Statement of Faith
The following are the core beliefs of First Baptist Church based on the foundational truths taught in the bible. All of our teaching and ministry is rooted in and flows out of these biblical doctrines.
Doctrine of the Bible
The Holy Bible
- is the fully inspired Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1: 20-21)
- is made up of sixty-six books—Thirty-nine OT and twenty-seven NT (Revelation 22:18-19; Proverbs 30:6; Deuteronomy 4:2)
- is without error in its original manuscripts and any approved translations shall be consistent with those manuscripts (Proverbs 30:5)
- is the supreme authority (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
Doctrine of God
The Trinity
- is eternal (Revelation 1:6, 8; Matthew 28:18-20)
- was active in the work of Creation (Genesis 1:26; Genesis 3:22; John 1:1-3)
- is three equal parts: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:16-17; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; Genesis 11:6-7)
- is one and only God (John 10:30; Acts 5:3-4)
God the Father
- is all-powerful (Daniel 4:35; Matthew 6:13)
- is merciful (1 Peter 1:3)
- is infinite in wisdom (James 1:5; 1 John 3:20)
- is perfect in love (John 3:16; Romans 1:7; Isaiah 43:4; Jeremiah 31:3)
- is perfect in holiness (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8)
- grants salvation through Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:3; John 3:16)
- hears and answers prayer–pray through Jesus to God by the power of the Holy Spirit (Psalm 6:9)
God the Son
- is fully God and fully man (1 John 5:20; John 10:30; Luke 24:39; Romans 9:5)
- was conceived of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18 and 2; Luke 1:34-35)
- was born from the virgin Mary (Luke 1:34-35; Isaiah 7:14)
- is sinless and always has been (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:2; Hebrews 4:15)
- died on the cross, was buried, and rose again (Romans 6:9; Romans 5:6; Philippians 2:8)
- is the pardon for sin (Isaiah 53:5; Romans 6:23)
- is the only mediator between God and man (Hebrews 12:24; 1 Timothy 2:5)
- intercedes for Christians (Hebrews 7:24-2; Romans 8:34; 1 John 2:1)
- ascended to heaven (Mark 16:19; John 3:13; Ephesians 4:10)
God the Spirit
- empowers believers (Hebrews 2:4; Galatians 5:22-23; Romans 8:12-13)
- is our Helper, Teacher, and Guide (John 14:26; John 15: 26)
- intercedes on our behalf (Romans 8:26-27)
- convicts individuals of their sin (John 16:7-8)
- dwells in all Christians (Romans 8:9; John 14:17)
- does not contradict the teachings of the Bible (John 16:13)
Doctrine of Salvation
Salvation
- is received only by faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31; John 14:6; Galatians 2:16)
- requires repentance from sins (Luke 5:21; 2 Corinthians 7:10; Luke 24: 46-47)
- is granted by God’s grace (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 6:23)
- is instantaneous and not a process (John 5:24; Romans 10:9-10)
- results in eternal life and cannot be lost (John 3:16; John 10:27-28; Romans 8:28-29)
Doctrine of Christian Living
Sanctification
- is a process of becoming more like Christ (Hebrews 12:14; John 17:13-21; Romans 6:19; Acts 20:32)
- begins at salvation (Romans 6:22; Hebrews 10:10-14)
- is completed at death or Christ’s return (1 Thessalonians 5:23; Philippians 1:6)
- is a work of the Holy Spirit and is dependent on our obedience (Galatians 5:16-18; Romans 8:9-16)
We believe members of First Baptist Church should...
- follow Christ’s example and teachings (Matthew 22:37-40; I Peter 2:21; John 13:12-17)
- live for the glory of God (I Corinthians 10:31; Psalm 29:2; I Corinthians 6:20; Isaiah 66:5; Matthew 5:16)
Doctrine of the Church
We believe that First Baptist Church…
- has Christ as its Head (Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 5:23)
- observes the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Acts 2:38-42; Matthews 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16)
Baptism
- is a command to believers. (Mark 16:15-16; Matthew 28:19-20)
- represents Christ’s death burial and resurrection. (Colossians 2:12)
- is by immersion in water (Acts 8:34-38; Matthew 3:16)
Communion
- is symbolized by the eating of bread and the drinking of the fruit of the vine (Matthew 26:26-29)
- is symbolic of Christ’s body and blood which were sacrificed on the Cross (Matthew 26:26-29; 1 Corinthians 10:16-1; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
- is limited to believers (1 Corinthians 10:16-17; 1 Corinthians 11:27-29)
- should be preceded by careful self-examination (1 Corinthians 11:27-29)
- is committed to discipleship (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16)
- shares the Gospel faithfully (Acts 1:8; Acts 20:24)
- worships corporately and individually (Hebrews 10:25; Ephesians 5:19; Psalm 2:11)
- encourages believers to use their spiritual gifts (I Corinthians 12)
- partners with churches and organizations of like faith to accomplish our purpose. (3 John 1:8; 2 Corinthians 1:10-11; Colossians 4:10-17)
- is committed to the unity of believers in Christ (1 Corinthians 10:17; Romans 16:17)
The Universal Church
- includes all true believers (1 Timothy 3:15; Ephesians 5:23, 32)
- includes local gatherings of believers (1 Corinthians 12:12-13)
Doctrine of Sin and Evil
Sin and evil
- entered the universe when Lucifer rebelled against God (1 John 3:8; Isaiah 14:12-14; Ezekiel 28:11-16)
- entered the human race through Adam’s sin (Genesis 3; Romans 5:12, 14)
- cause a rebellious attitude toward God that has no human solution (Romans 3:22, 23; Ephesians 2:1–3, 12)
- result in acts of evil toward self and others (Mark 7:21-23)
- were defeated on the cross (John 19:30; Colossian 2:13-15)
- will eternally be avenged through divine punishment and banishment to hell (Romans 12:19; Revelation 20:10, 15)
Satan
- was once holy and resided in heaven (Ezekiel 28:14-16; Luke 10:18; Isaiah 14:12)
- as the author of sin, was the cause of man’s fall (Genesis 3:1-6)
- is the enemy of God and man (Genesis 3:15; Ephesians 6:10-18)
- is the deceiver of this world (Ephesians 2:2; 1 Peter 5:8; 2 Corinthians 4:4)
- will be eternally punished with his demons and unbelievers in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:10,15)
Doctrine of Last Things
We believe there will be a...
- rapture of believers (1 Corinthians 15:51-54, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17)
- judgment seat of Christ (believers) (2 Corinthians 5:10)
- tribulation (Daniel 12; Revelation 11:2)
- second coming of Christ (Jude 1:14-15; Revelation 19:11-14)
- millennial (1,000 year) reign (Revelation 20:1-6)
- final (Great White Throne) judgment (Revelation 20:11-15)
Doctrine of Mankind
We believe
- mankind was created in the image and likeness of God both male and female (Genesis 1:26-27)
- marriage between a man and woman is God’s design (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:5)
- the home is His blueprint for populating the planet with a godly people (Malachi 2:15; Genesis 1:28)
Marriage
- is instituted by God (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:3-9)
- is modeled in Christ’s relationship with the Church (Matthew 9:15; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:22- 33)
- is a lifetime commitment (Romans 7:2; Hebrews 13:4; Matthew 19:3-9)
- is between one man and one woman (Jude 7; Matthew 19:3-9; Genesis 2:24, Romans 1:26-27)
Doctrine of Creation
We believe
- the universe and everything in it was created by God in seven days (Genesis 1,2)
- that each creation day consisted of one twenty-four hour period (Genesis 1)
- God rested from his work on the seventh day after the work of creation was complete (Genesis 2:1-3)