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BOM DOCTRINE

WHAT WE BELIEVE AND TEACH...

GOD

We believe and teach that there is only one true God (1 Cor. 4), who is three distinct persons; Father, Son, and Spirit (John 14:26, 1 John 5:7). Each person having the fullness of God yet undivided as God (Exodus 3:14). God is in every way infinite in nature and cannot be understood by our standards (Isaiah 55:8). God is unchanging, absolute, and vast beyond our comprehension. All of God’s attributes are equal in authority and almighty in power; not one takes precedence over another. God alone is the creator and sustainer of all things and deserves worship.


The sovereignty of God is beyond question or dispute, as He alone is in control of all things and does all that pleases Him (Daniel 4:35). All things to the glory of God alone, Soli Deo Gloria.

THe Holy Scripture

We believe and teach sola scriptura; Holy Scripture is the ONLY authority for the Christian church. We believe and teach that God revealed Himself to man through 66 divinely inspired documents that are infallible and sufficient for all spiritual and moral matters (2 Timothy 3:16). We believe and teach that as God inspired men from various cultures, backgrounds, places, and times to craft His words into holy Scripture, we must stay true to the Biblical context of the original authors. We teach that scripture always interprets scripture, so difficult text should always be resolved with clear text. While contemporary application of scripture may vary, we must maintain the principle that all scripture will have the same meaning now as it did when it was first written.


We believe and teach that the doctrine of Scripture is complete, and as such, it is closed. God has revealed all that is necessary for His creation to know. The principle of scripture includes 39 documents contained in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. God determined these documents, and He alone inspired them to be used. All writings outside of the Holy Scripture have no authority with the people of God.

Creation

We believe and teach that God as Father, Son, and Spirit created all things and the world within them through sheer will and for His eternal glory and good pleasure (Genesis 1, John 1:2-3).

 

God created mankind in His image, male and female, and acceptable for life in the presence of God (Genesis 1:26 and 2:7). They were given dominion over all the earth as the pinnacle of His creation (Genesis 1:26). Mankind was endowed with the law of God within them, yet with the potential for transgression and the freedom to do so (Genesis 3:6).

The Fall of MAn

We believe and teach that mankind was given a specific command from God to not eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil under the penalty of death, referred to as the covenant of works. If they kept this commandment perfectly, they would enjoy communion with God and dominion over His creation (Genesis 2:17, 1:26-28).


We believe and teach that the first of mankind, Adam and Eve, willingly disobeyed God’s law which God permitted them to do for His glory. As a result, sin entered mankind. As the representative of mankind, Adam’s guilt and condition of sin were transferred to all of creation, including his descendants. As a result, all mankind is wholly disabled by sin and inclined to all sorts of evil (Romans 5:12-19).

Jesus Christ

We believe and teach that Jesus of Nazareth is the incarnation of God (John 1:14) and the promised Messiah (John 1:36-42), who is entirely God, man, and without sin (John 1:1-14). He died on the cross in atonement for sin (Hebrews 2:9), was buried (John 19:0-42), and was resurrected on the third day (John 2:19). Forty days afterward, He ascended back into heaven and is now seated in the position of power as our great high priest interceding for all who believe
(Acts 7:56).


We teach and believe that He will return. When He does, the dead will be raised (1 Thessalonians 4:16), mankind will be judged (Matthew 25:31-46), and all things will be restored and made new (Isaiah 65:17, Revelation 21).

Salvation

We believe and teach that mankind can only be saved and receive eternal life in the presence of God through faith in the blood of Jesus Christ. No one on their own can earn, by any effort, performance, or thought, justification before God (Romans 3:10-12). Eternal salvation is a gift of His grace through Jesus Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Justification

We believe and teach that God called believers unto Himself in the act of sovereign Grace to pardon sinners and transfer perfect righteousness to them through the person and work of Jesus Christ. The sacrificial death and perfect obedience unto the Law by Christ are received by faith, a faith not of themselves but a gift of God (John 1:12, Ephesians 2:8-9).

Church

The church was built on the person and work of Jesus Christ and represents Him both visible and invisible. The church is not a structure built by man but consists of all believers predestined to adoption through Christ. The purpose of the church is to be a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit, and its work by God’s grace is to proclaim and teach the Gospel of God through Jesus Christ as it has been from its beginning (Ephesians 2:11-22).

Covenant

We believe and teach in the tri-covenantal framework for the grand narrative of scripture.

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  1. The eternal plan and covenant of the Godhead, the Covenant of Redemption (Ephesians 1:13-14, 2 Thessalonians 2:13), where God chose in eternity past to save and redeem His people.

  2.  The Covenant of Works was first introduced to Adam in the Garden (Genesis 2:16-17). In this covenant category, God promises blessings and curses according to man's obedience; it is conditional.

  3. The Covenant of Grace, first introduced in Genesis 3:15 after the fall of man, is unconditional. This covenant category consists of promises from God given freely based on His grace alone.

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The covenant framework flows throughout the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, culminating in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Promises made in the Old Testament are promises kept in the New.

The Five Solas

We believe and teach the five Solas of the reformation.

 

  1. The Christian’s ultimate and final authority is scripture alone (Sola Scriptura).

  2.  We are provided regeneration, justification, and salvation by the grace of God alone (Sola Gracia).

  3.  In Christ alone (Sola Christus).

  4. Through faith alone (Sola Fide).

  5. All to the glory of God alone (Sola Deo Gloria).

Law and Gospel Distinction

We believe and teach that distinguishing law and gospel is the only way to interpret scripture correctly. While a classic definition of the two is simple, the application in Biblical exposition is any Christian's highest achievement. The law is always conditional and tells us what to do. The Gospel always tells us what Christ has done. The Law is kept by doing things. The Gospel is received by grace. The Law demands perfect righteousness. The Gospel gives perfect righteousness. The Law shows us our sinful condition. The Gospel shows us, Christ. The Law leads to stress, anxiety, and death. The Gospel gives eternal life.

 

Without the Gospel, the Law has no value. Without the Law, the Gospel has no meaning. But when we combine the two, we lose them both.

Sacraments

We believe and teach that the two holy sacraments assigned by Christ for believers are Baptism and the Lord’s supper.

  1. Biblical baptism is an outward expression of an inward commitment of faith where the believer is baptized into the death of Christ and then raised into a new life (Romans 6:3-4). Total water immersion is biblically preferred for this believer's baptism but not required. Jesus commanded that disciples be baptized (Matthew 28:19), but not for salvation. Instead, believers are baptized as a commitment to follow the teachings of Christ for His glory and not ours (Matthew 28:20). We do not believe nor teach in the efficacy of infant baptism.

  2. The Lord’s supper is an act of remembrance commanded by Christ (Luke 22:19 and 1Corinthians 11:24). Believers are to remember that He gave His body for them and brought a new covenant in His blood. A covenant of grace, by which God promised to forgive the sins of those He has chosen to come to His Son and transfer His righteousness
    to them. There is no set time or frequency for observing this sacrament. However, the implication is to remember the sacrifice of Christ often through the Lord’s supper (1 Corinthians 11:25). We do not believe, nor teach, that the Lord’s supper is a means to attain grace. Instead, it is a matter of obedience to what has been done for us.

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All we believe and teach at Brand of Man Ministries is from the Bible. Our ultimate and final authority is Scripture alone, by God’s grace alone. These core beliefs are not exhaustive, nor are they exclusively our own. They have been passed down through the saints and will continue to be this side of glory.

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