RGI Exam Preparation

I. The Word of God
We believe the canon of Scripture, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Bible, to be the complete and final Word of God. We do not believe any further revelation outside of the Word of God exists. We believe the Bible is the absolute and final authority for the church. It is the standard by which everything must be measured. It is to be the rule of life to the believer. We believe in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Bible. By verbal inspiration we teach that the human writers of Scripture were guided by the Holy Spirit in the original writings. By plenary inspiration we teach that all sixty-six books of the Bible are equally inspired in all parts. We believe the Bible is literally God-breathed and is absolutely accurate and
completely inerrant. We believe the Word of God is to be interpreted in a literal, historical, and
grammatical method. Attention is focused on the historical background and grammar to determine
Scripture’s meaning. We believe that thus far the prophetic Scriptures have been fulfilled in a literal,
historical, and grammatical manner and that any future prophecies will be likewise fulfilled. We believe that one of the continued themes of the Bible is the anticipation, presentation, realization, and exultation of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Mat. 5:18, Mat. 24:35; Jn. 17:17; 2 Tim. 3:15-17; 2 Pt. 1:20-21)

II. God
We believe there is only one living and true God, who is infinite in being, eternal, incomprehensible,
almighty, and immutable, Who works all things according to the counsel of His own will for His own glory, and Who is most holy in all His counsels, in all His works, and in all His commands. He is most loving, gracious, merciful, and long suffering. We believe in the unity of the Godhead, eternally existing as three Persons of one substance, power, and eternity in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. (Deut. 6:4; Mat. 3:16-17, Mat. 28:19; 1 Cor. 8:4; 2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 4:4-6)

A. God the Father
We believe the First Person of the Trinity, God the Father, is the Creator and Sustainer of all things. He is the supreme and only Sovereign of the universe and His sovereign decrees extend to all the acts of men. He is sovereign in creation, providence, and redemption. We believe all things have been purposed for His glory. As Creator of the world, He is the Father of all men, but spiritually He is Father only to those who have believed in His Son. We believe that God in His foreknowledge from eternity past, saw there
were none that would seek Him or choose Him, but God, being rich in mercy chose before the
foundations of the world those that would be recipients of His grace and predestined them to be
conformed to the image of His Son. We believe that He saves from sin all those who come to Him
through Jesus Christ and whoever comes He will not cast out. (Gen. 1:1-31; Ps. 33:9-11, Ps. 115:3; John 15:16; Rom. 8:14-29; Eph. 1:4-11, Eph. 3:9, Eph. 4:6; 1 Tim. 6:15; John 6:36-44)

B. God the Son
We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God and as the second Person of the Trinity is equal with God. We believe that all things were created by Him, through Him, for Him, and in Him all things consist. We believe that at the incarnation Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. We believe that He lived a sinless perfect life here on this earth. We believe that Jesus Christ, as the perfect Lamb of God, accomplished our redemption through His death upon the cross and that today Jesus Christ sits at the right hand of the Father as our High Priest where He intercedes for us as our Advocate. We believe that Jesus Christ is the Head of the church and that He will return to rapture
the church to Himself and will in the millennial kingdom reign on the throne of David. We believe that He will be the final Judge of all who did not receive Him as Savior. (Micah 5:2; Phil. 2:5-8; Col. 2:9; Isa. 7:14, 9:6; Luke 1:26-35; Isa. 53; John 1:1; Rom. 3:24-25; Eph. 1:7; 1 Pt. 1:3-5; Luke 24:38-39;Heb. 7:25, Heb. 9:24; 1 John 2:1-2; Col. 1:16-18; 1 Th. 4:13-18; Rev. 20:4, 11-15; John 4:22-23; Mat. 25:14-46)

C. God the Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit, as the third person of the Trinity, is a distinct Person possessing all the
attributes of personality and deity. He is coequal and co-substantial with the Father and the Son. We believe that the Holy Spirit was actively involved in creation. We believe it is the ministry of the Holy Spirit to carry out the will of the Father and the Son. We believe the Holy Spirit’s work in this age began at Pentecost when He came from the Father as promised by Christ. He came to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgement. We believe the Holy Spirit is the supernatural and sovereign Agent in regeneration to those who are saved. We believe the Holy Spirit immediately indwells each believer at conversion and seals them until the day of redemption. He is the guarantee of the completed work of the Son and decree of the Father. We believe the Holy Scriptures came not by the will of man, but by
the Holy Spirit, who moved men to write the words of God, and that it is the ministry of the Holy Spirit
to teach believers the Word of God and guide them into all truth. (1 Cor. 2:10-13; Mat. 28:19; Acts 5:34;
1 Cor. 12:4-6, 13; Heb. 10:15-17; 2 Pt. 1:20-21; John 16:7-9; 2 Cor. 3:6; Eph. 1:13)

III. Man
We believe that all men by nature and choice are sinful and lost. We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but by personal disobedience to the revealed will of God became a sinful creature and incurred the penalty of spiritual and physical death for all mankind. We believe man is universally sinful in nature and practice, as well as by divine declaration; thus alienated from the life and family of God and under the righteous judgment and wrath of God. We believe that men are born spiritually dead and are utterly unable to choose or to do that which is acceptable to God. We believe that the natural man will never seek after God, is enslaved to sin, and is completely blinded to spiritual things. (Gen. 1:26-27, Gen. 2:7; Jam. 3:9; Ps. 14:1-3; Jer. 17:9; Rom. 3:10, Rom. 22-23, Rom. 5:12; 1 Cor. 1:18, 1 Cor. 2:14)

IV. Salvation
We believe salvation is a complete act of God, whereby God saves those whom He has called. We
believe salvation is by grace through faith alone in Jesus Christ. It is the free gift of God, neither merited nor secured in part or in whole by any virtue or act of man. We believe salvation is the work of the Holy Spirit who quickens the heart of man, thereby enabling him to respond in faith to God’s offer of salvation. We believe that those who have experienced the new birth in Christ will demonstrate good works as evidence of genuine regeneration. We believe that in salvation man is clothed with the righteousness of Christ, set apart for good works, and sealed until the day of his ultimate glorification in the presence of Jesus Christ. (John 1:12, John 3:16; Acts 16:31; Eph. 1:4-11, Eph. 2:8-9; 2 Cor. 5:21; Tim. 3:5-6; Jam. 2:15-26; 1 Pt. 1:18-19; Rom. 3:20-26, Rom. 8:33)

V. Security of the Believer
We believe that all the redeemed are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever. We
believe in an infallible assurance of faith, which is founded upon God’s eternal decree and divine truth of the promise of salvation, through inward evidence of saving grace and the testimony of the Holy Spirit, which bears witness with our spirits that we are the children of God. (John 5:24, John 6:37-50, John 10:27-30; Rom. 8:1, Rom. 16:38-39; 1 Cor. 1:4-8; 1 John 3:24, John 4:13)

VI. Angels
We believe that angels are created beings of God. They are spirit beings without power to reproduce.
They have great power and are innumerable. We believe they were created to serve and worship God. (Heb. 1:14, Heb. 12:22) We believe that Satan (Lucifer) was the most beautiful and powerful of all the angels. However, he fell through pride and unlawful ambition and rebelled against God. Now, depraved in character, he became the leader of a large host of evil angels (called demons) who followed him in his fall from heaven. Satan
is responsible for introducing sin into the human race by his temptation of Eve. He is the enemy of God and man, but is doomed to defeat through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He will be
eternally punished in the Lake of Fire. (Isa. 14:12-15; Rev. 12:9; Mat. 12:24; Gen. 3:1-15; 2 Pt. 2:4)
We believe that the angels that did not rebel against God are now fixed in their state of holiness. They are called the elect, holy angels of God who now serve Him and bring glory to God. They are ministering spirits sent forth to minister to those who will inherit salvation. (Ps. 91:11; 1 Tim. 5:21; Heb. 1:14) Adopted from FCC website.

We are committed to the belief that marriage was created and sanctioned by God to bring together
biological men and biological women by joining them in a “one-flesh” covenantal relationship (Genesis 2:18-25). We believe God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complimentary genders together reflect the image and nature of God (Genesis 1:26-27). We believe the term, “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union as delineated in Scripture (Genesis 2:18-25). We believe marriage between one man and
one woman for life uniquely reflects Christ’s relationship with the Church (Ephesians 5:21-33). Marriage also serves as the foundational unit of the family (1 Timothy 3:2) and provides the best chance that children will grow up in the same home with both their mom and their dad.

We believe God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a biological man and a biological woman who are married to each other (1 Corinthians 6:18; 7:2-5; Hebrews 13:4). We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.

We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including fornication, adultery, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God (Matthew 15:18-20; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of Reigning Grace Counseling Center as part of the local Body of Christ, and to provide a biblical role model to the Church and the community, all persons employed by Reigning Grace Counseling Center in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, are to and abide by this Statement on Marriage, Gender and Sexuality (Matthew 5:16; Philippians 2:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:22).

We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ (Acts 3:19-21; Romans 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, respect, and dignity (Mark 12:28-31). Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture or the doctrines of Reigning Grace Counseling Center.

This statement of faith for RGCC does not exhaust the extent of our beliefs. The Bible itself, as the
inspired and infallible Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe. For the purposes of Reigning Grace Counseling Center’s faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, our Board of Directors is Reigning Grace Counseling Center’s final interpretive authority on the Bible’s meaning and application.

As a Christian organization, we believe the character of those employed or serving in any official capacity for Reigning Grace Counseling Center must reflect a personal relationship with God through prayer, the personal study of the Bible, and regular attendance at corporate worship in a church whose doctrinal statement is in agreement with the position of RGCC and the various certifying organizations with which we are affiliated.

All those employed by or serving in any official capacity for Reigning Grace Counseling Center must abide by and agree with this Code of Conduct.

All those employed by or serving in any official capacity for Reigning Grace Counseling Center must agree to dress in conformance with their biological sex, and use the gender-specific restroom in conformance with their biological sex.

All those employed by or serving in any official capacity for Reigning Grace Counseling Center must agree to abstain from activities detrimental to and not supportive of expected religious character
including but not limited to drunkenness, drug abuse, gambling, and sexual immorality.

We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable
worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life (Psalm 139).