sufficient payment for their sin to condemnation and eternal conscious punishment and those who submit to and follow Jesus to eternal blessedness and joy with the Lord. (Matthew 25:31-46; Luke 6:46-49; John 3:16-21; 2 Peter 8:3-13; Hebrews 12:2; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 20:11-15).

We believe that all true believers, once saved, are kept secure in Christ forever. (John 3:36, 6:37, 10:27-30; Romans 8:1, 29-30, 38-39; Ephesians 1:13-14; Philippians 1:6; 1 John 5:13)

E.    Sanctification

God's justifying grace must not be separated from His sanctifying power and purpose. True repentance means that we commit by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit to turn from our sin and to obedience to Christ’s command to be holy, or set apart, for God’s special purposes. The Scriptures teach that sanctification is positional, progressive, and ultimate. Positionally, it is already complete, since the believer is in Christ and is set apart unto God as Christ is set apart unto God. Since the believer retains his sinful nature, however, there is need for progressive sanctification (or spiritual growth) whereby the Christian matures in grace by the power of the Holy Spirit. Ultimately, the process of sanctification will be completed when the child of God is taken to be with Christ. (John 17:17; Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 3:18, 5:17; Ephesians 5:25-27; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 10:10, 14; 1 John 3:2-3)

F.     The Church

The Church is not a building! The Church began at Pentecost and comprises all who have been justified by God's grace through faith alone in Christ alone, the believer being baptized into the Church by the baptism of the Holy Spirit (spiritual rebirth). The Church is distinct from Israel. They are united by the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ, of which He is the Head. The Church is manifest in local churches whose membership should be comprised only of believers who have voluntarily united themselves in fellowship and in the mission of the local church, where the belief of every individual is both becoming and being evident in a changed life of repentance from sin, faith in Jesus, and increasing obedience to His teachings. The Lord Jesus mandated two ordinances for his Church, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which visibly and tangibly express the gospel. Though they are not the means of salvation, when celebrated by the church in genuine faith, these ordinances confirm and nourish the believer. The purpose of the church is to fulfill God’s mission of filling the world with His image, thereby bringing glory to Himself. Even after the fall of mankind, God’s mission remains the same, but the process must involve the redemption of fallen man through the proclamation of the gospel of the Kingdom of God in and through Jesus Christ. Therefore, the general purpose of the church is to glorify God, to evangelize and teach others to follow Jesus who will continue the process of disciple-making, and to impact the community in which it lives with the love of God in Christ. (Matthew 3:13-17, 5:13-16, 28:18-20; Luke 19:10, 22:14-20; John 3:3, 17:4, 18; Acts 2:42-47; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Galatians 1:2; Ephesians 2:8-9, 3:20-21)

G.   The Ordinances

Christ instituted the ordinances of water baptism and the Lord’s Supper (or Communion), which are to be observed by believers until He returns. (Matthew 28; 19-20, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

We believe that water baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience publicly announcing and symbolizing the believer’s faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior, the believer’s death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. (Acts 8:36-38; Romans 6:3-5)

We believe that the Lord’s Supper is a memorial of Christ’s death by which He established the New Covenant, the elements being symbols of His body and blood. Every Christian has a right and an obligation to partake of the elements of the Lord’s Supper, but participation should be preceded by solemn self-examination. (1 Corinthians 11:20-34; Matthew 26:26-29)

H.   Civil Government

We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interests and good order of human society; that civil leaders are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed, except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only Lord of the conscience and the coming King of Kings. (Exodus 22:28; Proverbs 21:1; Daniel 3:17 -18; Matthew 22:15-22; Acts 4:19-20, 5:27-29, 23:5; 1 Timothy 2:1-3; Titus 3:1)

I.      Angels and Satan

We believe that angels are powerful spiritual beings who were created in a sinless state to be God’s servants and soldiers. They presently exist in both fallen and unfallen states, which are at war with one another in the spiritual realm. The fallen angels include Satan and his demons. Unfallen or good angels guard God’s presence and glory and will eventually carry out His divine wrath. They carry messages to His children and protect and encourage them. They do not reproduce, so there are the same number now as when they were created. They occupy different orders and ranks. (Daniel 10:12-14; Luke 1:26-28; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5; Ephesians 6:11-12; Hebrews 1:13-14; 2 Peter 2:4; Revelation 7:11-12, 18:1)

We believe that Satan became the enemy of God and of the people of God by his own prideful choice and is thus the originator of sin. We believe he led our first parents, Adam and Eve, into sin and now rules as the god of this world. He seeks constantly to blind the minds of both believers and unbelievers to the truth of God and His Word. He tempts, lies, accuses, deceives, and seeks to destroy all who open themselves up to him, and refuse the protection of Jesus Christ. He was judged at the cross, and ultimately, he will be cast into the Lake of Fire for eternity. (Genesis 3:1-19; Isaiah 14:12-14; Matthew 4:1-11; Hebrews 2:14; 1 Peter 5:8; 1 John 5:19; Revelation 20:10)

J.     Events of the End Times

There are 4 major views about the events of the end that Evangelical Christians hold to. They are Dispensational Pre-millennialism, Historic Pre-millennialism, Post-millennialism, A-millennialism. D3 Church does not take a stand on any given position, but we affirm these five truths that all of them hold in common. 

1.     That Jesus will physically, certainly return to this earth.

“This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11)

2.     We do not know when he will come.

“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son but the Father only.” (Matthew 24:36)

“For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” (1 Thessalonians 5:2)

-        So, there is a suddenness about the coming of the Lord, but there are also signs that ought to keep us awake

“But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.”  (1 Thessalonians 5:4. See also 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12)

3.     When he comes, he will carry to completion God’s plan for the ages

He’ll finish what he started!

·        Through Judgment on wickedness, sin and evildoers. (Acts 17:31; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10; Revelation 20:11-15)

·        Through resurrection—vindicating his people. (1 Corinthians 15; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; John 14:3)

·        Through consummation—Christ will make all things new, liberating creation from its bondage to decay. (Romans 8:18-25)

This is an affirmation that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s plans, and that God will make him the fullness of all the universe!

4.     There will be increasing evil until he comes

2 Timothy 3:1-5 – in the last days,

1 John 2:18 – “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that Antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.”

Whether it’s a specific 7 years, or increasing cycles, or an era of worsening wickedness we will not be dogmatic.  [Note – Post-millennial understanding sees the tribulation is followed by millennial glories (and Christ reigning on earth by his Spirit through the church) before Christ’s return]

5.     His people, then, must be ready

·        Ready to meet him face-face – faithful and holy – not ashamed at his coming:

Mark 8:38 – “For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Titus 2:13 – “…waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ…”

Matthew 24:46 – “Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.”

See also 1 Corinthians 15:58; 2 Timothy 4:7-8

·        Ready to stand firm in the face of increasing evil

Revelation 2-3 – “To him who overcomes…”

·        Ready to preach the gospel every day, in every place, in every way. (2 Timothy 4:1-2; Acts 1:5-8; Matthew 24:14, 28:19-20)

K.   On Marriage, Gender, and Gender Roles

We believe that the term 'marriage' has only one meaning, and that is marriage sanctioned by God which joins one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture.

We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other. We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.

We believe that any form of sexual immorality, such as adultery, fornication, homosexuality, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, pornography or any attempt to change one's sex, or disagreement with one's biological sex, is sinful and offensive to God.

We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of the church as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a biblical role model to the church members and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by the church in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, should abide by and agree to this Statement on Marriage, Gender, and Gender Roles and conduct themselves accordingly. This church, its elders, staff, and members will not participate in same-sex unions or same sex marriages, nor shall its property, buildings, or resources be used for such purposes.

We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ.

We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. 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 the church.

 

We believe that the Scriptures are clear that in Christ neither a person’s race, social status, nor gender affords them any value over another individual, but that biological males and biological females are equally valuable in different ways. As such there are gender roles outlined in the Scriptures that should be observed in the church. We are convicted by the overwhelming evidence of male headship in the Scriptures that the leadership roles of Pastor-Teacher and Elder/Bishop should be reserved for godly men who are also sensitive to the advice of their female counterparts and the discernment granted by the Holy Spirit, yet bear for themselves the ultimate responsibility for the decisions made in the church. We find Scriptural evidence that the role of deacon/deaconess (derived from the Greek word διακονός/διακονής, which means servant or helper) is open to both genders. The scriptures also make it evident that women may exercise public ministry in a godly way (Miriam – Exodus 15, Numbers 12; Deborah – Judges 4-5; Huldah – 2 Kings 22, 2 Chronicles. 34; Philip’s four daughters – Acts 21:9), and so we permit sufficiently educated women to exercise such ministry under the oversight of the church Elders (Genesis 2:22; Exodus 15; Leviticus 18:22, 20:13; Numbers 12; Judges 4-5; 2 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 34; Acts 6:3, 9:36, 21:9; Romans 1:26-32, 16:1; 1 Corinthians 11:2-12; Ephesians 5:22-33; Philippians 4:2; 1 Timothy 2:8-15, 3:8-13; 1 Peter 3:1-7).