Church creeds may be both a help and a hindrance to Bible study. They may both aid and limit the honest searcher after Divine truth. God’s truth cannot be fully set forth in a set of church rules and a written doctrinal statement. We simply state some things we do believe and some things we do not believe:

1—We believe in the verbal inspiration of the Bible.

2—We believe in the eternal Deity, Virgin birth and sinlessness of the Lord Jesus Christ as both the eternal God and Man.

3—We believe in salvation by grace—and grace alone without works—by faith in the shed blood and redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

4—We believe that He is the living glorified Man at God’s right hand, seated far above in the highest heavenlies, Head of the Church which is His Body.

5—We believe that that Church will be called on high to be with the risen Lord, like Him, to appear with Him in glory before He returns to earth as the Son of man to redeem and restore Israel.

6—We believe that the redeemed sinner, saved by grace alone, is eternally secure in Christ, accepted in Him, blessed with all spiritual blessings in Him, free from condemnation in Him. If the believer falls asleep before Christ calls the Body on high, he is immediately with the Lord. We are opposed to any and all doctrines of soul sleeping.

7—We believe that the greatest of all gifts is love and that the believer in Christ should manifest that gift and live a consistent, spiritual, separated life, ever seeking those things which are above, ever walking worthy of the vocation wherewith he is called.

8—We are uncompromisingly opposed to any doctrine of universal reconciliation which we consider a Satanic delusion. We are likewise opposed to any and all doctrines of annihilation, accepting God’s Word; eternal wrath for the lost and eternal glory for the saved.

9—Concerning “rightly dividing the Word of truth” we believe there is much to be learned.

l0—We believe it is altogether essential to distinguish between things that differ. (Philippians 1:10 R.V.) One specific example is to know the difference between the call and ministry of the Twelve and Paul and to know the difference between Paul’s ministry before and after the close of the “Acts” period. We believe that members of Christ’s Body should obey Ephesians 3:9 and Ephesians 4:3 to 6.

For more articles by Pastor J. C. O'Hair, visit the J. C. O'Hair Online Library.