Oikos Doctrinal Statement

Doctrine

Oikos stands in the tradition of the historic reformed church.
We affirm the five "Solas" of the Reformation:
"Sola Scriptura" - Scripture Alone
"Sola Gratia" - Grace Alone
"Sola Fide" - Faith Alone
"Solus Christus" - Christ Alone
"Soli Deo Gloria" - To the Glory of God Alone

Statement of Faith

1 God and the Trinity
We believe in the one true and living God, in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, who is invisible, personal, omnipresent, eternal, dependent on none, unchanging, truthful, trustworthy, almighty, sovereign, omniscient, righteous, holy, good, loving, merciful, long-suffering and gracious.

2 The Holy Scripture
We believe that Almighty God has revealed all that is necessary to life and salvation in the sixty-six books of Holy Scripture, which are the Word of God. All Scripture was given by inspiration of God, is infallible and inerrant, and is the final arbiter in all disputes. Its authority is derived from its Author and not from the opinions of men.

3 Adam Our Representative
We believe that God made our first father Adam perfect, holy and upright. He was appointed representative and head of the human race, thereby exposing all his offspring to the effects of his obedience or disobedience to God's commands.

4 The Fall and Its Effects
We believe that Adam fell from his original righteousness into sin and brought upon himself and all his offspring death, slavery to a sin nature, condemnation, and spiritual and physical death.

5 Man's Inability
We believe it is utterly beyond the power of fallen man to love God, to keep His laws, to understand the gospel, to repent of sin or to trust in Christ.

6 Election
We believe that God, before the foundation of the world, for His own glory did elect an incalculable host of men and women to eternal life as an act of free and sovereign grace. This election was in no way dependent upon His foresight of human faith, decision, or works of merit.

7 Christ Our Representative
We believe that God sent His Son into the world, conceived of the virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit, unchangeably sinless, both God and man, born under the law, to live a perfect life of righteousness on behalf of His elect people.

8 Particular Redemption
We believe that God's Son died at Calvary to effect propitiation, reconciliation, redemption and atonement for His elect people. God bore testimony to His acceptance of His Son's work by raising Him bodily from the dead.

9 The Ascension of Christ
We believe that God's Son ascended to the right hand of His Father and is enthroned in glory, where He intercedes on behalf of His people and rules over all things for their sake.

10 Irresistible Grace
We believe that God the Son has poured out the Holy Spirit to work alongside the preached Word. The Spirit of God regenerates elect sinners and draws them irresistibly to faith in Christ the Savior.

11 Justification
We believe the elect, who are called by grace, are justified in the sight of God on account of the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ, which is received by faith alone.

12 Perseverance
We believe that all who are regenerated, called and justified shall persevere in holiness and never finally fall away.

13 Church Ordinances
We believe that baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper are gospel ordinances belonging only to regenerated believers.

14 Sabbath
We believe that all Christians should keep a Sabbath day holy to the Lord, setting it apart as a day to rest from normal workday activities and focus on worshiping God.

15 The Church
We believe that the local church is under the authority of Christ alone. Nevertheless, He has appointed men to be elders (under shepherds) to represent Him as they care for His body. Deacons also serve Christ as His ministers of mercy. Furthermore, the communion of saints requires the recognition of and fellowship with other local evangelical churches.

16 Evangelism and Discipleship
We believe it is the calling of every local church to participate in fulfilling the Great Commission by making disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything Christ has commanded us. The fulfillment of the Great Commission requires that all selfish ambitions be subordinated to a total commitment to Him who loved us and gave Himself for us.

17 Creation
We believe that the Triune God-Father, Son and Holy Spirit- created the world in six consecutive 24 hours days.

18 Eschatology
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ shall come again to raise the dead bodily, both righteous and unrighteous, and that the righteous shall enjoy everlasting life and the wicked endure everlasting punishment.

19 Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit has come into the world to reveal and glorify Christ and to apply the saving work of Christ to men. He convicts and draws sinners to Christ, imparts new life to them, continually indwells them from the moment of Spiritual birth, and seals them until the day of redemption. His fullness, power, and control are appropriated in the believer's life by faith.

20 Holy Spirit Empowerment
Every believer is called to live so in the power of the indwelling Spirit that he will not fulfill the lust of the flesh but will bear fruit to the glory of God.

21 Christ, Head of the Church
Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church, His body, which is composed of all men, living and dead, who have been joined to Him through saving faith.

22 Community of Faith
God admonishes His people to assemble together regularly for worship, for participation in ordinances, for edification through the Scriptures, and for mutual encouragement.

23 Our Adversary
There exists a personal spirit of Evil, Satan, our adversary, who, with great power, carries on organized opposition to the Kingdom of God, and seeks the demise of man: he will suffer ultimate and total defeat at the hands of Jesus Christ.

Man of these doctrines are delineated with their respective scripture references in the 1689 London Baptist confession of Faith as republished in 1974 under the title "A Faith to Confess". While we do not hold this or any other confession document to be equal in authority to the Holy Scriptures, we do regard the 1689 London Confession a reasonable expression of our beliefs and an edifying assistance for studying God's Word, settling matters of controversy and giving ready reasons for the hope that is within us as Christians