WHAT
WE BELIEVE
When it comes to doctrine, culture, preferences, traditions,
lifestyles, politics, behavior, etc., Faith Baptist takes a
“closed-hand/open-hand” approach. The closed hand hangs onto the
non-negotiable tenants of Christian orthodoxy: sin is the problem, Jesus is
the answer, the Bible is true, and Hell is hot.
The open hand, however, allows room for differences when it comes to secondary
matters; we liberally allow freedom for conscience and wisdom to guide where
the Bible is silent. The open hand fosters unity among the diversity of
expressions found in the Faith Baptist Church. Below are many truths
that we hold dearly.
I. ABOUT THE BIBLE
We believe that 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. II
Timothy 3:16;
II Peter 1:20,21; Mark 13:31; John 8:31,32; John 20:31; Acts 20:32
II. ABOUT GOD
We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three
persons (God the Father, God the Son and God the 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. We
believe that He infallibly foreknows all that shall come to pass, 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 who come to Him through Jesus
Christ. Luke 10:21,22; Matthew 23:9; John 3:16; 6:27; Romans 1:7; I Timothy
1:1,2; 2:5,6; I Peter 1:3; Revelation 1:6 Genesis 1:1,26; John 1:1,3; Matthew
28:19; John 4:24; Romans 1:19,20; Ephesians 4:5,6
IV. ABOUT 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 atoning death, bodily resurrection,
ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people, and personal
visible return to earth. Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; John 1:1; 20:28;
Romans 9:5; 8:46; II Corinthians 5:21; I Peter 2:21-23; John 20:30, 31;
Matthew 20:28; Ephesians 1:4; Acts 1:11; Romans 5:6-8; 6:9,10; Hebrews 7:25;
Hebrews 9:28; I Timothy 3:16
V. ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe in the Holy Spirit who came forth from the Father and Son to
convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate,
sanctify, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the
Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ, and that He is an abiding
helper, teacher and guide. John 14:16,17,26; 15:26,27; John 16:9-14; Romans
8:9; I Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; Galatians 5:22-26
VI. ABOUT SALVATION
We believe that man was created by God in His own image; that he sinned and
thereby incurred physical, spiritual and eternal death, which is separation
from God; that as a consequence, all human beings are born with a sinful
nature and are sinners by choice and therefore under condemnation. We believe
that those who repent and forsake sin and trust Jesus Christ as Savior are
regenerated by the Holy Spirit and become new creatures, delivered from
condemnation and receive eternal life. Genesis. 1:26; 5:2; Genesis 3; Genesis
2:17; 3:19; Eccl. 2:11; John 3:14; 5:24; John 5:30; 7:13; 8:12; 10:26;Romans
9:22; II Thessalonians 1:9; Rev. 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; I John 1:9; John
3:16; John 1:13; II Corinthians 5:17; Romans 8:1
VII. ABOUT THE CHURCH
We believe in the universal family of God, a living spiritual body of which
Christ is the head and all regenerated persons are members. We believe in the
local church, consisting of a company of believers in Jesus Christ, baptized
on a credible profession of faith, and associated for worship, work, and
fellowship. We believe that God has laid upon the members of the local church
the primary task of giving the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world.
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the
local church, baptism and the Lord's Supper. We believe that Christian baptism
is the immersion of the believer in water into the name of the triune God. 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. Matthew 28:18-20;
Romans 6:3-5; I Corinthians 11:23-26 Ephesians 2:19-22; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 5:19-21; Acts 2:42; Hebrews 10:23-25
VIII. ABOUT CHRISTIAN LIVING
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. I Corinthians 10:31; Romans 12:1-3; Hebrews 12:1-2; John 14:15,23-24;
I John 2:3-6; II Corinthians 9:6-9; I Corinthians 4:2; Col. 1:9-10
X. ABOUT RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
We believe that every human being has direct relations with God, and 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; that therefore Church and State must be kept separate as
having different functions, each fulfilling its duties free from dictation or
patronage of the other. I Timothy 2:5; Romans 14:7-9,12
XII. ABOUT THE FUTURE
We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to
earth and the establishment of His kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of
the body, the final judgment, the eternal felicity of the righteous and the
endless suffering of the wicked. Matthew 16:27; Mark 14:62; John 14:3; Acts
1:11; Phil. 3:20; I Thessalonians 4:15; II Timothy 4:1; Titus 2:13;I
Corinthians 4:5; I Corinthians 15; II Thessalonians 1:7-10; Revelation
20:4-6,11-15
