Statement of Faith

Doctrinal beliefs from biblical texts as outlined in The Baptist Faith and Message (and in agreement with the beliefs of Vonore Baptist Church)

God

We believe there is one living and true God, who is the Creator, Preserver, Redeemer and Ruler of the universe. He is infinitely perfect in every way and eternally exists as three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit (in a relationship known as the Trinity). We believe these three are one God and each possesses fully the nature, attributes and perfections of deity.

References: Genesis 1:1; Psalm 90:2; Isaiah 6:1-3, 40:12-28, 45:5-7; Jeremiah 10:10; Matthew 28:19; Acts 17:24-25; Romans 11:33-36; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 John 3:20

Jesus Christ

We believe Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary - a miraculous process by which he received a human body and a sinless human nature. He is fully God and fully human in one person. We believe He lived a sinless life of perfect obedience to the law of God. Through his death on the cross, He made provision for the salvation of sinful people. We believe He was raised from the dead with a glorified body, ascended into heaven where He rules over the universe and prays for His people, and will one day return visibly to earth.

References: Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 24:14-43; John 1:1; Romans 8:34; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Colossians 1:15-22, 2:9; Titus 2:13-14; Hebrews 1:1-3, 7:25; 1 Peter 2:21-24

Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit comes to live in those who are “reborn” as God’s children. As Christians live in obedience to God, the Holy Spirit empowers them to gradually overcome the power of sin and become more like Christ. We believe that those who are truly born again will be protected by God’s power and steadfastly continue in their Christian life until the end.

References: John 10:28-29; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 1:8, 2:12, 3:16; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 5:16; Ephesians 1:13-14, 5:18; 1 Thessalonians 3:13, 5:23-24; Jude 24

The Bible

We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are God’s revelation of Himself to mankind. They were written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit, with the result that Scripture is God’s Word - entirely true and without error in the original writings. They are the supreme and final authority for Christian beliefs and living. We further believe that the focus of all Scripture is the person and work of Jesus Christ.

References: 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Psalm 119:11, 89, 105, 160; Jude 3; Romans 15:4; Titus 1:3

Salvation

We believe the incredibly good news found in the Bible that those who turn from their sin and trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior become spiritually new people who are declared “not guilty” for their sin and receive the gift of eternal life. This salvation is acquired through faith along, apart from any good or religious works, and is based entirely on the death of Jesus Christ on the cross as their substitute. We believe that Christ’s resurrection demonstrated God’s full acceptance of His death as payment for sin and foreshadows the final resurrection of all believers.

References: John 3:16, 18, 36, 14:6; Romans 4:25, 5:1, 6-9, 6:23, 8:1; 2 Corinthians 5:17, 21; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:8-9; Colossians 1:13-14; Titus 3:5

The Human Condition

We believe that God created mankind in His own image and for His glory as the crowning work of His creation. However, man sinned against God and thereby incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death, which is separation from God. This spiritual death has been transmitted to the entire human race (except for Christ) with the result that every person is born into the world with a sinful nature that rebels against God and is under His condemnation.

References: Genesis 1:26-28, 3; Psalm 8:3-8, 14:1-3, 51:5; Isaiah 59:2; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:23, 5:12, 19, 6:23; Galatians 3:22; Ephesians 2:1-3

The Church

We believe in the one, universal Church made up of all who have trusted Christ, who is the Head of the Church, which is His body. We also believe in the local church, which is an autonomous, geographically local congregation of baptized believers who gather for worship, spiritual growth, service, fellowship and observance of the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. The local church operates under the Lordship of Jesus Christ and is governed by pastors/elders who are assisted by deacons. It grows as each member serves the body using the spiritual gifts given to them by the Holy Spirit, resulting in maturity, unity and glory to God. Christ has commissioned the church and its individual members to spread the Gospel throughout the world.

References: Matthew 16:16-19, 28:18-20; Acts 2:41-47, 20:28, 12; Ephesians 1:22-23, 2:19-22, 3:20-21, 4:11-16; Colossians 3:12-17; 1 Timothy 3

The Last Days

We believe that at God’s appointed time, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly to the earth and establish His kingdom. We believe in the bodily resurrection of believers and unbelievers. At the final judgement, unbelievers will be separated forever from God in a place of everlasting punishment because of their rejection of Jesus Christ. Believers, in their resurrected bodies, will live in God’s glorious presence as they worship and serve Him forever.

References: Matthew 25:31-46; John 14:3; Acts 1:6-11; 1 Corinthians 15:20-26; Philippians 3:20-21; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10; Hebrews 9:27-28; 2 Peter 3:7-13; Revelation 20-22