The
A
Fellowship for the Promotion of Orthodox Evangelicalism in the Advent Christian
Church
Dear Advent Christian friends,
In recent months a small group of interested pastors and laymen have been gathering to explore the means by which a deeper and clearer understanding of historic evangelical orthodoxy can be established for themselves, their ministries, and potentially, the wider Advent Christian denomination.
This gathering is born of a desire to foster discussion on matters of doctrine and practice that, while typically avoided due to their tendency to trigger disputation, have in past centuries been recognized as indispensable to the strength of the church. It is also our conviction that in order to help preserve the eternal gospel against modern trends toward dissolution or cultural accommodation, and particularly, to establish the perception of the Advent Christian church and its distinctives as being in harmony with the larger evangelical and orthodox church on core historic doctrines, such discussion is both healthy and essential.
As noted in the attached Statement of Purpose, our aim is to proceed in these matters constructively and humbly for the glory of God in Christ. We invite any interested parties to engage us in the hope of moving forward together.
Sincerely,
The
Larry Knowles
Statement of Affirmation and Purpose
We affirm:
We purpose:
1. To work collaboratively toward establishing a biblically faithful, comprehensive and clear definition of the “evangelical” Christian faith;
2. To acknowledge our partiality to and dependence on orthodox confessions employed historically to delineate the gospel of Jesus Christ, such as those affirmed at Nicea and in the “Solas” of the Protestant Reformation;
3. To conduct this enterprise for the purpose of:
§ mutually edifying group members, both personally and vocationally
§ aiding members in recognizing and engaging, for the purpose of critique, modern church practices that accommodate postmodern cultural mindsets
§ aiding members in engaging particular denominational contexts over matters of doctrine and praxis, with a view to influencing denominational structures through dialogue
§ seeking constructive ways to dialogue with those from other evangelical communions who view our theological distinctives to be aberrant and who unfairly place such doctrines as the nature of man’s immortality and of God’s eternal judgment of the wicked on par with the Gospel and charge that we diminish the just nature of God’s eternal judgment
4. To conduct all activity, internally and externally, in a manner that is humble, winsome and irenic, while being disciplined and incisive in our formulations.
5. We further acknowledge our need for God’s help in this enterprise, humbly confessing our sinfulness and our trust in the person and work of Jesus Christ for our salvation with the overall aim of bringing glory to God.
Preamble
It is self-evident that Evangelicalism must be understood in terms of the evangel – or good news – about Jesus Christ. Thus, being Evangelical must be defined primarily in terms of Biblical and historical theology and not in social, cultural or political terms.
Particularly,
we believe that the teaching clarified at the time of the Protestant
Reformation and captured in the five slogans of that time known as the “Solas”
represent the essential elements of the true evangel or Gospel and provide the
necessary parameters that must be embraced and allowed to shape one’s life if
one is to rightly take the title Evangelical.
This teaching was further maintained in the labors and ministries of the
Reformation churches of continental
The evangel is the good news that the true and living God has graciously secured – and now offers – salvation for the ungodly in the Person and work of his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. This salvation is offered to all who would repent of their sins, ceasing to rely upon their own good works or efforts, and who trust in Christ for complete pardon of sins and justification before God. The Solas (Sola Scriptura, Solus Christus, Sola Gratia,
Sola Fidei and Soli Deo Gloria) encapsulate and clarify this evangel.
We believe that it is necessary for every generation of believers in Jesus Christ to reaffirm the true nature of the evangel, for it is in the Gospel alone that the salvation which God has secured and freely offers to the ungodly is found. To lose sight of the true nature, proclamation and living out of the Gospel leaves us open to serious error – error that can jeopardize the saving message of Christ’s person and work, confuse and befuddle the mission of the church so as to leave her open to a host of misguided priorities, hinder the work of Christ’s kingdom and stifle our vision and call of doing all for the glory of God.
Our deep conviction is that clarifying our understanding of what it means to be Evangelical is commensurate with establishing a clear understanding of orthodoxy as articulated by the historic Protestant church. It is our sincere desire that the Advent Christian church become securely rooted in a sound Orthodox Evangelicalism that informs and enlivens church praxis and mission. It is with this conviction and heartfelt prayer that we offer the following definitions, affirmations and denials.
Sola
Scriptura
The Bible is unrivaled among the books of this world, for its origins are not of this world. While containing elements of history, prophecy, poetry and teaching, it is first and foremost the self-attesting revelation of God to humankind, disclosing His person, nature, purposes and overall glory. As the source of truth, the “sword” of God’s Spirit, the means of instruction, correction and comfort for God’s covenant people, and directly or indirectly attesting to the person of Jesus Christ throughout, the Scriptures alone stand as the word of God to man.
Therefore:
We affirm that the Scriptures, consisting of the 66
canonical books of the Old and New Testaments, are the inspired and infallible Word
of God – the source of all truth necessary for salvation and life
We affirm that the Scriptures are both clear and sufficient in what they reveal about God and His purposes in creation and redemption
We affirm that the Scriptures alone serve as the supreme authority for the church, and thus are self-authenticating, requiring no external testimony to their veracity
We affirm nevertheless that Scripture does not function independently of either the church or historic creeds formulated by the church to delineate and encompass the truths of Scripture.
We affirm that there is in fact an inseparable relationship between Scripture, the church and its creeds, the latter two being dependent on the Scriptures and in no way relating to them as equal in authority or supplemental in inspiration.
We affirm that Scripture is to be interpreted by the church within the context of the apostolic rule of faith expressed in the ecumenical creeds of the church.
Scripture references:
2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 3:16;
Solus
Christus
On the first day
of the week, the whole world implicitly acknowledges the centrality of Jesus
Christ. Millions are worshiping in his name today. His decisive importance for
human history is indicated by numbering years up to and from his birth. What is
implicit in our calendar is explicit in the Scriptures. Human destiny depends upon one’s relationship
to Jesus Christ. Jesus himself said, “No one comes to the father but by me.”
Peter on the day of Pentecost declared, “Salvation is found in no one else, for
there is no other name under heaven given to man, by which we must be saved”.
Paul tells Timothy that “there is one God and one mediator between God and men,
the man Christ Jesus” Only one high priest offers his own blood “and without
the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” Entrance into the
Therefore:
We affirm that salvation is made possible exclusively through the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ.
We deny that any salvific benefits reside in any world religion, philosophy, achievement, or choice.
We deny that in the end every individual will be saved, thereby negating the necessity of preaching the gospel.
We affirm the absolute necessity of preaching the grace of God through Christ.
Scripture references:
John 14:6; Acts 4:12; 1 Tim 2:5; Heb 9:22;
Sola Gratia
Grace is the undeserved and unearned favor of God that moves Him, through the person and work of Jesus Christ, to look with mercy and kindness upon sinners by providing salvation from his deserved and just wrath against their sin. This salvation of the ungodly is by free grace alone so that the, "rich grace of God might be glorified in the justification of sinners."[1]
Therefore:
We affirm that Grace entails the propitiation of God’s wrath against sinners, and the expiation of the sinner's sin.
We affirm that these two acts of God lead to the removal of the inherent guilt within the sinner, leading to regeneration.
We affirm that the purpose of regeneration by the work of God is conversion of the sinner's heart, which allows the sinner to respond to the Gospel.
We affirm that Grace is free in that it is bestowed upon the sinner while the sinner, because of his/her total depravity, is an enemy of God and does not seek the true and holy God as revealed in His Son Jesus Christ.
We deny that the sinner is placed in a position to accept God's grace of salvation by any previous work of God described as "prevenient grace."
We deny that this Grace is merited by the sinner in any work or deed that he/she may perform.
Scripture references:
Rom.
Sola Fide
It is through faith alone in Jesus Christ that, by God’s grace, sinners are justified. It is by no merit of our own, but only by faith in the atoning work of Christ that we are afforded a right standing with God. This faith itself is not a work accomplished by man, but is the gift of God and the response of a regenerated soul.
Therefore:
We affirm that salvation is by faith alone. Yet, faith does not remain alone, but is accompanied by works of righteousness. Such works of righteousness are complements to saving faith, being the natural outworking of that faith, though even they are the work of God in us to "will and to work for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13)
We deny that justification rests on any merit to be found in us, or upon the grounds of an infusion of Christ’s righteousness in us.[2]
We affirm that just as we are justified and saved by faith alone, so we live by faith alone, depending on and submitting to Christ the Lord.
Scripture references:
Romans 3:28; Ephesians 2:4-10; Philippians 3:8-9
Soli Deo Gloria
“God’s goal in all that he does is his glory, in the sense of 1.) displaying his moral excellence to his creatures and 2.) invoking their praise for what they see and for the benefit it brings them (Eph. 1:3). Man’s goal in all his actions must be God’s glory in the sense of doxology by word and deed. God so made us that we find the duty of doxology to be our supreme delight, and in that way the furthering of our own highest good. This coinciding of duty with interest and devotion with fulfillment was classically formulated in the first answer of the Westminster Shorter Catechism: ‘Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.’”[3]
Therefore:
We affirm that God alone is worthy of our worship and demands that we glorify Him alone; further, that the worship of any other part of creation, be it man, animal or images crafted by man, is to be considered idolatry.
We affirm that God is glorified in all that he has created, including man, His highest creature.
We affirm that the saving work of Jesus Christ is for the glory of God alone and that the Christian life must also be lived to the glory of God alone; further, that all aspects of salvation are accomplished by God alone and for His glory alone, and that our only “boast” is in the cross of Christ.
We affirm that God will be glorified at the second coming of Christ through the salvation of his saints and the destruction of the wicked.
We affirm that no part of creation, including man, deserves any glory whatsoever apart from the glorification that will be bestowed upon it by God himself at the consummation of all things.
We affirm that God is all in all and that He will be glorified forever.
Scripture references:
Ex. 20:3-5; Romans 1:18-23; Ps. 8; Ps. 19:1; 1 Cor.10:31; I Peter 4:11; II Thess. 1:9-10; Romans 1:18-23; Romans 8:19-21, 30; Romans 11:33-36
Endorsing and Promoting Historic Christian Orthodoxy
We affirm the necessity for those who claim that they are Christians to embrace historic Christian Orthodoxy.
We will define orthodoxy in part
as the theology that was shaped in the great Christological controversies of
the ancient church and came to confessional expression in the Apostles Creed
and the ecumenical creeds of Nicea and
The Apostles’ Creed
The Apostles’ Creed was formulated in response to Gnosticism – the teaching that denied the genuine and full humanity, as well as the historical reality, of Jesus Christ. Gnostics believed that the material world was evil and that God could have no connection with it. The Apostles Creed declares God to be the creator of heaven and earth. Further, Gnostics denied that the Son of God could take on human nature. Some made a distinction between Christ and the man Jesus, asserting that the Spirit came upon the man Jesus at his baptism and departed from him at the crucifixion, thereby having as little connection with material existence as possible. Others denied that Jesus existed as a man and only seemed to have been human. The Apostles Creed affirms the Spirit-empowered conception of Jesus Christ – God’s Son and our Lord – and his birth by the Virgin Mary. Likewise it affirms that he really did live and die in human history, making marked reference to his suffering under Pontius Pilate and his subsequent crucifixion, death and burial. The reference to his descent into Hades is made to underscore the certainty of Jesus death over against views that he had only swooned or become unconscious. The reference to the holy catholic church stresses the fact that the Gospel of Jesus Christ was not (as the Gnostics claimed) meant for a select few who were initiated into this special knowledge (gnosis), but for believers everywhere who trusted in him.
The Nicene Creed
The Nicene Creed was formulated in response to Arianism – the teaching that denied the full deity of Jesus Christ. The Nicene Creed embraces the Apostle’s Creed in affirming the full historicity and humanity of Jesus Christ while also affirming that the Son and the Holy Spirit are to be worshipped with the Father, thus implying both the deity and personality of the Holy Spirit. The framers at Nicea did not create the doctrine of the Trinity but simply set forth the Biblical parameters by which the Bible presents the relationship between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, laying particular stress on the relationship between the Father and the Son. In the Creed God the Father is declared to be the almighty creator of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible; the Lord Jesus Christ is declared to be the Son of God with the careful distinction asserted that he was eternally begotten of the Father and not made, true God from true God and of the same essence or substance as the Father; the Holy Spirit is declared to be the Lord and giver of life, thus affirming the deity of the Holy Spirit along with the Father and the Son. Thus the Nicene Creed established Biblical orthodoxy over against tritheism (Nestorianism), which rejected Biblical monotheism by placing a polytheistic interpretation on the persons of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Further, it established Biblical orthodoxy over against modalism (Sabellianism), which maintained that the New Testament’s use of the titles Father, Son and Holy Spirit reflected different roles, function or modes of God and were not to be understood as three different persons. While there is more that can be said about the Bible’s teaching on the relationship between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, saying less than what is stated at Nicea is a serious move away from the Bible’s teaching. So while we can say more than was declared by the Nicene Creed we cannot say less and be biblically orthodox.
The Creed of
The Chalcedonian Creed further delineated the Bible’s teaching on the relationship between Christ’s two natures in relation to his one person.
Further
Finally
These Symbols or Creeds carry interpretive weight in how Christians understand the Bible’s teaching on the nature of God, the Person of Christ and the Person of the Holy Spirit. They represent the early church’s response to teachings that relied almost exclusively on autonomous human reasoning and, as such, failed to interpret the Scriptures in a way that would attribute the highest glory and honor to the Lord Jesus Christ, to the Holy Spirit and thus to the Father. To ignore or reject them rather than embrace and confess them shows a serious lack of understanding and appreciation for the catholic nature of the church at best and is evidence of a bankrupt and deficient faith at worst.