Of The Scriptures
We believe that the Holy Bible was written
by men supernaturally inspired; that it has truth without any
admixture of error
for its matter; and therefore is, and shall remain to the end
of the age, the only complete and final revelation of the will
of God to man; the true center of Christian union and the supreme
standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should
be tried.
- By "The Holy Bible" we mean
that collection of sixty-six books, from Genesis to Revelation,
which, as originally
written does not only contain and convey the Word of
God, but IS the very Word of God.
- 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 ever been or ever will
be inspired.
Psalm 19:7-11; 119:89,105,130,160; Proverbs
30:5-6; Isaiah 8:20; Luke 16:31; 24:25-27,44-45; John 5:39,45-47;
12:48;
17:17; Acts 1:16; 28:25; Romans 3:4; 15:4; Ephesians
6:17; 2Timothy
3:16-17; 1Peter 1:23; 2Peter 1:19-21; Revelation 22:19
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Of The True God
We believe that there is one, and only one,
living and true God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit, the
maker and supreme
ruler of heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in
holiness and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love;
that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons,
the
Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, equal in every divine
perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices
in the great work of redemption.
Genesis 17:1; Exodus
20:2-3; 15:11; Psalm 83:18; 90:2; 147:5; Jeremiah 10:10;
Matthew 28:19; Mark 12:30; John
4:24; 10:30;
15:26; 17:5; Acts 5:3-4; Romans 11:23; 1Corinthians
12:10-11; 8:6; 12:4-6; 2Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 2:18;
4:6;
Philippians 2:5-6; 1Timothy 1:17; 1John 5:7; Revelation
4:11
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Of The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine
person; equal with God the Father and God the Son and of
the same nature;
that He was active in the creation; that in His relation
to the unbelieving world He restrains the evil one
until God's purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin,
of judgment and of righteousness; that He bears witness to
the Truth
of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is
the agent in the New Birth; that He seals, endues, guides,
teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the believer.
Genesis 1:13; Matthew 3:11; 28:19; Mark 1:8; Luke 1:35; 3:16;
24:49; John 1:33; 3:5-6; 14:16-17,26; 15:26-27;
16:8-11,13; Acts 5:30-32; 11:16; Romans 8:14,16,26-27;
Ephesians 1:13-14;
2Thessalonians 2:7,13; Hebrews 9:14; 1Peter 1:2
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Of The Devil, Or Satan
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; that he is now the
malignant prince of the power of the air, and the unholy god
of this
world. We hold him to be man's great tempter, the enemy
of God and His Christ, the accuser of the saints, the author
of all false religions, the chief power back of the present
apostasy;
the lord of the antichrist, and the author of all the powers
of darkness - destined however to final defeat at the hands
of God's own Son, and to the judgment of an eternal justice
in hell, a place prepared for him and his angels.
Isaiah
14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:14-17; Matthew 4:1-3; 13:25; 25:41;
27:39; Mark 13:21-22; Luke 22:3-4; John 14:30; Ephesians
2:2;
2Corinthians 11:13-15; 1Thessalonians 3:5; 2Thessalonians
2:8-11; 1Peter 5:8; 2Peter 2:4; 1John 2:22; 3:8; 4:3;
2John 7; Jude
6; Revelation 12:7-10; 13:13-14; 19:11,16,20; 20:1-3,10
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Of The
Creation
We believe in the Genesis account of
creation, and 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 development
through interminable
periods of time from lower to higher forms; that all
animal
and vegetable life was made directly and God's established
law was that they should bring forth only "after
their kind."
Genesis 1:1,11,24,26-27; 2:21-23; Exodus
20:11; Nehemiah 9:6; Jeremiah 10:12; John 1:3; Acts
4:24; 17:23-26; Romans
1:20;
Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 11:3; Revelation 10:6
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Of The Fall Of Man
We believe that man was created in innocence
under the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression
fell
from his
sinless and happy state, in consequence of which all
mankind are now sinners, not by constraint, but of choice;
and
therefore under just condemnation without defense or
excuse.
Genesis 3:1-6,24; Ezekiel 18:19-20; Romans 1:18,20,28,32;
3:10-19; 5:12,19; Galatians 3:22; Ephesians 2:1,3
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Of The Virgin Birth
We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten
of the Holy Ghost in a miraculous manner; born of Mary,
a virgin, as no other
man was ever born or can ever be born of a woman, and
that He is both the Son of God, and God, the Son.
Genesis
3:15; Psalm 2:7; Isaiah 7:14; Matthews 1:18-25; Mark 1:1;
Luke 1:35; John 1:14; Galatians 4:4; 1Corinthians
15:47;
1John 5:20
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Of The Atonement For Sin
We believe that the salvation of
sinners is wholly of grace; through the mediatorial offices
of the Son of God, Who
by 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; that, having risen from the dead,
He is now enthroned in heaven and uniting in His wonderful
person
the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection, He is
in every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate
and
an all sufficient Savior.
Isaiah 53:4-7,11-12; Matthew
18:11; John 3:16; 10:18; Acts 15:11; Romans 3:24-25; Galatians
1:4; Ephesians
2:8; Philippians
2:7-8; Hebrews 2:14; 7:25; 9:12-15; 12:2
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Of Grace In The New Creation
We believe that in order to be
saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is
a new creation in Christ Jesus;
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.
Luke 5:27; John 1:12-13; 3:3,6-7;
Acts 2:41; Romans 6:23; 2Corinthians 5:17,19; Galatians 5:22;
Ephesians 2:1;
5:9; Colossians 2:13;
1John 5:1
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Of The Freeness Of Salvation
We believe in God's electing
grace; that the blessings of salvation are made free to all
by the gospel; that
it is the immediate
duty of all to accept them by a cordial, penitent and
obedient faith; and nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest
sinner on earth but his own inherent depravity and
voluntary
rejection
of the gospel; which rejection involves him in an aggravated
condemnation.
Isaiah 55:1; Matthew 11:28; John 3:15-18,36;
5:40; 6:37; Acts 2:38; Romans 8:29-30; 10:13; 1Corinthians
15:10;
Ephesians 2:4-5; Colossians 3:12; 1Thessalonians 1:4;
1Timothy 1:15;
Titus 1:1; 1Peter 1:2; Revelation 22:17
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Of Justification
We believe that the great gospel blessing
which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is Justification;
that
Justification
includes the pardon of sin, and the gift of eternal life
on principles of righteousness; that it is bestowed
not in consideration
of any works of righteousness which we have done; but
solely through faith in the Redeemer's blood, His righteousness
is imputed unto us.
Isaiah 53:11; Habakkuk 2:4; Zechariah
13:1; Acts 13:39; Romans 1:17; 4:1; 5:1-9; 8:1; Galatians
3:11; Titus
3:5-7; Hebrews
10:38
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Of 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
by Christ, we turn to God with unfeigned contrition, confession
and
supplication for mercy; at the same time heartily receiving
the Lord Jesus
Christ and openly confessing Him as our only and all-sufficient
Savior.
Psalm 51:1-4,7; Isaiah 55:6-7; Mark 1:15; Luke
12:8; 18:13; Acts 2:37-38; 20:21; Romans 10:9-11,13
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Of The Church
We believe that a Baptist Church is a congregation
of baptized believers associated by a covenant of faith and
fellowship
of the gospel, said church being understood to be the
citadel and propagator of the Divine and Eternal Grace; observing
the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; 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; we believe the true mission of the
church
is found
in the Great Commission: First, to make individual disciples;
Second, to build up the church; Third, to teach and instruct
as He has commanded. We do not believe in the reversal
of
this order; we hold that the local church has the absolute
right
of self government, free from the interference of any
hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that the one
and only
superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit; that
it is scriptural for true churches to cooperate with
each other in
contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the
Gospel;
that every church is the sole and only judge of the measure
and method of its cooperation; on all matters of membership,
of policy, of government, of discipline, of benevolence,
the will of the local church is final.
Leviticus 27:31;
Malachi 3:10; Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; 6:5-6; 14:23;
15:22-23; 20:17-28; 1Corinthians
5:11-13; 6:1-3;
11:2; 12:4,8-11; 16:1-2; Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:11; 5:23-24;
Colossians 1:18; 1Timothy 3:1-13
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Of Baptism And The Lord's Supper
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 the 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
to the Lord's
supper, in which the members of the church, by the
sacred use of bread
and the fruit of the vine are to commemorate together
the dying love of Christ; preceded always by solemn self-examination.
Matthew
3:6; 3:16; 28:19-20; John 3:23; Acts 2:41-42; 8:36-39; Romans
6:3-5; 1Corinthians 11:23-28; Colossians
2:12
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Of The Perseverance Of The Saints
We believe that such only
are real believers as endure unto the end; that their persevering
attachment to Christ
is the
grand mark which distinguishes them from superficial
professors; that a special Providence watches over their welfare;
and
that they are kept by the power of God through faith
unto eternal
salvation.
Psalm 121:3; Matthew 6:20; 13:19-21; John
8:31-32; 10:28-29; 16:8; Romans 8:28,35-39; Philippians 1:6;
Colossians
1:21-23; Hebrews 1:14; 1Peter 1:5; 1John 2:19
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Of The Righteous And The Wicked
We believe that there is a
radical and essential difference between the righteous and
the wicked; that such only as
through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus,
and sanctified
by the Spirit of our God, are truly righteous in His
esteem; while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief
are in His sight wicked, and under the curse, and this
distinction
holds among men both in and after death, in the everlasting
felicity of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering
of the lost.
Genesis 18:23; Proverbs 11:31; 14:32; Malachi
3:18; Matthew 7:13-14; 25:34; Luke 9:26; 16:25; John 8:21;
12:25; Acts
10:34-35; Romans 1:17; 6:16-18,23; 7:6; 1Corinthians
15:22; Galatians
3:10; 1Peter 4:18; 1John 2:7,29; 5:19
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Of Civil Government
We believe that civil government is of
divine appointment, for the interests and good order of human
society; that
magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored
and obeyed;
except only in things opposed to the will of our Lord
Jesus Christ;
who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the coming
Prince of the kings of the earth.
Exodus 18:21-22; 2Samuel
23:3; Psalm 72:11; Daniel 3:17-18; Matthew 10:28; 22:21;
23:10; Acts 4:19-20; 23:5; Romans
13:7; Philippians 2:10-11; Titus 3:1; 1Peter 2:13-14,17
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Of The Resurrection And Return Of Christ And Related
Events
We believe in and accept the sacred Scriptures
upon these subjects at their face and full value. Of the
Resurrection,
we believe
that Christ rose bodily "The third day according
to the Scriptures"; that He ascended "to the
right hand of the throne of God"; that He alone
is our "merciful
and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God"; "that
this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven
shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into
heaven," bodily,
personally, and visibly; that the "dead in Christ
shall rise first"; that the living saints "shall
all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,
at the last
trump"; "that the Lord God shall give unto
Him the throne of His father David"; and that "Christ
shall reign a thousand years in righteousness until He
hath put all
enemies under His feet."
Psalm 72:8; Isaiah 11:4-5;
Matthew 24:27,42; Matthew 28:6-7; Mark 16:6,19; Luke
1:32; Luke 24:2,4-6,39,51;
John 14:3;
John 20:27; Acts 1:9,11; 1Corinthians 15:4; Philippians
4:20; 1Thessalonians
4:16; 1Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 2:17; 5:9; 8:1; 9:28; 12:2
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Of Missions
The command to give the gospel to the world is
clear and unmistakable and this Commission was given to the
churches.
Matthew 28:18-20, "And Jesus came and spake unto them,
saying All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in
the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have
commanded you and, lo I am with you alway, even unto the
end of the world.
Amen."
Mark 16:15, "And he said unto them,
Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every
creature."
John 20:21, "As my Father hath sent
me, even so send I you."
Acts 1:8, "But ye shall
receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon
you; and ye shall be witnesses unto
me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and
unto the uttermost part of the earth."
Romans 10:13-15, "For
whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
How then shall they call on him
in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe
in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear
without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they
be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of
them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings
of
good things!"
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Of The Grace Of Giving
Scriptural giving is one of the fundamentals
of the Faith.
2Corinthians 8:7, "Therefore, as
ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge,
and
in all
diligence,
and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace
also."
We are commanded to bring our gifts into the storehouse
(common treasury of the church) upon the first day of the
week.
1Corinthians 16:2, "Upon the first day of the week let
every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered
him, that there be no gatherings when I come."
Under Grace we give, and do not pay,
the tithe - "Abraham
GAVE the tenth of the spoils," - Hebrews 7:2,4 - and this
was four hundred years before the law, and is confirmed in
the new Testament; Jesus said concerning the tithe, "these
ought ye to have done", Matthew 23:23.
We are commanded
to bring the tithe into the common treasury of the church.
Leviticus
27:30, "The tithe ... is the Lord's."
Malachi 3:10, "Bring
ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be
meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith,
saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows
of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not
be room enough to receive it."
In the New Testament it
was the common treasury of the church.
Acts 4:34,35,37, "And brought the prices of the things
that were sold and laid them down at the apostles' feet ...
Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it
AT THE APOSTLES' FEET." |