Young Christian Leaders' Alliance

The YCLA holds to a philosophy of “unity through principle.”  This phrase means that a broad spectrum of groups and individuals make up the strata the YCLA wishes to support, each having a slightly different perspective on many issues. Unity among these groups will be achieved not when their differences are consciously set aside, but when the Bible becomes the true foundation for all their thinking, and their eyes are simply re-focused toward a deeper set of principles.

The YCLA does not have a long doctrinal statement or list of issues which one must agree to in order to join in our work. Instead, we have integrated in our constitution a series of five points which we believe are elements of reformation thinking.  These points are the principles our group is meant to promote. The five points include:

1. A belief that the words of the Bible are inerrant, inspired and preserved,

2. Support for living with a Christ-like humble spirit,

3. Support for reasonable and focused thought,

4. A philosophy that law is the basis for government, and

5. A belief that Evolutionism is false and should be opposed.

As a group, we are also based on the following clear Biblical teachings:

1. God, the ultimate and highest Power over the universe, created all that exists through His Son Jesus Christ. (Gen. 1:1, John 1:3, Col. 1:13-17) He alone is completely righteous, holy, truthful, and loving. He is the everlasting Source of all life and the Sustainer of all that exists. (Heb. 1:3, I Tim. 6:16)  He continues to have sovereign power over the events of history. (II Chron. 20:6, Prov. 21:1, Matt. 28:18) However, He has given mankind freedom of will for our everyday decisions. (Gen. 1:26-28, Josh. 24:15, Prov. 3:6, 31) He exists in three Persons as a Triune being. (I John 5:7)

2. God’s Word is absolute Truth and should be its own final interpreter on all issues. (Psalm 119:160, Acts 17:11, II Tim. 3:16)

3. God has established specific Laws for mankind in the form of the Ten Commandments, by which proper morality may be judged. The breaking of any of these Laws constitutes sin. (Rom. 7:7, I John 3:4)

4. God will, in the future, judge every individual according to their keeping of His Law. (Psalm 9:8, Acts 17:31)  However, no person is able to keep God’s Law perfectly. (Rom. 3:23) Thus, everyone in their natural state is under the dominion of sin and bound for eternal condemnation. Man’s nature is not intrinsically good, but intrinsically evil. (Rom. 3:10-12)

5. God has provided a way for us to escape His just condemnation by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die and rise again, to pay the penalty for our sin. (John 17:3) Those who place their complete trust in Christ have Christ’s sinless nature given as a covering, or imputed, to them. (Rom. 3:22, 4:20-25) Thus, God chooses to see Christ’s righteousness (goodness) over our sin. Christ has already paid the penalty we deserve.  We are forgiven because of God’s grace and our faith in Christ. (Eph. 2:8-9) Christ's work is complete, and there is no other way to be saved. (John 14:6, Acts 4:12, Heb. 1:3)

6. God commands those who trust in Christ to live with Him as the Lord of their lives. (Matt. 6:24, Luke 6:46-49, Rom. 12:1-2) As a believer in Christ, one enters into a life-long compact, or covenant, to serve Him alone. (Matt. 4:10, 22:37-38, Luke 22:20, Heb. 10:29)  It should be Christ who governs all our effort and it should be Christ alone who is given the praise for anything we may accomplish. (I Cor. 10:31, Eph. 1:12)

7. God gives strength to every believer to have victory over sin. (Rom. 6:9-18, 8:1-9, I John 1:9) While no person will finally be rid of their sin nature in this life (I John 1:8), a believer is obligated to seek to “walk in the Spirit” and allow Him to raise awareness of, and conquer, errors which may exist in his life. (Gal. 5:13-16, I Thess. 5:19)

8. God will reward every believer according to how they followed and obeyed Him on Earth. (Psalm 19:9-11, Matt. 6:33, I Cor. 3:8-15)

9. God has established or allowed all forms of authority. Thus, persons in positions of leadership or government should be regarded with the highest respect. (Rom. 13:1-7, I Peter 2:7) We should also respect everyone else, regardless of their position, since the Bible states we should each treat each other as “better than [our]selves.” (Phil. 2:3)

10. God has created the church to be a body of fellowship in which believers “edify” (build up) and “exhort one another daily.” (I Thess. 5:11, Heb. 3:13, 10:24-25) The church is not a set of buildings, nor is it an institutional system.  We should be expressively supportive of our fellow-believers on a regular basis, encouraging the Biblical view of the local church as a community of those committed to Christ.

11. God commands us to be separate from those who oppose His saving power, or who do not teach Christ’s words. (Matt. 12:30, Luke 11:23, I Tim. 6:3-5, Rev. 18:4)

 12. God will “direct the paths” of all those who trust and acknowledge Him.  (Prov. 3:5-6, Rom. 8:28)