What We Believe: Our Confession

I. THE SCRIPTURES

The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God, and are the only sufficient, inerrant, infallible, and authoritative rule of God, necessary for revealing His glory, man’s salvation and all that is needed for life, faith and obedience. 2 Tim 3:15-17

II. GOD

There is but one True and Living God, eternal, and unchangeable, the Maker, Preserver and Ruler of all things; infinite in His being and perfections; to Whom, all creatures owe their highest love, reverence and obedience. 1 Cor 8:4,6; Dt 6:4; Rm 11:36

III. THE TRINITY

In the unity of the Godhead there are three Persons, of one substance, power and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Three in One, each with distinct personal attributes, and yet without division of nature, essence or being. Mt 28:!9, 2 Cor 13:14

IV. JESUS, THE MEDIATOR

Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is the Second Person of the Trinity, fully God and fully man, and thus the only divinely appointed mediator between God and man. Having taken upon Himself human nature, yet without sin, He perfectly fulfilled the law, suffered and died upon the cross for the salvation of sinners. He was buried, and rose again on the third day, and ascended to His Father, at whose right hand He ever lives to make intercession for His people. He is the only Mediator, the Prophet, Priest and King of the Church, and Sovereign of the Universe. Jn 1:1, 8:58; Lk 2:7; Tim 2:5, Heb 2:14, 16-17, 4:15; 1 Cor 15:3-7, Heb 1:8; 7:25, Col 2:9

V. THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Trinity, is Himself God Who indwells all believers at regeneration, and continually abides within them sealing them unto the day of redemption as He teaches, guides, mold and perfects them after the image of Christ. Jn 14:16-17, 26; Eph 4:30; 2 Cor 3:16

VI. PROVIDENCE

God from all eternity, according to the most wise and holy council of his own will, decrees or permits all things that come to pass, and perpetually upholds, directs, and governs all creatures and all events for the ultimate purpose of glorifying Himself in all things; yet in so doing, He is not in any way the author of sin nor the approver of sin, nor is the will or responsibility of His intelligent creatures violated. Isa 46:10, Eph 1:11-14, Rm 9:15-18, Isa 46:10-11, Prv 16:33, Acts 2:23

VII. ELECTION

Election is God’s eternal choice of some persons unto everlasting life – not because of foreseen merit in them – but of His own sovereign pleasure and mere mercy in Christ – in consequence of which choice they are called, justified and glorified. All of this is done according to the good pleasure of His will and for His eternal and unchangeable purpose, to the praise of His glorious grace. Eph 1:3-11, Rm 9:22-23

VIII. THE FALL OF MAN

God originally created man in His own image and free from sin; but, through the temptation of Satan, he transgressed the command of God, and fell from his original holiness and righteousness. As a consequence of this fall his descendants have inherited a corrupt nature and are wholly opposed to God and His law, are under condemnation, and as soon as they are capable of moral action, become actual transgressors. Gn 3, Rm 5:12-21, Rm 3:10-23, Rm 8:7, Eph 3:1-3

IX. REGENERATION

Regeneration is a change of heart, a work of the Holy Spirit who quickens (brings life to) those dead in trespasses and sins enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the Word of God, and renewing their whole nature so that they begin to love God and practice holiness. It is a work of God’s free and special grace alone. Eph 2:1-10, Acts 26:18, Jn 3:3-6

X. REPENTANCE

Repentance is a Gospel grace, wherein a person is made aware by the Holy Spirit of the great evil of his sin, and thus humbles himself for it, with godly sorrow, hatred of it, and self-abhorrence, gaining a new purpose and endeavors to walk before God so as to please Him in all things. Acts 11:18, 2 Cor 7:11, Ps 119:6, 128

XI. FAITH

Saving faith is the belief, on God’s authority of whatsoever is revealed in His Word concerning Christ; accepting and resting upon Him alone for justification and eternal life. It is worked in the heart by the Holy Spirit, and is accompanied by all other saving graces, and leads to a life of holiness. Acts 24:14, 2 Tim 1:12

XII. JUSTIFICATION

Justification is God’s gracious and full acquittal of sinners who believe in Christ from all sin through the satisfaction that Christ has made; not for anything in them or done by them; but on account of the obedience and satisfaction of Christ, as they receive and rest on Him and His righteousness by faith alone. Rm 3:28, Eph 2:8-9, 2 Cor 5:21

XIII. SANCTIFICATION

Those who have been regenerated (born again) are also sanctified, by God’s Word and Spirit dwelling in them. This sanctification is progressive through the powerful supply of Divine strength, which all saints seek to obtain, pressing after a heavenly (God-centered) life in faithful obedience to all Christ’s commands. Rm 8:29-30, Jn 17:17, 2 Cor 3:18, 2 Cor 7:1

XIV. PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS

Those whom God has accepted in Christ, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere to the end; and though they may fall, through neglect and temptation, into sin, by which they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, bring reproach on the Church, and temporary judgments upon themselves, yet they shall ultimately be renewed again to repentance, and kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. Jn 10:28-29, Php 1:6, 2 Tim 2:19, Lk 22:32, 61-67

XV. THE CHURCH

The Lord Jesus is the Head of the Church, which is composed of all his true disciples, and in Him is invested supremely all power for its governing. According to his commandment, Christians are to associate themselves with a local church and there use their gifts for the common good. To each of these churches God has given all authority necessary for administering themselves, for discipline and for worship as he has commanded. The regular officers of a Church are Elders and Deacons. Col 1:18, Mt 28:18-20, 1 Cor 12:7; Eph 4:11-12, Acts 20:17, 28, Php 1:1

XVI. BAPTISM

Baptism is an ordinance of the Lord Jesus, a requirement for every believer, wherein he/she is immersed in water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, as a sign of his/her fellowship with the death and resurrection of Christ, of remission of sins, and of his/her giving himself/herself up to God, to live and walk in newness of life. It is a prerequisite to church fellowship, and to participation in the Lord’s Supper. Mt 28:19-20, Rm 6:3-5, Col 2:12, Gal 3:20

XVII. THE LORD’S SUPPER

The Lord’s Supper is an ordinance of Jesus Christ, to be administered with the elements of bread and wine, and to be observed by His churches till the end of the world. It is in no sense a sacrifice, but is designed to commemorate his death, to confirm the faith and other graces of Christians, and to be a bond, pledge and renewal of their communion with him, and of their church fellowship. 1 Cor 11:23-26, Heb 9:25-26, 28

XVIII. THE LORD’S DAY

The Lord’s Day (Sunday) is a Christian institution to be regularly observed, and used first and foremost for worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private, over which secular employment and entertainment must never be given priority. Ex 20:8, 1 Cor 16:1-2, Acts 20:7, Isa 58:13, Neh 13:15f; Mk2:27

XIX. LIBERTY OF CONSCIENCE

God alone is Lord of the conscience, and He has left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men, which are in anything contrary to His word, or not contained in it. Because civil government is ordained by God, Christians must be subject to all its laws which do not violate the Law of God, not only to avoid punishment, but also for conscience sake. Jas 4:12, Rm 14:4, Acts 4:19, 29, 1 Cor 7:23, Mt 15:5, Col 2:10-23

XX. THE RESURRECTION

The bodies of men after death return to dust, but their spirits return immediately to God the righteous to rest with Him; the wicked, to be reserved under darkness to the coming judgment. At the last day when Christ returns, the bodies of all the dead, both just and unjust, will be raised. Gn 3:19, Ecc 12:7, Lk 23:43, 2 Cor 5:1-8, Jude 6-7, 1 Cor 15:42-43

XXI. THE JUDGMENT

God has appointed a Day in which the world will be judged by Christ. On that Day the Lord Himself will descend from heaven, the dead will be raised, and a solemn separation will take place as the wicked are sent away unto everlasting punishment and the righteous in Christ are received unto everlasting life in Him. Acts 17:31, Jn 5:22,27, Mt 25:21, 34, 2 Tim 4:8 1

This brief outline of biblical truth is taken from The Abstract of Principles. A document that has served as a basis for theological agreement among Southern Baptists since the early 1800’s and the doctrinal statement of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. The version given here has been slightly edited for clarity. This statement is a guide only and should not be considered to be either exhaustive (giving all truth necessary) or on a par with Scripture as to its authority.