The infallibility, inerrancy, and inspiration of the Bible: RMS holds to the perfect infallibility, complete inerrancy, and the Holy Spirit’s plenary inspiration of the Bible. God’s Holy Word is everything needed for faith and life. RMS believes that the Three Forms of Unity (the Heidelberg Catechism, the Belgic Confession of Faith and the Canons of Dort) and the Westminster Confessions faithfully summarize God’s word.
The historicity of the creation account, the virgin birth of Christ, and the death and resurrection of Christ: RMS believes that the first two chapters of Genesis are fully historical and factual. They accurately relate the truth of God’s creation of all things ex nihilo in the space of six days. The Virgin Birth of Christ is historically accurate, revealing our Savior as both fully God and fully Man and is therefore a fundamental doctrine of the true Christian faith. The death and resurrection of Christ are historical events that both earned and guarantee our salvation. Jesus Christ’s perfect life of obedience to God’s Law establishes the ground of our acceptance with the Father. Through Christ’s sacrificial death He establishes the grounds for our pardon from the Father. Christ’s resurrection from the dead then verifies to the world that Christ’s perfect life and sacrificial death were found to be completely acceptable by the Father.
The Doctrine of the Covenant as it relates to the work of evangelism and missions: The Covenant of Redemption, made within the inter-Trinitarian Godhead before the foundations of the world were ever laid governs and controls all evangelism and missions. The Covenant of Works, made between God and Adam, promised life to Adam and his posterity upon condition of perfect obedience. Man, by his fall, has made himself incapable of life by that Covenant, but the Lord has made a second covenant with man, called the Covenant of Grace, in which He freely offers life and salvation to all by Jesus Christ, requiring faith in Him that they may be saved, and promising to give to all those who are ordained to eternal life the gift of the Holy Spirit making them willing and able to believe. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the message that should be brought to lost and dying man.
The doctrine of election and reprobation: RMS believes in the doctrine of God’s eternal decree, according to which He graciously softens the hearts of the elect, however obstinate, and inclines them to believe; while He leaves the non-elect in His just judgment to their own wickedness and obduracy.
The total depravity and spiritual inability of fallen man: RMS believes that fallen man’s depravity is total and his moral inability to do anything concerning his lost state is complete.
The sovereignty of God in the salvation of man: RMS holds completely and unwaveringly to all of the Doctrines of Grace (a.k.a. the Five Points of Calvinism). These Biblical truths unequivocally reveal the absolute sovereignty of God over every part of this universe and over every single human being.
The role of preaching in the work of evangelism and missions: Christ-centered, accurate Gospel preaching holds the primary role in evangelism and missions. (Romans 10:14)
Ecumenicity: True faith in Jesus Christ brings spiritual ecumenicity to the Church of Christ, and this unity should be evident to the world. The complete corporate unity of all true believers will not come until the second coming of Christ.
The charismatic movement: RMS believes that all of the special gifts of Pentecost (including but not limited to speaking in tongues, continuing prophecy and the gifts of the Holy Spirit) have ceased with the passing of the first apostles. However, the events of Pentecost should continue to drive the Church of God today.
Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality: Because God has ordained marriage and defined it as the covenant relationship between a man, a woman, and Himself, RMS recognizes only marriages between a biological man and a biological woman. The facilities and property belonging to or leased by RMS shall only host weddings between one man and one woman.
Grounds: We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary sexes 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 between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God. (Matthew 15:18-20; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10.) We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of RMS as the extension of the local Body of Christ, and to provide a biblical role model to the RMS members and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by RMS in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, agree to and abide by this statement on marriage and sexuality. (Matthew 5:16; Philippians 2:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:22.) 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 RMS.
Women in church office: Holy Scripture does not allow women to hold the ordained offices of the church. (1 Timothy 2:11).
Sanctity of Human Life: RMS 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 unborn 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.)
Ecclesiastical supervision over RMS and its manner of execution: The Bylaws of RMS provide for close association between RMS and a Consistory/Session of Referral. The Consistory/Session of Referral monitors the activities of RMS and is available to RMS for mentoring, referral of theological questions and disagreements and for mediation and arbitration of disputes. The current Consistory/Session of referral is the Consistory of the Trinity United Reformed Church located in Visalia, CA. RMS By-laws allow a currently serving elder of the Consistory/Session of Referral to serve on the RMS Board of Directors.