TestimonyWith Confession 2.3
God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are equally to be worshipped by angels and men.
Phil. 2:9-10; Heb. 1:2-3, 6, 8; 2 Cor. 13:14.
The doctrine of the Trinity is knowable only by special revelation. It is not possible for an explanation or comparison from any other source to serve as a true representation of this doctrine.
Isa. 40:18; Isa. 46:5; 1 Cor. 2:10-13; John 1:18.
We reject any teaching which subordinates any person of the Godhead as to substance, power or glory.
John 1:1-2; Acts 5:3-4.
The Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity, proceeds from the Father and the Son, and is truly God, of the same substance, equal in power and glory with the Father and the Son. He is to be believed in, loved, obeyed and worshipped by men in all ages.
2 Cor. 13:14; John 14:26; Matt. 28:19; Luke 1:35; Heb. 10:29; Rev. 22:17; Eph. 2:18-22; John 16:7; Gal. 4:6; Acts 5:3-4; Acts 16:6-7; Mark 3:29; Rom. 8:26-27; 1 John 2:20-27.
The Holy Spirit, as the giver of life, is everywhere present and makes manifest the grace of God toward all His creatures. He supplies man’s powers of reason and conscience, restrains his disposition toward evil, and preserves a degree of justice and morality in society. His common work for all mankind does not regenerate but leaves those who reject God without excuse.
Gen. 1:2; Job 33:4; Ps. 104:30; Job 34:14-15; Gen. 6:3; Isa. 32:15-17; Rom. 1:20.
The special work of the Holy Spirit is to apply to the elect the redeeming benefits of Christ’s atonement. The outward and ordinary means through which He communicates the knowledge of redemption is the written Word, in which is infallibly recorded the will of God for man’s salvation. He prepares for the reception of the Word and accompanies it with His persuasive power. He regenerates the elect by His grace, convicts them of sin, moves them to repentance and persuades and enables them to embrace Christ through faith. In regeneration He works secretly, supernaturally and effectually. This work is in itself so distinct and necessary, that without it, no evidence of the truth of the Gospel, no power of argument, no persuasion of love or of terror, no human eloquence, no combination of the most favorable circumstances, can be effectual in producing salvation.
John 3:1-8; Acts 2:38; 1 Cor. 12:3; 2 Pet. 1:21; 2 Sam. 23:2; John 7:39; John 16:13; Titus 3:5; Ezek. 36:27; 1 John 4:2; Gal. 4:6; 2 Thess. 2:13.
The Holy Spirit in uniting all believers to Christ, dwells in them as their Comforter, guiding, teaching and performing in them all those gracious activities by which they are sanctified and sealed unto the day of redemption. His guidance and teaching cannot contradict anything written in God’s Word, but makes known the will of God to His people through prayer and submission to the Word.
Rom. 8:14, 26-27; 1 Cor. 2:12-16; Eph. 4:30; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Rom. 15:4; John 16:5-11.
We reject the teaching that inner light, dreams, visions or charismatic gifts provide a new, more advanced or infallible revelation of God.
The sin against the Holy Spirit which will not be forgiven, commonly called the unpardonable sin, is the final—secret or open—rejection of His testimony concerning Jesus Christ. It is a sin unto death, because it is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, and because, by its very nature, it is the willful and persistent rejection of the only hope of forgiveness through the Savior. On the other hand, the fear of having committed this sin, together with an earnest desire for fellowship with God in Christ, give evidence that this sin has not been committed.
1 Thess. 5:19; Acts 7:51; Heb. 10:26-29; Matt. 12:31-32; Mark 3:28-30; Luke 12:8-10; 1 Cor. 12:3; 1 John 5:16; Heb. 6:4-6; 1 John 2:22; 1 John 4:3; Isa. 50:10; 1 John 1:7; Heb. 6:9-11.
The Holy Spirit, abiding in believers, unites them to Christ the Head, and to one another in the Church which is His body. He imparts various gifts and graces to all her members that they may serve Christ. He calls and fits His servants for their work, and qualifies all officers of the Church for their particular tasks. He makes effective the Word and the ordinances of the Gospel. By Christ working through His Spirit, the Church will be preserved, increased, purified, and, at last, made perfectly holy in the presence of God to all eternity.
Eph. 2:14-18; Eph. 4:1-5; Acts 2:4; 1 Cor. 12; Acts 13:2; 2 Pet. 1:19-21; 1 Thess. 1:5-6; John 20:22-23; Matt. 16:18; Matt. 28:19-20.
We reject the view that the work of the Holy Spirit is limited to individuals.
Rev. 2:11.
We reject the teaching that some true believers have not received the Holy Spirit.
We reject the teaching that particular charismatic gifts such as those of tongues and of healing are normal or necessary signs of being filled with the Holy Spirit.