The intent of the Deeper Walk Statement of Faith is to point people to truth on which they can build their lives and to set forth a biblically-balanced position on key issues that affect the way we do ministry, but not necessarily who we will partner with in doing that ministry.
We accept the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments as God’s unique revelation to humanity. We believe God inspired people through the Holy Spirit to put this revelation into writing (2 Peter 1:20-21). It is completely without error and is the final authority of all matters it speaks to (John 10:35; 17:17).[1] It contains the words of life, given by God for us to live in this world. No new claim of inspired words can ever contradict this word (2 Timothy 3:16-17). It contains in it the greatest love story ever told — that of a loving God towards a race that rejected him.
[1] In saying the Bible is without error, it is our conviction that all alleged discrepancies and proposed contradictions can be explained based on evidence and reason in a way that shows the text to be inerrant.
In this story we first see God Himself existing in three persons as a Trinity – God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit. As we might expect in a God who is beyond the comprehension of mere mortals, the Trinity represents a mystery in which three separate persons share an indivisible nature.
God, through Jesus Christ, created the world and everything that is in it and continues to sustain it by His own eternal power and divine greatness (Colossians 1:15-19). Satan, who was one of the top created beings in heaven, rebelled against God (Isaiah 14:13-14). He was cast down to earth with all those that joined in his rebellion (demons) and is now in ongoing rebellion against God (Revelation 12:4). The devil is bent on the destruction of everything that reflects the glory of God, including people, marriages, and churches, because he is a murderer and a liar (John 8:44). The epic war between God’s kingdom and the kingdom of darkness continues until this present evil age comes to an end.
Adam and Eve were born into a perfect creation and lived in innocence. From that beginning, where God created them male and female, he ordained the institution of marriage and defined it – not as a contract – but as a covenant between one man and one woman only terminated by the death of a spouse. He later granted permission for divorce because of the hardness of the human heart (Matthew 19:8).
The first couple lived with God in paradise but when tempted to join Satan in his rebellion against God, they gave into the temptation. This led to their physical exile from the Garden of Eden, as well as a spiritual exile from the intimacy with God they had shared in the Garden (Ephesians 2:1-3). As a result of their transgression, we are all born separated from God and unable to be reconciled and restored to relationship with Him by our own abilities (Romans 3:20; Ephesians 2:8-9).
The original sin of Adam and Eve broke more than their own relationship with God. It also brought chaos and destruction into the world. Since the fall of the human race, this world has become a dark place. Even creation groans, looking for redemption to happen (Romans 8:22). Humanity and all of creation would be consumed by Satan were it not for the protective hand of God over the world. Sin opened the door to evil in all of its forms and introduced death to the human race (Romans 5:12: 6:23).
Satan is still active and is called “the dragon, the ancient serpent, the devil” (Revelation 20:1), “the prince of this world” (John 12:12), and “the god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4). He is identified as one who masquerades as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14); thus we understand that Satan is in no way God’s equal, but an inferior being who has been condemned (Psalm 82; Luke 10:18).
While humanity was in rebellion against God, He set a plan of redemption and restoration in motion so that anyone who trusted in Him would be redeemed from exile and restored – partially in this life, and fully in the next. This is His promise to all who love him. That redemptive plan involved God the Father sending Jesus to serve as a substitute for all who would trust in Him.[2] He died on a cross, was buried in a borrowed tomb, and resurrected on the third day, demonstrating power over death. He then rose to heaven where He is seated at the right hand of God the Father interceding for all those that trust in Him.
[2] He took the punishment that they deserved, by dying a brutal death on a cross. He paid the price for sin for all who trust in Him.
God sent His Son into the world to redeem people for Himself. All of those who put their faith in Christ are ushered into a covenant relationship with God and receive a new identity as part of His people (Hebrews 8:10-13), sons and daughters of the King of Kings. Those who are in Christ are now under grace and have been adopted into God’s family and made co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:23; 9:4; Ephesians 1:5). These blessings of salvation are free to all who believe (Romans 6:23).
Christ won a decisive victory over Satan through His death, resurrection, and ascension (1 Corinthians 15:54-57; Colossians 2:15). His victory provided several blessings:
Salvation – The restoration of our relationship with God for all who believe (Acts 16:31; Romans 10:9-10)
Citizenship – Our transference from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of Christ (Colossians 1:13).
Justification – The declaration that we are now righteous in God’s sight by faith alone (Romans 3:23-24; Ephesians 2:8-10).
Purification – Jesus did more than pay the penalty for our sins; he purified us of our sin so that the sin itself has been washed away (Hebrews 1:3; 2 Peter 1:9).
Sanctification – We have been declared to be holy (1 Corinthians 6:11; Hebrews 10:29; Romans 15:16; Acts 26;18),
Adoption – We have been adopted into God’s family so that we have become co-heirs with Christ (John 1:12; Romans 8:23; 9:4; Ephesians 1:5).
Authority – In Christ we are seated with him in the spiritual realm far above principalities and powers (Ephesians 1:19-22; 2:6). While this victory is complete, Satan still has power to wreak destruction till the end of the age, when God acts with finality to judge him.
Those who have this new relationship with God through Christ constitute His church. The Church has been given the mission to go to the nations “to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in [Christ]” (Acts 26:18; Matthew 28:18-20). The Church exists primarily to disciple its members and so help them grow in faith, hope, and love. This is the path to maturity. We put our faith in all that God has revealed in His Holy Scriptures. We put our hope in the eternal salvation that awaits as a guaranteed inheritance for those who believe (Ephesians 1:14). We walk in the Spirit and so grow in our love for one another (John 13:34-35) and for our enemies (Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:27-35). We grow in maturity as we live in unity with one another (Ephesians 4:13; Colossians 1:28).
In this age, it is possible for Christians to give permission (“a place” – Ephesians 4:26-27) to demons by agreeing with their lies (John 8:44; 2 Corinthians 11:3) and participating with or “having fellowship” with demons through sin (1 Corinthians 10:20-21). Because of this Christians often need to find freedom from the devil’s snares (2 Timothy 2:24-26) in order to experience the abundant life Christ promised (John 10:10). It is the personal responsibility of those who choose Christ to pursue this freedom.
a. Until Christ returns, we live in a world engulfed in spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:10-18). The chief tactic of the enemy is deception. Satan and his minions (demons) are experts at telling lies to God’s created humans, blinding unbelievers (2 Corinthians 4:4) and especially those who are sincerely trying to follow the Father in living under His grace and love (2 Corinthians 11:3). We are encouraged to fight in the battle with spiritual weapons designed by God Himself, and available to all who submit to His authority. (Ephesians 6).
b. The current spiritual battle will come to an end when Jesus Christ returns with his Holy angels to establish a new heavens and a new earth (2 Thessalonians 1:7; Mark 8:38; Revelation 19-22). Satan will be imprisoned for a thousand years (Revelation 20:3) and ultimately sent to the lake of burning sulfur forever (Revelation 20:10). Those who have a relationship with God will live with Him forever.
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