Haines Baptist Church - Statement of Faith

Statement of Faith

Articles of Faith
This is not intended to be a complete statement of doctrinal position of this church, but is the more basic beliefs on which we rest:

OF THE SCRIPTURES – We believe that the Holy Bible as originally written was verbally inspired and the product of the Spirit – controlled men, and therefore has truth without any admixture of error for its matter. We believe the Bible to be the true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions shall be tried. II Timothy 3:16, 17; II Peter 1:19-21
OF THE TRUE GOD – We believe there is One, and only One, living and true God, an infinite and intelligent Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of Heaven and earth; inexpressively glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love; that in the unity of the God – head there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. Exodus 20:2, 3; I Corinthians 8:6; Revelation 4:11; I John 5:7..
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT – We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Divine person; equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled, that He convicts of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; that He bears witness to the Truth of the gospel in preaching and testimony; that he is the agent in the new birth; that he seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the believer. John 14:16, 17; Matthew 28:19; Hebrews 9:14; John 14:26; Luke 1:35; Genesis 1:1-3; John 16:8-11; Acts 5:30-32; John 3:5, 6; Ephesians 1:13, 14; Mark 1:8; John 1:33; Acts 11:16; Romans 8:16; Romans 8:26, 27.
OF THE DEVIL, OF SATAN – We believe in the personality of Satan, that he is the unholy god of this age, and the author of all powers of darkness, and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire. Matthew 4:1-3; II Corinthians 4:3, 4; Revelation 20:10.
OF THE CREATION – We accept the Genesis account of creation and believe that man by direct creation of God and not by evolution. Genesis, chapters 1 and 2; Colossians 1:16, 17; John 1:3; Psalm 33:6-9.
OF THE FALL OF MAN – We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker, by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy state in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, not only by constraint, but of choice; and therefore under just condemnation without defense or excuse. Genesis 3:24; Romans 5:19; Romans 5; 10-19; Romans 1:32.
OF THE VIRGIN BIRTH – We believe that Jesus was begotten of the Holy Ghost in a miraculous manner; born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born or can ever be born of woman, and that He is both the Son of God, and God the Son. Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:35; John 1:14.
FOR THE ATONEMENT FOR SIN – We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly grace; through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God, who by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin, honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and by His death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins; that His atonement consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was a voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place, the Just dying for the unjust, Christ, the Lord, bearing our sins in His own body on the tree; that having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in Heaven, and uniting in His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with Divine perfection; He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate, and an all-sufficient Saviour. Ephesians 2:8; Acts 15:11; Romans 3:24; John 3:16; Matthew 18:11; Hebrews 2: 14; Philippians 2:7; Isaiah 53:4-7; Romans 3:25; I John 4:10; I Corinthians 15:3; II Corinthians 5:21.
OF GRACE IN THE NEW CREATION – We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth the one dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension, solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the Gospel; that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life. John 3:3-7; II Corinthians 5:17; I John 5:1; John 3:8; Acts 16:30-33; II Peter 1:4; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1; II Corinthians 5:19, 21; Colossians 2:13.
OF JUSTIFICATION – We believe that the gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is Justification; (a) That Justification includes the pardon sin, and the gift of eternal life on principles of righteousness; (b) that it is bestowed not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done; but solely through faith in the Redeemer’s blood, His righteousness is imputed to us. Acts 13:39; Isaiah 53:11; Zechariah 13:1; Romans 8:1; Romans 5:9; Romans 5:1.
OF FAITH AND SALVATION – We believe that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation. Acts 16:30,31.
OF THE LOCAL CHURCH - We believe that a local church is a congregation of immersed believers, associated by covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His Word; that its officers and pastors and deacons whose qualifications, claims and duties, are clearly defined in the Scriptures; we believe the true mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as wehave opportunity. We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government, free from the inheritance of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that the one and only Head is Christ, through the Holy Spirit; that it is scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel; that each church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation; on all matters of membership, of polity of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final. Acts 2:41,42; I Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22,23; Ephesians 4:11; Acts 20:17-28; I Timothy 3:17; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 5:23; Acts 15: 13-18.
OF BAPTISM AND THE LORD’S SUPPER – We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that it is pre-requisite to the privileges of a church relation. We believe that the Lord’s Supper is the commemoration of His death until He comes, and should be preceded always by solemn self examination. Acts 8: 36-39; John 3:23; Romans 6:3-5; Matthew 3:16; Colossians 2:12; I Corinthians 11:23-28
OF THE SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER – We believe that all who are truly born again are kept by God the Father for Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6; John 10:28,29; Romans 8:35,39; Jude 1; I Peter 1:5.
OF THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED – We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that such only as through faith are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and sanctified by the Spirit of our God, are truly righteous in His esteem; while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked, and under the curse; and this everlasting distinction hold among men both in and after death, in the everlasting felicity of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost. Malachi 3:18; Genesis 18:23; Romans 6:17; I John 5:19; Romans 7:6; Romans 6:23; Proverbs 14:32; Luke 6:25; Matthew 25:34-41; John 8:21.
OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT – We believe that civil government is of divine appointment, for the interests and good order of human society, that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored, and obeyed; except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the Only Lord of the conscience, and the coming Prince of the kings of the earth. Romans 13:17; II Samuel 23:3; Exodus 18:21,22; Acts 5:20; Acts 23:5; Matthew 22:21; Acts 4:19,20; Daniel 3:17,18.
OF THE RESURRECTION, PERSONAL, VISIBLE, PREMILLENNIAL, PRETRIBULATION RETURN OF CHRIST, AND RELATED EVENTS -

(a) We believe in the bodily resurrection. Matthew 28:6,7; Luke 24:39; John 20:27; I Corinthians 15:4; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:2-5

(b) The ascension. Acts 1:9-11; Luke 24:51; Mark 16:19; Revelation 3:21; Hebrews 12:2

(d) The second coming. John 14:3; Acts 1:11; I Thessalonians 4:16; James 5:8; Hebrews 9:28

(e) The resurrection of the righteous dead. I Thessalonians 4:13-18; I Corinthians 15:42-44; I Corinthians 15:52

(f) The change of the Living Christ. I Corinthians 15:51-53; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Philippians 3:20,21

(g) The Throne of David, Luke 1:32; Isaiah 9:6,7; Acts 2:29,30;

h) The millennial rein. I Corinthians 15:25; Isaiah 32:1; Isaiah 11:4,5; Psalm 72:8; Revelation 20:14; Revelation 20:6

OF MISSIONS – We believe that the great commission to evangelize the world was given to the church by our risen Lord and that this evangelization is the great mission of the church. Matthew 28:19,20; Romans 1:14-16;; Isaiah 6:8; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:18
OF PRAYER – We believe that prayer is the believer’s communion with God and includes such elements as adoration, praise, thanksgiving, intercession, pleading, petition and waiting upon God; that true prayer, in faith believing, is heard and answered by God, when the believer prays in the Spirit and according to His will; that it is not only a blessed privilege, but a positive command of God for us “always to pray and not to faint” We believe that if we regard iniquity in our heart, the Lord will not hear our prayers. Revelation 3:20; Exodus 25:22; Jeremiah 29:13; Romans 8:26,27; Jude 20: II Chronicles 7:14; John 15:7; Mark 11:24; I John 3:22; I Chronicles 16:11; Luke 18:1; Luke 11:13; I Thessalonians 4:2,3; I Thessalonians 5:17; Isaiah 59:1,2; Psalm 66:18; Proverbs 28:9
SEPARATION FROM THE WORLD 3 We believe that all the saved are called into a life of separation from all worldly and sinful practices. James 4:4; Romans 12:2; I John 2:15-17; II Corinthians 6:14-18
OF SANCTIFICATION – We believe that sanctification is the process by which, according to the will of God, we are made partakers of His holiness; that it is a progressive work that is begun in regeneration; that it is carried on in the hearts of the believers by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit; in the faithful use of the appointed means – especially the Word of God, prayer, self-examination, self-denial, watchfulness, and the practice of all godly exercises and duties. The sanctification of the believer will be complete at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then, and only then, will we have entire sanctification or be sanctified wholly – body, soul, and spirit. I Thessalonians 4:1-10; I Thessalonians 5:23; I Corinthians 6:11; Philippians 1:6; II Peter 3:18; II Corinthians 3:18; II Peter 1:3-12; John 17:17; II Thessalonians 2:13; II Corinthians 7:1; I Thessalonians 3:12,13; Philippians 3:20,21; I John 3:2; Jude 24; Hebrews 9:28; Revelation 14:5; Hebrews 12:14,23
OF THE SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE – We believe that every Christian should seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit and that the evidence of the Spirit filled life will be seen in soul-winning and the fruit of the Spirit. Acts 1:8; Ephesians 5:18; Luke 11:13; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 3:19; John 4:14; John 7:37-39; II Peter 1:4-11; Galatians 5:22-24.