baptist christian statement of faith

Missionary effort on the part of all rests thus upon a spiritual necessity of the regenerate life, and is expressly and repeatedly commanded in the teachings of Christ. ; Judges 7:21; Ezra 1:34; 2:6869; 5:1415; Nehemiah 4; 8:15; Matthew 10:515; 20:116; 22:110; 28:1920; Mark 2:3; Luke 10:1ff. Sunday Mornings: 9:00 AM In-Person 10:30 AM In-Person 10:30 AM Live Streaming Online. 1. ; and Fern Creek . Article XVIII. All who join CHBC are required to affirm the CHBC Statement of Faith, the revised New Hampshire Confession of Faith from 1853. 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 ). Dr. H.L. Christ, by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Himself our nature, yet was without sin. 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. We believe in the Genesis account of creation; 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 developments through interminable periods of time from lower to higher forms; that all animals and vegetable life were made directly; and that God's established law was that they should bring forth only "after their kind.". The performance of professional responsibilities in the context of this educational institution is consistent with this intent and with the standards found in Scripture. Insults, slurs and other forms of derogatory speech or actions have no place in a Christian community or thoughtful dialogue, and will be worthy of disciplinary action. In Christian education there should be a proper balance between academic freedom and academic responsibility. There are several Baptist Associations that have been formulated for their volunteer member churches. An independent, fundamental church in Royal Center, Indiana Joel Sharp, Pastor, Prayer Meeting & Bible Study We believe the Savior, by His atoning work and through His Gospel, gave hope to every member of the human family. Growth in grace should continue throughout the regenerate persons life. Baptist Faith and Message I. Standing, as Jesus does, with the outcast . It is consistent with the free agency of man, and comprehends all the means in connection with the end. He will return in power and glory to judge the world and to consummate His redemptive mission. He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, compassionate, and an all-sufficient Savior. Therefore, we believe the Universal Church and this local church family are obligated to make every effort to evangelize all people everywhere, beginning in our homes, then reaching to our town, state, nation, and the entire world. 2. Thurs. When He returns to the earth with His saints, we believe that Jesus Christ will establish His millennial Kingdomand will reign for one thousand years. 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. He has the God-given responsibility to provide for, to protect, and to lead his family. To Him we owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience. Church and state should be separate. Vietnamese. ; Leviticus 22:2; Deuteronomy 6:4; 32:6; 1 Chronicles 29:10; Psalm 19:13; Isaiah 43:3,15; 64:8; Jeremiah 10:10; 17:13; Matthew 6:9ff. 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 qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures. He now dwells in all believers as the living and ever present Lord. (Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians 5:8-10; Philippians 1:23; Philippians 3:21; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Revelation 20:4-6), We believe the souls of unbelievers remain in conscious misery after death until the second resurrection when the soul and body are reunited and they shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment. 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. 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. In such a congregation each member is responsible and accountable to Christ as Lord. We believe that repentance and faith are sacred duties and also inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the regenerating Spirit of God; whereby being deeply convinced of our guilt, danger and helplessness, and of the way of salvation by Christ, we turn to God with unfeigned contrition, confession and supplication . We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water, under the authority of the local church. Such organizations have no authority over one another or over the churches. 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. Mr. Biden, perhaps the most religiously observant commander in chief in half a century, regularly attends Mass and speaks of how his Catholic faith grounds his life and his policies. (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-14; 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 1:8-9), We believe that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures as a representative and as a substitutionary sacrifice. To pursue a balanced, disciplined approach to personal health. Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners. It commemorates the resurrection of Christ from the dead and should include exercises of worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private. 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. The new birth opens all human faculties and creates a thirst for knowledge. Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of grace. (Luke 24:36-42; John 20:24-29). Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. Being one body unites believers to each other and to Christ. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. ; 2 Thessalonians 1:7ff. Genesis 3:15; Exodus 3:1417; 6:28; Matthew 1:21; 4:17; 16:2126; 27:2228:6; Luke 1:6869; 2:2832; John 1:1114, 29; 3:321, 36; 5:24; 10:9, 2829; 15:116; 17:17; Acts 2:21; 4:12; 15:11; 16:3031; 17:3031; 20:32; Romans 1:1618; 2:4; 3:2325; 4:3ff. The true remedy for the war spirit is the gospel of our Lord. We further believe the wedding ceremony is an act of worship before God where one man and one woman are joined in holy matrimony. According to His promise, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth; the dead will be raised; and Christ will judge all men in righteousness. He helps empower the believer to develop the character of Christ and live every day in God's will. (Romans 8:14-17; 2 Corinthians 6:18; Galatians 4:4-7; Ephesians 1:5; 1 John 3:1-2), We believe that all who are truly born again are eternally kept by God the Father for Jesus Christ. 17. Christian unity in the New Testament sense is spiritual harmony and voluntary cooperation for common ends by various groups of Christs people. (John 3:15; Acts 4:12; 16:31; Romans 10:9-13; Ephesians 2:8-9), Section 13: Separation and Sanctification, We believe that sanctificationis the divine setting apart of the believer unto God, and that the Scriptures clearly teach non-conformity to the world for every believer. Reaffirmation of most historical Baptist convictions. He created them male and female as the crowning work of His creation. There is no salvation apart from personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord. Boston Baptist College supports the conscientious pursuit of life in submission to biblical principles. Therefore, we believe creation to be approximately 6000 years old. Its scriptural officers are pastors and deacons. Children are to honor and obey their parents. We believe that the term marriage has only one meaning: A life-long covenant, sanctioned by God, that joins one man and one woman, who were each born as a man and a woman, in a single, exclusive union, as spoken and described by God in Scripture. ; Isaiah 61:13; Joel 2:2832; Matthew 1:18; 3:16; 4:1; 12:2832; 28:19; Mark 1:10, 12; Luke 1:35; 4:1, 1819; 11:13; 12:12; 24:49; John 4:24; 14:1617, 26; 15:26; 16:714; Acts 1:8; 2:14, 38; 4:31; 5:3; 6:3; 7:55; 8:17, 39; 10:44; 13:2; 15:28; 16:6; 19:16; Romans 8:911,1416, 2627; 1 Corinthians 2:1014; 3:16; 12:311, 13; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 1:1314; 4:30; 5:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; 1 Timothy 3:16; 4:1; 2 Timothy 1:14; 3:16; Hebrews 9:8, 14; 2 Peter 1:21; 1 John 4:13; 5:67; Revelation 1:10; 22:17. (Genesis 1:1-3; Matthew 28:19; Mark 1:8; Luke 1:35; Luke 24:49; John 3:5-7; 14:16,17,26; John 16:7-15; Acts 5:30-32; 11:16; Romans 8:14,16,26,27; Romans 15:19; 1 Corinthians 2:10,11; Ephesians 1:13-14; Ephesians 4:30; Hebrews 9:14). We believe God the Father is an infinite, eternal, sovereignSpirit Who is absolutely holy and self-existent. God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. Published on April 8, 2021. We join thousands of Baptist churches, associations, and ministries thathave adopted the Baptist Faith and Message as our confession of faith. Matthew 3:11; Acts 2:4 God gives all believers spiritual gifts. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. It is the responsibility of each Christian to learn, believe, and live every doctrine taught in Gods Word. In His incarnation He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer's faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, the believer's death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. These distinctives are those beliefs and practices that establish the unique character of the New Testament faith, setting it apart as distinct from any and all other faiths or systems of belief of religious thought. ; Acts 1:1314; 2:1ff. Watch Live Here : https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https://bit.ly/Highschoolbasketball_BoysThe Faith Baptist (Davison, MI) varsity . Each article or position is followed by Scripture which they use to support their position.[a]. The will of the local church is final on all matters of membership, policy, procedure, government, discipline, and benevolence. An adequate system of Christian education is necessary to a complete spiritual program for Christs people. A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. He never casts us off, but, as we remain sealed to the day of redemption, we inherit the promises as heirs of everlasting salvation. A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. These distinctives are easily remembered using the acrostic BRAPSISS and here is a breakdown for us to better understand: These distinctives in faith and practice have set those who have become known as Baptists (and their forefathers) as being distinct from all other forms of religion, including Catholics and Protestants. The Holy Bible is absolutely inerrant, unadulterated, and authoritative in its . Addresses issues of contemporary concern soteriological inclusivism (Section IV), family (Section XVIII), gender (Section III), sexual immorality, adultery, homosexuality, pornography, and abortion (Section XV). Russian It excludes boasting and promotes humility. The unrighteous will be consigned to Hell, the place of everlasting punishment. Moreover, the cause of education in the Kingdom of Christ is co-ordinate with the causes of missions and general benevolence, and should receive along with these the liberal support of the churches. It is the duty of every child of God to seek constantly to win the lost to Christ by verbal witness undergirded by a Christian lifestyle, and by other methods in harmony with the gospel of Christ. All employees have a moral, ethical, professional, and legal responsibility to support the implementation of all college policies for student and campus deportment. The problem arises, however, when we make being Baptist a badge of honor rather than a method of identification. The supreme need of the world is the acceptance of His teachings in all the affairs of men and nations, and the practical application of His law of love. We are sinners by nature and by conduct. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. Justification includes the pardon of sin and the imputationof Gods righteousness. In consequence of which, all men are now sinners, not by constraint, but by choice, and therefore under just condemnation without defense or excuse. There are a few differing opinions on the origin of the Baptist church. He honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and in His substitutionary death on the cross He made provision for the redemption of men from sin. He convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. The change was made over concerns that some groups were elevating the recorded words of Jesus[d] in Scripture over other Scriptural passages (or, in some cases, claiming that Jesus' silence on an issue held priority over other passages explicitly discussing a topic, an example being homosexuality). Activities on the Lords Day should be commensurate with the Christians conscience under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. We believe that God rejects any attempt to alter ones gender by surgery or appearance. Genesis 12:13; Exodus 19:58; 1 Samuel 8:47, 1922; Isaiah 5:17; Jeremiah 31:31ff. . 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. She will be re-gathered in the Holy Land and, after the completion of the Church, will be saved as a nation at the second advent of Christ. All who believe in Him are justifiedon the grounds of His shed blood. We believe God brought all creation into being in six literal 24-hour days and that He rested on the 7th day. It is scriptural for churches to cooperate with each other in defending the faith and for the furthering of the gospel. The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God's revelation of Himself to man. He calls men to the Saviour, and effects regeneration. The Family. Because of His great love, God provided a way for humanity to be put right with him. In setting forth this Doctrinal Statement, we by no means set aside or undervalue any of the Scripture of the Old and New Testaments. If I were to ask you to defend your decision on being a Baptist, what would you say? We believe that the Church, which is the Body of Christ, was begun on the Day of Pentecost. 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. The canon of Scripture clearly declares that Gods design at Creation for sexual desire, orientation and identity is within the bounds of the marital union of one natural-born man and one natural-born woman (Gen. 1:2628; Gen. 2:2225; Rom. 1:2627; 1 Cor. We believe, that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again. We are pitied, protected, provided for, and chastened by God as by a Father. ; Psalms 2:7ff. 8. 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. The Confession of Faith, [1] [2] also called the Second London Baptist Confession, was written by Particular Baptists, who held to a Calvinistic soteriology in England to give a formal expression of their Christian faith from a Baptist perspective. [2] Described as "the New Hampshire Confession of Faith [of 1833], revised at certain points, and with some additional articles growing out of present needs," it was intended as "a reaffirmation of Christian fundamentals," which was deemed necessary because of "the prevalence of naturalism in the modern teaching and preaching of religion. Statement of Faith This doctrinal statement reflects the broad, mainstream, conservative evangelical tradition which is consistent with the teachings of the Bible and which has stood the test of history and experience. ; Mark 2:2728; 16:17; Luke 24:13, 3336; John 4:2124; 20:1, 1928; Acts 20:7; Romans 14:510; I Corinthians 16:12; Colossians 2:16; 3:16; Revelation 1:10. Exodus 17:12; 18:17ff. The full consummation of the Kingdom awaits the return of Jesus Christ and the end of this age. As a part of the Southern Baptist Convention, IMB is guided by a board of trustees elected by the convention in its annual meetings. The Churchs purpose of existence is to evangelize the world and complete itself through the winning of lost souls to 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. It is instantaneous and not a process. We further believe that water baptism by immersion is to be observed once, and is a sign of identification and a testimony to the believers new life in Christ. The Holy Spirit on earth is the active agent of the God-head, who constantly seeks within its ranks to bring about conformity and obedience to the Word of God and the will of God. 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. He now dwells in all believers as the living and ever-present Lord. Our Baptist forefathers have held to the above noted distinctives since the time of Christ creating an unbroken trail of Truth from that day till this one. We believe that justification is the judicial act of God declaring us to be righteous through faith in Christ Jesus. 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. Special creation of the existing space-time universe and all its basic systems and kinds of organisms in the six literal days of the creation week. 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; and that he is now the malignant prince of the power of the air, and the unholy god of this world. We believe that the Bible is clear that the next event on the prophetic timetable is the Rapture of the saved (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). He bears witness to the truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony. Smith, James A., Sr. "A confession of faith worthy of support." The Church. We believe that Gods design for the family is modeled in the leadership of the church. All believers from Pentecost to the Rapture are added to the Church by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Man, spirit, soul, and body, were created by a direct work of God and not from previously existing forms of life; and that all men are descended from the historical Adam and Evethe first parents of the human race. (Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:1-47; Acts 15:13-18; Acts 20:17-28; Romans 1:16; Romans 3:22; 1 Corinthians 11:2; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 2:13-16; Ephesians 3:1-6; Ephesians 4:11-13; Ephesians 5:23-24; Colossians 1:18; 1 Timothy 3:1-7). Why are we Baptists? It is Gods 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. He is fatherly in His attitude toward all men. . Man is the special creation of God, made in His own image. phone: 615-944-0348, Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, Why We Are Baptists? The state has no right to impose taxes for the support of any form of religion. "Throughout the process, the [Faith Statement Development] team sought the Lord's guidance and wisdom and has . Water baptism is a prerequisite to the privileges of membership in the local church. Isaiah 2:4; 11:9; Matthew 16:27; 18:89; 19:28; 24:27, 30, 36, 44; 25:3146; 26:64; Mark 8:38; 9:4348; Luke 12:40, 48; 16:1926; 17:2237; 21:2728; John 14:13; Acts 1:11; 17:31; Romans 14:10; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 15:2428, 3558; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Philippians 3:2021; Colossians 1:5; 3:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:1418; 5:1ff. (A) The Holy Scriptures We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the verbally and fully inspired Word of God. Spanish God alone is Lord of the conscience, and He has left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men which are contrary to His Word or not contained in it. (Exodus 18:21-22; Exodus 22:28; 2 Samuel 23:3; Daniel 3:10-18; Matthew 22:21; Acts 4:27-29; Acts 5:29; Acts 23:5; Romans 13:1-7), We believe in the sovereign selection of Israel as Gods eternal covenant people. 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. Genesis 1:1; Isaiah 9:67; Jeremiah 23:56; Matthew 3:2; 4:810, 23; 12:2528; 13:152; 25:3146; 26:29; Mark 1:1415; 9:1; Luke 4:43; 8:1; 9:2; 12:3132; 17:2021; 23:42; John 3:3; 18:36; Acts 1:67; 17:2231; Romans 5:17; 8:19; 1 Corinthians 15:2428; Colossians 1:13; Hebrews 11:10, 16; 12:28; 1 Peter 2:410; 4:13; Revelation 1:6, 9; 5:10; 11:15; 2122. 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. He ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where He is the One Mediator, fully God, fully man, in whose Person is effected the reconciliation between God and man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again, that the new birth is a new creation in Jesus Christ; 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. Contact. Adapted from the 1853 New Hampshire Confession of Faith . The New Testament speaks also of the church as the Body of Christ which includes all of the redeemed of all the ages, believers from every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation. We believe that repentance and faith are solemn obligations, and also inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the quickening Spirit of God. It is composed solely of born-again believers who have been called out from among the Jews and Gentiles. We believe that Gods design for the family starts with marriage. He ascended into heaven and is exalted at the right hand of God the Father where He is our Advocate and High Priest, the One Mediator, fully God, fully man, in whose Person is effected the reconciliation between God and man. Our sovereign God brought about our new creation in a manner above our comprehension, solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth. The 2000 BF&M has been criticized[citation needed] for including a specific list of contemporary sins, which could lead to endless additions. Isaiah 2:4; Matthew 5:9, 3848; 6:33; 26:52; Luke 22:36, 38; Romans 12:1819; 13:17; 14:19; Hebrews 12:14; James 4:12. All Christians are under obligation to seek to make the will of Christ supreme in our own lives and in human society. We believe positional sanctification occurs at the moment of regeneration and practical sanctification is to be progressive throughout the entire life span of the believer. Article VI. Address. Christ, glorified in Heaven, is the Head of the Church. We further believe that from the time of Christ until now God has continued to provide complete and chronological evidence through the writers of history. What makes you different than any other faith or religion? Particularly the Kingdom is the realm of salvation into which men enter by trustful, childlike commitment to Jesus Christ. This is a family that we are not born intorather, the Father of this family willfully and purposefully brought us in. The Lord is doing His work in this world through local churches. A. Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of Gods grace whereby believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus. They are therefore under obligation to serve Him with their time, talents, and material possessions; and should recognize all these as entrusted to them to use for the glory of God and for helping others. Pre-Millennial, KJV Baptist Church. Gender identity and roles are merely aspects of Gods creative design (Gen. 1:2628; 1 Cor. ; 10:21; Luke 4:1821; 10:2737; 20:25; John 15:12; 17:15; Romans 1214; 1Corinthians 5:910; 6:17; 7:2024; 10:2311:1; Galatians 3:2628; Ephesians 6:59; Colossians 3:1217; 1 Thessalonians 3:12; Philemon; James 1:27; 2:8. We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God, who by the 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; and that, having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in heaven and uniting in His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection.