Statement of Faith and Covenant
Section I – Statement of Faith:
(A) The Holy Scriptures
By the Holy Bible we mean that collection of sixty-six books from Genesis to Revelation. We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the verbally and plenarily inspired word of God, inerrant, infallible and God-breathed, and therefore are the final revelation from God to mankind and so are the supreme authority in all matters of faith, practice, and conduct. The Scriptures shall be interpreted according to their normal grammatical-historical meaning.
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 been or ever will be inspired.
As to the matter of Bible translation, we believe that God has given His divine approval to the Authorized King James Version for the English speaking people and that it has been divinely preserved, free from error to this very hour, with no previous or subsequent translation coming close to it in accuracy or beauty of language.The King James Version shall be the official and only translation used by Bible Baptist Church and all of its Pastors, teachers, or Sunday School teachers and any visiting preacher or speaker while using the pulpit or properties of Bible Baptist Church. (I Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 4:12; John 5:39; II Peter 1:19-21; Proverbs 30:5,6; Revelation 22:18,19; Psalm 119:89; Psalm 12:6,7; Isaiah 40:8)
(B) The Godhead
We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfection. (Genesis 1:26; II Corinthians 13:14; Deut. 6:4; I John 5:7; Matthew 28:19)
God the Father
We believe in God the Father, perfect in holiness, boundless in Love, infinite in wisdom, and measureless in power. We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men, that He hears and answers prayers, and that He saves from sin and eternal death all who come to Him though Jesus Christ, His Son. (Genesis 1:1; Exodus 20:2,3; Deut. 4:35; Isaiah 45:6,18; Isaiah 46:9; Matthew 3:16,17; I Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 1:3-10; Ephesians 4:3-6)
God the Son
We believe in God the Son, Jesus Christ, pre-existent with the Father, begotten by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary: that He became man without ceasing to be God, that His mission was to reveal the Father and to reconcile man by His substitutionary atonement for the sins of mankind by His death on the cross. We believe in His sinless nature and life, that His teachings are infallible and without error. We believe in His bodily resurrection, His ascension to Heaven, His perpetual intercession for His people and His glorious second advent according to promise. (Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 9:6; Daniel 3:25; Jude 14,15; Matthew 1:18-25; Matthew 28:6; Luke 1:35; Rev. 20:2-6; John 1:1,2,14; John 8:56; John 14:3,9; I Peter 2:22 II Cor. 5:19; Galatians 4:4,5; I Thess. 4:16-18)
God the Holy Spirit
We believe in the full deity and the personality of the Holy Spirit and that He was sent to convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgement. We furthermore believe that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ at the moment of salvation and indwells, comforts, convicts, and seals the believer unto the day of redemption. (John 16:8-11; Romans 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; Ephesians 1:13-14)
(C) Spiritual Gifts
We believe that the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing, were temporary signs to the unbelieving Jew. We believe the”sign gifts” are no longer in effect. We believe that speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of the baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit and that ultimate deliverance of the body from sickness or death awaits the consummation of our salvation in the resurrection, though God frequently chooses to answer the prayers of believers for physical healing. (1 Cor. 1:22; 13:8; 14:21,22)
(D) The Personality of Satan
We believe that Satan is a real person, who though having been created in a state of perfection and enjoying a heavenly abode with God, through pride lost his original state and led a rebellion of other angels in his revolt, and that he is the author of sin and the cause of the Fall of Man. We believe he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; that he is disguised as an angel of light; and that he shall be eternally punished in the lake of Fire. (1 Chron. 21:1; Job 1:6-12; Isaiah 14:12-17; Rev. 12:3,4; Ezek. 28:12-15; 2 Cor 11:14; Matt. 4:2-11; Rev. 20:1-3, 10)
(E) Dispensationalism
We believe that the Scriptures interpreted in their natural, literal sense reveal divinely determined dispensations or rules of life which define man’s responsibilities in successive ages. These dispensations are not various ways of salvation, but rather are divinely ordered stewardships by which God directs man according to His purpose. Three of these dispensations–the law, the church, and the kingdom–are the subjects of detailed revelation in Scripture. (Genesis 1:28; 1 Cor. 9:17; 2 Cor. 3:9-18; Galatians 3:13-25; Ephesians 1:10; 3:2-10; Colossians 1:24-27; Rev. 20:2-6)
(F) The Total Depravity of Man.
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam’s sin the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and that man is totally depraved, and, of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. (Gen. 1:26-27; Rom.3:22-23; 5:12; 6:23; Eph. 2; 1-3; 4:17-19)
(G) Salvation.
We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ’s substitutionary death on the cross, His burial, and His resurrection from the dead, Whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins. (John 1:12, Eph. 1:7; 2:8-10; 1Pet. 1:18-19)
(H) Repentance and Faith
We believe that repentance and faith are solemn obligations and also inseparable graces wrought in our souls by the quickening Spirit of God; thereby, being deeply convicted of our guilt, danger, and helplessness, and of the way of salvation of Christ, we turn to God from our sin with unfeigned contrition, confession, and supplication for mercy–at the same time receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as our only all-sufficient Saviour.
(I) The Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers
We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever. (John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Rom. 8:1, 38-39; 1 Cor. 1:4-8; 1 Pet.1:4-5)
We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word, which, however, clearly forbids the use of Christian Liberty as an occasion to the flesh. (Rom. 13:13-14; Gal. 5:13; Titus 2:11-15)
(J) The Local Church
We believe that the local church of Christ is a congregation of baptized believers associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel, observing the ordinances of Jesus Christ, governed by His laws, and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word. (1 Cor.12:12-14; 2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 1:22-23; 5:25-27)
We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures. (Mt.16:18, Acts 14:27; 20:17, 28-32; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11)
We believe in the autonomy of the local church; that it has the absolute right of self-government, free from any interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; that the one and only superintendent is the Lord Jesus Christ; and that in all matters of membership, policy, government, discipline, and benevolence, the will of the local church is final. (Acts 13:1-4; 15:19-31; 20:28; Rom. 16:1,4; 1 Cor. 3:9, 16; 5:4-7, 13: 1 Peter 5:1-4)
We recognize water baptism and the Lord’s Supper as the only Scriptural ordinances of obedience for the church in this age. Further we believe that water baptism is only by immersion and confers upon the recipient no saving grace but rather it is a solemn and beautiful emblem of faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Saviour and that it (baptism) is a prerequisite to the privileges of church membership and access to the Lord’s Supper. Further, we believe the Lord’s Supper does not involve transubstantiation and that it does not confer saving grace to the recipient but rather is a commemoration of the members of the local church of the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; 1 Cor. 11:23-26)
(K) Separation
We believe that all saved should live in a such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Saviour and Lord; and that separation from all religious apostasy, worldly and sinful pleasures is commanded by God and includes but is not limited to : Membership in Secret Lodges, Involvement in New Age philosophies. the KKK and all other racist organizations, and Ministerial Associations. (Amos 3:3; Rom. 12:1-2; 14:13; 2 Cor. 6:14-7:1; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; 1 John 2:15-17; 2 John 9-11)
(L) The Second Advent of Christ
We believe in that “blessed hope,” the personal imminent return of Christ Who will rapture His church prior to the seven-year tribulation period. At the end of the tribulation, Christ will personally and visibly return with His saints, to establish His earthly Messianic Kingdom which was promised to the nation of Israel. (Ps. 89:3-4; Dan. 2:31-45; Zech. 14:4-11; 1 Thess. 1:10: 1 Thess 4: 12-14; Titus 2:13; Rev. 3:10; 19:11-16; 20:1-6)
(M) The Eternal State
We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life and the unsaved to judgement and everlasting punishment. (Matt 25:46; John 5:28,29; 11:25,26; Rev. 20:1-6)
We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await the first resurrection, when spirit, soul and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord. (Luke 23:43; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil 1:23; 3:21; 1 Thess 4:16-17; Rev. 20:4-6)
We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious punishment and torment by fire until the second resurrection, when with soul and body reunited they shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgement, and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment and torment. We believe the fire spoken of in the Bible to be a real literal flame that burns yet does not consume. (Matt 25:41-46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-26; 2 Thess. 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Rev. 20:11-15)
(N) Creation
We believe in the Genesis account of creation and that it is to be accepted literally, not allegorically or figuratively; that man was created directly in God’ 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 life forms. We reject not only evolution, but also the Gap Theory, the Day-Age Theory, and Theistic Evolution as being unscriptural theories of origin. (Genesis 1-2; Ex 20:11)
(O) Civil Government
We believe that God has ordained and created all authority consisting of three basic institutions: 1) The home; 2) The church; and 3) The state. Every person is subject to these authorities, but all (including the authorities themselves) are answerable to God and governed by His Word. God has given each institution specific Biblical responsibilities and balanced those responsibilities with the understanding that no institution has the right to infringe upon the other. The home, the church, and the state are equal and sovereign in their respective Biblically assigned spheres of responsibility under God. (Rom. 13:1-7; Eph 5:22-24; Heb. 13:17; 1 Pet. 2:13-14)
(P) Human Sexuality
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 homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery, and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex. Any employee of the church becoming pregnant or causing pregnancy as a result of consensual intercourse, outside of marriage relationship, shall be terminated from employment. (Gen. 2:24; Gen. 19:5, 13; 26:8-9; Lev. 18:1-30; Rom. 1:26-29; 1 Cor. 5:1; 6:9; 1 Thess. 4:1-8; Heb. 13:40)
We believe that the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman. (Gen. 2:24; Rom. 7:2; 1 Cor. 7:10; Eph. 5:22,23)
(Q) Divorce and Remarriage
We believe that God hates divorce and intends marriage to last until one of the spouses dies. Although divorced and remarried persons or divorced persons may hold positions of service in the church and be greatly used of God for Christian service, they may not be considered for the offices of pastor or deacon. (Mal. 2:14-17; Matt. 19:3-12; Rom. 7:1-3; 1 Tim. 3:2, 12; Titus 1:6)
(R) Abortion
We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a human being. Abortion constitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life. Abortion is murder. We reject any teachings that abortions of pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, birth or population control, or the mental well-being of the mother are acceptable. (Job 3:16; Psalms 51:5; 139:14-16; Isa. 44:24; 49:1,5; Jer. 1:5; 20:15-18; Luke 1:44)
Authority of Statement of Faith
The statement of faith does not exhaust the extent of our faith. The Bible itself is the sole and final source of all that we believe. We do believe, however, that the foregoing statement of faith accurately represents the teaching of the Bible, and therefore, is binding upon all members. All literature used in the church shall be in essential agreement with the statement of faith.