I. Introduction to Christian Faith
i. Overview of the statement of faith
ii. What is biblical faith?
iii. The importance of faith in the Christian life
II. The Authority of the Bible
i. The inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture
ii. The role of the Bible in Christian faith and practice
iii. Principles of biblical interpretation
III. The Tri-unity of the Godhead
i. The nature of God as three-in-one
ii. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in Scripture
iii. Implications of the Trinity for faith and practice
IV. Creation, Fall, and Redemption
i. The biblical account of creation, fall, and redemption
ii. The sinfulness of humanity and our need for a savior
iii. The work of Christ on the cross and our salvation
V. The Person and Work of Jesus Christ
i. The deity and humanity of Christ
ii. The virgin birth and the life of Christ
iii. The death, burial, and resurrection of Christ
VI. The Gospel of the Grace of God
i. The message of the gospel
ii. The importance of the death, burial, and resurrection
iii. The implications of the gospel for our lives
VII. The Salvation of Sinners
VIII. The Second Coming of Christ
i. Christ's bodily ascension and heavenly enthronement
ii. The second coming and the resurrection of the dead
iii. The implications of the second coming of Christ
X. Pursuing Personal Holiness
i. The importance of personal holiness
ii. The role of discipline and self-control
iii. Sexual immorality and the honor of marriage
i. The nature of salvation
ii. The role of faith in salvation
iii. The assurance of salvation
VII. The Salvation of Sinners
i. The nature of salvation
ii. The role of faith in salvation
iii. The assurance of salvation
IX. Baptism and the Holy Spirit
i. The importance of water baptism by immersion
ii. The baptism of the Holy Spirit and tongues
iii. The gifts of the Spirit and their role in the church
XI. Divine Healing and the Lord's Supper
i. The nature of divine healing
ii. The prayer of faith
iii. The importance of the Lord's Supper for believers
XII. Eternal Life and Eternal Punishment
i. The reality of eternal life for believers
ii. The reality of eternal punishment for unbelievers
iii. The implications of eternal life and eternal punishment for Christian faith and practice
XII. Eternal Life and Eternal Punishment
14. The eternal life of the believer (John 10:28) and the eternal punishment of the unbeliever (Mark 9:43-48, 2 Thessalonians 1:9, Revelation 20:10-15).
Living Waters Fellowship FCA Statement of Faith
i. The Reality of Eternal Life for Believers
In Christian teachings, eternal life is not an inherent part of human existence, and is a unique gift from God, based on the model of the Resurrection of Jesus, viewed as a unique event through which death was conquered "once for all", permitting Christians to experience eternal life. This is not a denial of the immortality of all people, but the eternal state, but only the Christian gets to inherit "eternal life".
From the very beginning, God’s plan for humanity included the promise of eternal life. In this life, we are given a foretaste of what is to come, and in the next life, we will experience the fullness of what God has in store for us. Here are some Scripture references that speak to the reality of eternal life for believers:
John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
This is one of the most well-known verses in the Bible, and it speaks directly to the reality of eternal life for believers. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we have the promise of eternal life.
Romans 6:23 - "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
This verse highlights the contrast between the consequences of sin (death) and the gift of eternal life that we receive through faith in Jesus Christ.
1 John 5:11-12 - "And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life."
Here, we see that eternal life is a gift from God, and it is found only in his Son, Jesus Christ.
John 10:27-28 - "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand."
This passage emphasizes the security that believers have in their salvation. Those who follow Jesus will receive eternal life, and nothing can take it away from them.
2 Corinthians 5:1 - "For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands."
This verse speaks to the reality of eternal life in a physical sense. Even though our earthly bodies will die, we have the promise of a new, eternal body in heaven.
The Bible is clear that eternal life is a reality for believers. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we can have the assurance of salvation and the promise of eternal life with God.
ii. The Reality of Eternal Punishment for Unbelievers
The concept of an eternal future, which involves punishment for those who choose not to serve God, is one that strikes a note of terror in the heart. Given the arrogant disposition of mankind in general, the idea of eternal punishment has met with considerable resistance, even though it is plainly taught in the Scriptures. The fact that human beings were made in the very image and likeness of God (Gen. 1:26-27) should suggest, to those who contemplate issues seriously, that we are more than mere temporal creatures passing through time toward oblivion.
The following scriptures teach that those who reject Jesus Christ and refuse to follow Him will face eternal punishment in hell. Hell is described as a place of eternal fire, eternal punishment, and eternal torment. The punishment is not temporary or limited, but eternal and unending.
However, God does not desire that anyone should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). The reality of eternal punishment is not a scare tactic, but a warning that should lead us to turn to Jesus and accept His offer of salvation.
Matthew 25:41 - "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.'"
Matthew 25:46 - "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
Mark 9:43-48 - "If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where 'the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not quenched.'"
Jude 1:7 - "In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire."
Revelation 20:10 - "And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever."
iii. Eternity in Our Hearts
In every human soul is a God-given awareness that there is “something more” than this transient world. And with that awareness of eternity comes a hope that we can one day find a fulfillment not afforded by the “vanity” in this world. Seasons come and go, but does anything in this life truly satisfy? However, through all the ups and downs and vicissitudes of life, we have a glimpse of stability—God has “set eternity in the human heart.”
Ecclesiastes 3:11 states, "He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end."
This verse suggests that God has placed a sense of eternity within the hearts of human beings, a longing for something beyond the temporal and finite world in which we live. This eternal longing cannot be fulfilled by anything in this world, as it transcends time and space. It is a longing for something that is beyond us and beyond this world, something that only God can provide.
In other words, this verse emphasizes that human beings are created with a deep yearning for something eternal and beyond the physical world. This yearning can only be satisfied by a relationship with God, who is eternal and offers the promise of eternal life to those who believe in Him. The verse suggests that God has placed within every human being the desire for something greater than what this life can offer, and that this desire can only be fulfilled through a relationship with Him.