Statement of Faith

The London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689 is our doctrinal standard of which the following is a summary.

      I.     Holy Scriptures
               o   God-breathed
               o   Infallible and inerrant
               o   Sufficient
               o   Authoritative

   II.     Doctrine of God
               o   All-Knowing
               o   Is Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in His being, wisdom, power, holiness,    
                     justice, goodness, and truth
III.     Trinity
               o   God is one in essence
               o   God is three Persons
               o   The Persons of the Godhead are one in substance, power,  and eternity.

  IV.     Creation
               o   All things were created by God for His own glory and Pleasure
               o   Man is made in God’s image
     V.     Providence
               o   God sustains His creation now
               o   God is intimately involved with His creation
               o   God provides for His creation
  VI.     Original Sin
               o   Adam was and is the representative of all unredeemed people
               o   When Adam fell, all humanity fell in Adam
               o   All are sinners by nature
               o   Man is born dead in trespasses and sin
               o   By nature man is a child of wrath

VII.     The Holy Spirit
               o   Is fully God
               o   Is a Person
               o   Convicts of sin
               o   Applies the work of Christ
               o   Regenerates sinners (absolute  necessity for salvation)         
               o   Sanctifies and comforts those who belong  to Christ
VIII.     Person of Christ
               o   Was and is eternally God
               o   Took to Himself human flesh
               o   His divine Person was joined with a full human nature yet without sin
               o   Was born of a virgin
               o   Lived a sinless life
               o   Is the Messiah and only Savior
               o   Bodily death, resurrection, and ascension
               o   The only way to the Father
               o   Is Prophet, Priest, and King
  IX.     Gospel
               o   All of grace
               o   Good news
               o   Christ as a substitutionary sacrifice on the cross
               o   Christ as a free gift of righteousness
               o   Christ as the wrath-bearer on the cross
               o   Christ as Lord
               o   Christ as High Priest
               o   Only Mediator between God and man

 X.     Justification
               o   Forensic (legal) declaration
               o   Imputation of man’s sin to Christ
               o   Imputation of Christ’s righteousness to man
               o   By faith apart from works

  XI.     Grace
               o   God saves by grace alone
               o   Man does not earn or merit any favor of God
               o   God saves to the glory of His grace

XII.     Repentance and Faith
               o   Man must turn from the love 0f sin to the  love of God
               o   Man must turn from unbelief  to faith in Christ
               o   Man must turn from being lord of his own life to the Lordship of Christ
               o   Repentance and faith are gifts  of God

XIII.     Good Works
               o   Necessarily flow from faith
               o   Must be there to show love for Christ
               o   Do not merit grace

XIV.     Law
               o   Must be proclaimed as a tutor to Christ
               o   Teaches men of sin and so  the  need of  Christ
               o   Demonstrates God’s holiness
               o   Humbles and breaks men of  self-righteousness

 XV.     Church
               o   Consists of true believers
               o   Under the Lordship of Christ
               o   Should be guided by Holy Scripture

XVI.     Baptism
               o   Is for believers only
               o   Is by immersion
               o   Is the sign of the New Covenant

XVII.     Final Judgment
               o   Resurrection to eternal life or eternal death
               o   Resurrection to eternal, conscious torment for the damned
               o   Resurrection to eternal joy in Christ for the believer

XVIII.     Evangelism & Missions
               o   There must be a free proclamation of the gospel to all people
               o   The gospel should go to all  nations
               o   The gospel should be proclaimed to local  people
               o   Groups of disciples should be  gathered in  towns and communities
               o   Disciples and churches should be strengthened