Contact us More Than Sunday School The following Statement of Faith sets forth the biblical convictions that shape all we teach at More Than Sunday School™. We do not claim originality, but gladly stand in the stream of historic Reformed orthodoxy, confessing what the church has always held to be true. These truths are drawn from the Word of God, which is our final authority in all matters of faith and life, and they guide both the content of our curriculum and the purpose of our work.
Scripture We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the inspired, inerrant, infallible, and sufficient Word of God. They are God-breathed, wholly true in all they affirm, incapable of error in the original writings, and preserved by God’s providence. Scripture is not man’s word about God but God’s Word to man, revealing the whole counsel of God concerning His glory, man’s salvation, faith, and life. All Scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16–17). Thus, the Scriptures are perfect, complete, and fully sufficient, lacking nothing, and nothing is to be added to or taken from them. They are the final and supreme authority in all matters of faith and practice, binding the conscience because they are the very voice of God. God We believe in one living and true God, who exists eternally in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These three are equal in essence, power, and glory, yet distinct in their persons and operations. God is infinite in being and perfection, self-existent, immutable, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, all-sufficient, and sovereign over all things. He is most holy, most wise, most free, and most absolute, working all things according to the counsel of His immutable will, for His glory alone. God is perfect in justice, abundant in mercy, rich in grace, fearful in holiness, overflowing in steadfast love and truth, and terrible in wrath. He hates all sin, will by no means clear the guilty, and His righteous anger is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. At the same time, He delights to forgive through the atoning sacrifice of Christ. The cross is the fullest display of His holy character—where perfect love and perfect wrath meet in the death of His Son for sinners. To Him belongs all worship, obedience, and honor forever.
Jesus Christ We believe in the eternal Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, who is of one essence with the Father, uncreated, and without beginning. Through Him all things were made, and apart from Him nothing came into being. In the fullness of time, He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He is truly God and truly man—two natures united in one Person without confusion, change, division, or separation. He lived in perfect obedience to the Father, fulfilled the Law, and offered Himself as the once-for-all sacrifice for sin. By His substitutionary death on the cross, He bore the wrath of God in the place of His people, securing their redemption. He rose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, and now reigns at the right hand of the Father, interceding for His own. He will return personally, visibly, and gloriously to judge the living and the dead and to consummate His kingdom. On “Truly God and Truly Man” At first glance, “truly” and “fully” may seem like synonyms. But in theological usage they guard different aspects of Christ’s person, and they arose out of centuries of debate in the early church. The Historical Context The 4th through 6th centuries were marked by serious errors regarding Christ’s person: Arianism denied His full deity, treating Him as a created being. Apollinarianism denied His full humanity, saying the divine Logos replaced His human mind. Nestorianism divided Christ into two persons, one divine and one human. Eutychianism/Monophysitism (fifth century) blurred Christ’s two natures into one mixed nature. The very word Monophysite shows the problem: from the Greek mono (one) and physis (nature). Instead of confessing that Christ is both God and man, they claimed that His divinity and humanity merged into a single fused nature—neither wholly God nor wholly man, but a hybrid. The church rightly rejected this as unbiblical, for a Christ who is not truly God and truly man cannot mediate between God and man.
In response, the Council of Chalcedon (AD 451) confessed that Christ is one Person in two natures—truly God and truly man—“without confusion, without change, without division, without separation.” Fully God and Fully Man This language emphasizes completeness. Jesus did not possess part of deity or part of humanity—He was wholly God and wholly man. It guards against reducing Him to a partial being or mixture. Truly God and Truly Man This language emphasizes reality and essence. Jesus was not a man merely filled with deity, nor two complete beings merged. He was, in His very being, God the Son incarnate—actually God and actually man in one Person. Why It Matters Both terms are orthodox; together they express that Christ is truly (in essence) and fully (in totality) God and man. These careful words stand as the church’s response to centuries of heresy, reminding us that the mystery of the incarnation cannot be reduced or redefined. The Holy Spirit We believe in the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity, true and eternal God, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified. He is not an impersonal force, but the Lord and Giver of life, who eternally proceeds from the Father and the Son. It is the Spirit who effectually calls, regenerates, convicts of sin, grants repentance and faith, and unites believers to Christ. He indwells every true child of God, sealing them as His possession and guaranteeing their final redemption. By His power, the believer is sanctified through the Word, enabled to put sin to death, and equipped for faithful obedience.
The Spirit distributes spiritual gifts according to His sovereign will for the building up of the church and the advance of the gospel. We affirm that in the apostolic era He granted miraculous and revelatory gifts—such as tongues, prophecy, and healing—for the purpose of authenticating the apostles and laying the foundation of the church. With the death of the apostles and the completion of the New Testament canon, those sign gifts ceased. We categorically deny the continuation of revelatory gifts in the present age. Claims of ongoing revelation, modern prophecy, and tongues are false and undermine the sufficiency of Scripture. The Spirit now works through the Word He inspired, equipping the saints with enduring gifts that edify, order, and strengthen the church. Through the Spirit we are enabled to obey God—not in our own strength, but by His indwelling presence. It is the Spirit who enables us to love our neighbor in the biblical sense: not with shallow sentimentality or moral niceness, but with agapē love—a covenantal, truth-anchored devotion that seeks the eternal good of others. This love prays for the salvation of the lost, calls sin what it is, and points men and women to Christ. Such obedience is not moralism, but the fruit of the Spirit’s work, conforming believers to the likeness of Christ. Thus, the Spirit’s ministry is not to draw attention to Himself, but to glorify Christ, apply His redemption, preserve His people, and empower them to walk in holiness until the day of glory. Love and the Christian Life When Scripture commands believers to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 22:39), it does not mean mere sentiment or emotional fondness. The Greek language distinguishes between different kinds of love, and the Bible uses these words with care: Phileō (φιλέω) – This refers to affection, friendship, or warm regard. It can include fondness, loyalty, or emotional closeness. It is good, but it is not the highest or most consistent form of love because it depends on feelings, circumstances, or mutual attraction.
Agapē (ἀγάπη) – This is the word Scripture most often uses when commanding love toward God and neighbor. Agapē is not rooted in fluctuating emotions but in the will, grounded in God’s own character. It is covenantal, self- giving, and oriented toward truth. It seeks the eternal good of others, even when it requires personal sacrifice or confrontation. Agapē love prays for salvation, calls sin what it is, and points others to repentance in Christ. This is crucial because the Bible does not reduce the Christian life to moralism or mere kindness. The command to “love your neighbor” is not a call to shallow niceness or tolerance. It is a call to obedience—to align our actions, prayers, and words with God’s truth for the good of others. True biblical love is only possible through the Holy Spirit, who enables believers to die to self, take up their cross daily, and follow Christ (Luke 9:23). To love as Scripture commands is not to affirm people in their sin, but to seek their reconciliation with God. It is to reflect Christ, who laid down His life not because we were lovable, but because the Father willed to redeem a people for His glory (Romans 5:8). Man and Sin Creation and the Fall We believe that God created man in His own image, upright and without sin, to glorify Him and to enjoy fellowship with Him. God made mankind in two distinct and complementary genders, male and female (Genesis 1:27), and declared His creation very good. Eve, being deceived by the serpent, transgressed first; but Adam, as covenant head, willfully disobeyed God and by his sin brought ruin upon the entire human race (Genesis 3:1–7; Romans 5:12). Sin entered the world not by compulsion, but by man’s own choice. From that moment forward, man’s will became enslaved to sin. Though man retains a will, it is not morally neutral—it is in bondage. The will is either enslaved to sin and rebellion against God, or it is freed by grace and bound to righteousness in Christ (Romans 6:16–18).
Gender, Sexuality, and Idolatry God sovereignly assigns gender from conception, perfectly uniting body and identity. To deny or attempt to alter this is to reject God’s design and truth. Teaching children otherwise is sin. Marriage is ordained by God as the lifelong covenantal union of one man and one woman (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4–6). Any distortion of this—including homosexual acts, same-sex “marriage,” homosexual adoption, transgenderism, or any other man-made LGBTQ+ identity —is sin. These are not alternative lifestyles but idolatry of self, a rejection of God’s created order, and the worship of desire in place of the Creator (Romans 1:24–27). Total Depravity Through Adam’s disobedience, the entire human race fell into sin, inheriting both guilt and corruption (Romans 5:12, 19). Man is now dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1–3), wholly inclined toward evil (Genesis 6:5), unable to please God (Romans 8:7–8), and under His just condemnation (John 3:36). Total depravity does not mean that every man is as wicked as possible, but that every part of his being—mind, heart, will, and body—is corrupted by sin. Apart from God’s sovereign grace, man remains alienated from Him, blind to truth, hostile to righteousness, and enslaved to sin. Only the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit can free man from this bondage, giving him a new heart and a will inclined to love and obey God. Salvation We believe that salvation is of the Lord, by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, to the glory of God alone. From before the foundation of the world, God chose a people in Christ and effectually calls them to Himself by His Spirit and Word. Regeneration (Monergistic): The new birth is the sovereign work of God alone. Man contributes nothing to his regeneration, for he is dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1–5). It is God who raises the sinner to life, granting repentance and faith.
Justification (Monergistic): God alone declares the sinner righteous in His sight, solely on the basis of the imputed righteousness of Christ, received by faith apart from works (Romans 3:24–28; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Sanctification (Synergistic): Sanctification is the lifelong work of the Spirit conforming believers into the image of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18). While it is God who works in us “both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13), believers are commanded to actively “work out [their] own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). Sanctification is not passive but requires daily striving, the mortification of sin (Romans 8:13), resisting the devil (1 Peter 5:8–9), and pursuing holiness (Hebrews 12:14). It is not “quietism” or “let go and let God,” but Spirit-enabled obedience, vigilance, and warfare against sin. Glorification (Monergistic): At the return of Christ, believers will be raised incorruptible, freed from sin, and perfected in His presence forever (1 Corinthians 15:52–53; Romans 8:30). Concerning Errors in Sanctification & Historical Roots Quietism claims that sanctification occurs through passivity, by “letting go and letting God,” rather than through Spirit- enabled obedience. Seventeenth Century: Advanced by Miguel de Molinos and later by Madame Guyon. 1687: Formally condemned as heresy. Nineteenth Century: Revived in the Keswick “Higher Life” movement, which reduced holiness to surrender and passivity. Modern Era: Absorbed into strands of evangelicalism and revivalism, often expressed as a spirituality of “niceness” and moral quietness. Theological Dangers Denies the biblical command to strive against sin (Romans 8:13; Hebrews 12:14). Redefines holiness as moral niceness rather than obedience to God’s Word. Mirrors Mormon moralism, presenting holiness as quiet improvement rather than Spirit-driven obedience. Distorts sanctification into effortless serenity instead of a Spirit-empowered struggle against sin and Satan.
Affirmation of the Truth Sanctification is the work of the Spirit but requires the active striving of the believer. Christians are commanded to mortify sin, resist the devil, and pursue holiness. Any system that promotes passivity leaves the believer vulnerable, “for your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). The Church We believe that the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church consists of all who have been redeemed by Christ and united to Him by faith. By “catholic” we do not mean the Roman Catholic institution, but the universal church, composed of the whole number of the elect gathered into one body under Christ the Head. The visible church on earth is the assembly of those who profess the true faith, together with their children. Yet we recognize that within the visible church there are both wheat and tares, regenerate and unregenerate, faithful disciples and false professors (Matthew 13:24–30). A mere profession of Christ does not prove possession of Christ. Wolves often clothe themselves in sheep’s wool, and dangers lurk even under the covering of pastors, elders, and teachers. For this reason, the church is called to discernment. Christ governs His church through His Word, and He has ordained that the church be marked by the right preaching of the Word, the right administration of the sacraments, and the faithful exercise of discipline. Believers are commanded not only to gather for worship, prayer, fellowship, and the ministry of the Word, but also to watch their doctrine and their lives closely. Pastors, elders, and deacons must be above reproach in every way (1 Timothy 3; Titus 1), for to tolerate sin or compromise in leadership is to dishonor Christ. It is not unkind, uncharitable, or mere “opinion” to expose sin or error. Scripture commands us to admonish one another (Colossians 3:16), to reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all patience and teaching (2 Timothy 4:2), and to test the spirits (1 John 4:1).
To excuse sin by saying, “God knows my heart” is not biblical humility but rebellion against God’s Word, for the heart itself is deceitful above all things (Jeremiah 17:9). True love for the brethren requires discernment, confrontation of sin, and a readiness to restore in gentleness (Galatians 6:1). The heart is known only to God, but the fruit of one’s life is visible. The church must therefore exercise discipline, not to shame or destroy, but to guard the flock and to call sinners to repentance. All correction must be carried out in a biblical manner, with the purpose of reconciliation to the church and restoration to the people of God. To ignore sin in the name of kindness is cruelty; to confront sin in the name of Christ is love. The purity of Christ’s bride demands vigilance, holiness, and accountability until He returns. Last Things We believe in the blessed hope of the personal, visible, sudden, and glorious return of our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 1:11; Titus 2:13). He will come again, not in humility as at His first advent, but in power and great glory to consummate His kingdom, vindicate His saints, and judge the living and the dead. No one knows the day or the hour, but His return is certain, imminent, and will come upon the world like a thief in the night (Matthew 24:36; 1 Thessalonians 5:2). At His coming, the dead will be raised—some to everlasting life, others to everlasting shame and contempt (Daniel 12:2). All men will stand before the judgment seat of Christ. The righteous, clothed in the imputed righteousness of Christ, will enter into everlasting joy in the presence of God, dwelling with Him forever in the new creation (Revelation 21:3–4). The wicked, having rejected Christ, will be cast into the lake of fire to suffer eternal, conscious punishment, separated from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His might (Matthew 25:46; 2 Thessalonians 1:9). We deny the errors of annihilationism and universalism, which contradict the clear testimony of Scripture concerning eternal punishment. The present heavens and earth will pass away with a roar, dissolved by fire, and God will create a new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:10–13). This new creation will not be a spiritual abstraction but a renewed, physical world in which the redeemed will dwell with Christ in resurrection bodies, worshiping and serving Him forever. For the believer, this hope is not escapism but fuel for holiness: “Everyone who thus hopes in Him purifies himself as He is pure” (1 John 3:3). For the unbeliever, this truth is a solemn warning of the wrath to come. The return of Christ demands readiness, vigilance, and faithfulness until the end.