A Chaplain’s Beliefs

Bryan Kimble Fort Bliss Religious Support Office  Chaplaincy

When I was an Evangelist (after being a Pastor and before becoming a Chaplain), I would be asked what I believed by different IFB congregations. Due to IFB embracing Biblical autonomy of congregations, religious freedom, and liberty of the soul, you may visit 30 IFB congregations and find each one slightly different. As such, there is a need for Pastors to verify an Evangelist was doctrinally sound before letting him stand behind the sacred desk

Here is what I wrote up to help ease their concerns. Then if they needed clarification on any point we could have a discussion.
I believe in the divine inspiration of the Bible and that it is the final authority for all matters of practice and of faith. God wrote the perfect, inerrant autographs using sinful, imperfect, fallible humans. No editor or publishing house was responsible to oversee the 50 independent authors, representing 20 occupations, living in 10 countries during a 1,600-year span, working in three languages with a cast of 2,930 characters in 1,189 chapters, 31,173 verses, 774,746 words, and 3,567 letters. Yet, it is a perfect book with no errors or contradictions.

I accept the Preserved Text Position, holding that the Bible is perfectly and divinely preserved in the Masoretic Hebrew manuscripts for the Old Testament and the Byzantine family of Greek manuscripts for the New Testament. God keep His promise to maintain not only every word (Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:4) but every “jot” and “tittle” (Matthew 5:18) despite Him using sinful, imperfect, fallible humans to produce precise copies and exact translations in a variety of languages. 1769 King James Version Bible is the last verbatim, word-for-word, accurate, trustworthy translation made in the English language. Likewise, I reject the KJV-Only and Critical Texts positions.

I believe that there is one true God and in the Godhead there are three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Each one is a distinct Person while each still being completely God. Instead of thinking of the Godhead [also referred to as the Trinity] in the form of addition [1+1+1=3], think of it as multiplication [1*1*1=1].

I believe that it is a sin to even tolerate a false Jesus (2 Corinthians 11:3-4). This includes, but is not limited to:

• The “wafer” Jesus, in which the wafer of Mass literally becomes Jesus
• The spirit brother of Lucifer
• The Modernist Jesus, one that accepts the liberal social views of the world
• The prosperity Jesus, who was rich and want you to be rich too
• The Universalist Jesus, that doesn’t send anyone to Hell
• The Rock ’n’ Roll Jesus, that has long hair and no Biblical standards
• The self-esteem Jesus, that says that we are all basically good
• The “laughing” Jesus, that has strange spiritual manifestations
• The first created being or Michael the Archangel
• The Christian Science Jesus, that denies sin and death
• The New Age Jesus, who shows us all how we are all divine

I believe in the literal and real existence of Satan, who is the enemy of God, the Church, and Israel.

I believe in the Genesis account of the literal six-day young-earth (less than 10,000 years old) Creation. All old-earth creation theories are based solely on extra-biblical sources.

I believe that man was created innocent and fell by voluntary transgression in the Garden of Eden.

I believe that Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Ghost of Mary, a virgin. Joseph was only His stepfather and later the biological father to other children with Mary.

I believe that the salvation of sinners is of grace of God alone through faith alone in the completed work [atoning death on the cross] of Jesus Christ, the Son of God alone.

If any religion/spiritual act or work is added to this for earning, keeping, or maintaining salvation, that is the heresy of legalism. Biblical salvation is not according to lack of free will (i.e., Calvinism) nor can it be lost (Arminianism).

I believe that a New Testament church is a congregation of baptized believers associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel. The officers of the church are only the pastor [a.k.a. pastor-teacher, bishop, elder, presbyter] and deacons.

I believe that soul winning is a commandment [not a “commission” or calling] and is the one and true mission of the Church both on a corporate level and an individual level of accountability before the Lord.

I believe that God works through the autonomous local church. Para-, intra-, and inter- church organizations are never mentioned in the New Testament nor is the precedent or justification given anywhere in the Bible for such organization.

I believe the ordinances are baptism and the Lord’s Supper and that the authority to administer the ordinances rests with the local church.

I believe in the eternal security [i.e., everlasting life, eternal life, assurance] of all true blood-washed born-again believers – based off the finished work of Christ and the promises of God.

I believe that the wicked/lost will be judged [Great White Throne Judgment] and condemned to an eternal torment [Lake of Fire].

I believe that the believer will be judged for the deeds done in the body [Judgment Seat of Christ].

I believe that civil government is of divine appointment and is to be conscientiously honored except in things opposed to the will of the Lord.

I believe in Christ’s literal and physical bodily resurrection, after His Thursday crucifixion and being buried for 3 days and 3 nights.

I believe in the Pre-Tribulation, Pre-Millennial return of Christ for His Church. I believe that there will be a literal seven-year Tribulation period that Satan will literally rule this earth via the Antichrist followed by Christ returning [at the Battle of Armageddon] establishing His Kingdom on earth for a literal thousand years [a.k.a. Millennial Kingdom].

I believe in the personal responsibility of the believer to reach the world through soul winning [witnessing, evangelism] and supporting foreign missionaries.

I believe in the grace of giving, and that the tithe belongs in the local church.

I believe in separation wholly unto the Lord, and as a necessary result, they must be separated from worldly and sinful practices, separated from apostasy and unbelief, and separated from disobedient brethren and doctrinal compromise with respect to all ministry and service – with the understanding that separation and isolationism are very different concepts.

I believe that the Bible uses different precepts and principles to set up guidelines [e.g., Biblical standards] for how we are to live a holy life, defend our testimony for the Gospel, and protect us from temptation. These are not there to help one get saved or stay saved (legalism).

I believe in separation of church and state, religious freedom, and liberty of the conscience – doctrines supported by Baptists and other Anabaptists all the way back to the formation of the Roman Catholic Church in the 4th Century AD.

I believe that all believers should be friendly, cordial, and toleratant toward those with whom we disagree with. Living in a pluralist society is something that a born-again believer can do since it is not the same as being ecumenical and does not violate the Biblical doctrine of separation.

I believe that there are five historical Baptist distinctives that have traditionally separated the Baptist church historically and Scripturally from the 313 Catholic Church, the 1054 Orthodox Church, the 1517 Reformation/Protestant Movement, the 1901 Pentecostal/Charismatic Movement, and the 19th Century Restoration Movement:

• The Bible is our final and only authority in all matters of faith and practice: This means that we do not accept any authority except the Scriptures. Christ is head of the Church, and it is His bride. I reject that God is giving supposed “new” revelations, believing that God forbids any adding to or taking away of the canon of Scriptures. (Rev. 22:18-19) I do not accept any authority over the New Testament Church, but Christ Himself, including any hierarchy to include popes, or councils of churches.
• The church is to be made up of saved baptized believers: The Bible rejects the baptism of infants, baptism of an unsaved person, and baptismal regeneration. The Bible always teaches baptism by immersion.
• The strict separation of church and state: No power on earth is higher than God’s Word, and the church should not be in any way yoked with the state or controlled by it. I support the rightly appointed authority of government over us and pray for them that we live our lives in peace.
• The priesthood of the believer: The believer does not need a priest or a church to intercede on their behalf to God. The believer can boldly, by the fact of being washed in the blood of Christ, instantly be in contact with God by simple prayer, and further can bring his petitions or requests for forgiveness of sins directly to God himself. (I John 1:19) No church has the authority to forgive sins or grant intercession to God.
• The autonomy of the local church: The Scriptures gives no higher authority (denomination, synod, conference, etc.) than the local congregation of born again, baptized believers. I believe that the local church is to be governed by the Word of God, and the local church does not need, nor does the Scripture teach, that the local body rests under the authority of any earthy group. It is a group unto itself, under the authority of God, and solely responsible unto Him for its conduct, direction, and affairs.

Questions and comments can be addressed to Chaplain Bryan Kimble on Facebook