A Confession of the Gospel

Outlined under
Sin, Righteousness, and Judgment

Assembled by a Select Subcommittee for a Gospel Membership Commitment Statement
including two other committee members, Larry Christoffel, and Lee F. Greer III (chairman)
By request of Pastor Hyveth Williams and appointment from the Church Board of the Campus Hill Church, Loma Linda, California on 17 October 2000

 

 

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My personal Union with Christ and His Church

Preamble – This statement reflects the Campus Hill Church’s expression of the teaching of Scripture.  As our knowledge of Jesus grows, we expect to better express His truth.

I accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ: God the Father so loved the world that He gave Christ who offered Himself through the eternal Spirit, died on behalf of all our sins, was buried, and was raised again the third day according to the Scriptures¹ to intercede on our behalf at the right hand of God.²Justification by faith alone: So, I am persuaded that God justifies me, even me, by faith alone without works of any kind for the sake of His own Son.³ That is, God pardons and accepts me, the believing sinner, counting Christ’s perfect life of obedience and death as though they were my own.⁴ This is my only claim to eternal life both now and forever!⁵ Indeed as a believer I know that God has chosen me in Christ from the foundation of the world, and blessed me with all spiritual blessings in Christ in heavenly places.⁶

• God and Scripture. Jesus the living Word is the ultimate revelation of God⁷ and the Scriptures are the testimony of Jesus,⁸ inspired by the Holy Spirit⁹ who convicts of sin, righteousness, and judgment.¹⁰ The Scriptures are the only rule of faith and practice¹¹ and the gifts of the Spirit continue to be manifested in the church, which is to be an ever-reforming community of faith.^12,47 So the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit work together for our salvation.¹³

I. The doctrine of sin: "Because they do not believe in Me"

• Seeing Calvary, I am more than ever convicted of the awfulness of sin, which is

  • Rejecting Christ,¹⁴

  • ‘Whatsoever is not of faith,’¹⁵

  • The transgression of God’s Law – lawlessness,¹⁶

  • Knowing to do good and doing it not,¹⁷

  • Continuing to fall short of the glory of God,¹⁸

• Even as a believer indwelt by the Holy Spirit, nothing good is in my flesh, but only sin¹⁹ – All I do and all I am continue to fall short of God’s glory²⁰ so my only claim is Jesus’ continuous unmerited justification.²¹ Like every human I was a sinner from the moment of conception,²² by nature a child of wrath,²³ a transgressor, estranged from the womb,²⁴ and constituted a sinner because of the fall of Adam,²⁵ thereby losing immortality.²⁶ Until Jesus comes again whether we are alive or dead, just as our righteousness is in Him, so our life is in Him and not in ourselves.²⁷

• The holy Law of God brings a full knowledge of sin²⁸ and drives us to Christ in order that we might be justified by faith.²⁹

II. The doctrine of righteousness: "Because I am going to the Father and you no longer see Me"

• Justification by faith alone: Because only a perfect doer of the Law can ever be justified,³⁰ the Law can never justify me in the sight of God.³¹ I am justified by faith only in a Righteousness outside of myself or any of my works, even the righteousness of Christ my Substitute, which I can neither see nor grasp except by faith alone.^32,3 His perfect Righteousness reckoned mine^33,3,4,21 is what Scripture calls ‘the righteousness of faith.’³⁴ The one who is just by faith shall live.³⁵

  • Fruit in sanctification: Being justified by faith alone for the sake of Jesus my Substitute in heaven³⁶ is the sole reason, the only lawful and ethical foundation upon which He sends the Holy Spirit to sanctify me down here on earth, yielding the fruit of the Spirit³⁷ as exemplified in Jesus my Example.³⁸ In Christ, He has given me assurance,³⁹ a new birth and freedom to be an overcomer,⁴⁰ to choose obedience in thought, word, and deed to all God’s commandments,⁴¹ including the seventh-day Sabbath, the emblem of creation, Gospel rest,⁴² and sanctification.⁴³ Thus in sanctification:

    • God’s laws are being written in my heart⁴⁴ as promises for happiness.⁴⁵

    • Faith operating by love purifies the soul temple, spiritually, mentally, physically, and socially⁴⁶ including pure love for family and defense of the poor and defenseless.^47,12

    • Because God for Jesus’ sake has accepted me, a sinner, as righteous,⁴⁸ I accept others also. Therefore, where I have hurt them or they have hurt me, I am willing to confess my own faults and forgive theirs so we can pray together for healing.⁴⁹

    • Because Jesus paid it all for me, I am happy to consecrate my all to Him, including life, time, talents, personal efforts, health, influence, a tithe of all my increase and my free will offerings,⁵⁰ in order to spread the Gospel.

    • Not that I have attained but I press forward forgetting what is behind;⁵¹ He has begun a good work in me and He will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.⁵²

  • Church. Jesus has called me into His Church Universal founded on the Rock, against which hell can never prevail, because in the ‘keys of the kingdom’ He has given her one authority: To proclaim on earth below God’s merciful verdict in Christ above on behalf of believing sinners– Justification by faith.⁵³ In the last days, His calling includes fellowship with those who keep God’s commandments and ‘the faith of Jesus,’ which is justification by faith alone.⁵⁴ His calling is signified by

    • Being baptized into His life, death, and resurrection to begin my new life in Him⁵⁵

    • Partaking in corporate worship in the church⁵⁶

    • Coming gratefully to the Lord’s table ‘in remembrance’ of Jesus⁵⁷ to show His death till He comes again in glory⁵⁸

    • Entering heaven itself in the priesthood of all believers in Christ⁵⁹

    • Growing in discipleship, developing my own unique spiritual gifts and talents in His church⁶⁰ which will again become a common community in defense of the poor and defenseless.^{47, 12}

    • Becoming a minister of reconciliation to carry the Gospel to a lost and dying world.⁶¹

III. The doctrine of judgment: "Because the ruler of this world has been judged"

• The slain Lamb of God, our Advocate and Surety, has already prevailed in court against our adversary;⁶² our accuser has been cast down!⁶³ It is God who justifies!^3,21 Who can bring any charge against believers in Him?^64,3,4,21

• By His Holy Law, God brings every work, thought, deed, and motive into judgment, whether good or evil, and the whole world is summoned.⁶⁵ However, as a repentant believer I appear only in the person of my Redeemer and Surety who has borne my sin⁶⁶ and appears in my stead.^67,3,4,21 Therefore with the Psalmist I can anticipate that day with solemn joy, "Judge me O Lord my God according to Your righteousness"^68,3,4,21 and exclaim with Martin Luther, "O happy judgment day!" Only the persistently impenitent must stand alone – alone in their sin, shame, and despair.⁶⁹

• Second Advent. Soon Jesus is coming again in person in the clouds of heaven before every eye,⁷⁰ bringing judgment on all that obey not the Gospel.⁷¹ He will raise the dead in Christ and translate the living believers into glory incorruptible, bringing all His redeemed home,⁷² and receiving His bride, as the new earth becomes the saints’ possession forever!⁷³ Even so, come, Lord Jesus! Amen!⁷⁴

The Campus Hill Church of Seventh-day Adventists, Loma Linda, California 92354, USA

 

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¹John 3: 16; 1: 29; Heb. 9: 14; Rom. 4: 21-5: 21; I Cor. 15: 1-4; II Cor. 5: 19, 21a–>b; Col. 3: 1-4; I John 2: 2
² Rom. 8: 34; Ps. 110 – the Old Testament passage most cited in the New Testament; Ps. 84: 9
³ Rom. 3-4: 21-5: 11: Faith in itself has no merit but because it lays hold of the Object, Christ and His spotless righteousness which is accounted mine in God’s merciful reckoning for Jesus’ sake, it is said to be ‘counted for righteousness’ (Heb. 11: 1).
⁴ Rom. 1: 16-17; 3: 20-31; 4-5; 8: 31-39; Gal. 2: 16-3: 29; I Cor. 15: 1-4; Col. 3: 1-4; Eph. 1:3; Phil. 3: 9; Rom. 1: 16-17; 3: 22; 4: 5, 9, 11, 13; 9: 30; 10: 6; Gal. 5: 5; Heb. 11: 7; II Pet. 1: 1; Ps. 32: 1-2; Isa. 53; Lev. 1-9; 16; 17: 11; Hebrews; Luke 20: 35; 21: 36; II Thes. 1: 5; The Gospels: Mark = Matthew = Luke = John; I John 2: 1-2; cf. Jn. 18: 7-8
⁵ John 3: 12-18; Rom. 4-5; I Cor. 15: 1-4; Luke 20: 35; 21: 36; II Thes. 1: 5
⁶ Eph. 1: 1-14; I Cor. 1: 2, 30; 6: 11; II Thes. 2: 13; I Pet. 1: 2; John 17: 19; Heb. 2: 11; 10: 10, 14, 29; 13: 12; Job 1: 5; Jer. 1: 5; Jude 1: 1
⁷ Heb. 1: 1-2; John 1: 1
⁸ Luke 24: 25-27, 44-46; Acts 10: 34-43; John 5: 38-39; Rev. 1: 2, 9; 12: 17; 19: 10
⁹ II Pet. 1: 21
¹⁰ John 16: 7-11
¹¹ II Tim. 3: 16; Rev. 22: 18-19; Isa. 8: 20
¹² I Cor. 12: 4-11; Rev. 19: 10; I Pet. 2:21; I John 2: 6; Acts 10: 38; 2: 2 (~Phil. 2: 2); 2: 41-47 = Jas. 2: 14-18; Mic. 6: 8
¹³ Matt. 28: 19; Heb. 9: 14; Deut. 6: 4-5 = Mark 12: 29-31; Gal. 4: 6
¹⁴ John 16: 9
¹⁵ Rom. 14: 23
¹⁶ I John 3: 4
¹⁷ James 4: 17
¹⁸ Rom. 3: 23
¹⁹ Rom. 7: 17, 20; Jer. 17: 7-12; Matt. 12: 34; 11: 7 = Luke 11: 13
²⁰ Rom. 3: 23-24; 7-8; I John 1: 8; Eccl. 7: 20; Luke 17: 10
²¹ cf. Greek continuous present (and future) tense(s) in many of the following: Rom. 3: 23-24, 28; 4: 1-24-25; 7-8(: 31-33-39); 1: 16-17; Heb. 7: 25; 10: 14; Gal. 3: 11; 2: 16; I Cor. 4: 4; Acts 13: 39; Luke 18: 14; I John 2: 1; Ps. 32: 1-2, 5; 130: 3-4
²² Ps. 51: 5, TLB
²³ Eph. 2: 3; Ps. 58: 3
²⁴ Isa. 48: 8; Ps. 58: 3; Rom. 3: 1-19, 23
²⁵ Rom. 5: 19
²⁶ Gen. 3; Rom. 5; Job 3: 11-19; 7: 21; Eccl. 9: 5-10; Ps. 115: 17; John 11: 11-14; I Thes. 4: 13-19; Dan. 12: 2; Isa. 26: 19
²⁷ Col. 3: 3-4; I John 5: 11-13; Eccl. 9: 5-10; Ps. 115: 17; John 11: 11-14; I Thes. 4: 13-19; Dan. 12: 2; Isa. 26: 19
²⁸ Rom. 3: 20
²⁹ Gal. 3: 24
³⁰ Rom. 2: 13; 4: 2; Gal. 3: 12; Eph. 2: 8-10
³¹ Gal. 2: 16; Acts 13: 39; Rom. 3: 20; Gal. 3: 11; 5: 4
³² Rom. 3: 21-28; 4: 2-8, 22-5: 1; Col. 3: 1-4; Gal. 2: 16; 3: 11; 3: 24; II Cor. 5: 21b
³³ Rom. 4
³⁴Phil. 3: 9; Rom. 1: 16-17; 3: 22; 4: 5, 9, 11, 13; 9: 30; 10: 6; Gal. 5: 5; Heb. 11: 7; II Pet. 1: 1
³⁵ Rom. 1: 16-17
³⁶ Rom. 3: 23-24; 8: 29-31; Heb. 7: 25; Gal. 2: 20a,d
³⁷ John 16: 7-8; 1: 12; 15: 1-10; Tit. 3: 4-8; Rom. 6: 19, 22; 8: 1-5; II Cor. 4: 14-16; Col. 3: 1-4 –> 5-25; Eph. 1: 1-12 –> 13; Heb. 11: 33; I John 2: 29; 3: 1-3, 6-7; Gal. 5: 6, 22-26; 2: 20b,c; Romans 3: 27-28; 4: 2-3, 4-5 - 25 hence –> Jas. 2: 20-26
³⁸ I Pet. 2:21; I John 2: 6; Acts 10: 38; 2: 2 (~Phil. 2: 2); 2: 41-47 = Jas. 2: 14-18; Mic. 6: 8
³⁹ I John 5: 12-13; Isa. 32: 17; John 3: 16; 5: 24; Rom. 8: 1, 31-39; Col. 2: 2-10; I Thes. 1: 5; Heb. 4: 16; 6: 11, 18-20; 10: 19-22, 35
⁴⁰ John 16: 33, Rom. 3: 4; Rev. 17: 4 therefore– Rom. 12: 21; Num. 13: 30; I John 2: 13-14; 4: 4; 5: 4-5; Rev. 2: 7, 11, 17, 26; 3: 5, 12, 21; 12: 11; 21: 7; II Pet. 2: 19
⁴¹ Rev. 14: 12; cf. Rom. 6-8; Gal. 5-6; Eph. 5-6: 1-20; Col. 3: 5-25
⁴² Gen. 2: 1-3; Mark 2: 27-28; Ex. 20: 8-11; Deut. 5: 15; II Cor. 10: 3-5; Heb. 4
⁴³ Ex. 31: 13; Ez. 20: 12, 20
⁴⁴ Ez. 36: 26; Jer. 31: 33; Heb. 8: 10; 10: 16; Prov. 3: 3; 7: 3; II Cor. 3: 3; cf. Deut. 5; 6: 4-5; Ex. 20; Matt. 5-7; Mk. 12: 28-34 = Matt. 22: 34-40 = Luke 10: 25-28
⁴⁵ Heb. 8: 10; 10:16; Deut. 4: 6
⁴⁶ Rom. 12: 1; I Thess. 5: 21; I Cor. 6: 18-20; III John 1: 2
⁴⁷ Matt. 25: 31-46; a community in common: Acts 10: 38; 2: 2 (~Phil. 2: 2); 2: 41-47 = Jas. 2: 14-18; Mic. 6: 8; I John 2: 6
⁴⁸ Eph. 4: 31-32
⁴⁹ James 5: 16; Matt. 6: 9-13 = Luke 11: 2-4
⁵⁰ Mal. 3: 8-12; I Cor. 16: 2
⁵¹ Phil. 3: 9-14
⁵² Phil. 1: 6
⁵³ Matt. 16: 15-19; 6: 9-13 = Luke 11: 2-4; John 20: 22-23; Eph. 2: 11-22
⁵⁴ Rev. 12: 17; 14: 12
⁵⁵ Rom. 6
⁵⁶ Heb. 10: 25; 12: 22-23; I Cor. 12; Rom. 12: 1
⁵⁷ Mark 14: 17, 22-25; Matt. 26: 20, 26-29; Luke 22: 14-20
⁵⁸ I Cor. 11: 23-29; I Thess. 4: 16-18
⁵⁹ Lev. 16; ch. 25-26; Heb. 4: 12-16; 6:19-20; 9: 7-15, 24-28; 10: 1-25 (~ Mark 15: 38 = Matt. 27: 51 = Luke 23: 45); 12: 22-29; 13: 10-14; Rev. 1: 6; 5: 10; I Pet. 2: 9; Eph. 1: 3; the Jubilee Day of Atonement: Dan. 8: 1-14 = 9: 24-27 (= Lev. 16; ch. 25-26; Isa. 61:1-2~Luke 4: 18-19; Hebrews)
⁶⁰ I Cor. 12; The ministry and writings of Ellen G. White are recognized as an example of the prophetic gift.
⁶¹ II Cor. 5: 14-21
⁶² The Jubilee Day of Atonement: Dan. 8: 1-14 = 9: 24-27 (= Lev. 16; ch. 25-26; Isa. 61:1-2~Luke 4: 18-19; Hebrews); note the ‘scapegoat’/ Azazel type: Lev. 16 Þ [Job 1: 6-12; 2: 1-7]; John 12: 31-33; 16: 11; Rom. 3; Zech. 3; Dan. 8: 1-14 = 9: 24-27; Rev. 4; 12; 20: 1-3, 10; cf. the temptation, Mark 1 = Matt. 4 = Luke 4
⁶³ Rev. 12; John 12: 31; 16: 11; the Jubilee Day of Atonement: Dan. 8: 1-14 = 9: 24-27 (= Lev. 16; ch. 25-26; Isa. 61:1-2~Luke 4: 18-19; Hebrews
⁶⁴ Rom. 8: 31-39
⁶⁵ Eccl. 12; Rev. 4; 12; 11: 15-19; 14: 6-12; Rom. 3; 8; 14: 10; Dan. 7-9; John 5: 22, 27; 12: 31-33; Acts 17: 31; Zech. 3; Ps. 9: 7; Rom. 3: 4 ‘… when You are judged’; Luke 23: 40 ‘Do you not fear God … you are in the same judgment?’
⁶⁶ Isa. 53; I Tim. 5: 24a; Rom. 3
⁶⁷ Lev. 16; Heb. 4: 12-16; Rom. 3; John 3: 18; 5: 24; Dan. 7: 9-14, 22, 26-27 (= Ps. 22-24 = Rev. 12); 8: 1-14 = 9: 24-27 (= Lev. 16; ch. 25-26; Isa. 61:1-2~Luke 4: 18-19; Isa. 63: 1-7); Dan. 12: 1-3; Luke 20: 35; 21: 36; II Thes. 1: 5
⁶⁸ Ps. 35: 24; Dan. 9: 16, 19; Ps. 31: 1; 71:1-2; cf. Ps. 84: 9 & I Sam. 12: 7
⁶⁹ II Tim. 5: 24b; Isa. 2: 10-21; 47: 3; Jer. 8: 20; Nah. 3: 5; Heb. 10: 25-26; Rev. 3: 18; 6: 15-16; Ez. 33: 11
⁷⁰ Acts 1: 9-11; Rev. 1: 7
⁷¹ II Thes. 1: 8; John 12: 48; includes the final ‘great white throne’ judgment and destruction after the 1000 years of Rev. 20.
⁷² I Thes. 4: 13-16, TLB; Mark 13 = Matt. 24 = Luke 21; Dan. 12: 1-3; Jude 1: 14-15
⁷³ Rev. 19; 14: 14-16
⁷⁴ Rev. 22: 20b

© Campus Hill Church, 2003