About Us
Our Purpose
Kishwaukee Bible Church exists to participate in sharing with the entire world the good news of God's mercy, which is found in Jesus Christ.
Our Goal
To be good stewards of the gospel by:
- Faithfully preaching the full counsel of God contained within the sixty-six books of the Bible.
- Faithfully proclaiming the gospel to the world by going to every corner of the world with the message of God’s love.
- Faithfully proclaiming the saints to fulfill their purpose in extending the kingdom of God by equipping the saints for ministry.
- Faithfully passing on the gospel to the next generation by entrusting the message to faithful men who are able to teach the "good news" to others.
- Faithfully partnering with like-minded churches in extending the kingdom of God on earth.
- Faithfully planting and strengthening the local church at home and abroad.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
1 Peter 2:9-10
What we teach from the Bible
We teach that the Bible is God's written revelation to man, and thus the
sixty-six books of the bible given to us by the Holy Spirit constitute the
plenary (inspired equally in all parts) inspired Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16)
as contained in the original manuscripts.
We teach that the Word of God is an objective, propositional revelation (1 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Corinthians 2:13), verbally inspired in every word (2 Timothy 3:16), absolutely inerrant in the original documents, infallible and God-breathed.
We teach that the Bible is the infallible Word of God, and thus, the only rule of faith and practice (Matthew 5:18; 24:35; John 10:35; 16:12-13; 17:17; 1 Corinthians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Peter 1:3).
We teach that God spoke in His written Word by a process of dual authorship. The Holy Spirit so superintended the human authors that, through their individual personalities and different styles of writing, they composed and recorded God's Word to man without error in the whole or in the part (Matthew 5:18; 2 Timothy 3:16).
We teach the literal, grammatical-historical method of interpretation of Scripture. We teach that there is only one meaning of Scripture, the meaning which the author, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, intended his audience to hear (2 Peter 1:20-21). Nothing in this method of interpretation (or hermeneutic) determines the meaning of the text; that meaning was determined when the author spoke or penned the words. This hermeneutic serves only to inform our understanding. Although there is only one meaning of Scripture, there may be many applications that flow from that interpretation. Note: This method of interpretation affirms the belief that the opening chapters of Genesis present creation in six literal days (Genesis 1:31; Exodus 31:17).
We teach that it is the responsibility of every believer to ascertain carefully the true meaning and intent of Scripture. That meaning can be understood today as one diligently applies the literal, grammatical-historical method of interpretation under the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit (John 16:12-15; 1 Corinthians 2:7-15; 1 John 2:20).
We teach that the Scripture is God's Word for all generations. Only from the correct understanding of the intended meaning can we: 1) discover the commands which God gives us to obey, and 2) discern the timeless principles which endure as relevant to, authoritative over, and applicable for our lives today. The truth of Scripture forever stands in judgment of men; never do men stand in judgment of it.
We teach that there is but one living and true God (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:5-7; 1 Corinthians 8:4), an infinite, all-knowing Spirit (John 4:24), perfect in all His attributes, one in essence, eternally existing in three persons -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14) -- each equally deserving worship and obedience.
We teach that God the Father, the first person of the Trinity, orders and disposes all things according to His own purpose and grace (Psalm 145:8-9). He is the creator of all things (Genesis 1:1-31; Ephesians 3:9; Revelation 4:11). As the only absolute and omnipotent ruler in the universe, He is sovereign in creation, providence, and redemption (Psalm 103:19; Romans 11:36). His fatherhood involves both His designation within the Trinity and His relationship with mankind. As Creator He is Father to all men (Ephesians 4:6), but He is spiritual Father only to believers (Romans 8:14; 2 Corinthians 6:18). He has decreed for His own glory all things that come to pass (Ephesians 1:11; Romans 11:36). He continually upholds, directs, and governs all creatures and events (1 Chronicles 29:11). In His sovereignty He is neither author nor approver of sin (Habakkuk 1:13), nor does He abridge the accountability of moral, intelligent creatures (1 Peter 1:17). He has graciously chosen from eternity past those whom He would have as His own (Ephesians 1:4-6); He saves from sin all who come to Him through Jesus Christ; He adopts as his own all those who come to Him; and He becomes, upon adoption, Father to His own (John 1:12; Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:5; Hebrews 12:5-9).
We teach that Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity, possesses all the divine excellencies, and in these He is coequal, consubstantial, and coeternal with the Father (John 10:30; 14:9).
We teach that God the Father created according to His own will, through His Son, Jesus Christ, by whom all things continue in existence and in operation (John 1:3; Colossians 1:15-17; Hebrews 1:2).
We teach that in the incarnation (God becoming man) Christ surrendered only the prerogatives of deity but nothing of the divine essence, either in degree or kind. In His incarnation, the eternally existing second person of the Trinity accepted all the essential characteristics of humanity and so became the God-man (Philippians 2:5-8; Colossians 2:9).
We teach that Jesus Christ represents humanity and deity in indivisible oneness (Micah 5:2; John 5:23; 14:9-10; Colossians 2:9).
We teach that our Lord Jesus Christ was virgin born (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23,25; Luke 1:26-35); that He was God incarnate (John 1:1,14); and that the purpose of the incarnation was to reveal God, redeem men, and rule over God's kingdom (Psalm 2:7-9; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:29; Philippians 2:9-11; Hebrews 7:25-26; 1 Peter 1:18-19).
We teach that, in the incarnation, the second person of the Trinity laid aside His right to the full prerogatives of coexistence with God, assumed the place of a Son, and took on an existence appropriate to a servant while never divesting Himself of His divine attributes (Philippians 2:5-8).
We teach that our Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through the shedding of His blood and sacrificial death on the cross and that His death was voluntary, vicarious, substitutionary, propitiatory, and redemptive (John 10:15; Romans 3:24-25; 5:8; 1 Peter 2:24).
We teach that on the basis of the efficacy of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ, the believing sinner is freed from the punishment, the penalty, the power, and one day the very presence of sin; and that he is declared righteous, given eternal life, and adopted into the family of God (Romans 3:25; 5:8-9; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15; 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18).
We teach that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead and that he is now ascended to the right hand of the Father, where He now mediates as our Advocate and High Priest (Matthew 28:6; Luke 24:38-39; Acts 2:30-31; Romans 4:25; 8:34; Hebrews 7:25; 9:24; 1 John 2:1).
We teach that in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave, God confirmed the deity of His Son and gave proof that God has accepted the atoning work of Christ on the cross (Acts 17:30,31). Jesus' bodily resurrection is also the guarantee of a future resurrection life for all believers (John 5:26-29; 14:19; Romans 1:4; 4:25; 6:5-10; 1 Corinthians 15:20,23).
We teach that Jesus Christ will return to receive the church, which is His body, unto Himself at the rapture and, returning with His church in glory, will establish His millennial kingdom on earth (Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 20).
We teach that the Lord Jesus Christ is the one through whom God will judge all mankind (John 5:22-23):
- Believers (1 Corinthians 3:10-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10)
- Living inhabitants of the earth at His glorious return (Matthew 25:31-46).
- Unbelieving dead at the Great White Throne (Revelation 20:11-15)
We teach that as the mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5), the head of His body, the church (Ephesians 1:22; 5:23; Colossians 1:18), and the coming universal King who will reign on the throne of David (Isaiah 9:6; Luke 1:31-33), He is the final judge of all who fail to place their trust in Him as Lord and Savior (Matthew 25:14-46; Acts 17:30-31).
We teach that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, eternal, underived, possessing all the attributes of personality and deity including intellect (1 Corinthians 2:10-13), emotions (Ephesians 4:30), will (1 Corinthians 12:11), eternality (Hebrews 9:14), omnipresence (Psalm 139:7-10), omniscience (Isaiah 40:13-14), omnipotence (Romans 15:13), and truthfulness (John 16:13). In all the divine attributes He is coequal and consubstantial with the Father and the Son (Matthew 28:19; Acts 5:3-4; 28:25-26; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; 2 Corinthians 13:17; and Jeremiah 31:31-34 with Hebrews 10:15-17).
We teach that it is the work of the Holy Spirit to execute the divine will with relation to all mankind. We recognize His sovereign activity in creation (Genesis 1:2), the incarnation (Matthew 1:18), the written revelation (2 Peter 1:20-21), and the work of salvation (John 3:5-7).
We teach that a unique work of the Holy Spirit began in this present age, when He came from the Father as promised by Christ (John 14:16-17; 15:26) to initiate and complete the building of the body of Christ, which is His church (1 Corinthians 12:13). The broad scope of His divine activity includes convicting the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment (John 16:7-9), glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ, and transforming believers into the image of Christ (Acts 1:5; 2:4; Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 2:22).
We teach that the Holy Spirit is the supernatural and sovereign agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13). The Holy Spirit also indwells (Romans 8:9), sanctifies, instructs, empowers them for service, and seals them unto the day of redemption (2 Corinthians 3:6; Ephesians 1:13).
We teach that the Holy Spirit is the divine teacher who guided the apostles and prophets into all truth as they committed to writing God's revelation, the Bible (John 16:13). Every believer possesses the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit from the moment of salvation (Romans 8:9), and it is the duty of all those born of the Spirit to be filled with (controlled by) the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18) and follow His guidance in understanding His Word (2 Peter 1:19-21; 1 John 2:20,27).
We teach that the Holy Spirit administers spiritual gifts to the church (1 Corinthians 12:4-11). The Holy Spirit glorifies neither Himself nor His gifts by ostentatious displays, but He does glorify Christ (John 16:13-14) by implementing His work of redeeming the lost (Acts 1:8) and building up believers in the most holy faith (2 Corinthians 3:18).
We teach, in this respect, that God the Holy Spirit is sovereign in the bestowing of all His gifts for the perfecting of the saints today and that speaking in tongues and the working of sign miracles in the beginning days of the church were for the purpose of pointing to and authenticating the apostles as revealers of divine truth, and were never intended
to be characteristic of the lives of believers (1 Corinthians 12:4-11; 13:8-10; 2 Corinthians 12:12; Ephesians 4:7-12; Hebrews 2:4).
We teach that salvation is wholly of God by grace on the basis of the redemption of Jesus Christ, the merit of His shed blood, and not on the basis of human merit or works (John 1:12; Ephesians 1:7; 2:4-10; 1 Peter 1:18-19). Salvation, therefore, is totally of God, who before the foundation of the world, foreordained some men to eternal life, leaving the rest in their sin, to their just condemnation (Acts 13:48; Ephesians 1:4-5; 2:1-7; 2 Timothy 1:9). Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:1-10).
We teach that man was directly and immediately created by God in His image and likeness. Man was created free of sin with a rational nature, intelligence, volition, self-determination, and moral responsibility to God (Genesis 2:7,15-25; James 3:9).
We teach that God's intention in the creation of man was that man should glorify God, enjoy God's fellowship, live his life in the will of God, and by this accomplish God's purpose for man in the world (Isaiah 43:7; Colossians 1:16; Revelation 4:11).
We teach that in Adam's sin of disobedience to the revealed will and Word of God, man lost his innocence; incurred the penalty of spiritual and physical death (Genesis 2:16-17; 3:1-19; Romans 6:23); became subject to the wrath of God (John 3:36; Romans 1:18
); and become inherently corrupt and utterly incapable of choosing or doing that which is acceptable to God apart from divine grace (Psalm 14:1-3; Romans 3:10-12). With no recuperative powers to enable him to recover himself (Ephesians 2:1-3; 1 Corinthians 2:14), man is hopelessly lost. Man's salvation is thereby wholly of God's grace through the redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9).
We teach that because all men were in Adam (Romans 5:12), a nature corrupted by Adam's sin has been transmitted to all men of all ages (Romans 5:19), Jesus Christ being the only exception (Hebrews 7:26). Through Adam's one transgression, there resulted condemnation to all men (Romans 5:18). All men are thus sinners by nature, by choice, and by divine declaration (Genesis 6:5; Psalm 14:1-3; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:9-18).
We teach that election is the act of God by which, before the foundation of the world, He chose in Christ those whom He graciously regenerates, saves, and sanctifies (Romans 8:28-30; Ephesians 1:4-11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 1:9; 2:10; 1 Peter 1:1-2).
We teach that sovereign election does not contradict or negate the responsibility of man to repent (Luke 13:3; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 11:18; Romans 2:4; 2 Corinthians 7:10; Isaiah 55:6-7) and trust Christ as Savior and Lord (Ezekiel 18:23,32; 33:11; John 3:18-19,36; 5:40;
Romans 9:22-23; 10:9-10; Philippians 2:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12; Revelation 22:17). Nevertheless, since sovereign grace includes the means of receiving the gift of salvation as well as the gift itself, sovereign election will result in what God determines. All whom the Father calls to Himself will come in faith and all who come in faith the Father will receive (John 6:37-40, 44; Acts 13:48; James 4:8).
We teach that the unmerited favor that God grants to totally depraved sinners is not related to any initiative of their own part nor to God's anticipation of what they might do by their own will, but is solely of His sovereign grace and mercy (Ephesians 1:4-7; Titus 3:4-7; 1 Peter 1:2; Psalm 14:1).
We teach that election should not be looked upon as based merely on abstract sovereignty. God is truly sovereign but He exercises this sovereignty in harmony with His other attributes, especially His omniscience, justice, holiness, wisdom, grace, and love (Romans 9:11-16). This sovereignty will always exalt the will of God in a manner totally consistent with His character as revealed in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 11:25-30; John 12:37-41; 2 Timothy 1:9). (See Appendix A).
We teach that regeneration is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit by which the divine nature and divine life are given (John 3:3-7; Titus 3:5). It is instantaneous and is accomplished solely by the power of the Holy Spirit through the instrumentality of the Word of God (John 5:24), when the repentant sinner, as enabled by the Holy Spirit, responds in faith to the divine provision of salvation. Genuine regeneration is manifested by fruits worthy of repentance as demonstrated in righteous attitudes and conduct (Matthew 7:15-20). Good works will be its proper evidence and fruit (Ephesians 2:10), and will be experienced to the extent that the believer submits to the control of the Holy Spirit in his life through faithful obedience to the Word of God (Ephesians 5:17-21; Philippians 2:12-13; Colossians 3:16; 2 Peter 1:4-10). This obedience causes the believer to be increasingly conformed to the image of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18). Such a conformity is climaxed in the believer's glorification at Christ's coming (Romans 8:17; 1 John 3:2-3).
We teach that belief in the Lord Jesus Christ is man's necessary responsibility to the call of the gospel message (John 3:16; Acts 13:38,19; 16:31; Romans 4:3-5; 10:4). This faith involves the assenting to the facts about the life of Christ as well as trusting in the person of Christ (John 20:30,31). Faith is reliance upon Christ, not mere credence (James 1:22). True faith will always manifest itself by works of righteousness (Romans 6:14; Ephesians 2:10; James 2:14-17). Those who believe in Jesus will be protected by God for salvation (1 Peter 1:5) and will persevere until the end (Philippians 1:6; Revelation 13:10; 14:12).
We teach that justification before God is an act of God (Romans 8:33) by which He declares man righteous. This righteousness is apart from any virtue or work of man (Romans 3:20; 4:6) and involves the imputation of our sins to Christ (Colossians 2:14; 1 Peter 2:24) and the imputation of Christ's righteousness to us (1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Thus, God is enabled to be "just, and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus" (Romans 3:26).
We teach that every believer is sanctified (set apart) unto God by justification and is therefore declared to be holy and is therefore identified as a saint (Acts 20:32; 1 Corinthians 1:2, 30; 6:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Hebrews 2:11; 10:10,14; 13:12; 1 Peter 1:1). The sanctification is positional and instantaneous and should not be confused with progressive sanctification. This sanctification has to do with the believer's standing, not his present walk or condition.
We teach that there is also by the work of the Holy Spirit a progressive sanctification by which the state of the believer is brought closer to the standing the believer positionally enjoys through justification. Through obedience to the Word of God (Psalm 119:19-11; John 17:17,19) and the empowering of the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18), the believer is able to live a life of increasing holiness in conformity to the will of God becoming more and more like our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 6:1-22; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4; 5:23)
In this respect, we teach that every saved person is involved in a daily conflict -- the new creation in Christ doing battle against the flesh -- but adequate provision is made for victory through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. The struggle nevertheless stays with the believer all through this earthly life and is never completely ended (Philippians 3:12). All claims to the eradication of sin in this life are unscriptural. Eradication of sin is not possible, but the Holy Spirit does provide for victory over sin (Galatians 5:16-25; Colossians 3:9-10; 1 Peter 1:14-16; 1 John 3:5-9).
We teach that all the redeemed once saved are kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ forever (John 5:24; 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Romans 5:9-10; 8:1, 31-39; 1 Corinthians 1:4-8; Ephesians 4:30; Hebrews 7:25; 13:5; 1 Peter 1:5; Jude 24).
We teach that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God's Word (1 John 5:13, 19; Hebrews 6:11; 10:22; 2 Peter 1:10), which, however, clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion for sinful living and carnality (Romans 6:15-22; 13:13-14; Galatians 5:13,25-26; Titus 2:11-14).
We teach that separation from sin is clearly called for throughout the Old and New Testaments, and that the Scriptures clearly indicate that in the last days apostasy and worldliness shall increase (2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1; 2 Timothy 3:1-5).
We teach that out of deep gratitude for the undeserved grace of God granted to us and because our glorious God is so worthy of our total consecration, all the saved should live in such a manner as to demonstrate our adoring love to God and so as not to bring reproach upon our Lord and Savior (Romans 12:1-2). We also teach that separation from any association with apostasy, and worldly and sinful practices is commanded of us by God (1 Corinthians 5:9-13; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1; 1 John 2:15-17; 2 John 9-11).
We teach that believers should be separated unto our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12; Hebrews 12:1-2) and affirm that the Christian life is a life of obedient righteousness demonstrated by a beatitude attitude (Matthew 5:2-12) and a continual pursuit of holiness (Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Hebrews 12:14; Titus 2:11-14; 1 John 3:1-10).
We teach that there are two extreme approaches to worldly separation: at one end is a legalism that confuses and constricts the sanctification of the church, and at the other is a license that corrupts the sanctification of the church. Separation is not Biblical if it takes us out of the world. We are to remain sanctified in the world (John 17:15-17). Separation is not Biblical if it focuses on personal preferences or man-made rules (1 Timothy 4:1-5). Separation is not Biblical if by it we neglect the very people who need to hear the gospel (Mark 16:14; Matthew 28:19-20; John 4:4, 31-35). Separation is not Biblical if it allows us to sin (Romans 6:1-14; 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13).
We teach that the church is a unique spiritual organism designed by Christ, made up of all born-again believers (Ephesians 2:11-3:6). The church is a mystery not revealed until this age (Ephesians 3:1-6). All who place their faith in Jesus Christ are immediately placed by the Holy Spirit into to one united spiritual body, the church (1 Corinthians 12:12-13), the bride of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:23-32; Revelation 19:7-8), of which Christ is the head (Ephesians 1:22; 4:15; Colossians 1:18).
Copyright © 2008 Kishwaukee Bible Church.