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In a message dated 11/7/02 9:16:47 PM, ecsamhill@... writes:

<< Does anyone have a typical Statement of Faith from a major exclusionary
Christian homeschooling group? That might clarify what specific beliefs
we are talking about.
>>



Statement of Faith

We believe the Bible to be the only infallible authoritative Word of God. (II
Tim. 3:16)
We believe God is one divine Spirit eternally manifested as Father, Son and
Holy Spirit. (Jn 10:29f; Jn 10:30 ; Jn 15:26)

We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His
sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His
shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of
the Father, and in His visible and physical return to earth.

We believe all have sinned and as a result are alienated from God (Rom. 3:23,
5:12), and that eternal redemption is only brought about by faith in the
finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 10: 9-10; Eph. 2:8-9).

We believe that if one rejects the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ, he
subjects himself to eternal damnation and separation from God the Father and
will spend eternity in a literal place called hell (Rev. 21:8).

We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling,
the Christian is enabled to live a godly life. (Rom. 8:13-14; I Cor. 3:16,
6:19-20; Eph. 4:30, 5:18).

We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.


Confession of Faith from
The Old Schoolhouse™

Jesus Christ, the Word is God. God the Father is God. The Holy Spirit is God.
There are no gods but one God
.
We believe in God the Father who is the Maker of the heavens and the earth;
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. Jesus Christ was conceived by
the Holy Spirit, and was born of a virgin, Mary. He ministered to many during
His ministry, never once sinning. He suffered tremendously under Pontius
Pilate, was crucified on a cross, died, was buried (descending into Hades at
that time), and then ROSE again on the third day, from the dead! After
rising, which shocked and amazed many witnesses, causing them to worship Him
and acknowledge Him as God in the flesh, Jesus ascended into Heaven, where He
sits at the right hand of God the Father. Back to Earth He shall come again,
to judge the living and the dead.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, one holy Christian church, the communion of
all true saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and
the eternal (never-ending) gift of life.

We believe that the Bible is the ONLY inerrant Word of God. In it we can find
all instructions in righteousness, holiness and faith. It is our
authoritative "handbook" for Christian living...the ONLY book that is
necessary for our faith.

We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons;
Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This ONE God is omnipotent, omnipresent and
omniscient. This God is also holy, righteous, good, loving and full of mercy,
by character. He is the Creator of all things. He sustains all things.

We believe that Jesus Christ, Who is our Lord God, is fully God, yet fully
man. Only through Jesus Christ can man find redemption, and have eternal
life. Without Jesus Christ, man cannot find eternal life, but will spend
eternity apart from God, in suffering. This eternal life with God is freely
given of God, but must be accessed His way, which is through His son, our
Lord Jesus Christ.

We believe in the full deity of the Holy Spirit, and acknowledge His role as
God, in creation and in redemption, and very importantly as our Comforter.
The present ministry of the Holy Spirit, among many things is to indwell in
the Christian, enabling him to live a godly life.

We believe that man is in rebellion against God because of Adam's sin. Man's
very nature is evil, and all are bound for hell, a place of eternal darkness
and torment, unless the Father calls him. For salvation of any man,
regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely necessary. We are made
righteous by God, through faith in Him, and although faith without works is
dead, it is faith ALONE which brings salvation.

We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; those who are
saved to the resurrection of life, and those who are lost to the resurrection
of damnation.

We believe that at the perfect time in history, God chose to reveal Himself,
and to declare His will to His Church. Afterwards, for the purpose of
preserving and propagating the truth, and for the more certain establishment
and comfort of the Church against corruption, and the malice of Satan and of
the world, it pleased Him to commit this revealed will to the written word.
This word, the Word (Bible), is very necessary to the Church, vitally
important, for His former methods of revealing His will to His people are now
ceased.

The Holy Scripture (the Bible or the Word) consists of all of the books of
the Old and New Testaments, which are Genesis through Malachi, and Matthew
through Revelation, respectively. Each and every one of these books are given
by inspiration of God, to be the rule of faith and life.
There are several books, commonly called the Apocrypha, which are not of
divine inspiration, and are no part of the canon of Scripture. Therefore,
they can not be used as an authority from which to draw from, in the Church
of God. They are not to be more esteemed, or made use of, than any other
works of printed materials.

The authority of the Bible does not depend on the testimony or tradition of
any man or church, but entirely upon God, who is Truth itself, and the Author
of truth. It is therefore to be received as the highest authority, and can be
depended on fully, without any supplementation. It is the divinely inspired
Word of God.

The whole counsel of God, concerning all things necessary for God's glory,
man's salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture or
may be deduced from Scripture. Nothing whatsoever is to be added to this,
whether by "new revelations" of the Spirit or by the traditions of man.

The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself.
Therefore, when there is a question or misunderstanding about the true and
full sense of any passage in the Bible, it must be searched and known by
other places in God's Word that speak more clearly, always considering
biblical context.

We believe that there is one living and true God. He is infinite, perfect,
pure. He is the Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. He is most just in
His judgments, hating all sin, and He will by no means clear the guilty. God
is loving, gracious, merciful, patient, abundant in goodness and truth. He
forgives sin, but there is only One way He will forgive sin, only One --
through His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, Who sacrificed Himself on the cross
for His Church. Many men say their ways "seem" right, but in God's holy Word,
we find what God Himself requires for the forgiveness of our sins, and
eternal life with Him.

God has all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of Himself. He is not
in need of any creatures which He has made. He has most sovereign dominion
over all creatures -- over them, to do by them, for them and upon them. He
does what He pleases, and nothing to Him is contingent or uncertain. He is
most holy in His counsels, His works and in all His commands. To Him, and Him
alone is due from angels and mankind, and any other creature, whatever
worship, service or obedience He is pleased to require of them.

Please send us a note if you would like more information on spending eternity
with God. Click on mailbox graphic below.

Betsy

**We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth,
in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death
through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to
the right hand of the Father, and in His visible and physical return to
earth. **


If people are only saved by faith, how come they have to be carefully
obedient for their entire lives, starting as babies?

Betsy