Statement of Faith, Conduct, and Ideology

STATEMENT OF FAITH

GOD

The one true God has revealed Himself as the eternally self-existent "I AM," the Creator and Ruler of the universe, and the Redeemer of mankind. He has eternally existed in three personalities: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are coequal and are one God. [Genesis 1:1, 26, 27, 3:22; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; I Peter 1:2; II Corinthians 13:14; Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 43:10, 11; Luke 3:22]

JESUS

Jesus Christ is the Son of God and is coequal with the Father and Holy Spirit. Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a sinless human life, performed miracles, and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice on the cross for all the sins of mankind. He arose from the dead after three days, demonstrating his power over sin and death. Jesus ascended to heaven, is exalted at the right hand of the Father, and will one day return to earth to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lord. The Lord Jesus Christ has always existed with the Father and is eternal. [Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:31, 35; Hebrews 7:26; I Peter 2:22; Acts 2:22, 10:38; I Corinthians 15:3; II Corinthians 5:21; Matthew 28:6; Luke 24:39; I Corinthians 15:4; Acts 1:9, 11, 2:33; Philippians 2:9-11; Hebrews 1-3]

HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit is coequal with the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, making people aware of their need of salvation in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation, regenerates the believing sinner, and baptizes the believer into the Body of Christ, which is called the Church. The Holy Spirit bestows spiritual gifts upon each believer for the edification of the Body of Christ and empowers believers for effective life, witnessing, and service. He is the believer’s Comforter and Teacher (John 14), and He seals the believer with Christ. [Acts 1:8, 5:3-4; John 15:26-27, 16:7-13, 14:16-17; I Corinthians 2:12, 3:16, 12:4, 7-13; II Corinthians 3:17; Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30, 5:18-20; Galatians 5:25]

THE BIBLE

The Bible, comprised of the Old and New Testaments, is the inspired Word of God, a special revelation from a loving God to mankind. It was written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the infallible source of truth, standards, and guidelines for living for all mankind. Because it is inspired by God, it is the truth without any mixture of error. [II Timothy 3:16-17, 1:13; II Peter 1:16-21; Psalm 119:105, 160, 12:6; Proverbs 30:5]

MANKIND

People were created in God’s own image, good and upright, to be like Him in character. But mankind, by voluntary transgression, fell, incurring not only physical death, but also sin and spiritual death, which is separation from God. This voluntary transgression, an attitude of disobedience toward God, ushered evil and death, both physical and spiritual, into the world. Evil and death – this attitude of disobedience toward God – causes many problems in life. [Genesis 1:26-31; 3:1-7; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6, 59:1-2; Romans 3:32, 5:12-14; Ephesians 2:1-2]

SALVATION

Jesus came that all may receive salvation - a free gift of God of eternal life, perfect righteousness, and the right to become an heir of God. Salvation cannot be earned, nor is it merited by works in any way, but rather, comes only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness. When a person turns from a self-ruled life to a faith in Jesus, he or she is saved, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside him or her, and eternal life begins. [Romans 5:1, 15-21, 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 2:11, 3:5; John 14:6, 1:12; Galatians 3:26]

THE CHRISTIAN’S WALK

The Scriptures teach a life of holiness, to walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh. Entire sanctification is the will of God for all believers and should be earnestly pursued by walking in obedience to God’s Word. [Colossians 1:28; I Peter 1:14-16; Romans 8:1-17; I John 2:15-17]

ETERNITY

People were created to exist forever. At the conclusion of their life on earth, those who are saved will live eternally with God in Heaven. Those who are not saved will live eternally separated from God in Hell, the lake which burns with fire and brimstone. Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence. [John 3:16, 14:17; Romans 6:23, 8:1-17; I Corinthians 2:7-9; Colossians 1:28; I Peter 1:14-16; I John 2:15-17; Revelation 20:15]

STATEMENT ON THE SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE

OCS teaches and believes 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. (Ps 139)

STATEMENT ON MARRIAGE, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY

OCS is in agreement with the Nashville Statement honoring biblical sexuality.

OCS teaches and believes that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. (Genesis 1:26-27) Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person.

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. (Genesis 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 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, exclusively, between one man and one woman.

We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including but not limited to adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is a violation of biblical precepts. (Leviticus 18:22; Leviticus 20:13; Matthew 15:18-20; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of Odessa Christian School as a Christian ministry, and to provide a biblical role model to the students, families, and faculty of Odessa Christian School, and to our community, OCS teaches, upholds, and abides by this Statement on Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality. (Matthew 5:16; Philippians 2:14-16; 1 Thessalonians5:22) Any alternative views or teachings on marriage, gender, and sexuality will not be taught as acceptable in a biblical, Christian sense. Faculty and students will be held to this statement in order to be employed/attend OCS. Parents are to expect this perspective that will be held to in all teaching and standards of conduct.

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, and dignity. (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31) Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of Odessa Christian School.

Any student or faculty member who does not adhere to this Statement on Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality, or any other portion of this Statement of Faith, Conduct, and Ideology will not be able to continue employment/attendance at OCS.