STATEMENT OF FAITH
The following Doctrinal Statement does not exhaust the extent of our faith. The Bible itself is the sole and final source of all that we believe. We do believe, however, that this statement accurately represents the teaching of the Bible. The scriptural doctrines upon which The Refuge was founded and upon which it now stands are contained in the following Doctrinal Statement:
The Holy Scriptures
We believe that “all Scripture is inspired by God,” by which we understand the whole Bible is inspired in the sense that holy men of God “were moved by the Holy Spirit” to write the very words of Scripture. We believe that this divine inspiration extends equally and fully to all parts of the writings — historical, poetical, doctrinal and prophetical — as appeared in the original manuscripts. We believe that the whole Bible is therefore the inerrant and infallible Word of God. We believe that all the Scriptures center around the Lord Jesus Christ in His person and work in His first and second coming. We also believe that all the Scriptures were designed for our practical instruction and encouragement. (Mark 12:36; Luke 24:26, 44; John 5:39; Acts 17:2-3; 18:28; 26:22-23; 28:23; Rom. 15:4; I Cor. 10:11; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21.)
Creation
We believe in the Biblical account of the creation of the universe in six literal days; that God created by His Word the heavens, the earth, and all their hosts, without preexisting materials; that man was created by a direct act of God. (Genesis 1:1‑31; 2:7; Exodus 20:11; Psalms 139:13‑16; John 1:3; Hebrews 11:3).
The Godhead
We believe in one eternal Triune God, existing in three persons ‑ Father, Son and Holy Spirit ‑ who are identical in essence, equal in power and glory, and possess precisely the same attributes and perfections (Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19; John 1:1,14).
1. God the Father – We believe in God the Father, the first person of the triune Godhead, who exists eternally as the supreme Creator of heaven and earth, the Giver of the Law, to whom all things will be subjected, so that He may be all in all (Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Corinthians 15:28).
2. Jesus Christ Son of God – We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the second person of the triune Godhead, who was and is the eternal Son of God; that He became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and was born of the virgin Mary. We believe in His sinless life, miraculous ministry, shedding of His blood to pay the sin debt of all mankind, substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, triumphant ascension, and abiding intercession (Isaiah 7:14; Acts 1:9; 2:22; 10:38; 1 Corinthians 15:4; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 7:25-26; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 1:7).
3. The Holy Spirit - We believe in the Holy Spirit, the third person of the triune Godhead, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, is ever present and active in the work of convicting and regenerating the sinner, indwells permanently in and sanctifies the believer into all truth, and seals all believers (John 14:26; 16:8-11; Romans 8:14-16; 1 Peter 1:2).
The Fall of Man
We believe that all humankind was created in the image and likeness of God, in innocence and without sin. But upon Adam and Eve’s voluntary transgression resulted in man’s alienation from God, thereby incurring not only physical death but spiritual death, which is separation from God. Mankind is incapable of remedying his lost condition by any means and therefore God provided the payment through Jesus Christ. (Genesis 1:26-27; 2:17; 3:1-24; Romans 3:10-18; 5:12-19; Ephesians 2:1-3).
Salvation
We believe that salvation is the gift of God’s grace through our faith in Christ Jesus, who died for our sins, was buried, and was raised from the dead on the third day. By His blood and atoning death, salvation has been provided for all humanity through the sacrifice of Christ upon the cross. It cannot be gained by good works but is the free gift of God for all who believe on the Lord Jesus and His finished work on the cross. All who put their faith in Jesus Christ, confess Him as Lord, and believe in their heart that God raised Him from the dead have been forgiven and saved from their sins and declared righteous before God. This is an instantaneous and complete operation of the Holy Spirit whereupon the believing sinner is regenerated, justified, and adopted into the family of God. The believer becomes a new creation in Christ Jesus, heir of eternal life in with Him and will not be condemned (John 1:12-13; 3:5-6; 5:24; Romans 1:16; 8:1; 10:8-17; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 1:6; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-9; Titus 2:11-14, 3:4-7; 1 Peter 1:18‑ 19; 1 John 5:1).
Security, Assurance, and Human Responsibility
We believe that all the saved ‑ those in whom God has accomplished His transforming work of grace ‑ are kept by His power, and thus, are secure in Christ forever. This assurance, however, is not the occasion for sin, for God in holiness cannot tolerate willful and/or persistent sin in His children, and in infinite love He corrects them. True faith in Christ is always expressed by a fruitful, God‑pleasing life (Matthew 7:20; John 10:27‑29; Romans 6:1; 8:29‑39; Hebrews 12:6; James 2:20; 1 John 5:13).
Sanctification
We believe that sanctification is an act of separation from that which is evil, and of dedication unto God. In experience, it is both instantaneous and progressive. It is produced in the life of the believer by his appropriation of the power of Christ's blood and risen life through the person of the Holy Spirit. He draws the believer's attention to Christ, teaches him through the Word and produces the character of Christ within him (Romans 6:1-11; 8:1-2,13; 12:1-2; Galatians 2:20; Hebrews 10:10, 14).
The Church
We believe that all who are united with Christ are members of the church, which is the body and bride of Christ that began at Pentecost. We believe that by the same Spirit all believers in this age are baptized into, and thus become, one body that is Christ’s, whether Jews or Gentiles. Having become members one of another, are under solemn duty to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, rising above all sectarian differences, and loving one another with a pure heart. (Matt. 16:16-18; Acts 2:42-47; Rom. 12:5; 1Cor. 12:12-27; Eph. 1:20-23; 4:3-10).
Ordinances of the Church
We believe that our Lord Jesus Christ instituted two ordinances to be observed by all believers until His return ‑ water baptism (by immersion) to show forth our identification with the crucified, buried, and risen Savior (Matthew 28:19; Romans 6:3‑5; Col. 2:12) and the Lord’s Supper as the commemoration of His death until He comes (1 Corinthians 11:23‑26).
The Second Coming of Christ
We believe in the imminent, personal, pretribulation coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His Church, the body of Christ (at which time the dead in Christ will be raised and the living saints will be immediately taken to be with Christ in heaven) and His subsequent premillennial return to earth with His saints to establish His Millennial Kingdom upon the earth (Zechariah 14:4‑11; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 4:13‑18; Revelation 3:10; Revelation 19:11‑16; 20:1‑6).
Giving
We believe that believers are to be generous in their giving, and that all giving should be done cheerfully and sacrificially. We believe that tithing is an act of obedience as instructed in God’s Word and the tithe should be brought to the local storehouse (the temple/worship place) and His provisions will come to the giver (Malachi 3:6-10; 2 Corinthians 8, 9).
Missions & Evangelism
We believe that it is the obligation of the saved to witness by life and by word to the truths of Holy Scripture and to seek to proclaim the Gospel to all mankind (Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 5:19, 20). Whereas edification and equipping the believer is a primary function of the church when gathered, evangelism of the unbeliever is the primary function of the church when scattered (Ephesians 4:12-16). We also believe that the sending of missionaries is a local church function (just as it is the responsibility of the local church to conduct church discipline and believer’s baptism) and, therefore is not absolved when delegated to a mission board or agency.