Introduction to the Doctrinal Statement

Throughout its history MBI has without qualification held to the essentials of biblical orthodoxy.  In addition it has defined itself in other distinct ways in terms of more specific interpretations of Scripture.  These positions are reflected in the Doctrinal Statement (1928) documents and policies published by the Institute.  This Institutional Positions Related to the Moody Bible Institute Doctrinal Statement (1928) was produced to clarify and make explicit the doctrinal positions of the institution. 

While the Institute's particular definitions are important to its position, it is readily recognized that they do not define orthodoxy for the whole body of Christ.  MBI gladly embraces all who faithfully adhere to the essentials of biblical Christianity as fellow believers and colleagues in Christ's cause.

Whereas biblical Christianity is defined by the central tenets of the faith, throughout the history of the church various groups have employed more specific definitions to define themselves.  Historically MBI has maintained positions that have identified it as noncharismatic, dispensational, and generally Calvinistic.

To maintain continuity and consistency with the heritage entrusted to its care, the Institute expects faculty and administration to agree with, personally adhere to, and support the Institute's doctrinal distinctives as noted above and defined in the following Institutional Positions Related to the Moody Bible Institute Doctrinal Statement (1928). 

Moody Bible Institute Doctrinal Statement

Article I
God is a Person who has revealed Himself as a Trinity in unity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit—three Persons and yet one God.

• Deuteronomy 6:4;
• Matthew 28:19;
• 1 Corinthians 8:6.

Article II
The Bible, including both the Old and the New Testaments, is a divine revelation, the original autographs of which were verbally inspired by the Holy Spirit [1].

• 2 Timothy 3:16;
• 2 Peter 1:21.

Article III
Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God, which is to say, He is Himself very God; He took upon Himself our nature, being conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary [2]; He died upon the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice for the sin of the world [3]; He arose from the dead in the body in which He was crucified; He ascended into heaven in that body glorified, where He is now our interceding High Priest; He will come again personally and visibly to set up His Kingdom [4] and to judge the quick and the dead.

• Colossians 1:15;
• Philippians 2:5-8;
• Matthew 1:18-25;
• 1 Peter 2:24-25;
• Luke 24;
• Hebrews 4:14-16;
• Acts 1:9-11;
• 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18;
• Matthew 25:31-46;
• Revelation 11:15-17; 20:4-6, 11-15.

Article IV
Man was created [5] in the image of God but fell into sin, and, in that sense, is lost; this is true of all men, and except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God; salvation is by grace through faith in Christ who His own self bore our sins in His own body on the tree; the retribution of the wicked and unbelieving and the rewards of the righteous are everlasting, and as the reward is conscious, so is the retribution [6].

• Genesis 1:26-27;
• Romans 3:10, 23;
• John 3:3;
• Acts 13:38-39; 4:12;
• John 3:16; Matthew 25:46;
• 2 Corinthians 5:1;
• 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10

Article V
The Church [7] is an elect company of believers baptized by the Holy Spirit into one body; its mission is to witness concerning its Head, Jesus Christ, preaching the gospel among all nations; it will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air ere He appears to set up His kingdom [8].

• Acts 2:41; 15:13-17;
• Ephesians 1:3-6;
• 1 Corinthians 12:12-13;
• Matthew 28:19-20;
• Acts 1:6-8;
• 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

Institutional Positions Related to the Moody Bible Institute Doctrinal Statement (1928)

Notes elaborating the 1928 Doctrinal Statement

[1]  The Bible is without error in all it affirms in the original autographs and is the only authoritative guide for faith and practice and as such must not be supplanted by any other fields of human learning. 

[2]  Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is fully God and fully man possessing both deity and humanity united in one person, without division of the person or confusion of the two natures.

[3]  An individual receives the benefit of Christ's substitutionary death by faith as the result of responding to the message of the gospel.  Salvation is the free gift of God's grace through faith alone, in Christ alone, therefore not dependent upon church membership, intermediaries, sacraments or works of righteousness to attain or sustain it. 

[4]  It is the Institute's position that this refers to the premillennial return of Christ at which time He will set up His millennial reign, during which time He will fulfill His promises to Israel. 

[5]  This affirms that the first human beings were a special and unique creation by God as contrasted to being derived from any pre-existing life forms.  Further, God created everything "after its kind", which excludes any position that allows for any evolutionary process between kinds. 

[6]  This statement excludes any position which asserts a temporary or complete cessation of consciousness, or merging with eternal oneness, or annihiliation of the damned, or a "second chance" or a period of suffering or purification in preparation for entrance into the presence of God. 

[7]  The Church of Jesus Christ is a distinct entity from Israel in the ongoing program of God.  Further, this universal Church consists of all who possess saving faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ from Pentecost to the Rapture of the Church and which will represent every language, people and nation. 

[8]  Christ will return in the air preceding the seven-year Tribulation at which time He will receive into heaven all believers who constitute His church.  During that tribulation period God will bring salvation to Israel and the nations while exercising judgment on unbelievers. 

ADDENDUM

Institutional Positions in addition to the elaboration of the Moody Bible Institute Doctrinal Statement (1928)

In addition to distinctives derived from an historic understanding of the 1928 Doctrinal Statement, the Moody Bible Institute has historically been identified with the positions outlined below.  While Trustees, education administrators, and faculty are expected to hold these positions, we recognize that we serve and minister with others whose traditions differ on these subjects. 

Gender Roles in Ministry
The Moody Bible Institute values the worth and dignity of all persons without distinction as created in God's image.  We affirm the priesthood of all believers and the responsibility of every Christian woman and man to take an active role in edifying the church.  For that purpose, the Holy Spirit distributes ministry gifts to believers without distinction of any kind.  That reality imposes the responsibility on every believer to fulfill ministry consistent with God's grace. 

The Institute distinguishes between ministry function and church office.  While upholding the necessity of mutual respect and affirmation as those subject to the Word of God, MBI understands that the biblical office of elder/pastor in the early church was gender specific.  Therefore it maintains that it is consistent with that understanding of Scripture that those church offices should be limited to the male gender. 

Sign Gifts of the Holy Spirit
The Institute maintains that there is one baptism of the Holy Spirit that occurs at the time a person is born again, placing that one into the body of Christ.  MBI also distinguishes between spiritual gifts distributed to believers to equip them for ministry and the "sign gifts" which are understood to have been manifestations of the Holy Spirit to authenticate the messenger and the gospel message during the foundational period of the church.  Therefore, the Institute holds that "sign gifts" are not normative for the church today.  While this institutional position is not and must not be a test of fellowship with those whose traditions differ, members of this community will not practice or propagate practices at variance with the Institute's position. 

Doctrinal Qualifications for Students

To maintain continuity and consistency with the heritage entrusted to its care, Moody Bible Institute requires its faculty and administration to agree with, personally adhere to, and support all the school's doctrinal distinctives.  These identify what is believed and taught in our classes.  However, the school also recognizes that its specific theological positions do not define orthodoxy for the whole of the body of Christ.  For this reason, Moody Bible Institute accepts students from other theological traditions within conservative evangelicalism.  However, to be admitted and to graduate students must personally adhere to and support the following doctrinal positions:

• the inspiration, authority, and inerrancy of Scripture
• the Trinity
• the full deity and full humanity of Christ
• the creation of the human race in the image of God
• the spiritual lostness of the human race
• the substitutionary atonement and bodily resurrection of Christ
• salvation by grace through faith alone in Christ alone
• the physical and imminent return of Christ
• the eternal reward of the righteous and the eternal judgment of the lost.