Beliefs

Statement of Faith

The following statement of faith delineates the beliefs of the academy and of its teachers, who are required to adhere heartily to this statement and to teach in accordance with it without mental reservation.  Enrollment does not require that every parent or student adheres to these beliefs, but only that each student exhibits some fear of God and respect for authority.  By God’s grace, each student will receive a clear presentation of the reality of Jesus Christ, and have ample opportunity to respond to this life-changing, life-giving message.

Scripture

We believe that the Bible, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, is the verbally inspired word of God—inerrant in its original autographs, infallible in its prophecies, and providentially preserved in trustworthy translations (1 Cor. 2:13; 2 Tim. 3:16; Mt. 5:18; Lk. 16:17; Jn. 10:35; 17:17). Therefore, the Bible is the supreme, final, and sufficient authority in all matters of faith and practice (Isa. 8:20; Jude 3; 2 Tim. 3:17), as well as a reliable witness in all matters of education and in all subjects (e.g. 1 Chr. 1-9; Job 38-41).

God

We believe in one God, eternally existent in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Dt. 6:4; Mt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14).

Creation

We believe that God created everything from nothing by His word in six days (Ps. 33:6; Heb. 11:3; Ex. 20:11), and that He made man in His own image, giving him upright character and dignity (Gen. 1:26-28; Eccl. 7:29). We also believe that God made mankind male and female (Gen. 1:27), that gender identity and biological sex are identical, and that marriage is a covenanted, sexual union between a man and a woman, and is intended for a lifetime (Gen. 2:18, 24; Mt. 19:3-9).

Sin

We believe in the fall of man—that through Adam’s sinful choice, man forfeited his upright character and became depraved, a slave to sin, and thus deserved God’s wrath and eternal punishment (Rom. 3:9-20, 23; 5:12-19; Jn. 8:34; Rom. 3:9-12; Eph. 2:3; Mt. 25:46). Nevertheless, in light of his original creation, man on earth retains dignity and should be treated accordingly (Gen. 9:6; Jas. 3:9-10).

Jesus Christ

We believe that God loved the world and sent His Son to be the Savior of the world (Jn. 3:16-17; 4:42; 1 Tim. 4:10). This Son, Jesus Christ, was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, worked true miracles, was crucified and died for our sins, was buried but then raised bodily from the dead on the third day, after which He ascended into heaven, where He is now seated at the Father’s right hand until the day He returns bodily to judge the world (Mt. 1:18-25; Lk. 1:35; Isa. 53:9; Mt. 11:4-5; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; Acts 1:9-11; Eph. 1:20; Acts 17:31). Jesus Christ is Lord, truly God and truly human, the only mediator between God and men, and the only way to heaven (Rom. 10:9; Jn. 1:1, 14; 1 Tim. 2:5; Jn. 14:6).

Salvation

We believe in salvation by grace alone—that through faith alone, a repentant sinner is securely united to Jesus, whose blood justifies him from sin and whose life guarantees to him eternal life (Eph. 2:8-9; 1 Cor. 1:30; Acts 20:21; Rom. 5:1, 9-10; 6:1-14; 8:1; Heb. 7:23-25). Unless a sinner is justified and made alive by the Holy Spirit while yet on earth, he cannot enter heaven (Rom. 3:19-20; Jn. 3:3, 5).

Holiness

We believe that every believer should unite with other believers in a local church (Heb. 10:25), should participate in the ordinances of the church, baptism and communion (Mt. 28:19-20; Acts 2:38; 10:47-48; 1 Cor. 11:23-26), and should strive by God’s power to live a holy and exemplary life in preparation for the Lord’s imminent return (Heb. 12:14; 2 Pt. 1:3-11; 3:8-14). Through a life of faith, love, and obedience, a believer shows that he is truly born of God (1 Jn. 2:29; 4:7; 5:1).

Eternal State

Both believers and unbelievers will be resurrected (Acts 24:15)—believers to everlasting blessedness (Jn. 6:40; 11:25-16; Rom. 6:5; 2 Cor. 4:13-14; 1 Th. 4:13-18) and unbelievers to everlasting separation from God and punishment (Mt. 10:28; 25:46; Jn. 5:28-29; 2 Th. 1:6-10; Rev. 20:11-15). 

Statement on Ethics and Moral Issues

At the heart of Christianity and the life of the church is the gospel message of Jesus Christ and the worship of God as our proper response (Rom. 12:1). Such a response demands that we be not conformed to this world, but think differently, according to revealed truth (Rom. 12:2). Our God deserves His glory for all His works (Rom. 11:36).

Part I: Confession of Moral Distinctions

In our society, certain sins have become acceptable and yet are clear violations of Scripture. Specifically, the New Testament lists several sins as definitive marks of the wicked and infallible signs of not going to heaven (e.g. 1 Cor. 6:9-11; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:3-6; Col. 3:5-7; 1 Tim. 1:8-11; Rev. 21:8).

As a school, we recognize that some Christians may have participated habitually in these sins in their past. However, when anyone believes in Christ, God justifies the sinner, forgives the sin, and removes all guilt because of Christ and His atoning blood (Rom. 3:21-4:8, 5:1-11; Eph. 2:1-10; 1 John 1:5-2:2). In salvation, every believer is given a new nature (“born again”) and a new identity as a holy, child of God (1 John 3:1-10). Therefore, as believers, we no longer define ourselves by our former conduct (1 Cor. 6:11).

Given the state of the world, we believe that the integrity of a Christian school—as a ministry of the local church and as a witness for Christ—requires all employees and volunteers to agree with and abide by the school’s Statement of Faith and by this Statement on Ethics and Moral Issues (Mt. 5:16; Ph. 2:14-16; 1 Th. 5:22).

We also believe that it is possible to hate the sin and love the sinner—to differentiate between the respect all people deserve as made in God’s image and potentially salvable and the reproach all sin deserves as a violation of God’s law (1 Jn. 3:4). Preaching and teaching God’s truth as revealed in Scripture and as represented in this statement does not constitute hate speech or harassment. Even Jesus Himself was hated by the world, because He testified that its deeds were evil (Jn. 7:7).

Part II: Marriage and Related Moral Conduct

Because marriage is designed by God to portray this gospel message (Eph. 5:22-33), with the husband representing Christ and the wife representing the church, we are jealous to maintain both His design of marriage and the Godgiven distinctions of male and female, which came from this design (Gen. 1:26-28; Gen. 2:18-24). The following statement declares our beliefs about marriage and related matters of ethics.

Marriage

Marriage is a gift of God for His glory and for our good (Pr. 18:22; 19:14; Rom. 11:36; Jas. 1:17). By design, marriage is the covenanted union of one man and one woman to be friend and lover in a lifelong, exclusive relationship (Mal. 2:14; Song 5:16). By instituting marriage in the beginning, God established its legitimate form for all cultures in all times (Gen. 2:18-24; Mt. 19:3-8; 1 Cor. 11:7-10; cf. 1 Tim. 2:11-13). As a covenant, marriage is publicly constituted and intended to be permanent, with allowance only for biblical exception (e.g. 1 Cor. 7:15- 16). Rightly, Jesus concluded, “What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate” (Mt. 19:6).

Sexual Purity

The sexual union of a man and a woman, the “one flesh” relationship, is lawful only within marriage (Heb. 13:4). As a holy people, Christians are called to abstain from all sexual impurity and immorality, both in mind and in body, regardless of the strength of internal tendency or external temptation (1 Th. 4:1-8; 1 Pt. 2:11; Mt. 5:28; 1 Cor. 10:13). This prohibition includes fornication (such as “premarital sex”), adultery (such as “extramarital affairs”), pornography, all forms of homosexuality, and anything else that deviates from God’s holy standards (1 Cor. 6:9-20; Eph. 5:3-5; Rom. 1:24-27; 1 Tim. 1:8-11).

Sanctity of Life

We believe that all human beings are made in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-28; Jas. 3:9); therefore, human beings have a derived sanctity and an intrinsic worth that sets them apart from the animals (Mt. 10:31; 12:12). The taking of innocent human life is wrong (Gen. 9:6). We believe that human life and personhood begin at conception; therefore, abortion and all purposed destruction of innocent human life break God’s law and should be mourned and opposed (Ex. 20:13, 21:22-25; Ps. 139:14-16; Isa. 44:24, 49:1; Jer. 1:5; Lk. 1:15, 41, 44; Mt. 2:16-18; 1 Cor. 5:2).

Gender and Biological Sex

In the beginning, God created mankind as male and female, in the same sense that the animals are male and female (Gen. 1:27; 6:19; 7:2-3). Scripture does not allow a distinction between gender and biological sex; therefore, our identity as male or female is rooted in our physical bodies and should not be altered (cf. Dt. 22:5).

Singleness

Singleness is also a gift of God for His glory and for our good, because it is well suited for a life dedicated exclusively to Christ (1 Cor. 7:7, 32-35). Even so, it is still not good for a believer to be alone (cf. Gen. 2:18); therefore, God has given singles fellowship through the church as a spiritual family (cf. Mk. 3:31-35; Heb. 10:25).

Gender Roles

As human beings, created in the image of God as male and female (Gen. 1:27), men and women are designed by God with distinct roles (Gen. 2:18). Therefore, we affirm both the spiritual equality of all Christians (Gal. 3:28; 1 Pt. 3:7) and the responsible leadership of men in church and home (1 Cor. 11:3; Eph. 5:22-33).

Part III: Other Matters of Moral Conduct

Anger and Lying

The misuse of words marks the devil and his children (Jn. 5:44). No one who cannot control his anger or his tongue will inherit the kingdom of heaven (Jas. 1:19-26; Col. 3:8-11). God is light and in Him there is only truth (1 Jn. 1:5; Pr. 6:16-19); therefore, speaking truth and living truthfully marks those who are in Christ (Eph. 4:22-25, 5:3-14). All liars, if they remain unrepentant and refuse to turn to Christ, will be thrown into the lake of fire (Rev. 21:8).

Substance Abuse

While all things created by God are clean and available for use through faith (Rom. 14:14; 1 Cor. 10:25-26; 1 Tim. 4:1-5), not all things are edifying to others or profitable to ourselves (1 Cor. 10:23-24). We must use things lawfully (1 Tim. 1:8). Specifically, we must not be mastered by anything (1 Cor. 6:12). Therefore, the Bible explicitly forbids drunkenness and, by extension, all abuse of addictive substances, which will hinder our ability to be controlled by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 13:11-14; 1 Cor. 6:19-20; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:18).

Conclusion

As a school comprised of sinners saved by grace through faith in Christ, we recognize that we have been guilty of such sins as given here, but that these sins no longer define our identity (1 Cor. 6:9-11). As redeemed children of God, we are called by His holy name—we are saints—and we are privileged to proclaim this same forgiveness and freedom to others (1 Cor. 1:2; Ph. 2:15-16; 1 Pt. 2:9-10). To God alone be all the glory!