Statement of Faith Core Orthodoxy
(with institutional distinctives noted)
Since its founding in 1933, 兰开斯特圣经学院|首都神学院和研究生院一直保持着对历史的无条件承诺, orthodox position on essential doctrines of the faith as expressed in this document. A statement of faith is central to the college’s identity, 在神学转变和混乱的时代作为统一和澄清的文献. Hermeneutically, the institution approaches Scripture from a grammatical, historical, and contextual viewpoint.
THE SCRIPTURES. 我们相信旧约圣经和新约圣经都是神的话语，是神所默示的，在原文中是无误的. We believe that this inspiration extends equally and fully to all parts of the Scriptures, and that they are the supreme and final authority in faith and life. John 17:17; Galatians 3:16; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21.
THE GODHEAD. We believe in one God eternally existing in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, each having precisely the same nature, attributes, and perfections. Matthew 28:19–20; John 1:1-2; Acts 5:3-4; Colossians 2:9.
JESUS CHRIST – HIS PERSON AND HIS WORK. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man. 他是永恒地由圣父所生，由圣灵受孕，由童贞女马利亚所生. We believe that Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world1 as the substitutionary sacrifice, that His crucified body was raised from the dead, and that He ascended into heaven to appear before the Father as our High Priest, Advocate, and Mediator. Luke 1:35; Romans 9:5; 1 Corinthians 15:1–3; Philippians 2:6-11; Colossians 1:15–17; 2:9; Hebrews 4:15; 9:24; 1 Timothy 2:5; 1 Peter 1:3; 2:24; 3:18; 1 John 2:2.
THE HOLY SPIRIT. We believe that the Holy Spirit came in a special sense2 indwelling every believer. In this age, the Holy Spirit carries out the ministries of restraining evil in the world; convicting people of sin, righteousness, and judgment; regenerating and indwelling all believers; baptizing them into the Body of Christ; sealing them unto the day of redemption; and empowering them for sanctification and service.3 John 14:16–17; 16:7–15; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 6:19; 12:13, 28–30; Ephesians 2:20-22; 4:1-16, 30; Hebrews 2:1-4; Titus 3:5.
HUMANITY. 我们相信上帝创造了人类，男性和女性，反映了上帝的形象和样式. 每个人的生理性别都是由上帝全权指定的，是他或她本性中不可逆转的一面. Adam, the first human4, 犯了罪，因此招致了肉体死亡和精神死亡的审判，这是与上帝的永远分离. Therefore, all human beings, with the exception of Christ Jesus, are born with a fallen nature, are accountable for their sin, and need to be born again. 拒绝上帝所命定的生理性别反映了拒绝上帝的计划和目的. God has established and revealed in Scripture a divine order to regulate humanity. Human institutions reflecting that order are marriage of a man and a woman, family, and human government. Genesis 1:1,26,27; Psalm 51:5; Jeremiah 17:9; John 3:3-7; Romans 1:21-32; 3:10-12; 5:12; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; Ephesians 2:1-10; 1 John 1:8-10; Genesis 2:18-25; Colossians 3:18-21; Romans 13:1-7.
SALVATION. We believe that salvation was provided5 and accomplished solely by the finished work of Christ shedding His blood upon the cross, and no work on the part of any person can merit this salvation. Whoever believes solely in the finished work of Jesus Christ receives the new birth, becomes a partaker of the divine nature, and thus becomes a child of God.6 John 3:16; 6:37; 10:27–30; 2 Corinthians 5:14; Ephesians 2:8–9; 1 Timothy 2:3-6; 1 Peter 1:18-19, 23; 2 Peter 1:3-4.
THE CHURCH. We believe the Church universal7 consists of all those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is the Head of the Church, called His Body. 地方教会是信仰基督的信徒的团体，他们在圣经的带领下联合起来敬拜上帝, for edification through the Word of God, for prayer, for fellowship, for the proclamation of the Gospel, and for observance of the ordinances.8 Matthew 16:16–18; Acts 1:4-5; 2:42–47; 11:15-16; Romans 12:5; Ephesians 1:20–23; Philippians 1:1; 1 Corinthians 12:13; 1 Timothy 3:15.
THE FUTURE. We believe in the imminent return of Jesus Christ. We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and unjust, in the reward and everlasting conscious blessedness of the just, and in the judgment and everlasting punishment of the lost. 9 Luke 16:19–26; John 11:25; 1 Corinthians 15:51-57; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18; Revelation 20:1–15; 21:1–8.
Statement of Faith approved by the Board of Trustees 2.2.2005
Revision approved by Board of Trustees 11.18.2014 (Humanity)
Statement of Faith (with LBC Distinctives noted) presented to Corporation 10.11.2022 and subsequently approved by two-thirds vote.
NOTES
1…sins of the whole world… Explanation: Regarding the extent of Christ’s atonement, LBC espouses an “unlimited” view, 而信奉加尔文主义教义的福音派信徒更喜欢把赎罪描述为“特殊的”,” that is, the scope of Christ’s atoning work is limited to only the elect.
2…in a special sense on the day of Pentecost. See explanation in next footnote.
3 我们相信有些圣灵的恩赐是永久的，是要在整个教会时代使用的. 其他恩赐是暂时的，是在使徒时代为了建立教会而给予的. These include the gifts of apostleship, prophecy, miracles, healings, tongues, and the interpretation of tongues. At the same time, we affirm that God performs miracles as He wills. 解释：一些福音派信徒肯定，所有圣灵的恩赐在整个教会时代继续发挥作用，没有例外, 包括那些在我们的声明中被视为教会诞生的过渡和基础的“神迹恩赐”. 其他人则认为五旬节的事件在整个教会时代是重复的.
4 Adam, the first human, sinned… Explanation: Some evangelical scholars, while affirming the inerrancy of scripture, view Adam as an “archetype.” That is, 圣经把他描绘成一个文学人物，代表了所有人类的叛逆本性. Whether or not Adam was a historical person is a secondary issue in this point of view, 《网上赌搏网站十大排行》文本的主要焦点是，为了神学目的，在一种代表性的意义上使用亚当.
5 救恩是为全世界的每一个人预备的，并且已经完成了, “Jesus Christ, His Person and Work,” for the explanation on the extent of the atonement.
6 …becomes a child of God, once for all, forever. Explanation: The language “once for all, forever,这句话抓住了LBC的信仰，即信徒在基督里与神的救赎关系中有永恒的保障. 支持阿民念主义神学的信徒不会肯定永恒的安全，而是寻求强调信徒生命中持续顺服的重要性，同时仍然坚持通过信心得救的恩典.
7 普世教会开始于五旬节圣灵的洗礼，并由…组成，见以下脚注的解释.
8 …ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. 解释：信奉圣约神学的信徒不同意教会只在五旬节才开始, 更倾向于强调旧约和新约信徒之间的连续性，并将教会视为对古代以色列应许的属灵实现. On the question of ordinances, some believers (i.e. 救世军)不遵守洗礼或圣餐，因为他们相信有些人可能过于重视外在的标志，而忽视了内在的精神现实. 其他团体肯定这些条例的做法，但将礼仪性洗脚的做法作为教会的第三条条例.
9 …in the imminent return of Jesus Christ to rapture the Church Age saints, followed by the tribulation period, and the visible return of Jesus Christ with His saints for His millennial reign on earth. We believe in the bodily resurrection . . . and everlasting conscious punishment of the lost. 解释：我们的陈述是对千禧年前末世论的理解，与时代解释学一致. The order and timing of end-time events (or in the case of amillennialists, 这些东西是否真的描述了历史事件，非时代神学家有不同的看法, 同时仍然肯定圣经的崇高观点和基督的真实回归.