“...to set forth in order a declaration
of those things which
are most surely believed among us . . .”
- Luke 1:1.
I. “THE LIVING GOD”: CONCERNING THE TRUE
GOD.
We believe the Scriptures teach 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, praise, glory, 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.
II.
“THE WORD OF GOD”: CONCERNING THE
SCRIPTURES.
We believe that the Holy Bible was written
by men supernaturally inspired, and is a perfect treasure of heavenly
instruction; that it has God as its Author, salvation for its end, and truth
without any mixture of error for its matter; that it reveals the principle by
which God will judge us; and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the
world, the only complete and final revelation of the will of God to man, the
true center of all Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human
conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried.
III.
“THE IMAGE OF GOD”: CONCERNING
MANKIND.
We believe the Scriptures teach that God
created man in His own image and after His own likeness; that man is notably
distinct from all other forms of life, being tripartite in nature and having an
everlasting soul; 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 of life.
We believe the Scriptures teach that man was created in innocence under
the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression through an act of
deliberate disobedience fell from that sinless and happy state; in consequence
of which all mankind are now sinners, not by constraint but of choice, being by
nature utterly void of that holiness required by the Law of God.
IV.
“SO GREAT SALVATION”: CONCERNING THE
WAY OF SALVATION.
1.
OF SALVATION.
We believe the Scriptures teach that the
salvation of sinners is wholly of the grace of God, through the merits of the
shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. We
believe that the inability which the Scriptures ascribe to fallen men to
fulfill its precepts arises entirely from their sinful nature; to deliver them
from which, and to restore them through a Mediator of unfeigned obedience to
the holy Law is the one great end of the Gospel, that Christ died for our sins
according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the
third day according to the Scriptures.
2.
OF THE PRIESTHOOD
OF BELIEVERS.
We believe the Scriptures teach the
priesthood of all believers: that Christ is our Great High Priest and through
Him every born-again person has direct access into God’s presence without the
need of a human priest; that the believer has the right and responsibility to
personally study and interpret the Scriptures guided by the Holy Spirit. John
14:6; Hebrews 4:16; II Timothy 2:15; I Peter 2:1, 5, 9.
V.
“POWERS AND PRINCIPALITIES”:
CONCERNING THE UNSEEN WORLD.
1. OF ANGELS.
We believe the Scriptures teach that there
is a vast celestial kingdom of spirit beings called Angels, in ages past
created holy, glorious, and higher than man; a vast company of various ranks
worshiping God, ministering to His glorious Person and to His children.
2. OF THE DEVIL.
We believe the Scriptures teach that
Satan, as the mighty angel Lucifer, was once holy, enjoying heavenly honors;
but that 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”, the unholy god of this world; that he is man's great tempter, the enemy
of the Lord Jesus Christ, the accuser of the saints, and the author of all
false religions.
VI.
“ALL HAVE SINNED”: CONCERNING SIN.
We believe the Scriptures teach that sin
is any transgression of or want of conformity to, the revealed will of God;
that it has permeated the entire universe, including every realm and affecting
every race and species amongst creation; that every man is born with a sin
nature, an inherent inclination toward evil which results in acts of
wrong-doing; that the wages of sin is death, being separation from God in this
life and throughout eternity.
VII.
“I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH”: CONCERNING
THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH.
We believe the
Scriptures teach that a Baptist Church is a congregation of baptized believers,
associated by 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; that its only Scriptural offices
are pastors (elders, bishops), evangelists, and deacons, whose qualifications, claims, and
duties are clearly defined in the New Testament; that the true mission of each
church is found in the Great Commission.
VIII. “IN
REMEMBRANCE OF ME”: CONCERNING THE ORDINANCES.
1. OF SCRIPTURAL
BAPTISM.
We believe the
Scriptures teach that baptism is the immersion in water of the believer in
Christ, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,
performed with the church’s authority; to show forth in 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.
2. OF THE LORD'S
SUPPER.
We believe the
Scriptures teach the Lord’s Supper, is a provision of unleavened bread and the
fruit of the vine, as symbols of Christ’s body and shed blood commemorating His
passion and dying love; preceded always by solemn self-examination.
IX. “AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE”: CONCERNING THE
CHRISTIAN HOME.
1. OF THE HOME
We believe the
Scriptures teach and define the institution of the home: that it was divinely
established in the beginning as the union by marriage of a male and female and
is the basic unit of society; that each family member, husband, wife, and children,
have distinct duties and responsibilities; that it is the responsibility of
parents to train up children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord and to
provide them Godly instruction through Christian example and formal education.
Genesis 2:18-25; 3:16; 18:19; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; 32:46; Psalm 78:5, 6; 127:1-5;
Proverbs 3:12; 13:24; 22:6; Isaiah 28:9, 10; Matthew 19:3-9; Ephesians 5:21-33;
6:1-4; Colossians 3:18-21.
2. OF HUMAN SEXUALITY
We believe the
Scriptures teach God’s command that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in
outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. 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 disapproves of and forbids any attempt to alter one’s gender
by surgery or appearance. Genesis 2:24; 19:5; 26:8-9; Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans
1:26-29; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 12:4.
3. OF MARRIAGE
We believe the
Scriptures teach the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one
woman. A Christian marriage involves two Christians, a covenant of commitment
to each other, physical consummation of the union, and commitment to God’s plan
for marriage. Genesis 2:24; Romans 7:2; 1 Corinthians 7:10; Ephesians 5:22-23.
X. “THINGS TO COME”: CONCERNING THE
RESURRECTION AND LAST THINGS.
We believe the
Scriptures teach that Jesus Christ rose literally and bodily from the dead on
the third day; that having ascended into glory, He alone is our merciful and
faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God; that this same Jesus shall
return to earth bodily, personally, and visibly; first to raise the righteous
dead and catch up all living believers in the twinkling of an eye, then to
return with the saints to set up His glorious kingdom of a millennium of peace
and righteousness, having executed judgment upon an unbelieving world; that at
the final day of judgment all Christ- rejecting sinners will be raised, judged,
and cast into the lake of fire for everlasting damnation, that the saved will
live with Him for eternity according to the sure promises of God.
XI. “PERILOUS
TIMES SHALL COME”: CONCERNING MODERN
TRENDS IN THEOLOGY
1. NEO-ORTHODOXY
This theological
persuasion is a futile attempt to reconcile, “The higher scientific Biblical
criticism with the true Biblical interpretation.” Such an appeal to Biblical revelation
is based on half-truths and as such is false and deceptive. We utterly reject
this method and position.
2. NEO-EVANGELICALISM
This movement,
while claiming to be fundamental in theology, has actually compromised the
underlying principles of the Christian Faith. It questions inspiration and
literal interpretation; it accepts liberals as Christians, takes a new attitude
toward the ecumenical movement, promotes ecumenical evangelism, denies both
ethical and ecclesiastical separation, restructures eschatology, and
over-stresses the social aspects of the Gospel. We hold this stand to be
un-Scriptural.
3. ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT
The attempt to
unite the different faiths today on the basis of the least common denominator
of doctrine is a betrayal of the unity of believers based upon sound doctrine
of the historic Christian Faith. Its dialogue with other religions is
dialectical. Its method of operation is subversive and shows a tendency to
totalitarianism. Its concept of an ecclesiastical kingdom is not supported by
Scripture. We reject all cooperation with this movement.
4. CHARISMATIC MOVEMENT
We believe that the
gift of tongues was given as a sign to Israel and like the gifts of Apostleship
and prophecy, which, were for the founding of the church, is therefore not
being given today. While we recognize that God may give any gift to His churches
at any time, we believe that the current resurgence of the practice of tongues,
which is not biblically regulated and which is usually divisive, is not the
Scriptural gift. We, therefore, believe that all experiences should be based on
the written Word of God. Further we
should seek to use the more important gifts, and cultivate Christ-likeness,
none of which requires the use of genuine or spurious tongues. We do not accept
the practices of speaking in tongues and the gift of healing.
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