Articles of Faith of the Sonrise Baptist Church, Ozark, Missouri
THE HOLY SCRIPTURES
The Bible is God's written revelation to man, and thus the sixty six books of the Bible given to us by the Holy Spirit constitute the plenary (inspired equally in all parts) Word of God (1 Corinthians 2:7-14; 2 Peter 1:20-21).
The Word of God is an objective, propositional revelation (1 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Corinthians 2:13), verbally inspired (2 Timothy 3:16), absolutely inerrant in the original documents, infallible, and God breathed.
The Bible constitutes the only infallible rule of faith (1 Corinthians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:15- 17; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Peter 1:20-21). As such, the Word of God is sufficient for living a godly life that brings God glory and honor. The Bible not only makes one wise to salvation (Romans 10:17), but also has ultimate authority in the life of the believer (2 Timothy 3:16- 17). God’s Word speaks to every aspect of the believer’s life (2 Peter 1:3; Psalm 19:7-11), to both the way one thinks and the way one behaves. Whereas the world system claims to be able to speak to man’s problems and dilemmas, the Word of God alone is sufficient and superior to any alternative understanding.
God spoke in His written Word by a process of dual authorship. The Holy Spirit so superintended the human authors that, through their individual personalities and different styles of writing, they composed and recorded God's Word to man (2 Peter 1:20-21) without error in the whole or in the part (Matthew 5:18; 2 Timothy 3:16).
Whereas there may be several applications of any given passage of Scripture, there is but one true interpretation. The meaning of Scripture is to be found as one diligently applies the literal grammatical historical method of interpretation. It is the responsibility of believers to ascertain carefully the true intent and meaning of Scripture, recognizing that proper interpretation is binding on all generations. Yet the truth of Scripture stands in judgment of men; never do men stand in judgment of it.
GOD
There is but one living and true God (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:5-7; Jeremiah 10:10; 1 Corinthians 8:4), an infinite, all knowing Spirit (John 4:24), perfect in all His attributes. God is one in essence, eternally existing in three Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; Acts 5:3-4; Ephesians 1:3-14)—each equally deserving worship and obedience.
God the Father. God the Father, the first Person of the Trinity, orders and disposes all things according to His own purpose and grace (Psalm 145:8-9; Isaiah 46:9-11; Philippians 2:12-13). He is the Creator of all things (Genesis 1:1-31; Ephesians 3:9). As the only absolute and omnipotent Ruler in the universe, He is sovereign in creation, providence, and redemption (Psalm 103:19; Acts 4:24; Romans 11:36). His fatherhood involves both His designation within the Trinity and His relationship with mankind. As Creator He is Father to all men (Ephesians 4:6), but He is spiritual Father only to believers (Romans 8:14; 2 Corinthians 6:18). He has decreed for His own glory all things that come to pass (Ephesians 1:11). He continually upholds, directs, and governs all creatures and events (1 Chronicles 29:11). In His sovereignty He is neither author nor approver of sin (Habakkuk 1:13; John 8:38-47), nor does He tempt man to evil (James 1:13-14; 4:4), nor does He abridge (lessen) the accountability of moral, intelligent creatures (1 Peter 1:17). He has graciously chosen from eternity past those whom He would have as His own (Ephesians 1:4-6); He saves from sin all who come to Him through Jesus Christ; He adopts as his own all those who come to Him; and He becomes, upon adoption, Father to His own (John 1:12; Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:5; Ephesians 1:3-14; Hebrews 12:5-9).
God the Son. Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Trinity, possesses all the divine excellencies, and in these He is coequal, consubstantial (same nature and substance as the Father), and coeternal with the Father (John 10:30; 14:9). God the Father created everything according to His own will, through His Son, Jesus Christ, by whom all things continue in existence and in operation (John 1:3; Colossians 1:15-17; Hebrews 1:2). In the incarnation (God becoming man) Christ surrendered only the prerogatives of deity but nothing of the divine essence, either in degree or kind. In His incarnation, the eternally existing second Person of the Trinity accepted all the essential characteristics of humanity and so became the God Man (Philippians 2:5-8; Colossians 2:9; 1 John 1:1-3).
The Lord Jesus Christ was virgin born (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23, 25; Luke 1:26-35); He is God incarnate (John 1:1, 14). The purpose of the incarnation was to bring God glory through revealing God, redeeming men, and ruling over God's kingdom (Psalm 2:7-9; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:29; Philippians 2:9-11; Hebrews 7:25-26; 1 Peter 1:18-19).
The Lord Jesus Christ accomplished redemption through the shedding of His blood and sacrificial death on the cross and His death was voluntary, vicarious, substitutionary, propitiatory, and redemptive (Romans 3:24-25; 5:8; 1 Peter 2:24). Although believers ultimately only enjoy the eternal benefits, the atonement is unlimited such that Christ died for all (1 John 2:2; 2 Peter 2:1; 1 Timothy 4:10). On the basis of the efficacy of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ, the believing sinner is freed from the punishment, the penalty, the power, and one day the very presence of sin; and that he is declared righteous, given eternal life, and adopted into the family of God (Romans 3:25; 5:8-9; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15; Ephesians 4:22-24; 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18). Christ is now ascended to the right hand of the Father, where He now mediates as the believer’s Advocate and High Priest (Hebrews 7:25; 9:24; 10:10-12; 1 John 2:1).
In the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave, God confirmed the deity of His Son and gave proof that God has accepted the atoning work of Christ on the cross (John 14:19; Romans 1:4; 4:25). Jesus' bodily resurrection is also the guarantee of a future resurrection life for all believers (Romans 6:5-10; 1 Corinthians 15:20, 23). Jesus Christ will return to receive the church, which is His Body, unto Himself at the rapture (Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Returning with His church in glory, Christ will establish His millennial kingdom on earth (Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 20).
God the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a divine Person, eternal, underived, possessing all the attributes of personality and deity including intellect (1 Corinthians 2:10-13), emotions (Ephesians 4:30), will (1 Corinthians 12:11), eternality (Hebrews 9:14), omniscience (Isaiah 40:13-14), omnipotence (Romans 15:13), and truthfulness (John 16:13). In all the divine attributes He is coequal and consubstantial (same nature and substance) with the Father and the Son (Matthew 28:19; Acts 5:3-4; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6).
The work of the Holy Spirit executes the divine will with relation to all mankind. It is manifest in His sovereign activity in creation (Genesis 1:2), the incarnation (Matthew 1:18), the written revelation (2 Peter 1:20-21), and the work of salvation (John 3:5-7). The work of the Holy Spirit in this age began at Pentecost when He came from the Father as promised by Christ (John 14:16-17; 15:26) to initiate and complete the building of the Body of Christ, which is His church (1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 2:22). The broad scope of His divine activity includes convicting the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment (John 16:7-9); glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ and transforming believers into the image of Christ (Acts 2:4; Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18). The Holy Spirit is the supernatural and sovereign Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13). The Holy Spirit also indwells, sanctifies, instructs, empowers them for service, and seals them unto the day of redemption (Romans 8:9; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Ephesians 1:13). The Holy Spirit is the divine Teacher, who guided the apostles and prophets into all truth as they committed to writing God's revelation, the Bible. Every believer possesses the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit from the moment of salvation, and it is the duty of all those born of the Spirit to be filled with (controlled by) the Spirit (Romans 8:9; Ephesians 5:18; 2 Peter 1:19-21; 1 John 2:20, 27). The Holy Spirit administers spiritual gifts to the church (1 Corinthians 12:4-11). The Holy Spirit glorifies neither Himself nor His gifts by ostentatious displays, but He does glorify Christ by implementing His work of redeeming the lost and building up believers in the most holy faith (Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 3:18). The Holy Spirit is sovereign in the bestowing of all His gifts for the perfecting of the saints today and that speaking in tongues and the working of sign miracles in the beginning days of the church were for the purpose of pointing to and authenticating the apostles as revealers of divine truth, and were never intended to be characteristic of the lives of believers (1 Corinthians 12:4-11; 13:8-10; 2 Corinthians 12:12; Ephesians 4:7-12; Hebrews 2:1-4).
There were two kinds of gifts given the early church: miraculous gifts of divine revelation and healing, given temporarily in the apostolic era for the purpose of confirming the authenticity of the apostles' message (Hebrews 2:3-4; 2 Corinthians 12:12); and ministering gifts, given to equip believers for edifying one another. With the New Testament revelation now complete, Scripture becomes the sole test of the authenticity of a man's message, and confirming gifts of a miraculous nature are no longer necessary to validate a man or his message (1 Corinthians 13:8-12). Miraculous gifts can even be counterfeited by Satan so as to deceive even believers (1 Corinthians 13:13-14:12; Revelation 13:13-14). The only gifts in operation today are those nonrevelatory equipping gifts given for edification (Romans 12:6-8). No one possesses the gift of healing today but God does hear and answer the prayer of faith and will answer in accordance with His own perfect will for the sick, suffering, and afflicted (Luke 18:1-6; John 5:7-9; 2 Corinthians 12:6-10; James 5:13-16; 1
John 5:14-15).
MAN
Man was directly and immediately created by God in His image and likeness (Genesis 1:26-27). Man was created free of sin with a rational nature, intelligence, volition, self determination, and moral responsibility to God (Genesis 2:7, 15-25; James 3:9). God's intention in the creation of man was that man should glorify God, enjoy God's fellowship, live his life in the will of God, and by this accomplish God's purpose for man in the world (Isaiah 43:7; Colossians 1:16; Revelation 4:11).
In Adam's sin of disobedience to the revealed will and Word of God (Genesis 2:16-17), man lost his innocence (Genesis 3:1-19); incurred the penalty of spiritual and physical death; became subject to the wrath of God (John 3:36); and became inherently corrupt and utterly incapable of choosing or doing that which is acceptable to God apart from divine grace (1 Corinthians 2:14; Ephesians 2:1-3). With no recuperative powers to enable him to recover himself, man is hopelessly lost. Man's salvation is thereby wholly of God's grace through the redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because all men were in Adam, a nature corrupted by Adam's sin has been transmitted to all men of all ages (Romans 5:10- 12), Jesus Christ being the only exception (2 Corinthians 5:21). All men are thus sinners by nature, by choice, and by divine declaration (Psalm 14:1 3; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:9- 18, 23).
SALVATION
Salvation is wholly of God by grace on the basis of the redemption of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:7), the merit of His shed blood (1 Peter 1:18-19), and not on the basis of human merit or works (Ephesians 2:8-10).
Regeneration. Regeneration is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit by which the divine nature and divine life are given (John 3:3-7; Titus 3:5). It is instantaneous and is accomplished solely by the power of the Holy Spirit through the instrumentality of the Word of God (John 5:24; Romans 10:10-17), when the repentant sinner, as enabled by the Holy Spirit, responds in faith to the divine provision of salvation. Genuine regeneration is manifested by fruits worthy of repentance as demonstrated in righteous attitudes and conduct. Good works will be its proper evidence and fruit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Ephesians 2:10), and will be experienced to the extent that the believer submits to the control of the Holy Spirit in his life through faithful obedience to the Word of God (Ephesians 5:17-21; Philippians 2:12; Colossians 3:16; 2 Peter 1:4-10). This obedience causes the believer to be increasingly conformed to the image of our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 8:28-29; 2 Corinthians 3:18). Such a conformity is climaxed in the believer's glorification at Christ's coming (Romans 8:17; 2 Peter 1:4; 1 John 3:2-3).
Election. Election is the act of God by which, before the foundation of the world, He chose in Christ those whom He graciously regenerates, saves, and sanctifies (Romans 8:28-30; Ephesians 1:4-11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 2:10; 1 Peter 1:1-2). Sovereign election does not contradict or negate the responsibility of man to repent and trust Christ as Savior and Lord (John 3:18-19, 36; Romans 9:22-23; 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12). The unmerited favor that God grants to totally depraved sinners is not related to any initiative of their own part nor to God's anticipation of what they might do by their own will, but is solely of His sovereign grace and mercy (Ephesians 1:4-7; 2:4-10; Titus 3:4-7).
Justification. Justification before God is an act of God (Romans 8:33) by which He declares righteous those who, through faith in Christ, repent of their sins (Luke 13:3; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 2 Corinthians 7:10) and confess Him as Lord (Romans 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 12:3; Philippians 2:11). This righteousness is apart from any virtue or work of man (Romans 3:20; 4:6; Titus 3:5) and involves the imputation of one’s sins to Christ (1 Peter 2:24) and the imputation of Christ's righteousness to the believer (1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
Security. All the redeemed once saved are kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ forever (John 5:24; 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Romans 5:9-10; 8:1, 31-39; Ephesians 1:14; Philippians 1:6; Hebrews 7:25; 13:5; 1 Peter 1:5; Jude 24). 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 for sinful living and carnality (Romans 6:15-22; 13:13-14; Galatians 5:13, 25-26; 1 Peter 2:15-17; Titus 2:11-14).
SANCTIFICATION
Every believer is sanctified (set apart) unto God by justification and is therefore declared to be holy and is therefore identified as a saint (1 Corinthians 1:2, 30; 6:11). This sanctification is positional and instantaneous and should not be confused with progressive sanctification (2 Thessalonians 2:13). This sanctification has to do with the believer's standing, not his present walk or condition (Hebrews 10:10, 14; 13:12; 1 Peter 1:2).
There is also by the work of the Holy Spirit a progressive sanctification by which the state of the believer is brought closer to the standing the believer positionally enjoys through justification (Romans 6:1-14; 8:28-29). Through obedience to the Word of God and the empowering of the Holy Spirit, the believer is able to live a life of increasing holiness in conformity to the will of God, becoming more and more like our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 6:15-22; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4). Every saved person is involved in a daily conflict—the new creation in Christ doing battle against the flesh—but adequate provision is made for victory through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:9-10; 1 Peter 1:14-16). The struggle nevertheless stays with the believer all through this earthly life and is never completely ended. All claims to the eradication of sin in this life are unscriptural. Eradication of sin is not possible, but the Holy Spirit does provide for victory over sin (Galatians 5:16-25; Philippians 3:12; 1 John 3:5-9).
Out of deep gratitude for the undeserved grace of God granted to believers and because God is so worthy of the believer’s total consecration, all the saved should live in such a manner as to demonstrate his adoring love to God and so as not to bring reproach upon the Lord and Savior (Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 4:1; Philippians 1:27; 1 John 2:15-17). Believers should be separated unto the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12; Hebrews 12:1-2) and affirm that the Christian life is a life of obedient righteousness and is a continual pursuit of holiness (Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Philippians 2:12-16; Hebrews 12:14; Titus 2:11-14; 1 John 3:1-10).
Every believer ought to give to the church to support its ministries and evangelistic endeavors. The believer ought to give regularly (1 Corinthians 16:2); for the needs of others (Acts 2:45; 4:34-35), for the needs of the leadership (Galations 6:6), and the needs of the missionary. The believer is to give cheerfully and generously as God has blessed him (2 Corinthians 9:6-7), as Christ gave to him (2 Corinthians 8:9; Ephesians 5:25; Philippians 2:5-8), and also to be a blessing to others (Acts 20:35; 2 Corinthians 9:7). Giving is an outward indicator of one’s relationship with Christ (2 Corinthians 8:5) and reflects the stewardship of grace in an individual’s life (2 Corinthians 8:7).
THE CHURCH
All who place their faith in Jesus Christ are immediately placed by the Holy Spirit into one united spiritual Body, the church (1 Corinthians 12:12-13), the bride of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:23-32; Revelation 19:7-8), of which Christ is the Head (Ephesians 1:22; 4:15; Colossians 1:18). The formation of the church, the Body of Christ, began on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-21, 38-47) and will be completed at the coming of Christ for His own at the rapture (1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
The church is thus a unique spiritual organism designed by Christ, made up of all born again believers in this present age (Ephesians 2:11-3:6; Romans 9-11). The church is distinct from Israel (1 Corinthians 10:32), a mystery not revealed until this age (Ephesians 3:1-6; 5:32).
The establishment and continuity of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures (Acts 14:23, 27; 20:17, 28; Galatians 1:2; Philippians 1:1; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1). The members of the body of Christ are directed to associate themselves together in local assemblies (1 Corinthians 11:18-20; Hebrews 10:25). The local church is God’s instrument of change in the world. As each local church grows into the likeness of Christ, Christ is therefore manifest (Ephesians 4:11-16). God expects every believer to grow in Christ and has tied that process to the local church (Ephesians 4:16; 1 Corinthians 12:7; Hebrews 3:12-13; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22).
The one supreme authority for the church is Christ (1 Corinthians 11:3; Ephesians 1:22; Colossians 1:18) and church leadership, gifts, order, discipline, and worship are all appointed through His sovereignty as found in the Scriptures. The biblically designated officers serving under Christ and over the assembly are pastors (also called bishops, elders, and pastor teachers; Acts 20:28; Ephesians 4:11) and deacons, both of whom must meet biblical qualifications (1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-5). These leaders lead or rule as servants of Christ (1 Timothy 5:17-22) and have His authority in directing the church. The congregation is to submit to their leadership (Hebrews 13:7, 17).
Scripture teaches the importance of discipleship (Matthew 28:19-20; 2 Timothy 2:2), mutual accountability of all believers to each other (Matthew 18:5-14), as well as the need for discipline of sinning members of the congregation in accord with the standards of Scripture (Matthew 18:15-22; Acts 5:1-11; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15; 1 Timothy 1:19-20; Titus 1:10-16).
The autonomy of the local church includes freedom from any external authority or control, with the right of self government and freedom from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations (Titus 1:5). It is scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other for the presentation and propagation of the faith. Each local church, however, through its pastors and their interpretation and application of Scripture, should be the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation. The pastors should determine all other matters of membership, policy, discipline, benevolence, and government as well (Acts 15:19-31; 20:28; 1 Corinthians 5:4-7, 13; 1 Peter 5:1-4).
The purpose of the church is to glorify God by equipping believers to become like Christ (Ephesians 1:12; 3:21; 4:11-16). This process is accomplished by building itself up in the faith (Ephesians 4:13-16), by instruction of the Word (2 Timothy 2:2, 15; 3:16-17), by fellowship (Acts 2:47; 1 John 1:3), by keeping the ordinances (Luke 22:19; Acts 2:38-42) and by advancing and communicating the gospel to the entire world (Matthew 28:19; Acts 1:8; 2:42).
Two ordinances have been committed to the local church: baptism and the Lord's Supper (Acts 2:38-42). Believer’s baptism by immersion (Acts 8:36-39) is the solemn and beautiful testimony of a believer showing forth his faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, and his union with Him in death to sin and resurrection to a new life (Romans 6:1- 11). It is also a sign of fellowship and identification with the visible Body of Christ (Acts 2:41-42).
The Lord's Supper is the commemoration and proclamation of His death until He comes, and should be always preceded by solemn self examination (1 Corinthians 11:28-32). The elements of Communion are only representative of the flesh and blood of Christ (1 Corinthians 10:16). The
Lord’s Supper emphasizes the work of Christ on the cross and the unity of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:23-32).
Scripture teaches the importance of missions. God’s mission in the Old Testament was not exclusively to Israel but rather to the nations (Genesis 12:1-3; 18:18; 22:18). The New Testament also demonstrates God’s mission, which is to bring glory to himself through the redemption of sinners (Romans 1:5). God made redemption possible through his Son Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:18-25; John 1:29-30; Ephesians 1:7-12). Jesus calls for repentance (Luke 5:32; 24:47) and those who trust in his redemptive work become his disciples – his children, and members of a new people (Romans 12) on a mission to proclaim his gospel message (1 Corinthians 1:17). The evangelistic mandate for the individual believer is the task of sharing the gospel message to all those who do not know Jesus Christ as their personal savior (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
CREATION
The Genesis account of creation is to be accepted literally, and not allegorically or figuratively (Genesis 1:1; Exodus 20:1; Acts 4:24; Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 11:3; John
1:3; Revelation 10:6; Romans 1:20; Acts 17:23-26; Jeremiah 10:10). God completed His creative work in six, literal, successive, twenty-four hour days. In this creative process, man was created directly by God and in God’s own image and after His own likeness (Genesis 1:27; 1 Corinthians 11:7). Man’s creation was not a matter of evolution or evolutionary change of species, or development through long periods of time from lower to higher forms (Genesis 2:7, 21-23; John 1:3). In addition, all animal and vegetable life was created directly and to reproduce “after its own kind” (Genesis 1:11, 24; Colossians 1:16, 17).
FAMILY
Marriage of a man to a woman is the plan of God and sacred in His sight (Genesis 2:18- 25; Matthew 19:3-9; Ephesians 5:18-32; 1 Timothy 3:4, 5, 12; Malachi 2:13, 14). God hates divorce. He hates it because it always involves unfaithfulness to the solemn covenant of marriage that two partners have entered into before Him, and because it brings harmful consequences to those partners and their children (Mal. 2:14-16). Divorce in the Scripture is permitted only because of man’s sin. Since divorce is only a concession to man’s sin and is not part of God’s original plan for marriage, all believers should hate divorce as God does and pursue it only when there is no other recourse. With God’s help a marriage can survive the worst sins.
The roles of husband, wife, parent, and child are clearly defined in Scripture (Ephesians 5:21-32; Colossians 3:16-21; 1 Peter 3:1-7). The sexual relationship is sacred and fulfilling only within the bonds of marriage, and is condemned outside the marriage relationship (1 Corinthians 7:3, 4; Hebrews 13:4). Children are a blessing of God and the responsibility for them rests solely upon the parent. They are to be brought up in loving structured control and conscientious instruction in the truths of God and His principles of life (Psalm 127:3; Ephesians 6:4; Deuteronomy 6:6, 7; Psalm 78:4-7; Proverbs 22:6; Proverbs 17:6).
ANGELS
Holy Angels. Angels are created beings and are therefore not to be worshiped. Although they are a higher order of creation than man, they are created to serve God and to worship Him (Luke 2:9-14; Hebrews 1:6-7, 14; 2:6-7; Revelation 5:11-14; 19:10; 22:9).
Fallen Angels. Satan is a created angel and the author of sin. He incurred the judgment of God by rebelling against his Creator, when he took numerous angels with him in his fall (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 12:1-14), and introduced sin into the human race by his temptation of Eve (Genesis 3:1-15). Satan is the open and declared enemy of God and man (Matthew 4:1-11; Revelation 12:9-10); he is the prince of this world (Ephesians 2:2), who has been defeated through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Romans 16:20); and he shall be eternally punished in the literal lake of fire ( Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10).
LAST THINGS
Death. Physical death involves no loss of one’s immaterial consciousness (Revelation 6:9- 11). The soul of the redeemed passes immediately at death into the presence of Christ (Luke 23:43; Philippians 1:23; 2 Corinthians 5:8). There is a separation of soul and body (Philippians 1:21-24), and for the redeemed, such separation will continue until the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17), which initiates the first resurrection (Revelation 20:4-6), when the soul and body will be reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord (Philippians 3:21; 1 Corinthians 15:35-44, 50-54). Until that time, the souls of the redeemed in Christ remain in joyful fellowship with our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:8).
Scripture teaches the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life (John 6:39; Romans 8:10-11, 19-23; 2 Corinthians 4:14), and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment in an eternal, literal hell (Daniel 12:2; John 5:29; Revelation 20:13-15).
The souls of the unsaved at death are kept under punishment until the second resurrection (Luke 16:19-26; Revelation 20:13-15), when the soul and the resurrection body will be united (John 5:28-29). They shall then appear at the Great White Throne judgment (Revelation 20:11-15) and shall be cast into hell, the lake of fire (Matthew 25:41-46), cut off from the life of God forever (Daniel 12:2; Matthew 25:41-46; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).
The Rapture of the Church. Scripture teaches the personal, bodily return of the Lord Jesus Christ before the seven year tribulation (1 Thessalonians 4:16; Titus 2:13) to translate His church from this earth (John 14:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53; 1 Thessalonians 4:15- 5:11). Between this event and His glorious return with His saints, He rewards believers according to their works (1 Corinthians 3:11-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10).
The Tribulation Period. Immediately following the removal of the church from the earth (John 14:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) the righteous judgments of God are poured out upon an unbelieving world (Jeremiah 30:7; Daniel 9:27; 12:1; 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12; Revelation 16). These judgments are climaxed by the return of Christ in glory to the earth (Matthew 24:27-31; 25:31-46; 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12). At that time the Old Testament and tribulation saints are raised and the living are judged (Daniel 12:2-3; Revelation 20:4- 6). This period includes the seventieth week of Daniel's prophecy where God once again deals with his beloved Israel (Daniel 9:24-27; Matthew 24:15-31; 25:31-46).
The Second Coming and the Millennial Reign. After the tribulation period, Christ comes to earth to occupy the throne of David (Matthew 25:31; Luke 1:31-33; Acts 1:10-11; 2:29- 30) and establishes His messianic kingdom for a thousand years on the earth (Revelation 20:1-7). During this time the resurrected saints reign with Him over Israel and all the nations of the earth (Ezekiel 37:21-28; Daniel 7:17-22; Revelation 19:11-16). This reign is preceded by the overthrow of the Antichrist and the False Prophet, and by the removal of Satan from the world (Daniel 7:17-27; Revelation 20:1-7).
The kingdom itself is the literal fulfillment of God's promise to Israel (Isaiah 65:17-25; Ezekiel 37:21-28; Zechariah 8:1-17) to restore them to the land which they forfeited through their disobedience (Deuteronomy 28:15-68). The result of their disobedience was that Israel was temporarily set aside (Matthew 21:43; Romans 11:1-26) but will again be awakened through repentance to enter into the land of blessing (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:22-32; Romans 11:25-29). This time of the Lord's reign is characterized by harmony, justice, peace, righteousness, and long life (Isaiah 11; 65:17-25; Ezekiel 36:33-38), and is brought to an end with the release of Satan (Revelation 20:7).
Judgment of the Lord. Following the release of Satan after the thousand year reign of Christ (Revelation 20:7), Satan deceives the nations of the earth and gathers them to battle against the saints and the beloved city, at which time Satan and his army is devoured by fire from heaven (Revelation 20:9). Following this, Satan is thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10) whereupon Christ, who is the Judge of all men (John 5:22), resurrects and judges the great and small at the Great White Throne judgment. This resurrection of the unsaved dead to judgment is a physical resurrection, whereupon receiving their judgment (Romans 14:10-13), they are committed to an eternal conscious punishment in the lake of fire (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:11-15).
Eternity. After the closing of the millennium, the temporary release of Satan, and the judgment of unbelievers (2 Thessalonians 1:9; Revelation 20:7-15), the saved enter the eternal state of glory with God, after which the elements of this earth are to be dissolved (2 Peter 3:10) and replaced with a new earth wherein only righteousness dwells (Ephesians 5:5; Revelation 20:15, 21-22). Following this, the heavenly city comes down out of heaven (Revelation 21:2) and is the dwelling place of the saints, where they enjoy forever fellowship with God and one another (John 17:3; Revelation 21-22). The Lord Jesus Christ, having fulfilled His redemptive mission, then delivers up the kingdom to God the Father (1 Corinthians 15:24-28) that in all spheres the triune God may reign forever and ever (1 Corinthians 15:28).