Bible Wesleyan Church

We are a member church of the Pilgrim Nazarene Church. The doctrinal statements below are from the Manual of the Pilgrim Nazarene Church, Inc. Copyright © 2004.

God the Father
We believe there is but one living and true God, everlasting, of infinite power, wisdom and goodness; the Maker and Preserver of all things, visible and invisible; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons of one substance, power and eternity – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

God the Son
We believe in Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, the Second Person of the Triune Godhead, that He was eternally one with the Father, that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, was born of the Virgin Mary and became incarnate so that two whole and perfect natures, that is to say the Godhead and manhood, are thus united in one person, very God and very man, the God-man.

We believe that Jesus Christ dies for our sins, and not only for the actual sins but also for original sin, that He might reconcile us to God. He arose from the dead and took His body, together with all things pertaining to the perfection of man’s nature, wherewith He ascended into heaven and is there engaged in intercession for us (Luke 1:27-35; John 1:14, 3:16; Acts 4:12; Romans 5:10; Hebrews 7:25).

God the Holy Spirit
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Triune Godhead, that he proceeds from the Father and the Son as the true and eternal God, of one substance, majesty and glory with the Father and Son (Matthew 28:19; Acts 5:32; Romans 8:9-11). He is ever present and efficiently active in and with the Church of Christ, convincing the world of sin, regenerating those who repent and believe, sanctifying believers and guiding into all truth as it in in Jesus (John 3:5-8; 16:8, 13; Acts 15:8-9).

The Holy Scriptures
We believe that the sixty six canonical books of the Old and New Testaments were given by divine inspiration (II Timothy 3:16) and are the Word of God. We believe the Holy Scriptures inerrantly reveal the will of God concerning all things necessary to our salvation so that whatever is not contained therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be enjoined as an article of faith (II Peter 1:20 21).

Original Sin, or Depravity
We believe that original sin, or depravity, is that corruption of the nature of all the offspring of Adam by reason of which everyone is very far gone from original righteousness or the pure state of our first parents at the time of their creation, is averse to God, without spiritual life and inclined to evil and that continually (Genesis 6:5; Romans 3:12, 5:12 18; I Corinthians 15:22). In the Scriptures, it is spoken of as the carnal mind, the old man and the flesh (Romans 6:6, 7:14, 8:5 8). We further believe that original sin continues to exist after regeneration, though suppressed, until crucified (eradicated) and destroyed by the baptism with the Holy Ghost (Acts 15:8 9; I John 3:8).

Free Will
We believe that man was created with the ability to choose between right and wrong and thus was made morally responsible. The condition of man since the fall is such that he cannot prepare himself by his own natural strength and works to faith and calling upon God. But the grace of God through Jesus Christ is freely bestowed upon all men, enabling all who will to turn from sin to righteousness, believe on Jesus Christ for pardon and cleansing from sin and follow good works pleasing and acceptable in His sight. “…whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17) also (John 4:14).

Justification, Regeneration and Adoption
We believe that justification is that gracious and judicial act of God by which He grants full pardon of all guilt and complete release from the penalty of sins committed and accepts as righteous all who believe on Jesus Christ and receive Him as Lord and Saviour (Romans 3:23 25, 5:1).
We believe that regeneration, or the new birth, is that gracious work of God whereby the moral nature of the repentant believer is spiritually quickened and given a distinctly spiritual life capable of faith, love and obedience (II Corinthians 5:17; I Peter 1:23).
We believe that adoption is that gracious act of God by which the justified and regenerated believer is constituted a son of God.
We believe that justification, regeneration and adoption are simultaneous in the experience of seekers after God and are obtained upon the condition of faith in the merits of the shed blood of Jesus Christ, preceded by repentance, and that to this work and state of grace the Holy Spirit bears witness.

Entire Sanctification
We believe that entire sanctification is that act of God, subsequent to regeneration, by which believers are made free from original sin, or depravity, and brought into a state of entire devotement to God and the holy obedience of love made perfect.
It is wrought by the baptism with the Holy Ghost and comprehends in one experience the cleansing of the heart from sin and the abiding, indwelling presence of the Holy Ghost, empowering the believer for life and service.
Entire sanctification is provided through the blood of Jesus, is wrought instantaneously by faith preceded by entire consecration, and to this work and state of grace the Holy Spirit bears witness (Romans 6:6, 11, 13, 22; 12:1, 15:16; Galatians 2:20; Hebrews 10:14-15, 13:12 13).
This experience is also known by various terms representing its different phases, such as “Christian Perfection,” “Perfect Love,” “Heart Purity,” “the Baptism with the Holy Ghost,” “the Fullness of the Blessing” and “Christian Holiness.”

Growth In Grace
We believe that growth in grace is possible and necessary to maintain a right relationship with God both before and after entire sanctification (Ephesians 4:15-16; II Peter 3:18).

The Second Coming of Christ
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ will come again. We believe that His coming will be literal and bodily, and we who are alive at His coming shall not preceed them who are asleep in Christ Jesus; but if we are abiding in Him, we shall be caught up with the risen saints to meet the Lord in the air so that we shall ever be with the Lord. We believe that the coming of Christ will be premillennial, and we should distinguish between his coming for His saints (I Thessalonians 4:13-18) and with His saints(Jude 14). The latter will not occur until after the manifestation of the Antichrist and the Great Tribulation (II Thessalonians 2:7-11; Revelation 19:20). The one hope of the church is the premillennial coming of Jesus(Acts 15:13-17; Titus 2:13).

Resurrection, Judgment, and Destiny
We believe in the resurrection of the dead, that the bodies both of the just and of the unjust shall be raised to live and unite with their spirits. “…they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation” (John 5:29; I Corinthians 15:32; II Corinthians 5:10; Philippians 3:21; I Thessalonians 4:15-16).
We believe in future judgment in which every man shall appear before God to be judged according to his deeds in this life.
We believe that glorious and everlasting life is assured to all who savingly believe and obediently follow Jesus Christ our Lord and that the finally impenitent shall suffer eternally in hell (Matthew 5:29, 6:20, 10:28, 23:33, 25:41; Luke 16:23; John 6:39).

Baptism
We believe that Christian Baptism is a sacrament signifying acceptance of the benefits of the atonement of Jesus Christ. It is to be administered to believers as declarative of their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior and full purpose of obedience in holiness and righteousness.
Baptism may be administered by sprinkling, pouring or immersion, according to the choice of the applicant.

The Christian Sabbath
We believe the first day of the week as being the Christian Sabbath under the present dispensation. It was the custom of New Testament churches to meet for worship on the first day of the week. It was also selected and held sacred for the Lord Himself was resurrected on that day, and He further emphasized it by pouring out the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:2; Luke 24:1; John 20:1-19; I Corinthians 16:2).