What We Believe
OUR MISSION & VISION
We Exist to Fulfill the Mission
of Jesus Christ.
We exist to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, exalt the Lord Jesus Christ, encourage every believer in their personal walk with God, and exemplify the Christian life through our love for the brethren and every person.
PENTUCKET BAPTIST CHURCH
ARTICLES OF FAITH
Article I: The Scriptures
We believe the Holy Bible is a supernatural book, that it is the very Word of
God, that it is in the 66 books the full, final and complete revelation of
God's will to man. We believe the author of the Bible is God the Holy Spirit
and by inspiration we mean the plenary (meaning complete in all respects)
verbal inspiration, that Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy
Spirit as revealed in 2 Ptr 1. We believe and teach that the Bible is the final
authority in all matters of faith and practice. 2 Tim.3:16-17; Heb.4:12; 2 Ptr
1:19-21; Isa.8:20; Psa.119:89; Rom.15:
Article II: The True God
We believe and teach that there is one, and only one, true and living God. He
is absolute in nature, perfect in attributions, Holy in character, and is
revealed in the Trinity which is the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The three
persons of the Trinity subsist in the same divine nature, essence and being.
They are co-existent, co-equal, and each
has a distinct office in the work of Redemption. Eph.4:6; 1 Tim.1:17;
Ex.20:2-3; Rom.11:33; Jn 4:24; Psa.90:2
Article III: The Lord Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ is co-eternally existent as the second person of
the Trinity, is co-equally existent with the Father, and thus, has neither
beginning nor end. He manifested God visibly to the world, through the
theophanies (Christophanies) in the O.T., and through the Incarnation in the
N.T. He was born of the virgin Mary and is the only Savior for this lost world.
His death on the cross was voluntary, substitutionary and sufficient for the
salvation of all men of all times. He is coming again to rapture the saints at
a time in the future known only by God. Matt.28:19; Isa.53:5-6; Jn 1:1-2, 14,
3:16, 10:17-18; 2 Cor.5:21; Gen.18:1-22,33; 1 Tim.4:10; 2 Ptr 2:1; Lk.23:46; 1
Jn.2:2
Article IV: The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is a divine person; equal with God the Father and God the Son and
of the same nature and was active in creation. In relation to the unbelieving
world He restrains the Evil One until God's purpose is fulfilled; that He
convicts of sin, judgment and righteousness. He is the agent of the New Birth and
indwells, comforts, seals, guides and directs the Believer. He is also the
Administrator of the N.T. church. He gives members the gifts that they need, and
places them in the body, the local church. Jn.14:16-17, 26, 15:26-27; Rom.8:16,
26-27; Eph.1:13-14; 1 Cor.12:3-13
Article V: The Devil
We believe that the Devil is an actual being and not an imaginary influence;
that he once enjoyed high heavenly honors and glorious heavenly privileges;
that he through pride, ambition and self will betrayed God and as a result
brought down upon his head the judgment of God. Satan took a third of the
heavenly host that was assigned to him when he was cast out of heaven, and are
referred to as his demons. He operates today as the god of this world and the
Prince of the Power of the air; that he is the arch deceiver, and father of all
lies, that he is the greatest enemy, the biggest tempter and the greatest
opposition to the saints. His final abode shall be the Lake of Fire,
which is the eternal place of punishment, prepared for the Devil and his
angels. Isa.14:12-15; Jude 6; 1 Jn 3:8; Ez.28:14-17; 1 Ptr.5:8; Jn.8:43-44
Article VI: The Creation
We believe the Genesis record of the creation is literal, and not allegorical
or figurative; that God personally created the Heaven and the earth through the
direct act of spoken word, and that He brought forth all original matter out of
nothing. We believe that man was created directly in God's own image and not by
the hypothesis of any kind of evolution. We believe that the word “day” refers
to a literal 24 hr period. God's established law says that all species shall bring
forth "after their kind." Gen.1:1, 26-27; Acts 17:23-26; Rom.1:20;
Jn.1:1-3; Heb.11:3
Article VII: The Fall of Man
We believe that man was created in innocence and holiness and by voluntary
transgression of the Lord's command, fell from the state in which he was
created and as a consequence became a sinner alienated from God and brought
upon himself and all mankind just condemnation. Man is now, by virtue of his
fallen nature, void of holiness, positively inclined to evil and actually
condemned to eternal ruin without excuse. Gen.3:6-24; Rom.1:18, 28, 5:12, 19;
Eph.2:1-3
Article VIII: The Virgin Birth
We believe that our Lord Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit in a
miraculous manner; born of the virgin Mary as no other man was born or can be
born of woman. Since sin nature is within the seed of man, it was necessary
that He was born of a virgin. Mary was not sinless. Jesus is both the Son of
God and God the Son. Lk.1:35, Gen.3:15, Isa.7:14, Matt.1:18-25, Jn.1:14, Mk.1:1
Article IX: The Atonement for Sin
We believe that the lost sinner is guilty and under just condemnation and is by
nature alien to God and because of sin condemned to die; that the atonement for
sin was provided through the mediatorial office of the Son of God who by divine
appointment freely took upon Himself our nature, yet without sin, that He
through obedience during His earthly walk personally honored the divine law by
keeping it, and through His death on the cross actually satisfied the Law for
the penalty of sin. His obedience and sacrificial death made full and vicarious
atonement for all sin. Rom.3:25; 1 Jn.1:7; Isa.53:12; Heb.9:22, 12:2;
Jn.10:17-18
Article X: The Grace of Salvation
We believe and teach that salvation is by God's grace and that salvation is
free to all through the Gospel; that it is the duty of each individual to
accept, by faith, that salvation; and those who voluntarily reject salvation
will face eternal separation from God in a literal place of punishment called
Hell. When a sinner repents and receives Jesus Christ as his personal Savior he
receives eternal life. The eternal purpose of God in Salvation is first of all
to preserve the believer forever in Christ; the believer is saved eternally. It
is also the eternal purpose of God that the believer will conform to the image
of His Son. This salvation wrought by grace then assures us that we are
preserved in Christ by the power of God and no man can pluck the saved from the
Father's hand. Salvation is everlasting and the glorious truth "once in
Grace, always in Grace," is true. Jn.3:15-16, 5:24, 10:27-30; 1 Ptr 1:5;
Rom.10:1-13
Article XI: Repentance and Faith
We believe that repentance and faith are solemn and inseparable prerequisites
for salvation; that they are inseparable graces wrought in the heart by the
quickening power of the Holy Spirit, and as the sinner is deeply convicted of
his guilt and helplessness he willingly turns in repentance to the Lord Jesus
Christ, surrendering himself wholeheartedly and receiving Him as personal
Savior and Lord. At that moment he is immediately born again. Acts
2:37-38,3:19, 20:21; 2 Cor.7:9-10; Mk.1:15; Matt.3:1-2
Article XII: The Church
We believe and teach that the local, visible assembly of called out believers
into a public place of worship and service is the only one found in the
N.T. The local N.T. Church,
as traced by history, is the only one authorized to carry out the Great
Commission. The 1st N.T.
Church was founded by
Jesus Christ during His own personal ministry and entrance into the local
church is by salvation and scriptural baptism. We believe and teach the Local N.T.
Church is an independent
congregation and is not governed or controlled by any Ecclesiastical Hierarchy;
which includes boards, Fellowships, or Conventions. The will of the Local Church
is final as it is based on the Word of God. Eph.1:22, 3:21; Acts 2:47, 8:1,
11:22, 16:5; 1 Tim.3:15; Matt.16:18; Col.1:24
Article XIII: The Ordinances
Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer's faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, the believer's death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. It is a testimony to his faith in the final resurrection of the dead. Being a church ordinance, it is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership and to the Lord's Supper.
The Lord's Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members of the church, through partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming.
Matthew 3:13-17; 26:26-30; 28:19-20; Mark 1:9-11; 14:22-26; Luke
3:21-22; 22:19-20; John 3:23; Acts 2:41-42; 8:35-39; 16:30-33; 20:7; Romans
6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 10:16,21; 11:23-29; Colossians 2:12.
Article XIV: The Resurrection
We believe and teach that Jesus Christ arose bodily from the grave. We also
believe and teach that this resurrection assures all believers the same bodily
resurrection when the Lord returns for the Saints at the time of the Rapture.
There will later be a resurrection of the unsaved to stand in judgment before
the Lord, known in the Scriptures as the Great White Throne Judgment.
Matt.28:6-7; Jn.20:27; 1 Cor.15:1-11, 42-52; Heb.9:27-28; 1 Thess.4:13-18
Article XV: The Rapture and Return of Christ
We believe and teach that Jesus Christ shall catch away all believers before
the great Tribulation Period. He will not return all the way back to earth at
the Rapture. The Rapture of the true Church is an imminent truth. At the close
of the great Tribulation Period the Saints will return with Christ all the way
to the earth and shall live and reign with Him 1000 yrs. 1 Thess.3:13, 4:13-18;
1 Cor.15:51-55; Rev.19:11-16, 20:1-6; Jude 14-15; Zech.14:1-5; Tit.2:13
Article XVI: The Grace of Giving
We believe and teach that God's method of financing His work of spreading the
Gospel is by the tithes and offerings of His people in and through the local N.T. Church
which is the storehouse. The time to tithe is upon the 1st day of the week and
that everyone is accountable to the Lord for 1/10 of his income and that
tithing was instituted before the law and by Christ in the N.T. Church.
Matt.23:23; Lev.27:28-34; 1 Cor.16:1-2; Lk.6:38; 2 Cor.8:1-8, 9:6-15;
Gen.14:17-20; Mal.3:7-10
Article XVII: The
Plan of Salvation
You need to be saved; "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of
God;" Rom.3:23. You cannot save yourself; "Not by works of
righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us,"
Titus 3:5. God has provided for your salvation; "Wherefore he is able to
save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to
make intercession for them." Heb.7:25 Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation;
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man
cometh unto the Father, but by me." Jn.14:6 God wants to save you;
"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count
slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish,
but that all should come to repentance." 2 Ptr 3:9 God can save you now;
"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
Rom.10:13