Doctrinal Emphasis | Believers' Baptist

Statement

Doctrinal

1. The Word of God:

We believe that the Bible is God's written revelation to humanity, and thus the sixty-six books of the Bible given to us by the Holy Spirit constitute the plenary (inspired equally in all parts) Word of God. (Jeremiah 23:28-29; 1 Corinthians 2:7-14; 2 Peter 1:20-21)

We believe the Bible is the Word of God, fully inspired and without error in the original manuscripts, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and that it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct. (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Mark 13:31; John 8:31-32, 17:7, 20:31)

2. God:

We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; that these are equal in every divine perfection, and that they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence, and redemption. (Genesis 1:1, 26, 3:22; Matthew 28:19; John 1:1-5, 14; 4:24, 5:21, 8:56-58, 10:28-30; Acts 5:1-4; Romans 1:19-20; Ephesians 1:3-14; Jude 3)

3. The Father:

We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal Spirit, perfect in all His attributes. We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all that come to Him through Jesus Christ. We believe that He orders and disposes all things according to His own purpose and grace. (Luke 10:21-22; Matthew 23:9; John 3:16; 6:27; Romans 1:7, 8:29-30, 9:17; 1 Timothy 1:1-2; 1 Peter 1:3; Revelation 1:6; Isaiah 44:24-28, 45:5-7, 46:9-11)

We believe that He is the only absolute and omnipotent ruler in the universe; He is sovereign in creation, providence, and redemption. In His sovereignty, He is neither author nor approver of sin, nor does He waive the accountability of His creatures. He has graciously chosen from eternity past those whom He would have as His own, not based on anything we have done, but according to His own good pleasure. (Genesis 1:1-31; Revelation 4:11; Psalm 103:19; Romans 11:36; 1 Timothy 6:13-16; Habakkuk 1:13; John 8:38-47; 1 Peter 1:17; James 1:13; Ephesians 1:4-6; 2:8-10)

4. Jesus Christ:

We believe in Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, and teachings. We believe in His substitutionary, propitiatory (satisfaction of His Father's holiness, thereby averting His wrath) death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal, visible return to earth. We believe Jesus Christ is coequal, consubstantial (i.e., having the same substance, nature, or essence), and coeternal with the Father. (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; John 1:1, 14; 10:30; 14:9; 16:15,20:28-31; Romans 9:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:21-23; Matthew 20:28; Ephesians 1:4; Acts 1:11; Romans 5:6-8; 6:9-10; Hebrews 1:8; 7:25; 9:28; 1 Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 9:6-7; 2 Peter 1:1)

We believe that in the Incarnation (God becoming man), Christ surrendered only the prerogatives of deity but nothing of the divine essence, either in degree or kind. (Philippians 2:5-8; Colossians 2:9)

We believe that Jesus Christ represents humanity and deity in indivisible oneness. (Micah 5:2; John 5:23; 14:9-10; Colossians 2:9)

We believe that on the basis of the efficacy (effectiveness) of the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, every genuine believer is freed from the punishment, the penalty, the power, and one day the very presence of sin; and that he/she is declared righteous (justification), given eternal life, and adopted into the family of God. (Romans 3:25; 5:8-9; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15; 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18)

We believe that in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, God the Father displayed to His creation the deity of His Son and gave proof that He accepted the propitiatory work of Christ on the cross. (Isaiah 53:10-12)

5. The Holy Spirit:

We believe in the Holy Spirit who came forth from the Father and the Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. We believe that the Holy Spirit is the supernatural and sovereign agent in regeneration. It is His work to indwell, sanctify, instruct, empower for service, and seal until the day of redemption all who believe on Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ, and that He is an abiding helper, teacher and guide. He is a divine person, eternal, underived (having no beginning or source), possessing all the attributes of personality and deity. In all the divine attributes, He is coequal, consubstantial, and coeternal with the Father and the Son. (John 14:16-17, 26; 15:26-27; John 16:7-14; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; Galatians 5:22-26; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Acts 2:15-20; Hebrews 10:15-16; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Ephesians 1:13)

6. Humanity:

We believe that humanity was directly and immediately created by God in His own image and likeness, free from sin, with a rational nature, intelligence, and volition; yet with a moral responsibility to the God who created him. (Genesis 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 11:7; Genesis 2:7, 15-25; James 3:9)

We believe that God's intention in the creation of man was that man should glorify God by enjoying Him forever. (Isaiah 43:7; Colossians 1:16; Revelation 4:11)

We believe that in Adam's sin of disobedience to the revealed will and Word of God, humanity lost its innocence, incurred the penalty of spiritual and physical death, became subject to the wrath of God, and became inherently corrupt and incapable of choosing or doing that which is acceptable to God apart from divine grace. Thus, every human being is totally depraved and spiritually dead, having not the ability or the power to resurrect himself and is hopelessly lost. Man's salvation is, therefore, wholly of God's grace through the redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Genesis 2:16-17; 3:1-19,5:3; John 3:36; Romans 3:10-11, 23; 5:12; 6:23; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Ephesians 2:1-9; 1 John 1:8)

We believe that because all humanity descended from Adam, a nature corrupted by Adam's sin has been transmitted to all of humanity (Jesus Christ, having no human father, being the only exception). All of humanity is thus sinful by nature, by choice, and by divine declaration, spiritually dead in their trespasses and sins, and by nature, children of God's wrath. (Psalm 14:1-3; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:9-18, 23; 5:10-12; Ephesians 2:1-5)

7. Salvation:

Election:

We believe that election is the sole act of God by which, before the foundation of the world, He chose in Christ all whom He graciously regenerates, saves, and sanctifies. (Romans 8:28-30; Ephesians 1:4-11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 2:10; 1 Peter 1:1-2)

We believe that sovereign election does not contradict or negate the responsibility of human beings to their Creator. Spiritually dead humanity, however, can never be considered righteous, and none will ever understand spiritual truths, much less ever seek after God on their own accord. Therefore, God's sovereign grace includes the only means of receiving the gift of salvation. God's sovereign election always results in what God determines. Therefore, all whom the Father gives to the Son shall come to Him, and those coming in faith He will never turn away. (Isaiah 55:6-7; Luke 13:3; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 11:18; Romans 2:4; 1 Corinthians 2:14; 2 Corinthians 7:10; Ephesians 2:1-2; Romans 3:10-18; Ephesians 2:8-9; 2 Peter 1:1; Ephesians 2:4-5; John 6:37-40, 44-45, & 63-65; Acts 13:48; Romans 8:7, & 28-30; 9:11-16; Ephesians 1:4-11)

We believe when God grants grace to totally depraved sinners, it is not related to any initiative of their own, or to God's anticipation of what they might do by their own will but is solely on the basis of His sovereign purpose and will. (Ephesians 1:4-8; 2 Peter 1:1; Titus 3:4-7; 1 Peter 1:1-2)

2. Regeneration:

We believe that man was created by God in His own image; that he sinned and thereby incurred physical, and spiritual death, which is separation from God; that as a consequence, all human beings are born with a sinful nature and are sinners and therefore under condemnation. We believe that those who are regenerated by the Holy Spirit repent and forsake sin and trust Jesus Christ as Savior and become new creatures, delivered from condemnation, and recipients of eternal life. (Genesis 1:26; 5:2; Genesis 3; Genesis 2:17; 3:19; John 3:8, 14; 5:24; John 5:30; 6:63; 7: 13; 8:12; 10:26; Romans 9:22; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Revelation 19:3, 20; 20:10, 14-15; 21:18; Psalm 51:7; Jeremiah 17:9; James 1:14; Romans 3:19; 5:19; Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:9; John 1:13; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 8:1; Ephesians 2:1-8)

We believe that regeneration is manifested by fruits consistent with repentance as demonstrated in righteous attitudes and conduct. Good works will be the proper evidence and fruit of genuine repentance. (Matthew 7:18-21; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Ephesians 2:10)

3. Justification:

We believe that justification is the act of God by which He declares man righteous. This righteousness is apart from any virtue or work of man and involves the imputation of our sins to Christ and the imputation of Christ's righteousness to us. By this means, God is able to "be just, and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus" (Romans 3:26). (Romans 8:33; 3:20, 4:6; Ephesians 2:8-9; Colossians 2:14; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 3:26)

4. Sanctification:

We believe that every genuine believer experiences justification before God. Therefore, having been justified, we believe that in the daily life of the believer he/she is being progressively conformed to the likeness of Christ. In this respect, every saved person is involved in a daily conflict-the new creation in Christ doing battle against the flesh (indwelling sin). Those who are genuinely saved will persevere to the end in this battle against the flesh. Sanctification begins in regeneration and continues to glorification. (Ephesians 1:4; John 17:17, 19; Romans 6:1-22; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4; 5:23; Matthew 24:13)

5. Perseverance of the Saints/Preservation by the Savior:

We believe that all those regenerated by the Spirit of God will be likewise kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ.: (John 5:24; 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Romans 5:9-10; 8:1,31-39; 1 Corinthians 1:4- 8; Ephesians 4:30; Philippians 1:6; Hebrews 7:25; 13:5; 1 Peter 1:5; Jude 24)
Paralleling the clear teachings concerning the security of the true believer, however, are also warnings to the professing church concerning the perseverance of those who claim the name of Christ (cf., Matthew 24:9-13; Hebrews 10:23-39; Revelation 2-3).

We believe that the true children of God, chosen from the foundation of the world, will stand firm for Christ to the end.

We believe that references to those who do "fall away" (John 6:66), are references to men and women who claim that they are in Christ but, in reality, are not (1 John 2:19) Christ taught that the kingdom of God -the genuine elect of God- will be infiltrated with tares, those who claim -and may even think- that they are in Christ but, in reality, are not (Matthew 7:21; 13:24-30, 37-42). These professors -tares- may be members of the church in general but have never been true citizens of the kingdom of God.

For these reasons, we believe that these warnings should be taken seriously by all of us who claim the name of Christ, including the leadership of Believers’ Baptist Church,"and now, little children, abide in Him; so that, when He appears, we may have confidence, and not shrink from Him in shame at His coming" (1 John 2:28). Only the genuine elect of God will ever experience the promise of Christ "that I [Christ] should lose nothing of all that He [the Father] has given Me, but raise it up on the last day" (John 6:39). Therefore, we teach and encourage all who claim the name of Christ to "test yourselves, to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves." (2 Corinthians 13:5; cf., 1 Corinthians 10:12).

We believe that it is the privilege of all genuine believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God's Word, but we also teach that God's Word clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion for sinful living and carnality. For that reason, we teach that "So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” (James 2:17). (Romans 6:1-2, 15-22; 13:13-14; Galatians 5:13, 25-26; Titus 2:11-14)

8. The Church:

We believe in the universal, living, spiritual body of which Christ is the head (Ephesians 5:23) and all regenerated persons are members.

We believe that churches are particular autonomous groups of the body of Christ, consisting of a company of believers in Jesus Christ, biblically baptized on a credible profession of faith, and associated for worship, ministry, and fellowship. This group of believers is the membership of Believers’ Baptist Church.

We believe that the overflow of the worship of this glorious God will lead the members of the church to declare the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world. (Ephesians 2:19-22; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 5:19-21; Acts 2:42; Hebrews 10:23-25)

We believe that every child of God is baptized by the Holy Spirit into one united spiritual body, the bride of Christ, of which Christ is the Head. (1 Corinthians 12:12-14; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:23-32; Revelation 19:7-8; Ephesians 1:22; 23; Colossians 1:18)

We believe that the establishment and continuity of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures and that the members of the one living, spiritual, universal body are directed to associate themselves together in local assemblies (churches) (1 Corinthians 11:18-20; Hebrews 10:25). (Acts 13:1-3; 14:23, 27; 20:17, 28; Romans 16:1-5, 16; Galatians 1:2; Philippians 1:1; 1 Thessalonians 1:1)

We believe that the one supreme authority for the church is Christ and that church leadership, gifts, order, discipline, and worship are all appointed through His sovereignty as found in the Scriptures. The biblically designated officers serving under Christ and over the assembly are elders (also called bishops, or pastors; Acts 20:28; Ephesians 4:11). The local congregation is to submit to their leadership (Hebrews 13:7, 17). The biblically designated officers serving the assembly under the direction of the elders are deacons (1 Timothy 3:8-13). Both elders and deacons must meet biblical qualifications (1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-5).

We believe that these elders who lead or rule "well" are worthy of double honor before the church, but likewise, those who continue to sin in a manner contradictory to the biblical qualifications while holding the office and responsibility of an elder must be publicly rebuked before the congregation for the purpose of making the church fearful of sinning (1 Timothy 5:17-22).

We believe in the importance of discipleship (Matthew 28:19-20; 2 Timothy 2:2) and mutual accountability of all believers to each other (Matthew 18:5-14), as well as the need for discipline of unrepentant members of the congregation in accordance with the standards of Scripture. (Matthew 18:15-22; Acts 5:1-11; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-12; 1 Timothy 1:19-20; Titus 1:10-16)

9. Christian Conduct:

We believe that a Christian should live for the glory of God and the well-being of his fellow men; that his conduct should be blameless before the world; that he should be a faithful steward of his possessions; and that he should seek to realize for himself and others the full stature of maturity in Christ. (1 Corinthians 10:31; Romans 12:1-3; Hebrews 12:1-2; John 14:15, 23-24; 1 John 2:3-6; 2 Corinthians 9:6-9; 1 Corinthians 4:2; Colossians 1:9-10)

10. The Ordinances:

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the church. The two ordinances are baptism and the Lord's Supper.

Believers’ Baptist Church will observe the Lord’s Supper a minimum four (4) times a year.

We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of the believer in water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. We believe that the Lord's Supper was instituted by Christ for commemoration of His death. We believe that these two ordinances should be observed and administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. We do not believe these ordinances hold any salvific value; that is, they do not convey saving grace upon the recipient. (Matthew 28:18-20; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

11. Religious Liberty:

We believe that every child of God is responsible to God alone in all matters of faith; that each church is independent and must be free from interference by any ecclesiastical or political authority. We are free to: submit, love, obey, and worship our Lord. We are freed from: the enslavement to, and bondage of sin that we were born in. (1 Timothy 2:5; Romans Chapters 4-8, 14:7-9, 12-23)

12. Family, Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality:

God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. It is composed of persons related to one another by marriage, blood, or adoption.

Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. It is God’s unique gift to reveal the union between Christ and His church and to provide for the man and the woman in marriage the framework for intimate companionship, the channel of sexual expression according to biblical standards, and the means for procreation of the human race. We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to only occur between a man and a woman who are married to each other. We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.

We believe that any form of sexual immorality including adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, pornography, pedophilia and attempting to change one’s biological sex, (acting or identifying in disagreement against one’s biological sex) is sinful and offensive to God.

We believe under the headship of Christ and the sole authority of Scripture that in order to preserve the function and integrity of the church as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a biblical role model to the church members and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by the church in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, should abide by, and agree to this statement on Family, Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality and conduct themselves accordingly.

The husband and wife are of equal worth before God since both are created in God’s image. The marriage relationship models the way God relates to His people. A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. He has the God-given responsibility to provide for, to protect, and to lead his family. A wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ. She, being in the image of God as is her husband and thus equal to him, has the God-given responsibility to respect her husband and to serve as his helper in managing the household and nurturing the next generation.

Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and heritage from the Lord. Parents are to demonstrate to their children God’s pattern for marriage. Parents are to teach their children spiritual and moral values and to lead them, through consistent lifestyle example and loving discipline, to make choices based on biblical truth. Children are to honor and obey their parents.

God Offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ.

We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, and respect regardless of person, gender, ethnicity, or socioeconomic background. Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of the church.

Believers’ Baptist relies on the Bible’s authoritative instruction on all matters concerning ordinances, ministries, use of facilities, activities, membership, and employment. Believers’ Baptist Church does not discriminate as to whom it will provide a witness. However, the Church will not perform a ministry that is contrary to Scripture such as promoting, performing, or allowing its facilities to be used for any activity contrary to Scripture.
Genesis 1:26-28; 2:15-25; 3:1-20; Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Joshua 24:15; 1 Samuel 1:26-28; Psalms 51:5; 78:1-8; 127; 128; 139:13-16; Proverbs 1:8; 5:15-20; 6:20-22; 12:4; 13:24; 14:1; 17:6; 18:22; 22:6,15; 23:13-14; 24:3; 29:15,17; 31:10-31; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; 9:9; Malachi 2:14-16; Matthew 5:31-32; 18:2-5; 19:3-9; Mark 10:6-12; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 7:1-16; Ephesians 5:21-33; 6:1-4; Colossians 3:18-21; 1 Timothy 5:8,14; 2 Timothy 1:3-5; Titus 2:3-5; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Peter 3:1-7.

13. The Last Things:

We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and in His eternal kingdom in heaven. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the eternal glory of the righteous and the eternal suffering of the wicked. (Matthew 16:27; Mark 14:62; John 14:3; Acts 1:11; Philippians 3:20; 1 Thessalonians 4:15; 2 Timothy 4:1; Titus 2:13; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 1 Corinthians 15; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; Revelation 20:4-6, 11-15)