A. The Scriptures

We believe in the authority and sufficiency of the Holy Bible, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, as originally written. The Bible was verbally and plenarily (full, complete, covering all matters) inspired and is the product of Spirit-controlled men. Therefore, it is infallible and inerrant in all matters of which it speaks. We believe the Bible to be the true center of Christian unity and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creed, and opinions shall be tried (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21).

B. The True God

We believe there is one and only one true and living God, an infinite Spirit, and maker and supreme ruler of Heaven and Earth. He is inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love. We believe that in the unity of the Godhead, there are three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; equal in every divine perfection and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption (Exodus 20:2-3; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Revelation 4:11). 

C. The Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature, and that He was active in the Creation. We believe that in His relation to the unbelieving world, He restrains the Evil One until God's purpose is fulfilled. We believe that He convicts of sin, of righteousness and of judgment, and that He seals, gifts, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies, and helps the believer (John 14:16, 17; Matthew 28:19; Genesis 1:1-3; John 16:7-11; Acts 5:30-32; John 3:5, 6; Ephesians 1:13, 14; Romans 8:14, 16, 26, 27).

D. The Devil, or Satan

We believe in the reality and personality of Satan (the Devil). He was created by God as an angel, but through pride and rebellion became the enemy of his Creator. We believe that he became the unholy god of this age and the ruler of all the powers of darkness and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire (Matthew 4:1-11; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:10).

E. Creation

We believe the biblical account of the literal, six-day creation of the physical universe, angels, and man. We believe that this account is neither allegory nor myth, but a historical account of the direct, immediate creative acts of God without any evolutionary process or previously existing forms of life. All men are descended from the historical Adam and Eve, the first parents of the entire human race. In light of this Divine creation, we believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally disabled, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We believe in the sanctity of life and are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life (Genesis 1, 2; Colossians. 1:16-17; John 1:3, Psalms 139).

F. Gender and Sexuality

We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person. We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other. We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of marriage. We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including, but not limited to, adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography, etc.) is sinful and offensive to God. We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of FBJC as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a biblical role model to the FBJC members and the community, it is imperative that all members, all persons employed by FBJC in any capacity, and/or all who serve as volunteers, agree to and abide by this biblical understanding of Gender and Sexuality. We also believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ, and that every person must be afforded compassion, love, and kindness. We believe hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture or the doctrines of FBJC (Genesis 1:26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:18; 7:2- 5; Hebrews 13:4, Matthew 15:18-20; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Matthew 5:16; Philippians 2:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:22, Acts 3:19-21; Romans 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31).

G. The Fall of Man

We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker and in the image and likeness of God. By voluntary transgression Adam fell from his sinless and happy state. In Adam all have sinned, and as a result all are totally depraved partakers of Adam’s fallen nature, and sinners by nature and conduct. Therefore, all are under just condemnation by God and are without defense or excuse (Genesis 31:1-6; Romans 1:18, 32; 3:10-19; 5:12, 19).

H. The Virgin Birth

We believe Jesus was begotten of the Holy Spirit in a miraculous manner, born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man 6 was ever born. He is the Son of God and God the Son (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25).

I. Salvation

We believe the salvation of sinners is divinely initiated and wholly of grace through Jesus Christ. We believe that by the appointment of the Father, Jesus Christ voluntarily took upon Himself our likeness, qualifying Himself to be our Savior. By the shedding of His blood in His death, He fully satisfied the just demands of a holy and righteous God regarding sin. His sacrifice was a voluntary substitution of Himself for our sins in His own body on the Cross. Having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in Heaven, and is in every way qualified to be a suitable, compassionate, and allsufficient Savior. We believe faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation. An integral part of saving faith is repentance, which is a change of mind and purpose toward God, prompted by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:8; Romans 3:24, 25; John 3:16; Philippians 2:7, 8; Isaiah, 53:4-7; 1 John 4:10; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24).

J. Resurrection and Priesthood of Christ

We believe in the bodily resurrection of Christ and in His ascension into Heaven, where He now sits at the right hand of the Father as our High Priest, interceding for us (John 20:27; 1 Corinthians 15:4; Luke 24:2-6, 51; Acts 1:9-11; Hebrews 8:6; 12:2; 7:25; 1 John 2:1).

K. Grace and the New Birth

We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born from above by the Holy Spirit. The result of this is a new creation in Christ Jesus, a “new birth,” a conversion that is instantaneous and not a process. In the new birth, the one dead in trespasses and sin is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God. The new creation is brought about by the sovereign God in a manner beyond human comprehension, solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in obedience to the Gospel. The believer’s changed life is evidenced by the holy fruits of repentance, faith, and newness of life (John 3:3; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 John 5:1; 2 Peter 1:4; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1, 5).

L. Justification

We believe that justification is the judicial act of God whereby He declares the believer righteous upon the basis of the imputed righteousness of Christ. It is bestowed, not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ (Romans 3:24; 4:5; 5:1, 9; Galatians 2:16; Philippians 3:9).

M. Sanctification

We believe sanctification is the divine setting apart of the believer unto God, accomplished in a threefold manner: (1) an eternal act of God establishing the believer in a position of holiness at the moment he trusts in Jesus Christ, (2) a continuing process as the Holy Spirit applies the Word of God to the believer’s life, (3) a process completed when the believer meets Christ (Hebrews 1:10-14; John 17:17; Ephesians 5:25-27; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4; 5:23-24; 1 John 3:2).

N. The Security of the Believer

We believe all who are truly born again are kept by God the Father for Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6; John 10:28-29; Romans 8:35-39; Jude 1).

O. The Local Church

We believe in the unity of all born-again believers in the Church which is the body of Christ. We believe the local church is an organized body of baptized believers, associated by common faith and fellowship in the Gospel, observing the ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws, gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word. We believe the one and only Head of the local church is Christ. The officers of the local church are pastors and deacon/trustees, (hereafter referred to as “deacons”), whose qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures. We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government on all matters of membership polity, government, discipline, and benevolence free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations. It is scriptural for local churches of like faith to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and the furtherance of the Gospel. However, each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation (Acts 20:17-28; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Acts 1:8, 2:41 -47; 6:1-7; 13:1-4; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 4:15-16; 1 Peter 5:1-4; 1 Corinthians 12:12, 13; Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:1- 11).

P. Baptism and the Lord's Supper [see also Article 7]

We believe that Christian baptism is the single immersion of a believer in water to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our identification with the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, through whom we died to sin and rose to a new life. We believe that baptism is to be performed under the authority of the local church, and that it is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership. We believe that the Lord's Supper is the commemoration of His death until He comes, and should likewise be performed under the authority of the local church, preceded always by solemn self-examination (Acts 8:36, 38; John 3:23; Matthew 3:16; Colossians 2:12; 1 Corinthians 11:23-28; Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:41,42).

Q. Separation

We believe in obedience to the biblical commands to separate ourselves unto God from worldliness, ecclesiastical apostasy, and compromise (2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1; 1 Thessalonians 1:9, 10; 1 Timothy 6:3-5; Romans 16:17; 2 John 9-11).

R. Civil Government

We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interests and good order of human society. We believe that authorities are to be prayed for and conscientiously honored and obeyed, except in those things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only Lord of the conscience and the coming King of kings (Romans 13:1-7; Matthew 22:21; Acts 5:29; 4:19, 20; Daniel 3:17, 18).

S. Israel

We believe in the sovereign selection of Israel as God's eternal covenant people, that she is now alienated because of her disobedience and rejection of Christ. We believe that Israel will be regathered in the Holy Land, and after the completion of the Church Age, will be saved as a nation at the second advent of Christ (Genesis 13:14-17; Romans 11:1-32; Ezekiel 37:15-28).

T. Rapture and Subsequent Events

We believe in the premillennial return of Christ, an event which can occur at any moment. At that moment, the dead in Christ shall be raised in glorified bodies, and the living in Christ shall be given glorified bodies without tasting death. All shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air before the seven years of the Great Tribulation. We believe that the tribulation, which follows the rapture of the Church, will culminate in the revelation of Christ in power and great glory to sit upon the throne of David and to establish the millennial kingdom (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:42-44, 51-54; Philippians 3:20, 21; Revelation 3:10 Daniel 9:25-27; Matthew 24:29-31; Luke 1:30-33; Isaiah 11:1-9; Revelation 20:1-4, 6).

U. The Righteous and the Wicked

We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him. Only those who are justified by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and sanctified by the Spirit are truly righteous. All who continue in unbelief are wicked in His sight and under the curse of sin. This distinction is true in life and in death, in the everlasting joy of the righteous in heaven, and the everlasting suffering of the lost in hell (Malachi 3:18; 1 John 5:19; Proverbs 14:32; Luke 16:25; Matthew 25:34-41; Revelation 20:14, 15).

V. The Family

God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. It is composed of persons related to one another by marriage, blood, or adoption. Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. It is God’s unique gift to reveal the union between Christ and His church and to provide for the man and the woman in marriage the framework for intimate companionship, the channel of sexual expression according to biblical standards, and the means for procreation of the human race. Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and heritage from the Lord. Parents are to demonstrate to their children God’s pattern for marriage (Genesis 1:26-28; 2:15-25; Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Proverbs 5:15-20; 6:20-22; 13:24; 22:6,15; Malachi 2:14-16; Matthew 5:31-32; 18:2-5; 19:3-9; Mark 10:6-12; Romans 1:18-32; I Corinthians 7:1-16; Ephesians 5:21-33; 6:1-4; 1 Timothy 5:14; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Peter 3:1-7).

W. Final Authority for Matters of Belief and Conduct

The First Baptist Church Statement of Faith does not exhaust the full 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. For purposes of FBJC’s faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, our Head Pastor and Board of Deacons are the church’s final interpretive authority on the Bible’s meaning and application. They shall have final authority in all matters of church governance, as set forth and described in the Bylaws.