What We Teach

1. The Scriptures

We teach that the Bible is God’s written revelation, and the sixty-six books of the Bible constitute the plenary (entire) Word of God preserved for humanity (2 Pet. 1:20-21). We teach that the Word of God is an objective, propositional revelation (1 Thess. 2:13), verbally inspired in all of its parts by the Holy Spirit (2 Tim. 3:16), in the original documents absolutely inerrant, infallible (reliable), authoritative, and sufficient for all matters of faith and practice (Isa. 30:8; 1 Pet. 1:23-24; 2 Tim. 3:16-17).

We teach that, while there may be several applications of any given passage of Scripture, there is but one true interpretation, and it is to be found as one diligently applies the contextual-grammatical-historical method of interpretation (2 Tim. 2:15).

2. The Virgin Birth and the Incarnation of Jesus Christ

We teach that Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Spirit in a miraculous manner (Lk. 1:35); born of Mary, a virgin, as no other person was ever born or can ever be born (Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18-25), and that He is both the Son of God, and God the Son (1 Jn. 5:20).

We teach that when Jesus Christ became flesh (incarnate), He added to Himself all the attributes of humanity except a sinful nature (Heb. 4:15), and as a result, He became one person that is both one hundred percent God and one hundred percent human. Becoming flesh, He laid aside His right to the full prerogatives of co-existence with God to assume the place of a Son and an existence appropriate to a servant; however, He did not divest Himself of His divine attributes (Phil. 2:5-8). These He would only use as led by God the Father to accomplish His purposes as the Messiah (Jn. 5:30). 

We teach that the purpose of the incarnation was to reveal God (Jn.  1:18), redeem men (Mk. 10:45), and to rule over God’s kingdom (Ps. 2:7-8).

3. The Trinity or Godhead

We teach that there is but one living and true God (Deut. 6:4; Isa.  45:5-7; 1 Cor. 8:4-6), an infinite, intelligent, omnipotent Spirit (Jn. 4:24), perfect in all His attributes, One in essence, but eternally existing in three Persons - God the Father (Eph. 4:6), God the Son (Jn. 1:1,14), and God the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4). We teach that these three persons are ontologically equal in Their essential being (deserving the same worship and obedience) and yet have separate and distinct functions among Themselves in order to accomplish Their one divine will. This is seen in both creative (Gen. 1:1-2; Jn. 1:1-3) and redemptive activity (Eph. 1:3-14; Titus 3:4-7). In respect to salvation, the Father planned it, the Son provided it, and the Spirit applies it.

4. The Fall of Mankind

We teach that God directly and immediately created human beings in His image and likeness, both male and female (Gen. 1:26-28, 2:15-25). We teach that they were created free of sin with a rational nature, intelligence, volition (self-determination), and a moral responsibility to God (Gen. 2:15- 17). 

We teach that in Adam’s sin of disobedience to the revealed will and Word of God, he lost his innocence; incurred the penalty of spiritual and physical death; became subject to the wrath of God; became inherently corrupt and utterly incapable of choosing or doing that which is acceptable to God apart from divine grace. With no recuperative powers to enable him to recover himself, he and his descendants are hopelessly lost, apart from the salvation that is in the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ (Gen. 3:1-19; Jn. 3:36; Rom. 3:23, 6:23; 1 Cor. 2:14; Eph. 2:8-9).

5. The Atonement

We teach that the ultimate purpose of Christ’s incarnation was that He might pay the penalty for the sin of humanity through His voluntary, sacrificial, and substitutionary death (Mk. 10:45; Gal. 3:13; 1 Pet. 2:24, 3:18), also known as the atonement. Through Him, being the propitiation for our sins, God’s righteous demands were fully satisfied, and the divine wrath of God was averted (Rom. 3:25; 1 John 2:2).

 This allowed humanity, which was alienated from their Creator by sin, to be reconciled to Him (Rom. 5:10; 2 Cor. 5:18-20) and redeemed, which means being bought and rescued from slavery to sin and its consequence of death (Rom. 3:24, 6:6-7; 1 Cor. 6:20, 7:23; Gal. 3:13, 4:4-5; Col. 1:14; Rev. 5:9).  We teach that the validity of Christ’s atonement rests upon the truth of His physical, bodily resurrection (Isa. 53:10-11; Rom. 4:25; 1 Cor. 15:17). 

6. The Justification of Faith

Justification happens at the moment of our salvation. For salvation to happen, people must first acknowledge their own sinfulness, their hopeless condition, and their need for a Savior (Rom. 3:23, 6:23; 2 Thess. 1:7-9).  Secondly, they must respond to the call of the Holy Spirit as He convicts them of sin, righteousness, and judgment (Jn. 16:8). This is done by placing their faith and trust unreservedly in the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ (Jn. 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-4; Eph. 2:8-9). In evidence of their faith, sinners will turn from their sin toward God in repentance (1 Thess. 1:9) and be saved and justified.

Justification is the legal act of God, whereby He, as divine Judge, declares or vindicates the believing sinner as righteous on the basis of the shed blood of Christ. It does not make a person righteous or transform his/her heart (regeneration); it simply changes one’s legal status before God. The results of justification for believers are peace and reconciliation with their Creator (Rom. 5:1; 2 Cor. 5:19-20), and the hope and assurance of  eternal life (Titus 3:7). Being declared righteous, the redeemed are kept by  God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever (Jn. 5:24, 6:37-50, Rom.  8:1, 28-39; Jude 23-24). 

7. The resurrection of the Just and the Unjust

We teach that the just will be physically resurrected, the Church-age saints at the time of the Rapture (1 Thess. 4:18) and the Old Testament and Tribulational saints at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ (Dan. 12:2; Jn.  11:24; Rev. 6:9-10). We also teach that after the judgment of Satan (Matt 25:41; Rev. 20:9), following the millennial reign of Christ, Jesus, the Judge of all humanity (Jn. 5:22), will resurrect and judge the unjust - those who did not place their faith in Him - at the Great White Throne Judgment (Dan. 12:2; Rev. 20:11-15).

8. The Eternal Destiny of the Saved and the Lost

We teach that the saved will enter an eternal state of glory with God (Jn. 14:1-3; Rev. 21:3-4) and the unsaved will suffer an eternal, conscious punishment in the lake of fire, separated from God (Matt. 25:41; 2 Thess.  1:7-9; Rev. 20:11-15, 21:8).

9. The Sanctification of Believers

We teach that the fundamental thought behind sanctification is holiness - being set apart unto God. We teach that there are three aspects to sanctification. The first is positional (1 Cor. 1:2, 6:11). Although many believers in Corinth were unmistakably sinful, Paul still affirmed their sanctification. By doing so, he implied that at the time of their justification they were also set apart unto God. The second aspect of sanctification is ultimate (Rom. 8:29; 1 Jn. 3:2). This dimension anticipates a Christian’s final transformation into the likeness of Christ. The final aspect is experiential (2 Pet. 1:3-8). This dimension of sanctification concerns the daily life and experience of a believer. It is the gradual and progressive process by which one is conformed to the image of Christ, and it is motivated by the imminent return of Christ (1 Jn. 3:3). Its sole objective is to be holy, for He is holy (1 Pet. 1:15-16).

Our Beliefs on Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality

We believe that God ordained marriage and emphasized the importance of the family unit throughout Scripture. We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union for life, as delineated in Scripture (Gen. 2:18-25; Matt. 19:5-6). We believe God hates divorce (Mal. 2:16) and He is pleased/honored when a couple strives to save their marriage relationship even under the most difficult of circumstances. However, we do realize that Jesus, in Matthew 19:9, allows a believer to seek a divorce because of immorality (any sexual sin that demanded death under OT Law). We also realize that the Lord allows divorce when an unbelieving spouse chooses to leave a relationship (1 Cor. 7:15).

We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God (Gen. 1:26-27). Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person. We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other (1 Cor. 6:18; 7:2-5; Heb. 13:4). We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.

We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, polygamy, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God (Lev. 18:22-23; 20:10-16; Deut. 17:17; Matt. 15:18-20; 1 Cor. 6:9-10).

We believe that God offers redemption and forgiveness to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and grace through Jesus Christ (Acts 3:19-21; Rom 10:9-10; 1 Cor. 6:9-11; 1 John 1:9). And we believe that every person should be treated with the love of Christ within the parameters of His revealed truth. 

Because of our biblical beliefs concerning divorce, the elders of Soldotna Bible Chapel may deny a couple’s request to be married in or by a pastor of Soldotna Bible Chapel. Any divorce prior to a person’s salvation and regeneration will not be considered disqualifying. Because of our beliefs on marriage, gender, and sexuality and because we believe God has ordained marriage and defined it as the covenant relationship between a man, a woman, and Himself for life, Soldotna Bible Chapel will only recognize and dignify marriages between a biological man and a biological woman.  All elders (staff and lay) and all persons employed by Soldotna Bible Chapel in any capacity shall only participate and affirm biblical marriages between one man and one woman. Finally, the facilities and property of Soldotna Bible Chapel shall only host weddings between one man and one woman whose singleness can be biblically confirmed as righteous before God.