Articles of Faith

What you'll find here are our Articles of Faith, a copy from our church constitution. They reflect the beliefs of our present assembly and those who came before us, as a summary and statement founded on God's Word.

Section titles are added for convenience and are not in the original FBCA constitution.

Scripture

We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are supernaturally and verbally inspired of God through the Holy Spirit, that they are inerrant in the original writings, and that they are the supreme and final authority in faith and life.  We believe that God has preserved (supernaturally guarded and protected) the Scriptures both physically, in its integrity, and trustworthiness, from its origin through all time.  
II Tim. 3:16 - 17; II Peter 1:19 - 21; Psalm 119:89-90, 152, 160; Matthew 24:35

God

We believe that the Scriptures reveal God as eternally existing, omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient, and manifesting Himself in 3 persons; Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, yet one God.  
Deut. 6:4; II Cor. 13:14

Jesus Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, and proved that He was True God and True Man.  
Luke 1:30 - 35; Phil. 2:5 - 8; Eph. 1:20 - 23

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 is the administrator of the things of God upon the earth during this age; convicting of sin, revealing truth, indwelling believers, enduing and empowering believers in prayer and service, and restraining evil "until He be taken out of the way."
John 14:16 - 17

Humanity & Sin

We believe that man was the direct creation of God and not the product of evolution; that he fell from his sinless and happy state by voluntary transgression, in consequence of which all men are now sinners, not only by constraint, but by choice, and therefore under just condemnation without defense or excuse.  
Gen. 3; Rom. 5:10 - 19

Male & Female

We believe God Created Adam and Eve, the first human beings, in His own image, equal before God as persons, and distinct as Male and Female. And from Creation, all descendants of Adam and Eve (mankind) can also be defined by the distinct physical characteristic of Male and Female.
Gen. 1:26-28; 2:7; 2:15-25; Gal. 3:26-28

Human Life

We believe the creation of a human life to be the sole work of God, designed in His own image, Precious to Him, designed by God with the distinct physical characteristic of Male and Female from inception. 
Gen 1:26-28; Psalm 139:13-16; Matt. 6:26; John 1:3; Rom. 9:20; Col. 1:15-17

Marriage

We believe that God has designed marriage to be a covenantal, sexual, procreative, lifelong union of one man and one woman, as husband and wife, and is meant to signify the covenant love between Christ and His bride, the church. 
Gen. 2:15-25; Matt. 19:4-6; Eph. 5:23-33

Satan

We believe in the reality and personality of Satan, that he is the unholy god of this age, the author of all the powers of darkness, and is destined to the judgment of eternal justice in the lake of fire.
Matt. 4:1 - 3;  Rev. 20:10;  II Cor 4:4

Salvation

We believe that all men need to be born again through faith in the Person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried, and rose bodily from the dead on the third day; that salvation is all of the grace of God -- "Not of works, lest any man should boast." and that those who are born again are "Kept by the power of God." for our Lord Jesus Christ to whom they are given.  
Rom. 3:23; Eph. 2:8, 9

Resurrection & Intercession

We believe in the bodily resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, in His ascension into heaven, and in His present life there for us as High Priest and Advocate.  
Matt. 28:1 - 7; I Tim. 2:5

Christ's Return

We believe in "That blessed Hope," the personal, premillennial, and imminent return of our Lord Jesus Christ for His church in the Rapture, that He will come with His church to judge the earth and establish His righteous Kingdom upon the earth for a thousand years after which He shall deliver up the kingdoms of this earth to God the Father.  
Acts 1:11;   I Thess. 4:13 - 18

Eternal Destiny

We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust, the everlasting felicity of the saved, and the everlasting conscious punishment of the lost. 
John 14:1 - 4; Matt. 24:41

Government

We believe that human governments are ordained of God for the good of man; that believers owe obedience and respect to those in authority when such obedience does not violate the teachings of the Word of God; that church and state are separate institutions, each without jurisdiction over the internal affairs of the other -- but mutually helpful; that believers are obligated to pray for all who are in authority that we might lead a quiet and peaceable life.  
I Tim 2:1 - 2

The Church

We believe that the local church is a congregation of immersed believers, associated together by a covenant of faith, governed by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God, observing His ordinances, guided by duly chosen church officers and observing the other rights and privileges vested in a New Testament Church.  The local church is absolutely independent and sovereign in all her affairs:  no outside hierarchy may exercise authority over her.  Each church is the sole judge of the methods and manner of cooperation with other bodies.  Each church is a democracy with every member of equal rank and privilege, the final authority in all matters being vested in the church and not in any leader or group of leaders.  
Col. 1:18; Matt. 28:19; Acts 2:41 - 42; Eph. 4:11 - 13; 5:25 - 27

Baptism & The Lord's Supper

We believe there are two New Testament Church ordinances; Water Baptism and the Lord's Supper.  Water Baptism is the immersion of the believer in water to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, with its effect on our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that it is a prerequisite to the privilege of local church relationship and is the entrance into the local church, but not essential to salvation.  The Lord's Supper is a memorial feast for believers only.   
Acts 8:36 - 39; Matt. 3:16; Rom. 6: 3 - 8; I Cor. 11:23 - 28; I Cor. 12:13

Christian Living

We believe it is the responsibility of every believer to separate himself from every possible form of darkness, whether it be apostasy in doctrine or uncleanness in practice; that recognizing the body to be the temple of the Holy Spirit, he will at no time knowingly defile that temple or cause it to be used in any way which may be an occasion of stumbling to an unbeliever or to a weaker brother.
II Cor. 6:17; II Tim. 2:19 - 26

Gospel Witness

We believe it to be the solemn obligation of every believer to be a personal soul winner and to make every effort to spread the gospel to the whole world.  
Mark 16:15 - 18;  Acts 1:8

Faithfulness & Separation

We believe it is the responsibility of the church to separate from apostasy unto Christ.  Therefore, we have a God-given responsibility to reject the usage or changes of any and all church possessions or facilities in any way contrary to God's Word.  Furthermore, we will not participate in activities or have services that would cause us to bring confusion to our Congregation or challenge God's Teaching as given in the Bible.  
Acts 4 & 5; 5:29; Rom. 12:8; 13:1-10; II Tim. 3:16-17; II Pet. 1:3-4; 3:13-17