Charity Baptist Church Statement of Faith-Articles of Faith
1. The Scriptures:
We believe the 66 books of the Old and New Testament are the complete, inspired, infallible Word of God. We believe the verbal, plenary inspiration in the original writings, and God's preservation of His pure words to every generation
(2 Timothy 3:16, Psalms 12:6-8).
The Masoretic Text of the Old Testament and the Received Text of the New Testament (Textus Receptus) are those texts of the original languages we accept; the King James Version of the Bible (KJV) is the most accurate English translation of scripture available, is the preferred version, and the one used in our teaching. The Holy Bible reveals the principles by which God judges us, and therefore is, the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried; therefore, it is our sole authority for faith and practice.
2. God:
We believe in one true God eternally existing in three distinct persons (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) each of Whom is fully and equally God; possesses all of the divine nature and attributes, and is totally worthy of our worship and service
(Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; John 1:14, John 10:30; 2 Cor. 13:14).
God the Father:
We believe that God the Father is the first person of the Trinity and is the eternal, unchanging all-powerful, all-knowing, all-wise, all-loving, completely just and perfectly holy, sovereign Ruler and Sustainer of the universe. He is the Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the Father of all true believers
(Gen. 1:1; Eph. 4:6; John 1:12-13, John 5:19-21, John 17:1-5; Isa. 40:21-28, Isa. 43:10-13, Isa. 46:8-11; Rom. 8:14-16).
God the Son Jesus Christ:
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men. That the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His finished work on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead . That the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate (John 1:1-2, 14; Luke 1:35; Isa 9:6; 7:14; Phil 2:5-8; Gal 4:4-5; Rom 3:24-25; I Peter 2:24; Eph 1:7; I Peter 1:3-5; Acts 1:9-10; Heb 9:24, 7:25; Rom 8:34; I John 2:1-2).
God the Holy Spirit:
We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. His ministry on earth began at Pentecost and will continue until the rapture. He is the primary agent for the conviction of sin and for regeneration. Simultaneously with salvation, the Holy Spirit imparts new life, baptizes the believer into the body of Christ (His church), permanently indwells the believer, and securely seals the believer unto the day of redemption. The Holy Spirit fills (directs and controls) those believers who are yielded to Him, enables believers to bear fruit, and empowers believers to live a life free from sin’s dominion.
(John 16:7-8; 1 Cor. 6:19, 12:13; Eph. 1:13-14, 4:30; Gal. 5:16-17, 5:22-23; Rom. 8:5-13; 1 Pet. 4:10-11; Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 13:8, 1 Cor. 14:22)
3. Sin and Salvation:
We believe everyone is born with an inherited sin nature, are sinners by choice, and incapable of reforming or ceasing sin through their own power. We believe the only hope of deliverance from sin is a total change of mind concerning our sinful condition and inability to change it on our own, is through a turning to Jesus Christ as the only Saviour. We believe that Christ's sacrifice on the cross is what pays the debt we owe for our sin and that all those who reject Jesus Christ as their Saviour are condemned for eternity in the Lake of Fire.
(1 Cor 15:3-4; Acts 4:19, 16:31; Rom. 3:10-23, 5:6-12, 6:23, 10:9-10; Eph 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-6; Rev 20:11-14)
We believe that salvation is "by grace" and therefore can not be "earned" and that we are justified by faith alone and are accounted righteous before God only through the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
(Ephesians 2:8-10; John 1:12; I Peter 1:18-19)
We believe that once saved, all the redeemed are kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ forever. This means that eternal life is given to every believer.
(John 6:37-40, 10:27-30; Romans 8:1, 38-39; I Corinthians 1:4-8; I Peter 1:4-5; Jude 1, 2).
4. Biblical Separation:
We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord; and, that separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and associations is commanded of God.
(2 Timothy 3:1-5; Romans 12:1, 2, 14:13; I John 2:15-17; 2 John 9-11; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1).
5. The Church:
We believe that the church is the body of Christ of which Jesus is the Head and whose members are those who have truly received Christ by faith. The local church is a tangible expression of the body of Christ in a particular location. Since all members of the body of Christ are united in Christ by the same Spirit, they should live in love, harmony and unity, being intent on the same purpose and accepting those sectarian or denominational practices which are based on a sincere interpretation of the Bible, which do not relate to substantive doctrinal matters, and which do not in practice cause disunity or hinder the ministry. The purpose of the church is to make Christ known to the lost, to make disciples, and to glorify God. (Acts 1:8; 1 Cor. 12:12-27; Eph 1:20-23, 4:1-6, 4:12-16; Matt. 28:18-20; John 17; Col. 1:24-29).
Ordinances of the Church:
We recognize the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper. Baptism is the immersion of a believer in water and is properly called “believer’s baptism.” It sets forth, in a beautiful and solemn way, our identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection, and the resultant responsibility to “walk in the newness of life” (Rom. 6:4). Baptism is a prerequisite to church membership.
The Lord’s Supper is the commemoration of the Lord’s death until He comes, is a reminder of our continual fellowship with Him, and should be preceded by careful self-examination.
(Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 8:36-39; Rom. 6:3-5; 1 Cor. 11:23-32).
6. Marriage and Unchaste Conduct:
We believe that God created man and woman in His image and instituted marriage between one biologically born man and one biologically born woman (Gen. 2:18–24). Marriage is a sacred, exclusive union between a man and woman and serves as a picture of Christ’s relationship with the church (Matt. 19:3–12, Eph. 5:22–33). We believe that God has commanded that sexual activity be exclusively reserved to a man and a woman who are legally married to each other; and that Scripture forbids any form of sexual immorality including adultery, fornication, homosexuality, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography.
(Matt. 5:27–28, 15:18–20; 1 Cor. 6:9, 18, 7:1–5; Heb. 13:4).
7. The Return of Christ:
We believe the "Blessed Hope" of our Lord's return is literal, personal, visible, imminent, premillennial, and pretribulational. Believers will be caught up to be with the Lord prior to the seven years of tribulation, and at the end of the tribulation Christ will return with His saints to establish His thousand-year reign on the earth. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; Revelation 3:10; Zechariah 14:4-11; Revelation 19:11-16, 20:1-6; Psalm 89:3-4)
8. Our Eternal State:
We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await the first resurrection, when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord.
(Luke 23:43; Rev 20:4-6; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Phil 1:23, 3:21; 1 Thes 4:16-17).
We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain in conscious misery until the second resurrection, when with soul and body reunited they shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment, and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting, conscious punishment.
(Luke 16:19-26; Mat 25:41-46; 2 Thes 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Mark 9:43-48; Revelation 20:11-15).
9. This Statement of Faith does not exhaust the extent of beliefs or practices of Charity Baptist Church (CBC). The Bible, as the inspired and infallible Word of God, is the final authority of all that we believe concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind. For the purposes of CBC’s doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, the Pastor is ultimately responsible for interpreting the meaning and application of Scripture.
We believe the 66 books of the Old and New Testament are the complete, inspired, infallible Word of God. We believe the verbal, plenary inspiration in the original writings, and God's preservation of His pure words to every generation
(2 Timothy 3:16, Psalms 12:6-8).
The Masoretic Text of the Old Testament and the Received Text of the New Testament (Textus Receptus) are those texts of the original languages we accept; the King James Version of the Bible (KJV) is the most accurate English translation of scripture available, is the preferred version, and the one used in our teaching. The Holy Bible reveals the principles by which God judges us, and therefore is, the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried; therefore, it is our sole authority for faith and practice.
2. God:
We believe in one true God eternally existing in three distinct persons (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) each of Whom is fully and equally God; possesses all of the divine nature and attributes, and is totally worthy of our worship and service
(Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; John 1:14, John 10:30; 2 Cor. 13:14).
God the Father:
We believe that God the Father is the first person of the Trinity and is the eternal, unchanging all-powerful, all-knowing, all-wise, all-loving, completely just and perfectly holy, sovereign Ruler and Sustainer of the universe. He is the Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the Father of all true believers
(Gen. 1:1; Eph. 4:6; John 1:12-13, John 5:19-21, John 17:1-5; Isa. 40:21-28, Isa. 43:10-13, Isa. 46:8-11; Rom. 8:14-16).
God the Son Jesus Christ:
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men. That the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His finished work on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead . That the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate (John 1:1-2, 14; Luke 1:35; Isa 9:6; 7:14; Phil 2:5-8; Gal 4:4-5; Rom 3:24-25; I Peter 2:24; Eph 1:7; I Peter 1:3-5; Acts 1:9-10; Heb 9:24, 7:25; Rom 8:34; I John 2:1-2).
God the Holy Spirit:
We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. His ministry on earth began at Pentecost and will continue until the rapture. He is the primary agent for the conviction of sin and for regeneration. Simultaneously with salvation, the Holy Spirit imparts new life, baptizes the believer into the body of Christ (His church), permanently indwells the believer, and securely seals the believer unto the day of redemption. The Holy Spirit fills (directs and controls) those believers who are yielded to Him, enables believers to bear fruit, and empowers believers to live a life free from sin’s dominion.
(John 16:7-8; 1 Cor. 6:19, 12:13; Eph. 1:13-14, 4:30; Gal. 5:16-17, 5:22-23; Rom. 8:5-13; 1 Pet. 4:10-11; Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 13:8, 1 Cor. 14:22)
3. Sin and Salvation:
We believe everyone is born with an inherited sin nature, are sinners by choice, and incapable of reforming or ceasing sin through their own power. We believe the only hope of deliverance from sin is a total change of mind concerning our sinful condition and inability to change it on our own, is through a turning to Jesus Christ as the only Saviour. We believe that Christ's sacrifice on the cross is what pays the debt we owe for our sin and that all those who reject Jesus Christ as their Saviour are condemned for eternity in the Lake of Fire.
(1 Cor 15:3-4; Acts 4:19, 16:31; Rom. 3:10-23, 5:6-12, 6:23, 10:9-10; Eph 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-6; Rev 20:11-14)
We believe that salvation is "by grace" and therefore can not be "earned" and that we are justified by faith alone and are accounted righteous before God only through the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
(Ephesians 2:8-10; John 1:12; I Peter 1:18-19)
We believe that once saved, all the redeemed are kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ forever. This means that eternal life is given to every believer.
(John 6:37-40, 10:27-30; Romans 8:1, 38-39; I Corinthians 1:4-8; I Peter 1:4-5; Jude 1, 2).
4. Biblical Separation:
We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord; and, that separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and associations is commanded of God.
(2 Timothy 3:1-5; Romans 12:1, 2, 14:13; I John 2:15-17; 2 John 9-11; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1).
5. The Church:
We believe that the church is the body of Christ of which Jesus is the Head and whose members are those who have truly received Christ by faith. The local church is a tangible expression of the body of Christ in a particular location. Since all members of the body of Christ are united in Christ by the same Spirit, they should live in love, harmony and unity, being intent on the same purpose and accepting those sectarian or denominational practices which are based on a sincere interpretation of the Bible, which do not relate to substantive doctrinal matters, and which do not in practice cause disunity or hinder the ministry. The purpose of the church is to make Christ known to the lost, to make disciples, and to glorify God. (Acts 1:8; 1 Cor. 12:12-27; Eph 1:20-23, 4:1-6, 4:12-16; Matt. 28:18-20; John 17; Col. 1:24-29).
Ordinances of the Church:
We recognize the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper. Baptism is the immersion of a believer in water and is properly called “believer’s baptism.” It sets forth, in a beautiful and solemn way, our identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection, and the resultant responsibility to “walk in the newness of life” (Rom. 6:4). Baptism is a prerequisite to church membership.
The Lord’s Supper is the commemoration of the Lord’s death until He comes, is a reminder of our continual fellowship with Him, and should be preceded by careful self-examination.
(Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 8:36-39; Rom. 6:3-5; 1 Cor. 11:23-32).
6. Marriage and Unchaste Conduct:
We believe that God created man and woman in His image and instituted marriage between one biologically born man and one biologically born woman (Gen. 2:18–24). Marriage is a sacred, exclusive union between a man and woman and serves as a picture of Christ’s relationship with the church (Matt. 19:3–12, Eph. 5:22–33). We believe that God has commanded that sexual activity be exclusively reserved to a man and a woman who are legally married to each other; and that Scripture forbids any form of sexual immorality including adultery, fornication, homosexuality, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography.
(Matt. 5:27–28, 15:18–20; 1 Cor. 6:9, 18, 7:1–5; Heb. 13:4).
7. The Return of Christ:
We believe the "Blessed Hope" of our Lord's return is literal, personal, visible, imminent, premillennial, and pretribulational. Believers will be caught up to be with the Lord prior to the seven years of tribulation, and at the end of the tribulation Christ will return with His saints to establish His thousand-year reign on the earth. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; Revelation 3:10; Zechariah 14:4-11; Revelation 19:11-16, 20:1-6; Psalm 89:3-4)
8. Our Eternal State:
We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await the first resurrection, when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord.
(Luke 23:43; Rev 20:4-6; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Phil 1:23, 3:21; 1 Thes 4:16-17).
We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain in conscious misery until the second resurrection, when with soul and body reunited they shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment, and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting, conscious punishment.
(Luke 16:19-26; Mat 25:41-46; 2 Thes 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Mark 9:43-48; Revelation 20:11-15).
9. This Statement of Faith does not exhaust the extent of beliefs or practices of Charity Baptist Church (CBC). The Bible, as the inspired and infallible Word of God, is the final authority of all that we believe concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind. For the purposes of CBC’s doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, the Pastor is ultimately responsible for interpreting the meaning and application of Scripture.
We teach and preach from the King James Bible only. There are many different versions of the Bible being produced as of late. Because of the small details that are unclear or altogether missing from other versions, we hold to the doctrinal purity of the King James Bible and trust it to be the authority in our local church.