DOCTRINAL STATEMENT
Baptists are a people who profess a living faith. This faith is rooted and grounded in Jesus Christ who is "the same yesterday, and today, and for ever." Therefore, the sole authority for faith and practice among Baptists is Jesus Christ whose will is revealed in the Holy Scriptures. A living faith must experience a growing understanding of truth and must be continually interpreted and related to the needs of each new generation. Throughout their history Baptist bodies, both large and small, have issued statements of faith which comprise a consensus of their beliefs. Such statements have never been regarded as complete, infallible statements of faith, nor as official creeds carrying mandatory authority. Thus this generation of Southern Baptists is in historic succession of intent and purpose as it endeavors to state for its time and theological climate those articles of the Christian faith which are most surely held among us. Baptists emphasize the soul's competency before God, freedom in religion, and the priesthood of the believer. However, this emphasis should not be interpreted to mean that there is an absence of certain definite doctrines that Baptists believe, cherish, and with which they have been and are now closely identified. It is the purpose of this statement of faith and message to set forth certain teachings which we believe.
We do confess our faith as follows:
Of the Scriptures:
We believe the whole Bible from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 as the verbally inspired infallible Word of God, that it has
God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth without any mixture of error
for its matter.
Of God: We believe that there is one, and only one living and true God, an
infinite intelligent Spirit, whose name is JEHOVAH, the maker and supreme
ruler of heaven and earth. God is revealed to us as Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit, each with distinct personal attributes but without division of nature, essence, or being.
Of the Fall of Man: We believe man was created in the image of God, in
a state of holiness under the law of his Maker, but he voluntarily transgressed the command of God and fell from his original holiness and innocence; in
consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, not by constraint but by choice; being by nature utterly void of that holiness required by the law of God, postively inclined to evil; and that therefore under just condemnation to eternal ruin, without defense or excuse.
Of Jesus Christ: We believe that he was born of Mary, the Virgin, and is God,
the Son, the Son of God; that he died for our sins according to the scriptures,
the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God; therefore, He is the only
way to salvation. We believe that Christ will come again to establish his Kingdom on the earth.
Of Salvation: We believe the blessings of Salvation are made free to all
individuals by God. It is the duty of all to accept these blessings by penitent and obedient faith. Nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner except his own voluntary refusal to accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
Of Justification: We believe it to be the great Gospel blessing which Christ secures to those who trust in Him. By virture of this faith, Christ’s perfect righteousness is freely inputed to us by God, brings us into a state of most
blessed peace and favor with God, and secures every other blessing needful for time and eternity.
Of the Holy Spirit: We believe the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Son; and that he exists today to convict unbelievers of sin, righteousness and judgement, and
to comfort, sanctify, and seal for eternity all who have been born again through faith in Jesus Christ.
Of Baptism: We believe that every truly born again soul should declare his or
her faith by the act of immersion in setting forth the Lord’s death, burial and resurrection.
The doctrinal position of this church is based on The Baptist Faith and Message as adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention in 1963. We adhere to all doctrines appearing in The Baptist Faith and
Message in addition to the ones addressed in the above section.
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