WHAT WE BELIEVE
GOD
God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has
eternally existed in three personalities: the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God
MAN
Man is made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him
in character. He is the supreme object of God's creation. Although man has
tremendous potential for good, he is marred by an attitude of disobedience
toward God called "sin." This attitude separates man from God.
ETERNITY
Man was created to exist forever. He will either exist
eternally separated from God by sin, or in union with God, through forgiveness
and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in
union with Him is eternal life. Heaven and Hell are places of eternal
existence.
JESUS CHRIST
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is co-equal with the
Father. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect
sacrifice for the sins of all men by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead
after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to
Heaven's glory and will return again to earth to reign as King of Kings and
Lord of Lords.
SALVATION
Salvation is a gift from God to man. Man can never make up
for his sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ
as God's offer of forgiveness can man be saved from sin's penalty. Eternal life
begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith.
ETERNAL SECURITY
Because God gives man eternal life through Jesus Christ,
the believer is secure in that salvation for eternity. Salvation is maintained
by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian. It is
the grace and keeping power of God that gives this security.
THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is equal with the Father and the Son as
God. He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus
Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He
provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth,
and guidance in doing what is right. The Christian seeks to live under His
control daily.
THE BIBLE
The Bible is God's Word to all men. It was written by
human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the
supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because it is
inspired by God, it is truth without any mixture of error.
BAPTISM AND THE LORD'S SUPPER
Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water
in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of
obedience symbolizing the believer's faith in a crucified, buried, and risen
Savior, the believer's death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the
resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. It is a testimony to
his faith in the final resurrection of the dead. Being a church ordinance, it
is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership and to the Lord's
Supper.
The Lord's Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby
members of the church, through partaking of the bread and the fruit of the
vine, memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming.
Excerpts are from the current 2000 Baptist Faith and Message