Statement of Faith - Calvary Baptist Church

Statement of Faith

Our beliefs

THE SCRIPTURES

We believe in the Scriptures – both the Old and New Testaments – as being verbally inspired of God and inerrant in the original writings. We believe that the Bible is the supreme and final authority in all matters of life and faith (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21).

THE TRIUNE GODHEAD

We believe in one true God, eternally existing in three Persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – equal in every divine perfection and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the work of redemption. We believe that God is the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth and that in His glory He is worthy of all worship and honor (Gen. 1:1, Exodus 20:2-3; 1 Matt. 3:16,17; Matt. 28:19,20; 2 Cor. 13:14).

GOD THE SON

We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, God incarnate. We believe that He was miraculously begotten by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary – true God and true man. We believe that He was, therefore, born without a sinful nature and perfectly obeyed the law of God in His life. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ vicariously died for our sins according to the scriptures and that the shedding of His blood was necessary for the redemption of man. We believe that His death paid the price for the sins of all men. We believe in His bodily and glorious resurrection from the grave and in His present ministry in heaven as our Advocate and Great High Priest (Isa. 7:14, 9:6,7; Matt. 1:23, 28:5-7; John 1:1,2; 1 Cor. 15:4; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15, 9:14; 1 Peter 2:24, 3:18; 1 John 2:1,2; Heb. 4:14).

GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person equal with God the Father and God the Son. We believe that He convicts the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment; that He restrains the evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled; and that He bears witness to the truth of the gospel in preaching and testimony. We believe that the Holy Spirit regenerates, indwells, seals and sets apart the believer to a holy life. At the moment of regeneration He once and for all baptizes the believer into the body of Christ. We believe that the “sign gifts” or “miraculous gifts” (meaning the gifts of miracles, healing, tongues, and interpretation of tongues) were temporary because of their purpose and are not given by the Holy Spirit at this time (John 3:3-6; 14:17,16:8-11; Acts 5:3,4, 5:32; 2 Thess. 2:6,7; Eph. 4:30; 1 Cor. 6:19,20, 12:13).

CREATION

We believe that God created all things visible and invisible according to the account in Genesis. We believe that none of the creation, including that of man, came about by any process of evolution but rather by the direct Word of God (Genesis 1,2; Ex. 20:11; Colossians 1:16-17, Heb. 1:2, 11:3).

MAN

We believe that man was created in the image of God and in innocence. However, by his voluntary transgression of the law of God, man fell into sin and incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death, which is separation from God. All human beings are born with a sinful nature and are, therefore, under the just condemnation of God (Genesis 1:27; 3:1-6, Rom 1:18-25, 2:14-16, 5:12-19, Jer.17: 9).

SATAN

We believe in the personality of Satan and that he is the originator of sin in the universe. We believe that he is the god of this age and the head of all the powers of darkness and sin. We further believe that his eternal destination is the eternal lake of fire (Isaiah 14:12-15; Eph. 2:2; 2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 Peter 5:8; Revelation 20:10).

SALVATION

We believe that whosoever by faith apart from works of any kind receives the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior is “born from above” and instantaneously becomes a child of God. We believe that faith in Christ is the only condition of salvation. We believe that good works and obedience to the Word of God will characterize one who is saved. We believe that repentance and faith are solemn obligations and also inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the quickening of the Spirit of God; thereby, being deeply convicted of our guilt, danger, and helplessness, and of the way of salvation by Christ, we turn to God with unfeigned contrition, confession and supplication for mercy at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ and openly confessing Him as our only and all-sufficient Savior (John 3:3-18, 6:47; Acts 16:30,31; Romans 10:13; Ephesians 2:8-10, Titus 3:4-8; 1 Peter 1:18-25; Acts 20:21; Mark 1:15; Acts 2:27-38; Luke 18:13; Romans 10:13; Luke 12:8; Romans 9:11).

ETERNAL SECURITY

We believe that all who are truly born again are kept eternally secure by the power of God through the sealing of the Holy Spirit and the intercession of Christ (John 10:28,29; 2 Cor. 1:21,22; Eph. 1:13,14; Phil. 1:6; 1 Peter 1:5; 1 John 5:9-13).

THE CHURCH

We believe that all believers in this age comprise the church in its universal and invisible aspect and are a part of the Body and Bride of Christ. We further believe in the local aspect of the church, which is the center of God’s methods and plans for this age. The local church consists of a group of born again, baptized believers who have organized themselves according to the scripture for the purpose of edification, fellowship, observance of the ordinances, and evangelization of the world. We believe that the two offices of the local church are those of pastors and deacons (Matt. 16:18; Acts 2:41,42; 1 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 2:19-22; 5:23-32; Col. 1:18; Heb. 12:22,23).

ORDINANCES

We believe that there are two ordinances given to the local church by its head, Jesus Christ. The ordinances give witness to the death and resurrection of Christ and our identification with Him by faith. These are baptism (immersion of the believer in water) and the Lord’s supper (Matt. 28:19; Acts 2:41,42; 8:36-39; 1 Cor. 11:23-32).

ETERNAL DESTINY

We believe that those who trust Jesus Christ as Savior are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ and will blessedly and eternally be with Christ. We further believe that all of the righteous will be raised from the dead to reign with Christ and share in His glory (John 14:1-3; 2 Cor. 5:1-8, Rom. 8:16-18; Phil. 1:23). We believe that the lost because of their wickedness and unbelief are under the just condemnation of God and will suffer everlasting, conscious punishment for sin. We further believe that all of the wicked will be raised from the dead to stand before the great white throne judgment of God to receive their final judgment (John 3:18; Luke 16:19-31; Rev. 20:11-15).

THINGS TO COME

We believe in the pre-tribulational rapture (catching away) of the Church. We believe in the personal and pre-millennial return of Christ to earth. We believe in the establishment of the Kingdom of the Millennium during which Christ will reign for one thousand years over the earth in fulfillment of the promises of God’s Old Testament covenant people, Israel (1 Thess. 4:13-18; 1 Cor. 15:51-53; Phil. 3:20,21; Acts 1:9-11; Zech. 12:10; 14:4-9; Rev. 20:4-6; Isa. 9:6,7).

SEXUAL IMMORALITY

We believe that the Bible specifically places man and woman in a biblical, God commanded relationship and that God instituted the marriage relationship between one man and one woman (Gen. 2:23, Eph. 5:22-23), thus, created a model for the biblical family. We further believe that it is God’s design for the sexual relationship to exist exclusively within the context of marriage. We, therefore, hold that it is totally against the command and teaching of the Word of God to change in any way or pervert this order. Thus, we conclude that homosexuality, lesbianism, premarital sexual relationships, adulterous relationships and all other relationships that are contrary to the Word of God are not acceptable as “alternate” lifestyles (Romans 1:18-32).

THE GREAT COMMISSION

We believe in obedience to Christ’s command to preach the gospel to the whole world. We believe that the great commission includes evangelization, Bible teaching, and the establishment of local churches (Matt. 28:19,20; Acts 20:17-27; Rom. 1:14-16; 10:13-15).

THE SANCTITY OF LIFE

We believe that the Scriptures teach that all human life begins at conception (Jer. 1:5; Ps. 51:5; Luke 1:39-44) and that God is fashioning that life throughout the period of pregnancy (Psalm 139). The Bible places dignity upon the human life because man is created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27). Therefore, we believe that any form of abortion and any form of euthanasia are violations of the sanctity of life and the standard of God and that all life is sacred from conception to death.

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