Summer Creek Baptist Church Confessions of Faith
I. The Scriptures
The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God, and are the only inerrant, sufficient, certain and authoritative rule of all saving knowledge, faith and obedience. (2 Tim 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21)
II. God
There is but one God, the Maker, Preserver and Ruler of all things, having in and of Himself, all perfections, and being infinite in them all; and to Him all creatures owe the highest love, reverence and obedience. (Deut 6:4; 1 Cor 8:4-6; 1 Tim 1:17)
III. The Trinity
God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit each with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being. (Mat 28:19; 2 Cor 13:14)
IV. Providence
God from eternity, decrees or permits all things that come to pass, and perpetually upholds, directs and governs all creatures and all events; yet so as not in any way to be the author or approver of sin nor to destroy the free will and responsibility of intelligent creatures. (Heb 1:3; Mat 10:31-33; Prov 16:33)
V. Grace in Salvation
Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners, not because of foreseen merit in them, but of His mere mercy in Christ. It is consistent with the free agency of man, and comprehends all the means in connection with the end. It is the glorious display of God's sovereign goodness, and is infinitely wise, holy, and unchangeable. It excludes boasting and promotes humility.
(Rom 8:30; Eph 1:3-6; Acts 13:48)
VI. The Fall of Man
God originally created Man in His own image, and free from sin; but, through the temptation of Satan, he transgressed the command of God, and fell from his original holiness and righteousness; whereby his posterity inherit a nature corrupt and wholly opposed to God and His law, are under condemnation, and as soon as they are capable of moral action, become actual transgressors. (Gen 1:27, 3:4-7; Rom 5:12-21; Eph 2:1-3)
VII. The Mediator
Jesus Christ, the one and only Son of God, is the divinely appointed mediator between God and man. In His incarnation as Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man, He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Having taken upon Himself human nature, yet without sin, He perfectly fulfilled the law; suffered and died upon the cross for the salvation of sinners. He was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended to His Father, at whose right hand He ever lives to make intercession for His people. He is the only Mediator, the Prophet, Priest and King of the Church, and Sovereign of the Universe. (Mat 3:17; 1 Cor 15:3-7; 1 Tim 2:5; Rom 5:6-11; Phil 2:5-11; Heb 1:3)
VIII. Regeneration
Regeneration is a change of heart, wrought by the Holy Spirit, who gives life to the dead in trespasses and sins enlightening their minds to understand the Word of God, and renewing their whole nature, so that they love and practice holiness. It is a work of God’s free and special grace alone. (John 3:1-8; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:3)
IX. Repentance
Repentance is a gift of grace through the Gospel wherein the Holy Spirit convicts a person of the manifold evil of his sin, producing in him a godly sorrow, personal guilt, and hatred of such sin, with a purpose and endeavor to walk before God so as to please Him in all things.
(Mark 1:15; Acts 20:21; 2 Cor 7:9)
X. Faith
Saving faith is the belief, on God’s authority, of whatsoever is revealed in His Word concerning
Christ; accepting and resting upon Him alone for justification and eternal life. It is wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit, and is accompanied by all other saving graces, and leads to a life of holiness. (John 1:12, 5:24; Eph 2:8-9)
XI. Justification
Justification is God’s gracious and full acquittal of sinners, who believe in Christ, from all sin, through the satisfaction that Christ has made; not for anything wrought in them or done by them; but on account of the obedience and satisfaction of Christ. They receive and rest on Him and His righteousness by faith. (Rom 3:23-24; Rom 5:1-2; 18, 19; 2 Cor 5:21)
XII. Sanctification
Those who have been regenerated are also sanctified by God’s word and Spirit dwelling in them from the moment of conversion. This sanctification is progressive through the supply of Divine strength, which all saints seek to obtain, pressing after a heavenly life in heartfelt obedience to all Christ’s commands. (John 17:17; 2 Thes 2:13; Heb 12:14)
XIII. Perseverance of the Saints
Those whom God has accepted in the Beloved, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere to the end; and though they may fall through neglect and temptation, into sin, whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, bring reproach on the Church, and temporal judgments on themselves, yet they shall be renewed again unto repentance, and be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. (John 10:28-29; 1 John 2:19; Rom 8:30)
XIV. The Church
The Lord Jesus is the head of the Church, which is composed of all His true disciples, and in Him is invested supremely all power for its government. According to His commandment, Christians are to gather together into local churches; and to each of these churches He has given needful authority for administering that order, discipline, and worship which He has appointed. The regular officers of a Church are Pastors/Elders, and Deacons. While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the offices are limited to men as qualified by Scripture. (Col 1:18; Mat 16:18; 18:15-18; 1 Tim 3:1-15; 1 Peter 5:1-4)
XV. Baptism
Baptism is an ordinance of the Lord Jesus, obligatory upon every believer, wherein he/she is immersed in water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, as a sign of his fellowship with the death and resurrection of Christ, of remission of sins, and of giving himself up to God, raised up to live and walk in newness of life. (Mat 28:19-20; Rom 6:3-5; Acts 8:38-39)
XVI. The Lord’s Supper
The Lord’s Supper is an ordinance of Jesus Christ, to be administered with the elements of bread and the fruit of the vine, and to be observed by His churches till the end of the world. It is in no sense a sacrifice, but is designed to commemorate the propitiating death of Jesus, to confirm the faith and other graces of Christians, and to be a bond, pledge, and renewal of their communion with him, and of their church fellowship. The Lord’s Supper is restricted from unbelievers, those who have not been baptized by immersion, and those under the discipline of the church to guard against judgment being brought on one who participates in an unworthy manner. (Mat 26:26-27; 1 Cor 10:16-17; 11:23-26)
XVII. The Lord’s Day
The Lord’s Day is a Christian institution for regular observance, and should be employed in exercises of worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private. It is to be kept sacred to magnify Jesus Christ our Sabbath. (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor 16:1-2; Heb 4:1-14; Heb 10:23-25; Rev 1:10)
XVIII. The Ministry of the Word
Christ builds His Church through the proclamation of His Word. This is a sacred duty which qualified pastors and those laymen so approved must discharge each Lord’s Day and as often as the congregation gathers. The membership of the Lord’s Church is recognized by gathering together under the proclamation and explanation of Scripture. (Eph 4:11-12; 1 Tim 4:13)
XIX. Liberty of Conscience
God alone is Lord of the conscience; and He hath left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men, which are in anything contrary to His word, or not contained in it. Civil magistrates being ordained of God, subjection in all things not contrary to the revealed will of God ought to be yielded by us in the Lord, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
(Rom 13:1-7; 1 Pet 2:17, Acts 4)
XX. The Resurrection
The bodies of men after death return to dust, but their spirits return immediately to God-the righteous to rest with Him; the wicked, to be reserved under darkness to the judgment. At the last day, the bodies of all the dead, both just and unjust, will be raised. (1 Cor 15; John 5:28, 29; Phil 3:21)
XXI. The Judgment
God hath appointed a day, wherein He will judge the world by Jesus Christ, when everyone shall receive according to his deeds; the wicked shall go into everlasting punishment; the righteous, into everlasting life. (Matthew 25:31 46; 1 Cor 15:35-58; 2 Cor 5:10)
XXII. Worship
Worship is to be given to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and to him alone; not to angels, saints, or any other creatures; and since the fall, not without a mediator, nor in the mediation of any other but Christ alone. The only acceptable way of worshipping the true God, is instituted by Himself and revealed in Scriptures. (Exodus 20:3-6; Jer 10:7; Mat 22:37-38; 1 Tim 2:5; 2 Tim 3:16-17)
XXIII. Stewardship
God is the source of all blessings, temporal and spiritual; all that we have and are we owe to Him. Christians have a spiritual debtorship to the whole world, a holy trusteeship in the gospel, and a binding stewardship in their possessions. They are therefore under obligation to serve Him with their time, talents, and material possessions; and should recognize all these as entrusted to them to use for the glory of God and for helping others. According to the Scriptures, Christians should contribute of their means cheerfully, regularly, systematically, proportionately, and liberally for the advancement of the Redeemer's cause on earth. (Genesis 14:20; Leviticus 27:30-32; Deuteronomy 8:18; Malachi 3:8-12; Matthew 6:1-4,19-21; 19:21; 23:23; 25:14-29)
XXIV. Manhood and Womanhood
Men and women are both created in God’s image and therefore husbands and wives are of equal worth but are given complimentary roles. The husband is responsible to lead, protect, and provide for his family, and is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. The wife is to come alongside in submission to the servant leadership of her husband with support in managing and nurturing the next generation. In these roles the marriage relationship models the way God relates to His people. (Gen 1:26-28; Eph 5:21-33; 1 Peter 3:1-7)
XXV. 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. Parents are to teach their children spiritual and moral values and to lead them, through consistent lifestyle example and loving discipline, to make choices based on biblical truth. Children are to honor and obey their parents. (Deut 6:4-9; Psalm 127; Eph 6:1-4; Titus 2:3-5)
XXVI. The Work of the Spirit
In the New Testament Christ’s appointed Apostles were validated as the spokesmen for Christ and the building blocks of the Church by the work of the Holy Spirit through miraculous gifts. These gifts were for a special period in redemptive history and generally have ceased as the Church has been established. It is presumptive to conclude God could not or would not use these gifts today particularly to bring the gospel to nations where it has not previously been heard but such instances should be considered with caution. Normatively these gifts are not manifested today and especially not for purposes Scripture does not describe. The Holy Spirit He enables men to understand truth. He exalts Christ. He convicts men of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. He calls men to the Savior, and effects regeneration. At the moment of regeneration He baptizes every believer into the Body of Christ. He cultivates Christian character, comforts believers, and bestows the spiritual gifts by which they serve God through His church. He seals the believer unto the day of final redemption. His presence in the Christian is the guarantee that God will bring the believer into the fullness of the stature of Christ. He enlightens and empowers the believer and the church in worship, evangelism, and service. (1 Cor 13:8-10; 2 Cor 12:12; Eph. 1:13-14, 2 Tim. 1:14, Heb 2:3-4)
Notes: Article V has been modified with additions from the Baptist Faith and message (2000); Article XXII has been adapted from the Philadelphia Confession of Faith (1742); Article XXIII, XXIV, and XXV have been adapted from the Baptist Faith & Message (2000)