DOCTRINAL STATEMENT
Dennis McBride
2. God
3. Man
4. Salvation
5. The Church
6. Angels
7. Last Things
I believe that the sixty-six books
of the Bible are God’s inspired, infallible, authoritative,
and complete self-revelation to man. They are divine truth in
objective, propositional form (Ps. 119:160; John 17:17; 1 Thess.
2:13).
I believe that inspiration is the mysterious process whereby the
Holy Spirit superintended the human authors of Scripture, using
their individual personalities, experiences, vocabularies, and
writing styles to produce the Word of God in the language of men
(2 Pet. 1:20-21).
I believe that inspiration extends to the words of Scripture
(verbal) and to every part (plenary). I believe that, strictly
speaking, the original autographs of Scripture were actually
inspired and that accurate copies and translations are virtually
inspired.
I believe that the Bible is inerrant in the original autographs
and constitutes the only infallible rule of faith and practice
(Matt. 5:18; 24:35; John 10:35; 16:12-13; 17:17; 1 Cor. 2:13; 2
Tim. 3:15-17; Heb. 4:12; 2 Pet. 1:20-21).
I believe in the literal, grammatical-historical interpretation
of Scripture, and in the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit as one
diligently applies that hermeneutic to the biblical text (John
7:17; 16:12-15; 1 Cor. 2:7-15; 1 John 2:20).
I believe that any given passage of Scripture may have many
applications but only one true meaning. It is the sacred task of
the pastor-teacher to discover that meaning (2 Tim. 2:15), apply
it to his own life, then to instruct and exhort his people to
apply it to their lives (1 Tim. 4:13-16).
I believe that there is but one true God (Deut. 6:4; Isa. 45:5-7; 1 Cor. 8:4), an infinite Spirit (John 4:24), eternally existing in three Persons--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14).
I believe that God the Father is
the Creator, Preserver, and Governor of all things (Gen. 1:1-31;
1 Chron. 29:11; Eph. 3:9; 1 Cor. 8:6). His rule is absolute and
sovereign (Ps. 103:19). He is the Father of all men by virtue of
creation (Eph. 4:6) but He is spiritual Father only to believers
(Rom. 8:14; 2 Cor. 6:18). He has decreed for His own glory all
things that come to pass (Eph. 1:11).
I believe that God did not author sin nor does He approve of it
(Hab. 1:13; John 8:38-47). He judges impartially (1 Pet. 1:17).
He has graciously chosen, from eternity past, those whom He would
have as His own (Eph. 1:4-6); He saves from sin all who come to
Him through Jesus Christ; He adopts as His own all those who come
to Him; and He becomes, upon adoption, Father to His own (John
1:12; Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:5; Heb. 12:5-9).
I believe that Jesus Christ is the
Son of God (God the Son)--coequal, consubstantial, and coeternal
with the Father (John 10:30; 14:9).
I believe that God the Father created all things according to His
own will, through His son, Jesus Christ, by whom all things
continue in existence and in operation (John 1:3; Col. 1:15-17;
Heb. 1:2).
I believe that our Lord Jesus Christ was virgin born (Isa. 7:14;
Matt. 1:23, 25; Luke 1:26-35); that He was God incarnate (John
1:1, 14); and that the purpose of the incarnation was to reveal
God, redeem men, and rule over God’s kingdom (Ps. 2:7-9;
Isa. 9:6; John 1:29; Phil. 2:9-11; Heb. 7:25-26; 1 Pet. 1:18-19).
I believe that in His incarnation, the second person of the
Trinity added humanity to His deity, thereby becoming the God-man
(Phil. 2:5-8; Col. 2:9) and representing humanity and deity in
indivisible one-ness (Micah 5:2; John 5:23; 14:9-10; Col. 2:9). I
believe that He surrendered the independent exercise of some of
His divine prerogatives but nothing of His divine essence (Phil.
2:5-8).
I believe that our Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption
through the shedding of His blood and sacrificial death on the
cross and that His death was voluntary, vicarious,
substitutionary, propitiatory, and redemptive (John 10:15; Rom.
3:24-25; 5:8; 1 Pet. 2:24).
I believe 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 (Rom. 3:25; 5:8-9; 2 Cor.
5:14-15; 1 Pet. 2:24; 3:18).
I believe 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 mediates as our
Advocate and High Priest (Matt. 28:6; Luke 24:38-39; Acts
2:30-31; Rom. 4:25; 8:34; Heb. 7:25; 9:24; 1 John 2:1).
I believe 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; Rom.
1:4; 4:25; 6:5-10; 1 Cor. 15:20, 23).
I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the one through whom God
will judge all mankind (John 5:22-23): believers (1 Cor. 3:10-15;
2 Cor. 5:10), living inhabitants of the earth at His glorious
return (Matt. 25:31-46), and unbelieving dead at the Great White
Throne (Rev. 20:11-15).
As the mediator between God and man (1 Tim. 2:5), the head of His
body the church (Eph. 1:22; 5:23; Col. 1:18), and the coming
universal King who will reign on the throne of David (Isa. 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 (Matt. 25:14-46; Acts
17:30-31).
I believe that the Holy Spirit is
a divine person, eternal, underived, possessing all the
attributes of personality and deity including intellect (1 Cor.
2:10-13), emotions (Eph. 4:30), will (1 Cor. 12:11), eternality
(Heb. 9:14), omnipresence (Ps. 139:7-10), omniscience (Isa.
40:13-14), omnipotence (Rom. 15:13), and truthfulness (John
16:13). In all the divine attributes He is coequal and
consubstantial with the Father and the Son (Matt. 28:19; Acts
5:3-4; 28:25-26; 2 Cor. 13:14).
I believe that the broad scope of the Spirit’s divine
activity includes convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and
judgment; glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ; redeeming the lost;
and transforming believers into the image of Christ (John 16:7-9,
13-14; Acts 1:5, 8; 2:4; Rom. 8:29; 1 Cor. 12:4-11; 2 Cor. 3:18;
Eph. 2:22).
I believe that the Holy Spirit is the supernatural and sovereign
agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the Body of
Christ (1 Cor. 12:13). The Holy Spirit also indwells, sanctifies,
instructs, and empowers believers for service, and seals them
unto the day of redemption (Rom. 8:9; 2 Cor. 3:6; Eph. 1:13).
I believe that every true Christian possesses the indwelling
presence of the Holy Spirit from the moment of salvation, and
that it is the duty of all those born of the Spirit to be filled
with (controlled by) the Spirit (John 16:13; Rom. 8:9; Eph.
5:18).
I believe that the Holy Spirit sovereignly administers spiritual
gifts to the church for the perfecting of the saints. I believe
that speaking in tongues and the working of sign miracles in the
beginning days of the church were for the purpose of
authenticating the apostles as revealers of divine truth and were
never intended to be characteristic of believers throughout the
church age (1 Cor. 12:4-11; 13:8-10; 2 Cor. 12:12; Eph. 4:7-12;
Heb. 2:1-4).
I believe that man was directly
and immediately created by God in His image and likeness. Man was
created free of sin with a rational nature, intelligence,
volition, self-determination, and moral responsibility to God
(Gen. 2:7, 15-25; James 3:9).
I believe that God’s intention in the creation of man was
that man should glorify God, enjoy God’s fellowship, live
his life in the will of God, and by so doing accomplish
God’s purpose for man in the world (Isa. 43:7; Col. 1:16;
Rev. 4:11).
I believe 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 ability to recover himself, man is
hopelessly lost. Man’s salvation is thereby wholly of
God’s grace through the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus
Christ (Gen. 2:16-17; 3:1-19; John 3:36; Rom. 3:23; 6:23; 1 Cor.
2:14; Eph. 2:1-3; 1 Tim. 2:13-14; 1 John 1:8).
I believe that because all men were in Adam, a nature corrupted
by Adam’s sin has been transmitted to all men of all ages,
Jesus Christ being the only exception. All men are thus sinners
by nature, by choice, and by divine declaration (Ps. 14:1-3; Jer.
17:9; Rom. 3:9-18, 23; 5:10-12).
I believe that salvation is wholly of God by grace on the basis of the redemption of Jesus Christ, the merit of His shed blood, and not on the basis of human merit or works (John 1:12; Eph. 1:7; 2:8-10; 1 Pet. 1:18-19).
I believe that regeneration is a
supernatural work of the Holy Spirit by which the divine nature
and divine life are given (John 3:3-7; 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), when the repentant sinner, as enabled by the Holy Spirit,
responds in faith to the divine provision of salvation.
I believe that genuine regeneration is manifested by fruits
worthy of repentance as demonstrated in righteous attitudes and
conduct. Good works will be its proper evidence and fruit (1 Cor.
6:19-20; Eph. 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 (Eph. 5:17-21;
Phil. 2:12b; Col. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:4-10). This obedience causes the
believer to be increasingly conformed to the image of our Lord
Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 3:18). Such a conformity is climaxed in the
believer’s glorification at Christ’s coming (Rom. 8:17;
2 Pet. 1:4; 1 John 3:2-3).
I believe that election is the act
of God by which, before the foundation of the world, He chose in
Christ those whom He graciously regenerates, saves, and
sanctifies (Rom. 8:28-30; Eph. 1:4-11; 2 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim.
2:10; 1 Pet. 1:1-2).
I believe that sovereign election does not contradict or negate
the responsibility of man to repent and trust Christ as Savior
and Lord (Ezek. 18:23, 32; 33:11; John 3:18-19, 36; 5:40; Rom.
9:22-23; 2 Thess. 2:10-12; Rev. 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 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; James 4:8).
I believe that the unmerited favor that God grants to totally
depraved sinners is not related to any initiative of their own
part nor to God’s anticipation of what they might do by
their own will, but is solely of His sovereign grace and mercy
(Eph. 1:4-7; Titus 3:4-7; 1 Pet. 1:2).
I believe that justification before God is an act of God (Rom. 8:33) by which He declares righteous those who, through faith in Christ, repent of their sins (Isa. 55:6-7; Luke 13:3; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 11:18; Rom. 2:4; 2 Cor. 7:10) and confess Him as sovereign Lord (Rom. 10:9-10; 1 Cor. 12:3; 2 Cor. 4:5; Phil. 2:11). This righteousness is apart from any virtue or work of man (Rom. 3:20; 4:6) and involves the imputation of our sins to Christ (Col. 2:14; 1 Pet. 2:24) and the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to us (1 Cor. 1:30; 2 Cor. 5:21). By this means God is enabled to "be just, and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus" (Rom. 3:26).
I believe that every believer is
sanctified (set apart) unto God by justification and is therefore
declared to be holy and 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 in Christ, not his
present walk or condition (Acts 20:32; 1 Cor. 1:2, 30; 6:11; 2
Thess. 2:13; Heb. 2:11; 3:1; 10:10, 14; 13:12; 1 Pet. 1:2).
I believe that there is also, by the work of the Holy Spirit, a
progressive sanctification by which the state of the believer is
brought closer to 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; Rom. 6:1-22; 2 Cor. 3:18; 1 Thess. 4:3-4; 5:23).
In this respect, I believe 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
never completely ended. 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 (Gal.
5:16-25; Eph. 4:22-24; Phil. 3:12; Col. 3:9-10; 1 Pet. 1:14-16; 1
John 3:5-9).
I believe that all the redeemed
once saved are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in
Christ forever (John 5:24; 6:37-50; 10:27-30; Rom. 5:9-10; 8:1,
31-39; 1 Cor. 1:4-8; Eph. 4:30; Heb. 7:25; 13:5; 1 Pet. 1:5; Jude
24).
I believe 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 (Rom.
6:15-22; 13:13-14; Gal. 5:13, 25-26; Titus 2:11-14).
I believe that the Christian life
is a life of obedient righteousness demonstrated by a beatitude
attitude (Matt. 5:2-12) and a continual pursuit of holiness (Rom.
12:1-2; 2 Cor. 7:1; Heb. 12:14; Titus 2:11-14; 1 John 3:1-10).
I believe that separation from sin is clearly called for
throughout Scripture (2 Cor. 6:14-7:1, 2 Thess. 1:11-12; Heb.
12:1-2). All the saved should live in such a manner as to
demonstrate their love to God and so as not to bring reproach
upon their Lord and Savior.
I believe that all who place their
faith in Jesus Christ are immediately placed by the Holy Spirit
into one united spiritual body (1 Cor. 12:12-13), which is called
the Body of Christ, and of which He is the head (Eph. 1:22; 4:15;
Col. 1:18). It is also called the Bride of Christ (2 Cor. 11:2;
Eph. 5:23-32; Rev. 19:7-8), to which He is the Bridegroom.
I believe that the formation of the church began on the day of
Pentecost (Acts 2:1-21, 38-47) and will be completed at the
coming of Christ for His own at the rapture (1 Cor. 15:51-52; 1
Thess. 4:13-18). The church is distinct from Israel (1 Cor.
10:32), a mystery not revealed until this age (Eph. 3:1-6; 5:32).
I believe that the establishment and continuity of local churches
is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures
(Acts 14:23, 27; 20:17, 28; Gal. 1:2; Phil. 1:1; 1 Thess. 1:1; 2
Thess. 1:1) and that the members of the one spiritual body are
directed to associate themselves together in local assemblies (1
Cor. 11:18-20; Heb. 10:25).
I believe that the one supreme authority for the church is Christ
(1 Cor. 11:3; Eph. 1:22; Col. 1:18) and that church leadership,
gifts, order, discipline, and worship are all appointed through
His sovereignty as found in the scriptures. The biblically
designated officers serving under Christ and over the assembly
are elders (also called bishops, pastors, and pastor-teachers;
Acts 20:28; Eph. 4:11) and deacons, both of whom must meet
biblical qualifications (1 Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Pet.
5:1-5).
I believe that these leaders lead or rule as servants of Christ
(1 Tim. 5:17-22) and have His authority in directing the church.
The congregation is to submit to their leadership (Heb. 13:7,
17).
I believe in the importance of discipleship (Matt. 28:19-20; 2
Tim. 2:2), mutual accountability of all believers to each other
(Matt. 18:5-14), as well as the need for discipline of sinning
members of the congregation in accord with the standards of
Scripture (Matt. 18:15-22; Acts 5:1-11; 1 Cor. 5:1-13; 2 Thess.
3:6-15; 1 Tim. 1:19-20; Titus 1:10-16).
I believe in the autonomy of the local church--that it should be
free from any external authority or control, with the right of
self-government and freedom from the interference of any
hierarchy of individuals or organizations (Titus 1:5).
I believe that it is scriptural for true churches to cooperate
with each other for the presentation and propagation of the
faith. Each local church, however, through its elders and their
interpretation and application of Scripture, should be the sole
judge of the measure and method of its cooperation. The elders
should determine all other matters of membership, policy,
discipline, benevolence, and government as well (Acts 15:19-31;
20:28; 1 Cor. 5:4-7, 13; 1 Pet. 5:1-4).
I believe that the purpose of the church is to glorify God (Eph.
3:21) by building itself up in the faith (Eph. 4:13-16), by
instruction of the Word (2 Tim. 2:2, 15; 3:16-17), by fellowship
(Acts 2:47; 1 John 1:3), by keeping the ordinances (Luke 22:19;
Acts 2:38-42), and by advancing and communicating the gospel to
the entire world (Matt. 28:19; Acts 1:8; 2:42).
I believe in the need of the church to cooperate with God as He
accomplishes His purpose in the world. To that end, He gave the
church spiritual gifts. First, He gives men chosen for the
purpose of equipping the saints for the work of the ministry
(Eph. 4:7-12) and He also gives unique and special spiritual
abilities to each member of the Body of Christ (Rom. 12:5-8; 1
Cor. 12:4-31; 1 Pet. 4:10-11).
I believe that there were two categories of gifts given the early
church: (1) miraculous gifts of divine revelation and healing,
given temporarily in the apostolic era for the purpose of
confirming the authenticity of the Apostles’ message (Heb.
2:3-4; 2 Cor. 12:12); and (2) ministering gifts, given to equip
believers for edifying one another.
I believe that with the New Testament revelation now complete,
Scripture becomes the sole test of the authenticity of a
man’s message. Therefore, confirming gifts of a miraculous
nature are no longer necessary to validate a man or his message
(1 Cor. 13:8-12). Miraculous gifts can even be counterfeited by
Satan so as to deceive even believers (1 Cor. 13:13-14:12; Rev.
13:13-14). The only gifts in operation today are those
non-revelatory equipping gifts given for edification (Rom.
12:6-8).
I believe that no one possesses the gift of healing today but
that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith, and will
answer in accordance with His own perfect will for the sick,
suffering, and afflicted (Luke 18:1-6; John 5:7-9; 2 Cor.
12:6-10; James 5:13-16; 1 John 5:14-15).
I believe that two ordinances have been committed to the local
church: baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Acts 2:38-42).
Christian baptism by immersion (Acts 8:36-39) is the solemn
testimony of a believer, showing forth his faith in the
crucified, buried, and risen Savior, and symbolizing his union
with Christ in death to sin and resurrection to newness of life
(Rom. 6:1-11). It is also a sign of fellowship and identification
with the visible Body of Christ (Acts 2:41-42).
I believe that the Lord’s Supper is the commemoration and
proclamation of His death until He comes, and should be always
preceded by solemn self-examination (1 Cor. 11:28-32). I also
believe that whereas the elements of communion are only
representative of the flesh and blood of Christ, the Lord’s
Supper is nevertheless an actual communion with the risen Christ
who is present in a unique way, fellowshiping with His people (1
Cor. 10:16).
I believe that angels are created beings and are therefore not to be worshiped. Although they are a higher order of creation than man, they are created to serve God and to worship Him (Luke 2:9-14; Heb. 1:6-7, 14; 2:6-7; Rev. 5:11-14; 19:10; 22:9).
I believe that Satan is a created
angel and the author of sin. He incurred the judgment of God by
rebelling against his Creator (Isa. 14:12-17; Ezek. 28:11-19), by
taking numerous angels with him in his fall (Matt. 25:41; Rev.
12:1-14), and by introducing sin into the human race by his
temptation of Eve (Gen. 3:1-15).
I believe that Satan is the open and declared enemy of God and
man (Isa. 14:13-14; Matt. 4:1-11; Rev. 12:9-10), the prince of
this world who has been defeated through the death and
resurrection of Jesus Christ (Rom 16:20), and that he shall be
eternally punished in the lake of fire (Isa. 14:12-17; Ezek.
28:11-19; Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:10).
I believe that physical death
involves no loss of one’s immaterial consciousness (Rev.
6:9-11), that the soul of the redeemed passes immediately into
the presence of Christ (Luke 23:43; Phil. 1:23; 2 Cor. 5:8), that
there is a separation of soul and body (Phil. 1:21-24), and that,
for the redeemed, such separation will continue until the rapture
(1 Thess. 4:13-17), which initiates the first resurrection (Rev.
20:4-6), when soul and body will be reunited to be glorified
forever with our Lord (Phil. 3:21; 1 Cor. 15:35-44, 50-54). Until
that time, the souls of the redeemed in Christ remain in joyful
fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5:8).
I believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to
eternal life (John 6:39; Rom. 8:10-11, 19-23;
2 Cor. 4:14), and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting
punishment (Dan. 12:2; John 5:29; Rev. 20:13-15).
I believe that the souls of the unsaved at death are kept under
punishment until the second resurrection (Luke 16:19-26; Rev.
20:13-15), when the soul and the resurrection body will be united
(John 5:28-29). They shall then appear at the Great White Throne
Judgment (Rev. 20:11-15) and shall be cast into hell, the lake of
fire (Matt. 25:41-46), cut off from the life of God forever (Dan.
12:2; Matt. 25:41-46; 2 Thess. 1:7-9).
I believe in the personal, bodily return of the Lord Jesus Christ before the seven-year tribulation (1 Thess. 4:16; Titus 2:13) to translate His church from this earth (John 14:1-3; 1 Cor. 15:51-53; 1 Thess. 4:15-5:11) and, between that event and His glorious return with His saints, to reward believers according to their works (1 Cor. 3:11-15; 2 Cor. 5:10).
I believe that immediately following the removal of the church from the earth (John 14:1-3; 1 Thess. 4:13-18), the righteous judgments of God will be poured out upon an unbelieving world (Jer. 30:7; Dan. 9:27; 12:1; 2 Thess. 2:7-12; Rev. 16), and that those judgments will be climaxed by the return of Christ in glory to the earth (Matt. 24:27-31; 25:31-46; 2 Thess. 2:7-12). At that time the Old Testament and tribulation saints will be raised and the living will be judged (Dan. 12:2-3; Rev. 20:4-6). That period includes the seventieth week of Daniel’s prophecy (Dan. 9:24-27; Matt. 24:15-31; 25:31-46).
The Second Coming and the Millennial Reign
I believe that after the
tribulation period, Christ will come to earth to occupy the
throne of David (Matt. 25:31; Luke 1:31-33; Acts 1:10-11;
2:29-30) and establish His Messianic kingdom for a thousand years
on the earth (Rev. 20:1-7). During that time the resurrection
saints will reign with Him over Israel and all the nations of the
earth (Ezek. 37:21-28; Dan. 7:17-22; Rev. 19:11-16). That reign
will be preceded by the overthrow of the Antichrist and the False
Prophet, and by the removal of Satan from the world (Dan.
7:17-27; Rev. 20:1-7).
I believe that the kingdom itself will be the fulfillment of
God’s promise to Israel (Isa. 65:17-25; Ezek. 37:21-28;
Zech. 8:1-17) to restore them to the land which they forfeited
through their disobedience (Deut. 28:15-68). The result of their
disobedience was that Israel was temporarily set aside (Matt.
21:43; Rom. 11:1-26) but will again be awakened through
repentance to enter into the land of blessing (Jer. 31:31-34;
Ezek. 36:22-32; Rom. 11:25-29).
I believe that this time of our Lord’s reign will be
characterized by harmony, justice, peace, righteousness, and long
life (Isa. 11; 65:17-25; Ezek. 36:33-38), and will be brought to
an end with the release of Satan (Rev. 20:7).
I believe that following the
release of Satan after the thousand-year reign of Christ (Rev.
20:7), Satan will deceive the nations of the earth and gather
them to battle against the saints and the beloved city, at which
time Satan and his army will be devoured by fire from heaven
(Rev. 20:9). Following this, Satan will be thrown into the lake
of fire and brimstone (Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:10) whereupon Christ,
who is the judge of all men (John 5:22), will resurrect and judge
the great and small at the Great White Throne Judgment.
I believe that this resurrection of the unsaved dead to judgment
will be a physical resurrection, whereupon receiving their
judgment (Rom. 14:10-13), they will be committed to an eternal
conscious punishment in the lake of fire (Matt. 25:41; Rev.
20:11-15).
I believe that after the closing
of the millennium, the temporary release of Satan, and the
judgment of unbelievers (2 Thess. 1:9; Rev. 20:7-15), the saved
will enter the eternal state of glory with God, after which the
elements of this earth are to be dissolved (2 Pet. 3:10) and
replaced with a new earth wherein only righteousness dwells (Eph.
5:5; Rev. 20:15, 21-22).
Following this, the heavenly city will come down out of heaven
(Rev. 21:2) and will be the dwelling place of the saints, where
they will enjoy forever fellowship with God and with one another
(John 17:3; Rev. 21-22). The Lord Jesus Christ, having fulfilled
His redemptive mission, will then deliver up the kingdom to God
the Father (1 Cor. 15:24-28) that in all spheres the triune God
may reign forever and ever (1 Cor. 15:28).