Doctrinal Distinctives

While we ask that all members affirm the seven essentials in our statement of beliefs, we do not expect all members to be in complete alignment with our additional doctrinal distinctives. However, members should expect that our doctrinal distinctives will shape the way Watermark Fort Worth is led and these distinctives will be maintained in all ministry environments and that members may not teach contrary to them.

THE HOLY SPIRIT

Some gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues, infallible prophecy, and the gift of miraculous healing, were given to certain individuals as authenticating signs for the early church (Acts 8:14; 10:44- 48; 11:15-18; 19:1-6) and not as final evidence of God’s presence in a believer’s life nor as confirmations of a “second blessing” or subsequent filling of the Spirit. Furthermore, we believe the gift of tongues in the New Testament always presents itself as a known language (Acts 2:6-13) and not as a private prayer language. We maintain that while God may do what He pleases, we do not believe the normative distribution of these authenticating sign gifts is present in the life of the church today. Christians should be open to God choosing to work in these ways but cautious of their normative appearance in the church.

ANGELS, FALLEN AND UNFALLEN

We believe angels are spiritual beings who were created as sinless personalities and that they occupy different orders and ranks. They presently exist in both fallen and unfallen states, the former including Satan and his angels. (Hebrews 1:13-14; 2 Peter 2:4; Revelation 7:12)

We believe Satan, by his own choice the enemy of God and His people, is the originator of sin, that led our first parents into sin and now rules as “the god of this world.” We believe he was judged at the cross and that ultimately he will be cast into the Lake of Fire. (Isaiah 14:12-14; Genesis 3:1-19; Hebrews 2:14; Revelation 20:10)

SANCTIFICATION

We believe sanctification, which is a setting apart unto God, is positional, progressive, and ultimate. Positionally, it is already complete since the believer is in Christ and is set apart unto God as Christ is set apart unto God. Since the Christian retains his sinful nature, however, there is need for progressive sanctification whereby he grows in grace by the power of the Spirit. Ultimately, the child of God will be set apart from sin in his practice (as he is now in his position in Christ) when he is taken to be with Christ and shall be like Him. (John 17:17; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 5:25-27; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 10:10; 14)

THE CHURCH

We believe the Church, the Body and Bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism, made up of all born-again persons of this present age. We believe the Church began at Pentecost and that a believer is placed into the Church by the baptizing work of the Holy Spirit. We believe the Church is distinct from Israel. (Ephesians 1:22-23; 1 Corinthians 12:13; 10:32)

We believe the local church is an assembly of professed believers in Jesus Christ who are voluntarily joined together in one locality for the purposes of worship, study of the Word of God, observance of the ordinances, Christian fellowship, equipping for and practice of Kingdom service, specifically stewarding our lives for the purpose of fulfilling the Great Commission. (Acts 2:42-47; 1 Corinthians 1:1-2; Ephesians 4:11-13; Matthew 16:18; 28:19-20)

THE ORDINANCES OF BAPTISM AND THE LORD’S SUPPER

We believe Christ instituted the ordinances of water baptism and the Lord’s Supper, both of which are to be observed by believers until He returns. (Matthew 28:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

We believe by water baptism a believer publicly identifies with Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. We believe that infants of believing parents may be dedicated to the Lord but should not be baptized until they can personally articulate their faith and the purpose of baptism.

We believe the Lord’s Supper is a memorial of Christ’s death and an expression of our faith in His future coming that is to be continually practiced by all believers. We believe every Christian has a right to partake of the elements of the Lord’s Supper but that participation must always be preceded by solemn self-examination.

THE END TIMES

We believe in the personal, imminent coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for the Church. This event, commonly called the rapture, will be followed by great tribulation on earth and will culminate in the visible and bodily return of Jesus Christ to the earth, commonly called the Second Coming, to rule the nations and establish His millennial kingdom. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Philippians 3:20; Matthew 24:15-31; Zechariah 14:4-11; Revelation 19:11-21; 20:1-6)

THE ETERNAL STATE

We believe the souls of believers in Jesus Christ do, at death, immediately pass into His presence, and there remain with Him until the resurrection of our earthly bodies at His coming for the Church, when our souls and imperishable bodies shall be with Him forever in glory. We believe the souls of unbelievers remain after death in constant misery in Hades until the final judgment of the Great White Throne at the close of the millennium when soul and body reunited shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to be punished with everlasting separation from the presence of the Lord. (Luke 16:19-26; 23:43; 1 Corinthians 15:42-44; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Revelation 20:11-15)