- I believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be verbally inspired by God, and inerrant in the original writings, and that they are of supreme and final authority in faith and life.
- I believe in one God who is Creator of heaven and earth; who is Spirit, light, love, and truth; eternal, infallible and unchangeable, infinitely wise, just, and holy; and that God eternally exists in Three Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- I believe in the special creation of the entire space-time universe and of every basic form of life in the six historic days of the Genesis creation record. I also believe in the historicity of the biblical record of primitive history, including the special creation of Adam and Eve as the literal progenitors of all people, the literal fall and resultant divine curse on creation, the worldwide flood, and the origin of nations and languages at the tower of Babel.
- I believe in Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, the Eternal Word manifested in Flesh. I believe that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit born of the virgin Mary, and that He is true God and true man.
- I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice, and that all who believe in Him are justified on the grounds of His shed blood.
- I believe that our Lord arose from the dead according to the scriptures, in the same body, though glorified, in which He lived and died, and that His resurrection body is the pattern of that body which, at the return of Christ, will be given to all resurrected believers.
- I believe that our Lord ascended to heaven, was seated at His Father’s right hand, assuring us of the perfection of His work of redemption, and that He now, as head over all things to the Church, is engaged on behalf of the saved as Intercessor and Advocate.
- I believe in our Lord’s personal, imminent and premillennial return for His redeemed ones followed by His coming in glory to judge the rebellion and to establish His millennial reign on earth.
- I believe that man was originally created in the image and after the likeness of God, and that he fell through sin; and as a consequence of his sin, lost his spiritual life, becoming dead in trespasses and sins, and that he became subject to the power of the devil. I also believe that this spiritual death, or total depravity of human nature, has been transmitted to the entire human race of man, the Man Christ Jesus alone being excepted; and hence that every child of Adam is born into the world with a nature which not only possesses no spark of divine life, but is essentially corrupt in body, mind, and soul.
- I believe that all who receive by faith Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and who confess Him as such before their fellow man are born again of the Holy Spirit and thereby become children of God.
- I believe that the Holy Spirit, being the Third Person of the God-head, convicts men of sin, regenerates, indwells, baptizes, seals, and sets believers apart to a holy life; that He keeps and empowers believers day by day. I believe that He is the Teacher of the Word of God and our Guide for daily life.
- I believe in the eternal security and everlasting blessedness of the saved and the eternal conscious punishment of the lost.
- I believe that Christ instituted the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper to be observed until He comes.
- I believe that the Church of Jesus Christ is composed of those who have been redeemed and washed in His blood, regenerated and sealed by the Holy Spirit, and that they are saved to worship and to serve; that it is the responsibility and privilege of all who are saved seek to win others to Christ, to the “uttermost part of the earth;” that they should seek to live a holy life, to separate themselves from and forsake all that might dishonor God, cast discredit on His cause, or weaken their testimony.
- I believe that there is a personal devil, a being of great and cunning power who is “The prince of the power of the air”, “The prince of this world,” and “The god of this age.” I believe that he can exert vast power but only as far as God permits him to do so that he shall ultimately be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone and shall be tormented day and night forever.
Written by Dr. Norman Geisler and staff at Southern Evangelical Seminary which I accept as my own personal statement of faith. Dr. Geisler is a former professor at Dallas Theological Seminary, Trinity Evangelical Seminary, Liberty University, and now Founder/President of Southern Evangelical Seminary.