The Think Institute Statement of Faith
The Bible
Canon
The canon of the Holy Bible consists of 66 books which are divided into two parts—the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament contains the 39 books from Genesis to Malachi. The New Testament contains the 27 books from Matthew to Revelation.
God-Breathed
Holy Scripture has authority because it comes from God, who is truth. Its authority doesn’t come from a person or a church, and it does not need to be approved of by any human or church authority. We accept and believe the Bible because it is God’s written word for us.
Jn 14:26; 2 Pe 1:19–21; 2 Tm 3:16; 1 Th 2:13; 1 Jn 5:9
Sufficiency
In simple terms, God created us to serve and glorify Him. We do this by learning about Him, having faith in Him, and obeying His commands as written in the Bible. Our guide for how to live a holy and obedient life is found only in the Bible, not in man’s laws or in any traditions outside of Scripture. All believers everywhere and at all times should follow this standard of holiness and obedience.
Cl. 2:23; Mt 15:6,9; Jn 5:39, 2 Tm 3:15,16,17; Is 8:20; Ga 1:8,9; Ac 3:22,23; 2 Pe 1:3
Standard
When it comes to settling all controversies about religion and theology, as well as examining all decrees of religious councils, opinions of ancient writers, teachings of men, and private spirits, the supreme judge can be nothing other than Holy Scripture.
God
Attributes
The Lord is God, and there is no other true God besides the Lord. He doesn’t depend on anything other than Himself for His being. He alone has immortality, and He dwells in unapproachable light. No one has ever seen Him or can see Him. His divine nature cannot be fully understood by anyone other than Himself. God is completely holy and infinitely great, wise, powerful, and loving. He is perfectly kind, patient, and good.
1 Co 8:6, 44:6, 46:9, Ex 3:14, 1 Tm 6:16, Is 43:15; Ps 47:2; 103:19; 147:5; Je 10:12; Ac 17:28; Ro 11:36
Persons
There are three persons in the Godhead: the Father, the Word (or Son) and the Holy Spirit. Each of the three divine persons is fully God, but there are not three Gods. The Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Spirit, and the Spirit is not the Father. There is only one God, and God is one. Each of the three Persons has always been there and will always be there.
1 Co 1:3; Jn 1:1, 15:26, Ex 3:14; 1 Co 8:6
Creation and Providence
Creation
God made us and everything. In the beginning God created everything ex nihilo (out of nothing), by His word. God made everything in six days, and on the seventh day He rested and blessed it. God is good, and He made everything good.
Ge 1:1; 2:1–3; Jn 1:1–3; He 1:3; Am 3:6;11:3; Ge 1; Mk 10:27; Lk 1:37; 18:27; Ex 20:10-11
Providence
He holds everything together and makes things happen the way that He wants. In Jesus Christ all things hold together. Jesus Christ holds it all together, and the Triune God directs all things, such that everything happens the way he wants. He ensures that all things work together for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose. Creation’s highest purpose is to serve and glorify God.
Ge 1:1–31; 2:1–3; Jn 1:1-3; Ps 100:3; 119:68; 135:6; Ec 7:29; 12:13; Ro 8:28; Lk 1:74; He 1:3; Is 40:26; 43:5; Mt 10:29–30; Ep 1:11; Ne 9:6; Pr 16:9, 33
Mankind
At the beginning of creation, God created mankind happy and holy, male and female, in His image. At first, mankind didn’t have anything wrong with them and were without sin. Mankind’s highest purpose is to know, serve and glorify God.
Ge 1:26-27; 2:18-25; 3:20; 5:2; Mk 10:6; 1 Co 15:45; Ec 7:29; 12:13; Ps 100:3; Lk 1:74
Fall and Sin
God created humans to be upright, but they didn't stay that way for long. Satan used the craftiness of the serpent to seduce them. Eve, Adam’s wife, was tempted by the evil one, and they both ate the fruit God said not to eat. This was a free choice they made. In this way they sinned, which means they disobeyed God. Adam’s sin is called the Fall. Death came into the world through Adam’s sin, and misery, death, and sin came to all his children. Now everyone dies, because everyone sinned. All people are now “conceived in sin” and are slaves of sin, children of wrath and deserving of death. We cannot escape God’s anger and curse by being good, because no one can be good enough for God. The only way out of our wretched condition is this: we must be saved by the Savior God sent.
Ge 1:1; 3:1,4,5; Cl 1:16, Is 45:12, 1 Co 15:45, 46; Ec 7:29; 2 Co 11:3, 1 Tm 2:14; Ga 3:22; Ro 5:12, 18, 19, 6:22–23; Ep 2:3; 1 Jn 3:4
Christ
Divinity
The Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the radiance of God’s glory. He is the one Moses and the Prophets prophesied about in the Old Testament, and He is the one the Apostles preached about in the New Testament.The Bible is amazingly clear in teaching that Jesus Christ is God. Scripture calls Him the mighty God, the word who was God, Christ who is God over all, and God in the flesh. He truly is God. All things were created through Him and for Him. He sustains and rules and governs over all His creation. He is preeminent over everything and gives being to all things. He forgives sins. He never changes and will be with us always and forever. He has all the attributes of God; He is not a lesser God but the Word Himself, the Second Person of the Trinity. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and His kingdom will never end.
Is 9:6; Jn 1:1–2, 18; 8:58; 13:8; Ro 9:5; 1 Tm 3:16; 1 Jn 5:20; Rv 1:8; Mt. 9:6; 28:20; He 1:8; Cl 1:16; Da 7:14
Incarnation
At exactly the right moment in history, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. He was born to a woman named Mary, who was a virgin. He was named Jesus and was a member of the tribe of Judah, and a descendant of Abraham and David. The Holy Spirit came upon Mary, and the power of the most High overshadowed her and made her pregnant. As a human being, Jesus was tempted like we are. However, He had no sin, and He never sinned.
He 2:14; Ge 3:15;4 9:9,10 22:18, 49:10; Da 7:13; 9:24; Pr 8:23; Jn 1:1,2,3; He 1:8; 2:16; 4:15; 7:14; Ga 4:4; Re 5:5; Ro 1:3, 9:10; Mt 1:16; Lk 3:23,26; Is 53:3,4,5;
Role
Jesus Christ is the mediator of the New Covenant, which is the everlasting covenant of grace between God and mankind. He is the Messiah and was chosen by God for this role before the world was created.
In terms of His humanity, God appointed Him, called Him, and set Him apart from before He was born. God's Spirit also fully equipped him with all the gifts he would need. He is and always will be the perfect prophet, priest, and king of the God’s Church. We need Jesus in the role of Prophet because we are ignorant. We need Him in the role of Priest because we are separated from God and need to be reconciled. And because we are enemies of God and can’t return to God on our own, we need Jesus as King to change our minds, conquer our wills, pull us toward God, support us and lead us safely back to His heavenly kingdom.
Dt 18:15; Ac 3:22,23; He 3:1, 4:14,15; Ps 2:6; 2 Co 5:20; Ac 26:18; Cl 1:21; Jn 1:14, 26; 3:34; 6:44; 14:6; 16:8, Ps 110:3; So 1:3; Phil. 4:13; 2 Tm 4:18; Pr 8:23; Is 9:6–7; 11:2,3,4,5; 42:6, 49:15; 61:1,2; Lk 4:17, 22; 1 Tm 2:5; He 9:15
Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the Lord and giver of life. He is sent by the Father and the Son. He is worshiped and glorified with the Father and Son. He spoke through the prophets in the past, and now in the New Covenant He changes sinners’ hearts, gives us faith in Christ, and helps us live a Chrsitian life. He gives us spiritual gifts to build up the church and glorify Jesus Christ. He also produces the “fruit of the Spirit” in us. These are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Ez 36:26-27; Jn 14:26; Ac 1:8; Ro 8:26; 12:6-8; 2 Co 4:13; 1 Co 12:4-10; Ep 4:7-11; Ga 5:22–23.
Salvation
Grace
God loves His chosen people forever and redeems them, gives them new spiritual life, and saves them. This is not because of anything they are, did, or could do, but only because of God's free grace and mercy through Jesus Christ. It's only by God's grace that we are saved. We can't earn salvation, and we shouldn't boast about anything we've done. By God’s free gift, Jesus is our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. He is everything to us.
Je 9:23,24; 23:6.; 31:2; Ep 1:3, 7, 2:8,9; 1 Th 5:9, Ac 13:48; 2 Co 5:21; 1 Co 1:30,31
Redemption
Jesus Christ died to purchase salvation for the chosen people that God gave to Him. Only they are members of His body and have fellowship with Him. Jesus prays for them to His Father. It is only for them that God, through His Spirit, makes redemption effective. God gives the free gift of eternal life to them, and no one else.
Ep 1:14; He 5:9; 7:25; Mt 1:21; Jn 17:6; He 1 Co 2:12; Ro 8:29,30; 1 Jn 5:12; Jn 15:13, 3:16
Faith
Saving faith is believing everything that God's Word says about Christ, on the basis of God’s authority. It is allegiance to Christ and trusting in Him alone for justification and eternal life. The Holy Spirit creates this faith in our hearts. This faith leads to a life of holiness. In ordinary cases, faith comes by hearing the Gospel, or the word of Christ. We do not receive faith because of any power or action on our own part. Each person is completely inactive and dead in his disobedience and sins, and he becomes a believer and is changed through the same power that raised Christ from the dead!
Ro 3:12, 1:16; 9:16; 10:17; 1 Co 1:28; Ez 16:16; Ep 1:19; Ep 2:8-9 Cl 2:12; Jn 1:12; 5:24
Regeneration
Regeneration is a change of heart that the Holy Spirit causes for people who are spiritually dead in their disobedience and sins. The Holy Spirit makes us understand God's Word in a spiritual and saving way. He renews our hearts and minds, so that we love and practice holiness. This is solely a result of God’s free and special gift. The Holy Spirit doesn't force people to believe against their own wills, but He powerfully and kindly changes people's hearts so that they willingly believe and obey.
Jn 3:1-8; Ti 3:5; 1 Pe 1:3; Ez 36:26,27; Ps 110:3; Pn 1.2:13.
Justification
Justification is when God graciously and fully forgives all our sins and calls us righteous. This does not happen because of anything coming from ourselves, or anything we have done. Rather it is a result of Christ’s obedience. He paid the price for us by dying for our sins. When we trust in Jesus and His atonement, our faith is credited to us as righteousness.
Through the once-and-for-all work of Jesus on the cross, God made a great exchange: God made Jesus to be sin on our behalf, so that we may become the righteousness of God. As a result of this exchange, the Lord will never charge us with sin. We are no longer enemies of God but have peace with God.
2 Co 5:21; 1 Jn 1:7; He 10:14, 9:26; 2 Co 5:19; Ro 3:23–25, 30; 4:7–8; 5:1–2, 18-19; Ac 13:38, 39
Evangelism
Evangelism is sharing the Gospel. The Gospel is that Christ died for our sins as the Scriptures said, that He was buried, and that He was raised to life as the Scriptures said. This is the message we believe, and it is what we announce to sinners, inviting them to turn from sin and believe it. Everyone who trusts in Jesus and His sacrifice will be forgiven of his sins, will not perish, and will receive everlasting life. This is the only Gospel we believe in, and we completely reject any other message masquerading as a “gospel.” Evangelism is an important activity for all Christians.
1 Co 15:1–10; Jn 3:16; 1 Tm. 1:15–16; Ac 10:43; 15:7; Ga 1:9
Christian Lifestyle
Sanctification
Sanctification is when God, by Christ’s work and through His word, sets us apart and makes us more like Him. It is a gift that comes with the New Covenant. It is a result of the Holy Spirit revealing Christ’s love and God’s grace in our hearts. Sanctification causes a believer to love Christ and live for Him as supreme King by trying to obey all of Christ’s commands in the New Covenant.
Ro 5:5; 1 Co 12; 1 Pe 2:9; Ep 1:4; 1 Jn 4:16; Mt 28:20.
Good works
We can't earn salvation through our works. In fact, none of our works are even acceptable to God on their own merit. However, because we have received Jesus Christ, we now do good works. God has actually prepared good works for us to do ahead of time, and we do them out of service, love, and gratitude to God. We are able to do these works in a way that is holy, obedient and loving, because God has made us new creations for this specific purpose. Good works serve as proof of our living faith.
Ep 2:10; Lk 1:74,75; Ja 2:17, 20, 24
New Covenant Ethics
Believers aren't under the Law of Moses, but rather we are under grace. However, this does not mean that God has left us to live without a law. We are subject to the law of Christ. The Gospel, along with all the commands and instructions of the New Covenant, is our authoritative guide to living a self-controlled, righteous, and godly life. Although we are not under the Old Covenant (viz. the Law God gave to Israel through Moses), that Law, and especially the Ten Commandments, can still help guide us today. Commandments 5–10 are given to us again, and even deepened, by Christ Himself. And the meaning and spirit of Commandments 1–4 are summarized in the command, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Mt 22:37).
Ro 6:14; 13:8, 9, 10; 1 Co 9:21; Ti 2:11–12; 1 Tm 1:10–11; Mt 5:21–48; 22:37, 38, 39, 40; 28:18; Jn 13:34; 14:15, 21; 15:10; Ac 15:5–11; Ga 3:23–25; 5:18; 6:2; 1 Th 4:2.
Church
Church and Kingdom.
Jesus Christ’s spiritual kingdom is revealed on earth by way of the Church. He bought and redeemed the Church as His special possession.
The universal Church includes everyone who has ever been saved by Jesus, all over the world and throughout time.
The local church is an assembly of believers,* gathered together from out of the world by the Holy Spirit, for the purpose of confessing the faith of the Gospel, being baptized into that faith, worshiping God, learning God’s word, serving one another, and joyfully participating in the ordinances Jesus gave to the church. Those ordinances are the Lord’s Supper and Baptism.
*Not everyone who says they believe in Jesus Christ actually believes in Him. This means that the “visible church” (both those who belong to local church congregations as well as those who say they are Christians but do not belong to any local church) is not the same as the “invisible church.” The “invisible church” is a term that refers to those who are really saved, born again, and in the faith. The “invisible church” is basically the same as the universal church. The true boundaries of the universal church might be unknown to us, but they are known to God.
Rv 5:9-10; 18:4; Ep 2:18-22; Col. 1:18; Mt 11:11; 2 Th 1:1; 1 Co. 1:2; Ep 1:1; Ro 1:7; 2 Co 6:17; Ac 2:37, 42; 9:26; 10:37; 19:8,9, 26:18; Ro 10:10; Mt 18:19,20; 1 Pe 2:5; 2 Tm 2:19
Marriage, “Gender” and Sexuality
Marriage
God created marriage as a covenantal, lifelong, sexual relationship between one man and one woman. As such, it is the proper context for having and taking care of children. This lifelong commitment is like the love between Jesus and the church. The husband symbolizes Christ, and the wife symbolizes the church. The wife is to submit to her own husband as to the Lord, because is her head. Likewise, the husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church and laid down his life for her. Today there is no other arrangement that God approves of which can rightly be called marriage. There is no such thing as a “marriage” between members of the same sex.
Ge 2:24; Mt 19:4–8; He 13:4; 1 Co 7:1–5; 11:3; Ep 5:22–33
“Gender”
Men and women are different and made to fit together in a special way to have children. The differences between the designs of male and female bodies is an important part of God’s plan. That plan is that males identify themselves as male and females identify themselves as female. This applies both in terms of how they think of themselves, as well as how they express themselves outwardly. Outward expression will be shaped both by nature and by culture. However, cultural expression does not and must not eliminate the distinction between male and female expression.
It's wrong to try to change your sex or “gender” (the outward presentation of your maleness or femaleness).
Dt 22:5; Mt 19:4; 1 Co 6:9–11; 11:14–15
Sexuality
Attraction to members of one’s own sex is a sinful desire and must be actively mortified, or put to death and submitted to Christ. It’s wrong to approve of or encourage same-sex attraction, homosexual immorality, or transgenderism in any way. Doing this is basically the same as falling away from faithful, biblical, Christian testimony and truth.
Le 18:22; Ro 1:18–32; 1 Co 6:9–11
Sin and Hope for Sexual Sin and “Gender” Confusion
It's not okay to say that it's okay to be attracted to people of the same sex or change who you are to be a different gender.
People who experience confusion about their sex or “gender,” as well as people who experience same-sex attraction, can still follow Jesus and live a good, fruitful life that is pleasing to God, as they trust and obey Jesus Christ, believe the Gospel, and mortify their sinful desires through the Holy Spirit’s power.
No sexual or “gender”-related sin, sinful desire, or feeling means that a person can’t be saved by Jesus Christ through faith in the Gospel.
Mk 10:6–9; Ep 5:31–32; Ge 1:27; 2:24; Ro 1:26–27; 1 Co 6:9–11; Jd 1:7
Eschatology
Jesus Christ will come back to earth in the same way He left. When He returns, there will be a resurrection of all people who have ever lived. This includes those who were righteous as well as those who were unrighteous. All people will have to answer to God for their actions and words. All will receive either reward or punishment based on what they have done in their life. God’s people, who belong to Jesus Christ, will be with God, together and happy forever in a new Heaven and new Earth. Their names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
At that time, the devil, his minions, and everyone whose name is not written in the book of life will be thrown into Hell to be punished forever.
Ac 24:15; 1 Co 5:10; Ro 14:12; Mt 10:28; 12:36; 13:50; 25:31–46; Mk 9:43–48; Ro 6:23; 2 Pe 3:7; Rv 20:13, 15; 21:1–27; 22:11–5.
Christianity and Culture
At The Think Institute, we support Christian organizations and groups that hold fast to the biblical Gospel, are convinced that the Bible is the final and complete guide for our lives, follow Jesus Christ as Lord, and are committed to applying the teachings of God’s word for the improvement of mankind and the world around us.
We especially support organizations that value and protect the lives of all people (especially defenseless persons who are not yet born) and follow the Bible’s teachings about marriage, “gender” and sexuality.
2 Tm 3:16–17; Cl 1:18; Ja 1:21; Pr 24:11–12; Ps 139:13–16
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This Statement is based on and/or supplemented by: The First London Baptist Confession of Faith (http://www.reformedreader.org/ccc/1646lbc.htm) (with headings by David Wenkel); The Appendix to the 1646 Confession by Benjamin Cox (https://www.apuritansmind.com/creeds-and-confessions/an-appendix-to-the-baptist-confession-of-faith-by-benjamin-cox), The Second London Baptist Confession of Faith (https://www.the1689confession.com), The Ligonier Statement of Faith (https://www.ligonier.org/what-we-believe), Catakids! (https://thethink.institute/catakids), the Redeemer Fellowship Statement of Faith (https://www.redeemerfellowship.org/beliefs), the Nicene Creed (https://www.ccel.org/creeds/nicene.creed.html), the Redeemer Fellowship Statement of Faith (https://www.redeemerfellowship.org/beliefs) and the Nashville Statement (https://cbmw.org/nashville-statement/#articles).