Faith Baptist Church is a Baptist Church founded upon the Bible, and operating according to the Bible. Thus, we are Bible Baptists.
A Bible Baptist is one who believes in a supernatural Bible, which tells of a supernatural Christ, Who had a supernatural birth, Who spoke supernatural words, Who performed supernatural miracles, Who lived a supernatural life, Who died a supernatural death, Who rose in supernatural splendor, Who intercedes as a supernatural priest and Who will one day return in supernatural glory to establish a supernatural kingdom on the earth.
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; that it therefore is, and shall remain to the end of the age, the only complete and final revelation of the will of God to man; that it is the true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creed, and opinions should be tried; that as the Bible itself promised, God’s Word is preserved for eternity.
- By “The Holy Bible” we mean that collection of sixty-six books, from Genesis to Revelation, which as originally written and providentially preserved does not only contain and convey the Word of God, but IS the very Word of God. Psalm 19:7-11, Psalm 119:160, Proverbs 30:5-6, Isaiah 8:20, John 17:17, 1 Thessalonians 2:13
- 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 given to them by God and are free from error, as no other writings have ever been or ever will be inspired. 2 Kings 17:13, Nehemiah 8:1, Daniel 9:2, Zechariah 7:12, Malachi 4:4, Acts 1:16, Acts 28:25, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:19-21
- By “preserved” we mean that just as God supernaturally inspired His Word, He also supernaturally maintains His word forever; that what we have today, in the King James or Authorized Version of 1611, is the very Word of God for the English-speaking world; that the original writings were not superior to the King James Version, nor is the King James Version superior to the original writings. Psalm 12:6-7, Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8, Matthew 24:35, Romans 15:4, 1 Peter 1:23-25, Revelation 22:18-19
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; that He is eternal, with neither beginning of days, nor end of life; that he possesses all knowledge; that He is inexpressibly glorious in holiness and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love; that He is perfect and unlimited in power; 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:
- There is one God: Deuteronomy 4:35, Deuteronomy 6:4, 2 Samuel 7:22, Psalm 86:10, Isaiah 43:11, Isaiah 44:6, Isaiah 45:18, Mark 12:29, Mark 12:32, 1 Corinthians 8:4, 1 Corinthians 8:6, Ephesians 4:6, 1 Timothy 1:17, 1 Timothy 2:5
- He is a Spirit: Genesis 1:2, John 4:24, Acts 17:24-25, 2 Corinthians 3:17
- He is the Creator: Genesis 1:1, Isaiah 40:28, Isaiah 45:18, Acts 17:24, 1 Corinthians 8:6, Revelation 4:11
- He is Holy: Exodus 15:11, Psalm 99:9, Isaiah 6:3, Revelation 15:4
- He alone is worthy of honor and praise: Exodus 20:2-3, Isaiah 25:1, Revelation 4:11, Revelation 15:4
- He is eternal: Deuteronomy 33:27, Psalm 90:2, Isaiah 40:28, Isaiah 43:10, Jeremiah 10:10, Malachi 3:6, John 17:5, 1 Timothy 1:17, Revelation 1:8
- He possesses all knowledge: Psalm 139:1-4, Isaiah 40:28, Romans 11:33, 1 Corinthians 3:20, Hebrews 4:13, 1 John 3:20
Of the Triune God
We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19, John 10:30, John 15:26, Acts 5:3-4, 1 Corinthians 8:6, 2 Corinthians 13:14, Philippians 2:5-6, 1 John 5:7
- God the Father: We believe in God the Father, perfect in holiness, boundless in love, infinite in wisdom, 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 death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ His Son. John 3:16, John 14:6, John 15:16, John 16:23, 1 Corinthians 8:6, Galatians 1:3, 2 Peter 1:17, 1 John 5:7
- God the Son: We believe in Jesus Christ, God the Son, preexistent with the Father, begotten by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin named Mary, manifested in the flesh: sinless in His nature and life, making atonement for the sins of the world by His substitutionary death on the cross, and by the shedding of His precious, pure blood, which was not man’s blood, but the very incorruptible blood of God. We believe in His bodily resurrection from the dead, His bodily ascension into Heaven, His perpetual intercession for His people and His glorious second coming according to promise. We believe that the promise of His second coming included First, “The Blessed Hope” of the believer, namely, the personal, premillennial and pretribulation return of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, in the clouds, to rapture all the saved out of the earth. Second, His literal return to this earth with His saints, to setup His millennial reign. John 1:1, John 1:14, John 8:58, John 17:4-5, John 17:24, Isaiah 7:14, Micah 5:2, Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 1:34, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 4:15, 1 Peter 2:22, Acts 20:24, Romans 4:25, Romans 5:8-11, 1 Peter 1:18-19, 1 Peter 3:18, Revelation 1:5, Romans 10:9, Ephesians 1:20, 1 Thessalonians 4:14, Luke 24:51, Acts 1:9-11, Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:24-25, John 14:2-3, Hebrews 9:28, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, Titus 2:11-14, Isaiah 2:1-4, Daniel 9:24-27, Revelation 20:6, 1 Timothy 3:16
- God 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 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 seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies, comforts and helps the believer. Genesis 1:1-3, Matthew 28:19, Luke 24:49, John 3:5-6, John 14:16-17, John 14:26, John 15:26-27, John 16:8-11, John 16:13, Acts 5:3-4, Acts 5:30-32, Romans 8:9, Romans 8:14, Romans 8:16, Romans 8:26-27, Ephesians 1:13-14, 2 Thessalonians 2:7, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, Titus 3:5, Hebrews 9:14, 2 Peter 1:2
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, he 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 deceiver, the father of all lies, the author of all false religions, the chief power behind 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 4:1-11, Matthew 13:25, Matthew 13:39, Matthew 25:41, Mark 13:21-22, Luke 22:3-4, John 8:44, John 14:30, 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, Ephesians 2:2, 1 Thessalonians 3:5, 2 Thessalonians 2:8-11, 1 Peter 5:8, 2 Peter 2:4, 1 John 2:22, 1 John 3:8, 1 John 4:3, 2 John 7, Jude 6, Revelation 12:7-17, Revelation 13:1-14, Revelation 19:19-20, Revelation 20:1-3, Revelation 21:8, Revelation 20:10
Of 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 1:1-31, Genesis 2:21-23, Genesis 5:1, Exodus 20:1, Nehemiah 9:6, Jeremiah 10:12, John 1:3, Acts 4:34, Acts 17:23-26, Romans 1:20, 1 Corinthians 15:37-39, Colossians 1:16-17, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, Hebrews 11:3, 2 Peter 3:5, 1 John 5:7, Revelation 10:6
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 2:25, Genesis 3:1-7, Genesis 3:24, Ezekiel 18:19-20, Romans 12:18-20, Romans 1:32, Romans 3:10-19, Romans 3:23, Romans 5:12, Romans 5:19, Romans 6:23, Galatians 3:22, Ephesians 2:1-3, 1 Timothy 2:13-14
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 woman, and that He is both the Son of God, and God, the Son. Genesis 3:15, Psalm 2:7, Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 9:6, Matthew 1:18-25, Mark 1:1, Luke 1:35, John 1:14, 1 Corinthians 15:47, Galatians 4:4, 1 John 5:20
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 shed blood and 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 He shed His divine, incorruptible blood as the full payment for our sins; that, having risen from the dead, He took that precious blood into the holy place of Heaven where He presented it in the very presence of God, where that blood is still speaking for us today; that He is now enthroned in heaven and uniting in His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection; and that He is every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate, and all-sufficient Saviour. Leviticus 17:11, Isaiah 53:4-7, Isaiah 53:11-12, John 3:16, John 10:18, Acts 15:1, Acts 20:28, Romans 3:24-25, 1 Corinthians 15:3, 1 Corinthians 15:20, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Galatians 1:4, Ephesians 2:8-9, Philippians 2:5-8, Hebrews 2:9, Hebrews 2:14, Hebrews 7:25-27, Hebrews 9:22-26, Hebrews 12:2, Hebrews 12:24, 1 Peter 1:18-19, 1 Peter 2:22, 1 Peter 2:24, 1 Peter 3:18, 1 John 2:2, 1 John 4:10
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 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. Matthew 3:7-8, John 1:12-13, John 3:3-8, John 3:16, John 3:36, Acts 2:41, Romans 6:23, Romans 10:16, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 5:22, Ephesians 2:1, Ephesians 5:9, Colossians 2:13, Titus 3:5, 1 Peter 4:17, 2 Peter 1:4
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 an 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, Isaiah 55:6-7, Matthew 11:28, John 3:15-18, John 3:16, John 5:40, John 6:37, Acts 2:38, Romans 8:29-30, Romans 10:13, 1 Corinthians 15:10, Galatians 3:8, Ephesians 2:4-5, Colossians 3:12, 1 Thessalonians 1:4, 2 Thessalonians 1:8, 1 Timothy 1:15, Titus 1:1, Titus 2:11, 1 Peter 1:2, 2 Peter 3:9, Revelation 22:17
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 gift of eternal life on principles of righteousness; that it is bestowed, not in consideration of any works or 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, John 3:16-18, Acts 13:38-39, Romans 3:20-26, Romans 5:1, Romans 5:9, Romans 8:1, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Galatians 3:11, Titus 3:5-7, 1 Peter 3:18
Of Repentance and Faith
We believe that repentance and faith are solemn obligations for all men and are inseparable for salvation. Upon hearing the Word of God and with the work of the Spirit of God, man is convicted of his guilt, his danger, and his helplessness and is convinced of the way of salvation through Christ. Upon that conviction and convincing, man turns to God with unfeigned contrition, confession, and supplication for mercy while heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ by faith and openly confessing Him as his only and all-sufficient Saviour. Isaiah 55:6-7, Psalm 51:1-4, Mark 1:15, Luke 18:13, John 16:7-13, Acts 2:37-38, Acts 4:10-12, Acts 17:30, Acts 20:21, Romans 3:9-11, Romans 10:13, Ephesians 2:8-9, 2 Peter 2:9
Of the Church
We believe that a Baptist church is a congregation of saved and scripturally baptized believers associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the gospel, said church being understood to be the body of Christ and the propagator of the eternal gospel; that a Baptist church should observe the ordinances of Christ, be governed by His laws, and exercise the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word; that a Baptist church is local, not universal, visible, not invisible, organized, not unorganized, separated from the world and to God, separated from ecclesiastical ties and hierarchy; that it is independent, fundamental, and non-charismatic; that the officers of ordination are pastors or elders whose qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly defined in the scriptures; that the true mission of the church is found in the Great Commission to make individual disciples, to baptize them, and to teach all He has commanded, according to the Scriptures. 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; and that on all matters of membership, of policy, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final. Malachi 3:10, Matthew 28:16-20, Acts 2:41-47, Acts 20:28, 1 Corinthians 5:11-13, 1 Corinthians 6:1-8, 1 Corinthians 11:2, 1 Corinthians 12:12-28, 1 Corinthians 16:1-2, 2 Corinthians 8:23-24, Ephesians 1:22-23, Ephesians 4:11-12, Ephesians 5:23-27, Colossians 1:18, 1 Timothy 3:15, 1 Peter 5:1-4, 1 John 1:3-6, Revelation 1:4
Of Baptism and the Lord's Supper
We believe that Scriptural baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, with the authority of the local church; that it is to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried and risen Saviour, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; and that it is prerequisite to the privileges of a church relation and to the Lord’s supper. We believe the Lord’s Supper is when the members of this church, by the sacred use of unleavened bread and the pure fruit of the vine, are to commemorate together the dying love of Christ, His death, His broken body on the tree, His precious shed blood, and His soon return, preceded always by solemn self-examination. Matthew 3:6, Matthew 3:13-17, Matthew 26:26-30, Matthew 28:19, John 3:23, Acts 2:41-42, Acts 8:36-39, Romans 6:3-6, 1 Corinthians 11:2, 1 Corinthians 11:23-31, Colossians 2:12
Of the Security of the Saints
We believe in the eternal security of the believers; that the possession of eternal life begins at the moment of salvation; 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, John 3:16, John 3:36, John 5:24, John 10:27-39, Romans 6:23, Romans 8:35-39, Philippians 1:6, Hebrews 1:14, 1 Peter 1:5, 1 John 5:11-13
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 are justified through faith in the name of the Lord Jesus and sanctified by the Spirit of our God are truly righteous in His esteem; that 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 everlasting conscious suffering of the lost. Genesis 18:23, Psalm 9:17, Proverbs 11:31, Proverbs 14:32, Malachi 3:18, Matthew 7:13-14, Luke 16:19-31, John 3:16-18, John 8:21, Acts 10:34-35, Romans 1:18, Romans 5:9, Romans 6:17-18, Romans 6:23, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 1 Corinthians 15:22, 2 Corinthians 1:10, Galatians 3:10, 2 Thessalonians 1:8, 1 John 2:29, 1 John 5:19, Revelation 20:6, Revelation 21:8
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 and 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. 2 Samuel 23:3, Psalm 72:11, Daniel 3:17-18, Matthew 22:21, Acts 4:19-20, Acts 5:29, Acts 23:5, Romans 13:1-7, Philippians 2:10-11, 1 Timothy 2:1-4, Titus 3:1-2, 1 Peter 2:13-20
Of Missions
The command to give the gospel (the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ) to the world is clear and unmistakable and this Commission was given to the churches. Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15, John 20:21, Acts 1:8, Romans 10:13-15, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4
Of the Grace of Giving
Scriptural giving is one of the fundamentals of the faith. "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. (2 Corinthians 8:7)
We are commanded to bring our gifts into the storehouse. The storehouse of the Old Testament is also God’s house. In the New Testament, the house of God is the church. We are instructed to lay by in store upon the first day of the week. The tithe and offerings are to be given into the common treasure of the church. Jesus Himself affirmed that tithing should be done. Genesis 14:17-20, Leviticus 27:30, Leviticus 27:32, Malachi 3:8-10, Matthew 23:23, Acts 4:34-37, 1 Corinthians 16:1-2, 1 Timothy 3:15, Hebrews 7:2, Hebrews 7:4
Of Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality
We believe that God wonderfully, fearfully, and immutably creates each person as either male or female. We believe that these two distinct, complementary genders each reflect the image and nature of God and that rejection of one’s biological gender is a rejection of the image of God within that person. We believe that God disapproves of and forbids any alteration or transformation of one’s gender by any method. We believe that the term marriage is entirely defined as the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as described in Scripture. We believe that God commanded that no sexual intimacy or activity should be engaged in outside of the exclusive union of one man and one woman who are married to each other. We believe that any form of adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism, pedophilia, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex and His design for mankind. Genesis 2:24, Genesis 9:5, Genesis 9:13, Genesis 26:8-9, Genesis 19:5, 1 Corinthians 5:1, Leviticus 18:1-30, Romans 1:26-29, Hebrews 13:4, Genesis 1:26-27, Genesis 2:18-25, 1 Corinthians 6:18, 1 Corinthians 7:2-5, Matthew 15:18-20, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8, Leviticus 20:1-27, Deuteronomy 22:1-30
Of the Family
We believe that men and women are spiritually equal in position before God and that God has ordained distinct and separate spiritual functions for men and women in the home and in the church. The husband is to be the leader of the home. We believe that a family is constructed of a male husband, a female wife, and any children that God blesses that family with. We believe that God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. The husband is to love his wife as Christ loves the church. The wife is to submit herself to the Scriptural leadership of her husband as the local church submits to the leadership of Christ. Children are an heritage of the Lord. Parents are responsible for teaching their children spiritual and moral values and leading them, through consistent lifestyle example and appropriate discipline, including Scriptural corporal correction. Genesis 1:25-28, Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Psalm 127:3-5, Proverbs 19:18, Proverbs 22:15, Proverbs 23:13-14, Mark 10:6-12, 1 Corinthians 7:1-16, Ephesians 5:21-33, Ephesians 6:1-4, Colossians 3:18-21, Hebrews 13:14, 1 Peter 3:1-7
Of the Sanctity of Human Life
We believe that all human life is created by God in His image and begins at conception and is sacred to God. We believe that a child in the womb is a living human being. We believe human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. Psalm 139:1-24, Job 3:16, Psalm 51:5, Isaiah 44:24, Isaiah 49:1, Isaiah 49:5, Jeremiah 1:5, Jeremiah 20:15-18, Luke 1:44, Ecclesiastes 11:5
Of Church Preservation
We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of this local church, and to provide a biblical role model to the church members and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by the church, agree to and abide by all of these Articles of Faith, the Church Covenant, and the church’s by-laws and policies. Matthew 5:16, Philippians 2:14-16, 1 Thessalonians 5:22