Articles of Faith of San Francisco Bible Church

We believe the 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament to be the verbal plenary inspired word of God, the final authority for faith and life, inerrant in the original writings, infallible and God-breathed. The only proper interpretation of Scripture is through the literal, historical, grammatical method. II Tim 3:16, 17; II Pet 1:20, 21; Mt 5:18; Jn 16:12, 13.

We believe God is spirit and is sovereign, by which there cannot exist another sovereign being, working all things according to the counsel of His own immutable and most righteous decree. Ps 115:3; Eph 1:11; Jn 4:24; Is 45:5, 6, 21; Rom 8:31; Mal 3:6. We believe in one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory and having the same essence, attributes, and perfections. Deut 6:4; II Cor 13:14. We believe God created, made out of nothing, the heavens and the earth and all things therein, and this for the manifestation of the glory of His eternal power, wisdom, and goodness. Heb 1:2; Gen 1; Jn 1:2-3; Col 1:16; Rom 1:20; Heb 11:3.

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, became man, without ceasing to be God, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men. Jn 1:1, 2, 14; Lk 1:35; Mt 20:28; Jn 1:18; Heb 1:3. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice of atonement; and was raised physically from the dead because of our justification. Rom 3:24-26; I Pet 2:24; Eph 1:7; I Pet 1:3-5; Rom 4:25; Heb 9:12.

We believe that the Holy Spirit is the person of the Trinity who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and that He is the supernatural agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption. Jn 16:8-11; II Cor 3:6; I Cor 12:12-14; Rom 8:9; Eph 1:13, 14; Titus 3:5.

We believe that He is the divine teacher who guides believers into all truths. Jn 16:13; I Jn 2:20, 27; I Cor 2:14.

We believe that it is the privilege and responsibility of every believer to be filled with the Spirit. Eph 5:18; Gal 5:16, 25; Rom 8:4.

We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam’s sin the whole human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and thus man is totally depraved, and, of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. Gen 1:26, 27; Rom 3:9-12,22, 23; Rom 5:12; Rom 8:7; Eph 2:1-3, 12.

We believe that salvation is the gift of God extended to man by grace and received through personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on the cross to the satisfaction of God’s righteousness for the forgiveness of our sins. Eph 2:8- 10; Jn 1:12; Eph 1:7; I Pet 1:18, 19; Rom 3:25, 26; I Jn 2:2.

We believe that all believers, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever. They can not lose their salvation. Jn 6:37-40; Jn 10:27- 30; Rom 8:1, 38, 39; I Cor 1:4-8; I Pet 1:5.

We believe that the testimony of God’s Word clearly forbids the use of our security as a license for sin. Titus 2:11-15; Rom 6; Rom 13:13, 14.

We believe that God is in the process of conforming all believers into the image of Christ and this transformation is evidence of the believer’s salvation. The assurance of a believer’s salvation comes from the fruit of obedience to the Lord. Rom 8:29; II Cor 3:18; Mt 7:15-27; Jn 15:8; Jam 2:14-26; 1 Jn 2:3-6.

We believe that every believer is a new creation in Christ, with provision made for certain victory of the new man over the old man through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit; and that all claims of complete eradication of the sinful nature in this life are unscriptural. Rom 6:13; 8:12-13; 2 Cor 5:17; Gal 5:16-25; Eph 4:22-24; Col 3:9-10; I Pet 1:14-16; I Jn 3:5-9.

We believe that all believers are set apart from sin to God and thus called saints (holy ones). Christians are to live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord. God commands believers to separate from all religious apostasy of doctrines or practices; all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and associations. I Cor 5:9-13; II Cor 6:14-7:1; II Tim 3:1-5; Rom 12:1- 2; 14:13; I Tim 3:7; I Jn 2:15-17; II Jn 9-11.

We believe that Christ has commissioned all believers to witness by life and by word the gospel to all mankind. Mt 28:18-20; Mk 16:15; Acts 1:8; II Cor 5:19, 20.

We believe that the Holy Spirit has sovereignly given to every individual believer a unique gift[s] for the purpose of building up the church.

We believe that there are two types of spiritual gifts: permanent and temporary. Permanent gifts continue throughout the church age. Temporary gifts such as speaking in tongues and the working of sign miracles gradually ceased as the New Testament Scriptures were completed and their authority became established. 1 Cor 12:4-11; 13:8-10, 2 Cor 12:12, Eph 4:7-12, Heb 2:3-4.

We believe that the Church which is made up of all born-again persons of this present age is a group of people called out of the world by God and placed into the body of Christ as His espoused bride. Eph 1:22, 23; 5:25-26; I Cor 12:12-14; II Cor 11:2; I Pet 2:9-10.

We believe that God establishes and continues local churches devoted to teaching the Word of God. Acts 14:27; 20:17, 28-32; I Tim 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11.

We believe local churches exist to bring every believer to maturity in Christ so as to reflect the glory of Christ, that God may be glorified. Jn 17; Eph 4; Col 1:28.

We believe that every believer is to exhort and provoke one another to love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. Heb 10:24, 25.

We believe that the mode of baptism is immersion in water; a portrait of our association with the death, burial, and resurrection of our Savior. Mt 28:19; Rom 6:3-5.

We believe that the Lord’s Supper (Communion) is the commemoration of His Death until He comes. I Cor 11:23-32.

We believe in the dispensational approach to interpreting the Scriptures, specifically that ethnic Israel and the church remain distinct. Man’s sin, and God’s remedy for it, have been progressively revealed in several dispensations; and yet, the Scriptures present one unified plan of salvation from sin. We recognize and teach the covenants as well, along with their significance in the revealed plan of God to save by grace a people for Himself. Mt 28:19, 20; Acts 2:41, 42; 18:8; I Cor 11:23-26.

We believe that Satan is a personal being created holy; who rebelled against God and introduced sin into the human race by his temptation of Adam & Eve. He is the declared enemy of God, the accuser of the believers, the one blinding men to the truth of God, and leading them into sin. He is the god of this age and the prince of this world. He shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire. Job 1:6, 7; Is 14:12-17; Gen 3:1-15; Mt 4:1-11; 25:41; Eph 2:2; Rev 12:9, 17; 20:10.

We believe in the Rapture (the “Blessed Hope”), the personal, imminent, and pre-tribulational and pre-millennial coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His Church; and in His subsequent bodily return to earth, with His Church, to establish His Millennial Kingdom. I Thess 4:13-18; Zech 14:4-11; Rev 19:11-16; 20:1-6; I Thess 1:10; 5:9; Rev 3:10; Titus 2:13.

We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the believers to eternal life, in fellowship with God, and the unbelievers to judgment and eternal punishment, in separation from God. Dan 12:2; Mt 25:46; Jn 5:28-29; 11:25, 26; II Cor 5:8; Rev 20:5, 6; 11-15; Lk 16:19-26.

We believe that civil government is distinct from the church and is ordained of God; that all those in authority are to be prayed for, honored and obeyed, except in those things contrary to the will and word of God who is the only Lord. Rom 13:1-7; I Tim 2:1, 2; I Pet 2:13-17; Ac 5:29.

We believe the Bible is the final authority for matters of faith and conduct. We believe the Bible ordains the leadership of each local church to a plurality of godly men known as elders. We believe the elders of the church are authorized by God to state and apply SFBC’s beliefs and practices on any disputed issue. (II Tim 3:16-17; Tit 1:5-9; I Tim 3:1-7; Acts 14:23; 15:1-35; 20:28-32; I Pet 5:1-5)

We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. (Gen 1:26-27.) Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person.

We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. (Gen 2:18-25) We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other. (I Cor 6:18; 7:2-5; Heb 13:4) We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.

We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God. (Matt 15:18-20; I Cor 6:9-10)

We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of SFBC as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a biblical role model to the SFBC members and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by SFBC in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, agree to and abide by this Article on Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality. (Matt 5:16; Phil 2:14-16; I Th 5:22)

We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. (Acts 3:19-21; Rom 10:9-10; I Cor 6:9-11)

We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of San Francisco Bible Church. (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31; Jn 8:1-11; Rom 2:1-4; Jam 2:1-13)

We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life. (Gen 1:26-27; 9:6; Ps 139:13-16; Pr 31:8-9; Ex 1:15-17; 20:13; 21:22-25; Job 29:12-17)