Our Beliefs

The Bible

We believe in the absolute authority, accuracy and inerrancy of the 66 books of the Bible; the full verbal inspiration of the original manuscripts and the all-sufficiency and final authority of the Bible as the Christian’s rule of faith and practice (Proverbs 30:5; Isaiah 40:8; 2 Timothy 3:16, 17; 2 Peter 1:19-21).

Trinity

We believe in one God, Creator and Sustainer of all things, eternally existing in three person, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; that these are equal in every divine perfection and that they carry out distinct but harmonious functions in the work of creation, providence, and redemption (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19, 2 Corinthians 13:14).

The Father

We believe in God the Father, an infinite personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. We believe 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 (Leviticus 11:45; John 4:24; 1 Peter 1:3; John 3:16).

Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person, equal with the Father and the Son; that He convicts of sin, righteousness and judgment; that He bears witness to the church; that He is the agent of the new birth; that at conversion He baptizes the believer into the Body of Christ; and that he seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses to, sanctifies and helps the believer, indwelling every true child of God (John 16:8-11; 3:3-7; Ephesians 1:13; 2 Corinthians 13:14; John 14:16,17; Romans 8:14-27; 1 Corinthians 12:12,13).

Jesus Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal and only begotten Son of God, conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, and that he is true God and true man and is the only Mediator between God and man (Luke 1:35; John 1:1, 12, 14; 14:9; 1 Timothy 2:5).

Mankind

We believe God created mankind in His image as male and female. We believe in the historicity of Adam and Eve, who though created free from sin, sinned resulting in the sin nature being passed down to every human being. All people are now sinners by nature and choice, resulting in both spiritual death and physical death (Genesis 1:26; Ezekiel 18:20a; Romans 3:23; Titus 3:5; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 6:23).

Justification

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures as a representative and substitutionary Sacrifice and that all who believe on Him are justified on the ground of His shed blood (1 Corinthians 15:3, 4; Revelation 1:5).

Salvation

We believe that salvation is by grace through faith, not of works, and that all who receive by faith the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are born again of the Holy Spirit, thereby becoming children of God. We believe in the eternal security of the believer (Ephesians 2:8-9; John 3:3, 7; 1:12; 10:27-29; Romans 8:14-17).

Resurrection

We believe in the bodily resurrection of our crucified Lord, in His ascension into heaven and in His present ministry there for us as High Priest and Advocate (1 Corinthians 15:4; Acts 1:9-11; Hebrews 4:14-16; 1 John 2:1-2). We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just, the bodily resurrection of the unjust, the everlasting conscious blessedness of the saved and the everlasting conscious punishment of the lost (1 Corinthians 15:20-24; Revelation 20:12-15; 2 Corinthians 5:8).

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 through saving faith in Jesus Christ have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. We believe that this universal body expresses itself in local assemblies whose members have made a credible confession of faith, and who have voluntarily associated themselves for worship, for instruction, for evangelism, and for service. We believe in the autonomy of the local church while at the same time recognize the benefit of working in cooperation with other like-minded churches in obeying the Great Commandments and fulfilling the Great Commission (1 Corinthians 12:12-13:7, Colossians 1:18a).

Baptism

We believe that God’s Word commands every believer to be baptized. It is our conviction and normal practice that baptism is correctly administered by immersion in water. Though baptism has no saving merit, it shows forth in solemn and beautiful symbolism the believer’s faith in and union with the crucified, buried and risen Savior (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:41; Acts 8:38; Acts 18:8; Romans 6:3-5).

The Lord’s Supper

We believe that the Lord’s Supper is an ordinance of Christ, providing the bread and the cup as symbols of Christ’s broken body and shed blood; that the Lord’s Supper is to be partaken of by saved individuals in commemoration of the suffering and death of their Lord and in anticipation of His soon coming again: and that its observance is to be preceded by faithful self-examination (Luke 22:19, 20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-30).

The Future

We believe in the personal and visible return of Jesus Christ in glory and power. We also believe in the bodily resurrection and eternal existence of all people: either in a new heaven and new earth for the saved where they will be forever in God’s presence and fellowship, or in the eternal punishment of hell where the lost will be forever separated from God and His presence. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17; Revelation 19:11-16; 20:1-15; 21:1-8).

This Statement of Faith does not exhaust the extent of our beliefs. The Bible itself, as the inspired and infallible Word of God that speaks with final authority concerning truth, morality, and the proper conduct of mankind, is the sole and final source of all that we believe. Our Elders, meeting together as a group, shall serve as our final interpretive authority on the Bible’s meaning and application for purposes of Charlton Baptist Church’s faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline.