Commentary on ECFA Standard 1

1. We believe the Bible to be the inspired and the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.
2. We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
3. We believe in the deity of Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, in His present rule as Head of the Church, and in His personal return in power and glory.
4. We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful men, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.
5. We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.
6. We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost: that the saved are saved unto the resurrection of life, and that the lost are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.
7. We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ, with equality across racial, gender, and class difference.

Generally accepted biblical practices relate to the financial operation of a member organization. ECFA believes that honesty, truthfulness, openness, and responsiveness are only a few of the characteristics common to the spirit of trust that must exist between member organizations and their donors. As the organization presents itself to other Christians and to the non-Christian world, financial integrity should be such a priority so as to preclude any misinterpretation of the ministry’s motives.

In several of his letters, the Apostle Paul stresses the importance of being beyond reproach and behaving in such a way as to avoid even the appearance of wrongdoing. The reason Paul most often gives is that we need to be circumspect to those outside the Church so as not to give Satan the opportunity to destroy the reputation of Christ. Arguably, and in an eternal sense, it may be true that the business of ministries and churches is of concern to God and not to others judging from the outside. But Scripture is also very clear about our need to be open, honest, and above reproach as we grapple with life’s terms before Christ's return. As Paul said in 2 Corinthians 8:21, "For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men."

 

The meaning of the phrase "other operations" in the Standard. This phrase refers to all nonfinancial aspects of an organization’s operations, including the moral conduct of its principal staff members. ECFA is not just a financial accountability organization; it is an evangelical accountability organization. That is why subscription to a clear evangelical statement of faith is a requirement of membership.

However, the word evangelical connotes more than mere subscription to a doctrinal statement. It includes commitment to an ethical and moral lifestyle that seeks to conform to a biblical norm. It is the lifestyle envisioned in Item 5 of ECFA's own statement of faith: "We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life" (emphasis added).

The public, both Christian and secular, often does not distinguish between financial and nonfinancial issues. A moral scandal would be just as devastating as a financial scandal to the credibility of the organization and to ECFA in general.

The application of the Standard of "generally accepted biblical truths and practices" is not limited to crisis situations brought about by public exposure. This Standard is also to be used as a basis for reviewing allegations of unbiblical practices within a member organization. 

 

Objectively applying the Standard. We believe the phrase "generally accepted biblical truths and practices" is a sufficient safeguard against subjectivity. The Standard qualifies "biblical practices" rather than "Christian practices." Thus, lifestyle differences that stem from our various Christian subcultures cannot become issues if they are not addressed clearly in the Bible.

Second, the Standard also uses the phrase "generally accepted." This phrase assumes that certain issues of morality and ethics are addressed in the Bible with sufficient clarity so that they are "generally accepted" by all Christians who accept the Bible as their ultimate rule for faith and practice.

For example, we believe that Colossians 3:5-10 delineates specific biblical principles and practices. This Scriptural passage addresses such issues as sexual immorality, lying and deception, greed (when manifested, for example, in theft or misuse of organization funds), outrageous conduct toward others (rage, malice, slander), and filthy language (obscene or profane language).

When measured by the standard of Colossians 3:5-10, none of us is without some blame. However, we believe the key to this Scripture’s application to ECFA member organizations lies within the admonition of Romans 2:24: "As it is written: 'God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.'"

Does the conduct of a person or persons in the organization cause God's name to be blasphemed or reproached among the public? If so, and if the conduct is clearly addressed in Scripture, then that conduct constitutes a violation of Standard 1.

This does not mean that a moral scandal involving an ECFA member organization automatically requires termination of membership. The organization's response to the scandal is determinative. If the member organization's board deals with the individual in a biblical manner, then there is no need for ECFA intervention. But if it appears that the organization is not dealing biblically with its errant staff member, ECFA will need to determine if the member organization is in violation of Standard 1.

Another principle is addressed in 1 Corinthians 10:32: "Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God." The relevant audience here consists of both nonbelievers (Jews and Greeks) and believers (church of God). The targeted issue is whatever causes anyone to "stumble."  This constitutes something so offensive as to cause a nonbeliever to scorn and reject authentic Christianity, and to cause a believer to question the necessity of his/her own pursuit of personal holiness.

We also believe "generally accepted biblical practices" includes a proper Christian response of humility, openness, and cooperation when an organization is confronted with alleged violations of any ECFA Standard. Oftentimes, pride, defensiveness, and resistance to accountability indicate more substantial problems in an organization. Such passages as Philippians 2:5-9, Ephesians 4:1-3 and 5:21 are relevant in these instances.

While the Scriptures cited above are by no means exhaustive of the biblical treatment of ethical and moral issues, they do illustrate how ECFA applies Scripture to evaluate compliance with Standard 1 and other specific situations.