- Psalms 119: 89 ¶For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.
128 Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.
160 ¶The sum of thy word is truth; And every one of thy righteous ordinances endureth for ever. (ASV)
DOCTRINAL STATEMENT
Please understand that what we have written is not a creed. The only creed we profess is the Bible which leads us to the same confession as Peter, that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God (John 20:30-31).
The following is a merely a statement of where we stand on these particular doctrines according to the scriptures. We realize that it is not possible to address every subject in this limited space. These have been addressed because they are distinctive to the churches of Christ and/or they are often regarded as controversial issues.
If after reading you have any questions or comments, we encourage you to bring them to our attention and we will gladly meet with you to study and answer your concerns from the Bible.
Our sole intention is to do “Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.” (Jer. 6:16)
The Inspiration of the Scriptures
The Portland Church of Christ elders, preachers, and missionaries believe in and teach the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Scriptures. It is our conviction that the entire Bible is God breathed (2 Tim. 3:16) and that the very words recorded are exactly what God wanted expressed (1 Cor. 2:13; Eph. 3:3-4; 1 Cor. 14:37). We believe the New Testament is the complete revelation from God to man, and only in the New Testament do we have everything that pertains to life and godliness(2 Pet. 1:3; cf. Gal. 1:8,9; Rev. 22:18,19). His word is the objective truth. (John 17:17). Because the Bible is the word of God, it carries the authority of God and of His son, Jesus Christ. Therefore, for everything we say or do, we must do so only upon His authority (Matt. 28:18; Col. 3:17). No man, no government, no religious institution has the right or authority to add to, to take away, to change, to pervert or corrupt the word of God. (Deut. 4:2; 12:32; Proverbs 30:6; Rev. 22:18-19
The distinctive nature of the church
The church was built by Christ (Matt. 16:16-18), was purchased with His blood (Acts 20:28), and that which He will save (Eph. 5:23-25). The New Testament teaches that the church is the body of Christ (Eph. 1:23; Col. 1:18), and that Christ is the head of that body (Eph. 1:22). All authority belongs to Christ (Matt. 28:18). It is the church’s responsibility to obey the commands of Christ because we will be judged by His words (John 12:48). Since the church is the body of Christ, He naturally has only one body. Ephesians 4:4 teaches that there is only one body, and that one body is the church. The Lord adds daily to this body those which those which have been saved when they have been obedient to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38, 41-47; 8:12; 18:8; Gal. 3:26-27; Rom. 1:16-17.
The true church today is comprised only of those congregations who pattern themselves after the church built by Christ and established by the apostles in the New Testament (Acts 2); who steadfastly continue in the doctrines taught by Jesus Christ and His apostles. Acts 2:42; John 17:14-21; Gal. 1:6-9; 2 John 9-11. There are no divisions of the body (1 Cor. 1:10) All speak the same thing and have the same mind and judgment in all things.
We believe the church is to be kept pure, and as much as we love unity, we love truth more. First truth, then unity.
The Worship of the church
Jesus said that we are to worship God in “to spirit and truth” (John 4:24). He defined the term “truth” for us in John 17:17 where he said that “thy word is truth.” Therefore our worship must be according to the word of God. We are to have authority for everything that we do in worship (Col. 3:16-17). Worship then is not something that is based upon man’s likes or dislikes. It is solely determined by Gods word. The church is only authorized to use of congregational singing. This singing should be with the instrument of the heart, without the use of mechanical instruments (Col. 3:16; Eph. 5:19). Therefore, only a cappella singing is to be used, and that the entire congregation should engage in that singing. Having a choir replace the congregational singing is not authorized in the Scriptures. In addition, the New Testament teaches that men are to have the leadership roles in the assembly (1 Tim. 2:8-15; I Cor. 14:34-35), therefore we do not believe it is appropriate to have women serve as group leaders in the congregational singing. We are to also partake of the Lords supper every Sunday (Matt. 26:26-29; Acts 20:7). We are only authorized to partake of the Lords supper in the same manner as Jesus did, which was instituted during the Passover (Matt. 26:17-18). Jesus would have only used unfermented fruit of the vine and unleavened bread which would have been in accordance with the Passover laws found in Exodus 12 and 13. We also are commanded to have prayers offered by faithful men during our worship to God (1 Tim. 2:8). We are commanded to give of our means every Sunday (1 Cor. 16:1-2) as a free will offering. It is also commanded that we have preaching every Sunday during our worship (Acts 20:7, 2 Tim. 4:2). Worship is to be conducted in a decent and orderly manner (1 Cor. 14:33).
Fellowship
John instructed in 1 John 1:3-7 that we can only have fellowship with those who have fellowship with God. Those who have fellowship with God are those who are “walking in the light” (1 John 1:7). Thus, it is impossible for us to have unity with, or to offer fellowship to those who do not “obey His commandments” (1 John. 2:4). We believe the New Testament teachings are clear enough that we can distinguish those who are in the light from those who are in darkness (Eph. 5:8-17). We equally will not fellowship those who do not abide in all the teachings of Christ (2 John 9-11). Therefore it is not possible for the church to have any fellowship with any who practice or support religious error in any way.
It is also important that the purity of the church be maintained, therefore, the New Testament clearly teaches that church discipline must be meted out to the erring child of God (and congregations) who is engaged in sin and will not repent (1 Cor. 5; 2 Thess. 3:6-7). It is done in the spirit of love for their souls that they may one day repent and be restored to the family of God.
Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage
We understand that all men, being under law to Christ, are subject to Matthew 19:9. Because Matthew 19:9 applies to the whole world, there is only one divinely allowable basis for all for divorce and remarriage -- fornication.
It is our position that the Bible teaches the following truth concerning marriage, divorce and remarriage:
1. God’s original plan, from the beginning, was one man and one woman for life. (Matt. 19:3ff; Rom. 7:2; Gen.
2:23-24).
a. The bible does not sanction, approve or condone homosexual marriages.
b. According to the word of God homosexuality is fornication and is condemned in scripture (Romans 1:26-27;
1 Corinthians 6:9; Gal. 5:19-21).
c. According to the word of God, it is a free will choice, not an “alternative lifestyle” approved of God. (Rom.
1:26-27)
d. It is a transgression of God’s law (1 John 3:4).
e. Neither is it beyond the ability of the practitioner to turn away from. (1 Cor. 6:9-11)
f. We determine to treat it as any other illicit sexual sin. We teach against it, oppose it in every way. (Psalms
119:104)
2. If one marries another, while the first mate lives, he/she is guilty of adultery (Rom. 7:1-3).
3. Fornication is the only exception Jesus offers to the above situations. If one’s mate is sexually unfaithful, the innocent
party has the right to divorce his/her mate and marry another (Matt. 19:9).
4. We do not teach that the guilty party has the right to remarry. He (or she) forfeited his right when he was unfaithful.
5. The so-called “Pauline privilege” of 1 Cor. 7:15 is not an additional reason to divorce and re-marry. Paul is allowing one
to leave his or her mate under an extreme circumstance, but does not provide an additional reason for remarriage.
Earlier Paul had stated that if one left his or her mate there were only two options for them: (1) to remain unmarried,
or (2) be reconciled to his/her mate (1 Cor. 7:11).
6. Baptism does not change an unscriptural marriage relationship into a scriptural relationship. (Acts 17:30; Rom. 6:1-2)
The Role of Women in the Church
It is not a part of God’s plan for women to be allowed leadership roles in the assemblies of His church. 1Timothy 2:8-15 and 1 Corinthians 14:34-35, expressly forbid women having leadership roles in the church and worship assemblies. Furthermore these passages teach and instruct that both men and women have divinely specified functions. These functions include the men leading the worship and the women assuming a submissive position (1 Tim. 2:12). We do not believe these teachings indicate an inferior status for women. The man has been designated by God as the “head” of the wife (Eph. 5:23), and the men are to be the leaders of the church. The New Testament recognized no women serving in the offices of elders/ shepherds (pastors)/overseers, deacons or preachers/ ministers. The teachings of 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 speak expressly of male leadership, and the examples in the New Testament support this.
Salvation, Grace, Works
The grounds for man’s salvation is the blood of Christ, and God’s grace manifested by what He did for our salvation (Eph. 2:8-9). Therefore, it is God who determines to whom He extends His grace. He is not going to give His gift of grace to one who disregards His commands in the Gospel, or one who continues in sin (Rom. 6:1-2). Man appropriates God’s grace by faith through the obedience to the gospel. Rom. 5:1-2; Rom. 1:5, 16. The acts of obedience we do are not to merit or earn our salvation. They are simply the loving acts done by those wanting to please God (John 14:15). Our works are done to demonstrate our faith (Jas. 2:14-26). We believe the Christian is under law as well as grace (1 Corinthians 9:21, Ephesians 2:8-10). We certainly believe that Jesus Christ is the author of eternal salvation to all who will obey Him. (Heb. 5:8-9; Mark 16:16). One is not a Christian and not a child of God in good standing until he has obeyed the gospel and come out of any religious error he may in.
Baptism
Jesus said “to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32. What was one to be made free from? In the context of the chapter, Jesus said that only truth, according to His word, could make one free from sin.
This truth, as taught by Jesus Christ and His apostles, we steadfastly affirm and believe, teach, preach and practice in regards to baptism. It is a one-time act of faith to be done in the right manner for the right purpose to achieve the proper result according the word of God.
1. Baptism is essential and necessary for one’s salvation. Jesus said “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;”
(Mark 16:16). According to Jesus Christ, belief/ faith alone does not save, baptism is also essential. (James 2:24;
John 1:12.) Peter also wrote, that as eight souls were saved by water in the days of Noah, in a like figure, “baptism
doth now also save us.” (1 Pet. 3:20-21)
2. In Acts 2: 36-38; when the people asks the apostles what they had to do to be saved, Peter told them, “Repent, and
be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.” Peter plainly says that in order for
a person to have his sins forgiven they must repent (turn away from sin) and be baptized. Both repentance and
baptism are required to obtain the remission of sins. Paul was commanded to be baptized in order to wash away his
sins (Acts 22:16).
3. Baptism is preceded by repentance, which requires free-will and accountability for sin. Infants possess neither thus are
not candidates for baptism.
4. Baptism requires a burial in water (immersion) (Rom. 6:3-4; Col. 2:12; Acts 8:36-39). Therefore, dipping, pouring,
sprinkling or any other means is not baptism.
5. In baptism one is united with Christ. Once without hope outside of Christ he is now “in Christ.” (Rom. 6:5; Gal.
3:26-27).
6. Baptism is the act of faith where the penitent person is made free from sin. (Rom. 6:7, 17-18)
7. All who are baptized (immersed) for the forgiveness of sins are baptized into one body, the church (1 Cor. 12:13;
Eph. 1:21-22; Acts 20:28). The bible clearly teaches it is necessary that a person must understand the authority of
Jesus Christ and the unique essential nature of the church prior to baptism. A person cannot be baptized right into
another body/church. The church is the depository of the saved (Acts 2:47; Eph. 5:23).
8. We do not believe or recognize, in accordance with the New Testament, that there are any faithful Christians in any
man-made denominations.
The Holy Spirit
In conviction, conversion, and sanctification, we believe the Spirit works as He will, but always through the truth alone, the word of God. We believe the Spirit leads us through His word without a direct operation or mysterious promptings. We oppose the doctrine of a direct operation of the Holy Spirit in the conversion and sanctification of a sinner and in the life of a Christian. This doctrine as it is really believed and acted upon, neutralizes preaching, makes void the word of God and destroys human responsibility.
We know nothing more dangerous and fatal than this doctrine. If God by some mysterious power, without the light of His word, or knowledge somehow touches the soul of A, B or C and make it holy by “infusing a holy principle” what becomes of human responsibility. Are not we commanded to “cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Cor. 7:1). What use is preaching, or the name of the Lord Jesus or the word of God? We believe and teach, and rejoice in the presence, and power, and positive influence of God’s Spirit in the work of conversion and sanctification. However, we steadfastly affirm that work is through, and only through, the sword of the Spirit, the word of God (Eph. 6:17) effectually working upon the heart of man (1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Thess. 2:13-14).
We believe in the providence of God, that God answers prayer in a real way, but we hold that miracles and spiritual gifts ceased around the first century (1 Corinthians 13:8, Acts 8:18).
The Bible clearly teaches that during the first century the Holy Spirit was very active in the lives of the Apostles and many of the Christians. The gift of the Holy Spirit was only able to be transferred to an individual by an apostle “laying hands” on them (Acts 8:18). Upon the death of the last of the Apostles, the gift was no longer able to be given.
The Holy Spirit was for the main purpose of bringing comfort (John 14:16) and revealing truth (John 16:13).
The miraculous gifts given to the Apostles and to those upon they laid hands provided confirmation that the revelation was from God and they spoke with the authority of God (Mark 16:15-20; Heb. 2:3-4; 2 Cor. 12:12; Acts 8:5-6).
When revelation (truth) was complete; then there was no more need for the Holy Spirit to be given (1 Cor. 13:10; Eph. 4:13). Thus the spiritual gifts/ miracles ceased.
Today we are able to enjoy the completed product of Holy Spirit every time we open our Bibles and read. It is the sword of the Spirit. (Eph. 6:17; Heb. 4:12; Acts 20:32) It is still the guide unto all truth for all men. (John 17:17) It is perfect and sufficient to supply all that man needs to walk with God. (Psalms 19:7; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:3-4; Isaiah 55:11)
Abortion
Though the Bible does not address this subject by its specific term; it has much to say regarding its practice. The question to answer; is it a “right” or is it something else? Every person should value human life. God does so greatly, He gave His only son to die on the cross to save sinful men (John 3:16; Rom. 5:7-8). He created man in His own image, made him a living soul and gave him the breath of life (Gen. 1:27; 2:7). The Bible clearly teaches that life is in the womb (Job 31:15; Isaiah 44:2; Jeremiah 1:5). That life begins at conception (Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:31). The life that is in the womb of its mother is an innocent life, free of sin and guilt (Eccl. 7:29; Isaiah 7:16). Nations were condemned in the Old Testament for shedding the innocent blood of their young children (Psalms 106: 38; Jer. 7:31-32; 1 Kings 11:7; Amos 1:13). From the beginning, God declared the taking of an innocent life to be murder (Gen. 9:5-6). God declares that the hands that shed innocent blood are an abomination in His sight (Prov. 6:17). God has deemed the shedding of innocent blood morally wrong from the beginning of human existence. What was morally wrong then, remains morally wrong today and forever. Those whose hands shed innocent blood and those who support and defend any practice that takes an innocent life will give an account to God. (2 Cor. 5:10; Eccl. 12:14).
Social-drinking
Many have tried to justify drinking without getting drunk using such scriptures as John 2 and Ephesians 5:18 and other New Testament verses. These attempts put our Savior in the position of sinning because Habakkuk 2:15 says that a Jew wasn’t to give his neighbor strong drink to drink. If Jesus turned water to alcoholic wine then he not only gave his neighbor strong drink, but an entire wedding party!
Neither does Eph. 5:18 sanction an occasional drink, aka “social drinking.” Careful study of the phrase, “be not drunk with wine” indicates that Paul was exhorting Christians to not even start the process of becoming drunk. The process of drunkenness begins with the first drink of an alcoholic beverage. One drink makes a person, “one drink drunk”.
Clearer words cannot be spoken than those of Proverbs 20:1 “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” God is a consistent God. If alcohol caused mockery, rage, deception, and one to be a fool under the Old Testament, the principle still applies under the New Testament. Proverbs 23:31 says to not “look upon it when it is red, when it turns itself aright in the cup.” If we can’t look at it, how can we drink it? Psalms 75:8, “For in the hand of the LORD there is A CUP, AND THE WINE IS RED; IT IS FULL OF MIXTURE; AND HE POURETH OUT OF THE SAME: BUT THE DREGS THEREOF, ALL THE WICKED OF THE EARTH SHALL WRING THEM OUT, AND DRINK THEM.” What shall be of those who partake of that which the Lord himself has discarded?