What We Believe

     

Snyder Bible Church Purpose Statement:

The purpose of incorporating as a church with the corporate name of Snyder Bible Church of Snyder, Colorado, is to exalt and magnify the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, to declare to the lost world the marvelous salvation which He, by sin bearing, blood shedding, death and resurrection hath procured, to administer the Word both to the saved and the unsaved for the salvation and edification of those who will accept His free gift.  Also, to establish a Sunday School, a Christian School, a Mission Board, a Radio Station, a Book Store, and anything that would further our ability to spread the Gospel throughout the world at the discretion of the active church membership, in accordance to God’s command in Matt. 28:19-20 and Acts 1:8.

Snyder Bible Church Doctrine

Section 1. Inspiration of the Scriptures

We believe that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God (II Timothy 3:16-17, II Peter 1:21), by which we understand the whole Bible; nor do we take the statement in the sense in which it is sometimes erroneously said the works of human genius is inspired, but in the sense that the Holy Spirit gave the very words of the sacred writings, to the holy men of the old (Mark 13:11, I Cor. 2:13), and that His divine inspiration is not in the different degrees, but extends equally and fully to all parts of these writings, historical (I Cor. 10:11), poetical (Mark 12:36; Ps. 110:1); doctrinal (II Tim. 3:16-17) and prophetical (Acts 1:16; 2:16, 17:2-3, 18:28; 26:22-23); and to the smallest word and inflection of the word (Matt. 5:18; Luke 16:17), providing such a word is found in the original manuscripts.

Section 2. The Trinity

We believe that the Godhead externally exists in three persons (II Cor. 13:14); the Father (Heb. 1:1), the Son (Heb. 1:2), and the Hold Spirit (Acts 5:3-4); and that these three are One God (Mark 12:29), having precisely the same nature, attributes, and perfection’s, and worthy of precisely the same homage, confidence and obedience (Matt 28: 19-20).

Section 3. Person and Work of Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God (Col.1:15), which is to say, He is himself very God; He took upon Him our nature (Phil. 2: 5-8), being conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary (Matt. 1:18-25); He died upon the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of the world (1 Peter 2:24-25); He arose from the dead in the body in which He was crucified (Luke 24:6); He ascended into heaven in the body glorified (Acts 1:9-11), where He is now, our interceding High Priest (Heb. 4:14-16); He will come again personally (1 Thess. 4:16-18), and visibly set up His kingdom (Matt. 25:31-46; Rev. 11:15-17), and to judge the quick and the dead (Rev. 20:4-6; Rev. 20:11-15).

Section 4. Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

A. We believe that the Holy Spirit, not as an influence, but as a divine Person, the source and power of all acceptable worship and service (Acts 1:8), is our abiding Comforter and Helper (Jn. 14:16-17) that he never takes His departure from the church nor from the feeblest of the saints (1 Cor. 6:19), but is ever present to testify of Christ (Jn. 15:26; 16: 13-14); seeking to occupy us with Him, and not with ourselves, nor with our experiences (Phil. 3:3).

B. We believe that in this age certain well-defined ministries are committed to the Holy Spirit, and that it is the duty of every Christian to understand these and to be adjusted to them in his own life and experience. These ministries are: The restraining of evil in the world (II Thess. 2:7), to the measure of the divine will; the convicting of the world respecting sin, righteousness, and judgment (Jn. 16: 7-11); the regenerating of all believers, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption (Romans 8:9, Eph. 4:30); baptizing all believers into the body of Christ at the moment of salvation (1 Cor. 12:12-14); and the continued filling for power and service to those among the saved who are yielded to Him and who are subject to His will (Eph. 5:18).

C. Spiritual Gifts: We believe that God sovereignly bestows a spiritual gift or gifts upon every believer at the moment of salvation, and that it is the responsibility of every believer to minister according to his gifts (1 Cor. 12:4-18; Eph. 4:11-16; Rom. 12:1-8). We believe that the sign gifts (miracles, healing, tongues, and interpretation of tongues) gradually ceased as the New Testament scriptures were completed and their authority became established.

Section 5. Man Created and Fallen

We believe that man, originally created in the image and after the likeness of God (Gen. 1:26) fell from this high and holy estate by eating the forbidden fruit (Gen. 2:17, Gen. 3:6) and as the consequence of his disobedience, the moral nature was not only grievously injured by the fall, but he totally lost all spiritual life (Jn. 5:40; 6:53), becoming dead in trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1,3), and subjected to the power of the devil (I Jn. 3:8)

Section 6. Total Depravity of Man

We believe that this spiritual death or total corruption of human nature has been transmitted to the entire race of man (Gen. 6:5; Ps 14:1-3), the man Christ Jesus excepted (Heb. 4:15); and hence that every child of Adam is born into this world with a nature which not only possesses no spark of divine life, but is essentially and unchangeably bad (Ps. 51:5; Rom. 5:12, 18); being enmity against God (Rom. 8:6-7), and incapable, by any educational process whatsoever, of subjection to His law (Jn. 3:6).

Section 7. Regeneration

We believe that owing to this universal depravity and death in sin; no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless born again (Jn. 3:5-7), and that no degree of reformation, however great, no attainment in morality, however high, no culture, however attractive, no humanitarian and philanthropic schemes and societies, however useful, no baptism or other ordinances, however administered, can help the sinner to take even one step toward heaven (Gal. 5:15; Phil. 3:4-9); but a new nature imparted from above, a new life implanted by the Holy Spirit. (Titus 3:5), through the Word, (James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:23) is absolutely essential to salvation.

Section 8. Atonement Through the Blood of Christ

We believe that our redemption has been accomplished solely by the blood (Lev. 17:11) of our Lord Jesus Christ (Matt. 26:28), who was made to be sin (Rom. 5:6), and no repentance, no feeling, no faith, no good resolutions, no sincere efforts, no submission to the rules and regulations of this or any church, or of all the churches that have existed since the days of the apostles can add in the least degree to the value of that precious blood (1 Peter 1:18-19) or to the merit of the finished work wrought in us (Eph. 1:7) by Him who united in His Person true and proper Deity with perfect and sinless humanity.

Section 9. Justification by Faith

We believe that Christ, in the fullness of the blessing He has secured by His obedience unto death, is received by faith alone (Rom. 5:1), and that the moment we trust in Him as Savior, we pass out of death into everlasting life (Jn. 5:24), being justified from all things (Acts 13:39), accepted before the Father according to the measure of His acceptance (Eph. 2:4-6, 13), loved as He is loved (Jn. 17:23), and having His place and portion as linked to Him, and one with Him forever (1Jn. 4:17, 5:11-12).

Section 10. Assurance

We believe that it is the privilege not only of some, but of all who are born again by the Spirit, through faith in Christ, as revealed in the Scriptures, to be assured of their salvation (Luke 10:20; 12:32; II Cor. 5:1, 6, 8, II Tim. 1:12) from the very day they took Him to be their Savior (Jn. 6:47) and that this assurance is not grounded upon any fancied discovery of their own worthiness, or fitness, but wholly upon the testimony of God in His written Word (Rom. 8:33-39, 1 Jn. 5:13), exciting within His children filled in love, gratitude and obedience.

Section 11. Standing and State

We believe that the believers standing in Christ is perfect and eternally changeless. His state during his earthly life is subjected to fluctuation. (Eph. 4:7; Col. 3: 1-10).

Section 12. Salvation and Rewards

We believe that salvation is for all the world but reward is designed for the saved; that salvation is the believer’s present possession, while reward is set forth as a future attainment. (Jn. 1:12; 3:1-18; I Cor. 3:8-16; Rev. 22:12).

Section 13. Evangelism and Missions

We believe that the believer in Christ should be evangelistic and missionary enthusiast to proclaim the gospel to all the world. (Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8)

Section 14. Baptism

We believe that water baptism is the believer’s testimony to the oneness with Christ in death and resurrection. We also believe that baptism is the immersion of the believer’s body in water and an immersion from the water. (Matt. 3:16; Mark 1:5:11, Acts 8:12, 36-39).

Section 15. Lord’s Supper

We believe that the Lord’s Supper is the believer’s testimony that his soul is living day by day upon the crucified Christ, and is a communion of the members of the body of Christ. (Matt. 26-26-29, I Cor. 11:20-24)

Section 16. The Church, a Unity of Believers

We believe that all who are united to the risen and ascended Son of God are members of the Church (Matt. 16:16-18; Acts 2:32-47) which is the Body of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23), regardless of membership or non-membership in the organized churches of the earth, that by the same Spirit we are all baptized into and thus become one body, that is Christ’s (Rom. 12:5), whether we are Jew or Gentiles, and having become members one of another, we and all Christians are under solemn duty to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (1 Cor. 12:12-17), rising above all sectarian differences, and loving one another with a pure heart, fervently. (Eph. 4:3-10, Col. 3:14-15).

Section 17. The Christian Walk

We believe that we are called with a holy calling to walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit (Rom. 8:12-13, 13:14, 1 Pet. 1:14, 16); and so to live in the Spirit that we shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh (Eph. 4:22-24) but the flesh, being still in us to the end of our earthly pilgrimage (1 Jn. 1:6), needs to be kept constantly in subjection to Christ (Col. 3: 1-10) through the operation of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:18; 22-23), or it will surely manifest its presence to the dishonor of His name (Gal. 5:17-21).

Section 18. Satan and Fallen Angels

We believe that God created an innumerable company of holy spiritual beings known as angels; that one – “Lucifer, Son of the Morning” – the highest in rank, sinned through pride, thereby becoming Satan (Ezek. 28:11-19; Isa. 14: 12-17); that a great company of the angels followed him in his moral fall, some of whom became demons and are active as his agents and associates in the prosecution of his unholy purposes, while others who fell were reserved in chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day (II Pet. 2:4; Jude 6).

We also believe that Satan is the originator of sin, and that under the permission of God he, through subtly, led our first parents into transgression, and thereby accomplished their moral fall and subjecting them and their posterity to his own powers. (Gen. 2:1-19, Rom 5:12-14); that he is the enemy of God and the people of God, opposing and exalting himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped (II Thess. 2:4); and that he who said, “I will be like the Most High”, in his warfare (Eph. 6:10-12) appears as an angel of light (II Cor. 11:13-15), even counterfeiting the works of God by fostering religious movements and systems of doctrine, which systems in every case are characterized by denial of the efficiency of the Blood of Christ and of salvation by grace alone (I Tim. 4:1-3, II Cor. 4:3-4).

Section 19. Victory of Christ and Holy Angels

We believe that Satan was judged at the Cross (John 16:11; Col. 2:15), though judgment was not executed, and that he, an usurper, now rules as the “god of this world” (II Cor. 4:4), that at the second coming of Christ, Satan will be bound and cast into the abyss for 1000 years (Rev. 20:1-3), and after 1000 years, “he must be loosed a little season,” finally to be “tormented day and night forever and ever.”

We believe that a great company of angels kept their holy estate and are before the Throne of God (Luke 15:10; Rev. 7:11), from whence they are sent forth as ministering spirits to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation (Heb. 1:34).

We believe that man was made lower than angels; and that in His incarnation Christ took, “for a little” time, this place that He might lift the believer to His own sphere above the angels (Heb.2:6-10)


Section 20. The Blessed Hope/The Rapture of the Church

We believe that according to the Word of God, the next great event in the fulfillment of prophecy will be the coming of Christ in the air (Phil. 3:20), to receive to Himself (John 14:1-3), both His own who are alive and remain unto His coming and also all who have fallen asleep in Jesus (I Cor.15:51-52); I Thess. 4:13-18); and that this is the Blessed Hope (Titus 2:11-14) set before us in the Gospel, and for this we should be constantly looking (Matt. 24-24-26).  We believe the world is day by day ripening for judgement (Matt. 24:15-35, II Tim. 3:1-5) and that this dispensation of grace will end with an apostasy in the professing church (I Tim 4:1-2).  We believe that the taking away of the saved ones will be followed by the Great Tribulation in the earth, which was predicted by our Lord (Matt. 24:15-22).  This will be the 70th week of Daniel’s prophecy (Daniel 9:27).  Our Lord will bring to an end that time of judgement for the whole earth by His own glorious appearing (Rev. 19:1-21).


Section 21. Premillennial Coming of Christ

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ will return to the earth in person, on the clouds, with power and great glory (Matt. 24:29-30) at the end of the great tribulation and before His thousand year millennial reign on the earth.  We believe God will restore Israel to her land and fulfill God’s covenant promises to Israel (Acts 15:15-17; Ezek. 37:21-28; Rom. 11:25-27).  Satan will be bound in the abyss for a thousand years (Rev. 20:2).  During the millennial reign of Christ, the whole world will have the knowledge of God and the curse that is on the whole creation will be lifted at that time (Isa. 11:1-9).

Section 22. Heaven and Hell

We believe that at death the spirits and souls of those who have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation pass immediately into His presence (Luke 23:43: II Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23), and there remain in conscious bliss until the resurrection of the body when Christ comes for His own, whereupon soul and body, reunited, shall be associated with Him forever in glory; but the spirits and souls of the unbelieving remain, after death, conscious of condemnation and in misery (Luke 16:19-26) until the final judgment of the Great White Throne at the close of the millennium, when soul and body, reunited; shall be cast in to the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:11-15), not to be annihilated, but to be punished with the everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power (II. Thess. 1:7-9).

Section 23.  Dispensations

We believe in the dispensational interpretation of the Word of God.