The local church is: under the leadership of officers, who are Elders (one of which is the Pastor) and Deacons, whose qualifications and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures. Our statement of faith also makes explicit what is foundational to our doctrinal commitmentsthe gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the primary . We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government, free from interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; 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; and that on all matters of membership, policy, government, discipline, or benevolence, the will of the local church is final. ; 28:1920; Luke 2:40; 1 Corinthians 1:1831; Ephesians 4:1116; Philippians 4:8; Colossians 2:3, 89; 1 Timothy 1:37; 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:1417; Hebrews 5:126:3; James 1:5; 3:17. To work for the betterment of the institution as a whole and to strive to personal excellence and development as a means to that end. Justification includes the pardon of sin and the imputationof Gods righteousness. Why are we Baptists? Man is the special creation of God, made in His own image. Statement of Faith | Capitol Hill Baptist Second, the 2000 revision of the BF&M removed the assertion that the person of Jesus Christ was to be the exegetical standard by which the Bible was to be interpreted,[citation needed][c] and replaced it with the last sentence in the quotation below. ; 2; 1 Timothy 6:14; 2 Timothy 4:1, 8; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 9:2728; James 5:8; 2 Peter 3:7ff. He is our High Priest and Divine Advocate with the Father. Magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored, and obeyed, except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the only Lord of the conscience and the coming King of kings. Baptist Faith and Message - IMB Being one body unites believers to each other and to Christ. The Trinity - We believe the Godhead exists eternally in three persons . (Matthew 28:6; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:2-6; Luke 24:39; Luke 24:51; John 20:27; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:4; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 2:17; Hebrews 5:9-10; Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 8:6; Hebrews 12:2; 1 John 2:1). He honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and His substitutionary atonementfor our sins. Given that human life is God's creation, including the life of the unborn, we affirm the "sanctity of life" as an integral representation of our college faith and values. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. Each congregation operates under the Lordship of Christ through democratic processes. While not stated in the 2000 BF&M, some churches also apply this interpretation to deacons, being a pastoral office of the church, and will not ordain women or allow them to serve as deacons. In this Statement of Faith, our Constitution, and all other documents, policies, and ministries of Baptist Christian Church, wherever the word man/men appears, it shall always mean a person who is born, according to Gods sovereign plan and design, male; and wherever the word woman/women appears, it shall always mean a person who is born, according to Gods sovereign plan and design, female. The Church. An adequate system of Christian education is necessary to a complete spiritual program for Christs people. 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. Married persons, husbands and wives, are commanded to exclusive sexual fidelity to each other while single persons are called to abstinence (Heb.13:4). He is the efficient power for godly living, Christian service, and spiritual worship. To maintain responsible standards of speech and action so as to avoid profanity, vulgarity, and harassment or acts of physical assault or violence. Believers may fall into sin through neglect and temptation, whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, and bring reproach on the cause of Christ and temporal judgments on themselves; yet they shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. NOVEMBER 1994. While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture. There are several Baptist Associations that have been formulated for their volunteer member churches. C. Sanctification is the experience, beginning in regeneration, by which the believer is set apart to Gods purposes, and is enabled to progress toward moral and spiritual maturity through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in him. 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 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 the Lord's Supper; in which the members of the church by the sacred use of bread and wine are to commemorate together the dying love of Christ; preceded always by solemn self-examination. We believe the Scriptures teach that Christian baptism is the immersion in water of a believer, into the name of the Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost; 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 Statement of Faith - First Baptist Church Atlanta Section 201 of the United States Copyright Act specifies that the employeris considered the author of a work made for hire, and owns all the rights comprised in the copyright except in cases where the employer and the employee have expressly agreed otherwise in a written instrument signed by them.. 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 commanded. Gods provision for holy living is in the believers identification with Christ as Savior, the indwelling Person and power of the Holy Spirit, the believers submission to Him, and the powerful Word of God. B. Justification is Gods gracious and full acquittal upon principles of His righteousness of all sinners who repent and believe in Christ. 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. In Jesus Christ abide all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Activities on the Lords Day should be commensurate with the Christians conscience under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. In His incarnation as Jesus Christ, He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. In accordance with the spirit and teachings of Christ they should do all in their power to put an end to war. True repentance is inseparably related to true faith causing one to purposely turn away from sin and move instead toward God as an act of faith. Jesus said He is the Door (singular), and any other path is . This page was last edited on 24 January 2023, at 12:43. Our Statement of Faith summarizes essential Christian beliefs, shows unity in Christ, and guards the church from error. Such organizations have no authority over one another or over the churches. Jesus perfectly revealed and did the will of the Father, taking upon Himself human nature with its demands and necessities and identifying Himself completely with mankind yet without sin. We believe that Gods design for the family starts with marriage. It summarizes key Southern Baptist thought in the areas of the Bible and its authority, the nature of God as expressed by the Trinity, the spiritual condition of man, God's plan of grace and salvation, the purpose of the local church, ordinances, evangelism, Christian education, interaction with society, religious liberty, and the family. We should work to provide for the orphaned, the needy, the abused, the aged, the helpless, and the sick. Statement of Faith - Victory Baptist School A free church in a free state is the Christian ideal, and this implies the right of free and unhindered access to God on the part of all men, and the right to form and propagate opinions in the sphere of religion without interference by the civil power. Regarding ministry, the BF&M now explicitly defines the pastoral office as the exclusive domain of men thus prohibiting female pastors. The marriage relationship models the way God relates to his people. The Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, equal with God the Father and God the Spirit and of the same nature. Statement of Faith - Bible Baptist Church - Bbcplatts.org As stated in Matthew 4:4 (ESV): But He answered, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. We are to observe and do all things Christ has commanded us (teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. facebook: Bro Champion It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. 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. His presence in the Christian is the guarantee that God will bring the believer into the fullness of the stature of Christ. Confessions serve us due to their helpful summary of the essential teachings of Scripture so as to both . Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of grace. through faith, plus nothing, and believers are eternally secure. Jesus Christ is both true God and true Man. The official SBC website, when referencing the Scripture, uses the. Our statement of faith stands firmly within historic Christian orthodoxy, confessing the great doctrines of the Trinity and the incarnation of Christ as set forth in the Nicene and Chalcedonian creeds. We believe in one God, existing in three persons, known as the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit ( Matthew 28:19 "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost"; Genesis 1:1, 26-27; John 10:30, 37-38 ). He now dwells in all believers as the living and ever present Lord. The marriage relationship models the way God relates to His people. Dr. H.L. In setting forth this Doctrinal Statement, we by no means set aside or undervalue any of the Scripture of the Old and New Testaments. Address. (Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:12-19; Matthew 4:1-11; Matthew 25:41; 2 Corinthians 4:3-4; 1 Peter 5:8; Revelation 12:9-10; Revelation 20:10), We believe in the Genesis account of creation as being neither allegory nor myth, but a literal, historical account of the direct and immediate creative acts of God without any evolutionary process. They shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting punishment. (Matthew 3:16; Matthew 28:19-20; John 3:23; Acts 2:41; Acts 8:34-39; Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 2:11-12). For every article of our statement of faith rests upon the foundation of Christ: We exalt Him as our only hope and source for the forgiveness of sin, and the grace of salvation. Every Christian should seek to bring industry, government, and society as a whole under the sway of the principles of righteousness, truth, and brotherly love. All true believers endure to the end. Adapted from the 1853 New Hampshire Confession of Faith . (Genesis 13:14-17; Ezekiel 37; Romans 11:1-32), Section 22: The Rapture and Other Future Events, We believe in the imminent, pre-millennialreturn of Christ for His Church. However, for more contemporary churches which have elders, the interpretation has been extended to this office as well, thus prohibiting women from being elders. God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of marriage. Statement of Faith . Immersion of believers and the Lords Supper the only two ordinances. 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. The college desires to help students who face all types of sexual temptation, encouraging single students to live chaste, celibate lives and married students to live together as God intends. He was literally and physically raised from the dead with a glorified body and appeared to His disciples as the Person who was with them before His crucifixion. In the beginning man was innocent of sin and was endowed by his Creator with freedom of choice. [LIVE] Faith Baptist vs. State Line Christian | High School Boys Statement of Faith - Central Baptist Church Korean 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. The state has no right to impose taxes for the support of any form of religion. ; 2 Thessalonians 1:7ff. We believe that a Baptist church is a congregation of baptized 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 officers of ordination are pastors or elders, whose As terms of relationship at any level within our faith community, Boston Baptist College prohibits all members of the college community from public advocacy or promotion for any position that sex outside of a biblically defined marriage is morally acceptable. The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament are the complete and . Bible Baptist Church | Statement of Faith It is instantaneous and not a process. Christs people should, as occasion requires, organize such associations and conventions as may best secure cooperation for the great objects of the Kingdom of God. They are for the strengthening of God's people (the Church) and proof of God's existence and power to unbelievers. God is Father in truth to those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. . 1. All employees have a moral, ethical, professional, and legal responsibility to support the implementation of all college policies for student and campus deportment. Lottie Moon Offering & Generosity Resources, Lottie Moon Offering and Generosity Resources. We believe that such only are real believers as have placed saving faith in Christ; that a special Providence watches over their welfare; that they are kept by the power of God through faith unto eternal salvation; and that the grand mark which distinguishes them from superficial professors is spiritual fruit produced as they abide in Christ. While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture. Sunday Mornings: 9:00 AM In-Person 10:30 AM In-Person 10:30 AM Live Streaming Online. The new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus. We must remember that first and foremost, we are Christians blood-bought, eternally saved, Christ professing, grace given, mercy receiving, repentant sinners who the Father in heaven has spared from the fiery pits of Hell! The gospel of Christ contemplates spiritual means alone for the pursuit of its ends. [citation needed][b].