Introduction

The church is "the pillar and support of the truth" (1), therefore it is the responsibility of every member of the church to "contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints." (2)

God's truth has always been questioned, attacked, and perverted. The Bible warns us that such deception will continue, and history has demonstrated the accuracy of these warnings. It is no wonder then, that in our day, truth is rare while error is rampant.

We offer this statement of faith, not as something new or profound, not as a response to any single system of false doctrine, but rather as a simple and sincere attempt to proclaim and defend God's inerrant Word. This Detailed Statement of Faith is considered by us to be a modern English version of those truths formerly declared in the 1646 London Confession of Faith.

In recognition of the “foolishness of the message preached” we endeavor to preach and teach in a systematic method; verse by verse through entire books and teach thematically as an exception to our normal practice for a specific purpose to address the needs of the church body. (3)
We pray that the reader, whether in agreement or disagreement, will emulate the "noble-minded" people of Berea who were in the habit of "examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so." (4)

“See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.” (5)

"Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth." (6)

**Please note:
All who desire membership with Shepherd’s Fellowship of Greensboro must agree with and affirm those doctrines listed in this Detailed Statement of Faith that have the double cross beside them (‡). Anyone who denies any of these articles of faith will not be accepted as a member of Shepherd’s Fellowship of Greensboro because these are generally deemed essential doctrines of historic Protestantism as well as specific essential doctrines held by all historic Particular Baptists and Reformed Theologians.

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1. The Holy Scripture‡

God has revealed all that is necessary for life and salvation in the sixty-six books of the Bible, which is the Word of God (1). All Scripture is inerrant and infallible, transmitted through human authors by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (2). Scripture alone* is the final authority in all matters of doctrine and practice. Its authority is derived from its Author and not from the opinions of men (3).

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2. God and the Trinity‡

There is one true and living God (1) who is an infinite, eternal, self-existent, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent Spirit (2) who exists in three eternally distinct persons (3): the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (4) each equally deserving worship and obedience. These three are one in essence (5), united in purpose (6), and equally worthy of honor (7). God is invisible, unchanging, dependent upon none, sovereign, righteous, holy, just, gracious, loving, merciful, patient, and good, perfect and immutable in His being and attributes (8).

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God the Father‡

We teach that God the Father, the first person of the Trinity, orders and disposes all things according to His own purpose (1). He is the creator of all things (2). As the only absolute and omnipotent ruler, He is sovereign in creation, providence, and redemption (3). His fatherhood involves both His designation within the Trinity and His relationship with mankind. As Creator He is Father to all men (4), but He is spiritual Father only to believers (5).

We teach that God has decreed for His own glory all things that come to pass (6). The decree of God is His eternal purpose, based on His wise and holy will, whereby He foreordained for His own glory all things which come to pass. His eternal purpose (decree) is immutable, free, and efficacious.

He continually upholds, directs, and governs all creatures and events (7). However, He is neither the author nor the approver of sin (8), nor does He abridge the accountability of moral, intelligent creatures (9). He has graciously chosen from eternity past those whom He would have as His own (10); He effectually draws them to Himself (11) ; He saves from sin all those who come to Him; and He becomes, upon adoption, Father to His own (12).

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God the Son‡

We teach that Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity, possesses all the divine excellencies, and in these He is coequal, consubstantial, and coeternal with the Father (1).

We teach that God the Father created "the heavens and the earth and all that is in them" according to His own will, through His Son, Jesus Christ, by Whom all things continue in existence and in operation (2).

We teach that 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 (3).

We teach that Jesus Christ represents humanity and deity in indivisible oneness (4).

We teach that our Lord Jesus Christ was virgin born (5); that He was God incarnate (6); and that the purpose of the incarnation was to reveal God, redeem men, and rule over God's kingdom (7).

We teach that Jesus Christ occupies three offices - Prophet, Priest, and King. These three Old Testament offices foreshadowed the coming Messiah’s own work in three different ways:

a. Prophet: As Prophet Jesus reveals God to us and speaks God’s words to us. Jesus fulfills the prophecy of Moses in Deuteronomy 18:15 that a prophet like him (Moses) would arise. This was ultimately fulfilled in Christ (8). Consistent with this, Jesus claimed to be a prophet (9).

b. Priest: As Priest Jesus both offers a sacrifice to God the Father on our behalf and is Himself the sacrifice that is offered. The book of Hebrews portrays Christ as a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. He fulfills the Day of Atonement and continues to make intercession for believers (10).

c. King: As King Jesus rules over His church and over the universe as well. The consummation of His kingship will be realized in the future (11).

We teach that, in the incarnation, the second person of the Trinity laid aside His right to the full prerogatives of coexistence with God and took on an existence appropriate to a servant while never divesting Himself of His divine attributes (12).

We teach that Jesus Christ was completely sinless. The impeccability of Christ not only means that He did not sin but that He could not sin and did not have a sinful nature as we do (13).

We teach that our Lord Jesus Christ accomplished the redemption of the elect through the shedding of His blood and His sacrificial death on the cross and that His death was voluntary, vicarious, substitutionary, propitiatory, redemptive, and efficacious (14).

We teach that Christ’s death was intended to infallibly and unfailingly save a particular people, the elect who were given to Him by the Father (15). The substitutionary death of Christ actually secured the salvation of specific individuals, namely those who were chosen by God before the foundation of the world. Therefore, we teach that Christ’s work of atonement was limited to the elect. Christ's redemption secured everything necessary for their salvation, including faith which unites them to Him. The gift of faith is infallibly applied by the Spirit to all for whom Christ died, thereby guaranteeing their salvation.

We teach that 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 (16).

We teach that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead and that He is now ascended to the right hand of the Father, where He now mediates as our Advocate and High Priest (17).

We teach that in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave, God confirmed the deity of His Son and gave proof that God had accepted the atoning work of Christ on the cross. Jesus' bodily resurrection is also the guarantee of a future resurrection life for all believers (18).

We teach that Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and man (19), the Head of His body the church (20), the King who reigns on the throne of David (21). the judge of all who fail to place their trust in Him as Lord and Savior (22).

We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ is the one through whom God will judge all mankind, believers and unbelievers (23).

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God the Holy Spirit‡

We teach that the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, is God, eternal, underived, possessing all the divine excellencies. He is coequal and consubstantial with the Father and the Son (1). The Holy Spirit possesses all the attributes of personality and deity, including intellect (2), emotions (3), will (4), eternality (5), omnipresence (6), omniscience (7), omnipotence (8), and truthfulness (9).

We recognize the Holy Spirit’s sovereign activity in creation (10), the incarnation (11), written revelation (12), and the work of salvation (13). We teach that 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 (14).

We teach that the work of the Holy Spirit includes convicting the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment, glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ, and transforming believers into Christlikeness (15).

We teach that the Holy Spirit is the supernatural and sovereign agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ (16). The Holy Spirit also indwells, sanctifies, instructs through the Word of God, empowers believers for service, and seals them unto the day of redemption (17).

We teach that every believer is indwelled by the Holy Spirit from the moment of salvation. However, it is the responsibility of all those born of the Spirit to be filled with (controlled by) the Spirit (18).

We teach that the Holy Spirit administers spiritual gifts to the church. The Holy Spirit glorifies neither Himself nor His gifts by ostentatious displays, but He does glorify Christ by regenerating the lost and building up believers in the most holy faith (19).

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3. Creation Generally ‡

We believe and teach the special creation, and from nothing, of the entire space-time universe and of every basic form of life, including all that now exists, in six literal 24-hour days, and it was all very good according to the Genesis creation record. Genesis 1.5, 14-19, 31; Exodus 20:11; Matthew 19:4; Colossians 1:16-17

CREATION SPECIFICALLY:
The account of origins presented in Genesis is a simple but factual presentation of actual events and therefore provides a reliable framework for scientific research into the question of the origin and history of life, mankind, the Earth, and the universe. The various original life forms (‘kinds’), including mankind, were made by direct creative acts of God. The living descendants of any of the original kinds (apart from man) may represent more than one species today, reflecting the genetic potential within the original kind. Only limited biological changes (including mutational degeneration) have occurred naturally within each kind since Creation.(1)

We affirm the following:
1) The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit acted together in the work of creation.(2)
2) Out of all living things, only man was created in God's image. God granted him dominion over all lesser forms of life and over the earth itself.(3)
3) The historicity of the biblical record of primitive history, including the special creation of Adam and Eve as the literal progenitors of all people, the literal fall of Adam and Eve and resultant divine curse on the creation, the worldwide flood, and the origin of nations and languages at the tower of Babel.(4)
4) That any apparent, perceived, or claimed evidence in any field, including history and chronology, cannot be valid if it contradicts the Scriptural record. Of primary importance is the fact that evidence is always subject to interpretation by fallible human beings who do not possess all information.(5)
We believe and teach the special creation of the entire space-time universe and of every basic form of life, including all that now exists in six days and from nothing, and it was all very good according to the Genesis creation record. The account of origins presented in Genesis is a simple but factual presentation of actual events and therefore provides a reliable framework for scientific research into the question of the origin and history of life, mankind, the Earth, and the universe. The various original life forms (‘kinds’), including mankind, were made by direct creative acts of God. The living descendants of any of the original kinds (apart from man) may represent more than one species today, reflecting the genetic potential within the original kind. Only limited biological changes (including mutational degeneration) have occurred naturally within each kind since Creation (1). The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit acted together in the work of creation (2). Out of all living things, only man was created in God's image. God granted him dominion over all lesser forms of life and over the earth itself (3). We believe in the historicity of the biblical record of primitive history, including the special creation of Adam and Eve as the literal progenitors of all people, the literal fall of Adam and Eve and resultant divine curse on the creation, the worldwide flood, and the origin of nations and languages at the tower of Babel (4). We believe and teach that any apparent, perceived, or claimed evidence in any field, including history and chronology, cannot be valid if it contradicts the Scriptural record. Of primary importance is the fact that evidence is always subject to interpretation by fallible human beings who do not possess all information (5).

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4. Providence‡

God orders and directs His universe in every detail (1). Every event in nature and every human action and decision is according to His decree and purpose (2). In God's infinite wisdom and power, all things work together for the benefit of His people (3), and for His glory (4).

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5. The Fall and Its Effects‡

God made Adam perfect, innocent, and upright (1), appointing him representative and head of the human race (2). He fell from his original righteousness into sin when he disobeyed God's command (3). By his sinful act, Adam brought all people into a state of death and condemnation, passing to each one of them a corrupt sinful nature (4).

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6. Man's Inability‡

The Fall brought every man into a state of total depravity, meaning all aspects of his being are distorted by sin (1). Apart from the grace of God, fallen man treats sin as his master (2), God as an enemy (3), and the message of the cross as foolishness (4). Until he is born again, he possesses neither the desire nor the ability to love God, to keep His laws, to understand the gospel, to repent of sin, or to trust in Christ (5).

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7. The Birth and Life of Christ‡

God sent His Son into the world to save His people from their sins (1). Conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary (2), He was and is both God and man (3). He was tempted in every way yet without sin (4), living the perfect life of righteousness on behalf of His people (5).

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8. The Death of Christ‡

Christ died on the cross (1) as the perfect sacrifice for sin (2), forever finishing the substitutionary work of atonement (3) for His people, the church (4).

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9. The Resurrection of Christ‡

On the third day, Christ rose bodily from the grave (1). The resurrection affirms the deity of Christ (2) and assures believers of their future bodily resurrection (3). Raised for our justification (Rom 4:25)

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10. The Ascension of Christ‡

Jesus ascended into heaven (1) to appear in the presence of God as our perpetual High Priest, presenting Himself as the only acceptable sacrifice for sin (2). He is the one and only Mediator between God and men (3), and Head of His church (4). He intercedes forever on behalf of His people (5) and rules over all things for their sake (6).

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11. Election and Responsibility‡

Before the foundation of the world, God elected a great multitude of men and women to eternal life (1) as an act of His free grace alone*. This election was in no way dependent upon His foresight of human faith, decision, works, or merit (2). In the unsearchable realm of God's sovereign will (3), all men remain responsible beings, subject to God's commands to repent and believe, and accountable to God for their rebellion, impenitence, and rejection of Christ (4).

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12. Calling and Regeneration‡

To accomplish God's redemptive purpose (1), the Holy Spirit works effectively through the gospel of Christ (2), regenerating elect sinners (3) and drawing them irresistibly to repentance and saving faith (4).

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13. Justification‡

The elect are declared righteous in the sight of God because of Christ's perfect life, His substitutionary death, and the imputation of His righteousness (1). Justification can never be the reward or result of human works or merit (2), nor does it grow out of an infusion of Christ's righteousness (3). It is granted through faith alone* (4) in the person and work of Christ alone* (5).

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14. Sanctification‡

According to God's purpose in predestination, the justified are progressively conformed into the image of Christ (1). All true believers direct their will and affections toward this purpose (2), putting to death the desires and deeds of the flesh (3) by the enabling power of the Holy Spirit (4) as God's Word is more fully understood and applied (5). While sinless perfection will never be attained in this life (6), it is a certainty in heaven (7).

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15. The Perseverance and Preservation of the Saints‡

All who are chosen, called, regenerated, and justified shall be preserved in faith and never finally fall away so as to lose their salvation (1). Believers can fall into grievous sins by inwardly lusting in response to outward worldly and demonic temptations (2). As the believer is seized by this inner lust, it brings forth both inner and outer manifestations of sin that results in broken fellowship with God, other believers, and potentially death, should persistence in sin be maintained by the erring believer (3). Lack of rebuke, correction, and training in righteousness from the Scriptures as accomplished through regular participation in the teaching of the Word of God through the local Church can cause them to remain in a weak and immature state, thus making them even more susceptible to their own fleshly desires and the temptations and trickery of Satan (4).

Believers may continue in sin for some time so that they grieve His Holy Spirit, lose the joy of God’s comforts, cause their hearts to grow cold, and hurt and offend others thereby incurring God’s discipline and divine correction (5). By this they will bring divine temporal judgments and the discipline of the church upon themselves (6). Yet, despite all of this, they shall turn to God in repentance and be preserved to the end through faith in Jesus Christ (7).

The perseverance of the believer is not a human accomplishment but a work of God through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit who creates, sustains, and nourishes a living, growing, transforming, and enduring faith in all true believers who are being faithfully taught the Word of God (2).

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16. The Church‡

The universal church is the body of Christ and is under the authority of Christ alone (1). Nevertheless, qualified elders represent Him in the local assemblies as they care for His body (2). Qualified deacons are to assist the elders as needs arise (3). Each member of the church is uniquely gifted by the Holy Spirit to edify the body (4). The local church must recognize and fellowship with the universal body of Christ represented in other true churches (5).

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17. Baptism‡

Baptism is the first act of Christian obedience (1). True baptism is immersion in water (2), signifying the believer's union with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection to new life (3), as well as cleansing from sin (4). Baptism may only be administered to those who demonstrate repentance from sin and make a credible profession of faith in Christ (5).

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18. The Lord's Supper‡

Following their baptism, Christians may, and indeed, must regularly partake of the Lord's Supper (1). By breaking and eating the bread and drinking the cup, believers commemorate the suffering and death of Jesus on the cross (2). Through the Lord's Supper, they affirm and celebrate their oneness, their separation from the world, and their fellowship with Christ in the New Covenant (3).

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19. Evangelism‡

It is the calling of every local church to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey all that Christ has commanded (1). It is a priority in evangelism to unite new believers with local churches (2).

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20. The Return of Christ‡

The Lord Jesus Christ shall come again to raise the dead bodily, both righteous and unrighteous (1). The justified shall enjoy everlasting life in the presence of God in heaven, while the unjustified shall eternally endure God's wrath in hell (2).

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21. God's Covenants and The Law

We believe that God has maintained one eternal purpose in Christ (1), which has been expressed through a multiplicity of distinct historical covenants (2). Prominent among these (3) are those designated the Old Covenant, also known as the Mosaic or First Covenant (4) and the New Covenant (5). The former, confined to the people of Israel alone (6), was established while that nation was assembled before Mt. Sinai (7) and was later made obsolete (8) through its fulfillment by the life and death of Jesus the Messiah (9). The Old Covenant was comprised wholly of shadows (10) pointing ultimately to Jesus and His body, the Church (11). Therefore, the age in which it remained operative was at all times a period of immaturity (12) as compared to the age of fulfillment, which was inaugurated with Christ's first advent (13).

We believe that the Old Covenant, containing a single, unified law code (14), was a legal, conditional covenant (15) requiring perfect and complete obedience of all those under it (16). On the one hand, it promised life to all who obeyed it (17), and, on the other hand, it pronounced a curse upon all its transgressors (18). Therefore, it inescapably brought death to all who sought to be justified by it (19), not because of a deficiency in the law (20) which in itself is "holy, just, and good" (21), but because of the sinful inability of those under its charge (22). For this reason, it is variously described as a "killing letter," a "ministry of death," and a "ministry of condemnation" (23), its distinct purpose being to illumine sin (24), to perform as a “schoolmaster/tutor” (“Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.” 25), so as to make manifest the Israelites' and, by implication, all men's need for a redeemer (26).

We believe that, in contrast to the Old Covenant (27), the New Covenant, by virtue of Christ's perfect obedience to the law (28), as well as His bearing of its curse (29) promises only blessing to all those who belong to it (30). This second covenant, the "everlasting covenant" (31) enacted upon better promises (32), has thus brought to realization all that was anticipated in the covenants made with Abraham (33), Moses (34), and David (35).

We believe that, under the New Covenant, God's people, having entered the age of fulfillment (36), now stand as mature sons (37). Having been set free (38) from the tutelage and bondage of the law code (39) written upon tablets of stone (40), they have subsequently been placed under the Spirit's management (41) having the new and greater Lawgiver's (42) own law (43) now written upon their hearts (44).

We believe that, as a result, though many of the individual commandments given in the Decalogue and the eternal Ruling Principles upon which the Mosaic Covenant was founded still apply to those under the New Covenant (45), God's people are now totally free from the Old Covenant as a covenant (46). The usefulness of the Mosaic commands is not therefore to be denied, only that these are now understood to come to us through Christ (47), the mediator of the New Covenant (48), whose divine authority underwrites both the Old and New Covenants. In particular, with the obsolescence of the Old Covenant, the fourth commandment, the seventh day Sabbath observance, is no longer obligatory (49)---its relevance now pointing to that rest enjoyed by all those in Christ (50).

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22. The Glory of God‡

Christians must live for God's glory alone* (1) through their awareness and enjoyment of His Person (2), submission to His authority (3), and reliance upon His goodness (4). In truth, all things that have or will transpire, serve to glorify God as their highest purpose, "For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen." (Romans 11:36)

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23. Spiritual Gifts

We believe that need of the church to submit to God as He accomplishes His purpose in the world. To that end He gives the church spiritual gifts. He gives men chosen for the purpose of equipping the saints for the work of the ministry (1), and He also gives unique and special spiritual abilities to each member of the body of Christ (2).

We believe that 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 (3); 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. Miraculous gifts can even be counterfeited by Satan so as to deceive even believers (4). The only gifts in operation today are those non-revelatory equipping gifts given for edification (5).

We believe that no one possesses the gift of healing today but that 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 (6).

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Scripture Proofs

Introduction (1) 1 Timothy 3:15 (2) Jude 3 (3) 1 Corinthians 1:21 (4) Acts 17:11 (5) Colossians 2:8 (6) 2 Timothy 2:15

1. The Holy Scriptures (1) Matthew 4:4; Romans 1:16; 1 Timothy 4:16; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; Hebrews 4:12 (2) Psalm 19:7-9; 119:160; Proverbs 8:8; 30:5; John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21 (3) Isaiah 8:19-20; Psalm 138:2; Proverbs 30:6; Acts 17:11; Galatians 1:8-9; 1 Timothy 1:3; 6:3-5,20-21; 2 John 9-11

2. God and the Trinity (1) Deuteronomy 4:39; Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 44:6; 45:5-7; 46:9; 1 Corinthians 8:4 (2) Exodus 3:14; Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalm 90:1-2; 139:7-10; Matthew 6:8; 10:30; John 5:26; 1 John 3:20; Revelation 1:8; 4:8; John 4:24 (3) Matthew 28:19; Titus 3:4-6 (4) The Father: Matthew 3:17; 6:9; John 17:1,5,11,21,25; The Son: Matthew 1:23; 3:17; John 1:1,14; 5:19-23; 8:58 (cf. Exodus 3:14); John 10:31-33; 17:1,5,11,21,25; Romans 9:5; Philippians 2:5-6; Colossians 2:9; Titus 2:13; 3:4,6 (cf. Isaiah 43:11; 45:21); 2 Peter 1:1; The Holy Spirit: Matthew 1:18 (cf. Luke 1:35); John 14:16-17; Acts 5:3-4; Romans 8:9-11; 1 Corinthians 2:10-12; 12:11,18 (5) Genesis 1:26-27; 3:22-24; Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Timothy 3:16 (6) Isaiah 42:1; 48:16; 61:1-3; Matthew 28:19; John 5:19,30; 14:26; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Titus 3:4-6 (7) Matthew 12:31-32; John 4:24; 5:23; 17:5; Hebrews 1:6; 10:29; Revelation 4:11 (cf. Job 33:4); Revelation 5:12-14 (8) Invisible - John 1:18; 4:24; Colossians 1:15; 1 Timothy 1:17; 1 John 4:12; unchanging - Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17; dependent upon none -Genesis 1:1; Acts 17:25; sovereign - 1 Chronicles 29:11-12; Psalm 47:2; 115:3; Proverbs 21:1; Lamentations 3:37-38; Isaiah 46:9-11; John 19:10-11; Ephesians 1:11; 1 Timothy 6:15; righteous - Ezra 9:15; Nehemiah 9:8; Psalm 89:14; 92:15; John 17:25; holy - Psalm 99:3,5,9; Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8; just - Psalm 89:14; Isaiah 45:21; Romans 3:26; gracious - Exodus 34:6; Jonah 4:2; 1 Peter 2:3; loving - John 3:16; Romans 5:8; 1 John 3:1; 4:8-10 (cf. Malachi 1:2-3; Romans 9:10-15; Hebrews 12:5-8); merciful - Exodus 34:6; Numbers 14:18; Psalm 136; Lamentations 3:22 (cf. Exodus 33:19; Romans 9:15); patient - Exodus 34:6; Numbers 14:18; Jonah 4:2; 2 Peter 3:9; good - Exodus 34:6; Psalm 34:8; Luke 18:19, Malachi 3:6; James 1:17.

God the Father (1) Psalm 145:8-9; 1 Corinthians 8:6 (2) Genesis 1:1-31; Ephesians 3:9 (3) Psalm 103:19; Romans 11:36 (4) Ephesians 4:6 (5) Romans 8: 14; 2 Corinthians 6:18 (6) Ephesians 1:11 (7) 1 Chronicles 29:11 (8) Habakkuk 1: 13 (9) 1 Peter 1:17 (10) Ephesians 1:4-6 (11) John 6:39, 44; Romans 8:29-30 (12) John 1:12; Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:5; Hebrews 12:5-9

God the Son (1) John 10:30; 14:9; Hebrews 1:3 (2) John 1:3; Colossians 1:15-17; Hebrews 1:2-3 (3) Philippians 2:5-8; Colossians 2:9 (4) Micah 5:2; John 5:23; 14:9-10; Colossians 2:9 (5) Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23, 25; Luke 1:26-35 (6) John 1:1, 14 (7) Psalm 2:7-9; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:29; Philippians 2:9-11; Hebrews 7:25-26; 1 Peter 1:18-19 (8) Acts 3:22-24 (9) Matthew 13:57; Mark 6:4; Luke 4:24; 13:33; John 4:44 (10) Hebrews 2:18; 4:16; Romans 8:34 (11) Luke 19:38; John 18:36-37; Acts 17:7; Philippians 2:9-11; Revelation 19:16 (12) Philippians 2:5-8 (13) Matthew 3:17; John 8:46-49; 14:30; Acts 3:14; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 7:26; 9:14; 1 Peter 1:19; 2:22; 1 John 3:5, 7 (14) John 10:15; Romans 3:24-25; 5:8; 1 Peter 2:24 (15) Ephesians 1:3-7; John 1:29; 17:2, 6, 9, 24 (16) Romans 3:25; 5:8-9; 2 Cor. 5:14-15; 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18 (17) Matthew 28:6; Luke 24:38-39; Acts 2:30-31; Romans 4:25; 8:34; Hebrews 7:25; 9:24; 1 John 2:1 (18) John 5:26-29; 14:19; Romans 4:25; 6:5-10; 1 Corinthians 15:20, 23 (19) 1 Timothy 2:5 (20) Ephesians 1:22; 5:23; Colossians 1:18 (21) Isaiah 9:6-7; Ezekiel 37:24-28; Luke 1:31-33 (22) Matthew 25:.14-46; Acts 17:30-31 (23) Matthew 25:31-46; John 5:22-23; Acts 17:30-31; 1 Corinthians 3:10-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 20:11-15

God the Holy Spirit (1) Matthew 28:19; Acts 5:3-4; 28:25-26; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; 2 Corinthians 13:14; and Jeremiah 31:31-34 with Hebrews 10:15-17 (2) 1 Corinthians 2: 10-13 (3) Ephesians 4:30 (4) 1 Corinthians 12:11 (5) Hebrews 9:14 (6) Psalm 139:7-10 (7) Isaiah 40:13-14 (8) Romans 15:13 (9) John 16: 13 (10) Genesis 1:2 (11) Matthew 1:18 (12) 2 Peter 1:20-21 (13) John 3:5-7 (14) John 16:13; 2 Peter 1:19-21 (15) John 16:7-14; Acts 1:5; 2:4; Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 2:22 (16) 1 Corinthians 12: 13 (17) Romans 8:9; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Ephesians 1:13 (18) John 16:13; Romans 8:9; Ephesians 5:18; 1 John 2:20, 27 (19) John 16: 13-14; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; 2 Corinthians 3:18

3. Creation (1) Genesis 1:1-31; Exodus 20:11; Mark10:6; 31:17; Acts 17:24; Romans 4:17; Hebrews 11:3; Revelation 4:11 (2) Genesis 1:1-2,26-28; Job 33:4; Psalm 33:6,9; 104:30; Jeremiah 10:12-13; John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:15-17; Hebrews 1:2; 11:3 (3) Genesis 1:26-28; 9:6; Psalm 8:6-8; Colossians 3:10; James 3:9 (4) Gen. 1-11 (5) Ps. 118:8; 1 Cor. 2:5; 2 Cor. 4:7

4. Providence (1) Numbers 23:19; Job 38:4-41; Proverbs 16:33; Isaiah 46:9-11; Ephesians 1:11; Acts 17:25,28; Hebrews 1:3 (2) Exodus 7:3-4; Proverbs 16:9; 21:1, Daniel 4:25,35; Matthew 10:29; John 6:37-40; Acts 4:27-28; 13:48; Philippians 2:12-13 (3) Romans 8:28; 2 Corinthians 7:10 (cf. Romans 2:4); Hebrews 12:5-11 (4) Exodus 9:16; Isaiah 60:21; Ezekiel 28:20-23; Romans 9:22-23; 11:33-36; Ephesians 1:11-14

5. The Fall and Its Effects (1) Genesis 1:26-31; Ecclesiastes 7:29 (2) Romans 5:12-19; 1 Corinthians 15:22 (3) Genesis 2:16-17; 3:1-24 (4) Psalm 51:5; 58:3; Isaiah 48:8; Romans 3:19,23; 5:12,18,19; 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:22

6. Man's Inability (1) Genesis 6:5; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 1:28-32; 3:9-18; Titus 1:15 (2) Romans 6:16-22; Ephesians 2:1-3; Colossians 1:13; 2 Timothy 2:26; Titus 3:3 (3) Deuteronomy 32:41; Romans 5:10; 8:7; Colossians 1:21; James 4:4 (4) Acts 17:32; 26:22-24; 1 Corinthians 1:18,21; 2 Corinthians 2:15-16; Philippians 3:18-19 (5) Deuteronomy 5:29; Jeremiah 4:22; John 3:19-20; 6:44,65; 8:43,45,47; 14:17; 15:5; Romans 1:21; 3:9-18; 8:6-8; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Ephesians 2:1; 4:17-19; Colossians 2:13; 2 Thessalonians 3:2 (cf. 1 Corinthians 4:7; Hebrews 11:6)

7. The Birth and Life of Christ (1) Matthew 1:21; John 1:29; 3:16-17; Philippians 2:7 (2) Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-23; Luke 1:26-35 (3) John 1:1; 20:28; Romans 9:5; Philippians 2:7-8; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8; John 1:14; Romans 5:15, 18-19; 1 Corinthians 15:47-49; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 2:17 (4) John 8:46; Hebrews 4:15; 7:26-28; 1 Peter 2:21-22; 1 John 3:5 (5) Galatians 4:4-5; 2 Corinthians 5:21

8. The Death of Christ (1) Mark 15:37,44; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Revelation 1:18; Romans 10:9 (2) 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 2:10; 9:9-14; 10:10-14 (3) John 19:28-30; Romans 3:23-25; 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (4) John 10:15; Acts 20:28; Romans 8:28-34; Ephesians 5:25; Hebrews 10:12-14

9. The Resurrection of Christ (1) Matthew 28:5-7; Luke 24:5-8, 39, 42-43 (2) Romans 1:4; John 2:19-21 (cf. 5:21,26); Acts 17:30-31 9. The Resurrection of Christ (cont’d) (3) Romans 6:5; 1 Corinthians 6:14; 15:12-19,22; 2 Corinthians 4:14; Philippians 3:20-21 (4) Rom 4:25

10. The Ascension of Christ (1) Luke 24:51; Acts 1:9-11 (2) Romans 4:25-5:1; Hebrews 7:23-25; 9:11-12,24; 10:4,14 (3) 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 8:6; 9:15; 12:24 (4) Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 5:23; Colossians 1:18 (5) Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:23-25; 1 John 2:1 (6) 1 Corinthians 15:24-26; Romans 8:37-39; Philippians 2:9-11

11. Election and Responsibility (1) Ephesians 1:3-6,11-12; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Acts 13:48 (2) Romans 9:10-12; 11:5-10; Ephesians 2:8; Philippians 1:29; 2 Timothy 1:9 (3) Deuteronomy 29:29; Job 11:7-9; 36:22-23; Isaiah 55:8-11; Romans 11:33-35; 1 Corinthians 2:16 (4) Mark 1:15; John 3:36; 6:37; Acts 17:30-31; Romans 1:18-21; 9:19-21; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-10

12. Calling and Regeneration (1) Isaiah 55:10-11; Ezekiel 34:11-13,16 (cf. Luke 19:10); 2 Thessalonians 2:13 (2) Romans 1:16; 10:14-17; 1 Corinthians 1:21; 1 Peter 1:22-25; 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5; 2 Thessalonians 2:14 (3) Deuteronomy 30:6; Jeremiah 31:33; Ezekiel 36:26-27; John 1:13; 3:3-8; 1 Corinthians 6:11; 2 Corinthians 4:6; 5:17; Ephesians 2:10; Titus 3:5b; James 1:18 (4) John 6:37,44-45,65; 10:16; Romans 8:30; 1 Corinthians 1:26-29; Hebrews 9:15

13. Justification (1) Isaiah 53:11; Romans 4:5-8,11,16,20-25; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 1:18-19 (2) Romans 3:20-21,27-28; 4:1-4; Galatians 3:10-14; Titus 3:4-5 (3) Romans 4:5; 1 Timothy 1:15 (4) Genesis 15:6; John 1:11-12; Romans 1:17; 3:20,26-28; 4:5,20-21,24; 5:1; Galatians 2:20-21; 3:2-3,5-9,11-13, 5:1-6; Ephesians 2:8-9; Philippians 3:9 (5) John 3:14-18,36; 14:6; Acts 4:12; 2 John 9; 1 Corinthians 16:22

14. Sanctification (1) Proverbs 4:18; Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 4:16; 1 Thessalonians 3:10; 4:3; 5:23 (2) Matthew 7:21; John 14:21,23a; 2 Timothy 2:19b; Hebrews 12:14; James 2:14-26; 3 John 11; 2 Peter 1:5-11; 1 John 3:3 (3) Psalm 119:9-11; Matthew 5:6; Phil 3:14; Romans 8:13; Galatians 5:24; Colossians 3:1-11 (4) Ezekiel 36:27; Romans 8:8-14; Philippians 2:13 (5) Psalm 1:1-3; 19:7-8; 119:9,11,133; Proverbs 2:1-9; John 17:17; Acts 20:32; Ephesians 5:26; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; James 1:21-25; 1 Peter 2:1-3 (6) Proverbs 20:9; Philippians 3:12-14; James 3:2; 1 John 1:8,10 (7) 1 Corinthians 13:9-12; Ephesians 4:13; 5:27; Philippians 1:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:24; Hebrews 10:14; 12:1-2; Jude 24; Revelation 21:27

15. The Perseverance and Preservation of the Saints (1) John 5:24; 10:27-29; Romans 8:1-2; 28-39; Hebrews 3:14; 1 John 2:19 (2) Rom. 7:15-25; Gal. 5:17; Jas. 1:13-15; 1 John 2:15-17 (3) Isa. 59:2; Matt. 5:27-28; Jas. 1:14-15; Rom. 6:23; Rom. 6:23; 1 Cor. 11:30-31 (4) 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Heb. 10:24; 1 Cor. 3:1-3; 1 John 2:15-17 (5) Eph. 4:30; Ps. 51:10-12; Gal. 5:15; Rev. 3:15-16; Heb. 12:5-11; Rev. 3:19 (6) Heb. 12:7-11; Matt. 18:15-17; 1 Cor. 5:3 (7) Luke 22:32; Phil. 1:6; Heb. 10:39; 1 Thess. 5:23-24; 2 Peter 3:9 (8) Romans 1:16-17; Galatians 2:20; Philippians 2:13; 2 Timothy 1:12; 1 Peter 1:3-5

16. The Church (1) 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; 1 Peter 2:4-5; Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:23-24a (2) Acts 20:17,28; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 5:2-4 (3) Acts 6:1-4; 1 Timothy 3:8-13 (4) 1 Corinthians 12:7,11; 14:12,26b, Romans 12:3-8; Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Peter 4:10-11 (5) Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; Romans 8:16-17; Galatians 3:26 (cf. 1:2); 2 Corinthians 11:28; Colossians 4:16

17. Baptism (1) Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38,41; 8:37-38; 9:18; 10:47-48; 16:14-15, 31-34; 18:8 (2) Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; John 3:23; Acts 8:36-38 (3) Acts 19:3-5; Romans 6:3-6; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 2:11-14 (4) Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Corinthians 6:11; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 10:22 (5) Matthew 28:19; John 1:12-13; Acts 2:38; 8:37

18. The Lord's Supper (1) Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:25 (2) Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:26 (3) Matthew 26:27-28; Acts 2:41-47; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17,21; 11:25

19. Evangelism (1) Matthew 9:36-38; 28:19-20; Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 (2) Ezekiel 34:11-14 (cf. Acts 20:28); Matthew 16:18; Acts 2:47; 1 Corinthians 3:9; Ephesians 4:14-16; 1 Peter 2:5

20. The Return of Christ (1) John 5:28-29; 14:3; 1 Corinthians 15:51-55; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Hebrews 9:28 (2) Matthew 25:31-46; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9; Hebrews 9:27-28; Revelation 20:15; 21:4; 22:3-5

21. God’s Covenants and the Law (1) Eph. 3:11 (2) Eph. 2:12; Rom. 9:14 (3) Gal. 4:24 (4) Heb. 8:7; 9:1 (5) Heb. 8:13; Luke 22:20 (6) Deut. 5:3 (7) Deut. 5:2-3; 1 Kings 8:9; Gal. 3:17 (8) Luke 5:36-38; Heb. 8:13; 7:12; Gal. 3:19; 2 Cor. 3:1-9 (9) Eph. 2:14-15; Matt. 5:17; Rom. 8:3, 10:4 (10) Col. 2:16-17; Heb. 10:1 (11) Heb. 11:9-10; Gal. 3:8; Jn. 8:56 (12) Gal. 3:23-25; 4:3 (13) Matt. 1:22; 2:17; 4:14; Luke 1:68-79; Acts 26:22-23 (14) Gal. 5:3 (15) Ex. 19:5 (16) Deut. 5:32-33; Gal. 3:12; Jas. 2:10-11 (17) Lev. 18:5; Luke 10:28; Rom. 7:10, 10:5 (18) Deut. 11:26-28; 30:15-20; Gal. 3:10 (19) Rom. 3:20; 7:5, 10; Gal. 2:16; 3:11; 1 Cor. 15:56 (20) Deut. 11:26-28; 30:15-20; Gal. 3:10 (21) Rom. 7:12 (22) Rom. 8:3; Heb. 8:8 (23) 2 Cor. 3:6-9; Rom. 4:15 (24) Rom. 7:13 (25) Gal 3:24-25 (26) Rom. 3:19-20; 5:19-21 (27) Heb. 8:9 (28) Rom. 5:19, cf. Ex. 19:5-6 with 1 Peter 2:9 (29) Gal. 3:13 (30) Heb. 7:22; Eph. 1:3; Gal. 3:9 (31) Heb. 13:20 (32) Heb. 8:6 (33) Gal. 3:29 (34) Ex. 19:5-6; 1 Pet. 2:9 (35) Acts 2:29-31 (36) 1 Cor. 10:11 (37) Gal. 4:4-7 (38) Acts 13:39; Gal. 5:1; Rom. 8:2 (39) Rom. 6:14; 7:6; Gal. 3:25 (40) Deut. 4:13 (41) Rom. 7:6, 8:14 (42) Heb. 3:3 (43) Isa. 42:4; Heb. 7:12 (44) Jer. 31:33; Heb. 8:10; 2 Cor. 3:3 (45) Jas. 2:11; Eph. 6:1-2; 2 Cor. 6:17 (46) Gal. 4:30; Rom. 10:4 (47) Matt. 5:21ff., 17:5; Acts 3:22; 1 Cor. 9:21 (48) Heb. 8:6; 12:24 (49) Col. 2:16-17; Gal. 4:9-11 (50) Matt. 11:28-12:8; Heb. 4:3

22. The Glory of God (1) Leviticus 10:3; Matthew 5:16; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Philippians 1:9-11 (2) Psalm 23:4; 46:1; 139:7-10,17-18; Proverbs 15:3; Jeremiah 16:17; Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5 (3) 1 Samuel 15:22-23; Ecclesiastes 12:13-14; Micah 6:8; John 15:14-16 (cf. John 15:8; Ephesians 2:10); Acts 5:32; Hebrews 12:28-29 (4) Psalm 23; 34:7-10; Isaiah 41:10; Matthew 6:25-32; Luke 11:11-13; 2 Corinthians 1:3-4; Philippians 4:6-7; Acts 17:28

23. Spiritual Gifts (1) Ephesians 4:7-12 (2) Romans 12:5-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-31; 1 Peter 4: 10-11 (3) Hebrews 2:3-4; 2 Corinthians 12:12 (4) Matthew 24:24; 1 Corinthians 13:13-14:12 (5) Romans 12:6-8 (6) John 5:7-9; 2 Corinthians 12:6-10; James 5:13-16; 1 John 5:14-15, Luke 6

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