The Apostles’ Creed is not found in the Bible. The apostles did not write the Apostles’ Creed. Rather, it was written at least 150 years after the apostles had all died. It is called the Apostles’ Creed because it is supposed to be a record of what the apostles taught. The Apostles' Creed is as follows:
The Apostles' Creed is a good summary of Christian doctrine. However, regarding "the holy catholic church," this does not refer to the Roman Catholic Church as we know it today. The word catholic means “universal.” The church is all those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation.
What We Believe
Our statement of Faith:
ABOUT THE BIBLE -- BIBLOLOGY
The Bible is God’s Word. It was written by men divinely inspired and is God’s revelation of Himself to man. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because God inspires it, it is the truth without any mixture of error. The Bible being the revealed Word of God is the ground and foundation from which all claims of truth shall be substantiated. The Word of God is alive and quick! Through God's sovereign hand the Scriptures have been preserved and are the supreme and final authority.
2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:20-21; 2 Tim. 1:13
Psalm 12:6; 119:105, 160; Pro. 30:5; Heb.4:12
ABOUT GOD – THEOLOGY PROPER
God is eternally One in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each is a distinct Person co-equal and fully divine, yet God is One. All of one essence and all having the same nature, perfection, and attributes, and each is worthy of the same human worship, confidence, and obedience. There is no division in the godhead.
Genesis 1:1, 26-27; 3:22; Psalm 90:2; Matt. 28:19-20
1 Peter 1:2; 2 Cor. 13:14; John 1:1, 14
ABOUT GOD THE FATHER – PATEROLOGY
God is Father, Who revealed His perfect love as Creator and Ruler of the universe and all that is in it, Who planned our redemption from before the foundations of the world.
God is Father, to those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
Eph. 4:6; 1Cor. 8:6; 1 Pet. 1:3; 1John 4:14
ABOUT JESUS CHRIST -- CHRISTOLOGY
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father. Jesus, born of a virgin lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on the cross. He rose from the dead after three days and demonstrated His power over sin and death according to scriptures. He ascended to Heaven’s glory and will return again to earth to reign as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.
Matt. 1:22-23; Lk. 1:26-33, 22:20, 24:46
John 1:1-5; 14:10-30; Heb. 4:14-15
Acts 1:9-11; Isa. 9:6; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; Rom. 1:3-4;
1 Tim. 6:14-15; Titus 2:13
ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT -- PNEUMATOLOGY
The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son of God. He is the third Person of the Trinity. He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He regenerates, permanently indwells, seals, and sets apart the believer to a holy life for all eternity. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right.
2 Cor. 3:17; John. 16:7-13; 14:16-17; Acts 1:8;
Eph. 1:13; Eph. 5:18; 1 Cor. 2:12; 3:16;
Gal. 5:25; Titus 3:5
ABOUT ANGELS -- ANGELOLOGY
The angels are created as good beings, but some fell from their holy position (satan, demons). It seems likely that they were created before the creation of the earth, possibly as part of “the heavens” in Genesis 1:1 and some fell during the temptation and fall of humankind. They are destined for the lake of fire. Angels are intelligent. They do not die. They are more powerful than men but are not omnipotent.
Gen. 1:31; Ps. 72:18, 103:20, 148:2, 5;
Col. 1:16; Matt. 24:36, 26:53;
Luke 20:36; Heb. 12:22; 2 Pet. 2:4;
Jude 6; Rev. 5:11, 20:10.
ABOUT MAN -- ANTHROPOLOGY
Man was created. People are made in the image of God, to be like Him in character. Man is the supreme object of God’s creation. Man, by his free choice - disobedience toward God is called “sin”. This attitude separates people from God and causes many deaths. Man brought sin into the world. However, every man possess dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love.
Gen. 1:27; Psalms 8:3-6; Isa. 53:6a;
Rom. 3:23; Isa. 59:1-2
ABOUT SIN -- HAMARTIOLOGY
Because of sin, men and women do not have the ability to please God, which results in death and separation from God. The ‘Nature of Sin’ we believe is the failure of mankind to conform to God’s perfect standards of righteousness.
Rom. 5:12, 5:18-19, 6:6, 12-13, 7:17-18;
1 Cor. 15:22; 2 Cor. 10:5;
Eph. 4:22; James 3:5-6, 4:17; 1 John 3:4
ABOUT SALVATION -- SOTERIOLOGY
Salvation involves the redemption of the whole man. We can never make up for our sins by self-improvement of good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin’s penalty. When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith, we are saved. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his or her life by faith. Salvation involves redemption, regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification.
Rom. 6:23 Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:4-8; Col. 1:13-14, 21-22;
2 Cor. 5:17; Rom. 10:9-10; John 6:44-47; 1 Cor. 6:19.
ABOUT THE CHURCH -- ECCLESIOLOGY
The church is composed of baptized believers who are associated by covenant in faith and fellowship of the gospel which includes all the redeemed of all ages. The local church is a body of immersed believers covenanted together for the work of the Church, to provoke one another to love and good works. Water Baptism (emersion) and the Lord’s Supper are the only two sacraments of the church as given by Jesus Christ. These two sacraments are to be participated in by believers.
Matt. 16:18; Acts 2:41; 1 Cor. 12:12-13; Eph. 2:19-22;
Matt. 28:19; 1 Cor. 11:26
ABOUT ETERNITY – ESCHATOLOGY
People were created to exist forever. We will exist eternally either separated from God by sin, or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is HELL. We believe in the pre-tribulation rapture (catching away) of the Church and Christ will reign for 1,000 years according to scripture.
John. 3:16, 14:17; Rom. 6:23, 8:17-18;
1 Cor. 2:7-9; Rev. 20:15
ABOUT ETERNAL SECURITY
Because God gives us eternal life/salvation through Jesus Christ, the true believer is secure in that salvation for eternity. If you are saved, you cannot “lose” it. Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian. Salvation is the grace and keeping power of God that gives us this security.
John. 10:29; Eph. 1:13; 2:8-9; Jude 24-25; 2 Tim. 1:12;
Heb. 7:25, 10:10, 14; Pet. 1:3-5; 1 John 5:11
ABOUT SANCTIFICATION
Sanctification is twofold, positional, and practical. First, positional, since the believer is in Christ, he is a partaker of Christ’s sanctification. Secondly, practice, the believer is responsible for his practical sanctification (daily walk), he is to, ‘grow in grace’ and become like Christ.
Rom. 5:1-5; 2 Cor. 3:18; Eph. 4:24; 5:5-27
ABOUT THE FAMILY
God ordained family as the foundational institution of humanity. Family/Marriage is the unity of one man and one woman, co-equal in covenant commitment for a lifetime. Children from moment of conception are a blessing from the LORD.
Gen.1:26-28; 2:21-25; Eph. 5:21-26
ABOUT THE MINISTRY AND SPIRITUAL GIFTS
God’s sovereignty gave Spiritual Gifts to all believers and these gifts make room for the believer. These gifts are to be used for the benefit, exhortation and edification of the body of Christ. The gifts of tongues are for the individual. We further believe it is the duty of every believer to seek constantly to win the lost to Christ.
1 Cor. 13:4-11;1 Cor. 14:27-33; Rom. 12:3-8;
Eph. 4:7-12; 1 Pet. 4:10
It is important to know your Bible because:
If we don’t know the
BIBLE
If we don’t know
DOCTRINE
If we don’t know
THEOLOGY
It is virtually impossible for us to
identify false prophets, preachers, etc.…
ABOUT THE LORD’S DAY
The first day of the week is the Lord’s Day. It commemorates the resurrection of Christ from the dead and should be anticipate His Second Coming.
Rev. 1:10; Matt. 28:1; Mark 16:2 Luke 24;
1 John 20:1; Acts 20:7; 1Cor. 16:2
ABOUT THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
When a person believes in his heart and confesses with his mouth that Jesus is Lord and that God raised Him from the dead, he receives the gift of salvation or eternal life. At this point, a person is born of the Spirit and is made a new creation in Christ. He receives the Spirit within. Second, the experience subsequent to salvation is known in the Scriptures as being filled with the Holy Spirit or being baptized with the Holy Spirit John 1:33. When this happens, the believer is endued with power for service.
Disciple
John 20:21,22 - born of the Spirit / indwelling of the Spirit
Acts 2:2-5 - filled with the Spirit / baptism of the Spirit
Samaritans
Acts 8:5,12 - born of the Spirit / indwelling of the Spirit
Acts 8:14-17 - filled with the Spirit / baptism of the Spirit
Ephesians
Acts 19:1-5 - born of the Spirit / indwelling of the Spirit
Acts 19:6 - filled with the Spirit / baptism of the Spirit
ABOUT SOCIAL ORDER AND SEXUALITY
Every Christian is under obligation to seek to make the will of Christ supreme in his/her own life and in human society. The Christian should, in the spirit of Christ, oppose every form of greed, selfishness, and vice. Homosexuality is a sin, though not an unforgivable sin.
Gen. 2:15-25; Eph. 5:22-32; Rom. 1:26-27;
1 Cor. 6:9-11, 12-20
ABOUT FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP
The church is financed according to the Biblical mandates of Tithes and Offerings and that everything that we give is from what God has already given to us.
Genesis 1:19; 2 Cor. 9:7; Heb. 7-10; 1 Pet. 4:10
ABOUT CHRISTIAN
As members of the Baptist Church, we belong to the large family of Christian Churches. The shed blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has purchased us. Through Faith in His victory over Satan, the grave, and death we become heirs to the precious gift of eternal life, which we will spend, with our God. As the Lord’s Church, we comprise the Body of Christ and we are empowered by the Holy Spirit. On this earth we hold a charter of Salvation, which authorizes us to call sinners to repentance and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
John 3:14-15; Acts 2:21, 11:20-26
ABOUT PROTESTANT
Members of the Baptist Church are heirs to the Protestant Reformation. We affirm the authority of the Scriptures. We believe in justification by faith. We belong to the priesthood of all believers.
Rom 3:28; Gal. 2:16; 1 Pet. 2:5-9
ABOUT AFRICAN AFRICAN/AMERICAN EXPERIENCE
We were forged out of the crucible of the African/African American experience. Our relationship with God was developed within these contexts – the contexts of oppression, slavery, segregation, colonialism, and other long and difficult experiences. These circumstances have given to us special insights and sensibilities about how God relates to oppressed people everywhere; we know firsthand what God will do for them and through them. Listen to our testimonies in the slave narratives, in the spirituals, in gospel music, in the special styles of preaching, praying, and worship that characterize African/African American religious rituals. These idioms have had an impact upon the Baptist Church and this denomination bears the imprint of the African/African American experience.
Psalms 68:31; Songs of Songs 1:5-6.