What we believe and proclaim ...the Rock House is an evangelical Christian ministry. We affirm and teach the following:
Conclusion: We believe in doing something about it, that we should "walk worthy of the vocation" to which we have been called, and that we have been entrusted with the responsibility and privilege of preaching the Gospel to the lost of this world. (Eph. 4:1; Titus 2:11-14; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8).
Marriage and Family: We believe and affirm that God created sexual relationships and marriage, both to be fulfilled within a sacred, lifelong union between one man and one woman. And by this marriage is born the family that is of God's design and commanded intention. (Genesis 2:22-24; Matthew 19:4-6; Mark 10:6-9)
The Rock House does not practice nor affirm the following …
- We believe in the plenary, verbal inspiration of the whole Bible and that it is the supreme and final authority in faith and life. (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21)
- We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Deut. 6:4; 2 Cor. 13:14)
- We believe that Jesus Christ was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, and that He is true God and true man. (Matt. 1:20-25; John 1:14; Romans 8:3)
- We believe that man was created in the image of God; that all men have sinned in the transgression of Adam and subsequently in their personal experience; that they are therefore totally depraved and "the wrath of God abides on them;" and that the only way to escape eternal condemnation is through the one gracious provision of the love of God. (Gen. 1:25-27; Rom. 3:22-26)
- We believe that salvation is the gift of God offered to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; that the Son of God gave "His life as a ransom for many" and bore "our sins in His own body on the tree;" and that all who truly believe in Him are eternally saved on the ground of His shed blood. (Eph. 2:8-9; 1 Peter 2:24; John 10:28-29)
- We believe in the personal bodily resurrection of our Lord and Savior, in His ascension into heaven, and in His present mediatorial High Priestly office there at the right hand of the Father. (Acts 1:9; Luke 24:6-7; Heb. 9:24; 7:25)
- We believe in "that blessed hope"—the personal, bodily, imminent, and pre-millennial return of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Titus 2:13; Acts 1: 9-11)
- We believe that all who receive by faith the Lord Jesus Christ are born again by the Holy Spirit and that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer to enlighten, enable, and guide him in life and service. (John 3:6-7; 1 Cor. 2:12; John 14:16, 26; 16:24; Rom. 8:14).
- We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust, the everlasting blessedness of the saved, and the everlasting, conscious punishment of the lost. (Mark 9:43-48; Rev. 20:15, 22:3-5, 11)
Conclusion: We believe in doing something about it, that we should "walk worthy of the vocation" to which we have been called, and that we have been entrusted with the responsibility and privilege of preaching the Gospel to the lost of this world. (Eph. 4:1; Titus 2:11-14; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8).
Marriage and Family: We believe and affirm that God created sexual relationships and marriage, both to be fulfilled within a sacred, lifelong union between one man and one woman. And by this marriage is born the family that is of God's design and commanded intention. (Genesis 2:22-24; Matthew 19:4-6; Mark 10:6-9)
The Rock House does not practice nor affirm the following …
- "Positive confessionism," or the positive faith movement belief that God can be commanded to heal or work miracles according to man's dictates or commands, or that our spoken words - either negative or positive, possess power to intrinsically alter one's reality for good or for evil. This is not biblical. Humanity has no authority to command anything of God. God does, however, invite us to pray in faith for our physical and material needs, and God does still provide divine healing and miracles today. But God answers our prayers according to his goodness and sovereign will operating over our lives, not according to man's commanded will or "positive" declaration". (Job, James 4:13-17; Hebrews 9)
- "Prosperity theology," which falsely advocates it is God’s will that Christians should never experience any sickness or poverty or suffering or failure; and to experience these things is due to a lack in one's personal faith. This teaching is blatantly inconsistent with the entire testimony of God's Word, wherein we see God lovingly and sovereignly using times of trial, hardship, suffering, poverty and even death and failure in the lives of his people for their personal good, and for the advancement of his heavenly kingdom. (Col 1:24; Rom 8:17; 2 Cor 1:5; Hebrews 11; 1 Pet 4:13)
- "Human prophecy" wherein people claim to have a "special revelation" directly from God that supposedly is equivalent in divine inspiration to the Scriptures. We do affirm that the Lord does personally guide his people, but we believe God's Word is the supreme authority by which one learns of God's direct revelation to humanity today. Everything must be subjected to God's Word for validation. (1 John 4:1)
- An overemphasis on spiritual gifts or experiential signs and wonders for validation of one's faith. We are not against the miraculous, as Jesus Christ is a miracle-working God. But Jesus said that a seeking after supernatural signs for confirming one's faith is born out of unbelief, not faith (Matt. 12:38-39). The mature, biblical Christian walks by faith (trusting in God's promises articulated in his Word) and not by sight (or by requiring experiential/sensationalistic proofs from God in order to have faith in him). Hebrews 11:1 says, "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."
- "Baptismal regeneration," or the persuasion that water baptism is essential for conversion and salvation. We believe the biblical teaching is that salvation is by grace through faith in Christ plus nothing else. (Ephesians 2:8-9; Gal. 2:16) We do believe that baptism is an important ordinance of the Christian faith, and was taught by Jesus and his apostles for his followers to obey for the purposes of making a public confession of one's faith in Christ, but not as an essential component for salvation.
- "KJV Bible Only" advocacy, or the erred opinion that the only valid English translation of the Bible for use is the King James Version, and that all other English translations are uninspired, flawed and untrustworthy. There are numerous good English Bible versions for use today that are reliable and faithful translations of God's Word and make God's Word clear and easily understandable for today's English-speaking generation. Some examples of these good English translations are the ESV, the NIV, the NASB, and the CSV. We do not discount the KJV as a legitimate translation for use if one so desires; it is simply not the only one that is true, reliable or trustworthy. That view is scholastically indefensible, confuses people as to what actually is "inspired Scripture," and is highly divisive within the Christian community.
- "Universalism," or the belief that all religious faiths are equally valid paths to God, and that Christianity is just one of many legitimate ways to reach God. Quite to the contrary, the Scriptures declare there is only one true God and one mediator between God and humanity - and that is mediator is God's Son, Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 2:3-5). Jesus himself clearly stated, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes unto the Father except by me." (John 14:6) Jesus also said, "Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." (John 18:37) As Christians, we do not pride ourselves on having the only way to God, in an arrogant sense. Rather, we are grateful to God for providing a way at all for humanity, since we do not deserve his love and salvation after our cosmic rebellion against his rule over our lives. We happily proclaim this good news that God loves the world and has provided us with a means to be restored back to right relationship with Holy God - and that one and only way is through his Son, and our Savior, Jesus Christ. This is the non-negotiable message of the Christian faith.