What We Believe

1. Our Doctrinal Beliefs

1.1 We believe in the INSPIRATION and INERRANCY of Scripture.

The Bible is the written Word of God, without error and of infallible and divine authority in all matters of faith and life. (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:20-21)

1.2 We believe in the MAJESTY and SOVEREIGNTY of God.

The personal Triune God of the Bible owns and controls all things according to His will. (Eph. 1:11; 3:11; Acts 4:24-27)

1.3 We believe God CREATED the universe out of NOTHING.

God alone has existed from eternity past and in His wisdom decided to create the universe using nothing which had preexisted. (Gen. 1:1; Heb. 11:3; Isa. 44:24) 

1.4 We believe that man was CREATED by God.

Man did not evolve but rather was created by the Triune God. He was created with dignity in that he was made in God’s image and created in humility in that his aim is to glorify God. (Gen. 1:26; Col. 3:17)

Statement on Sanctity of Life:

Believing that mankind bears the image of God leads us to believe in the sanctity of human life. Therefore, we oppose the practice of abortion and believe that there are no biblical grounds for abortion. Unborn children, as well as the newborn, the aged and the infirm, have a God-given right to life. We also believe that for those who have had an abortion in the past and are repentant, there is grace and forgiveness from God.

1.5 We believe in the SINFULNESS of man.

The voluntary sin of Adam resulted in man’s total depravity. Total depravity does not mean that man is as sinful as he can be, but that he is fallen in his “total person” (his mind, emotions, will and body). Thus, all men are sinners and are not able to please God on their own merit or save themselves. (Rom. 3:9; 8:7-8)

Statement on Marriage, Sexes and Sexuality:

We believe that every person should be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect and dignity. (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31) Behavior or attitudes inconsistent with this standard should be repudiated as not being in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of Perimeter Church.

We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary sexes together reflect the image and nature of God. (Gen. 1:26 27.) Confusion and or rejection of one’s biological sex reflects a lack of understanding and possible a rejection of the image of God within that person. Perimeter Church believes that each person is an image bearer of God. Perimeter Church, through many of its ministries, seeks to help those who desire to understand the Bible’s teaching on what it means to be an image bearer of God.

We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. (Gen. 2:18-25.) We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other. (1 Cor. 6:18; 7:2-5; Heb. 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 adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, incest, bestiality, pedophilia, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God. (Matt. 15:18-20; 1 Cor. 6:9-10.)

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; Rom. 10:9-10; 1 Cor. 6:9-11, John 8:34-36.) Perimeter Church is committed to offering those who seek redemption and restoration, assistance through counseling and or shepherding within the structures of the ministries within Perimeter Church or through ministries partnered with Perimeter Church.

We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of Perimeter Church as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a biblical role model to Perimeter members and the community, it is expected that all persons employed by Perimeter Church and all persons who serve as Officers of Perimeter Church, will agree to and abide by this Statement on Marriage, Sexes and Sexuality. (Matt. 5:16; Phil. 2:14-16; 1 Thess. 5:22.)

1.6. We believe in God’s gracious PLAN of salvation.

God in His goodness chose to provide a means of salvation for mankind through the covenant of grace. Covenant of grace is carried out by Jesus Christ in four primary roles:

1.6.1 a MEDIATOR

who represents both God and man;

1.6.2 a PROPHET

who is God’s spokesman, revealing truth to man;

1.6.3 a PRIEST

who is mankind’s representative, taking his sins upon Himself and offering Himself as a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice and to reconcile him to God;

1.6.4 a KING

who subdues man to Himself, ruling and defending him, and conquering all of his enemies.

Five Stage Process:

1.7 We believe God APPLIES the salvation earned by Christ to us through the Holy Spirit. This takes place through a five-stage process.

1.71 God begins the process by effectively CALLING His own to Himself

convincing him of his sin and misery and persuading and enabling him to receive Christ by faith.

1.72 This is followed by JUSTIFICATION,

whereby He declares man righteous in His sight, based only on the merit of Christ which is imputed to him and received by faith alone.

1.73 This is then followed by ADOPTION,

whereby the believer is received into God’s family, making him a joint heir with Christ.

1.74 Until his death, the believer continues to be SANCTIFIED.

This is the daily process of being enabled more and more to die to sin and to live unto righteousness.

1.75 The final stage is that of GLORIFICATION,

whereby the believer is received at death and his body at the final resurrection. It is especially noted that justification is by grace alone and through faith alone. This grace and faith will inevitably lead to sanctification—an evidence of justification.

(2 Tim. 1:9; Rom. 3:24-5:21; Rom. 8:14-17; Eph. 1:5; Rom. 6:11; Eph. 2:10; 2 Cor. 5:8; 1 Thess. 4:13-18)

1.8 We believe in the doctrine of salvation which emphasizes both the SOVEREIGNTY of God and the RESPONSIBILITY of man.

The Bible does not present us with an “either/or” proposition regarding the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man in salvation. It teaches “both/and” God is sovereign in our salvation. It is His work. He receives all glory. Christians are called His “chosen” or “elect”. He must draw us to Himself, and He preserves us when we trust Him. Yet, we are also responsible before God for our actions.

We must turn to Christ, trust Him, follow Him, and persevere. A belief in God’s sovereignty in salvation was the belief of the leaders of the Protestant Reformation and has been the “majority report” of evangelicals for most of the past 400 years.

(Gen. 6:5; Rom. 3:10-18, 21-25; Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:1; John 8:34; Eph. 1:4-5; Acts 13:48; Rom. 8:28-30; Rom. 9:11-24; John 6:37, 39, 44; John 10:1-5, 14-16; 1 Thess. 1:4)

1.9 We believe in COVENANT theology.

Covenant theology views all of Scripture as an unfolding covenant relationship between God and His people in which God’s dealing with man is based consistently throughout by grace. Thus, there is a unity and continuity between Israel of the Old Testament and the Church of the New Testament. There is one covenant of grace expressed in two administrations (Old and New). There is one people of God consisting of both Old Testament and New Testament believers.

(Gal. 6:15 NIV; Matt. 21:31-45; John 15:1-6; Acts 15:15-18; Rom. 8:23-28; 11:17-20; 1 Peter 2:9)

1.10 We believe in the doctrine of INFANT baptism.

1.10.1 The practice of infant baptism is based upon covenant theology.

Just as the Lord’s Supper has replaced the Passover, so baptism has replaced circumcision. What circumcision was in the Old Testament, baptism is in the New Testament.

1.10.2 When God established His covenant with man, He chose to call it an everlasting covenant.

That covenant had two administrations known as the old covenant and the new covenant. In the old and new administrations those who come into that everlasting covenant with God were given a sign of ownership. That sign had both a temporal and an eternal significance to it. It was God’s way of promising that both the earthly benefits of being in God’s kingdom and the eternal benefits would be theirs.

In the old covenant all agree that the sign, which was circumcision, was to be given to all men within God’s kingdom and to their children. Their children received the sign, not to indicate that the eternal benefits were theirs, but that the temporal ones were theirs. Thus, though many who were circumcised did not go to heaven at death, each did receive the earthly benefits of God’s kingdom—such as the manna from heaven, the fire by night, the cloud by day, the water from the flowing rock, etc.

Immediately following Pentecost when Peter was preaching his first sermon (Acts 2), Peter answers the question as to whether the children were to be included in the promise of the new administration. Peter says, “The promise is for you and for your children.” (vs. 39) Since the new covenant is a “better” covenant than the old, and since no Scriptures of the new covenant introduce the teaching that children should not receive the sign of the covenant, and since baptism is clearly the sign that replaces circumcision, we conclude that children should not be denied this great privilege. It is our understanding that children have a right to the privileges and benefits of God’s kingdom, the Church, once they are baptized. However, we understand that this same child must put his or her trust in Christ as Lord and Savior before the eternal benefits can be embraced.

(Gen. 17:7, 10; Acts 2:39; Acts 16:31; Gal. 3:26-29; Col. 2:11-12)

1.11 We believe in SPRINKLING as a valid mode of baptism.

Though sprinkling is not the only valid mode of baptism, it is certainly taught in the Scriptures. The Greek word “baptizo” (though can be translated “immersed”) is often used in Scriptures to refer to sprinkling or pouring. Hebrews 9:10 uses the word “baptizo” to refer to various washings. Hebrews 9:13, 19, 21, describe three such Old Testament washings. Each of these washings was done by means of sprinkling or pouring.

Jesus was baptized (baptizo) by John the Baptist. John asked Jesus why he should be baptizing Christ. The Lord’s reply gave only one reason—for fulfilling of the law (“to fulfill all righteousness”).

Numbers 8:6-7 tells us of that law requiring priests to be baptized. The Greek translation of the Old Testament uses the word “baptizo” and the Hebrew word clearly refers to sprinkling.

The word used in the New Testament for going “into” the water is misleading. For instance, in the chapter describing the eunuch’s baptism in Acts 8, the word “eis” (into or in) is used eight times. Seven times it is translated “in”. Only the one used to describe the baptism is the word “into” used.

It is possible to take the various accounts of baptism in the New Testament and argue strongly in many of them that the mode of sprinkling was used. It is also a strong argument, though based on silence, that children would have been included in many of the sixteen references to household baptisms. Certainly, they would not have been immersed. (Acts 16:15, 31-33; 1 Cor. 1:16.)

Baptism is a sign of the washing that comes by the reception of the Holy Spirit.

Sprinkling or pouring is a “picture” of the reception/calling of the Spirit and the cleansing received thereby. (Titus 3:5-6.)

To be safe, we can say that the mode of baptism is not so clear in Scripture, so as to make it a major doctrinal issue as so many churches do. Perimeter uses sprinkling as its expression of the covenant sign but believes that each of the modes of baptism have support in Scripture. 

1.12 We believe in a FINAL JUDGMENT by God.

Because mankind “counts” (i.e., is in the image of God), he is therefore accountable (i.e., will face judgment). God will bring all things to consummation at the Judgment, taking His own to be with Him forever and casting all others into hell forever. (1 Cor. 15:24-28; Rev. 20:11-15)

1.13 We believe in the priority of the CHURCH.

The Church invisible is made up of all of God’s people of all times. The Church visible is the visible manifestation of the invisible Church and is the ordinary means of the spreading of the Gospel and the building up of the saints. The Church uses the Word, the sacraments and prayer to accomplish this.

(Eph. 2:20-22, 5:23-33; 2 Tim. 4:2)

1.14 We believe the Presbyterian form of government is the most biblical expression of church polity.

1.14.1 The three types of church government

• Hierarchical — Catholic and Methodist; Congregational — Baptist and Bible Churches; Presbyterian — Reformed and Presbyterian

1.14.2 The biblical basis for a Presbyterian form of government

• The office-bearers were chosen by the people. (Acts 14:23) Appointed actually means to “elect by a show of hands.”
• The office of bishop and elder were identical.
• There was a plurality of elders in each church. (Acts 13:23, 20:17)
• There was the privilege of appeal to the assembly of elders and the power of government was exercised by them in their associate capacity. (Acts 15, 16:4)
• The only head of the church is the Lord Jesus Christ. (Eph. 5:20-23; Col. 1:18)

1.14.3 The Presbyterian church courts

• Session — The policy elders of a local church (meets monthly)
• Presbytery — A representative number of elders from churches of a designated geographical area (meets quarterly)
• General Assembly — A representative number of elders from the churches of the entire U. S. and Canada (meets annually)

1.14.4 Church Officers:

Teaching Elders — Member of presbytery Ruling Elders —

Member of church Deacons — Physical needs