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What My Family Believes & Practices The Holy Scriptures We believe that the Bible, the Scriptures of the Old Testament (39 books) and the New Testament (27 books), is verbally (word for word) and plenarily (fully) inspired of God. That the Bible is the inspired (God-breathed/out-breathed), inerrant (without error), infallible (without the possibility of error), authoritative Word of God, therefore the supreme and final authority in all things (II Tim. 3:16-17; II Peter 1:21; Rev. 22:18-19). That the Scriptures are truthful and accurate in all matters which they touch, including the scientific and historical. That the Holy Spirit is the author of the Scriptures, having used men chosen by Him and supernaturally controlled by Him, as the human recorders of Scripture. That God has preserved the Bible for mankind in the Masoretic text (Old Testament), the Textus Receptus (New Testament) and, therefore, in the King James Bible. The Trinity We believe in one God (monotheism), eternally existing in three Persons: the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit—the Trinity. They are co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory. They are one in essence (essential being) and have the same attributes and perfections (I John 5:7; Matt. 28:19; Deut. 6:4; II Cor. 13:14; John 14:10, 26). Creation We believe that God created the universe in six literal, twenty-four-hour periods. We reject evolution, the Gap Theory, the Day-Age Theory, and Theistic Evolution as unscriptural theories of origin (Gen. 1-2; Ex. 20:11). Jesus Christ We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, that in His humanity, He was supernaturally begotten by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, and is fully God and, at the same time, fully man (Matt. 1:20-21; Luke 1:35-36; 2:10-11). He is the only begotten Son ("same as") of God (John 1:14; 3:16, 18; I John 4:9) and at the same time God the Son. We believe in the literal, physical, bodily resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, and in His literal, physical, bodily ascension into Heaven, and in His present work there as High Priest, Mediator, and Advocate for us (Heb. 9:24; 10:20-21; I Tim. 2:5-6; I John 2:1, 2). The Holy Spirit We believe that at the precise time of the new birth the believer immediately receives the Holy Spirit and is by Him baptized (immersed) into union with Christ. That the believer is permanently indwelt by the Holy Spirit as Comforter (One who comes alongside), and if yielded to Him, is filled (controlled) by the Spirit and is empowered for service (John 1:32-34; Acts 1:8; Acts 15:8; Rom. 6:13; 12:1-2; Eph. 5:18). Man We believe man was created in the image of God, that he sinned and thereby incurred not only physical death but also that spiritual death which is the eternal separation from God and an everlasting abode in Hell, that all human beings are henceforth born with a sinful nature and, in the case of those who reach the age of moral responsibility, become sinners by choice and practice, in thought, word, and deed, and that sin creates a debt which no man can pay for himself (Rom. 3:23; 5:12; Gen. 1:26-27; I Cor. 11:7). The Fall of Man We believe the Scriptures teach that man was created in innocence, under the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression he fell from that holy and happy state, in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, not by constraint, but by choice, being by nature utterly void of that holiness required by the law of God, positively inclined to evil, and therefore under just condemnation to eternal ruin, without defense or excuse (Gen. 1:27; 1:31; Acts 17:26; Gen. 2:16,17; 3:6-24; Rom. 5:12,19; Isa. 53:6; Rom. 3:9-18; Eph. 2:3; Rom. 1:18, 32; 2:1-16; Gal. 3:10; Ezek. 18:19, 20; Rom. 1:20; Gal. 3:22).
We believe the Gospel is the good news that the Lord Jesus Christ lived a sinless life, and died on the cross for our sins, and in so doing He made the necessary sacrifice to propitiate (satisfy) the wrath of God toward sin and sinners. That He was buried and that He arose triumphant from the grave, showing that God was satisfied with His sacrifice. That, as mankind’s substitute, He paid our sin debt and made possible every man’s salvation; and that all who place their faith and trust in Him and in His death are saved by His shed blood (I Cor. 15:3-4; Col. 1:14; Eph. 1:7; Rom. 5:9; Acts 4:12). The Way of Salvation We believe the Scriptures teach that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace (God inclined toward sinners), through the shed blood and mediatorial offices of the Son of God, Who, according to the will of the Father, assumed our nature, yet without sin, honored the Divine Law by His personal obedience, and by His death made a full propitiation for our sins; 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 every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate and an all-sufficient Saviour (Eph. 2:5; Matt. 18:11; I John 4:10; I Cor. 3:5-7; Acts 15:11; John 3:16; John 1:1-14; Heb. 4:14; 12:24; Phil. 2:6-7; Heb. 2:9, 14; II Cor. 5:21; Isa. 53:4,5; Heb. 7:25; Col. 2:9). We believe salvation is received when a person consciously and deliberately repents (changes their mind about who God is and what sins does, Acts 20:21) and places their faith (trust) in the sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour (Acts 20:21, Rom. 10:9-10, Eph. 2:8-9, John 1:12). Eternal Security We believe each believer, at the time he puts his trust in Christ, is born into the family of God and does instantaneously become a child of the living God, thus is redeemed by the Lord’s purchase price paid for us, is henceforth preserved in Christ and, therefore, is forever secure in Christ, possesses everlasting, eternal life and is sealed by the Holy Spirit for eternity (John 10:28-29; Romans 8:38-39; John 5:24; Ephesians 1:13). That sinners can fail, but that they cannot eternally fall, for they are in Christ. The Believer’s Two Natures We believe every truly regenerated, born again Christian is saved by the grace of God through faith placed in Jesus Christ and is thereby awarded a new and spiritual nature which he did not previously possess. We believe the old nature which we possess from birth is not eradicated but lingers yet within us. We believe it is for this reason that true Christians are not perfect people and they can still sin. We believe the new nature, if nourished properly and under the control of the Holy Spirit, should begin to dominate the Christian’s life, and the old nature should be less and less prominent. The Church We believe the Scriptures teach that the only church or churches are local churches. That a church is an assembly of immersed believers, associated by a covenant of 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. That its only scriptural officers are pastors (pastor, bishop and elder are three terms for the same office) and deacons, whose qualifications, claims and duties are clearly defined in the New Testament. (I Tim. 3, Titus 1). We believe the true mission of the church is to be doing what the Lord Jesus Christ would be doing if He were still here in His earthly ministry. It is the body of Christ.
The mission of the church is the great commission given to the church; the
faithful witnessing of Christ to all men, and the building up and edifying
of the saints. 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 Head is Christ through the Holy
Spirit (Acts 2:41, 42; 8:1; I Cor. 4:17; Acts 2:47; I Cor. 11:2; Matt.
28:20; John 14:15; 15:10; Acts 14:23; 15:22; II Thess. 3:7; Rom. 16:17-20; I
Cor. 11:23; Matt. 18:15-20; I Tim. 3; Titus 1).
We believe
the Lord’s Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20) is His command to get the
Gospel to the world; beginning in Jerusalem (our local area), Judea and
Samaria (our expanded area), and to the uttermost part of the earth (foreign
missions), at one and the same time. Christ’s command includes the goal of
winning people to Christ, baptizing them, and teaching them everything the
Lord has commanded us (Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 1:8).
WE BELIEVE
that the command to get the Gospel to the world was given to Christ’s
churches in their corporate capacity and is a clear and unmistakable mandate
(Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; Rom. 10:13-15).
We believe
each person claiming Christ as Saviour should promptly make public his/her
profession of Christ. That each new Christian should follow the Lord’s
command for believer’s baptism, in one of Christ’s churches; that such
scriptural baptism is always by immersion (after salvation). That baptism
does not save but that it is the Lord’s prescribed way for us to identify
ourselves with Him in an open and public confession. That baptism is a
symbolic representation, a picture of the death, burial and resurrection of
Christ (Matt. 10:32-33; 28:18-20; Luke 9:23; Acts 16:30-34; Rom. 10:9-10),
and a public picture of our own death, burial, and resurrection in Christ.
We believe
that the Lord’s Supper is the commemoration (memorial), by the use of
unleavened bread and of the fruit of the vine, of the death of Christ until
He comes again and that it is to be preceded always by solemn
self-examination (I Cor. 11:23-28). That it is an ordinance of the local
church of which one is a member.
We believe
the Scriptures teach us, that as we purpose in our hearts, we are to give
offerings from our income and resources for the support of the ministries of
our local church and that all of us have a responsibility before God to be
faithful in our stewardship (Matt. 23:23; I Cor. 16:1, 2). We believe that Christian believers and local, New Testament churches should be guided and governed by the Bible, and consequently, we believe it is imperative that we identify false doctrine and those who perpetrate it, and subsequently, stand separate and apart from them. We welcome all who come to our doors, but we give no place on our platform to honor or to hear the opinions and the views of those who do not hold to “sound doctrine.” With this in view we oppose the widespread popular practice of ecumenism (getting theologically diverse groups together for the sake of fellowship, for the cause of evangelism, and for the exercise of their ministries together). Music
We believe
that music is a motivator toward worship or sensuality. It can glorify God
or it can glorify man. That the simple inclusion of “Christian lyrics” does
not nullify a worldly beat and it’s intended motivation to “move” the
listeners. That ungodly Christian music and an ungodly lifestyle go hand in
hand. That Contemporary Christian Music has no place in a scriptural
church, though God-honoring, quality contemporary compositions can and
should be included in the church services (Eph. 5:18-20). We believe that Christians should be separated unto God and separated from the world and that all believers are called into a life of personal separation from all worldly and sinful practices (James 4:4; Rom. 12:1-2; II Cor. 6:14-18). That a Christian should seek to live a life that is clean, holy and above reproach. He should exhibit both attitude and actions so as to be of good report. Practices which are questionable or which may cause another person to stumble or which may mar the testimony of Christ should be avoided altogether. Therefore personal standards of demeanor and deportment are expected (Eph. 2:10; 4:1; 5:1-4; Phil. 1:27; 3:14-21; 4:8-9). Heaven and Hell We believe Heaven is a real place that is the eternal home of all who by faith claim the salvation of Christ. That Hell is a real place that is the eternal home of all who die without Christ as their Saviour. We believe in the literal, physical, bodily resurrection of both the saved and the lost (I Thess. 4:13-18; Rev. 20:5-6), the everlasting blessedness of the saved (Heaven) (John 14:1-3; Rev. 21-22), and the everlasting conscious punishment of the lost (first in Hell, then in the Lake of Fire) (Luke 16:19-31; Rev. 20:11-15). Satan We believe Satan is a real spirit being (a cherub); that he is the enemy of God, the ‘father of lies,’ the great deceiver of mankind, the instigator of all false systems of religion, and that both he and all his followers will ultimately be cast into the Lake of Fire (II Cor. 11:13-16; Ephesians 2:2; II Cor. 4:3-4; Rev. 20:2). The Lord’s Day We believe that Sunday, the first day of the week, is the Lord’s Day. It is therefore a sacred and special day. It should be a day of worship of the Lord and service to Him, as well as a day of respite and rest from the ordinary routines of life (John 20:1, 19, 26; I Cor. 16:2; Heb. 10:25). Civil Government We believe that God has ordained and created all authority, consisting of three basic institutions: 1) the home, 2) the church, and 3) the state. Every person is subject to these authorities, but all (including the authorities themselves) are answerable to God and governed by His Word. God has given each institution specific Biblical responsibilities and balanced those responsibilities with the understanding that no institution has the right to infringe upon the other. The home, the church and the state are equal and sovereign in their respective, biblically assigned spheres of responsibility under God (Rom.13:1-7; Eph.5:22-24; Heb. 13:17; I Pet. 2:13-14). Marriage We believe that the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman for one lifetime (Gen. 2:24; Rom. 7:2; I Cor. 7:10; Eph. 5:22-23). That men and women are spiritually equal in position before God but that God has ordained distinct and separate spiritual functions for men and women in the home and the church. The husband is to be the leader of the home, and men are to be the leaders (pastors and deacons) of the church (Gen. 3:16; Col. 3:18; I Tim. 2:8-15; 3:4-5,12). That God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage. (Ex. 20:14, Heb. 13:4, I Cor. 7:1-5, Mt. 19:4-6). That any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex (Gen. 2:24; 19:5, 13; 26:8-9; Lev. 18:1-30; Rom. 1:26-29; I Cor. 5:1; 6:9; I Thess. 4:1-8; Heb. 13:4). Abortion
We believe that human life begins at conception and the unborn child
is a living human being. Abortion constitutes the unjustified, unexcused
taking of unborn human life. Abortion is murder. We reject any teaching that
abortions of pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender
selection, birth or population control or the mental well-being of the
mother are acceptable (Job 3:16; Ps. 51:5; 139:14-16; Isa. 44:24; 49:1, 5;
Jer. 1:5; 20:15-18; Luke 1:44).
We believe
in “that blessed hope,” the personal, literal and visible pretribulational,
premillennial return of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ (I Thess.
4:13-18; II Thess. 2:1-3). Summary An independent, fundamental, 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 power, Who ascended in supernatural splendor, Who intercedes as a supernatural priest, and Who will one day return in a supernatural glory to establish a supernatural kingdom on the earth. |
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