Authority of Scripture
We believe in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as verbally inspired
of God and without error in the original writings. The exact meaning of the
Scriptures is essentially unchanged in any important respect in the widely
accepted English translations. The Scriptures are authoritative and without
error in any category of knowledge, including science and history, and are of
supreme and final authority in all matters about which they speak. We believe
the Scriptures are to be interpreted in a normal and literal way and that they
are understood as the believer is guided by the Spirit of God.
Reference: John 10:35; Matt. 5:18; 2 Tim. 3:16;
2 Pet. 1:21; 1 Cor. 2:13; 1 Tim. 5:18; 1 Cor. 2:14-16; John 16:12-15
The Trinity
We believe in one God eternally existing in three equal persons—Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit. Reference: John 6:27;
Heb.1:8; Acts 5:3,4; Deut. 6:4; 2 Cor. 13:14; Matt 28:19; Is. 48:16
Pre-eminence of Jesus Christ
We believe that God the Son became flesh in the person of Jesus Christ, who was
begotten by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, and who is true God and
true man. Reference: John 1:14; Matt.
1:18-25; Matt. 26:38; John 11:33; John 8:40; Heb. 1:8; Heb. 2:14
Atonement
We believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins as a substitutionary sacrifice
and that all who believe in Him are declared righteous on the basis of His shed
blood. Reference: 2 Cor. 5:14; Mark 10:45;
Rom. 3:24-26; 1 Pet. 3:18; Rom. 5:8-9
Resurrection
We believe in the bodily resurrection of Christ, in His ascension into heaven,
and in His present life there for us. Jesus now serves as high priest,
intercessor, and advocate on our behalf with the Father.
Reference: Rom. 1:4; John 20:25-27; I John 2:1;
Heb. 7:25; Mark 16:19; Acts 1:9-11
The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person, possessing all the distinctively
divine attributes. He is God. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and
judgment. He regenerates, seals, and sets apart the believer to a holy life. At
regeneration, He baptizes the believer into the body of Christ and comes to
indwell him permanently. Reference: 2 Cor.
2:10, 11; 12:11; Is. 40:13, 14; Ps. 139:7; Titus 3:5; John 3:5-7; 14:16-17;
16:8; Eph. 1:13; 2 Thess. 2:13; 1 Cor. 12:13; Rom. 8:9
Sin
We believe that man was created in the image of God and that he sinned and
consequently experienced not only physical death but also spiritual death (which
is separation from God). The consequences of this sin affect the entire human
race. All human beings are born with a sinful nature, and in the case of those
who reach moral responsibility, become sinners in thought, word, and deed.
Reference: Gen. 1:26,27; 2:17, 3:6; Rom.
5:12-19; Eph. 2:1-3, 4:18; Mark 7:20-23; John 2:24,25
Salvation
We believe that whoever by faith receives Jesus Christ as his Savior becomes a
child of God. This salvation is not the result of any human effort or merit.
Reference: John 1:12; Eph. 2:8,9; Rom. 3:28
Eternal Security
We believe that all true believers are kept eternally secure by the power of God
through the new birth, the indwelling and sealing of the Holy Spirit, and the
intercession of Christ. Reference: John
10:28-30; 14:16,17; 1 Pet. 2:23; Eph. 4:30; 1 John 2:1; Rom. 8:38-39
Victory
We believe that all believers still have the ability to sin due to the flesh and
sin that dwells within us (Romans 7:17, 18) but that God has made full provision
for believers to overcome this natural desire to sin and to live for God through
identification with Christ, a knowledge of the Scriptures, and by the power of
the indwelling Holy Spirit. Reference:
Rom. 7:15-21; 6:1-11; 8:11-13; Eph. 2:10
Healing
We believe that God heals, with or without means in answer to prayer offered in
faith and in accord with His sovereign will.
Reference: James 5:14,15; 1 John 5:14,15
The Church
We believe that the church in its invisible form is universal, the true body of
Christ. All believers from the day of Pentecost until the church is caught up to
heaven are members of the universal church regardless of organizational
affiliation. We believe that Christ ordained the observance of water baptism and
the Lord's supper until He returns.
Reference 1: Col. 1:18; Eph. 4:4-6; Acts 1:5, 11:15,16; 1 Cor. 12:13, 11:24-26;
1 Thess. 4:13-17; Matt. 16:18, 28:19
We believe that the purpose of the church, in addition to building up every
member of the body, is to make Christ known to the whole world. Every member of
the body shares in this purpose. In relation to the world, believers are sent by
Christ to communicate to unsaved people that God is reconciling the world to
Himself in Christ. Reference 2: Matt.
28:18-20; Mark 16:15; 2 Cor. 5:18-20; John 17:18-20; Acts 1:8; Rom. 10:12-15;
Is. 45:22, 49:6
Bodily Resurrection
We believe in the future bodily resurrection of all people. Believers are
resurrected to enjoy life with God. Unbelievers are resurrected to experience
judgment and then eternal suffering apart from God.
Reference: 1 Cor. 15:52; 1 Thess. 4:16; Rev.
20:4-6; John 5:28-29; Dan. 12:2; Rev. 21:1-8
Satan
We believe in the reality and personality of Satan, and that when given the
opportunity, he attempts to defeat Christians. However, we believe Christians
can overcome Satan's schemes by applying Scriptural truth.
Reference: Eph. 6:10-19; Luke 10:18; Job
1:6-12; John 8:44
The Rapture of the Church
The owner and Chief Editor (Andy) of this site believes in the imminent, pretribulational, invisible personal return of
Christ in the air for the church. All members of the body of Christ, living and
dead, will at that time be caught up to be with the Lord forever. Andy
also recognizes and respects there are other positions on the timing of the
rapture and indeed has had commentators that hold to a different viewpoint.
However, no other timing doctrine shall be entered into any Watchmen Watching
article.
Reference: 1 Thess. 4:13-18; 1 Cor. 15:51-53;
Titus 2:13
Eschatology
We believe in the personal, bodily, visible, and premillennial return of Jesus
Christ in the glory of His Father to set up on the earth a kingdom in which He
shall reign in righteousness and peace for 1,000 years.
Reference: Acts 1:11; Matt. 24:30; Rev. 20:4-6;
Is. 9:6-7; Is. 11:2-5