This is a document draw up by myself an my good friend Don Nelson from Beverly Evangelical Covenant Church. Enjoy.
Basis
Because the Scriptures, the Old and New Testaments , are the authoritative Word
of God; and,
Because Christian faith and conduct are defined by the Apostolic teaching of the New Testament and the prophetic instruction of the Old Testament, and not by clerical authority; and,
Because every doctrine necessary for salvation is expressed in the Apostles’ Creed, affirmed in the early ecumenical councils of the Church, and adhered to by all faithful Christians; and,
Because destructive movements denying these truths have arisen within the institutional Church in North America, we make the following affirmation:
Affirmation
1. We affirm that God created the universe and is Lord of Creation . Because God made the human race in God’s own image every person has worth and dignity . Any belief or conduct that diminishes the equal value of all human beings (e.g., ageism, ethnocentrism, racism, sexism, slavery) is a sin against God and an affront to his divine majesty and glory.
2. We affirm that the human race has fallen into sin , and that sin corrupts every sector
of God’s creation .
3. We affirm that salvation is a gift of God provided exclusively through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ . Christ’s sacrificial death is sufficient for the forgiveness of all sins , and the ministry of the Holy Spirit is sufficient to liberate all sinners from the power of sin.
4. We affirm that God has established three distinct agents to restrain sin and defend against evil: a) the Church (visible and invisible, local and universal) , to teach God’s Law and the sufficiency of the Gospel to meet its demands; b) the state, to promote moral accountability
and social order ; and c) the family, to train, instruct and nurture children to be productive citizens of both earth and heaven .
5. We affirm that God has graciously given his moral law to humanity, primarily through the Scriptures and secondarily through the human conscience . God’s holy commandments reveal right and wrong, protect us from sin’s destructive consequences, and promote wholeness, peace, and joy. All human beings are accountable to God’s law .
6. We affirm that God the Creator has given us sexuality as a sacred gift , and that God has provided authoritative guidelines for the edification of human beings within sexual relationship .
7. We affirm that a publicly declared, legally binding marriage between one woman and one man is the only appropriate place for sexual intercourse. Heterosexual marriage, faithfulness within marriage, abstinence outside of marriage—these constitute the Christian standard. Both the Church and the state are responsible to protect the institution of heterosexual marriage.
Sexual activity outside of marriage (fornication, adultery, prostitution, homosexual acts, incest, pedophilia, and bestiality ) and the sexual objectification of others (the use of pornography, spousal sexual abuse , and rape ) are sinful and inconsistent with Christian faith.
8. We affirm that by and through God’s saving grace and the work of the Holy Spirit , with prayer and the guidance of the scriptures , a believer can and will overcome any habitual sin or addiction, although it may come only after much struggle and wrestling . The general direction of the Christian life is characterized by perseverance and growth in Christian character .
9. We affirm that Christians are called to love all those who are outside of Christ. Love is expressed in words of Truth and acts of compassion that affirm the value of each person without ignoring or endorsing sin. The failure to love those who are outside of Christ is itself a sin.
10. We affirm that the primary mission of the Church is to make disciples of all nations and cultures, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that Jesus Christ has commanded . Christian discipleship is life-transforming devotion to Jesus Christ, marked by obedience to God’s will as it is revealed in his Word .
Accordingly, the Church must not establish unrepentant sinners (including practicing homosexuals and other sexually immoral persons) as members or leaders . To do so is to deny the saving work of Christ, the ministry of the Holy Spirit, and the mission of the Church.
Response
Out of the faith declared here we issue a call to ministers of the Gospel and other church leaders:
to submit to Christ as the Head of the Church;
to acknowledge that the Bible is the authoritative Word of God;
to preach the whole Gospel message;
to call parishioners to obedience to Christ in every area of life, including sexuality;
to prepare people for marriage, enrich marriages, and help restore failing marriages;
to affirm the gift of celibate singleness and welcome singles into the life of the church;
to care for persons who are involved in sexual sin; and,
to live with integrity, according to the Christian standard.
Likewise, we issue a call for Christian laypersons:
to embrace the priesthood of all believers;
to influence the culture for Christ;
to live according to the Christian standard of sexuality;
to forsake silence about sexuality; and,
where there is serious moral and spiritual compromise among leaders, to call them to repentance and, if necessary, to take action that is appropriate within the guidelines established by your denomination or congregation.
Rev. Donald K. Nelson, Sr. Pastor, Beverly Evangelical Covenant Church, Chicago, IL
Rev. Steven Wenner, Sr. Pastor, St. Paul’s Bible Church, Chicago, IL
Endnotes
In this document the terms “Scripture(s)”, “Old and New Testaments”, and “Bible” always refer to the canon of sixty-six (66) books finalized by the Third Council of Carthage in A.D. 397.
2 Tim 3:16,17
The first six (6) ecumenical councils include the councils of Nicea, Constantinople I, Constantinople II, Constantinople III, Ephesus, and Chalcedon.
Gen 1,2
2 Chr 20:6
Gen 1:26-27
Ps 8:4-5; Mt 10:31
Gen. 6:5; Job 15:14-16; Psalm 51:5; Jer; 7:9; Rom. 3:23, 5:12-19
Eph. 2:1-4; Eze 12:2; Rom 6:23; Rom 8:18-25
Eph 2:8-9
Acts 4:12
Eph 1:7; 1 Jn 1:9
Rom 6:1-2,11-14; Gal 2:20; 1 Pet 1:2
Matt 16:18, 18:17; 1 Cor. 5:1-13; Eph 3:10
Gen. 9:5-6; Rom 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-17
Gen 18:18-19; Deut 6:4-9; Jos. 24:14-15; Pro. 13:24, 22:6, 15, 23:13-14, 29:15; 6:1-4; Col 3:20-21
Rom 2:14-15
Ps 1; Mt 4:3,4; 2 Tim 3:14-17
Rom 1:18-20; 2:14,15
Gen 1:1, 1 Chr. 16:26, Ps 24:1-2, 104:5; Isa. 51:13
Gen 1:26-27, 2:4-25, 4:1-2
Exo. 2014, Lev. 18; Mark 10:1-12; 1 Cor. 6:12-7:40, Eph 5:22-33, 1 Thes 4:1-8,
Resolution on Human Sexuality, 1996 Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church; ed.
1 Cor 6:15-20; 10:8; Gal 5:19; Eph 5:3; Col 3:5
Ex 20:14; Mt 5:27-30; Jn 8:1-11; 1 Cor 6:9-10
Deut 23:17-18; Jer 5:7; 1 Cor 6:15-20
Gen 19:1-25; Lev 18:22; Rom 1:24-27; 1 Cor 6:9-10
Lev 18:6-16; 1 Cor 5:1
Lk 17:1-2
Lev 18:23
Mt 5:27-30; Col 3:5
1 Cor 7:3-4; 1 Thess 4:3-8
Gen 19:1-25; Deut 22:25-27; 1 Thess 4:3-8
Matt 7:15-23;John 8:34-36; Rom. 6:14
John 6:61-65; Rom. 8:1-13; Gal 5:16-26; 1 John 3:4-10
James 5:13-20,
Psalm 1:1-6, 19:7-14, 119:9-11; 2 Tim 3:16-17; Heb. 4:24-25
Romans 7:7-25; 1 John 2:1-2
Romans 6;1-23; 1 Cor. 6:11; Phil 1:6; 2 Tim 1:8-11; Tit 2:11-14; Heb 3:6, 14, 6:4-6, 10:26-39; 2Peter 1:3-11; 1 John 3:3-10
Mk 12:28-34; Lk 6:27-38,32-36; Jas 2:8
Eph 4:15
1 Jn 3:18
Prov. 8:13; Am 5:15; Rom 12:9; 1 Jn 2:15-16
1 Jn 4:20-21
Mat. 28:18-20
Ex 16:28; Lev 22:31; Mark 8:34; John 14:21, 15:10; 2 Tim 4:1-5; 1 John 2:3-5, 3:4-10, 4:4-6
1 Cor 5:1-13, 6:9-11; 2 Cor 6:14-18; 13:5-6; Eph 5:1-7;1 Tim 3:1-7; 6:11-16; 2 Tim 3:1-9; Tit 1:5-11, 3:8-11
Rom 1:16-17;
