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Biblical Foundations

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Biblical Principles

The Bible is the final authority for all things and the means by which God provides principles for living in a way that protects from harmful thinking and behavior. Scripture clearly teaches how Christians are to live. In light of the wonderful gift of salvation (see a full explanation of this free gift and how God desires for you to spend eternity with Him in heaven), Christians are to live their lives in active pursuit of a lifestyle that keeps them pure and clean before God with careful attention to avoiding anything that detracts from their relationship with Christ (Titus 2:11–14, Rom. 12:1–2, Phil. 4:8).

In light of these principles, PCC has adopted standards to promote an environment that is conducive to academic, social, and spiritual growth. Where the Bible directly addresses a matter, standards are set accordingly. However, since God’s Word does not mention every aspect of college life, biblical principles are followed and conservative expectations have been established to encourage right Christian living and to protect against doing wrong.

Additional information regarding expected behavior and prohibited activities is available in the PCC Student Handbook and the Graduate Student Handbook.

Prospective students are welcome to call the Admissions Department for answers to specific questions regarding student life (1-800-PCC-INFO) or visit overnight in the College residence halls to experience typical student life on campus.

Articles of Faith

  • We believe that the Bible is the verbally inspired and infallible, authoritative Word of God and that God gave the words of Scripture by inspiration without error in the original autographs (2 Tim. 3:16–17, 2 Pet. 1:21). God promises that He will preserve His Word; Jesus said, “My words shall not pass away” (Matt. 24:35). We believe that God has kept that promise by preserving His infallible Word in the traditional Hebrew and Greek manuscripts and that the Authorized Version (KJV) is an accurate English translation of the preserved Word of God.
  • We believe that there is one triune God, eternally existent in the persons of Father, Son (Jesus Christ), and Holy Spirit; these three are one in essence, but distinct in person and function (Matt. 28:19, 1 John 5:7–8).
  • We believe that Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity, became for mankind the physical manifestation of the Godhead (John 1:14, 14:9; Col. 1:19). The earthly genealogy of Jesus may be traced through Joseph’s line to Abraham (Matt. 1:1–16) and through Mary’s line to Adam (Luke 3:23–38). We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, His burial, His bodily resurrection from the tomb, and His ascension into Heaven (Mark 16:6, 19; 1 Cor. 15:1–4).
  • We affirm that the Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity, the Agent of conviction, regeneration, indwelling, baptism, sanctification, and illumination of all who are born into God’s family through Jesus Christ (John 3:5–6, Eph. 1:13‑14). We are opposed to the charismatic movement and its sign manifestations, such as speaking in tongues.
  • We believe that God created the heavens and the earth in six literal days, and that God created all life (Gen. 1). We reject the man-made theory of evolution occurring over millions of years and believe that the earth is approximately 6,000 years old (Gen. 5, 11). We believe that God created man in His own image, but man chose to sin. Hence, all persons inherit a depraved nature and are lost sinners in need of salvation (Rom. 3:10, 23).
  • We believe that God created man and woman in His image and instituted marriage between one who is genetically male and one who is genetically female (Gen. 2:18–24). Marriage is a sacred, exclusive union between a man and woman and serves as a picture of Christ’s relationship with the church (Matt. 19:3–12, Eph. 5:22–33). We believe that God has commanded that sexual activity be exclusively reserved to a man and a woman who are legally married to each other; and that Scripture forbids any form of sexual immorality including adultery, fornication, homosexuality, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography (Matt. 5:27–28, 15:18–20; 1 Cor. 6:9–11 & 18, 7:1–5; Heb. 13:4).
  • We believe that Christ’s blood, shed on Calvary, is the only Atonement for man’s sin (John 14:6, 1 Pet. 1:18–19, 1 John 1:9). We believe that salvation is a free gift of God for “whosoever will”; it is by grace, through faith, plus nothing, and believers are eternally secure (John 10:27–28, Eph. 2:8–10). Salvation is received only by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work. “Whosoever will” may come to Christ; God does not pre-elect persons to heaven or hell (Rom. 10:13, Rev. 22:17).
  • We believe in the spiritual unity of the body of Christ, called the Church. It is composed of all born-again believers who have by faith accepted Jesus Christ as Savior (Eph. 2:8–22, 3:1–21, 4:4–16, 5:23–32). God has ordained the local church for the perpetuation of His truth and work in the world (1 Tim. 3:15). The two ordinances of the local church are baptism by immersion and a regular observance of the Lord’s Supper by believers (Matt. 28:19, 1 Cor. 11:23–28).
  • We believe the Scripture regarding Satan, who rebelled against God and was cast out of heaven with a host of angels who followed him (Isa. 14:13–15). He introduced sin to Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden (Gen. 3:1–13). He continues to turn people from truth and against God (1 Pet. 5:8). Eternal hell was created for Satan, his demons, and people who do not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation (Matt. 25:41, John 3:16, Rev. 20:15).
  • We believe that the believer is called to a life of consecration which requires increasing in the knowledge of Christ and growing in grace (John 15:4–5, Col. 1:10, 2 Pet. 3:18).
  • We believe that the will of God for all believers is to give evidence of sanctification through being honorable in all relations with others (Rom. 12:1–2, 1 Thess. 4:3, James 1:27).
  • We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost: those that are saved unto the resurrection of eternal life in heaven, and those that are lost unto the resurrection of eternal damnation in a literal lake of fire (John 5:28–29; 1 Cor. 15:12–20, 35–58; Rev. 20:10, 15).
  • We believe in the imminent, pre-Tribulation return of Jesus Christ for all believers (1 Thess. 4:13–17). The Rapture of the saints will be followed by a seven-year Tribulation, after which Christ will return in glory to judge the world and set up His millennial reign on earth (Rev. 20:1–3, 21:1–5).

These Articles of Faith do not exhaust the extent of beliefs or practices of Pensacola Christian College. The Bible, as the inspired and infallible Word of God, is the final authority of all that we believe concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind. For the purposes of the College’s doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, the Board of Directors is ultimately responsible for interpreting the meaning and application of Scripture.

Without meaning to be unfriendly or unkind, we feel it only fair to say that Pensacola Christian is not a part of the “tongues movement” and does not allow students to participate in or promote any charismatic activities, nor do we permit students to promote hyper-Calvinism.

Pensacola Christian College is committed to the plenary, verbal inspiration of the Bible, and it is our practice to use only the Authorized Version (KJV) in the pulpit and in classroom instruction. We believe the Textus Receptus is a superior text, and it is used for Greek instruction.

The College serves a constituency of churches across America which is primarily independent Baptist. Faculty, staff, and students attend Campus Church, which operates on campus as an independent Baptist church in both faith and practice. If you have questions or are interested in salvation, you can find more information here.

Values and Standards

Pensacola Christian College is committed to excellence as a Christian educational institution which glorifies Christ as the source of all wisdom and knowledge, and which educates students based on biblical values. The administration, faculty, and staff are dedicated to empowering Christian leaders to influence the world for Christ.

Having a sense of the need for an environment conducive to spiritual growth has led PCC to adopt standards consistent with values that promote the spiritual welfare of all students. Each member of the college community must conduct himself according to moral and ethical principles found in Scripture.

Philosophy of Education

Pensacola Christian College maintains a Christian-traditional philosophy of education in contrast to humanistic, progressive systems of education. This philosophy is based on the Word of God and is rooted in objective reality and absolutes, as opposed to relativism. The Christian-traditional philosophy provides students the programs and methods of studies that impart Christian character development, communication skills, and subject matter in harmony with the inspired Word of God, which is “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Tim. 3:16–17).

We believe that the content of Christian education must be in harmony with “whatsoever things are true, . . . honest, . . . just, . . . pure, . . . lovely, [and] . . . of good report” (Phil. 4:8). We believe that classroom methods should be faculty-directed (Deut. 6:7) with content building from known to unknown (Isa. 28:10) and the student acquiring knowledge through studying (2 Tim. 2:15, Prov. 2:3–5), researching (Prov. 25:2), reasoning (Rom. 12:2, 1 Thess. 5:21, 1 John 4:1), explaining, and relating.

A Christian-traditional philosophy of education reflects the true view of God and man provided in Scripture. God is an orderly Personality (1 Cor. 14:40). He created man and the universe and is the Author of order, reason, and reality that are reflected in the universe (John 1:3, Rom. 1:19–20). All truth is God’s truth (Dan. 2:21, Ps. 119:104–105, Col. 2:3).

Christian education must deal with the social and the spiritual, as well as the academic, dimensions of the student. Academic programs of Pensacola Christian College are only a part of the educational process of college life. The essence of a disciple of Christ is self-denial (Titus 2:12) and self-discipline. The chapel platform and Campus Church pulpit are vital in the Christian training program. Classroom instruction supports and reinforces that training. Students are taught the Christian philosophy of life so that they are armed “lest any man spoil [them] through philosophy and vain deceit” (Col. 2:8).

Through Christian education, the student must be brought to “unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13). The graduate is then able to be an effective witness for Christ and is academically equipped in a free society to manifest the fruit of the Spirit in daily life.

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