Who are evangelicals? In the USA when we have elections, the pollsters and pundits talk about "the evangelical vote." How many television viewers understand who these people are? The word "Evangelical" comes from the Greek word "euangelion," meaning "the good news." It means gospel or good news, and the good news called gospel is about our Lord Jesus Christ. Evangelicals believe that Christ died for our sins and He is risen from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
Evangelicals are defined not only by their faith in the gospel of Christ, but they are seen as a Protestant movement maintaining the inerrancy of Scripture in the autographs, believing in the sovereignty of the triune God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Evangelicals believe that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, to God's glory alone. Such a faith is based upon sola scriptura, Scripture alone.
There are many evangelical denominations in the USA. Southern Baptists are looked upon as the largest such denomination. The Baptist Faith and Message is the doctrinal statement of Southern Baptists. It begins with a clear statement on the inerrancy of Scripture.
"The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God's revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. Therefore, all Scripture is true and trustworthy. It reveals the principles by which God judges us, and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation"(Baptist Faith and Message, 2000, I. The Scriptures).
While there are basic beliefs that unite evangelicals across denominational lines, yet there is much diversity among evangelicals as well. For example, there are evangelicals who are Arminians, as well as Calvinists, and those who identify for neither. Likewise, while all evangelicals believe in the personal, visible return of Christ in glory, yet there are diverse views on the details of the second coming. Some evangelicals are premillennial, and others are amillennial. Other differences include views about local church government, separation of church and state, and differing views about Biblical interpretation in areas other than the basics of the evangelical faith. Nevertheless, the focus of unity is always upon Christ as taught in Holy Scripture.
