What We Believe

statement 1-The Bible

We believe the Bible is the revealed Word of God, given to us directly from God Himself, by complete inspiration of the Holy Spirit.  Holy men of God wrote the very words and sense of God as they were moved by the Holy Spirit to do so.  The Bible does not contain the Word of God; it is the very Word of God.  The scriptures in their original autographs are infallible, inerrant, God-breathed, and are, therefore, the final authority for all faith and life.  The 66 books of the Old and New Testaments are the complete revelation of God to man.  They are profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and for instruction in righteousness.  The Bible is the sole rule of practice and teaching for His church.

2 Peter 1:21; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Psalm 12:6-7, 19:7

statement 2-God

We believe that the Bible and God Himself declares that there is one, and only one, living and true God.  He is eternal, self-existent, Creator, supreme in holiness, ultimate in glory, worthy of all praise, honor and love.  He is omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, and sovereign as only He can be.  He has one divine nature and essence, yet manifests Himself to man in 3 persons; the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Exodus 3:14; Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:5; 1 Timothy 1:17; Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14

            statement 2a- The Father

God the Father is a Spirit never seen by men.  He is the sovereign Creator and planner of salvation for His creation.  All things are under His sovereign rule, and according to His purposes.  He is loving in His affection for all men, and is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.  It is the Father’s glory that we have sinned against, and it is to the father we must be reconciled.

 Genesis 1:1; Psalm 83:18, 90:2; Isaiah 43:7; Job 42:2; John 1:18, 4:24; Romans 3:23; Ephesians 1:3-6; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 1 Timothy 2:3-4

           statement 2b- The Son

Jesus Christ is God the Son.  He has existed from eternity past in perfect love, fellowship, harmony, and unity with the Father and the Spirit; co-existent, co-equal, and co-eternal.  All things were created by, for, and through Him.  All things hold together through Him. He was born of Mary, a virgin, as no one else has ever nor will ever be.  He is the God-man, fully God and fully man.  He lived a sinless life, died on the cross, rose again after 3 days, and is alive at the Father’s right hand.  He is the purchaser of salvation.  His precious blood that was shed on Calvary is the redemption for sin, and the propitiation to the Father.  He died a substitutionary atonement for the sins of mankind.  He is the Head of the Church, and is its founder and High Priest.  He is the Mediator, and Advocate of those who believe in Him.  He will return to this Earth to rule as absolute King, and His faithful Bride will reign with Him.

Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14, 9:6-7, 43:11; Micah 5:2; John 1:1-3, 1:14, 1:29; Acts 2:22-36; Romans 3:21-26, 5:6-11; Philippians 2:5-11; 1 Timothy 1:15, 2:5, 3:16; Hebrews 1:1-5, 3:1, 7:26, 9:24-26; 1 John 2:2 Revelation 20:1-6

           statement 2c- The Holy Spirit

The Spirit is also co-existent, co-eternal, and co-equal with the Father and the Son.  He is the active force of the Trinity.  He was active at Creation.  He has always been active in representing the Father and the Son to man.  He inspired holy men to write scripture.  He convicts man of sin, and accompanies the Word of God.  He regenerates the sinner at the point of faith in Christ, and seals them as a child of God for eternity.  His dwelling place is in His church, and He is her Comforter and Helper.  He works in the hearts and lives of her members to sanctify them, and fill their hearts and minds. 

Genesis 1:2; Matthew 28:19; John 3:5-6, 14:16-17, 15:26, 16:7-15; Ephesians 1:13-14; 1 Corinthians 2:10-12; 1 Peter 1:2

We believe the supernatural gifts of the Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and healing, are no longer needed.  They were temporary and for a specific purpose.  We now have the greater gifts of the completed Bible, faith, hope, and love.

1 Corinthians 13:8-13, 14:21-22

statement 3- Satan

 We believe Satan is a real and active person.  He is the fallen angel Lucifer.  He was created holy and held a high and honorable place in Heaven.  However, he chose to exalt himself against Almighty God, and therefore sinned, and therefore was cast out of Heaven.  A third of the angels fell with him, and they are now the demons the scriptures speak of.  Hell was created as a place of judgment for him and those who fell with him.  He is the enemy of God, the Bible, and the Church.  He is not equal in any way with God, as he is a created being.  He is mankind’s tempter, the accuser of the saints, the prince of the power of the air of this world, and the ruler of the darkness of this age.  The man of sin who is to come (the antichrist) will rise by his power.  He will ultimately be totally defeated by Christ at the end of the Millennial reign, and will be cast forever into the lake of fire at the Great White Throne judgment.

Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28;14-15; Matthew 4:1, 25:41; 2 Corinthians 11:13-15; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10; 1 Peter 5:8; Revelation 12:7-9,13:4, 20:1-4, 20:7-10

statement 4- Creation

We believe the Biblical account of creation.  God created everything in the physical universe, and everything in the spiritual realm.  This account is literal and historical. It is not a myth nor is it an allegory.  God created everything in six days. He also created all governing laws and forces that control the universe.  All things were created by the very word of God, and no evolutionary process took place.  Man is a direct creation of God, and is made in His image.

Genesis 1 and 2; John 1:1-4; Colossians 1:16-17

                statement 4a- Gender

                We believe that the Bible records for us, unmistakably and clearly, that God has created clear gender lines between male and female, that this is by His design, and that each gender has clear characteristics and roles designed by the Creator Himself.  Any practice of transgenderism, mutilation of the body, reassignment surgery and the like, are a direct transgression against God’s original design and command, and therefore sinful.

Genesis 1:26-27

                statement 4b- Marriage

                We believe the Bible teaches and declares that marriage is the joining of one man and one woman into a lifelong covenant with one another before God and man.  Any other form of marriage is a transgression against God’s design and command, and therefore sinful.  Sexual intimacy is to be enjoyed within the marriage relationship between one man and one woman.  Any other form of sexual intimacy is a transgression against God’s design and command, and therefore sinful.  This includes sex before and outside of marriage, pornography, homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, and incest.

Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6; Romans 1:24-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-7:5; Ephesians 5:22-33; Hebrews 13:4

statement 5- Sin

We believe the Bible records and declares man’s sinful condition before God.  Man was created in God’s image; perfect, sinless, holy, and in perfect communion with God.  Satan tempted and deceived Eve in the Garden of Eden.  Adam chose to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil when God had commanded him not to.  At this moment, sin entered and man fell into sin.  Because of the sin of Adam, sin and death have passed to all mankind.  All humanity is descendants of Adam, and partake in his sin.  Sin has separated us from God, causing us to sin directly against Him in action, and fail to glorify Him as we were created to do.  Man stands guilty before God for his sin, and face the judgement for sin: an eternity in the Lake of Fire.  We cannot save ourselves by our works.  We are born dead in sin.

Genesis 3; Romans 3:9-20, 5:12, 6:23; Ephesians 2:1-3; Revelation 20:11-15

statement 6- Salvation

We believe that salvation is by grace through faith alone.  Man cannot save himself, and is totally unable to do so.  Salvation is the free gift of God to those who believe.  The Gospel of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the only power to save sinners and give them life.  Jesus shed his precious blood for the propitiation and atonement of sins.  Jesus is the Lamb of God slain before the foundation of the world.  His blood is the only cleansing agent able to wash away the sin of man.

Each individual must come to a knowledge of his sin before God, as the Holy Spirit convicts him, and turn in repentance to Jesus.  This comes by hearing the Word of the Gospel.  Each person must believe that Jesus died for their sins, and purchased their salvation.  At the moment one believes and puts their faith in Jesus, they are eternally saved.  No saved person will ever go to Hell or the Lake of Fire.

We believe the Bible declares the necessity of a new birth salvation.  One must be born again by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.  We are not saved by merely agreeing with the Gospel account, nor do we grow into it over time, nor does one inherit salvation.  We are born again as we place our faith in Christ.  At the moment of salvation, the sinner is regenerated.  He is a new creation in Christ. His spirit stands justified by God from all sin.

God wants all men to be saved.  Jesus invites all men to come to Him.  All who remain in their condemned state do so because they will not believe.

John 1:9-13, 1:29, 3:1-21, 4:13, 5:39-40, 6:51, 10:10; Romans 1:16, 3:21-26, 5:6-11, 6:23, 10:8-17; Ephesians 1:6-7, 1:12-14, 2:8-10; 1 Corinthians 3:15, 5:7, 15:1-4, 15:20-22; 1 Peter 1:17-21; 1 John 2:2; Revelation 1:5; Titus 3:3-8

statement 6- Baptism

We believe the importance of believer’s baptism into the church body.  Baptism does not, in any way, save a person from Hell.  Baptism is the public identification with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  It is a public declaration of the inward salvation, and a commitment to a new life through a New Testament Church.  Baptism is the beginning of a new life as a servant of the Lord through church membership, and the future hope of the resurrection.  It is always and only by immersion.  All other methods are a transgression of God’s design and command, and therefore sinful.  It is only to be administered by the authority of His New Testament church.

Matthew 3:13-17; Romans 6:1-23; Acts 19:1-7

statement 7- The Church

We believe all believers are to be baptized and added to the church.  The church was instituted by Christ during His personal earthly ministry.  He called out to Himself the 12 apostles and they were established as the first church, before the day of Pentecost.  Jesus is the only one to ever have authority to establish His church.  He is the rock, foundation, and builder of His church.  He gave her promises and instruction during His ministry.  The Holy Spirit came in power on the church on the day of Pentecost.  The church is a local, visible body, and is never universal nor invisible.  Not all the saved are in the church.  Not all assemblies claiming to be His qualify as scriptural churches.  Jesus promised that His church would never go out of existence, and He has kept His promise.  His church never turned in to another church, and therefore never needed a reformation.  His church, often persecuted and hated, by different names given to them, has continued to this day, and will continue until He returns.  His churches are to hold to and practice the landmark doctrines of Scripture; such as: salvation by grace, baptism, the local church, closed communion, church discipline, sanctification in the member’s life, church perpetuity, the importance of missionaries, and the future hope of the faithful Bride. 

Matthew 4:18-21, 9:9, 10:1-5, 16:16-19, 18:15-18, 28:18-20; Acts 2:41-42, Galatians 1:2; Ephesians 3:21, 1 Corinthians 3:11, Revelation 1:4, 1:11-13, 1:20, 2:5, 3:16

                statement 7a- Church Ordinances

The church has been given two ordinances to protect and practice.  These are baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Supper.  Baptism is required for proper service as it presents a purification of the flesh; it places us within the local church body, and identifies us with the future hope of the resurrection.  Baptism is to be performed only once, and this is a prerequisite to church membership. We believe the Lord’s Supper is a commemoration of His death and a confirmation of our relation with Him in the New Covenant.  the unleavened bread represents his body that was broken for us, and the fruit of the vine represents his blood that was spilled for our salvation.  We are to practice this within each local body until He returns.  The Supper is to be restricted to each local body and the members within that local body.  These two ordinances present a complete picture of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and are to be practiced as He delivered them until His return.

Matthew 3:16, 28:18-19; 26:26-29; John 3:23; Acts 8:35-39; Romans 6:1-5; 1 Corinthians 11:17-33; Colossians 2:12

                statement 7b- Church Officers

The church has been given two officers; pastors and deacons.  Pastors are called by God to lead His flock as an under shepherd.  They are to live a life of strict obedience and holiness.  Deacons are set aside by the church to fulfill and serve material needs.  We believe these offices can only be filled by men.

Acts 6:1-7, 20:28-32; 1 Timothy 3:1-15; 1 Peter 5:1-4

               statement 7c- Church Government

We believe each church is an autonomous body, with Christ as her head.  Each church is self- governing, self-supporting, self-disciplining, and self-perpetuating.  Each church answers to Christ alone and no government nor governing body. The will of the local church is final.  The members are to be obedient to the laws of the land, as long as those laws do not contradict the Holy Word of God.

1 Corinthians 3:16-17, 5:4-13; Romans 13:1-4

            statement 7d- Church Perpetuity

Jesus promised the perpetuity of His church.  His church has continued from the time He started it until this day.  This happens by one local body separating members from its own body to be formed into a new local body.

Acts 8:14-17, 13:1-4

statement 8- Sanctification

We believe the sanctification of a believer begins at salvation and is progressive as that one yields himself to the commands of God and Scripture.  This continues through baptism, church membership, and a daily obedience to the moral and spiritual compass of the Word.  Through sanctification, we are made to be Holy as He is Holy, and are set apart for His use.  This culminates in a justification of our life by God, as He has made our lives Holy.

John 17:17; Romans 1:17, 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 1:30, 6:11; Ephesians 1:18-23, 2:8-22, 4:20-24, 5:26-27; Philippians 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8, 5:23; 1 Peter 1:15-16; 2 Peter 1:5-10

statement 9- Last Things

We believe in a literal Heaven and a literal Hell.  Those who are saved pass immediately into Heaven and the presence of God when they die, and are waiting for the resurrection of their bodies when Christ shall return.  Those who do not believe pass immediately into Hell and are tormented in flame and fire until the Great White Throne judgment.  There they will be cast into the Lake of Fire for eternity.  We believe in the physical bodily return of Jesus Christ to this Earth.  This will be preceded by a seven year period known as the Great Tribulation.  During this period, the Antichrist will rise to power, deceive the world, and make war against Israel and the saints.  This will come to an end at the last (7th) trump as Christ will return.  Those who are faithful to Him will be caught up with Him in the air.  This is the first resurrection, and those who are called up will be His Bride.  Only the faithful from all ages are called.  The rest of the dead do not come back until the Great White Throne.  Christ will rule and reign from this Earth with His Bride for a period of 1000 years, known as the Millennial Kingdom.  Satan will be bound for most of that period.  He will be loosed at the end and will stage an unsuccessful rebellion against Christ the King.  He will be defeated and thrown into the Lake of Fire for eternity.  After that, the rest of the dead are resurrected and judged at the Great White Throne.  This is the second resurrection, and is for all the lost and the unfaithful saved.  The lost are cast into the Lake of Fire for eternity.  A new Heaven and a new Earth are created, and the Eternal Age will begin.  Those who are part of the Bride will enjoy special fellowship and privileges for eternity.  Those who are saved will dwell in perfect peace and joy for eternity.

2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:21-23; 2 Timothy 4:6-8; Revelation 6:9-11; Luke 16:19-31; Matthew 16:27, 24:3-31; 25:13; Acts 1:11; 1 Timothy 6:15; Daniel 9:24-27; Revelation 6-18; 1 Corinthians 15:50-58; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11; 2 Thessalonians 1:11-2:16; Revelation 19:6-22:20

The Scriptures declare, and therefore we believe, these things.

we have also adopted the articles of faith of the old California state missionary Baptist association

if you have any questions, feel free to email us at: faithbaptistfoothills@gmail.com