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Beliefs, Spiritual Culture, And Moral Standards
The following beliefs are copied from The Discipline of The Evangelical Church, ©2002
Article I - The Triune God
¶101. The Holy Scriptures declare there is but one true and living God,1 an eternal being without a body, indivisible, of infinite power, wisdom and goodness. He is the Creator and Preserver of all things visible and invisible.2 He rules with gracious regard for the well-being and salvation of all men, to the glory of His name. In this Godhead there is a Trinity3 of one substance and power, and coeternal, namely, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
1 Genesis 1:1; Exodus 3:14; Deuteronomy 6:4; John 8:58
2 1 Timothy 1:17
3 Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14
Article II - Jesus Christ, The Son of God
¶102. The Holy Scriptures declare that Jesus Christ is truly God1 and truly man,2 in Whom the divine and human natures are perfectly and inseparably united. He is the eternal Word made flesh,3 the only begotten Son of the Father Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.4 As ministering Servant, He lived, suffered and died on the cross. He was buried, rose from the dead5 and ascended bodily into heaven to be with the Father, from whence He shall return.6 He is eternal Savior and Mediator,7 Who intercedes for us, and by Him all men will be judged.8
1 Acts
17:3; Colossians 2:9
2 Hebrews
2:16, 17; Acts 2:22; 4:10
3 John
1:14
4 Isaiah
7:14; Matthew 1:23
5 Acts
1:3; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8
6 Acts
1:9-11; Acts 2:22-24
7 Hebrews 4:14-16; Hebrews 7:25; 1 Timothy 2:5
8 2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 20:11-15
Article III - The Holy Spirit
¶103. The Holy Scriptures declare that the Holy Spirit proceeds1 from and is one Being with the Father and the Son.2 He convicts the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment.3 He leads men, through faithful response to the Gospel, into the fellowship of the Church. He comforts, sustains, empowers and sanctifies the faithful, and guides them into all truth.4
1 John 15:26, 27; John 14:16, 17
2 Acts 5:3, 4
3 John 16:8-11
4 John 16:7, 12, 13; John 14:26
Article IV - The Holy Scriptures
¶104. The Holy Scriptures in their entirety are the inspired, inerrant, written Word of God.1 They alone contain the will of God as far as it is necessary for us to know it for our salvation, so that whatsoever is not contained therein, nor can be proved thereby, is not to be enjoined on any as an article of faith, or as a doctrine essential to salvation.2 By the Holy Scriptures we understand those sixty six canonical books of the Old and New Testament.
In both the Old as well as the New Testament, everlasting life is offered to mankind by Christ, Who being both God and man, is the only Mediator3 between God and man. Even though Christians are not bound by the ceremonies and rites of the Old Testament4 they are nevertheless not exempt from the keeping of the moral laws.5
1 2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21
2 Galatians
1:8, 9; Revelation 22:18, 19
3 1
Timothy 2:5
4 Galatians
3:11, 24, 25; Galatians 4:9, 10; Colossians 2:16
5 Matthew
22:37-40; James 2:8; 1 Timothy 1:5
Article V - Depravity and Prevenient Grace
¶105. The Holy Scriptures declare that through the transgression of Adam man is fallen from original righteousness1 and apart from the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, is not only entirely destitute of holiness, but is inclined to evil, and that continually,2 and except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.3 Man in his own strength, without divine grace, cannot do good works pleasing and acceptable to God.
The Holy Scriptures further declare that man is a free moral agent and that he is responsible for his eternal destiny, and that, influenced and empowered by the Holy Spirit and due to the prevenient grace of God4 is enabled to exercise his will for good and to the glory of God.5
1 Ephesians
2:1; Romans 3:10-18, 23
2 Genesis
6:5; Psalm 51:5; Psalm 58:3
3 John
3:3-7
4 Romans
2:4
5 Acts 17:24-28; Romans 5:15-21; Philippians 2:13; Titus 2:11; Ephesians 2:8-9
Article VI - Provision for Salvation
¶106. The Holy Scriptures declare that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. The offering of Christ freely made on the cross through the shedding of His blood is the perfect and sufficient sacrifice for the sins of the world, both original and actual, so that no other satisfaction is required.
John 19:30; Hebrews 7:26,27; 9:26; 10:12
Article VII - Justification, Regeneration, Adoption
¶107. The Holy Scriptures declare that we are never accounted righteous before God through our works or merit,1 but that those who fully repent of their sins are justified or accounted righteous before God only by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.2 Regeneration3 is the renewal of man in righteousness through Jesus Christ after the image of God by the power of the Holy Spirit, whereby we are made partakers of the divine nature and experience newness of life. This is initial sanctification. By this new birth the believer becomes a child of God, receives the spirit of adoption,4 and is made an heir of the Kingdom of Heaven. The Holy Spirit bears witness to this gracious work5 and immediately assures the regenerate believer that he has passed from death unto life, that his sins are all forgiven and that he is a child of God.
1 Isaiah 64:6; Galatians 2:16
2 Ephesians
2:8-9; Romans 5:1,2; Romans 4:3-5; Galatians 5:5,6
3 Titus
3:5; 2 Corinthians 5:17; John 1:12
4 1
John 3:1; 2 Corinthians 6:18
5 Romans
8:14-16; Galatians 4:4-7
Article VIII - Sanctification
¶108. The Holy Scriptures declare that sanctification begins in the new birth and is the work of God’s grace through the Word and the Holy Spirit, by which those who have been born again and delivered from the willful practice of sin are enabled to live in accordance with God’s will,1 and to seek earnestly for holiness without which no one will see God.2
There is a clear distinction that must be made between consecration and entire sanctification. Consecration is that more or less gradual process of devoting oneself wholly to God, consummating in the crucifixion of the old self or death to the Adamic nature, by the help of the Holy Spirit which comes to a completion at a point in time.
Total consecration of necessity precedes and prepares the way for that definite act of faith which brings God’s instantaneous sanctifying work to the soul.
Entire sanctification is that second definite, instantaneous work of God, wrought in the heart of the believer, subsequent to regeneration, by which God cleanses the heart from all inherited sin and fills the soul and spirit with the person of the Holy Spirit, thus enabling us to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves.3 This gracious work is conditioned upon total consecration of the whole self to God, total death to all inherited sin, and faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on Calvary.4
Entire sanctification does not deliver us from the infirmities, ignorance and mistakes common to man, nor from the possibility of further sin. A person is freed so that he may experience a continued growth in divine knowledge, spiritual strength and good works to the glory of God.5 The Christian must continue to guard against the temptation to spiritual pride and seek to gain victory over this and every temptation to sin.6 There also follows a life of Christian perfection which consists in a purity such as that of Jesus,7 resulting in the same mind which was also in Him, and enabling us to walk even as He walked.8
1 Acts 15:8-9; Romans 8:1-4; 6:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:23, 24
2 Hebrews
12:14
3 Matthew
22:37; Galatians 5:22,23; 1 Peter 1:22; 1 John 1:9
4 Romans
6:1, 2, 11-14; 12:1, 2
5 Hebrews
12:10-15; Philippians 2:1-5
6 Colossians
1:9-14
7 1
John 3:3
8 Philippians
2:2
Article IX - Security of the Believer
¶109. The Holy Scriptures declare that the believer is secure in Christ as long as he walks in obedience and faith.1 The Scriptures also declare that it is possible after the experience of regeneration and/or the experience of entire sanctification to depart from grace and fall into sin, and if one remains in this state to be eternally lost.2 However, by the grace of God, a man may through repentance and faith rise again from a backslidden state and be restored to righteousness and true holiness.3
1 Philippians 1:6; 2:12
2 Hebrews 6:1-6; 10:26-31; Matthew 18:15-35; Galatians 5:4
3 Galatians 6:1
Article X - Good Works
¶110. The Holy Scriptures declare that good works are the necessary fruits of faith and follow regeneration,1 but they do not have the virtue to remove our sins or to avert divine judgment.2 We believe good works, pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ, spring from a true and living faith for through and by them faith is made evident even as a tree is discerned by its fruit.3
1 Ephesians
2:10
2 Galatians
2:16
3 James
3:10-13; 2:17, 18; Philippians 1:10, 11; John 15:1-8
Article XI - The Church
¶111. The Holy Scriptures declare that the church is the community of (born again) believers under the Lordship of Christ. It is the fellowship of the redeemed in which the Word of God is preached by men divinely called, and the sacraments are duly administered according to Christ’s own appointment. Under the discipline of the Holy Spirit the Church exists for the maintenance of worship, the edification of believers and the redemption of the world.
Acts 2:47; 2:41-47; 1 John 1:7; Romans 1:18, 21
Article XII - The Sacraments
¶112. The Holy Scriptures declare that the sacraments, ordained by Christ, are not only pledges and symbols of the Christian’s profession, but they are also signs of God’s love and grace toward us, by which He works invisibly in us, quickening, strengthening and confirming our faith in Him. Two sacraments are ordained by Christ our Lord, namely Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
1. Baptism
Baptism1 signifies entrance into the household of faith, and is a symbol of repentance and inner cleansing from sin, a representation of the new birth in Christ Jesus and a mark of Christian discipleship, and is to be administered to those who receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
Children are under the atonement of Christ, and as heirs of the Kingdom of God, are acceptable subjects for Christian baptism. The promise of God is “unto you and unto your children” (Acts 2:39). Children of believing parents through baptism become a special responsibility of the Church. They must, however, be nurtured and led to a personal acceptance of Christ, and by profession of faith confirm their baptism.
Every adult person being baptized and the parents of every child to be baptized should have the privilege of choosing the mode of baptism, namely sprinkling, pouring or immersion.
2. The Lord’s Supper
The Lord’s Supper2 is a representation of our redemption, a memorial of the sufferings and death of Christ, and a token of love and union which Christians have with Christ and with one another. Those who rightly, worthily and in faith eat the broken bread and drink the blessed cup partake of the body and blood of Christ in a spiritual manner until He comes.
1 Matthew 28:19, 20; Acts 2:38-41; 8:36-39; 16:30-33
2 Luke 22:19-22; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29
Article XIII - Healing
¶113. The Holy Scriptures declare that God is able to heal and that we ought to pray for the sick. Although healing cannot be demanded of God, it may be sought in accordance with the instructions in James. God heals in three ways: (1) through the natural processes of the human body which may be aided by medical help, (2) through the instantaneous intervention of God bringing healing to the body, and (3) through the death and resurrection of the body to a glorified state.
James 5:13-16
Article XIV - The Lord’s Day
¶114. The Holy Scriptures declare that the Lord’s Day is divinely ordained for private and public worship, for rest from unnecessary work, and should be devoted to spiritual improvement, Christian fellowship and service. It is commemorative of our Lord’s resurrection and is an emblem of our eternal rest. It is essential to the permanence and growth of the Christian Church, and important to the welfare of the civil community.
Matthew 28:1; Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2; Hebrews 10:25; Revelation 1:10
Article XV - Public Worship
¶115. The Holy Scriptures declare that divine worship is the duty and privilege of man, who in the presence of God, bows in adoration, humility and dedication.1 It is essential to the life of the Church, and the assembling of the people of God for such worship is necessary to Christian fellowship and spiritual growth.2
The Scriptures further reveal that the order of public worship need not be the same in all places but may be modified by the Church according to circumstances and the needs of men. It should be in a language and form understood by the people, consistent with the Holy Scriptures to the edification of all, and in accordance with the order and The Discipline of The Evangelical Church.
Whosoever willingly and purposely breaks the ordinances, ceremonies and rites of the Church to which he belongs ought to be rebuked openly, as one that offends against the order of the Church and wounds the consciences of the weaker brethren, in order that others may be deterred from similar neglect.3
1 Psalm 95:1, 2, 6; Ephesians 5:19
2 Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:11
3 Acts 5:1-11; 1 Corinthians 5:1-7
Article XVI - The Second Coming of Christ
¶116. The Holy Scriptures declare the coming of Christ to be a bodily return to the earth and that He will cause the fulfillment of all prophecies made concerning His final and complete triumph over all evil. Faith in the imminence of Christ’s return is a rational and inspiring hope to the people of God.
Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18; Titus 2:11-13
Article XVII - Resurrection, Judgment and Future State
¶117. The Holy Scriptures declare that there is a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.1 All men stand under the righteous judgment of God, both now and in that day. The Scriptures further teach an eternal state of rewards in which the righteous dwell in endless life in heaven2 and the wicked in endless punishment in hell.3
1 Ecclesiastes
12:14; John 5:22; Acts 17:31; 2 Corinthians 5:10
2 Isaiah
35:8-10; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Revelation 21:22
3 Matthew
25:41; Revelation 20:11-15; 21:8
Article XVIII - Christian Property
¶118. The Holy Scriptures declare that God is the owner of all things and that the individual holding property is lawful and is a sacred trust under God. Private property is to be used for the manifestation of Christian love and liberality, and to support the Church’s mission in the world. All forms of property, whether private, corporate or public, are to be held in solemn trust and used responsibly for human good under the sovereignty of God.
Ephesians 4:28
Article XIX - Civil Government
¶119. The Holy Scriptures declare the importance of recognizing the sovereign governments under whose protection we reside. The sovereignty of these governments should be respected.1 Generally speaking, war and bloodshed are not in keeping with the Gospel and Spirit of Christ, nevertheless, at times in order to preserve orderly governments in the world, war is the unpleasant alternative. As Christian citizens it is our duty to give moral strength and purpose to our respective nations through sober, righteous and godly living.2 (See¶213)
1 Matthew 22:17-21; Romans 13:10
2 Titus
2:11, 12
SPIRITUAL CULTURE AND MORAL STANDARDS
A. Spiritual Culture
1. Faith
¶201. “Without faith,” the Holy Scriptures teach, “it is impossible to please Him” (Hebrews 11:6). Through faith the believer becomes aware of God and of the reality of His presence. Through faith he becomes confident of God’s mercy, a partaker of His saving grace, and conscious of His favor and fellowship. Faith is a means of development. Progress in the Christian life is made through the diligent exercise of faith and the performance of those duties which belong to the life of the believer.
2. Prayer
¶202. Christ prayed much and said that men “ought always to pray and not to faint” (Luke 18:1). He taught His disciples to pray, and gave them that brief but comprehensive pattern prayer which embodies all the elements of true petition. Prayer is not simply a Christian duty, but also the blessed privilege of every sincere and trusting heart, and an effective means of sustaining and culturing the life of the soul.
3. Bible Study
¶203. Reading and meditation upon the Holy Scriptures are important factors in sustaining and developing the spiritual life. Christ and the apostles, and the saints of all the ages, by precept and example, have borne witness to this great truth. The Bereans were “noble...in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily.” “Thy Word have I hid in my heart,” said the Psalmist, “that I might not sin against Thee” (Psalm 119:11). The Bible should be studied daily, prayerfully, diligently, and systematically, so that the believer may “grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:18), and so that he may become effective in Christian service, “that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:17).
4. Witnessing
¶204. The Gospel by its very nature is designed for all nations and intended for all men, and the Church is under solemn obligation to make known its saving truth to all mankind. Christian witnessing is a method given by Christ by which this is to be accomplished. Moreover there is no way so effective as witnessing for a Christian to cultivate his own spiritual life. As a believer through his witness shares with others the truths of the Gospel and his own experience of Christ, he cultures his own soul.
5. Worship and Fellowship
¶205. Corporate worship and Christian fellowship are means to culture the inner life of a Christian and to build the Christian community (Psalm 95:6; 122:1; Hebrews 10:25). It is the privilege and obligation of every member of the Church, therefore, to participate in and to promote Christian fellowship and corporate worship.
6. The Spirit-Filled Life
¶206. The Holy Scriptures declare that when a believer has been filled with the Spirit it is evidenced by love out of a pure heart. This we believe is the true baptism of the Holy Spirit. We believe that the use of the term “speaking in tongues” in Scripture has reference to the use of known human languages for the purpose of communicating the Gospel. Therefore, we cannot accept the claim that speaking in unintelligible tongues in private prayer or in the company of others is an evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Our church has always taught the believer’s privilege to live a Spirit-filled life and Spirit-led life which is evidenced by a heart purified by faith (1 Timothy 1:5; Galatians 5:2223; Psalm 24:4; Acts 2:4-8; 1 Corinthians 14:8, 9, 19; Acts 15:8, 9).
B. Moral Standards
1. Economic Order
¶211. The Church advocates equal rights and justice for all persons in all stations of life; the protection of the family; the fullest possible development and protection of childhood; pensions and care for the aged; the conservation of health; relief for the poor; the equitable distribution of the products of agriculture and of industry; the establishment of fair employment practices with release from employment for every person of at least one day in seven; a just compensation for every honorable vocation; and economic justice for all. The Church advocates simple, just, honest, unselfish and spiritual living (Ephesians 6:5-9; Colossians 3:25; Titus 2:11, 12; 1 John 3:17).
2. Amusements
¶212. All members of the Church are urged to refrain from patronizing any entertainment or place of amusement that is not above reproach, and from any diversion that cannot be practiced in the name of Christ (1 Corinthians 16:13; Colossians 3:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:21, 22).
3. Citizenship
¶213. The Church believes that every Christian is obligated to respect, support and obey properly constituted civil authority, and faithfully perform his civic duties, and through sober, righteous and godly living, give moral strength and purpose to his country. A Christian’s minimum civic duty includes regular, informed, and principled voting. Furthermore, as light and salt in the world (Matthew 5:13f), and in concert with historic Christianity, Christians need to be encouraged to support godly candidates and to seek political office. The Church declares its devotion to the nation and pledges loyalty to the government under whose protection it resides, and offers unceasing prayers for those in rightful authority, that there may be that justice, freedom and tranquillity which are the people’s most precious possession (Romans 13:1-7; Titus 3:1-3). The Church recognizes the right of the individual member to answer the call of his government. It also recognizes the right of those who for the sake of conscience feel they cannot participate in war to give satisfactory alternate service.
4. Stewardship of Time
¶214. The Church believes in the proper use of time. The waste and misuse of idle hours, and the exploitation of leisure by selfish and unprincipled interest, obligate every church to provide wholesome activities, and to cooperate with others in presenting opportunities for the wise and constructive use of otherwise unoccupied time through worship, music, reading, study, fellowship, recreation, and service activities (Ephesians 5:15,16).
5. The Lord’s Day
¶215. The Lord’s Day is ordained of God for rest from labor, for spiritual improvement and for kingdom extension. The perpetuity of civil liberties and religious institutions demands its proper observance. Sunday is a hallowed day commemorating our Lord’s resurrection. By worship, fellowship and Christian service we glorify our risen Lord. Concerned with the growing apathy toward the sanctity of the Lord’s Day, the Church advocates faithful attendance at the stated services of the church. Further, the Church calls for the voluntary closing of all non-essential commercial enterprises on Sunday, refraining from unnecessary labor and worldly pleasure, and urges its members to do good to others and engage in those things which contribute to spiritual growth (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2; Hebrews 10:25).
6. Marriage
¶216. Marriage is an institution of divine appointment, upon the proper establishment of which are conditioned human happiness and well-being, and the maintenance of the most important factor of civilization, the Christian home. Virtue and morality in society, stability and permanence of free government can be had only as the Christian home is maintained in its integrity. In view of the gravity of the interests involved in marriage, the Church admonishes all persons as follows:
a. To cherish only worthy and ennobling thoughts on the subject of courtship and marriage.
b. To avoid undue haste, and practice intelligent deliberation in every step pertaining to this matter.
c. To enter into marriage only after a favorable personal acquaintanceship sufficient to insure compatibility and the blessings of a Christian home, and to do so only when it can be “in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 7:39), and thus avoid being “unequally yoked together with unbelievers” (2 Corinthians 6:14) in life’s most intimate relationship. Ministers of the Church shall not solemnize any marriage without first counseling earnestly with the couple, presenting the claims of the Gospel and the Biblical teaching on the Christian home (Hebrews 13:4).
7. Divorce
¶ 217. Since marriage is of divine appointment and the union of one man and one woman entered into mutually, it is sacred and morally binding so long as both shall live and ought not be dissolved at will. When human failure results in placing the marriage in jeopardy, the Church strongly urges the persons involved to seek counsel with their Minister in order to effect reconciliation so that the marriage may be preserved. The Church does not sanction nor condone divorce except on the ground of adultery (Mark 10:4-12; Romans 7:1-3; 1 Corinthians 7:10-16). Whenever divorced persons seek marriage through the Church, Ministers may solemnize such marriages only after having ascertained the circumstances through counsel with the persons involved, presenting the claims of the Gospel and the Biblical teaching on the Christian home. Ministers may, if it seems desirable, consult with fellow Ministers and/or local church officials.
8. Literature and Other Media
¶ 218. The Church urges its members to use books and other media that are clean, inspiring, and productive for Christian character. It views with alarm the widespread circulation, reading, and viewing of pornographic literature and other media giving false and degrading views of life, polluting the mind, undermining the character, and harming the family. The Church urges its members first to remove all such harmful material from their homes and then to do all in their power to encourage the removal of the same from the institutions of learning, libraries, and vendors of their communities (Philippians 4:8; 2 Timothy 2:15; 1 Peter 2:2).
9. Temperance, Alcoholic Beverages, Narcotics, and Tobacco
¶219. God created the human race in His image and likeness (Genesis 1:26,27), which lofty estate was recognized by the Psalmist (Psalm 139:14), and therefore holy living was the character of man’s existence expected by God and experienced by earth’s first man and woman prior to the corrupting act of disobedience which brought depravity to the entire human race (Romans 5:12). God’s redemptive mercy, extended through His grace, provides for the restoration of the image of God with the penitent, believing heart (2 Corinthians 3:18; 5:17; Colossians 3:10). Such redemption identifies the human body as the dwelling place of God (1 Corinthians 3:16, 17; 6:19, 20), and therefore holy living is the Biblical standard clearly and unequivocally identified and enjoined upon all people (1 Peter 1:14-16; Titus 2:11-12), even to the point of abstaining from the appearance of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:21, 22).
Therefore, The Evangelical Church stands unquestionably upon the Biblical position herein stated, as touching the following issues:
a. Temperance Temperance is a Christian virtue, implying the control of all emotions, passions, and appetites, which are a part of the God-created human personality, and submitted to the cleansing grace and governing control of the Holy Spirit.
b. Alcoholic Beverages, Narcotics, and Tobacco The Church, science and human experience agree that the use of alcoholic beverages, narcotics other than medically prescribed, and tobacco are damaging and injurious to the body. The manufacture and vending of these items are contrary to the best interests of personal and social morality, economy, and the common good. Refraining from the manufacture and vending of, and total abstinence from the use of alcoholic beverages, non-medically prescribed narcotics, and tobacco is urged upon all members of the Church. A social climate free from all such injurious commodities as the duty of the civil government is an objective toward which the Church is always encouraged to work.
10. Gambling
¶220. Gambling in all forms is a menace to moral, social and spiritual life, fostering corruption through a deceptive enticement to a system of false and unrealistic goals, robbing incentive for planning, programming, and labor in the proper stewardship of financial responsibility, and is often disruptive of the harmony and dignity of the home, creating unnecessary hardship and heartache. The Church stands unalterably opposed to gambling, and urges its members to abstain from involvement in any form of gambling.
11. Abortion
¶221. The Church believes God is the Creator of human life, and that such human life begins at conception, thus identifying status, so that in reality there are no qualitative changes that take place in the fetus between conception and birth, only developmental changes. Such status entitles preservation and protection.
The right of life is therefore a sacred principle of civilization as an indispensable guarantee of the individual worth of the person. Its universal denial threatens civilization and destroys the dignity of man. The unborn state is no different, and therefore comes under the same tradition. The termination of unborn life for reasons of social convenience is morally wrong. It is a scientific axiom and not a religious dogma that induced abortion involves the taking of a human life. Abortion therefore is a social evil to be prohibited save only in those clearly defined instances which give rise to the crisis wherein the competing interest of the life of the mother can be medically proven. The Church therefore accepts the stewardship of an aggressive program of family life education to develop Biblical attitudes on human sexuality and the dignity of human life (Exodus 20:13; Psalm 139:14-16).
12. Human Sexuality
¶222. The Scriptures clearly teach that the human race possesses a God-created sexuality characterized by heterosexual expression. Any deviation from this is evidence of the depravity incurred through the act of disobedience by the first man and woman on earth, corrupting all naturally engendered offspring of the human family (Genesis 2:21-25; 3:1-24; 6:5,6; Romans 5:12). Therefore, the Bible teaches that homosexuality is sin. This is clearly and undeniably taught in Leviticus 18:22; 20:13; Romans 1:26-27; and 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. However, the grace of God has made provision for the forgiveness of sin, perfect healing and deliverance, and restoration to a life of personal dignity and human sexuality as set forth in the Holy Scriptures (1 Corinthians 6:11).
13. Human Relations
¶223. The Church respects human personality which is inherent in every race, nation and creed. We believe the Bible teaches there is no basis whatsoever for a belief in the superiority or inferiority of any people. Therefore, the Church protests against all acts and practices of discrimination which are based on racial, national, creedal or social differences (Acts 17:26). The Church, following the example of Jesus Christ, upholds the rights and privileges of every individual as clearly defined in the Bible. The Church calls upon her members to commit their attitudes, their actions and their influences in faithful witness to this fact. The Church opposes segregation which is based upon differences of racial or national origin as a sin against God and man. The Church must continually examine her teachings and practices to be certain that no violations of human rights are being committed within her fellowship or by the Church toward the world. The Church must motivate, inspire and encourage the establishing of fair practices, legislation and law enforcement which are in harmony with the Gospel as revealed in Jesus Christ.
14. Slavery
¶224. The Church regards the traffic in human beings and the institution of slavery as infamous evils, and therefore all slavery, in every sense of the word, is totally prohibited and shall in no way be tolerated by the Church.
15. Secret Orders
¶225. The Church considers that participation in secret orders and/or oath-bound lodges is incompatible with total dependence upon Jesus Christ alone for salvation, and that vows taken in secret are not compatible with the spirit of brotherly love and Christian purity (Matthew 6:24; Ephesians 5:8-11).
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