What We Believe

Many often desire to know immediately "what we believe"... But before we answer that, we want you to know who we are, where we have been and where we are desiring to go by the grace of our sovereign King. 

This 100 year old congregation has had a long-standing Gospel impact on people's lives in the Vilas County area. Over the last several years, this Faith Family has re-kindled it's passion for our main purpose, which is to glorify God by enjoying Him and loving Him first. We are a Faith Family that desires real Gospel transformation to touch every single aspect of Life. We believe that God is shaping and forming our identity by His means: expositional preaching, regular administration of sacraments and discipline, passionate worship, unity of the saints, Gospel-shaped marriages and parenting, and (last but not least) Life on Life evangelism. We put our hope in God through fully embracing who Christ is by daily walking in the Spirit. 

Now if you wish, please see our doctrinal beliefs below. 

 

TWIN LAKES BIBLE CHURCH 

CONSTITUTION OF TWIN LAKES BIBLE CHURCH (first parts) *Email us for the whole document if you wish.  

ARTICLE I - CHURCH NAME 

The name of this church shall be:  'TWIN LAKES BIBLE CHURCH'.

ARTICLE II - PURPOSE STATEMENT

The purpose of this church shall be to: glorify God1 by building itself up in the faith2, by instruction of the Word3, by fellowship4, by keeping the ordinances5, by advancing and communicating the gospel to the entire world6, and by unashamedly standing on the truth of the Word in contending for the faith7. 

  1. 1 Corinthians 10:31, Ephesians 3:20, 21
  2. Ephesians 4:11-16
  3. 2 Timothy 2:15, 3:16-17
  4. Acts 2:42, 1 John 1:3
  5. Luke 22:19-20, Acts 2:41-42
  6. Matthew 28:18-20
  7. Romans 1:16, 1 Peter 3:15, Jude 1:3

ARTICLE III - DOCTRINAL BELIEFS

Section 1 – The Holy Scriptures 

We believe in the 66 books of Scripture as the completed canon1, with nothing to be added to or taken away from2.  We believe the Old and New Testament are the verbally inspired3 Word of God, and are inerrant4 in the original manuscripts5.  We also believe the Holy Scriptures are the final authority for faith and life, able to make the man/woman of God thoroughly complete for all good works6.  We teach that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Holy Scriptures7.  The Holy Scriptures are to be desired more than gold8 and are necessary for knowledge9 and spiritual nourishment10.

  1. Canon – the completed collection of self-authenticating & divinely 

authoritative books of the Bible 

2.  Revelation 22:18-19; Ecclesiastes 3:14 

3.  Verbally inspired–God the Holy Spirit guided the human authors of

the Bible so as not to distort the character or personality of each 

human author: 2 Peter 1:19-21

4.  Inerrant – containing no errors: John 17:17; Psalm 19:7

5.  Original manuscripts: the initial manuscripts written by the original

     authors in the original languages

6.  2 Timothy 3:15-17 

7.  Romans 10:17 

8.  Psalm 19:10 

9.  Proverbs 1:2-7 

10.1 Peter 2:2

Section 2 – The Godhead 

We believe there is one living and true God1, the creator and sustainer of all things2, an infinite, all-knowing Spirit3, perfect in all His attributes4, one in essence, eternally existing in three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit5 – each equally deserving worship and obedience6.

1.  Deuteronomy 6:4, Jeremiah 10:10 

2.  Colossians 1:16, Hebrews 1:3 

3.  John 4:24, Hebrews 4:13, Revelation 1:8 

4.  Psalm 18:30, Revelation 15:4 

5.  Matthew 28:19, John 10:30, John 15:26 

6.  Ezekiel 36:27, John 15:10, Revelation 4:11

Section 3 – God the Father

We believe God the Father is the 1st person of the Trinity1, Who works all things in accordance with His will and purposes2.  His Fatherhood involves both His designation within the Trinity and His relationship with mankind.  He is the Father of all mankind3, but is Spiritual Father only to believers4.  In His sovereignty He is neither author nor approver of sin, and He holds all men accountable5.  He saves all those who come to Him through Jesus Christ from the just penalty of their sins6.  He also draws all those who are elect in Christ and chosen from eternity past to be conformed to the image of God the Son7.

1.  Matthew 28:19 

2.  Ephesians 1:11, Isaiah 46:9-11 

3.  Ephesians 4:6 

4.  Ephesians 1:5, John 1:12-13 

5.  Habakkuk 1:13, John 8:44, Romans 5:12, Romans 14:11-12 

6.  Romans 6:23 

7.  John 6:44, Romans 8:28-30, Ephesians 1:4-5 

Section 4 – God the Son

We believe Jesus Christ is the 2nd person of the Trinity, the eternal Son of God1, Who became a man without ceasing to be God2, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary3, lived a sinless life4 in order that He might reveal God5, redeem sinful man6, and rule over God's kingdom7.  We believe the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His finished work on the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice8 and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead9.  Christ's blood atonement is unlimited in its potential to all mankind, yet is only applicable to those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ10.  We believe the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God the Father as our Advocate and High Priest11.  We believe Jesus Christ will return to receive the Church, which is His Bride (Body), unto Himself at the Rapture and, returning with His Church in glory, will establish His millennial kingdom on earth12. 

1.   John 1:1 

2.   John 1:14, Philippians 2:5-7 

3.   Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:20-23 

4.   2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 John 3:5 

5.   John 14:7-11

6.   Redeem – bought back to God through Christ's sacrifice, 

      1 Peter 1:18-19 

7.   Isaiah 9:6-7, Revelation 11:15 

8.   John 19:30, 1 Peter 2:24 

9.   Justification – to be declared righteous by God through faith, 

  Luke 24:39, Romans 4:24-25

10. Atonement – the work Christ did in His life and death to earn 

 our salvation, 1 John 2:1-2, John 3:36 

11. Advocate – one who pleads another's cause, Romans 8:34,

      Hebrews 4:14-16 

12. Rapture – taking up of believers to be with Christ, Acts 1:9-11, 

      1 Thess. 4:13-18, Revelation 20:1-6 

Section 5 – God the Holy Spirit 

We believe the Holy Spirit is the 3rd person of the Trinity1, Who proceeded from God the Father as promised by God the Son2.  We believe He is the all-knowing, all-seeing, everywhere present God3, who was active in the creation4, the Incarnation5, the written revelation6, and the work of salvation7. We believe the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment8.  We believe the Holy Spirit is the supernatural agent in regeneration9, baptizing all believers into the Body of Christ10, indwelling the believer from the moment of salvation11, and sealing them for the day of redemption12.  We believe the Holy Spirit guides believers into all truth13, and it is the privilege and duty of all those born of Him to be filled with and controlled by Him14.  

1.  Matthew 28:19 

2.  John 14:15-16, John 15:26 

3.  Psalm 139:7-10, Isaiah 40:13-14, Acts 5:3-4 

4.  Genesis 1:2 

5.  Matthew 1:18 

6.  2 Peter 1:19-21 

7.  John 3:5-7 

8.  John 16:8-11 

9.  Titus 3:5 

10. 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 

11. Romans 8:9-11 

12. Ephesians 4:30 

13. 1 John 2:20, 27 

14. Ephesians 5:17-18

Section 6 – Creation 

We believe in the supernatural account of creation as revealed throughout the Bible1, and that God spoke everything into existence out of nothing by the power of His Word2.  We believe all of God's original creation was determined to be “very good”3, but then was marred by the effects of sin4, and now eagerly awaits restoration5.  We believe every living thing God created on days 3, 5 and 6 were to reproduce after their kind6, leaving no place for any macro-evolutionary processes7.  We believe the genealogies presented in Scripture8 provide a time-line for the initial creation act of only several thousand years ago, not millions or billions. We believe the six days of creation are six literal, consecutive 24 hour periods of time due to the qualifiers attached to each day9, and other complimentary texts10.  We believe God created man specially on day six11, and that the entire human race is descended from a literal Adam and Eve, making all people of one race12.  We believe the Bible makes perfect sense of creation, science, and that state of the world around us13, while man's fallible ideas and preconceived beliefs can never lead him to the truth.  We believe the present corrupt, fallen state of God's creation will be “burned up”, and God will create a new heavens and a new earth free from the effects of sin14.

  1.   Genesis 1:1-2:3, Nehemiah 9:6, John 1:1-3, Colossians 1:16-17, 

  Hebrews 1:1-3 

2.    Psalm 33:6-9, Hebrews 11:3 

3.    Genesis 1:31 

4.    Genesis 3:14-19 which corresponds to the 2nd Law of 

  Thermodynamics or The Law of Entropy which basically states that 

  everything is getting worse and worse over time – falling apart 

5.    Romans 8:18-22 

6.    Genesis 1:11, 12, 21, 24, 25 

7.    Macro-evolutionary means large-scale change from one animal into 

  another, such as reptile to bird 

8.   Genesis 5, 11:10-32, Matthew 1:1-17, Luke 3:23-38 

  (For additional information see PDF longevity chart) 

9.   Genesis 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31 number, evening, and morning with

  each day.  The Hebrew word for day used here is 'yom' which when 

  used elsewhere in the Old Testament always means an ordinary 

  day when it has one or more of the three qualifiers listed above. 

10. Exodus 20:11 

11. Genesis 1:26, 28, 2:7 

12. Genesis 3:20, Acts 17:26, 1 Corinthians 15:45-49 

13. Ecclesiastes 1:6-7, Isaiah 40:22, Romans 8:22, Hebrew 1:10-12 

(For additional information see PDF – origins belief statement) 

14. 2 Peter 3:10-13, Revelation 21:1 

Section 7 – Man

We believe God created man directly and immediately in His own image and likeness as a sinless, rational, and moral being1.  We believe God's intention in the creation of man was that man should glorify God, enjoy God's fellowship, live his life in the will of God, and by this accomplish God's purpose for man in the world2.  We believe man voluntarily disobeyed God3 resulting in: a loss of innocence, spiritual separation from God leading to both a physical and eternal death, becoming subject to God's wrath and judgment4.  We believe all men, with the exception of Jesus Christ5, are sinners by nature and by choice6, and are totally incapable of recovering from their lost condition, apart from God's divine saving grace7.

1.  Genesis 1:27, 2:7 

2.  Ecclesiastes 12:13, Isaiah 43:7, Revelation 4:11

3.  Genesis 2:16-17, 3:6 

4.  Genesis 3:16-19, John 3:36, Ephesians 2:1-3, Hebrews 9:27, 

Revelation 20:15 

5.  2 Corinthians 5:21 

6.  Psalm 51:3-6, Romans 3:23, 5:12 

7.  Jeremiah 17:9, Psalm 14:2-3, Romans 5:8-11, Ephesians 2:8-9 

Section 8 – Angels

We believe angels are powerful spirit beings created by God to bring Him glory and fulfill His purpose in the universe1.  We believe angels were originally created holy, but within the body of angelic beings some rebelled against God and were removed from their privileged position in the presence of God2. We believe these fallen angels are under the leadership of him, who is called Satan, now roam the universe and are especially active on earth, opposing God and His purposes and ruling over the spiritual darkness of this world3.  We believe these wicked angelic beings are destined to be judged by Jesus Christ at His return, and to be finally, eternally incarcerated in the Lake of Fire4.

1.  Psalm 103:20-21, Psalm 148:2, Colossians 1:16 

2.  Genesis 1:31, Isaiah 14:12-19, Ezekiel 28:12-19, Revelation 12:4 

3.  Ephesians 6:11-12, 1 Timothy 4:1, 1 John 5:19, Revelation 18:2-4 

4.  Revelation 20:1-3, 10

Section 9 – Israel 

We believe God called to Himself the nation of Israel1, who are the promised physical descendants of Abraham2, Isaac3, and Jacob4.  As God's chosen people, Israel has been unfaithful in the past5, is separated from God in the present6, and will be saved by God's spiritual regeneration in the future7.  We believe God will literally fulfill all of His promises to Israel which will include the Land Covenant8, the Davidic Covenant9, and the New Covenant10.

1.  Deuteronomy 7:6-9 

2.  Genesis 12:1-3 

3.  Genesis 26:1-4

4.  Genesis 28:10-14 

5.  Ezekiel 39:21-24 

6.  Romans 9:31 – 10:21 

7.  Ezekiel 36:26-27, Romans 11:25-27 

8.  Deuteronomy 30:1-9, Ezekiel 36:23, 24, 28 

9.  2 Samuel 7:10-17, Luke 1:31-33  

10. Jeremiah 31:31-34, Hebrews 8:7-13 

Section 10 – Salvation 

We believe salvation is completely a work of God.  It is God's gift brought to man by grace and received by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ1.  All who believe in Christ are graciously forgiven of their sins by God2, regenerated3, justified4, adopted5, sanctified6, and some day will be glorified7.  We believe all who are genuinely saved can never lose their salvation because their destiny depends upon God's keeping power8.  We believe it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God's Word9 which, however, clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an excuse for sinful living and carnality10.

  1. Romans 3:20-28, Ephesians 2:8-9 – even the faith necessary for 

 salvation is a gift from God! 

2.   Ephesians 1:7, 1 John 2:12 

3.   Regeneration – born again (spiritual birth) work of God the Holy 

Spirit. John 1:13, Titus 3:4-6 

4.   Justification – to be declared righteous by God through faith.  

 Acts 13:39, Romans 5:18 

5.   Adopted – brought into God's family.  Romans 8:14-16, Galatians 4:4-6 

6.   Sanctification – set apart by God for His service—

  • Positionally–believers are in Christ—1 Corinthians 1:2 
  • Progressively and practically–believers are continually being transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ—2 Corinthians 3:18
  • Perfectly–believers will ultimately be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ when He returns—1 John 3:2 

7.   Glorification – the final state of salvation.  Romans 8:30, 1 Corinthians 15:50-53 

8.   1 Peter 1:3-5 

9.   Romans 8:38-39, 1 John 5:13 

10. Galatians 5:13-26, Titus 2:11-14 

Section 11 – The Two Natures of the Believer

We believe every saved person is involved in a daily conflict1 between the new nature in Christ2 and the old nature in the flesh3.  We believe adequate provision is made for victory over our old nature through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit and practical application of God's Word4.  We believe all claims to the eradication of the old nature in this life are unscriptural5.

1.  Romans 7:22-23, Galatians 5:17 

2.  Ephesians 4:22-24 

3.  Flesh – immaterial nature of man given to sin and opposed to God–

Ephesians 2:1-3, 1 John 2:16 

4.  Romans 8:12-13, Galatians 5:16-25, Ephesians 4:17-24, John 17:17 

5.  Romans 7:24, Philippians 3:12-14 & 20-21, 1 Corinthians 15:50-57

Section 12 – Human Sexuality

We believe God designed human sexuality to be between one man and one woman, and is to be shared only inside the bounds of marriage1.  We believe any form of homosexuality, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery, and pornography are sinful perversions of God's gift of sex2. 

1. Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:4-6, 1 Timothy 3:2, 12, Titus 1:6 

2. Exodus 20:14, Leviticus 18:6-16, 23, Romans 1:26-32, and  

    1 Corinthians 6:9-10

Section 13 – Sanctity of Human Life

We believe all human life is created in the image of God1, and is therefore sacred in every state of its existence from conception through the process of natural death2.  We believe the taking of human life is justified through the government’s role of protecting society through the use of capital punishment and war3.  We believe God provides hope, meaning and purpose through His Word to every human life He creates, regardless of their circumstances4.

1. Genesis 1:26-27 

2. Psalm 139:13-16, Matthew 6:25-34 

3. Genesis 9:6, Romans 13:1-4 

4. Genesis 50:20, John 3:16, Romans 8:18, 28, James 1:2-4, 12 

Section 14 – Church 

We believe all who place their faith in Jesus Christ are immediately placed by the Holy Spirit into one united and living spiritual body, of which Christ is the Head1.  We believe the formation of the church, the Body of Christ, began on the day of Pentecost2 and will be completed at the coming of Christ for His own at the rapture3.  We believe local churches are visible expressions of the Body of Christ, gathering and scattering for the express purpose of glorifying their Head through loving obedience to the Word of God4.  We believe the local church is an organized congregation of believers that assemble together for worship, fellowship, service, and edification5.  We believe the local church, under the guidance of God the Holy Spirit and according to the Word of God, govern and discipline themselves, appoint their own leadership (elder(s) and deacon(s)) 6, memorialize the Gospel through the ordinance of baptism and the Lord's supper7, select their own missionaries, and prayerfully and practically participate in the worldwide fulfillment of the Great Commission8.  We believe local churches are free to cooperate with each other and partner with biblical organizations for the purposes of contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel.  We believe local churches are free from any external hierarchy of individuals or organizations and should avoid associating with any ecumenical endeavor, neo-orthodoxy, new evangelicalism, or any such efforts that willingly or unknowingly compromise the Word of Truth9. 

1.  1 Corinthians 12:12-13 

2.  Acts 2:1-47 

3.  1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 

4.  Hebrews 10:24-25, Acts 20:7 

5.  1 John 1:3, 1 Corinthians 14:26, 1 Thessalonians 5:11, John 4:22-24, Acts 

2:42, Colossians 3:23-24 

6.  Galatians 6:1, 1 Corinthians 5:1-8, Titus 3:10-11, Acts 15:22, Acts 6:3-7, 1 

Timothy 3:1-15 

7.  Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 

8.  Acts 1:8, Romans 10:8-18 

9.  Jude 1:3-4, 1 Timothy 6:3-5, 2 Timothy 4:2-4, Titus 1:9 

Section 15 – Baptism/ Lord's Supper

We believe the Scriptural ordinances of the church are baptism and the Lord's Supper, and are to be administered by the local church1.  We believe the two ordinances are outward expressions of an inward spiritual truth that have no bearing on either obtaining or maintaining salvation.  We believe baptism, by immersion, should be administered to believers and shows forth a solemn and beautiful picture of their faith in the crucified, buried and resurrected Savior, and their death to sin and resurrection to a new spiritual life in Christ Jesus2.  We believe that the bread and cup used in the Lord's Supper are symbolic of Jesus' broken body and shed blood on the cross.  We believe the Lord's Supper commemorates together the death, resurrection, and second coming of Jesus Christ, and should be preceded by careful self-examination3. 

1.  Acts 2:41-42 

2.  Acts 8:35-39, Romans 6:3-11 

3.  1 Corinthians 11:23-32  

Section 16 – Spiritual Gifts 

We believe God is sovereign in the bestowment of all His gifts, and the gifts given to believers are sufficient for the perfecting of the Body of Christ today1.  We believe the gifts of speaking in tongues and the working of sign miracles gradually ceased as the New Testament Scriptures were completed and its authority became established2.  We believe God does hear and answer the prayer of faith, in accordance with His own will, for the healing of the sick and afflicted3.  

1.  Romans 12:4-8, 1 Corinthians 12:1-31, Ephesians 4:7-12 

2.  Acts 2:4-11, 43, Acts 8:4-8, 1 Corinthians 13:8 

3.  James 5:13-18, 1 John 5:14-15

Section 17 – Separation 

We believe separation from sin is called for throughout the Old and New Testaments1, and the Scriptures clearly indicate that in the Last Days apostasy and worldliness will increase2.  Every believer should refrain from all things that would defile them and bring shame to the name of their Lord and Savior, such as religious apostasy, worldliness, and sinful pleasures3.  Every believer should pursue holiness in life and ministry through obedience to the indwelling Holy Spirit and God's Word4.  We also believe local churches are to refrain from cooperation or alliance with groups or individuals which do not stand unashamedly for the truths revealed in the Word of God5. 

1.  Isaiah 52:10-11, 1 Thessalonians 5:22

2.  2 Timothy 3:1-5 

3.  2 John 9-10, 1 John 2:15-17, Galatians 5:19-21 

4.  1 Peter 1:13-16, Galatians 5:22-25, John 17:14-17 

5.  Romans 16:17-19, 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1 

Section 18 – Missions 

We believe God has commanded every Christian to participate in the fulfillment of the Great Commission under the authority and guidance of the local church.  Scripture defines the Great Commission as follows: 

  1. Strategy–making disciples through going, baptizing, and teaching–Matthew 28:19-20 
  2. Scope–reaching every person in the world with the Gospel–

Mark 16:15 

  1. Substance–preaching repentance and remission of sins based 

upon the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ–

Luke 24:44-48 

  1. Submission–submitting to the commission as Christ submitted to

 the will of the Father – John 20:21 

  1. Strength–relying on the Holy Spirit to fulfill the Great Commission–

Acts 1:8

Section 19 – The 2 Aspects of Jesus Christ Second Coming 

We believe the first aspect is the personal, bodily return in the air of our Lord Jesus Christ before the seven-year Tribulation to rapture His Church from the earth1.  We believe the second aspect of His coming begins immediately following the removal of the Church from the earth when the righteous judgment of God will be poured out upon an unbelieving world, and that these judgments will be climaxed by the bodily return of Christ in glory to the earth to establish His millennial kingdom2.  We believe during this time, the Antichrist and the false prophet will be overthrown, and Satan removed from the world3. We believe during Christ's 1000 year reign the resurrected saints will rule with Him over Israel and all the nations of the earth, which will be a time of justice, peace, righteousness, harmony, and a fulfillment of God's promises to Israel4.  We believe immediately following the 1000 year reign that Satan will be released again upon the earth to deceive and gather nations together to battle against the saints, whereby Satan and his army will be devoured by fire from heaven, and Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire for all eternity5.  We believe Christ, who is the judge of all people6, will then resurrect and judge the dead, both great and small, at the Great White Throne judgment.  We believe anyone not found written in the Book of Life will be cast into the Lake of Fire for eternal punishment7.

1.  1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, John 14:2-3 

2.  2 Thessalonians 2:7-12, Revelation 16:1-21, Matthew 24:27-31,

25:31-46 

3.  Revelation 19:19-20:3 

4.  Isaiah 65:17-25, Ezekiel 36:16-38, Zechariah 8:1-17 

5.  Revelation 20:7-10 

6.  John 5:22 

7.  Revelation 20:11-15, Matthew 25:46 

Section 20 – Eternity

We believe after the judgment of unbelievers at the Great White Throne judgment, the saved will enter the eternal state of glory with God1, after which the elements of this earth will be dissolved and replaced with a new earth where only righteousness dwells2.  Following this, the heavenly city (New Jerusalem3) will come down out of heaven and will be the dwelling place of the saints, where they will forever enjoy fellowship with God and one another4.  We believe our Lord Jesus Christ, having fulfilled His redemptive mission, will then deliver up the kingdom to God the Father so that the Triune God will reign forever and ever5.

1.  1 John 3:2, Romans 8:29-30, 1 Corinthians 15:50-54 

2.  2 Peter 3:10-13, Revelation 21:1, 27 

3.  Revelation 21:9-27 

4.  Revelation 21:2-6 

5.  1 Corinthians 15:24-28