Where We Stand

Because of current controversies under discussion in our community, we think it would be useful and encouraging to our readers and listeners to state what we believe in certain key areas.  This is not meant to be a comprehensive statement.  We welcome any questions you may have – email: info@raisingrealmen.com

We believe there is a God who exists, who is personal, who created the entire universe from nothing, and exercises continual care and rule over all of it.

We believe this God reveals His existence and character through the incredible complexity and diversity of the physical world around us, and reveals His purpose through the written word we call the Bible.

We believe the Bible in its original manuscripts and language was without error in any regard; that it is a complete guide to our life and practice; that it is accurate in whatever subject it addresses.  We believe that God’s word uses metaphors, allegories, and other literary devices, but where a literal meaning makes sense, we read it literally.

We believe God created a literal first man and first woman, as the culmination of a literal six-day period of creation, and that He gave them to each other, along with productive work to do, a mandate to rule the earth and fill it with generations of humanity, and the ability to make moral choices.

We also believe that the original man and woman freely chose to throw off God’s authority and disobey His commandment, and as a result brought the curse of sin, disease, death and decay into the earth.  We believe that all men and women, from birth, experience these consequences, and that by the standard of God’s righteousness, there is no one who is naturally innocent — not even at birth.

We believe that God, for His own glory and the benefit of His fallen creations, freely provided a means to overcome the effects of man’s sinful nature and life, by offering His sinless son Jesus as a substitute to undergo the punishment which others earned.  By His suffering and death in their place, Jesus took away the guilt of God’s people who turn to Him in repentance and faith, and by His resurrection, God demonstrated His acceptance of Jesus’ substitutionary payment.

We believe that the Scripture displays a wonderful breadth of commandment, principle, and guidance, on the full range of human activity and belief.  Because the fundamental nature of mankind is universal and unchanging, even modern situations may be reliably guided by the ancient word of the Bible, which remains relevant into the future as well.

We believe that in spite of many things which should be believed and obeyed in God’s word, His requirements for salvation are few and concise:  an honest acceptance of our own moral failure and guilt, and a humble turning away from our natural sin to cling to the gracious offer of forgiveness through Jesus’ death.

We believe that our children suffer the effects of our sinful nature the same as we do, and add to their guilt by their own sinful acts, whether by disobedience to God-given authority or by willful violation of their conscience.  And we believe that God graciously provides for their forgiveness and restoration the same as ours.  Because of this and many examples in Scripture, we believe children should be taught the truths and history of God’s word from their earliest days. We believe furthermore that God makes provision for the redemption of children too young to understand and confess a true faith in Jesus Christ.

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In answer to specific questions we’ve received (and thank you for asking!):

(1)  We prefer the New King James Version and English Standard Version of the Bible, and most of the quotations in our writing are from those translations.

(2)  We describe ourselves as Reformed Baptist and are in substantial agreement with the London Baptist Confession of 1689.

(3)  We are founding members of Grace Christian Fellowship in Garner, N.C.  We have enjoyed sweet fellowship and broad agreement with brethren in many different denominations over the years.