The Doctrinal Statement of Desert Bible Church
The Holy Scriptures
We teach that the Bible is God’s written revelation to man, and thus the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, constitute the Word of God. That is, we teach the plenary verbal inspiration of Scripture, that every word is equally breathed out by God in all its parts (1 Corinthians 2:7–14; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20–21).
We teach that the Word of God is an objective, propositional revelation (1 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Corinthians 2:13), infallible (John 10:35), and absolutely inerrant in the original documents, being free from all falsehood, fraud, or deceit (Psalm 12:6; 119:160; Proverbs 30:5).
We teach that the Bible constitutes the only infallible rule of faith and practice and is true and reliable in all the matters it addresses (Matthew 5:18; 24:35; John 10:35; 16:12–13; 17:17; 1 Corinthians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:15–17; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Peter 1:20–21).
We teach that God spoke in His written Word by a process of dual authorship. The Holy Spirit so superintended the human authors that, through their individual personalities and different styles of writing, they composed and recorded God’s Word to man (2 Peter 1:20–21) without error in the whole or in the part (Matthew 5:18; 2 Timothy 3:16).
We teach the literal, grammatical, historical interpretation of Scripture, which affirms that, whereas there may be several applications of any given passage of Scripture, there is but one true interpretation. The meaning of Scripture is to be found as one diligently and consistently applies this interpretive method with the aid of the illumination of the Holy Spirit (John 7:17; 16:12–15; 1 Corinthians 2:7–15; 1 John 2:20). It is the responsibility of believers to ascertain carefully the true intent and meaning of Scripture, recognizing that proper application is binding on all generations. Yet the truth of Scripture stands in judgment of men; never do men stand in judgment of it.
We teach that literal, grammatical, historical interpretation yields the affirmation that God created the world in six literal twenty-four-hour days (Genesis 1:1–2:3; Exodus 20:11; 31:17), that He specially created man and woman (Genesis 1:26–28; 2:5–25), and that He defined marriage as a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:5; cf. Malachi 2:14). Scripture elsewhere dictates that any sexual activity outside of marriage is an abomination before the Lord (Exodus 20:14; Leviticus 18:1–30; Matthew 5:27–32; 19:1–9; 1 Corinthians 5:1–5; 6:9–10; 1 Thessalonians 4:1–7).
God
We teach that there is but one living and true God (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:5–7; 1 Corinthians 8:4), an eternal (Revelation 1:8), infinite (Job 11:7–10), absolute Spirit (John 4:24), without parts (Exodus 3:14; 1 John 1:5; 4:8), perfect in all His attributes, including incomprehensibility (Romans 11:33), omniscience (1 John 3:20), omnipotence (Genesis 18:14), omnipresence (Psalm 139:7–10), immutability (Malachi 3:6), and aseity (Exodus 3:14; John 5:26).
We teach that this God is one in essence (having one mind, one will, and one power), eternally existing in three coequal and consubstantial Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14)—each uncreated and distinct, and each equally deserving worship and obedience. Therefore, we teach that the Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding (John 5:26); the Son is eternally begotten of the Father (John 1:14; 1:18; 3:16; 5:26; cf. Psalm 2:7); and the Holy Spirit eternally proceeds from the Father and the Son (John 15:26).
God the Father
We teach that God the Father, the first Person of the Trinity, orders and disposes all things according to His own purpose and grace (Psalm 145:8–9; 1 Corinthians 8:6). He is the Creator of all things (Genesis 1:1–31; Ephesians 3:9). He is sovereign in creation, providence, and redemption (Psalm 103:19; Romans 11:36). His fatherhood involves both His designation within the Trinity and His relationship with mankind. As Creator, He is Father to all men (Ephesians 4:6), but He is spiritual Father only to believers (Romans 8:14; 2 Corinthians 6:18).
He has decreed for His own glory all things that come to pass (Ephesians 1:11). He continually upholds, directs, and governs all creatures and events (1 Chronicles 29:11). In His sovereignty He is neither author nor approver of sin (Habakkuk 1:13; John 8:38–47), nor does He abridge the accountability of moral, intelligent creatures (1 Peter 1:17). He has graciously chosen from eternity past those whom He would save to be His own people (Ephesians 1:4–6); He saves from sin all who come to Him through faith in Jesus Christ; He adopts as His own all those who come to Him and thereby becomes Father to them (John 1:12; Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:5; Hebrews 12:5–9).
God the Son
We teach that Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Trinity, is eternal God, coequal, consubstantial, and coeternal with the Father, possessing all the divine perfections (John 1:1; 10:30; 14:9).
We teach that all creation came into being through the eternal Son (John 1:3; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2) and is presently sustained by Him (Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 1:3).
We teach that in the incarnation the eternal Son, the second Person of the Trinity, without altering His divine nature or surrendering any of the divine attributes, made Himself of no reputation by taking on a full human nature consubstantial with our own, yet without sin (Philippians 2:5–8; Hebrews 4:15; 7:26).
We teach that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the virgin Mary (Luke 1:35) and thus born of a woman (Galatians 4:4–5), so that two whole, perfect, and distinct natures, the divine and the human, were joined together in one person, without confusion, change, division, or separation. He is therefore very God and very man, yet one Christ, the only mediator between God and man.
We teach that in His incarnation, Christ fully possessed His divine nature, attributes, and prerogatives (Colossians 2:9; cf. Luke 5:18–26; John 16:30; 20:28). However, in the state of His humiliation, He did not always fully express the glories of His majesty, concealing them behind the veil of His genuine humanity (Matthew 17:2; Mark 13:32; Philippians 2:5–8). According to His human nature, He acts in submission to the Father (John 4:34; 5:19, 30; 6:38) by the power of Holy Spirit (Isaiah 42:1; Matthew 12:28; Luke 4:1, 14), while, according to His divine nature, He acts by His authority and power as the eternal Son (John 1:14; cf. 2:11; 10:37–38; 14:10–11).
We teach that our Lord Jesus Christ accomplished the redemption of His people through the shedding of His blood and sacrificial death on the cross. We teach that His death was voluntary, vicarious, substitutionary, propitiatory, and redemptive (Isaiah 53:3–6; John 10:15, 18; Romans 3:24–25; 5:8; 1 Peter 2:24).
We teach that on the basis of the efficacy of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ, the believing sinner is freed from the punishment, the penalty, the power, and one day the very presence of sin; and that he is declared righteous, given eternal life, and adopted into the family of God (Romans 3:25; 5:8–9; 2 Corinthians 5:14–15; 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18).
We teach that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead and that He is now ascended to the right hand of the Father, where He intercedes as our Advocate and High Priest (Matthew 28:6; Luke 24:38–39; Acts 2:30–31; Romans 8:34; 1 Corinthians 15:12–23; Hebrews 7:25; 9:24; 1 John 2:1).
We teach that in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave, God confirmed the deity of His Son and gave proof that God has accepted the atoning work of Christ on the cross. Jesus’ bodily resurrection is also the guarantee of a future resurrection life for all believers (John 5:26–29; 14:19; Romans 1:4; 4:25; 6:5–10; 1 Corinthians 15:20, 23).
We teach that Jesus Christ will return to receive the church, which is His Body, unto Himself at the rapture, and, returning with His church in glory, will establish His millennial kingdom on earth (Acts 1:9–11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18; Revelation 20).
We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ is the One through whom God will judge all mankind (John 5:22–23): believers (1 Corinthians 3:10–15; 2 Corinthians 5:10); living inhabitants of the earth at His glorious return (Matthew 25:31–46); and the unbelieving dead at the Great White Throne (Revelation 20:11–15).
As the Mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5), the Head of His Body the church (Ephesians 1:22; 5:23; Colossians 1:18), and the coming universal King, who will reign on the throne of David (Isaiah 9:6; Luke 1:31–33), He is the final Judge of all who fail to place their trust in Him as Lord and Savior (Matthew 25:14–46; Acts 17:30–31).
God the Holy Spirit
We teach that the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity, is eternal God, coequal, consubstantial, and coeternal with the Father and the Son (Matthew 28:19; Acts 5:3–4; 1 Corinthians 12:4–6; 2 Corinthians 13:14), possessing all the divine perfections, including eternality (Hebrews 9:14), omnipresence (Psalm 139:7–10), omniscience (Isaiah 40:13–14), omnipotence (Romans 15:13), and truth (John 16:13).
We teach that the Holy Spirit is not merely a force or a power but a distinct divine person who thinks (1 Corinthians 2:10–13), wills (1 Corinthians 12:11), speaks (Acts 28:25–26), and can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30).
We teach that it is the work of the Holy Spirit to execute the divine will with relation to all mankind. We recognize His sovereign activity in creation (Genesis 1:2), the incarnation (Matthew 1:18), the written revelation (2 Peter 1:20–21), and the work of salvation (John 3:5–7).
We teach that work of the Holy Spirit in this age began at Pentecost (Acts 1:5; 2:4), when He was sent by the Father and the Son as promised by Christ (John 14:16–17; 15:26) to initiate and complete the building of the Body of Christ (Ephesians 2:22), which is the church (Ephesians 1:21–22). The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin and righteousness and judgment (John 16:8–11), glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ (John 16:14), and transforms believers into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18).
We teach that the Holy Spirit is the supernatural and sovereign agent in regeneration (Titus 3:5), baptizing all believers into the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13). The Holy Spirit also indwells them (Romans 8:9), sanctifies them (2 Corinthians 3:18), instructs them (1 John 2:20, 27), empowers them for service (1 Corinthians 12:4, 9), and seals them unto the day of redemption (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13; 4:30).
We teach that the Holy Spirit is the divine Teacher, who guided the apostles and prophets into all truth as they wrote God’s special revelation, the Bible (John 14:26; 16:13; cf. 2 Peter 1:19–21). Every believer possesses the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit from the moment of salvation (Romans 8:9), and it is the duty of all those born of the Spirit to be filled with (controlled by) the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18).
We teach that the Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to the church unto its edification (Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 12:4–11; 1 Corinthians 14:26). The Holy Spirit glorifies neither Himself nor His gifts by ostentatious displays (1 Corinthians 14:33), but He does glorify Christ (John 16:13–14) by applying His work of redemption to His people in regeneration and sanctification (2 Corinthians 3:18; Titus 3:5).
We teach, in this respect, that God the Holy Spirit is sovereign in the bestowing of all His gifts for the perfecting of the saints today (1 Corinthians 12:4–11; Ephesians 4:7–12), and that speaking in tongues and the working of sign miracles in the beginning days of the church have now ceased (1 Corinthians 13:8–10; Ephesians 2:20), having fulfilled their purpose of pointing to and authenticating the apostles as revealers of divine truth (2 Corinthians 12:12; Hebrews 2:1–4). The miraculous gifts were never intended to be characteristic of the lives of believers (e.g., 1 Timothy 5:23).
Man
We teach that man was directly and immediately created by God (Genesis 2:7) in His image and likeness (Genesis 1:26–28; 5:1; James 3:9), free of sin (Genesis 1:31) and endowed with a rational nature, intelligence, volition, and moral responsibility to God (Genesis 2:15–25).
We teach that mankind was created by God as either male or female, distinct sexes that are biologically defined and divinely imparted to each individual at conception (Genesis 1:27; 2:5–23; Job 3:3; Psalm 139:13–14; 1 Corinthians 11:3–15). Attempting to confuse the two sexes is an abomination to God (Leviticus 18:22; Deuteronomy 22:5; Romans 1:26–27; 1 Corinthians 6:9–10).
We teach that God’s intention in the creation of man was that man should glorify God, enjoy God’s fellowship, live his life according to the will of God, and by this accomplish God’s purpose for man in the world (Isaiah 43:7; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Colossians 1:16; Revelation 4:11).
We teach that, in Adam’s sin of disobedience to the revealed will and Word of God, man lost his innocence, incurred the penalty of spiritual and physical death, became subject to the wrath of God, and became inherently corrupt and utterly incapable of choosing or doing that which is acceptable to God apart from divine grace. With no recuperative powers to enable him to recover himself, man is hopelessly lost. Man’s salvation is thereby wholly of God’s grace through the redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ (Genesis 2:16–17; 3:1–19; John 3:36; Romans 3:23; 6:23; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Ephesians 2:1–3; 1 Timothy 2:13–14; 1 John 1:8).
We teach that because all men were in Adam—united with him as the representative of humanity—the guilt of sin was imputed and a corrupt nature was transmitted to all men of all ages, Jesus Christ being the only exception (Romans 5:12, 18–19; 8:3; 1 Corinthians 15:22; 2 Corinthians 5:21). All men are thus sinners by nature, by choice, and by divine declaration (Psalm 14:1–3; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:9–18, 23; 5:10–12).
Salvation
We teach that salvation is wholly of God by grace, based on the redemption of Jesus Christ—the merits both of His life of perfect righteousness and His atoning blood—and not on the basis of human merits or works (John 1:12; Romans 5:18–19; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8–10; 1 Peter 1:18–19).
Election
We teach that election is the sovereign act of God by which, before the foundation of the world, He unconditionally chose in Christ all those whom He would ever graciously regenerate, save, and sanctify (Romans 8:28–30; 9:11–16; Ephesians 1:4–11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 2:10; 1 Peter 1:1–2).
We teach that sovereign election does not contradict or negate the responsibility of man to repent and trust Christ as Savior and Lord (Ezekiel 18:23, 32; 33:11; John 3:18–19, 36; 5:40; Romans 9:19–23; 2 Thessalonians 2:10–12; Revelation 22:17). Nevertheless, since sovereign grace includes the means of receiving the gift of salvation as well as the gift itself, sovereign election will result in what God determines. All whom the Father has elected He will effectually call to Himself. All whom the Father effectually calls to Himself will come in faith. And all who come in faith the Father will receive (John 6:37–40, 44; Acts 13:48; Romans 8:30).
We teach that God’s election of totally depraved sinners is unconditional, grounded only in the sovereign freedom of God’s own will. Election is an expression of God’s unmerited favor and is not related to any initiative of the sinner’s own part. It is not grounded in God’s anticipation of what sinners might do by their own will, nor even in response to their foreseen faith. Rather, election is solely of His sovereign grace and mercy (Romans 9:11, 16; Ephesians 1:4–7; Titus 3:4–7; 1 Peter 1:2).
We teach that election should not be looked upon as merely an abstract sovereignty. God is truly sovereign, but He exercises this sovereignty in harmony with His other attributes, especially His omniscience, justice, holiness, wisdom, grace, and love (Romans 9:11–16). This sovereignty will always exalt the will of God in a manner totally consistent with His character as revealed in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 11:25–28; 2 Timothy 1:9).
Atonement
We teach that the Lord Jesus, by His perfect obedience and sacrifice of Himself, which He offered up to God through the eternal Spirit (Hebrews 9:14; 10:14), has fully satisfied the justice of God (Hebrews 2:17; 1 John 4:10), propitiated the wrath of God (Romans 3:25–26; cf. 1:18), procured reconciliation (Romans 5:10), and purchased an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven (Hebrews 9:15), for all those the Father has given to Him (John 6:39; 10:14–15, 28–29; 17:2, 9, 24).
Regeneration
We teach that regeneration is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit by which a renewed nature and spiritual life are given (John 3:3–7; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Titus 3:5). It is instantaneous and is accomplished solely by the power of the Holy Spirit through the instrumentality of the Word of God (John 5:24; James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:23). As a result of this divine illumination (2 Corinthians 4:6), the repentant sinner, so enabled by the Holy Spirit, responds in faith in Christ (1 John 5:1).
Justification
We teach that justification before God is the act of God (Romans 8:33) in which He declares righteous those who, by His irresistible grace, repent of their sins (Luke 13:3; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 11:18; Romans 2:4; 2 Corinthians 7:10; cf. Isaiah 55:6–7), turn to Christ in faith (Acts 16:31; 20:21; Romans 1:16; 3:22, 26; Galatians 3:22), and confess Him as sovereign Lord (Romans 10:9–10; 1 Corinthians 12:3; 2 Corinthians 4:5; Philippians 2:11).
We teach that the righteousness of justification is not infused into the believer, nor is it attained by any virtue or work of man (Romans 3:20; 4:4–6), but that it is the legal declaration of right standing with God (Deuteronomy 25:1; Romans 8:1, 33–34). We teach that justification consists in the imputation of our sins to Christ (Colossians 2:14; 1 Peter 2:24) and the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to us (1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21; cf. Romans 5:18–19), through faith alone apart from works (Romans 3:28; 4:4–5; 5:1; Galatians 2:16; 3:11, 24). In this way, God is “just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:26).
Sanctification
We teach that every believer is sanctified (set apart) unto God at conversion, declared to be holy, and is therefore identified as a saint. This sanctification is positional and instantaneous and should not be confused with progressive sanctification. This sanctification has to do with the believer’s standing, not his present walk or condition (Acts 20:32; 1 Corinthians 1:2, 30; 6:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Hebrews 2:11; 3:1; 10:10, 14; 13:12; 1 Peter 1:2).
We teach that there is also, by the work of the Holy Spirit, a progressive sanctification by which the state of the believer is brought into greater conformity with the standing the believer positionally enjoys through justification. Through obedience to the Word of God and the empowering of the Holy Spirit, the believer is able to live a life of increasing holiness in conformity to the will of God, becoming more and more like our Lord Jesus Christ (John 17:17, 19; Romans 6:1–22; 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 1 Thessalonians 4:3–4; 5:23).
In this respect, we teach that every saved person is involved in a daily conflict—the new creation in Christ doing battle against the flesh—but adequate provision is made for victory through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. The struggle nevertheless stays with the believer all through this earthly life and is not completely ended until he sees Christ face to face. All claims to the eradication of sin in this life are unscriptural. Eradication of sin is not possible, but the Holy Spirit does provide for victory over sin (Galatians 5:16–25; Ephesians 4:22–24; Philippians 3:12; Colossians 3:9–10; 1 Peter 1:14–16; 1 John 3:2–9).
Security
We teach that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever (John 5:24; 6:37–40; 10:27–30; Romans 5:9–10; 8:1, 31–39; 1 Corinthians 1:4–8; Ephesians 4:30; Hebrews 7:25; 13:5; 1 Peter 1:5; Jude 24). Those who once professed faith and subsequently deny the Lord demonstrate by their going out from us that they were never truly saved in the first place (1 John 2:19).
We teach that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word, which, however, clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion for sinful living and carnality (Romans 6:15–22; 13:13–14; Galatians 5:13, 25–26; Titus 2:11–14).
Genuine salvation is manifested by fruits worthy of repentance as demonstrated in righteous attitudes and conduct. Good works are the proper evidence and fruit of regeneration (1 Corinthians 6:19–20; Ephesians 2:10) and will be experienced to the extent that the believer submits to the control of the Holy Spirit in his life through faithful obedience to the Word of God (Ephesians 5:17–21; Philippians 2:12b; Colossians 3:16; 2 Peter 1:4–10). This obedience causes the believer to be increasingly conformed to the image of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18). Such a conformity is climaxed in the believer’s glorification at Christ’s coming (Romans 8:17; 2 Peter 1:4; 1 John 3:2–3).
Separation
We teach that separation from sin is clearly called for throughout the Old and New Testaments, and that the Scriptures clearly indicate that in the last days apostasy and worldliness will increase (2 Corinthians 6:14–7:1; 2 Timothy 3:1–5).
We teach that, out of deep gratitude for the undeserved grace of God granted to us, and because our glorious God is so worthy of our total consecration, all the saved should live in such a manner as to demonstrate our adoring love to God, bringing no reproach upon our Lord and Savior. We also teach that separation from all religious apostasy and worldly and sinful practices is commanded of us by God (Romans 12:1–2, 1 Corinthians 5:9–13; 2 Corinthians 6:14–7:1; 1 John 2:15–17; 2 John 9–11).
We teach that believers should be separated unto our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thessalonians 1:11–12; Hebrews 12:1–2) and affirm that the Christian life is a life of obedient righteousness that reflects the teaching of the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:2–12) and a continual pursuit of holiness (Romans 12:1–2; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Hebrews 12:14; Titus 2:11–14; 1 John 3:1–10).
The ChurchWe teach that all who place their faith in Jesus Christ are immediately placed by the Holy Spirit into one united spiritual Body, the church (1 Corinthians 12:12–13), the bride of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:23–32; Revelation 19:7–8), of which Christ is the Head (Ephesians 1:22; 4:15; Colossians 1:18).