Statement of Faith

The Statement of Faith

of First Baptist Church of Park Rapids, MN

Index

The True God
1. There is one, and only one, living and true God; an infinite, intelligent, perfect Spirit and personal being; the Creator, Preserver, and Supreme Ruler of the universe (John 4:24; Hebrews 3:4; Romans 1:20; Jeremiah 10:10).
2. God is inexpressibly glorious in holiness (Exodus 15:11; Isaiah 6:3; I Peter 1:15-16; Revelation 4:6-8).
3. God is inexpressibly glorious in all other perfections, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love (Mark 12:30; Matthew 10:37; Jeremiah 2:12-13).
4. In the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These are equal in every divine perfection and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. (Matthew 28:19; I Corinthians 12:4-6; I John 5:7. John 10:30; John 5:17; 14:23; 17:5-10; Acts 5:3-4; I Cor 2:10-11; Philippians 2:5,6; Ephesians 2:18; Revelation 1:4-5; cf. Rev 2:7.)

1. Jesus Christ is the Eternal Son of God (John 1:1; 17:5; Micah 5:2; Isaiah 9:6; Col. 1:17; Isaiah 41:4; 44:6; Revelation 1:8).
2. Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35)
3. He was conceived by the Virgin Mary (Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:31; Matthew 1:16).
4. He is one person possessing two natures and thus is true God and man (I Cor. 15:47; I Timothy 2:5; Galations 4:4; Phil. 2:7,8).
5. He lived a perfect sinless life, though incapable of sinning (II Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 7:26; I Peter 2:22).
6. Jesus gave Himself as a perfect substitutionary sacrifice in His death for the sins of all men (John 1:29; John 3:16; Heb. 2:9; I John 2:2; 4:10; Rom. 3-23-26; Rom. 8:32; Col. 1:20-23).
7. He arose bodily from the grave (I Peter 3:18; I Cor. 15:4-8; John 20:26-27), ascended into heaven where He is seated at the right hand of God interceding for His people (Acts 1:9-11; John 20:17; Heb. 7:25; 9:23-24; Rom. 8:34; I John 2:1), and will return to the earth in keeping with His promises (I Thess. 4:13-18; II Thess. 1:7-10; II Peter 3:3-4, 10-13; Jude vs 14).
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The Holy Spirit
1. The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Triune Godhead (John 14:16, 17; Matthew 28:19; Hebrews 9:14; John 14:26).
2. He has been and will continue to be active throughout eternity (Genesis 1:2; Psalm 33:6; Isaiah 40:13; Job 33:4).
3. He has inspired the writing of the Scriptures (II Samuel 23:2,3; Isaiah 59:21; Matthew 22:42,43; Acts 1:16; Acts 28:25; Hebrews 3:7,10; 10: 15,16; II Peter 1:20,21).
4. He is in the world today convincing man of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment (John 16:8-11; Acts 2:37).
5. He is calling out a people for God from the Jews and Gentiles (Acts 11:15-18; Romans 10:12; Revelation 22:17; Acts 15:7-9).
6. He regenerates those who believe (Titus 3:5; John 3:3-7; John 1:13) places them into the body of Christ (I Cor. 12:13; I Cor. 6:15; Ephesians 2:16; Romans 6:1-4), indwells them (John 7:37-39; Acts 11:17; Rom. 5:5; 8:9,11; I Cor. 2:12; 6:19-20; II Cor. 5:5; Gal. 3:2 I John 3:24; 4:13), and produces in them the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-25; Ephesians 5:9) and that He calls individuals to Christian service and empowers and directs them in that service (Acts 1:8; Acts 13:2; Acts 10:19-20; Acts 16:6; Acts 5:17-21).
7. We believe that there are a number of spiritual gifts that were given to the early church that are no longer needed since we have the completed revelation of the scriptures; thus we need not seek special manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the area of gifts but to heed the admonition of Ephesians 5: 18 to be constantly filled with the Holy Spirit. (I Corinthians 13:8).
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The Spirit Realm
1. God created an innumerable company of sinless spirit beings known as angels (Colossians 1:16-17; Psalm 68:17; Daniel 7:10; Matt. 26:53; Heb. l2:22).
2. Many of these continued in their holy state and are the ministers of God (Heb. 1:14; Luke 16:22; Acts 5:19; 12:7; Isaiah 6:3; Psalm 148:1,2).
3. Lucifer (now known as Satan or the devil) and many others rebelled against God (Isaiah 14:12-14; Ezekiel 28:11-18; Revelation 12:9).
4. These fallen angels, though defeated in the cross of Christ (Colossians 2:14,15) still continue to oppose God and His Work (Revelation 12:9,10; Zech. 3:1; Matt. 13:19; I Peter 5:8; Eph. 6:11) and that they will ultimately be judged by God and cast into the lake of fire to suffer everlasting punishment, which is their righteous due (Isaiah 14:15; II Peter 2:4).
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Creation
We accept the Genesis account as being an historic record of creation and believe that the universe with all that is in it was created by God, not produced by some process of evolution. We believe that the six days of creation were six literal twenty-four hour days (Genesis 1,2; I Cor. 8:6; Ephesians 3:9; Colossians 1:16; Heb. 1:1-2; Exodus 20:11; Nehemiah 9:6; Psalm 33:6, 104:5-8; Isaiah 40:28; Acts 17:24,25).
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Man
1. Man was created by the special act of God, as recorded in Genesis. “ So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them” (Genesis 1:27). “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Gen. 2:7).
2. Man was created in a state of innocency, under the law of his Maker (Genesis 1:27, (Ecc. 7:29; Acts 17:26-29; Genesis 2:16-17), but through the temptation of Satan he voluntarily transgressed and fell from this state of innocency (Genesis 3:6-24; Romans 5:12)
3. In consequence of which all mankind are now sinners (Romans 5:19; John 3:6; Psalm 51:5; Romans 5:15-19; 8:7), not by constraint, but choice (Isaiah 53:6; Genesis 6:12; Romans 3:9-18), being by nature utterly void of that holiness required by the law of God, positively inclined to evil, and therefore under just condemnation to eternal ruin (Ephesians 2:13; Romans 1:32; 2:16; Galatians 3:10; Matthew 20:15), and is without excuse (Ezekiel 18:19-20; Galatians 3:22).
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Salvation
1. Salvation is all of grace through the substitutionary work of Jesus Christ who paid the full redemptive price, by shedding His blood (II Cor. 8:9; Ephesians 2:5, 8; Acts 15:11; Romans 3:24; Romans 5:18; Romans 11:6; II Cor. 5:14; Matt. 20:28; John 6:51; John 15:13; Romans 5:6-8; II Cor. 5:21; Hebrews 2:9)
2. Jesus’ blood fully satisfied God’s righteous demands by suffering the death penalty for man’s guilt (I John 2:2; I John 4:10; Romans 3:25; Romans 8:33) and imputed to man His perfect righteousness reconciling him to God (II Cor. 5:21; John 14:20; Col. 1:27; Rom. 3:21-22; II Cor. 5:20; Eph 2:16; Col. 1:20,21; II Cor . 5:18).
3. Salvation is made effective to man only upon his exercise of personal faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:15; John 5:24; John 11:25; John 20:31; Romans 10:9).
4. Such faith is not a meritorious work, made possible only by the grace of God (Eph. 2:2,9; Titus 3:5).
5. Salvation includes justification (Acts 13:39; Romans 5:1,18; I Cor. 6:11; Gal 3:24), regeneration (John 1:12,13; 3:3; I Peter 1:23; I John 5:1), adoption into the family of God (II Cor. 6:18; Gal 4:5-6), sanctification, (positional, progressive, and final) (I Cor. 1:30; I Thess. 4:3; II Cor. 7:1; II Cor. 13:9; Eph. 1:4; Pro. 4:18; Hebrews 6:1; II Peter 1:5-8; Philippians 3:12-16), and glorification (Romans 8:17; Philippians 3:21; Col 3:4).
6. One who is truly born again will, by the grace of God, persevere and be kept saved forever (John 8:31; I John 2:27; 3:9; 5:18; 2:19; John 13:18; Matthew 13:20,21; John 6:66-69; Philippians 1:6; 2:12,13; Jude 24:25; Hebrews 1:14; I John 4:4).
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Sanctification
1. Every saved person is positionally, in Christ, completely set apart for God (I Cor. 6:11; 1:30; John 17:19; Acts 20:32; I Peter 1:2).
2. In experience the saved person retains his sin-nature, which is not eradicated in this life, and thus his present state is no more perfect than his daily experience (Gal 5:17; Rom 7:15-23; Rom 8:8; Gal 6:8; I Jn 2:16).
3. There is a progressive sanctification wherein the saved person is to grow in grace and into Christ-likeness by the unhindered power of the Holy Spirit (I Thess. 5:23; Phil 1:6; 3:15; Col 3:9,10; I Cor 1:18; Jn 15:3).
4. When Christ appears the saved person will be fully sanctified so that his state will conform to his standing (Phil 3:21; Col 3:4; Heb 12:14,23; I Jn 3:23; Jude 24; Rev 14:5).
5. Progressive sanctification involves separation not only from ungodly living, but also from ungodly teaching (I Tim 6:5; II Thess 3:14; 3:6; Rom 16:17; II Tim 3:5; II Jn 10).
6. Though we love all men and seek their salvation, there are areas in which we cannot have fellowship with unbelievers (I Tim 6:3-5; Rom 16:17,18; I Cor 15:33; II Thess 3:14-15).
7. In areas of ecclesiastical fellowship, it may be necessary to separate even from our brethren in Christ, if they in turn maintain ecclesiastical fellowship with unbelievers.
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The Church
1. “The church which is His Body” is composed of all true believers (Those who have been born again through a personal acceptance of Christ as Saviour) from Pentecost to the rapture (John 3:7; John 1:12; Eph 1:22,23).
2. This church was brought into being on the day of Pentecost by the Holy Spirit’s baptizing into one body all who were believers at that time (I Cor 12:13; Acts 1:5; John 7:38-39; John 14:16,17; Rom 8:9).
3. On the day of Pentecost and since that time others have been and are being added to the church as they personally accept Christ as Saviour (Romans 6:3,4; I Cor 12:13).
4. At the rapture this church will be complete and will be caught up to be united with Christ as His bride, never to be separated from Him (Eph 5:27; I Thess 4:13-18; Eph 2:7; II Thess 1:10).
5. Local churches are gatherings of professing believers in given communities, organized for the purpose of united worship, fellowship, administration of the ordinances ( baptism and the Lord’s supper), edification, discipline, and effective promotion of the work of Christ throughout the world (Acts 5:11; 8:1; 15:4,22; Acts 13:1-3; 9:31; 15:41; Rev 1:4; Acts 14:23,27; Matt 28:19-20).
6. Such local churches should be limited in membership to those who are born again, desire to follow Christ in obedience and have been immersed (Rom 1:7; Col 1:2; Jn 4:24; 3:3-6; Acts 2:41; 8:35-39; 10:47,48; 16:32-34).
7. Christ is the supreme head and every member has direct access to Him and is responsible to seek His will (Eph 4:15,16; Eph 5:23; Acts 5:29; Romans 14:5).
8. The only officers recognized in such New Testament churches we those of pastors, (bishop, presbyter, elder) and deacons (I Pet 5:1-4; Eph 4:11; Titus 1:5-7; Acts 20:17-28; I Tim 3:8-13; Romans 14:5).
9. Church government is democratic with every member responsible to vote in keeping with his understanding of the will of Christ (Acts 6:1-8; 15:1-29; Rev 1:6).
10. That each local church is responsible directly to Christ and not to some other local church or organization (Matt 18:15-17; Acts 15:1-29).
11. There is value in fellowship and cooperation with other local churches of like convictions (II Cor 8:1-24; Gal 1:2; Rev 1:11; I Cor 1:2).
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Things to Come
We believe that the Scriptures do foretell certain future events among which are the following.

Rapture of the Church:
1. Jesus Christ will return to the atmosphere of this earth (I Thessalonians 4:16,17).
2. The dead in Christ will rise first (I Thessalonians 4:16; I Corinthians 15:52; John 5:25; II Corinthians 4:14), then believers who are still living will be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air and to ever be with the Lord (I Thessalonians 4:17; I Corinthians 15:51; Romans 8:17; Philippians 3:20,21)
3. The rapture is the next event on the revealed calendar and that no prophesy need be fulfilled before it occurs, thus Christ could return at any moment (Revelation 22:12,20).

Tribulation:
1. The rapture of the church will be followed on earth be Israel’s seventieth week (a period of 7 years) (Daniel 9:24-27; Matthew 24:15-30).
2. Though there will be salvation, this will be a time of great judgments (Mark 13:13; Revelation 7:9-14; Matthew 24:15-30).
3. The latter part being known as the great tribulation (Daniel 9:27; Revelation 11:2,3; Matthew 24:21).

Second Coming:
1. Following the tribulation, Christ will return to the earth with His glorified saints to establish the millennial kingdom (Jude 13,14; Revelation 20:4).
2. During that thousand years of peace and prosperity Satan will be bound and Christ will reign with a rod of iron (Revelation 20:1,2; Isaiah 2:4; 3:10; 11:4; 60:17; Zechariah 8:12).
3. At the end of the millennium Satan will be released for a short time, deceive many and lead them in final rebellion but be overthrown with his armies (Revelation 20:7-9).

Eternal State:
1. Satan , the evil angels, and the unsaved men of all ages will be finally judged and condemned to everlasting, conscious punishment in the “Lake of Fire” (I Corinthians 6:3; II Peter 2:4; Jude 6; Revelation 20:11-15; 21 Matthew 13:41,42; 18:8; 25:41; Mark 9:44).
2. All saved of all ages will enjoy everlasting blessing in the presence of God (John 14:1-3; Revelation 14:13; Philippians 3:20,21; II Corinthians 5:1; Hebrews 11:10; Revelation 22:14).
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The Statement of Faith does not exhaust the extent of our faith. The Bible itself is the sole and final source of all that we believe. We do believe, however, that the foregoing Statement of Faith accurately represents the teaching of the Bible and, therefore, is binding upon all members. All literature used in the church shall be in complete agreement with the Statement of Faith.