 statement of faith 75headerjpg  baptist faith messag 2000 i the scriptur  the holi bibl was written by men divin inspir and is god revel of himself to man it is a perfect treasur of divin instruct it has god for its author salvat for its end and truth without ani mixtur of error for its matter therefor all scriptur is total true and trustworthi it reveal the principl by which god judg us and therefor is and will remain to the end of the world the true center of christian union and the suprem standard by which all human conduct creed and religi opinion should be tri all scriptur is a testimoni to christ who is himself the focus of divin revel exodus 244 deuteronomi 412 1719 joshua 834 psalm 19710 1191189105140 isaiah 3416 408 jeremiah 1516 36132 matthew 51718 2229 luke 2133 244446 john 539 161315 1717 act 216ff 1711 roman 154 162526 2 timothi 31517 hebrew 112 412 1 peter 125 2 peter 11921 ii god there is one and onli one live and true god he is an intellig spiritu and person being the creator redeem preserv and ruler of the univers god is infinit in holi and all other perfect god is all power and all know and his perfect knowledg extend to all thing past present and futur includ the futur decis of his free creatur to him we owe the highest love rever and obedi the etern triun god reveal himself to us as father son and holi spirit with distinct person attribut but without divis of natur essenc or being a god the father  god as father reign with providenti care over his univers his creatur and the flow of the stream of human histori accord to the purpos of his grace he is all power all know all love and all wise god is father in truth to those who becom children of god through faith in jesus christ he is father in his attitud toward all men genesi 11 27 exodus 314 623 1511ff 201ff leviticus 222 deuteronomi 64 326 1 chronicl 2910 psalm 1913 isaiah 43315 648 jeremiah 1010 1713 matthew 69ff 711 239 2819 mark 1911 john 424 526 14613 1718 act 17 roman 81415 1 corinthian 86 galatian 46 ephesian 46 colossian 115 1 timothi 117 hebrew 116 129 1 peter 117 1 john 57 b god the son christ is the etern son of god in his incarn as jesus christ he was conceiv of the holi spirit and born of the virgin mari jesus perfect reveal and did the will of god take upon himself human natur with its demand and necess and identifi himself complet with mankind yet without sin he honor the divin law by his person obedi and in his substitutionari death on the cross he made provis for the redempt of men from sin he was rais from the dead with a glorifi bodi and appear to his discipl as the person who was with them befor his crucifixion he ascend into heaven and is nowexalt at the right hand of god where he is the one mediat fulli god fulli man in whose person is effect the reconcili between god and man he will return in power and glori to judg the world and to consumm his redempt mission he now dwell in all believ as the live and ever present lord  genesi 181ff psalm 27ff 1101ff isaiah 714 53 matthew 11823 317 829 1127 1433 161627 175 27 281619 mark 11 311 luke 135 441 2270 2446 john 111829 103038 112527 124450 14711 16151628 1715 2122 2012028 act 19 22224 75556 94520 roman 134 32326 5621 81334 104 1 corinthian 130 22 86 15182428 2 corinthian 51921 89 galatian 445 ephesian 120 311 4710 philippian 2511 colossian 11322 29 1 thessalonian 41418 1 timothi 256 316 titus 21314 hebrew 113 41415 71428 912152428 122 138 1 peter 22125 322 1 john 179 32 41415 59 2 john 79 revel 11316 5914 121011 138 1916 c god the holi spirit the holi spirit is the spirit of god fulli divin he inspir holi men of old to write the scriptur through illumin he enabl men to understand truth he exalt christ he convict men of sin of righteous and of judgment he call men to the saviour and effect regener at the moment of regener he baptiz everi believ into the bodi of christ he cultiv christian charact comfort believ and bestow the spiritu gift by which they serv god through his church he seal the believ unto the day of final redempt his presenc in the christian is the guarante that god will bring the believ into the full of the statur of christ he enlighten and empow the believ and the church in worship evangel and servic genesi 12 judg 146 job 2613 psalm 5111 1397ff isaiah 6113 joel 22832 matthew 118 316 41 122832 2819 mark 11012 luke 135 411819 1113 1212 2449 john 424 14161726 1526 16714 act 18 21438 431 53 63 755 81739 1044 132 1528 166 1916 roman 891114162627 1 corinthian 21014 316 1231113 galatian 46 ephesian 11314 430 518 1 thessalonian 519 1 timothi 316 41 2 timothi 114 316 hebrew 9814 2 peter 121 1 john 413 567 revel 110 2217 iii man man is the special creation of god made in his own imag he creat them male and femal as the crown work of his creation the gift of gender is thus part of the good of god creation in the begin man was innoc of sin and was endow by his creator with freedom of choic by his free choic man sin against god and brought sin into the human race through the temptat of satan man transgress the command of god and fell from his origin innoc wherebi his poster inherit a natur and an environ inclin toward sin therefor as soon as they are capabl of moral action they becom transgressor and are under condemn onli the grace of god can bring man into his holi fellowship and enabl man to fulfil the creativ purpos of god the sacred of human person is evid in that god creat man in his own imag and in that christ die for man therefor everi person of everi race possess full digniti and is worthi of respect and christian love genesi 12630 2571822 3 96 psalm 1 836 3215 515 isaiah 65 jeremiah 175 matthew 1626 act 172631 roman 11932 3101823 561219 66 71425 8141829 1 corinthian 12131 15192122 ephesian 2122 colossian 12122 3911 iv salvat salvat involv the redempt of the whole man and is offer freeli to all who accept jesus christ as lord and saviour who by his own blood obtain etern redempt for the believ in its broadest sens salvat includ regener justif sanctif and glorif there is no salvat apart from person faith in jesus christ as lord a regener or the new birth is a work of god grace wherebi believ becom new creatur in christ jesus it is a chang of heart wrought by the holi spirit through convict of sin to which the sinner respond in repent toward god and faith in the lord jesus christ repent and faith are insepar experi of grace repent is a genuin turn from sin toward god faith is the accept of jesus christ and commit of the entir person to him as lord and saviour b justif is god gracious and full acquitt upon principl of his righteous of all sinner who repent and believ in christ justif bring the believ unto a relationship of peac and favor with god c sanctif is the experi begin in regener by which the believ is set apart to god purpos and is enabl to progress toward moral and spiritu matur through the presenc and power of the holi spirit dwell in him growth in grace should continu throughout the regener person life d glorif is the culmin of salvat and is the final bless and abid state of the redeem genesi 315 exodus 31417 628 matthew 121 417 162126 2722286 luke 16869 22832 john 1111429 332136 524 1092829 15116 1717 act 221 412 1511 163031 173031 2032 roman 11618 24 32325 43ff 5810 6123 81182939 1091013 131114 1 corinthian 11830 61920 1510 2 corinthian 51720 galatian 220 313 52225 615 ephesian 17 2822 41116 philippian 21213 colossian 1922 31ff 1 thessalonian 52324 2 timothi 112 titus 21114 hebrew 213 589 92428 11112814 jame 21426 1 peter 1223 1 john 16211 revel 320 211225 v god purpos of grace elect is the gracious purpos of god accord to which he regener justifi sanctifi and glorifi sinner it is consist with the free agenc of man and comprehend all the mean in connect with the end it is the glorious display of god sovereign good and is infinit wise holi and unchang it exclud boast and promot humil all true believ endur to the end those whom god has accept in christ and sanctifi by his spirit will never fall away from the state of grace but shall persever to the end believ may fall into sin through neglect and temptat wherebi they griev the spirit impair their grace and comfort and bring reproach on the caus of christ and tempor judgment on themselv yet they shall be kept by the power of god through faith unto salvat genesi 1213 exodus 1958 1 samuel 8471922 isaiah 517 jeremiah 3131ff matthew 161819 212845 242231 2534 luke 16879 22932 194144 244448 john 11214 316 524 6444565 102729 1516 176121718 act 2032 roman 5910 82839 101215 11572636 1 corinthian 112 152428 ephesian 1423 2110 3111 colossian 11214 2 thessalonian 21314 2 timothi 112 21019 hebrew 1139122 jame 112 1 peter 12513 2410 1 john 179 219 32 vi the church a new testament church of the lord jesus christ is an autonom local congreg of baptiz believ associ by coven in the faith and fellowship of the gospel observ the two ordin of christ govern by his law exercis the gift right and privileg invest in them by his word and seek to extend the gospel to the end of the earth each congreg oper under the lordship of christ through democrat process in such a congreg each member is respons and account to christ as lord its scriptur offic are pastor and deacon while both men and women are gift for servic in the church the offic of pastor is limit to men as qualifi by scriptur the new testament speak also of the church as the bodi of christ which includ all of the redeem of all the age believ from everi tribe and tongu and peopl and nation matthew 161519 181520 act 2414247 51114 636 1313 142327 15130 165 2028 roman 17 1 corinthian 12 316 545 717 91314 12 ephesian 12223 21922 381121 52232 philippian 11 colossian 118 1 timothi 2914 3115 414 hebrew 113940 1 peter 514 revel 23 2123 vii baptism and the lord supper christian baptism is the immers of a believ in water in the name of the father the son and the holi spirit it is an act of obedi symbol the believ faith in a crucifi buri and risen saviour the believ death to sin the burial of the old life and the resurrect to walk in new of life in christ jesus it is a testimoni to his faith in the final resurrect of the dead being a church ordin it is prerequisit to the privileg of church membership and to the lord supper the lord supper is a symbol act of obedi wherebi member of the church through partak of the bread and the fruit of the vine memori the death of the redeem and anticip his second come matthew 31317 262630 281920 mark 1911 142226 luke 32122 221920 john 323 act 24142 83539 163033 207 roman 635 1 corinthian 101621 112329 colossian 212 viii the lord day the first day of the week is the lord day it is a christian institut for regular observ it commemor the resurrect of christ from the dead and should includ exercis of worship and spiritu devot both public and privat activ on the lord day should be commensur with the christian conscienc under the lordship of jesus christ exodus 20811 matthew 12112 281ff mark 22728 1617 luke 24133336 john 42124 2011928 act 207 roman 14510 i corinthian 1612 colossian 216 316 revel 110 ix the kingdom the kingdom of god includ both his general sovereignti over the univers and his particular kingship over men who will acknowledg him as king particular the kingdom is the realm of salvat into which men enter by trust childlik commit to jesus christ christian ought to pray and to labor that the kingdom may come and god will be done on earth the full consumm of the kingdom await the return of jesus christ and the end of this age genesi 11 isaiah 967 jeremiah 2356 matthew 32 481023 122528 13152 253146 2629 mark 11415 91 luke 443 81 92 123132 172021 2342 john 33 1836 act 167 172231 roman 517 819 1 corinthian 152428 colossian 113 hebrew 111016 1228 1 peter 2410 413 revel 169 510 1115 2122 x last thing god in his own time and in his own way will bring the world to its appropri end accord to his promis jesus christ will return person and visibl in glori to the earth the dead will be rais and christ will judg all men in righteous the unright will be consign to hell the place of everlast punish the righteous in their resurrect and glorifi bodi will receiv their reward and will dwell forev in heaven with the lord isaiah 24 119 matthew 1627 1889 1928 2427303644 253146 2664 mark 838 94348 luke 124048 161926 172237 212728 john 1413 act 111 1731 roman 1410 1 corinthian 45 1524283558 2 corinthian 510 philippian 32021 colossian 15 34 1 thessalonian 41418 51ff 2 thessalonian 17ff 2 1 timothi 614 2 timothi 418 titus 213 hebrew 92728 jame 58 2 peter 37ff 1 john 228 32 jude 14 revel 118 311 2012213 xi evangel and mission it is the duti and privileg of everi follow of christ and of everi church of the lord jesus christ to endeavor to make discipl of all nation the new birth of man spirit by god holi spirit mean the birth of love for other missionari effort on the part of all rest thus upon a spiritu necess of the regener life and is expressli and repeat command in the teach of christ the lord jesus christ has command the preach of the gospel to all nation it is the duti of everi child of god to seek constant to win the lost to christ by verbal wit undergird by a christian lifestyl and by other method in harmoni with the gospel of christ genesi 1213 exodus 1956 isaiah 618 matthew 93738 10515 131830 3743 1619 22910 2414 281820 luke 10118 244653 john 141112 157816 1715 2021 act 18 2 82640 104248 1323 roman 101315 ephesian 3111 1 thessalonian 18 2 timothi 45 hebrew 213 1139122 1 peter 2410 revel 2217 xii educ christian is the faith of enlighten and intellig in jesus christ abid all the treasur of wisdom and knowledg all sound learn is therefor a part of our christian heritag the new birth open all human faculti and creat a thirst for knowledg moreov the caus of educ in the kingdom of christ is coordin with the caus of mission and general benevol and should receiv along with these the liber support of the church an adequ system of christian educ is necessari to a complet spiritu program for christ peopl in christian educ there should be a proper balanc between academ freedom and academ respons freedom in ani order relationship of human life is alway limit and never absolut the freedom of a teacher in a christian school colleg or seminari is limit by the preemin of jesus christ by the authorit natur of the scriptur and by the distinct purpos for which the school exist deuteronomi 415914 6110 311213 nehemiah 818 job 2828 psalm 197ff 11911 proverb 313ff 4110 81711 1514 ecclesiast 719 matthew 52 724ff 281920 luke 240 1 corinthian 11831 ephesian 41116 philippian 48 colossian 2389 1 timothi 137 2 timothi 215 31417 hebrew 51263 jame 15 317 xiii stewardship god is the sourc of all bless tempor and spiritu all that we have and are we owe to him christian have a spiritu debtorship to the whole world a holi trusteeship in the gospel and a bind stewardship in their possess they are therefor under oblig to serv him with their time talent and materi possess and should recogn all these as entrust to them to use for the glori of god and for help other accord to the scriptur christian should contribut of their mean cheer regular systemat proportion and liber for the advanc of the redeem caus on earth genesi 1420 leviticus 273032 deuteronomi 818 malachi 3812 matthew 6141921 1921 2323 251429 luke 12162142 16113 act 24447 5111 172425 2035 roman 6622 1212 1 corinthian 412 61920 12 1614 2 corinthian 89 1215 philippian 41019 1 peter 11819 xiv cooper christ peopl should as occas requir organ such associ and convent as may best secur cooper for the great object of the kingdom of god such organ have no author over one anoth or over the church they are voluntari and advisori bodi design to elicit combin and direct the energi of our peopl in the most effect manner member of new testament church should cooper with one anoth in carri forward the missionari educ and benevol ministri for the extens of christ kingdom christian uniti in the new testament sens is spiritu harmoni and voluntari cooper for common end by various group of christ peopl cooper is desir between the various christian denomin when the end to be attain is itself justifi and when such cooper involv no violat of conscienc or compromis of loyalti to christ and his word as reveal in the new testament exodus 1712 1817ff judg 721 ezra 134 26869 51415 nehemiah 4 815 matthew 10515 20116 22110 281920 mark 23 luke 101ff act 11314 21ff 43137 1323 15135 1 corinthian 11017 3515 12 2 corinthian 89 galatian 1610 ephesian 4116 philippian 11518 xv the christian and the social order all christian are under oblig to seek to make the will of christ suprem in our own live and in human societi mean and method use for the improv of societi and the establish of righteous among men can be truli and perman help onli when they are root in the regener of the individu by the save grace of god in jesus christ in the spirit of christ christian should oppos racism everi form of greed selfish and vice and all form of sexual immor includ adulteri homosexu and pornographi we should work to provid for the orphan the needi the abus the age the helpless and the sick we should speak on behalf of the unborn and contend for the sanctiti of all human life from concept to natur death everi christian should seek to bring industri govern and societi as a whole under the sway of the principl of righteous truth and brother love in order to promot these end christian should be readi to work with all men of good will in ani good caus alway being care to act in the spirit of love without compromis their loyalti to christ and his truth exodus 20317 leviticus 625 deuteronomi 1012 2717 psalm 1015 micah 68 zechariah 816 matthew 513164348 223640 2535 mark 12934 23ff 1021 luke 41821 102737 2025 john 1512 1715 roman 1214 1corinthian 5910 617 72024 1023111 galatian 32628 ephesian 659 colossian 31217 1 thessalonian 312 philemon jame 127 28 xvi peac and war it is the duti of christian to seek peac with all men on principl of righteous in accord with the spirit and teach of christ they should do all in their power to put an end to war the true remedi for the war spirit is the gospel of our lord the suprem need of the world is the accept of his teach in all the affair of men and nation and the practic applic of his law of love christian peopl throughout the world should pray for the reign of the princ of peac isaiah 24 matthew 593848 633 2652 luke 223638 roman 121819 1317 1419 hebrew 1214 jame 412  xvii religi liberti god alon is lord of the conscienc and he has left it free from the doctrin and command of men which are contrari to his word or not contain in it church and state should be separ the state owe to everi church protect and full freedom in the pursuit of its spiritu end in provid for such freedom no ecclesiast group or denomin should be favor by the state more than other civil govern being ordain of god it is the duti of christian to render loyal obedi thereto in all thing not contrari to the reveal will of god the church should not resort to the civil power to carri on its work the gospel of christ contempl spiritu mean alon for the pursuit of its end the state has no right to impos penalti for religi opinion of ani kind the state has no right to impos tax for the support of ani form of religion a free church in a free state is the christian ideal and this impli the right of free and unhind access to god on the part of all men and the right to form and propag opinion in the sphere of religion without interfer by the civil power genesi 127 27 matthew 66724 1626 2221 john 836 act 41920 roman 612 1317 galatian 5113 philippian 320 1 timothi 212 jame 412 1 peter 21217 31117 41219 xviii the famili god has ordain the famili as the foundat institut of human societi it is compos of person relat to one anoth by marriag blood or adopt marriag is the unit of one man and one woman in coven commit for a lifetim it is god uniqu gift to reveal the union between christ and his church and to provid for the man and the woman in marriag the framework for intim companionship the channel of sexual express accord to biblic standard and the mean for procreat of the human race the husband and wife are of equal worth befor god sinc both are creat in god imag the marriag relationship model the way god relat to his peopl a husband is to love his wife as christ love the church he has the godgiven respons to provid for to protect and to lead his famili a wife is to submit herself gracious to the servant leadership of her husband even as the church will submit to the headship of christ she being in the imag of god as is her husband and thus equal to him has the godgiven respons to respect her husband and to serv as his helper in manag the household and nurtur the next generat children from the moment of concept are a bless and heritag from the lord parent are to demonstr to their children god pattern for marriag parent are to teach their children spiritu and moral valu and to lead them through consist lifestyl exampl and love disciplin to make choic base on biblic truth children are to honor and obey their parent genesi 12628 21525 3120 exodus 2012 deuteronomi 649 joshua 2415 1 samuel 12628 psalm 515 7818 127 128 1391316 proverb 18 51520 62022 124 1324 141 176 1822 22615 231314 243 291517 311031 ecclesiast 4912 99 malachi 21416 matthew 53132 1825 1939 mark 10612 roman 11832 1 corinthian 7116 ephesian 52133 614 colossian 31821 1 timothi 5814 2 timothi 135 titus 235 hebrew 134 1 peter 317 