First Baptist Church 

Statement of Faith
(Approved at Feb 2025 Annual meeting)

The Word of God
We believe the sixty-six canonical books of the Old and New Testaments are the divinely inspired, infallible Word of God, without error in the original manuscripts, and God's complete, written revelation to humankind. The Bible is sufficient and trustworthy for life, faith, conduct, and practice, and is the supreme and final authority in all matters to which it speaks. (2 Peter 1:20; 2 Timothy 3:16-17)

The Trinity
We believe in one God, Creator and Sustainer of all things, eternally divine existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit; we believe that these are equal in every distinct perfection and they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence, and redemption. (Deut 6:5; John 1:1; Acts 5:3-4; Matt 28:19)

God the Father
We believe in God the Father: an infinite, personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of humanity, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. We believe God's knowledge is exhaustive; that He fully knows the past, present, and future independent of human decisions and actions. The Father does everything in accordance with His perfect will, though His sovereignty neither eliminates nor minimizes our personal responsibility. (1 Peter 1:2; Psalm 103:8-17; 1 John 5:14-15; Rom 6:23; Isaiah 46:9-10)

 

Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ is the incarnation of God's eternal Son. God the Son has precisely the same nature, attributes, and perfections as God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. We believe further that He is not only true God, but true man, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. We also believe in His sinless life, His substitutionary atonement, His bodily resurrection from the dead, His ascension into heaven, His priestly intercession on behalf of His people, and His personal, visible return from heaven. (John 1:1; 3:16; 8:58; Matthew 1:23; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Ephesians 1:20; Hebrews 7:25; Revelation 19:11-16)

 

Holy Spirit
We believe in the Holy Spirit, His personality and His work in regeneration, sanctification, and preservation. His ministry is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, to implement Christ's work of redeeming the lost, and to empower the believer for godly living and service. We believe the Holy Spirit distributes spiritual gifts to believers as He wills for the common good. No gift signifies His baptism or filling, nor does any gift provide authoritative revelation beyond what has already been revealed in the Holy Scriptures. (John 16:8, 13-14; Matthew 28:19; Hebrews 10:15; Titus 3:5; Ephesians 4:30, 5:18; 1 John 2:27; Romans 8:14; 15:16; 1 Corinthians 6:19, 12:12-27)

 

The Human Condition
We believe that God created Adam and Eve in His image, but they sinned when tempted by Satan. In union with Adam, human beings are sinners by nature and by choice, alienated from God, and under his wrath. Only through God’s saving work in Jesus Christ can we be rescued, reconciled, and renewed. (Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 3; Romans 3:23; 5:12-19)

 

Salvation
We believe in salvation by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We further believe that this salvation is based upon the sovereign grace of God, was purchased by Jesus Christ on the cross, is eternally secured by the Holy Spirit, and is received by faith, apart from any human merit, works, or ritual. We further believe salvation results in righteous living, good works, and proper social concern. (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 5:6-11; Ephesians 2:10; John 10:27-30; Ephesians 4:30; John 3:16; Revelation 20:11-15)

 

Christian Conduct
We believe that the supreme task of believers is to glorify God in their life and that their conduct should be blameless before the world. We further believe that they should be faithful stewards of their possessions and that they should seek to realize for themselves the full stature of maturity in Christ. (1 Corinthians 10:31; Philippians 2:14-15; Colossians 1:28)

 

The Church
We believe that the Church is the spiritual body of which Christ is the head. We believe that the true Church is composed of all persons who have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. We believe that this body expresses itself in local assemblies whose members have been immersed upon a credible confession of faith and have associated themselves for worship, for instruction, for evangelism, and for service. We believe the ordinances of the local church are believer's baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper. We also believe in the interdependence of local churches and the mutual submission of believers to each other in love. (Acts 2:41-42; 2:46-47; Matthew 28:19-20; Hebrews 10:19-22; Matthew 18:15-17; Romans 13)

 

The Last Things
We believe in the bodily resurrection of the saved and lost, the eternal existence of all people either in heaven or hell, in divine judgment, rewards, and punishments. We also believe in the personal and bodily return of Christ to earth to rule and reign. (John 5:28-29; 1 Corinthians 15; Matthew 25:41,46; Revelation 19:11-19)