Statement of Faith

A Doctrinal Statement of Faith Baptist Church
Recognizing that the Bible is the very Word of God to man, and understanding the priority of knowing and obeying its truths, our church is committed to studying and teaching the Word of God with diligence and authority. Our goal in studying the Scriptures is that we might grow in our knowledge of God so that our faith might be strengthened and our love for Him might be perfected.
 

Concerning the Holy Scriptures
We believe that the Bible is the written revelation of God to man, and that the 66 books of the Bible constitute the complete and full (plenary) Word of the Holy Spirit. (1 Cor. 2:7-14; 2 Peter 1:19-21)

We believe every word of the Old and New Testament to be verbally inspired in the original documents, absolutely inerrant, infallible, and God-breathed, both equally and fully in all parts. (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21)
We believe these Scriptures constitute the only authoritative and infallible rule of faith and practice. (Matt. 4:4; Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 2:13; 1 Cor. 10:11; 2 Peter 3:15-16; 2 Tim. 3:15-17; Heb. 4:12)

We believe that God gave His written word by the process of dual authorship, in which the Holy Spirit so superintended the human authors that through their individual personalities and different styles of writing, they composed and recorded God’s Word to man. (Acts 1:16; Mark 12:36; 1 Thess. 2:13; Heb. 3:7; Heb. 10:15-17)

We believe that the Bible is to be interpreted literally in a manner consistent with its grammatical and historical context, comparing Scripture with Scripture. (Isa. 28:10-13; 1 Cor. 2:13)

We believe that every believer is to be a diligent student of the Word of God, seeking, under the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, to understand and obey God’s revealed truth. (1 Cor. 2:11-13; 2 Tim. 2:15; John 7:17; John 17:17; 1 John 2:20; James 1:22-25; John 16:13)

Concerning God
We believe that there is but one living and true God. (Deut. 6:4; Isa. 45:5-7; 1 Cor. 8:4) He is an infinite, intelligent Spirit, perfect in all His attributes. (John 4:24)

We believe in the unity of the Godhead (Rom. 1:19-20), one in essence but eternally existing and subsistent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Gen. 1:1; Isaiah 46:9, John 1:1-3,14; Acts 5:3-4), who are co-equal and worthy of the same honor, worship, and love. (John 5:18, 23; Rom. 15:30; Heb. 1:1-6; Rev. 1:4-6)

• God The Father
  We believe that God the Father orders and disposes all things according to His own purpose and grace and that He is sovereign in creation and redemption. (Psalm 103:19, Psalm 145:8-9; Rom. 11:33).
  
  He has decreed for His own glory all things that come to pass and continually upholds, directs, and governs all creatures and events (1 Chron. 29:11; Job 1:6) so as in no way to be the author and approver of sin. (John 8:38-44; James 1:13-14)
  
  He saves from sin all who come to Him through Jesus Christ, and He relates Himself to His own as Father. (Eph. 1:3-6; Heb. 12:5-9; John 4:23; Rom. 15:6)
   
• God The Son
  We believe that Jesus Christ possesses all the divine attributes and in these He is co-equal with God the Father. (John 10:27-30; John 14:9; Phil. 2:5-7)
  
  We believe that Jesus Christ was virgin born, being conceived by the Holy Spirit, and that He was God incarnate, fully God and fully man, yet without sin. (Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:23; Luke 1:26-35; John 1:1-18; 2 Cor. 5:20-21; Heb. 7:25-26; Heb. 4:14) He voluntarily laid down His life on the cross as a substitute to make unlimited atonement for the sins of the whole world. Therefore, His death was voluntary, vicarious, redemptive, and propitiatory. (1 Peter 2:24; Rom. 3:24-25; Rom. 5:8; 1 Tim. 2:3-6; 1 John 2:1-2)
  
  We believe that Jesus Christ rose literally and physically from the dead after being in the grave three days and three nights, and that by His resurrection, God confirmed His deity and accepted His atoning work on the cross. (Matt. 12:40; Matt. 28:6; Luke 24:36-39; Rom. 1:4; Rom. 4:24-25; I Cor. 15:3-4)
  
  We believe He ascended bodily into heaven where He is now seated at the right hand of the Father ministering as our advocate and high priest and that He will return to receive the church, which is His body, unto Himself. (Acts 1:9-11; John 14:3; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Heb. 1:3; Heb. 7:24-26; Heb. 9:24)
   
• God The Holy Spirit
  We believe the Holy Spirit is a divine person possessing all the attributes of personality and deity and is equal with the Father and Son, being of the same essence. (Acts 5:3-4; 1 Cor. 2:10-13; Eph. 4:30; 1 Cor. 12:1-11; Psalm 139:7-10; Gen. 1:1-13; Isa. 40:11-14; 2 Cor. 13:14; John 16:13)
  
  We recognize His sovereign activity in creation, the incarnation, the written revelation and the work of salvation. The broad scope of His divine work includes convicting the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment, and glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ. (Gen. 1:1-3; Matt. 1:18; John 3:5-8; 2 Peter 1:20-21; John 16:7-11)
  
  We believe that the Holy Spirit is the agent of the new birth who immediately baptizes the believer into the body of Christ, indwelling, instructing, empowering, sanctifying, and sealing them until the day of redemption. (1 Cor. 12:12-13; John 14:16-17; John 14:26; John 16:13; 2 Cor. 3:6; Rom. 8:9; Eph. 1:13; Eph. 4:30; Acts 1:8)
  
  We believe that the Holy Spirit alone administers service gifts to believers, not to glorify Himself or the gifts by their displays, but to glorify Christ through the edification of the body. (1 Cor. 12:4-11; John 16:13-14; 2 Cor. 3:18)

Concerning Man
We believe that man was created by a direct act of God and not from any previously existing form of life. He was created in the image and likeness of God in a state of innocence with intelligence and volitional capacities and a moral responsibility to God. (Gen. 1:26-28; Gen. 2:15-17; James 3:9)

We believe that in Adam’s sin of disobedience, man lost his innocence, incurred the penalty of physical and spiritual death, became subject to the wrath of God, and is inherently corrupt, utterly incapable of choosing or doing that which is acceptable to God apart from divine grace. With no redeeming powers to enable his recovery, man is hopelessly lost apart from the salvation which is in the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Gen. 3:1-19; John 3:36; Rom. 3:23; Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:1-3; 1 Tim. 2:13-14; 1 John 1:8)

We believe that the consequences of Adam’s sin have been imputed to all mankind of all ages; all men thus are sinners by divine declaration, by nature, and by choice. (Psalm 14:1-3; Jer. 17:9; Rom. 3:9-18; Rom. 5:12-19; Eph. 2:1-3)

Concerning Salvation
We believe the salvation of sinners is divinely initiated, wholly by grace, and accomplished only through the shed blood of the Son of God; that it is wholly apart from human merit or good works, and comes only through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. (John 1:12; John 3:3-18; Eph. 1:7; Eph. 2:8-10; 1 Peter 1:18-19)

• Regeneration
  We believe that in order to be saved, the sinner must be born again, being regenerated by the Holy Spirit, whereby the sinner is passed from the death of sin into the spiritual life of Christ through faith in God’s Word. (John 5:24; Titus 3:5)
  
  Regeneration will be manifest by repentance and faith, and evidenced by the fruit of righteous living to the extent that the believer submits to the control of the Holy Spirit in his life through faithful obedience to the Word of God. (Acts 20:21;
  1 Cor. 6:19-20; Eph. 2:10; Eph. 5:17-21; Col. 3:16)
   
• Justification
  We believe that justification before God is an act of God by which He declares righteous those who have exercised faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. (Rom. 8:33) This righteousness is apart from any virtue or work of man (Rom. 3:20) and involves the imputation of our sins to Christ and the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to us. (1 Peter 3:18; Rom. 4:6; 2 Cor. 5:21) By this means God is able to “be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” (Rom. 3:20,26; Rom. 4:3-5)
   
• Sanctification
  We believe that every believer is set apart (sanctified) unto God by the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. Every believer, therefore, is declared to be holy and identified as a saint. This sanctification has to do with the believer’s standing, not his present state. (Acts 20:32; 1 Cor. 1:2,30; 1 Cor. 6:11; 2 Thess. 2:13)
  
  We believe that there is an experiential sanctification by which the state of the believer is progressively brought closer to the standing he enjoys through justification. Through obedience to the Word of God and the empowering of the Holy Spirit, the believer is able to live a life which increasingly conforms to the will of God, becoming more and more like the Lord Jesus Christ. (John 17:17,19; Rom. 6:1-22; 1 Thess. 4:3-4) Every saved person is involved in a conflict. The new man in Christ is set against the flesh. This is a life-long struggle, but adequate provision is made for victory through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. All claims to the eradication of sin in this life are unscriptural. (Gal. 5:16-25; Eph. 4:22-24; Col. 3:9-10; Phil. 3:10-15; 1 John 1:8-10)

Concerning Election
We believe that every believer was chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world. (Eph. 1:4) We believe that election should not be looked on as a basis merely of abstract sovereignty, but that it is constant with the volitional responsibility of man because it comprehends all the means and connections with the end achieved. (John 6:37-44; Acts 13:48) God is truly sovereign, but He exercises this sovereignty not only in harmony with His other attributes, but also with all other spiritual laws and principles, which in sovereign wisdom He ordained. Though this is a great and somewhat perplexing mystery, it is perfectly reconciled in the mind and will of God. (2 Thess. 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Tim. 1:9; Rom. 11:33-36; Isa. 55:8-9)

Concerning Security
We believe that everyone who has exercised faith in the Lord Jesus Christ possesses a salvation which is eternally secure. We believe that a believer, having the knowledge that he is kept secure by the power of God, will desire to glorify Jesus Christ in every facet of life and that liberty in Christ promotes joy and godliness rather than license to sin. (John 5:24; John 10:27-30; Rom. 5:9; Rom. 6:1-2; Rom. 8:1; Rom. 8:31-39; Eph. 4:30; Heb. 7:25; Heb. 13:5; 1 Peter 1:5)

Concerning Separation
We believe that separation unto God from sin and the world system is made clear in both Old and New Testaments.

• Personal Separation
  We believe that everyone who is alive in the Spirit should walk in the Spirit, thereby manifesting the fruit of the Spirit, and exhibiting the qualities of Christ-likeness in a sincere desire to glorify God. We believe that the scriptures admonish every believer to not love the world, be conformed to the world, or be spotted by the world, but rather abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul and from questionable practices which would impair one’s testimony, offend one’s brother, and bring reproach to the name of Christ. (Rom. 6:11-13; Rom. 12:1-2; Rom. 14:19-21; 1 Cor. 6:18-20; 1 Cor. 8:9-13; Gal. 5:22-23; Eph. 4:22-32; Eph. 5:1-21; 1 Thess. 5:22; James 1:27; 1 Peter 1:14-16; 1 Peter 2:9-11; 1 John 2:15-17)
   
• Ecclesiastical Separation
  We believe that every Christian should be separated from the apostasy of ecclesiastical organizations which sanction theological compromise, such as the ecumenical movement, the charismatic movement, the World Council of Churches, and the neo-evangelical movement. This doctrine is based upon God’s eternal principle of division between truth and error, and upon His specific command to be separate from unbelievers. This truth is to be practiced with an attitude of humility and compassion so as to maintain the proper atmosphere conducive to the salvation of unbelievers through the Gospel.
  
  We believe that ecumenical evangelism, which involves liberals, false religions, and apostates, is a clear violation of Biblical separation. (Rom. 16:17-18; 2 Cor. 6:14-18; Gal. 1:8-9; 1 Tim. 6:3-5; 2 John 1:9-11)

Concerning The Church
We believe that the Church of Jesus Christ was inaugurated at Pentecost and must be considered in two aspects: the local church and the “church which is His body.” (Eph. 1:22-23) The local church is a congregation of baptized believers, associated by a covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel, observing the ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws, and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word. (Acts 1:5; Acts 2:1-4; Acts 2:41-47; 1 Cor. 12:12-13; Col. 1:18; Eph. 5:23-24; Phil. 1:4-5,27)

The scriptural offices of the local assembly are pastors, sometimes called bishops or elders, and deacons whose qualifications and duties are described in the epistles to Timothy and Titus.

We believe the true mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as we have opportunity. We believe the local church has the absolute right of self-government, free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organization, and that the one and only superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit and His Word.

The “church which is His body” is the entire company of believers in Christ in this age, whether Jew or Gentile, regardless of denominational affiliation or geographical location. (1 Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-4; Eph. 4:11-12; Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 15:19-31; 1 Cor. 11:3; Eph. 2:11-22; Gal. 3:27-28)

Concerning Baptism And The Lord’s Supper
We believe that Christian baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is the single immersion of a believer in water to show forth, in a solemn and beautiful emblem, our identification with the crucified, buried, and risen Savior through whom we died to sin and rose to new life. We believe that baptism is to be performed under the authority of the local church and that it is the prerequisite to privileges of church membership. (Acts 2:41-47; Acts 8:36-39; Rom. 6:3-5)

We believe that the Lord’s Supper is the commemoration of Christ’s death until He comes and should be observed by believers only. Participation in the Lord’s Supper is to be preceded by solemn self-examination that we might fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ in a worthy manner. The ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper have no saving merit. (1 Cor. 11:23-29)

Concerning Spiritual Gifts
We believe that God has called all believers to do the work of the ministry in and through the local church. (Eph. 4:7-12) This ministry of edification and evangelism is accomplished through the unique gifts (special abilities) given to each member of the body by the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation. We believe that these gifts cannot be obtained by any means, but are distributed by the sovereign will of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 10:44-47; 1 Cor. 12:1-13)

We believe that there are two kinds of gifts: temporary confirming gifts and permanent edifying gifts. We believe that the temporary sign gifts were given to confirm the gospel message of the apostles. (Heb. 2:3-4; 1 Cor. 14:21-22) With the completion of the Scriptures, these sign gifts (speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues, miracles and healing) gradually ceased. (1 Cor. 13:8-10) We believe that we are admonished to pray for the sick, and that God hears the prayer of faith and heals the body in accordance with His will. (James 5:13-15; 2 Cor. 12:7-10; 1 John 5:14-15)

We disavow the validity of any designated “faith healer” and believe that Satan, who is the master deceiver and counterfeiter, is able to deceive even believers with great displays of miracles and wonders. (2 Cor. 11:13-15; Rev. 13:13-15)

We believe that it is essential that every Christian discover, develop, and employ his spiritual gift for the edification of the body and the accomplishment of the work of Christ in the world. (Romans 12:3-8; 1 Peter 4:10; 1 Cor. 12:7)

Concerning Angels

• Holy Angels
  We believe that holy angels are created beings and, therefore, are not to be worshiped. They were created to serve and worship God. (Luke 2:9-14; Heb. 1:6,7,14; Rev. 5:11-12; Rev. 19:10; Rev. 22:8-9)
   
• Fallen Angels
  We believe that Satan is a created angel who, through pride and rebellion against his Creator, incurred the judgment of God. We believe that a great host of angels followed Satan in his rebellion and that they are submissive to him. We believe that Satan is the author of sin, that he introduced sin into the world by tempting Eve, and is now the sworn enemy of God and His purposes. He has been defeated through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and shall be eternally punished in the lake of fire. (Gen. 3:1-7; Isa. 14:12-17; Ezek. 28:11-19; Matt. 4:1-10; Matt. 25:41; Rom. 16:20; Eph. 6:11-12; Col. 2:14-15; Heb. 2:14; Jude 1:3; Rev. 20:10)

Concerning Eschatology – The Doctrine Of Last Things

• The Rapture Of The Church
  We believe that the personal bodily return of our Lord Jesus Christ to translate the church from the earth, meeting them in the air, is imminent and will precede the seven-year tribulation period also known as Daniel’s 70th week. (John 14:1-3; 1 Thess. 4:13-17; 1 Cor. 15:51-53)
   
• The Tribulation Period
  We believe that immediately following the removal of the church from the earth, the righteous judgment of God will be poured out upon the unbelieving world. These judgments will be climaxed by the literal, personal bodily return of Christ in His glory to the earth to judge the nations and set up His kingdom on earth. (Matt. 24:15-31; Matt. 25:31-46; Rev. 16:1-21)
   
• The Millennial Reign Of Christ
  We believe that after the seven-year tribulation period Christ will establish His Messianic kingdom and occupy the throne of David for one thousand years on earth. (Luke 1:30-33; Acts 2:29-30; Rev. 20:1-7) This reign will be preceded by the overthrow of the antichrist and false prophet and the removal of Satan from the world. We believe that this kingdom will be the fulfillment of God’s promise to Israel, restoring them to the land which they forfeited temporarily through disobedience. This thousand-year reign of Christ on earth will be characterized by harmony, justice, peace, and righteousness. (Rev. 19:20-21; Matt. 21:42-43; Rom. 11:1-26; Isa. 11:1-10)
  
  After the thousand-year reign of Christ on earth, Satan will be released from the bottomless pit for a short time and will once again deceive the nations of the world. He will gather them together to make war against the saints in the beloved city, at which time Satan and his army will be destroyed by fire from heaven. Satan will then be cast into the lake of fire where the antichrist and false prophet are. (Rev. 20:7-10)
   
• The Eternal State
  We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men – the saved to eternal life and the unsaved to eternal punishment. We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await the first resurrection when soul and body are reunited and glorified to be forever with the Lord. (John 11:25-26; 1 Cor. 15:51-53; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:21-24; Phil. 3:20-21; 1 Thess. 4:13-17; 1 John 3:1-2)
  
  We believe that the souls of unbelievers are, at death, absent from the body and in conscious misery until the second resurrection, when with the soul and body reunited, they shall appear at the great white throne judgment and shall be cast into the lake of fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment. (Matt. 25:41-46; Luke 16:22-28; John 5:28-29; Rev. 14:10-11; Rev. 20:11-15)