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Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church
Articles Of Faith
1. Of the Scriptures:
“We believe that 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, and truth without any mixture of error for its matter; that it reveals the principles by which God will judge us, and therefore is, and 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 shall be tried: That the Holy Bible should be our only guide of faith and practice: That the King James Version alone should be used.
2. Of The True God:
“We believe that there is one, and only one living and true God, and infinite, almighty, all wise, everywhere present, unchangeable God: Whose name is Jehovah; The Maker and Supreme Ruler and Creator of Heaven and earth and all that there is or was or ever shall be: Inexpressibly glorious in His Holiness, and alone worthy of all possible honor, confidence, worship, praise, and love; That in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, The Father, The Son, And The Holy Ghost; Equal in every Divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the Great work of redemption.
3. Of The Fall Of Man:
“We believe that man was created in the likeness and image of God, perfect and holy, brought into being by God, under the law of His maker: but by voluntary transgression fell from the holy and happy state: in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners in God’s sight, both by choice and nature: being by nature utterly void of that Holiness required by the law of God: Positively inclined to evil: And therefore under just condemnation to eternal hell, without defense or excuse: We believe in the total depravity of man.
4. Of The Way Of Salvation:
“We believe that salvation of sinners is wholly of Grace, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ: Who through the mediatorial office of the Son of God; freely took upon Himself our sins: Yet without sin; Honored the Divine law by His personal obedience, and by His death, made a full atonement for our sins; that having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in heaven; He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate, and all-sufficient Saviour: That Salvation is in Him alone.
5. Of Justification:
“We believe that the great Gospel blessing which Christ secured to such as believe in Him is justification: That justification includes the pardon of sin, and the promise of eternal life: On the principles of righteousness that is bestowed, not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, But solely through faith in the Redeemer’s blood: by virtue of which Faith His perfect righteousness is freely imputed to us of God: That it brings us into a state of most blessed peace and favor with God: and secures every other blessing needful for time and eternity.
6. Of The Freeness Of Salvation:
“We believe that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the Gospel: That it is the immediate duty of all to accept them by a cordial, penitent, and obedient faith: And that nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth, except his own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the Gospel: Which rejection involves him in an aggravated condemnation.
7. Of Grace In Regeneration:
“We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be regenerated, or born again: That regeneration consists in giving a Holy disposition to the mind, that the heart or inner man is so changed by the operation of the Holy Spirit as to be beyond our finite comprehension: So as to secure our voluntary obedience to the Gospel: And that it’s proper evidence appears in the Holy fruits of repentance, and faith, and newness of life: That there is a definite time and place when this takes place and is felt in the inner most being.
8. Of Repentance And Faith:
“We believe that repentance and faith are sacred duties, and also inseparable Graces, wrought in our souls by the regenerating Spirit of God: Whereby being deeply convinced of our guilt, danger and helplessness, and of the way of salvation in Christ, We turn to God with unfeigned contrition, and supplication, for mercy: at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as our prophet, Priest, and King, and relying upon Him, alone as the only and all-sufficient Saviour.
9. Of God’s Purpose Of Grace:
“We believe that election is the eternal purpose of God, according to which He graciously regenerates, sanctifies, and saves sinners: That being perfectly consistent with the free agency of man, it comprehends all the means in connection with the end: that it is a most glorious display of God’s sovereign goodness, being infinitely free, wise, holy, and unchangeable: That it utterly excludes boasting, and promotes humility, love, prayer, praise, trust in God, and active initiation of His free mercy: that it encourages the use of means in the highest degree: that it may be ascertained by its effect in all who truly believe the Gospel: that it is the foundation of Christian assurance: and to ascertain it with regard to ourselves demands and deserves the utmost diligence: That God wills that all shall be saved.
10. Of Sanctification:
“We believe that sanctification is the process by which, according to the will of God, we are made partakers of His Holiness: that it is a progressive work; that it is begun in regeneration: and that it is carried on in the heart of believers by the presence and power of Him the Holy Spirit: the sealer, and comforter, in the appointed means, especially following after the Word of God, self-examination, self-denial, watchfulness, and prayer.
11. Of The Perserverance Of Saints:
“We believe that such only are real believers as endure unto the end; that their perservering attachment to Christ is the grand mark which distinguishes them over their welfare, and that they are kept by the power of almighty God through faith from ever falling from grace: (Once saved always saved) Eph 4:30.
12. Of The Harmony Of The Law And The Gospel:
“We believe that the law of God is the eternal and unchangeable rule of moral government; that it is Holy, just, and good: and that the inability which the scriptures ascribe to fallen man to fulfill it’s precepts, arise entirely from their love of sin; to deliver them from which, and to restore them through a mediator to unfeigned obedience to the Holy law, is the one great end of the Gospel: and of the means of Grace, connected with the establishment of the visible Church, that the whole being is infallible, and inspired of God. 2nd Tim 3:16-17.
13. Of A New Testament Church:
“We believe that a New Testament Church is a local, visible, independent, body of scripturally, baptized believers; that Christ Himself alone is the Head of the Church: that no person, group, or organization whall dictate to it: that each member regardless of age or sex, shall have a equal right by vote in all its business transactions: that the vote of the majority shall rule: that it’s officers are pastors, and deacons, whose qualifications, claims and duties are clearly defined in the epistles of Timothy and Titus: associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the Gospel, for the purpose of worship and the carrying out of the Great Commission: observing the ordinances of Christ which we believe to be scriptural baptism and the Lord’s Supper for members of the local body only: that Christ organized His Church Himself while still here on the earth and that we have an unbroken history and link to that Church: That the Church is to be supported by tithes and offerings only: That its sole purpose is to Glorify God. Eph 3:21.
14. Of Baptism and The Lord’s Supper:
“We believe that scriptural Baptism is the immersion in water of a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, By the authority of a scripturally organized Baptist Church: To show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem, our faith in the crucified, buried and risen living Savior, with its effect, in our death to sin: and resurrection to a new life; that it is prerequisite to the privilege of Church membership: and the Lord’s Supper, In which the members of the Church by the sacred use of unleavened bread and wine, are to commemorate together the dying love of Christ: preceded always by a most solemn examination one to the other in the body of the Church: That closed communion is the only scriptural observance of the Lord’s Supper.
15. Of The Lord’s Day:
“We believe that the first day of the week is the Lord’s Day, or Chritian Sabbath: and is to be kept sacred to religious purposes, by abstaining from all secular labor, sinful recreation, business engagements, or any other matters that would desecrate the Day according to the teaching of the Holy Bible: That we are to keep it a Holy Day to the Lord both in public and private devout observances: and that we are to make preparation for the Day as we see it approaching; that the Day was made for man not man for the Day: That it is a Day to the Lord.
16. Of Civil Government:
“We believe that civil government is of Divine appointment for the interest and good order of human society; that all Christians are to render to civil government the due observance of the law and assist in keeping order; to pray for all officers an such other persons serving in official positions to render unto civil government the things that are government and unto God the things that are God’s: to conscientiously honor, and obey except only in the things that oppose the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only Lord of the conscience and the Prince of the Kings of all the earth: that the Church and state be separate.
17. Of The Righteous and the Wicked:
“We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked: that such only as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus: and sanctified by the operation of Him the Holy Spirit, are truly righteous in His esteem: while all such as continue in impentence and unbelief are in His sight wicked: and under the curse: and this distinction holds among men, both in and after death: that there is a literal heaven, with streets of gold and complete happiness for the righteous, and a hell with fire and flame and eternal torment where the fire is not quenched or where the worm dieth not, where the wrath of Almighty God will be poured out without measure upon the wicked forever and forever.
18. Of The World To Come:
“We believe that the end of the world is fast approaching: that in the last day Christ will come again, first in the air, to receive all the saved or born again, that they shall be caught together in the air, the saved dead resurrected, the living saved, changed, to ever be with the Lord: that He will come again to the earth in the same body in which He went away; that He will sit upon a throne to judge the saved; who will reign with Him a thousand years: That the end will come after the battle of Armageddon; that the wicked dead of all the ages will be judged and turned into the lake of fire forever; that Jesus Christ Himself will be our judge; That the righteous shall inherit endless joy and all the goodness of heaven forever and forever.
19. Of Jesus’ Deity:
“We believe in the Deity of Jesus Christ.” John 10:30.
20. Of The Virgin Birth:
“We believe in the virgin birth and Holy Ghost conception of Jesus Christ.” Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:23.
21. Of The Resurrection:
“We believe in the bodily resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ, and the bodily resurrections of His saints.” 1st Cor 15.
22. Of Church Discipline:
“We believe in church discipline as stated in Matt.” 18:15-17.
23. Of The Earthly Walk:
“We believe in living a Spirit-filled, separated life while here on the earth.” 2nd Cor 6:17; Eph 5:18; “We oppose modernism in any and all forms”. 2nd Jn 1:7-11, 2nd Cor 6:14-17. |
