Faith Baptist Church of North Chili

Located on the West Side of Rochester, New York

ARTICLES OF FAITH

FOR FAITH BAPTIST CHURCH OF NORTH CHILI

A.  OF THE SCRIPTURES

We believe that the Holy Bible, as originally written, was verbally and plenarily inspired by God and the product of Spirit-controlled men, and, therefore, has truth without admixture of error for its matter.  We believe it is the complete and final revelation of the will of God to man and that it is the true center of Christian unity and the supreme standing by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried.

Explanatory:  By “The Holy Bible” we mean that collection of sixty-six books, from Genesis to Revelation, which as originally written does not only contain and convey the Word of God, but is the very Word of God.

By “inspiration” we mean that the books of the Bible were written by holy men of old, as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, in such a definite way that their writings were supernaturally inspired (God-breathed) and free from error, as no other writings have ever been.

  • II Tim. 3:16,17; II Peter 1:19-21; Acts 1:16; Acts 28:25; Lk. 24:44,45;
    John 17:17; John 12:48; Rom. 15:4; Ps. 19:7-11; John 5:45-47.

B.  OF THE TRUE GOD

We believe that there is only one true God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit, the Maker and supreme Ruler of heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love;  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.

  • Ex. 20:2,3; John 4:24; Ps. 90:2; Ps. 83:18; Ex. 15:11; Rev. 4:11; Mark 12:30; Matt. 28:19; Eph. 1:13,14.

C.  OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

We believe in the absolute Deity of the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ; that He was divine as no other man can be, being God in every respect; existing from all eternity; co-equal with the Father and the Spirit;  that He never ceased to be God; that He took upon Himself man’s nature, with all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof, yet without sin.

  • John 1:1,14,18; Phil. 2:6-10; Heb. 1:8; John 10:30; II Cor. 13:14; I John 5:20; Heb. 2:14-17.

We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten by the Holy Spirit in a miraculous manner, as no other man ever was or can be begotten; and that He was born of Mary, a virgin; and that he is both the Son of God, and God, the Son.

  • Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18-25; Luke 1:34,35; John 1:14; I John 5:20.

We believe that Jesus Christ rose bodily the third day according to the Scriptures; that He ascended into heaven where He is seated at the right hand of the Father;  that He alone is our merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God.

  • Matt. 28:6,7; Luke 24:39; Acts 1:9-11; Heb. 1:3; Heb. 8:1.

D.  OF 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; that He was active in Creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of righteous­ness, and of judgment; that He bears witness to the truth of the gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the Agent in the new birth;  that He seals, endows, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies, and helps the believer.  We also believe that the outward manifestation of the gifts of tongues and healing were sign gifts given to the apostolic church until the Scriptures were completed, and ceased at that time.

  • Acts 5:1-3; Matt. 28:19; Gen. 1:1-3; II Thess. 2:7; John 16:8-11; John 15:26,27; John 3:5,6; Eph. 1:13,14; Luke 24:49; John 16:13; John 14:26; Rom. 8:14,16,26,27; II Thess. 2:13; I Cor. 13:8-13; I Cor. 14:1-40; 2 Cor. 12:12

E.  OF THE DEVIL, OR SATAN

We believe that Satan, an angel created by God. was once holy, and enjoyed heavenly honors;  but through pride and ambition to be as the Almighty, fell and drew after him a host of angels;  that he is now the malignant prince of the power of the air, the tempter, the enemy of God and His Christ, the accuser of the saints, the author of all false religions, the chief power in back of the present apostasy, the lord of the anti-christ, and the author of all powers of darkness; that he is destined however, to final defeat at the hands of God’s own Son, and to the judgment of an eternal justice in the Lake of Fire, a place prepared for him and his angels.

  • Isa. 14:12-15; Eze. 28:14-17; Rev. 12:9; Eph. 2:2; II Cor. 4:4; Matt. 4:1-11;
    Rev. 12:10; II Cor. 11:13-15; Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:10.

F.   OF CREATION

We believe that the Genesis account of creation is the historical account of the direct, immediate creative acts of God without any evolutionary process, and that it is to be accepted literally, not allegorically or figuratively.  We believe that man was created by the direct work of God and not from previously existing forms of life, and that all men are descended from the historical Adam and Eve who were the first parents of the entire human race.

  • Gen. 1; Gen. 2; Col. 1:16,17; Acts 17:23-26.

G.  OF THE FALL OF MAN

We believe that man in the person of Adam, was created in innocence under the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy state, in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, not only by constraint, but of choice, and therefore under just condemnation without defense or excuse.

  • Gen. 3:1-6; Rom. 5:12; Rom. 1:18-20; Rom. 3:10-19.

H.  OF THE ATONEMENT FOR SIN

We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God, Who, by appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin, honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and by His death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins; that His atonement consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was the voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place; the Just dying for the unjust; Christ, the Lord, bearing our sins in His own body on the tree.

  • Eph. 2:8,9; John 3:16; Phil. 2:5-8; II Cor. 5:21; Gal. 4:4,5; I Pet. 2:24; I Pet. 3:18

I.    OF GRACE IN THE NEW CREATION

We believe that in order to be saved sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth, the one dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God;  that the new creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension, not by culture, not by character, nor by the will of man, but wholly and solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel;  that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life.

  • John 3:3,6,7; II Cor. 5:17; Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:1; I Pet. 1:23; John 1:12,13;
    Eph. 5:9.

J.   OF JUSTIFICATION

We believe that justification is the judicial act of God whereby He declared us to be righteous through faith in Christ Jesus; that justification includes the pardon of sin and the imputation of God’s righteousness.  This righteous­ness is bestowed by God on the basis of our faith in the redemptive work of Christ, not on our works.

  • Rom. 3:23-26; Rom. 4:1-8; Rom. 5:1-9.

K.  OF FAITH AND SALVATION

We believe that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation.

  • Acts 16:31; Gal. 3:6.

L.   OF THE SECURITY OF THE SAINTS

We believe that all who receive Christ as their Saviour are born from above and are eternally secure in Christ.

  • John 10:28-29; Rom. 6:23; Rom. 8:35-39; I John 5:11-13; Phil. 1:6.

M.  OF THE CHURCH

We believe that the Body of Christ is a New Testament institution, unknown to the Old Testament prophets; established by Jesus Christ, Who is its sole Head; revealed through the apostles; empowered and perpetuated by the Holy Spirit; Christ’s “Body” for service and His “Bride” for glory.  It began with the New Testament saints at Pentecost and will be consummated at the coming of Christ at the Rapture.

  • Eph. 3:1-12; Eph. 1:22,23; Acts 1:8; I Cor. 12:4-28; Eph. 5:23-32; Acts 2:1-13; Acts 2:41-47; I Thes. 4:13­-18.

We believe that the Body of Christ is manifested through the local church which is a congregation of immersed believers, associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in it by His Word; and that its scripturally designated officers are pastors and deacons, whose qualifications and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures.

  • I Cor. 1:2; Acts 2:41-47; I Cor. 7:17; I Tim. 3:1-15; Rom. 12:4-8; Eph.4:11-13

We believe that the true mission of the local church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men.  We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government, free from the interference of an hierarchy of individuals or organizations;  that the one and only superintendent is Christ, through the Holy Spirit;  that it is Scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel;  that each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation;  and that in all matters of membership, policy, government, discipline, and benevolence, the will of the local church is final.

  • Acts 1:8; Matt. 18:15-17; Col. 1:18; Acts 15:1-35; I Cor. 5:1-8.

N.  OF BAPTISM AND THE LORD’S SUPPER

We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water, under the authority of the local church, to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, through Whom we died to sin and rose to a new life; that baptism is a prerequisite to the privileges of church membership.

  • Acts 2:41-42; Rom. 6:3-5.

We believe that the Lord’s Supper is the commemoration of His death, by born again Christians, until He comes and should be preceded always by solemn self-examination.

  • I Cor. 11:23-32; Luke 22:14-20.

O.  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 Spirit of our God, are truly righteous in His esteem;  while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked, and under the curse, and this distinction holds among men both in and after death, in the everlasting felicity of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost in the Lake of Fire.

  • John 3:36; Rom. 3:23-26; Rom. 6:23; Rev. 20:11-15.

P.  OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT

We believe that civil government is of divine appointment, for the interests and good order of human society;  that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed, except only in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the coming King of Kings.

  • Rom. 13:1-7; Matt. 22:21; I Tim. 2:1-4; Acts 4:19,20; Acts 5:29; Psa. 72:11.

Q.  OF THE RETURN OF CHRIST AND RELATED EVENTS

We believe in the imminent, personal, bodily, premillenial return of Christ for His church and at that moment the dead in Christ shall be raised in glorified bodies.  The believers who are living when He returns for His church shall be given glorified bodies without tasting death, and shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air.

  • I Thess. 4:13-18; I Cor. 15:51-54.

We believe that the seven-year tribulation period, the seventieth week of Daniel, which immediately follows the Rapture of the Church, will be culminated by the bodily return of Christ to the earth in power and great glory to sit upon the throne of David and establish the millennial reign.

  • Rev. 3:10; Dan. 9:24-27; Rev. 19:11-16; Rev. 20:1-4,6; Luke 1:30-33.

R.  OF SEPARATION

We believe that the Scriptures teach that believers should separate from worldliness, modernism, apostasy, and any individual or group that threatens or interferes with the church’s ministry to glorify Jesus Christ as the Son of God in His person and work.

  • II Chron. 19:2; Matt. 7:15-20; Acts 20:28-­31; Rom. 16:17-18; II Cor. 6:14-17; II Thess. 3:6,14; I Tim. 4:1,2; I Tim. 6:3-6; II John 9-11; Rev. 18:4,5.

S.  HUMAN SEXUALITY

We believe that God created man as male and female and that He gave sex for human pleasure, the propagation of the race, the strengthening of the marriage unit, and the glory of God.

We believe that God has commanded that there be no sexual activity outside the marriage between a man and a woman.  We believe that the many forms of perversion (e.g. homosexuality) from God’s revealed pattern are sins against the Author of life, marriage, and the gift of sex.  We believe that God rejects any attempt to alter one’s sex by surgery or appearance.

We believe that the only legitimate marriage is the formal, legal union of one man and one woman.

We believe that men and women are spiritually equal in position before God but that God has ordained distinct and separate spiritual functions for men and women in the home and the local church.  The husband is to be the leader of the home and men are to be the leaders (pastors and deacons) of the local church.  Accordingly, only men are eligible for licensure and ordination by the local church.

  • Gen. 2:24; 19:4 – 5; 26:8 – 9; Lev. 18:1 – 30; Rom. 1:26 – 29; 7:2; 1Cor. 5:1; 6:9, 10; 7:10; Gal. 3:28; Eph. 5:22 – 24; Col. 3:18; 1 Thess. 4:3 – 8; 1 Tim. 2:8 – 15; 3:2, 4 , 5, 12; Heb. 13:4

AGREEMENT
Of THE FAITH BAPTIST CHURCH FAMILY

Having been led by the Holy Spirit to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, and on the public confession of our faith, having been immersed in the name of the Father, the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we do now, in the presence of God and this assembly, solemnly and joyfully enter into agreement with one another, as one body in Christ, to live out  Biblical truth in this manner. 

We purpose therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to walk together in Christian love;  to strive for the advancement of this church in knowledge, holiness, and comfort; to promote its prosperity and spirituality; to attend its services regularly, to sustain its worship,  ordinances, discipline and doctrines; to give it a sacred pre-eminence over all institutions of human origin; to give faithfully of time and talents in its activities; to contribute cheerfully and regularly, as God has prospered us, to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the  Church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the Gospel throughout all nations. 

We also purpose to maintain family and private devotions; to train our children according to the Word of God; to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances; to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements, and exemplary in our conduct; to avoid ungodly use of our tongues and unrighteous anger; to abstain from all forms of activity which dishonors our Lord Jesus Christ, causes stumbling to a fellow believer or hinders the winning of a soul to Christ (including such things as the use of intoxicating drink as a beverage and recreational use of drugs or medicine, i.e. substance abuse), keeping in mind our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit; to be zealous in our efforts to advance the cause of Christ our Savior; and to give Him pre-eminence in all things. 

We further purpose to encourage one another in the blessed hope of our Lord’s return;  to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember each other in prayer; to aid each other in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and courtesy in speech; to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation, and mindful of the rules of our Savior, to seek it without delay. 

We moreover purpose that when we remove from this place we will, as soon as possible, unite with some other church of like faith or order where we can carry out the spirit of this agreement and the principles of God’s Word. In the event there is no such church, we shall seek, with the Lord’s help, to establish one.