My Biblical Convictions
I. Divorce and Remarriage
a. Marriage
i. Marriage was instituted and designed by God. It was intended for companionship and intimacy. It is intended to be between one man and one woman. (Genesis 2:18-25)
ii. Marriage is similar to, and intended to be a picture of, Christ and the Church. (Ephesians 5:23-32)
iii. A believing, follower of God should not knowingly and willingly marry an unbeliever who has and continues to reject God. (2 Corinthians 6:14-16)
b. Divorce
i. God hates divorce and He rebuked Israel
ii. Two Christians may not be divorced from one another. (1 Corinthians 7:10-11)
iii. The exception clause: Jesus gave only one exception clause in which divorce between two believers is permitted. In the case of sexual sin (fornication; porneia) divorce is permitted, although not required. (Matthew 5:32; 19:9). It is clear in the husband or wife may forgive the sinning partner upon repentance. There should be an attempt on the part of the counselor or spouse to bring the sinning partner to repentance and reconciliation. If they repent, the spouse must forgive them (Luke 17:3ff) and once forgiveness is granted, a divorce may not be sought because to forgive means to restore and not bring the matter up again.
iv. The believing spouse(s) must seek reconciliation when trouble arises. If a professing believer is refusing to repent, refusing to be reconciled, and/or continues to live in the sin after all sincere attempts have been made to bring them to reconciliation and repentance, they are to be treated according to the principles in Matthew 18. If they still then refuse, they are to be treated like an unbeliever and if they still seek to leave, the believing spouse is to let them go. If they refuse to repent and be reconciled but do not seek a divorce, the believing spouse is permitted but not required to seek a divorce. (Rom 12:18; Matthew 5:23-24; Matthew 18:15-18; 1 Corinthians 7:10-16)
v. A believing spouse may not initiate a divorce from an unbelieving spouse. If the unbelieving spouse wants to part refuses to stay, and every effort has been made on the part of the believing spouse to keep the marriage intact, but the unbeliever still desires to leave, the believing spouse may let them go. (1 Corinthians 7:10-16
c. Remarriage
i. As stated above, two Christians who are married may not seek a divorce except in the case of fornication. However, if they disobey this command, they are to remain unmarried so that they are open to reconciliation and restoration at any point. If they disobey this and are remarried, they take their disobedience one step further and enter into an irreparable situation. (1 Corinthians 7:10-11; Deuteronomy 24:1-4)
ii. If one has been released from a marriage according to biblical standards through sexual sin (fornication, porneia), or because the unbelieving spouse has refused to remain married to the believing spouse, then God views them as released from the marriage and remarriage is permitted. I would counsel a believing spouse who has been divorced for these reasons to remain unmarried and continue to seek restoration, reconciliation, and repentance. (1 Corinthians 7:27)
II. Biblical Separation
a. Personal – It is my personal conviction that I need to separate myself and be set apart from the activities of the world. I must abstain from the types of activity that the world participates in. Such things include but are not limited to; drinking alcohol, smoking, gambling, drunken parties, immoral sexual activities, and any other activity that would violate my Lord’s commands and dishonor His name. I must not only abstain from these sins, but I also from the appearance of evil. I am in the world and must be a light to the world and must abstain from the activities unbecoming to the character and nature of my God and Savior. (Romans 6; Galatians 5:16-26; Ephesians 4:17-21; 1 Thessalonians 5:22)
b. Ecclesiastical – I believe in separation of church and state. It is my conviction that the state should have no control or invested interest into the state and affairs of the church. We are commanded to obey our government because they are put in place by God. (Romans 13:1-7) However, God’s commandments are higher and greater than that of our earthly government. In such cases where they conflict, we are to obey God rather than men. (Acts 4:19-20; 5:28) State involvement would limit and prohibit what we would be allowed to do. If that state were allowed to tax the church and have input into its affairs, they would have control over our church and regulate what is taught and what is done. Earthly governments often stand in complete opposition to God’s commands and should not be allowed to dictate and control the affairs of the church. (Matthew 22:21) State authority stands in direct contradiction and opposition to Acts chapter four. The government threatened Peter and John and told them to stop preaching the gospel. They refused, saying that they could not because they had to obey God rather than men.
c. I also believe that scripture teaches a secondary separation. This separation involves separation from disobedient Christians who are living in continual, unrepentant sin. We are to remove them from our midst and to treat them as an unbeliever until such time as they repent of their sin and make reconciliation for their behavior. (1 Corinthians 5:1-3; Romans 16:17; 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 14-15; Principles from Matthew 18 must be applied here with an earnest desire for restoration and reconciliation.)
III. Church Organization and Pastoral Leadership
a. I believe that all New Testament believers are priests. (1 Peter 2:9, Rev. 1:6; 5:10; 20:6) I also believe that we all have equal access as priests to the Truth of God’s Word and the Spirit guides us. (1 John 2:22-27; 1 Corinthians 2:6-16) Each believer is a priest with equal access to the Truth and will of God. Therefore, I hold to a congregational church government that is not a dictatorship, not an oligarchy, and not a democracy but a kingdom of priests who make decisions together through a system of voting and who elect their leaders through a vote. (Acts 6:1-7; 14:23-37; 2 Corinthians 8:16-21)
b. The New Testament church set the pattern for us. They elected their own officers (Acts 6:1-7). The leadership of the church acts out the decisions of the congregation. (Acts 14:26-24, 14:23) The Greek language gives help here as well. The Greek word, cheiro teneo, literally means a raised hand vote. The NT always reveals the congregation disciplining its members. (Matt. 18:15-18, 1 Cor. 5:1-13) The discipline even goes so far as to remove individuals from membership at the church. Local congregations also dealt with their own finances. It goes form apostolic control (Acts 4:32-37) to the elected deacons control (Acts 6:1-6). The congregation deals with their own financial concerns without outside intervention. (2 Cor. 8:19-24)
c. In regards to churches with multiple pastors, I believe that it is necessary to have a order of authority in order to facilitate the work of the Lord. However, I do not believe that any single pastor is any more important or valuable than another. All pastors, no matter of area of service, are pastors called by God into a life of vocational ministry, are still priests who have equal access to the truth and will of God, and are immensely valuable no matter their role. No pastor should be treated more highly than others simply due to his title or position.
IV. Spiritual Gifts
a. I believe that at the founding of the church, there were more spiritual gifts in practice than there are today. In order to validate and approve of the establishment of the church, special gifts were given. Those gifts include, prophecy, miracles, tongues, interpretation of tongues, and healing. Those gifts are no longer practiced today. However, the Spirit gives other gifts to each and every believer in order to facilitate the work that God has called us to do. These gifts include: Helps, administration, teaching, serving, exhortation, leadership, and mercy. (Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12)
V. Bible Versions
a. I believe in the verbal and plenary inspiration of the Holy Bible. The scriptures consist of the 66 books of the Old Testament and the New Testament and were composed as men were moved and controlled by the Holy Spirit. The original manuscripts are truth without error, and are therefore inerrant and infallible in faith, doctrine, and all other matters of which they speak.
I believe that God has providentially preserved for us an accurate and authoritative record of the text. The Bible is the true center of Christian unity and the only rule of which human conduct, creeds, and opinion will be tried. (Jn. 16:13; 1 Cor. 2:10-14; 14:37; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21)
I believe the scriptures must be interpreted in literally, grammatically, contextually, historically, and by comparing scripture with scripture. The Holy Spirit's ministry of illumination is essential to properly understanding the written Word. Furthermore, I believe that the word of God is living and active, capable of judging the heart and mind, bringing conviction and change, and revealing the entire man before our living God. (1 Cor. 2:10-14; 1 Jn. 2:20; Heb. 4:12-13)
I believe that God has providentially preserved for us an accurate and authoritative record of the text. The Bible is the true center of Christian unity and the only rule of which human conduct, creeds, and opinion will be tried. (Jn. 16:13; 1 Cor. 2:10-14; 14:37; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21)
I believe the scriptures must be interpreted in literally, grammatically, contextually, historically, and by comparing scripture with scripture. The Holy Spirit's ministry of illumination is essential to properly understanding the written Word. Furthermore, I believe that the word of God is living and active, capable of judging the heart and mind, bringing conviction and change, and revealing the entire man before our living God. (1 Cor. 2:10-14; 1 Jn. 2:20; Heb. 4:12-13)
b. I believe that several of our current translations accurately provide us with a preserved copy of God’s inspired Word. Such translations include; King James Version (KJV), New King James Version (NKJV), New International Version (NIV), New Amercian Standard Bible (NASB), and English Standard Version (ESV). For my personal studying and teaching I use the NASB but will incorporate other translations if I believe they more accurately handle the original, intended meaning of the text.
VI. Music/Worship Styles
a. What is the purpose of music? What is the purpose of a “worship service?” The answer to these two questions helps to define my vision and focus for these hot topic issues. It is my conviction that music and “worship services” should be done in such a way that the King of Glory is exalted and magnified. When we as a church come together to worship, it should not be to please us, to entertain us, to cater to our personal interests or desires but should be to bring the utmost glory and praise to the Creator of the universe and the God to whom we stand indebted.
b. Lyrics – My first and primary concern is the content of the songs being sung. I desire the lyrics to be filled with the Truth of God’s precious Word. I desire for depth and content over vain repetitions. I believe that when we worship God it must be in Truth. (John 4:24) I believe the lyrics ought to uplift the Truth and magnify God as well as move our hearts and souls to a deeper love of and dependence on the Truth of God’s Word. I enjoy both the traditional hymns of old, written by dear Saints of God that are filled with rich and beautiful content of the character and promises of God as well as many of the modern hymns filled with the same content. I enjoy a blend of both. It would be error to omit the old hymns simply because they are old or “dated” and it would be equally erroneous to omit modern hymns or songs simply because they are new. Men and women of both years past and years present have written beautiful songs portraying God and His Truth and both should be valued and cherished.
c. Music Style – I desire a simple music accompaniment that utilizes a variety of musical instruments, including drums, that are blended and harmonized tastefully. I do not believe that the church service is a place for Christian Rock nor do I believe it should be set at a tempo so slow that all joy and passion are removed. I believe a blend in the middle is appropriate. I do not believe it should be fancy so that attention is brought to man instead of God. I believe that the music and manner in which it is played, should bring focus to God and to God alone.
d. In summary, I prefer music that is filled with words of Truth and depth and played in such a fashion that it utilizes the variety of instrumentation that God has provided for us but that is neither rocky nor a dirge.
