El Bethel Christian Baptist Church
El Bethel Christian Baptist Church
Love, Unity, Growth & Prosperity
"God's Vision Moving Forward"
El Bethel Christian Baptist Church stands firmly on the Word of God. The foundation of our Code of Doctrine and Discipline is based on Baptist principles. In addition, we are members of the First West Florida Baptist District Association (FWFBDA).
STATEMENT OF FAITH
THE TRUE GOD – We believe there is One and Only One living and True God that eternally exists in three persons -- God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost equal in divine perfection (Matt. 28:19). An infinite, intelligent spirit, whose name is Jehovah, the maker and supreme ruler or Heaven and Earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness; and worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love; revealed under the personal and relative distinctions but harmonious offices in great work of redemption.
THE SCRIPTURES – We believe in the authoritative inspiration of the whole Bible and that the Bible is our only rule of faith and practice (Psalm 119:160; 2 Tim. 3:16-17). The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction; that it has God for its author, salvation for its end, the truth without any mixture of error for its matter; and that it shall remain to the end of the world the true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried.
THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH – We believe that God created the Heavens and the Earth in six days and on the seventh day He rested and called it the Sabbath day; He rules over all His creation by His Sovereign Power (Gen. 1; 2). We believe that the first day of the week is the Lord’s Day, or Christian Sabbath; and that it is to be kept sacred for religious purposes by abstaining from all secular labor and sinful recreations; by the devout observance of all the means of grace, both private and public, and by preparation for the rest which remaineth for the people of God.
FALL OF MAN - We believe that satan is a fallen angel, the archenemy of God and man, the unholy god of this world, and that his destiny is the eternal lake of fire (Isa. 14:12-15; Ezek. 28:11-19; Matt. 25:41; 2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 6:10-17; Rev. 20:10). We believe that Man was created in the image of God and lived in innocency until he fell by voluntary transgression from his sinless state, the result being that all mankind are sinners (Gen. 1:26; Gen. 3:6-24; Rom. 5:12, 19), not by constraint, but by choice, being by nature utterly void of that holiness required by the law of God, wholly given to the gratification of the world, of satan, and of their own sinful passions, therefore, under just condemnation to eternal ruin, without defense or excuse.
THE BIRTH AND RESURRECTION OF CHRIST – We believe in the virgin birth and sinless humanity of Jesus Christ (Matt. 1:18-20; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Peter 2:22); that He was divine and that He was and is God incarnate (John 10:30; John 1:1, 14; 2 Cor. 5:19); that the suffering and death of Jesus Christ was a substitute for the sin of all mankind and is effective only to those who believe (Isa. 53:6; Heb. 2:9; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Peter 3:18; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 John 2:2). We believe in the bodily resurrection and ascension of Christ and the bodily resurrection of His saints (Matt. 28:1-7; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Cor. 15:42-58; 1 Thess. 4:13-18).
BAPTISM AND THE LORDS SUPPER – We believe that there are two pictorial ordinances in the Lord's churches: Baptism and the Lord's Supper. Scriptural baptism is the immersion of repentant believers in water, administered by the authority of a New Testament church in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Lord's Supper is a memorial ordinance, restricted to the members of the church observing the ordinance (Matt. 28:19, 20; Acts 8:12, 38; Rom. 6:4; 1 Cor. 5:11-13; 1 Cor. 11:1, 2, 17-20, 26).
THE WORLD TO COME – We believe in the second coming of Jesus Christ. This event will include the resurrection of the righteous when they enter into heaven, and the unrighteous unto eternal punishment in the lake of fire (John 14:1-6; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; 2 Thess. 2:8; Rev. 19; Rev. 20:4-6; Rev. 20:11-15; Rev. 21:8).
GRACE IN REGENERATION – We believe that the depraved sinner is saved wholly by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, and the provisions to regeneration (or being born again) are repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 13:3-5; John 3:16-18; Acts 20:21; Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:8, 9), and that the Holy Spirit convicts sinners, regenerates, seals, secures, and indwells every believer (John 3:6; John 16:8, 9; Rom. 8:9-11; 1 Cor. 6:19, 20; Eph. 4:30; Titus 3:5).
THE WAY OF SALVATION – We believe that all who trust Jesus Christ for salvation are eternally secure in Him and shall not perish (John 3:36; John 5:24; John 10:27-30; Rom. 8:35-39; Heb. 10:39; 1 Peter 1:5). That the salvation of sinners is wholly by grace; through the Mediatorial Offices of the Son of God, who by the appointment of His personal obedience, and made atonement: for our sins by His death; being risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in Heaven; and uniting in His wonderful Person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfections, He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, compassionate and all-sufficient Savior.
PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS – We believe that God deals with believers as His children, that He chastises the disobedient, and that He rewards the obedient; that their persevering attachment to Christ is the grand mark which distinguishes them from mere professors; that special providence watches over their welfare; and that they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation (Matt. 16:27; Matt. 25:14-23; John 1:12; Heb. 12:5-11; 2 John 8; Rev. 22:12).
THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH - We believe that Jesus Christ established His church during His ministry on earth and that it is always a local, visible assembly of scripturally baptized believers in covenant relationship to carry out the Commission of the Lord Jesus Christ, and each church is an independent, self-governing body, and no other ecclesiastical body may exercise authority over it. We believe that Jesus Christ gave the Great Commission to the New Testament churches only, and that He promised the indefinite existence of His churches (Matt. 4:18-22; Matt. 16:18; Matt. 28:19, 20; Mark 1:14-20; John 1:35-51; Eph. 3:21); that the Holy Spirit is the divine Administrator for Jesus Christ in His churches (Luke 24:49; John 14:16, 17; Acts 1:4, 5, 8; Acts 2:1-4).
THE GOSPEL CHURCH – We believe that the only two divinely appointed offices in a church are pastors and deacons to be filled by men whose qualifications, claims, and duties are set forth in Titus and 1st Timothy. We believe that a visible church is a congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the 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 work.
DISCIPLESHIP – We believe that love (one for another) as Jesus loves the believer manifests our discipleship, proves our love for God and symbolizes our authority as New Testament churches. Love is therefore the great commandment of the LORD Jesus Christ upon which all others are dependent (Matt. 22:35-40; John 13:34, 35; John 15:12; 1 John 4:7-21; 1 John 5:1-3; Rev. 2:4, 5).
CIVIL GOVERNMENT – We believe in freedom of worship without interference from the government and affirm our belief in civil obedience, unless the laws and regulations of civil government run contrary to the Holy Scriptures (Rom. 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-15).
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