Our Beliefs
ARTICLES OF FAITH A Bible Baptist is one who believes in a supernatural Bible, which tells of a supernatural Christ, Who had a supernatural birth, Who spoke supernatural words, Who performed supernatural miracles, Who lived a supernatural life, Who died a supernatural death, Who rose in supernatural power, Who ascended in supernatural splendor, Who intercedes as a supernatural priest and Who will one day return in supernatural glory to establish a supernatural kingdom on the earth.
I. Of The Scriptures We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men supernaturally inspired; that it has truth without any admixture of error for its matter; and therefore is, and shall remain to the end of the age, the only complete and final revelation of the will of God to man; the true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried.
By “The Holy Bible” we mean that collection of sixty-six books, from
Genesis to Revelation, which, as originally written does not only
contain and convey the Word of God, but IS the very Word of God.
By “inspiration” we mean that the books of the Bible were written
by holy men of old, as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, in such
a definite way that their writings were supernaturally and verbally
inspired and free from error, as no other writings have ever been
or ever will be inspired.
II Tim. 3:16-17; II Peter. 1:19-21; Acts
1:16; Acts 28:25; Psa. 119:105, 130, 160; Luke 24:25-27; John 17:17; Luke
24:44-45; Psa. 119:89; Prov. 30:5-6; Rom. 3:4; I Peter 1:23; Rev. 22:19; John
12:48; Isa. 8:20; Eph. 6:17; Rom. 15:4; Luke 16:31; Psa. 19:7-11; John 5:45-47;
John 5:39
II. Of The True God
We believe that there is one, and only one, living and true God, an infinite,
intelligent Spirit, the maker and supreme ruler of heaven and earth; inexpressibly
glorious in holiness and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love; that in the
unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost,
equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the
great work of redemption.
Ex. 20:2-3; Gen 17:1; I Cor. 8:6; Eph.
4:6; John 4:24; Psa. 147:5; Psa. 83:18; Psa. 90:2; Jer. 10:10; Ex. 15:11; Rev.
4:11; I Tim 1:17; Rom. 11:33; Mark 12:30; Matt. 28:19; John 15:26; I Cor.
12:4-6; I John 5:7; John 10:30; John 17:5; I Cor. 2:10-11; Phil 2:5-6; Eph.
2:18; II Cor. 13:14
III. Of The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a
divine person; equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same
nature; that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to the
unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled;
that He convicts of sin, of judgment and of righteousness; that He bears
witness to the Truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the
agent in the New Birth; that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses,
sanctifies and helps the believer.
John 14:16-17; Matt. 28:19; Heb. 9:14;
John 14:26; Luke 1:35; Gen. 1;1-3; II Thess. 2:7; John 16:8-11; John 15:26-27;
Acts 5:30-32; John 3:5-6; Eph. 1:13-14; Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John
1:33; Acts 11:16; Luke 24:49; John16:13; Rom. 8:14; Rom. 8:16; II Thess. 2:13;
I Peter 1:2; Rom. 8:26-27
IV. Of The Devil, Or Satan
We believe that Satan was once holy, and
enjoyed heavenly honors; but through pride and ambition to be as the Almighty,
fell and drew after him a host of angels; that he is now the malignant prince
of the power of the air, and the unholy god of this world. We hold him to be
man’s great tempter, the enemy of God and His Christ, the accuser of the
saints, the author of all false religions, the chief power back of the present
apostasy; the lord of the antichrist, and the author of all the powers of
darkness – destined however to final defeat at the hands of God’s own Son, and
to the judgment of an eternal justice in hell, a place prepared for him and his
angels.
Isa. 14:12-15; Ezek. 28:14-17; Rev. 12:9;
Jude 6; II Peter2:4; Eph. 2:2; John 14:30; I Thess. 3:5; Matt. 4:1-3; I
Peter.5:8; I John 3:8; Matt. 13:39; Luke 22:3-4; Rev. 12:10; II Cor. 11:13-15;
Mark 13:21-22; I John 4:3; II John7; I John 2:22; Rev. 13:13-14; II Thess.
2:8-11; Rev. 19:11,16, 20; Rev. 12:7-9; Rev. 20:1-3, 10; Matt. 25:41.
V. Of The Creation
We believe in the Genesis account of
creation and that it is to be accepted literally, and not allegorically or
figuratively; that man was created directly in God’s own image and after His
own likeness; that man’s creation was not a matter of evolution or evolutionary
change of species, or development through interminable periods of time from
lower to higher forms; that all animal and vegetable life was made directly and
God’s established law was that they should bring for only “after their kind.”
Since God created mankind into genders distinctly male and female, we believe
that the only legitimate marriage is that between a man and a woman. He has
commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of marriage.
We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality,
incest, fornication, adultery and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s
gift of sex. We believe that God rejects any attempt to alter one’s gender by
surgery or appearance.
Gen. 3:1-6, 24; Rom. 5:12, 19; Rom.
3:10-19; Eph. 2:1, 3; Rom. 1:18; Ezek. 18:19-20; Rom. 1:20, 28, 32; Gal. 3:22.
VI. Of The Fall Of Man
We believe that man was created in
innocence under the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression fell from
his sinless and happy state, in consequence of which all mankind are now
sinners, not by constraint, but of choice; and therefore under just
condemnation without defense or excuse.
Gen. 3:1-6, 24; Rom. 5:12, 19; Rom.
3:10-19; Eph. 2:1, 3; Rom. 1:18; Ezek.18:19-20; Rom. 1:20, 28, 32; Gal. 3:22
VII. Of The Virgin Birth
We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten
of the Holy Ghost in a miraculous manner; born of Mary, a virgin, as no other
man was ever born or can ever be born of a woman, and that He is both the Son
of God, and God, the Son.
Gen 3:15; Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18-25; Luke
1:35; Mark 1:1; John 1:14; Psa. 2:7; Gal. 4:4; I John 5:20; I Cor. 15:47
VIII. Of The Atonement For Sin
We believe that the salvation of sinners
is wholly of grace; through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God, Who by
appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin,
honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and by His death made a full
and vicarious atonement for our sins; that His atonement consisted not in
setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was the voluntary
substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place, the Just dying for the unjust,
Christ, the Lord, bearing our sins in His own body on the tree; that, having
risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in heaven and uniting in His wonderful
person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection, He is in every way
qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate and an all-sufficient Savior.
Eph. 2:8; Acts 15:11; Rom. 3:24; John
3:16; Matt. 18:11; Phil. 2:7; Heb. 2:14; Isa. 53:4-7; Rom. 3:25; I John 4:10; I
Cor. 15:3; II Cor. 5:21; John 10:18; Phil. 2:8; Gal. 1:4; I Pet. 2:24; I Pet.
3:18; Isa. 53:11; Heb. 12:2; I Cor. 15:20; Isa. 53:12; Heb. 9:12-15; Heb. 7:25;
I John 2:2
IX. Of Grace In The New Creation
We believe that in order to be saved,
sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Christ
Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth the
one dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives
eternal life, the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about in a
manner above our comprehension, not by culture, not by character, nor by the
will of man, but wholly and solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in
connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the
Gospel; that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance and
faith and newness of life.
John 3:3; II Cor. 5:17; Luke 5:27; I John
5:1; John 3:6-7; Acts 2:41; II Pet. 1:4; Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:1; II Cor. 5:19;
Col. 2:13; John 1:12-13; Gal. 5:22; Eph. 5:9.
X. Of The Freeness Of Salvation
We believe in God’s electing grace; that
the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the Gospel; that it is the
immediate duty of all to accept them by a cordial, penitent and obedient faith;
and nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but his own
inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the Gospel; which rejection
involves him in an aggravated condemnation.
I Thess. 1:4; Col. 3:12; I Pet. 1:2; Titus
1:1; Rom. 8:29-30; Matt. 11:28; Isa. 55:1; Rev. 22:17; Rom. 10:13; John 6:37;
Isa. 55:6; Acts 2:38; Isa. 55:7; John 3:15-16; I Tim. 1:15; I Cor. 15:10; Eph.
2:4-5; John 5:40; John 3:18; John 3:36
XI. Of Justification
We believe that the great Gospel blessing
which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is Justification; that
Justification includes the pardon of sin, and the gift of eternal life on
principles of righteousness; that it is bestowed not in consideration of any
works of righteousness which we have done; but solely through faith in the
Redeemer’s blood, His righteousness is imputed unto us.
Acts 13:39; Isa. 53:11, Zech. 13:1; Rom.
8:1; Rom. 5:1, 9; Titus 3:5-7; Rom. 1:17; Hab. 2:4; Gal. 3:11; Rom. 4:1-8; Heb.
10:38.
XII. Of Repentance And Faith
We believe that Repentance and Faith are
solemn obligations, and also inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the
quickening Spirit of God; thereby, being deeply convicted of our guilt, danger
and helplessness, and of the way of salvation by Christ, we turn to God with
unfeigned contrition, confession and supplication for mercy; at the same time
heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ and openly confessing Him as our only
and all-sufficient Savior.
Acts 20:21; Mark 1:15; Acts 2:37-38; Luke
18:13; Rom. 10:13; Psa. 51:1-4; Psa. 51:7; Isa. 55:6-7; Luke 12:8; Rom. 10:9-11
XIII. Of The Church
We believe that a Baptist church is a
congregation of baptized believers associated by a covenant of faith and
fellowship of the Gospel, said church being understood to be the citadel and
propagator of the divine and eternal grace; observing the ordinances of Christ;
governed by His laws; exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in
them by His Word; that its officers of ordination are pastors or elders whose
qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly defined in the scriptures.
We believe that men and women are
spiritually equal in position before God but that God has ordained distinct and
separate spiritual functions of men and women in the home and in the church.
The husband is to be the leader of the home and men are to hold the leadership
positions (pastors and deacons) in the church. Accordingly, only men are
eligible of licensure and ordination for pastor by the church.
We believe the true mission of the church
is found in the Great Commission: first, to make individual disciples; second,
to build up the church; third, to teach and instruct as He has commanded. We do
not believe in the reversal of this order; we hold that the local church has
the absolute right of self government, free from the interference of any
hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that the one and only
superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit; that it is scriptural for
true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for
the furtherance of the Gospel; that every church is the sole and only judge of
the measure and method of its cooperation; on all matters of membership, of
policy, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local
church is final.
Acts 2:41-42; 1 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 1:22-23;
Eph. 4:11; I Cor. 12:4, 8-11; Acts 14:23; Acts 6:5-6; Acts 15:23; Acts
20:17-28; I Tim. 3:1-13; Matt. 28:19-20; Col. 1:18; Eph. 5:23-24; I Peter 1-4;
Acts 15:22, Jude 3, 4; II Cor. 8:23-24, I Cor. 16:1; Mal. 3:10; Lev. 27:32; I
Cor. 16:2; I Cor. 6:1-3, I Cor. 5:11-13
XIV. Of Baptism And The Lord’s Supper
We believe that Christian baptism is the
immersion in water of a believer, in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of
the Holy Ghost, with the authority of the local church, to show forth in a
solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried and risen
Savior, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life;
that it is prerequisite to the privileges of a church relation and to the
Lord’s supper, in which the members of the church, by the sacred use of bread
and the fruit of the vine are to commemorate together the dying love of Christ;
preceded always by solemn self-examination.
Acts 8:36-39; Matt. 3:6; John 3:23; Rom.
6:4-5; Matt. 3:16; Matt. 28:19; Rom. 6:3-5; Col. 2:12; Acts 2:41-42; Matt.
28:19-20; I Cor. 11:23-28
XV. Of The Perseverance Of The Saints
We believe that such only are real
believers as endure unto the end; that their persevering attachment to Christ
is the grand mark which distinguishes them from superficial professors; that a
special Providence watches over their welfare; and that they are kept by the
power of God through faith unto eternal salvation.
John 8:31-32; Col. 1:21-23; I John 2:19;
Matt. 13:19-21; Rom. 8:28; Psa. 121:3; Heb. 1:14; I Peter. 1:5; Phil. 1:6; John
10:28-29; Rom. 8:35-3
XVI. Of The Righteous And The Wicked
We believe that there is a radical and
essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that such only as
through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and sanctified by
the Spirit of our God, are truly righteous in His esteem; while all such as
continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked, and under the
curse, and this distinction holds among men both in and after death, in the
everlasting felicity of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of
the lost.
Mal. 3:18; Gen. 18;23; Rom. 6:17-18; Prov.
11:31; I Peter 1:18; Rom.1:17; I Cor. 15:22; Acts 10:34-25; I John 2:29; Rom.
6:16; I John 5:19; Gal. 3:10; Rom.7:6; Rom. 6:23; Prov.14:32; Luke 16:25;
Matt.25:34,41; John 8:21, Luke 9:26; John 12:25, Matt.7:13-14
XVII. Of Civil Government
We believe that civil government is of
divine appointment, for the interests and good order of human society; that
magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed; except
only in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ; who is the only
Lord of the conscience, and the coming Prince of the kings of the earth.
Rom. 13:7; II Sam. 23:3; Ex. 18:21 -22;
Acts 23:5; Matt. 22:21; Titus 3:1; I Peter 2:1-14; Acts 4:19-20; Dan. 3:17-18;
Matt. 10:28; Matt. 23:10; Phil. 2:10-11; Psa.72:11, I Peter 2:17
XVIII. Of The Resurrection And Return Of Christ And Related Events
We believe in and accept the sacred
Scriptures upon these subjects at their face and full value. Of the
Resurrection, we believe that Christ rose bodily “The third day according to
the Scriptures”; that He ascended “to the right hand of the throne of God”;
that He alone is our “merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to
God”; “that this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so
come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven,” bodily, personally,
and visibly; that the “dead in Christ shall rise first”; that the living saints
“shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last
trump”; “that the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David”;
and that “Christ shall reign a thousand years in righteousness until He hath
put all enemies under His feet.”
Matt. 28:6-7; Acts 24:39; John 20:27; 1
Cor. 15:4; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:2-7; Acts 1:9, 11; Luke 24:51; Mark 16:19; Rev.
3:21; Heb. 8:1; Heb. 12:2; Heb. 8:6; I Tim. 2:5; I John 2:1; Heb. 2:17; Heb.
5:9-10; John 14:3; I Thess. 4:16; Matt.24:27, 42; Heb. 9:28; I Cor. 15:42-44,
51-53; I Thess. 4:17; Phil. 3:20-21; Luke 1:32; I Cor. 15:25; Isa. 11:4-5; Psa.
72:8, Rev. 20:1-4; Rev. 20:6
XIX. Of Missions
The command to give the Gospel to the
world is clear and unmistakable and this Commission was given to the churches.
Matthew 28:18-20, “And Jesus came and
spake unto them, saying All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go
ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you and, lo I am with you alway, even unto the end
of the world. Amen.”
Mark 16:15, “And he said unto them, Go ye
into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.”
John 20:21, “As my Father hath sent me,
even so send I you.”
Acts 1:8, “But ye shall receive power,
after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me
both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost
part of the earth.”
Romans 10:13-15, “For whosoever shall call
upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in
whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they
have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they
preach, except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of
them that preach the Gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”
XX. Of The Grace Of Giving
Scriptural giving is one of the
fundamentals of the Faith.
2 Corinthians 8:7, “Therefore, as ye
abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all
diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.”
We are commanded to bring our gifts into
the storehouse (common treasury of the church) upon the first day of the week.
1 Corinthians 16:2, “Upon the first day of
the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him,
that there be no gatherings when I come.”
Under Grace we give, and do not pay, the
tithe – “Abraham GAVE the tenth of the spoils,” – Hebrews 7:2,4 – and this was
four hundred years before the law, and is confirmed in the new Testament; Jesus
said concerning the tithe, “these ought ye to have done”, Matthew 23:23.
We are commanded to bring the tithe into
the common treasury of the church.
Leviticus 27:30, “The tithe … is the Lord’s.”
Malachi 3:10, “Bring ye all the tithes
into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now
herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of
heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to
receive it.” In the New Testament it was the common treasury of the church.
Acts 4:34,35,37, “And brought the prices
of the things that were sold and laid them down at the apostles’ feet …
Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it AT THE APOSTLES’
FEET.”