Statement of Biblical Principles
The following biblical principles were prayerfully considered and unanimously approved during the Special General Meeting (SGM) held at Kempton Park on 15 Nov. 23.
The SGM proposed that the following biblical principles be submitted for approval at the next Annual General Meeting in Kroonstad on 4-6 March 2024.
INTRODUCTION:
As Bible-driven Christians, we share many areas of faith with other members of the Christian Church. This includes believing in one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe in the Supremacy of Jesus Christ as Head of the Church. We believe in the Bible as the inspired Word of God, the final authority for all matters of faith and practice. Yet there are areas of principle and practice that we as Bible-driven Christians emphasize; truths that flow from our understanding of Scripture.
As Bible-driven Christians, we believe in:
- The DIRECT RULERSHIP OF CHRIST (Lordship of Christ) over every believer and the congregation (local church). Without transferring His rulership to anyone else, Christ exercises His authority directly over the believer and the congregation.
- The CHURCH as the gathering of those who have been saved by Jesus Christ and restored by the Holy Spirit. As a revelation of the universal church, the local congregation is a community of believers in a specific place where the Word of God is preached and upheld. The congregation is autonomous and remains so regardless of responsibilities they assume through voluntary commitment.
- The BAPTISM OF THE BELIEVER as an act of obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ; as a public testimony of repentance to God, faith in Jesus Christ, and rebirth by the Holy Spirit. It involves the singular immersion in water – in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
- The CONGREGATIONAL PRINCIPLE that each member has the privilege and responsibility to share fully in the life of the congregation through his gifts and abilities. By the authority of Scripture under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the privilege and responsibility of every church member (including the leaders) is subject to the Lordship of Christ. We recognize that God gives His Church the gift of (i) Plurality of Elders. Their primary function is to lead in a spirit of servanthood, as overseers to equip the congregation and to oversee the spiritual affairs of the Church. (ii) God also gave Deacons the primary function of ensuring that the practical affairs of the congregation function in an orderly manner.
- The PRIESTHOOD OF ALL BELIEVERS through which every Christian through Christ, our High Priest, has direct access to God and shares in His work of reconciliation. It involves intercession, worship, faithful service, and bearing our witness of Jesus Christ to the end of the world.
- FREEDOM OF RELIGION, namely, that no individual may be coerced by the State or any secular, clergy, or religious group in matters of faith. The right of the individual’s conscience must be respected. Every believer has the right to declare Scripture responsibly under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
- THE SEPARATION BETWEEN CHURCH AND STATE. By the providence of God, these two institutions differ in their nature and function. The State is responsible for law and justice, for an orderly society and to ensure the welfare of its citizens. The Church is responsible for preaching the Gospel, for proclaiming Statement of Beliefs and Biblical Principles – 2024 (ABCSA / ABKSA) God’s will and living it out, for caring for the faithful, as well as for calling the State to order through her prophetic voice.
- MARRIAGE as an exclusive, lifelong union between a man and a woman as God instituted it from the beginning. We believe in principal of complementarianism in which the husband as head takes loving guidance in a responsible manner, and the wife supports and submits to her husband.
Appendix 1: Statement of Biblical Principles
Appendix 2: Nashville Statement – A Coalition for Biblical Sexuality