Vancouver Bible Fellowship

What We Believe

Concerning the Bible

We believe the Bible (Old and New Testaments) is the inspired (God breathed) Word of God.  We believe the Bible is inerrant (free of errors) in the original manuscripts.  We believe the Bible is the authoritative Word of God and that it alone is the authoritative means for all teaching, correction, reproof and training in righteousness.   (2Tim. 3:16-17; 1Thes. 2:13; 1Cor. 2:14-16) 

Concerning God

We believe in the one and only true God eternally existing in three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Deut. 6:4; John 1:1-2; Acts 5:3,4; 2 Cor. 13:14; Mt. 28:19; Is. 48:16) 

We believe God the Son took on human flesh in Jesus Christ and that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. We believe Jesus Christ is both fully God and fully man and that while on earth He was the only man to live a sinless life. (Jn. 1:14; Mt. 1:18-25; Heb. 4:15; 2Cor. 5:14; 1Pet. 2:21-25) 

We believe God the Holy Spirit convicts man of his sin, his need for righteousness, and judgment if he rejects the Savior, Jesus Christ. Also, we believe at conversion that the Holy Spirit places the believer into the Body of Christ, comes to indwell him fully and permanently, and sets him apart and empowers him for godly living. (1Cor. 2:9-10; Ps. 139:7; Jn. 3:5-7, 14:16-17, 16:11; Eph. 1:13; Rom.8:9) 

Concerning the Work of Christ

We believe Jesus Christ died as a substitutionary sacrifice for sin and that all who believe in Him are declared righteous on the basis of His death on the cross. (2Cor. 5:14; Mk. 10:45; Rom. 3:24-26, 5:8-10; 1Pet. 3:18) 

We believe in the bodily resurrection of Christ, His ascension into heaven, and His present life there as intercessor and advocate for us before the Father. (Rom. 1:4; Jn. 15:12-15; 20:25-27; 1Jn. 2:1; Heb. 7:25; Acts 1:9-11) 

We believe in the personal, bodily return of Jesus Christ to set up on earth a kingdom in which He shall reign in righteousness and peace. (Acts 1:11; Mt. 24:30; Rev. 20:4-6; Is. 9:6,7; 11:2-5)

 Concerning Man

We believe Adam and Eve were created in the image of God, but they sinned and thus experienced not only physical death, but also spiritual death (separation from God). The consequences of this sin affect the entire human race so that all human beings are born with a sin nature and reveal this nature by committing acts of sin. We believe all men stand spiritually before God as lost, apart from the sacrificial death of Christ. (Gen. 1:26,27, 2:17, 3:6; Rom. 3:10-18,23, 5:12-19; Eph. 2:1-3, 4:17-19; Mk. 7:20-23; Jn. 2:24,25) 

Concerning Salvation

We believe anyone who places his/her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior receives eternal life. The salvation is not the result of any human effort or merit. Faith itself achieves nothing, but it is the object of faith (Christ and His substitutionary death for sin) which has value. To become a Christian, a person places his trust in Jesus Christ who died in his place, suffering the punishment for his sin. (Jn. 1:12; Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 3:28).   

Concerning Sanctification

We believe all Christians in this life still struggle with indwelling sin and spiritual warfare from without, but from the moment of salvation God has made provision for believers to resist these and to live for God through identification with Christ, obedience to the Word of God, fellowship with other Christians, and the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. We do not believe sinless perfection is possible in this life. (Rom. 5:12-19, 6:1-11, 8:11-13; Eph. 2:1-3,10; 2 Pet. 1:3; Phil. 2:12,13; Gal. 5:17)

We believe all believers are, by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, to make progressive steps of growth toward spiritual maturity. Furthermore, the grace of God assures us that we are loved and accepted.  Instead of working for God’s acceptance we walk with Christ upon a foundation of acceptance. (Rom 6:14; 2Pet. 3:18) 

Concerning Eternal Security

We believe all believers are kept eternally secure by the power of God through the indwelling and sealing of the Holy Spirit and the intercession of Christ. (Jn. 10:28-30, 14:16,17; 1Pet. 1:23; Eph. 4:30; 1Jn. 2:1; Rom. 8:38,39) 

Concerning the Church

We believe the body of Christ, the Church universal, consists of all believers regardless of organizational affiliation. We also believe that Christ commanded for His church the observance of water baptism and the Lord's Supper until He returns. These observances are in no way required for salvation, but instead are observed in obedience to Christ after the free gift of salvation is received by faith in the Savior. (Col. 1:18; Eph. 4:4-6; Acts 1:5, 11:15,16; 1 Cor. 12:13; 1 Thes. 4:13-17; Mt. 16:18, 28:19; 1Cor. 11:24-26)

 We believe the local church is to be ruled by Elders who have equal authority, make decisions both in unity and unanimously under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and who listen respectfully to the views of the congregation. The Elders are assisted by individuals (i.e. deacons, deaconesses etc.) when necessary to carry out the ministry. All are selected according to standards expressed by the New Testament. (Acts 14:23; Acts 15; Acts 20:17-32; Phil. 1:1; Tit. 1:5-9; 1Tim. 3:1-13; 1Tim 5:17; 1Pet. 5:1-5) 

We believe within the unity of the Body of Christ there is a diversity expressed by special abilities given to each believer by God. These spiritual gifts or abilities enable a believer to function especially well in a certain area of service. (1 Tim. 3:1-12; Titus 1:5-9; Col. 1:28; Phil. 3:12-16; Eph. 4:11-16; 1 Cor. 12:1-31; Rom. 12:3-8) 

Concerning the Future

We believe in the imminent, visible return of Christ for the Church. All believers in Christ, living or dead, will at that time be caught up to be with the Lord forever. (1 Thes. 4:13-18; 1 Cor. 15:51-53; Tit. 2:13) 

We believe in the bodily resurrection of all mankind. Those who believe in Christ are resurrected to face judgment of the loss or gain of eternal rewards and then to enjoy eternal life with God. Those who never trusted in the Savior are resurrected to face judgment and then to suffer eternal separation apart from God. (1 Cor. 15:52; 1 Thes. 4:16-18; Rev. 20:4-6, 12-15, 21:1-8; Jn. 5:28,29; Dan. 12:2; 1 Cor 3:11-15; 2 Cor. 5:10)