Barry Raeburn Evangelistic Association bases its ministry on the following statement of faith:
Section 1. The Scriptures Inspired.
The Bible is the inspired Word of God, a revelation from God to man, the living infallible, authoritative and everlasting rule of faith and conduct. It is superior to conscience and reason. The verbal plenary view of scriptures is adhered to. This view holds that both writers and the writings are inspired. The Bible is verbally inspired to the degree that the Holy Spirit has influenced not only the ideas of the writers but also their choice of words. The original manuscripts of the scriptures were inerrant, or completely accurate and the copies of the scriptures while not inerrant, are infallible. This means that some apparent discrepancies may remain unresolved in the copies but that these discrepancies did not exist in the original writings. (II Timothy, 3:15-17; I Peter 1:23-25; Hebrews 4:12; II Peter 1:20-21).
Section 2. The One True Godhead.
The Triune Godhead is one God who exists eternally as three infinite, eternal, interpenetrating Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.” Interpenetrating means that God cannot be divided; although the three persons are completely distinct; when one experience one person of the Trinity, one experiences all three. The persons of the Godhead are eternally self-existent, self-revealed and function as one entity. Jesus Christ, who is God manifested in the flesh, is the second member of the Godhead, He is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and The Holy Spirit. (John 1:1-5, 10-14; Matthew 28:18-20)
Section 3. Man, His Fall and Redemption.
Man was created good and upright. When man was created God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our Likeness”. Through voluntary transgression, man fell. The fall of humanity resulted in an immediate spiritual death, a deferred physical death and a second death of final judgment. In addition to death, humanity’s innocence was lost, their fellowship with God was broken and their nature became infected with the disease of sin. This fallen human condition was passed on to successive generations and we see the initial effects of this fallen condition in successive generations in Cain’s murder of his brother. The only hope of redemption for humanity is through faith in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ the Son of the living God. (Genesis 1:26-31, 3:1-7; Romans 5:12-21; John 3:16)
Section 4. The Salvation of Man.
(a) Man’s only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. (Romans 3:24; John 3:3) On the cross Jesus Christ became sin, sickness and a curse providing salvation, divine healing and freedom from the curse for all mankind (Psalm 3:3;Gal 3:13), being justified freely by His Grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. For by grace we are saved though faith. (Ephesians 2:8) “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart; that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in riighteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” (Romans 10:8-10)
(b) The Evidence of Salvation. The inward evidence to the believer of his salvation is the direct witness of the Spirit. (Romans 8:16; I John 3:18-19, 24) The outward evidence to all men is a life of righteousness and true holiness. Jesus said of true believers “You will know them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:16-20)
(c) The Results of Salvation. The results of faith in Christ are (i) New life – the Holy Spirit comes to resides in the believer, producing spiritual rebirth; resulting in abundant and eternal life; (ii) Restoration of relationship with God; (iii) Redemption from all the effects of the curse of the law; (iv) Eternity with Christ in heaven, after physical death.
(d) Faith and Works. Salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ and not by human works; however, works will determine the rewards of believers in eternity. (Ephesians 2:8-10; Galatians 2:16; II Corinthians 5:10)
Section 5. Baptism in Water.
The ordinance of baptism by burial with Christ should be observed as commanded in the Scriptures by all who have truly repented and in their hearts have truly believed on Christ as Savior and Lord. In so doing, they declare to the world that they have died with Jesus and that they have also been raised with Him to walk in newness of life. (Matthew 28:19; Romans 6:4; Acts 10:47-48) Water baptism is viewed as sacrament that is symbolic. Believers can however, have a spiritual experience, which is meaningful to them at the event. Water baptism should be an event which occurs when it is meaningful to the believer, i.e. it should occur at an age where the believer is aware of the spiritual implications, not infant baptism. Baptism should be full immersion in water as opposed to the sprinkling or pouring of water. The word baptism is a transliteration of the word “baptisma” meaning ‘immersion.’ Jesus baptism refers to his ‘coming up out of the water’ (Mark 1:9-10). Other modes of baptism are not necessarily invalid, however, baptism by immersion appears to be closer the scriptural model.
Section 6. The Lord’s Supper.
The ordinance of the Lords Supper should be observed by all who believe in Christ “And when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, ‘This is my body which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This is the new covenant in my blood; Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me.’ Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.” (I Corinthians 11:24-25, 28) The Lord’s Supper or communion is a purely symbolic ordinance. The communion remembrance can cause the faith of the person to be released as a “point of contact’ for their faith to receive healing or cleansing of sin, or other Christian spiritual experience. We reject the notion that the elements become the literal body and blood of Christ as is the case with transubstantiation
Section 7. The Promise of the Father.
All believers are entitled to, and should ardently expect and earnestly seek, the promise of the Father, the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, according to the command of or Lord Jesus Christ. (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5; Acts 2:38) With it comes the endowment of power for life and service, the bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry. (Acts 1:8; I Corinthians 12:1-31). This wonderful experience is distinct from and subsequent to the experience of the new birth. (Acts 2:38; 10:44-46; 11:14-16).
Section 8. The Evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.
The full consummation of the Baptism of believers in the Holy Spirit is evidenced by the subsequent manifestation of spiritual power in public testimony and service and is usually but not necessarily evidenced by the initial physical sign of speaking in tongues as the Spirit gives utterance. (Acts 2:4; 10:44-46; 19:2; 6; 1:8; Galatians 5:16-26)
Section 9. The Church.
The Church is the body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of her great commission. Each believer, born of the Spirit, is an integral part of the general assembly and Church of the first born, whose names are written in Heaven. (Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:19-22; 4:11-12; Hebrews 12:23)
Section 10. The Second Coming.
Jesus is coming again to gather all His Saints to ever be with Him. (I Corinthians 15:51-52; I Thessalonians 4:16-17) The Scriptures promise the return of our Lord Jesus Christ with His saints for Heaven to rule and reign for one thousand years on earth (II Thessalonians 1:7; Revelation 19:11-16; 20:1-6) After this, there shall be a new heaven and a new earth. (Revelation 21).
Section 11. The Lake of Fire.
Those who have not accepted the redemptive work of Jesus Christ will suffer eternal separation from God. The devil and his angels, the beast and the false prophet, and anyone whose name in not found written in the Book of Life, shall be consigned to everlasting punishment in the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. This is the second death, the lake of fire. (Revelation 19:20; 20;10-15).
