Pastor Michael Chandler

Victor Valley Bible Church is affiliated with IFCA International, a movement of churches and believers from around the world who are committed to biblical ministry in an effort to enhance the strength of the Church by equipping for and encouraging toward, ministry partnerships to accomplish the Great Commission.

 

The following statement of doctrine is based on our weekly commitment to expounding the Scriptures book-by-book and verse-by-verse. We believe such an approach to teaching the Bible will yield the following doctrines as well. Therefore, this is not only what we believe, but also our purpose to teach and by God’s grace exhibit in our daily lives as well. Our teachings are in line with the historic creeds of the Holy Bible (i.e., Deut 6:4; Rom 10:9-10; 1 Cor 8:6; 12:3; 15:3-4; Eph 4:4-6; Phil 2:6-11; 1 Tim 3:16; 1 John 4:2) and those of the early church (e.g., The Apostles’ Creed, The Nicene Creed, and The Athanasian Creed).

 

We hope that if you are seeking a church to which to commit yourself as a vital member of the body of Christ, Victor Valley Bible Church will be the church of choice for you because here is where we believe sincere seekers will find, not only the truth taught but just as vigorously lived out in a growing and dynamic family of Christians.

 

 

Both Old and New Testaments are verbally inspired and completely inerrant writings (in the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek documents) and are therefore the only supreme and final authority in faith and life for mankind (Ps 12:6-7; 19:7-11; 119:89, 160; Prov 30:5-6; Matt 5:17-20; John 10:35; 1 Cor 14:37; 1 Thess 2:13; 2 Tim 3:16-17; Titus 1:1-3; 1 Pet 1:22-25; 2 Pet 1:20-21; 3:16; Rev 21:5; 22:6).

Believers ought to study translations of the Bible that formally correspond to the thousands of manuscripts and ancient quotations of Scripture (Acts 17:11; 2 Tim 2:15). These versions are adequate to equip Christians for every good work and may likewise be regarded as the word of God. Examples of such English translations include the King James Version, New King James Version, New American Standard Bible, English Standard Version, and Legacy Standard Bible. 

 

He is one essential being or Godhead (Deut 6:4), yet God eternally exists in three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Gen 1:26; 11:7; Ps 110:1; Is 48:16; Matt 3:16-17; 28:19-20; 2 Cor 13:14).

 

For His pleasure and purposes, God created the heavens and the earth, all things visible and invisible, so that what is seen was made out of that which is not seen (Gen 1:1; Heb 11:3; Rev 4:11). The creation of the heavens and the earth was accomplished in six twenty-four-hour periods or “days,” and was the work of God the Father, through the agency of God the Son (John 1:1-3; Col 1:16) and by the oversight of God the Holy Spirit (Gen 1:2).

 

God is the creator of all angels. The angelic host is composed of holy “elect” angels (1 Tim 5:21) and demonic, who fear divine judgment (Mark 1:23-24; James 2:19). Lucifer was a highly exalted angel, blameless from the day he was created until iniquity was found in him (Ezek 28:15). In sinful pride he willed to be like the Most High and fell from his heavenly position (Is 14:12-15). He was joined in his rebellion by other angels who became demons and unclean spirits (Rev 12:4). The devil’s primary work is that of deception, as evident from the temptation by which man fell (Gen 3:1-7,13; 2 Cor 11:3; 1 Tim 2:14; 4:1-5).

 

God created man in His own image, male and female He created them (Gen 1:26-27; James 3:9). Accordingly, there are but two sexes (genders) – male and female. One’s sex is not “assigned” at birth, but predetermined by the sovereign God. Life thus begins at conception and is inherently valued and divinely ordained (Ps 139:13-16; Jer 1:5; Gal 1:15). 

 

Man and woman were created as companions for each other, their marriage creating the nucleus of a God-ordained unit (Gen 2:18, 24; Matt 19:4-6), displaying His handiwork and revealing the mystery of the union of God with redeemed mankind, the church (Eph 5:30-32). Furthermore, the marriage between one man and one woman is the only God-ordained pattern of biblical marriage, with any alteration of this basic unit constituting a transgression bearing dire consequences (Heb 13:4). This male-female union is the cornerstone of the family, the building block of all society. The Bible declares transgender behavior and homosexuality and the improper union that results from such “vile affections” as gross and grievous sins (Lev 18:22; 20:13; Deut 22:5; Rom 1:24-27). Ancient cultures so marked by these aberrations were severely judged by God (Gen 13:13; 18:20; 19:1-29; Lev 18:24-29).

 

Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary (Matt 1:23; Luke 1:26-35) and thus He possesses all the attributes of true humanity and undiminished deity (Mark 1:1; John 1:1, 14; Phil 2:5-11; Col 2:9; Heb 1:1-14).

 

Christ died once for sins (Rom 6:10; Heb 9:27-28; 1 Pet 3:18) and was buried and bodily rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Cor 15:3-4). His death was as a representative (Rom 5:18-19) and substitutionary and propitiatory sacrifice (Is 53:4-6, 8, 10-12; Rom 3:21-26; 1 John 2:1-2).

Based upon Christ’s shed blood and bodily resurrection, justification is provided freely by grace (unmerited favor) alone to all who believe (trust) in Christ alone as Lord and Savior (Rom 4:22-25; 5:8-10; 10:9-13; Eph 2:8-9; 2 Cor 5:21). 

 

God raised Jesus from the dead (Ps 16:8; Acts 2:29; Mark 9:31; 10:33-34; John 2:19-22; Luke 24:1-8, 36-43; Acts 1:3; Rom 1:4), and because of His resurrection, believers will be raised to bodily life and eternal blessedness (1 Cor 15:50-57; 1 Thess 4:13-18) and unbelievers will be raised to judgment (John 3:36; 5:24-29), which judgment will culminate in eternal conscious punishment in the lake of fire which is hell (Matt 25:41, 46; Rev 21:8).

 

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8-11); regenerates sinners (Titus 3:5; 1 Cor 6:9-11), setting them apart from the world to obey Jesus Christ (1 Pet 1:1-2, 22; 2:11-12); baptizes them into the church which is the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:13); gifts them for the edification of the church (Rom 12:3-8; 1 Cor 12:4-11; Eph 4:7-16; 1 Pet 4:10-11); seals them for the day of redemption (Eph 1:13-14; 4:30); enlightens them to understand the Scriptures (Ps 119:18; 1 Cor 2:13); fills them to be witnesses to Christ and to live as worshipers of Christ (Acts 1:8; 2:4, 14-42; 4:31; 6:3,5; 7:55-60; Eph 5:18-21); calls and sends out His workers (Acts 13:1-4); guides and leads them (Acts 15:22-29; 16:6-10; Rom 8:14), bearing His fruit as they walk in Him (Gal 5:16-26).

 

Mankind was created in the image of God (Gen 1:26; Ps 8:5; James 3:9), yet he sinned (Gen 3:6-10) and thereby incurred not only physical suffering and death but spiritual death as well which is separation from God (Gen 3:17-19; Is 59:1-2; Rom 5:12; Eph 2:11-13).

All human beings are conceived and born with a sinful nature (Ps 14:1-4; 51:5; 53:1; 58:3-5) and express their sinfulness through thoughts, words, and actions (Gen 5:3; 6:5; 8:21; Matt 15:18-19; Rom 3:10-18), and are subject to the power of Satan (John 8:42-47; Eph 2:1-3).

Man is naturally and totally depraved in that in him no good thing dwells (Rom 7:18) and he is incapable of coming to God on his own (John 6:44). This necessitates the divine work of regeneration.

 

All who receive the Lord Jesus Christ by faith alone are born again (regenerated) by the Holy Spirit and immediately become children of God (John 1:12-13; 3:3-8; Rom 8:9-11, 14-17; Titus 3:3-5). This is a relationship in which they are eternally secure (John 10:27-30; Eph 1:13-14; 4:30; Phil 1:6; 1 Thess 5:23-24; 2 Tim 2:11-13; 1 Pet 1:3-5; Jude 1:1) and in which Jesus ensures their perseverance (Luke 22:31-34; John 17:9, 15; Rom 8:28-39; Phil 2:12-13; Col 1:21-23; 1 John 2:19; Jude 1:1-2).

Repentance from sin and subsequent good works and fruit of the Holy Spirit are among the evidences of this new life (Matt 5:13-16; Acts 11:18; 26:20; Gal 5:22-23; Eph 2:8-10; Tit 2:11-14; Heb 6:9).

 

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is not a “second blessing,” but occurs at the time of salvation (Acts 2:38, 41; 10:44-47; 19:1-7; 1 Cor 12:13). At the moment of conversion, the believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:9) and becomes the possession of God (1 Cor 6:19-20; Eph 1:14; Tit 2:14). 

 

At the moment of salvation, each believer is entrusted with a spiritual gift to edify the other members of the body of Christ, which is the church (1 Cor 12:7; Rom 12:3-8; 1 Pet 4:10-11). 

Although God still acts in miraculous ways and sometimes affects healings for the sick, the spiritual gifts of miracles, healings, tongues (i.e., languages), and interpretation of tongues fulfilled their purpose as signs of the divine authority of the apostles and prophets of the NT (Acts 2:4; 10:46-47; 19:6; 2 Cor 12:12). As such, they ceased to function near the end of the apostolic period, as evidenced by the record of the New Testament (1 Cor 13:8; 14:20-22; Heb 2:4; 2 Tim 4:20b).

 

Jesus Christ will appear a second time (Heb 9:28). This coming is imminent (Matt 24:42, 44; 25:13; Acts 1:7; 1 Tim 6:15), bodily (Acts 1:11; Rev 1:7), and premillennial (Rev 3:10; 20:1-3).

Christ will come again to rapture His church to Himself and glorify believers (John 14:3; 1 Cor 15:51-52; Phil 3:20-21; 1 Thess 4:13-18). This transformation will occur before the tribulation, for believers have not been appointed to wrath (1 Thess 5:1-11; 2 Thess 2:1-12; Rev 3:10).

 

Faith in and practice of the biblical truth stated in this statement, we deem as necessary to sound doctrine and thereby essential for healthy Christian fellowship (John 7:17; Rom 16:17-18; 2 Cor 6:14-7:1; Tit 3:10; 2 Pet 3:16-18; Jude 1:3-4, 16-21; 1 John 2:22-24; 4:1-6).

 

The elders and members of Victor Valley Bible Church unanimously agree with this statement of faith. Additions to this statement and further clarifications, as needed, flow from the preaching ministry and will be likewise affirmed. May you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.