Continuity of Convictions

By God's grace, the Church of Jesus of Christ has thrived in congregations that strive for the glory of God and to continue steadfastly in the Apostles' doctrine. Here is our Statement of Faith; as known as, Declaration of Doctrine. The theological framework of and doctrinal positions didn't originate in this generation, nor in this particular congregation. On the contrary, a continuity of convictions that each generation of the Church must recogizne and affirm have been previously established and are so once again set for by this congregation gathered under the Headship of the Lord Jesus Christ, and known as Anchored Soul Bible Church, Ardmore Oklahoma.

Articles of Faith Doctrine and Beliefs sincerely held by Anchored Soul Bible Church

January 2023

I. We believe the Holy Bible is the inspired Word of God. It is without error, it is true, trustworthy, and is the all-sufficient final authority in matters of faith, doctrine, and Christian living. We believe the Bible consists of 66 canonical books, and the Bible is the foundation for all doctrine and devotion. We believe the Holy Bible is inspired by the Holy Spirit, it is inerrant and infallible. We joyfully and adamantly hold to “Sola Scriptura”.

II. We believe in one God, eternally existing in three Persons: Father, Son, Holy Spirit. This doctrine is expressed as: The Trinity; Godhead; Triune God. This Triune God is the Creator of heaven and earth; He is holy, sovereign, love, truth, eternal, almighty, infallible, infinitely wise, merciful, immutable in His attributes and eternality and besides Him there is no other god.

III. We believe that Jesus indeed is “Emmanuel”, God with us. Jesus is the “God-man”; He is the Son of God who took on flesh while also retained His deity/divine nature (John 1:1-3, 14; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:13-22).

A. We believe in the virgin birth of Jesus Christ, and that He is both truly God and a

sinless man. We believe Jesus was sinless, fulfilled all righteousness, and was the

perfect, acceptable atonement for sin. Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God for sinners

slain.

B. Christ Jesus died on the cross for our sins. He was buried, and three days after

His death, Jesus arose bodily from the dead.

C. After His resurrection, The Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven where He is at

the right hand of the Father, and He will one day return for His Church.

IV. We believe that God is the Creator; He made the heavens, earth, angels, and humans, and anything else that was made, He made it. We believe that God created humans in the image of God. God made man without sin, yet with the capacity to choose; man could choose obedience, or he could choose sin. Man willfully disobeyed God’s law, and thus man sinned against God.

A. We believe the biblical account of creation (Genesis 1, 2, 3 et al, Exodus 20:2-3, Hebrews 11) and believe that the cosmos, the earth, and man came by

direct creation of God and not by any other “theory of origin” or secular, atheistic explanations (Colossians 1:16, 17; John 1:3; Revelation. 4:11).

B. We believe that humans are by God’s design either male or female. These are the

only two genders. A person’s gender is predetermined by the sovereign, wise, loving

Creator. The genetics and realities of gender are not fluid, nor can one’s gender be

ultimately altered. Therefore, we do not sanction the validity or healthfulness of

“reassignment” procedures and/or surgeries of the so-called “transgender”

movement/culture. We do advocate for biblical manhood for males, and biblical

womanhood for females. We do encourage males to be godly men, and females to

be godly women.

1. We believe marriage is between one man and one woman. This church will only

conduct marriages/weddings for one man marrying one woman.

V. The Triune God chose to redeem a people unto Himself. God ordained the “everlasting covenant of redemption” in which to carry out the plan of redemption. We believe that God sent His Son, Jesus, to save His people from their sins (Hebrews 13:20; John 3:16; Matthew 1:21).

A. We believe in The Fall of Adam, and that ensuing death was both physical and

spiritually realized (happened). Through Adam, man is spiritually dead. Only

through regeneration by the work of the Holy Spirit can man’s spiritual life and

salvation be obtained through faith in Jesus Christ. This doctrine is historically

called “the Depravity of Man”; we believe man is spiritually dead and alienated from

God.

VI. We believe that salvation is the free gift of God, wholly of grace, entirely apart from man’s works. Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, and all glory is given to God for His glorious redemptive covenant. Salvation involves the regeneration of spiritually dead sinners and promises the redemption of the whole person. We believe in the free offer of the gospel, and nothing prevents the salvation of the grossest sinner on earth but their own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of Christ’s gospel.

A. Election is the gracious purpose of God in which the Lord chose to save a people

unto Himself. Because it pleased God, He chose to commune with a people He

loves, and God decreed this communion from before the foundation of the world.

However, due to man’s fall and sin, the holy and righteous God cannot have

communion with such unholiness and unrighteousness. Instead of leaving sinful

man to his own sinful rebellious ways, in God’s sovereign grace He chose to

regenerate, justify, sanctify, and glorify, sinful persons. By God’s grace these sinners

are converted and redeemed by Christ through the enabling grace and work of the

Holy Spirit.

B. We believe that through faith God gives and guarantees all who believe in Jesus,

everlasting life. The Lord Jesus Christ promised to give everlasting life to His sheep;

we believe that everlasting indeed means everlasting. A person who is by the grace

of God, regenerated by the Holy Spirit, and places genuine faith in Christ Jesus, will

by no means lose their salvation. This doctrine is expressed as: Eternal Security of

the Believer; Perseverance of the Saints; Everlastingly Saved and Sealed for the

Total Redemption of body, soul and spirit.

VII. We believe in a regenerated church membership.

A.The individuals who are capable enough to understand their need for Jesus Christ

to be their Savior, and, of who by God’s grace, confess and repent of their sin, gladly

receive the Gospel, and willingly choose to follow Jesus as Lord as a result of the

Holy Spirit’s work in their person, and comes forth freely to make a public

profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and are dedicated to biblical Christian

living, and desire to worship God in spirit and truth, are the only persons to be

considered for church membership.

VIII. We believe that water baptism is an ordinance of the New Covenant. Baptism is administered only to persons who make a profession of saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Baptism is biblically accomplished after a profession of faith and by wholly immersing a believer under the waters of the baptistery.

A. Water Baptism is not salvific; just the physical act of water baptism does not save

anyone. Water baptism is an act of obedience to Christ, to demonstrate a believer’s

submission to God’s authority, and is a visual or symbolic representation of what

God has wrought inside of the person.

B. Water baptism is the immersion into (under) water, and is done in the name of

the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This ordinance is done publicly to be a glorious

emblem of pronouncement of our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior.

C. Water baptism is prerequisite to partaking of the Lord’s Supper.

IX. The Lord’s Supper (Lord’s Communion Table) is an ordinance that consists of taking the bread and “fruit of the vine” (a.k.a. the cup). The bread and the cup symbolize the body and blood of Jesus Christ. The persons partaking of the Table, are professing that they are in New Covenant relationship with Christ. The observance of the Supper is a memorial to our Lord’s suffering and death on the cross, and a reminder of the hope that we will one day eat with Him in His kingdom.

A. We believe that the Lord’s Supper is to be taken only by those persons who have

a testimony of saving faith in Christ Jesus, and have been baptized, and who have

been exhorted to and have done self-examination, and have close fellowship with

this congregation.

1. Close fellowship means the individual is known by the congregation; each

individual believer that professes and confesses Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior

along with us, worships with us, labors with us, rejoices with us, and has

conduct/lifestyle consistent with biblical Christian character, is welcome to partake

of the Lord’s Communion Table after sincere self-examination.

X. We believe in the personal, visible, literal return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth.

A. We do believe in the “now/not yet” aspects of the kingdom of Christ; The Lord

Jesus Christ is indeed ruling now, and there is a future reign in which He rules over

the earth for a period of one thousand years. (We accept that some Christians

understand 1,000 years as symbolic instead of literal; this church will welcome

Christians who understand it either to be literal or symbolic). Sometime after the

thousand years is over, there will be one last act of wicked rebellion caused/led by

Satan against God. God will send fire down from heaven and destroy that wicked

army. Satan will then be cast into the lake of fire where he will be forever.

B. After that final battle, there will be total, glorious victory over the enemy. Christ

will remake the Heavens and Earth, and we will dwell with our great God forever in

that New World.

C. We maintain that members of this congregation must hold to a literal return of

Christ to Earth. We recognize that serious, sincere Christians doing serious and

sincere study of eschatology over the last approximately 2,000 years, have arrived

at various conclusions concerning prophecy, timing, fulfillment, framework,

interpretation of the "End Times" and its associated particulars. This church’s

stance is that we are to hold fast to the blessed hope that one day Christ’s elect

redeemed believing people will be caught up to meet the Lord Jesus Christ in the

air. As to the particulars related to the Return of Christ and other eschatological

issues, we encourage grace amongst Christians as these wonderful prophecies and

precepts are studied and explored.

XI. We believe in the bodily resurrection of the dead; one resurrection of Christians, and then another resurrection of the unbelievers. The Christian will enjoy the everlasting blessedness of dwelling with the Lord forever; the unbeliever shall be recompensed the just and adjudged punishment, which the Bible calls hell and the lake of fire.

XII. We believe in the autonomy of the local church.

A. We hold that the local church (congregation) has the absolute right of self-

government free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or

organizations; that the one and only Head of the Church is the Lord Jesus Christ.

B. We also understand it is scriptural for congregations to cooperate with each

other in contending for the faith, for the furtherance of the gospel, and ministering

to needs. Each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its

cooperation. All matters of membership, of policy, of government, of monies and

financials, of discipline, of benevolence, and any other issues, the local church does

not need consent nor permission of any other congregation, nor assembly, nor

council, nor any other organizations to determine how this congregation will

function.

These 12 Articles of Faith are the Core, Essential Doctrines for “peaceable fellowship” for congregants & members of Anchored Soul Bible Church.

References & Suggested Reading:

• Waldensian Confessions of 1120 & 1544

• The 1644 London Baptist Confession of Faith

• The New Hampshire Baptist Confession of Faith, 1833/1853

• Boyce’s Abstract of Principles, 1858

• Confession of Faith of Swedish Baptists, 1861

• Answers in Genesis Statement of Faith, 2021

• Venture Church Network’s (formerly known as the Conservative Baptist Association of America), Statement: “What we believe”, 2021