FAITH BAPTIST CHURCH
STATEMENT OF FAITH
Updated Nov. 2017
Pastor Martin
1208 S. W.W. White Rd
San Antonio, Texas
78220
“A declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us” (Luke 1:1)
record of His supernatural revelation of Himself to man. Absolute in its authority, complete in its revelation, final in its content, and without any error in its statement (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:20-21; Pro. 2:1-7; Rev. 22:18-19; Matt. 5:18; Jn.
10:35). The 1611, King James Version, also known as the Authorized Version is the Word of God preserved in English. It is the only version we use and allow in our pulpit (Psa. 12:6-7; 119:89). Faith Baptist Church will not, knowingly, support nor promote any work where the 1611, King James Bible is not used.
2. THE GODHEAD:There is one God, eternally existent, creator of heaven and earth. He is< manifested in three persons -- God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. These three are one God; eternal in being; identical in nature; equal in power; equal in glory; possessing the same attributes and perfections; and worthy of the same homage, confidence, and obedience (Isa. 7:14; Jn. 14:9; Gen. 1:2; Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:18-19; 2 Cor. 13:14; Rev. 1:4-6; Matt. 3:16-17; 1 Tim. 3:16).
3. THE PERSON AND WORK OF JESUS CHRIST: The Lord Jesus Christ is fully God, who took on
flesh by the virgin birth and dwelt on earth without ceasing to be God. By His
incarnation, He became the unique person of the universe: The God-man, Savior, true
humanity and undiminished deity.
He was sinless and perfect and gave Himself to redeem mankind as a substitutionary
sacrifice, by shedding His blood and dying on the cross.
His death paid for all sins (past, present, and future), not only for the believer,
but for the sins of the whole world.
This redemption was secured by His literal, physical, bodily resurrection from the
dead. After His resurrection He ascended bodily into heaven where He is now at the
right hand of God performing His ministry as representative, intercessor, and advocate
for His people (Jn. 1:1-14; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 2:9, 9:2-28, 10:10-14; Tit. 2:14; Acts
13:38-41; 1 Pet. 2:24).
4. THE PERSON AND WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: The Holy Spirit, the third person of the
triune God. He was, and is present in all the plan and work of God. The Holy Spirit
manifests Himself by restraining evil; convincing the world of sin, righteousness, and
judgment; regenerating all who believe in Christ; Indwelling and sealing believers
(John 14:16; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 6:19; 12:12-13; Eph. 1:13, 4:30, 5:18; 1 Thess. 5:19; 1
Jn. 2:20-27; Jn. 16:8-14).
He seals the believer at the moment of his salvation. This sealing endures till the
day of redemption. A person who is not sealed by the Holy Ghost is NOT saved (Eph.
1:12-13; 4:30; Rom. 8:9).
The Holy Spirit fills the believer. This filling or control of the Spirit comes as the
believer yields. The believer is commanded to seek the filling of the Holy Spirit
(Eph. 5:17-18).
He anoints the believer for service. The power of God comes upon the believer by the
Spirit of God for service. Any work done for God, apart from the Spirit of God, is
fleshly and carnal (Acts 1:8; Luke 24:49; Mark 1:9-10).
5. THE TOTAL DEPRAVITY OF MAN: Man was created in the image and likeness of God, in the
state of innocence. Man’s primary ancestor, Adam, disobeyed God’s clear warning, went
against God’s Word, and brought the judgment of God upon himself, and upon the whole
human race (Rom. 5:12-19). Through Adam’s disobedience Man lost his spiritual standing
before God, became dead in trespasses and sins, and is now under the penalty of sin
which is death.
Each member of the human race is fallen, sinful, and lost. Thus, regeneration by the
Holy Ghost is absolutely necessary (Gen. 1:26, 2:17; Psa. 51:5; Jer. 17:9; Rom.
3:10-23; Jn. 3:7, 7:39; 1 Cor. 6:19; Eph. 2:1-5).
6. SALVATION: Man is saved by God’s grace through personal faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ. None of man’s works or efforts enter into his salvation. Salvation is a free
gift. Man’s works regardless of how good or well intended, either before or after
salvation, have nothing to do with salvation.
“Salvation,” “eternal life,” “born again,” and “going to heaven,” are synonymous
terms, which mean a person is saved (Eph. 2:8-9; Gal. 2:16; Acts 4:10-12;Rom.11:6;
Col. 2:13; Tit. 3:5; Jn. 3:3, 16, 17).
God desires all to be saved. It is not the will of God that anyone should perish, but
that all would come to repentance. God foreknows, but does not predetermine anyone to
condemnation (Jn. 1:9; 1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Thess. 2:13; 2 Pet. 3:9; John 6:44-45, 64-65;
Acts 10:34; 1 Cor. 1:21; Eph. 1:5-14).
7. REPENTANCE: Repentance is absolutely necessary for salvation. Repentance is realizing
your sin, desires, works, and religion, are an offence toward God Repentance is a work
of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the someone seeking salvation (Acts 17:18-30; Luke
13:1-5; Rev. 9:20; Acts 2:36-38, 20:21; 2 Cor. 7:10).
8. HOW TO BE SAVED: God loves all mankind regardless of race, birth, or actions. His love
is unconditional. It is God’s will that all mankind be saved (John 3:16; 1 John
4:9-10; Rom. 5:8; Eph. 2:4-5; Acts 10:34).
All have sinned. Every man, woman, and child has sinned, and is a sinner. We are
sinners by nature. Our sin brings us under the penalty of sin which is death in hell
(Rom. 3:10-23, 5:12, 6:23; Eph. 2:1, 5, 9; James 2:10).
Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay for the sin of the world. He rose from the dead
sealing the redemption (2 Cor. 5:21; Phil. 3:9; 1 Pet. 3:18; Rom. 4:5; 1 Cor. 15:3-4,
12-19; 1 Pet. 1:3).
A person must repent of his sins (Confess to God), and place faith in the sacrificial
death, and shed blood of Jesus Christ to be saved (Jn. 6:47; 1 Jn. 5:13; Jn. 1:12,
3:7, 14:6; 1 Pet. 1:6; Acts 10:31).
Acts 20:21 “Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward
God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”
9. ETERNAL SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER: Every true child of God possesses eternal life,
being justified by faith, sanctified by God, sealed by the Holy Spirit, is safe and
secure for all eternity, and therefore cannot lose his salvation. A Christian, because
of sin, can lose his fellowship, joy, power, testimony, and reward; but not his
salvation.
When a Christian lives in unrepentant sin, he incurs the chastisement of God upon
himself. Our relationship to Christ is eternal, based on the new birth. Fellowship,
however, is dependent on obedience (John 6:34,39; 10:27-30; Rom. 8:38-39; 1 Cor.
3:11-17, 5:1-5, 11:30-32; Jude 24; 1 Pet. 1:5).
10. THE CHURCH: The Church is the local body of assembled believers. Beginning with
Christ’s death at Calvary, and empowered at Pentecost, and composed of all true
believers. By the Holy Spirit we are all baptized into one Spiritual body. Water
Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the ordinances of the Church. Water baptism, and the
Lord’s Table are a Scriptural means for testimony and not for salvation.
While all believers constitute “The Church”, God works through the local New Testament
Church. There is no church authority outside of the local independent body, known as
the local Church. God has commanded believers to assemble for instruction, and
fellowship (Acts 1:8, 2:1-4, 10:47; 1 Cor. 6:19, 12:13; Eph. 4:4-5, 12-16; Col. 1:18;
Heb. 10:25; Isa. 58:13-14).
11. THE BLESSED HOPE: We believe in a personal, pre-tribulational, and pre-millennial
return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The next great event in the fulfillment
of prophecy is the coming of our Lord in the air to receive to Himself the dead in
Christ and believers who are alive at His coming, otherwise known as the rapture or
translation of the Church (1 Cor. 15:51-57; 1 Thess. 1:10, 4:13-18; 2 Thess. 2:1-8;
Tit. 2:11-14; Rev. 3:10, 4:1-4).
We further believe, that children who die before the age of accountability (an
undetermined age based, not on physical age, but on intelligence) go immediately into
the presence of God, awaiting the resurrection of the body (Matt. 18:10, 19:13-15; 2
Sam. 12:15-23; Jonah 4:10-11; 2 Cor. 5:6-8).
12. THE TRIBULATION: We believe that the rapture of the Church will be followed by the
fulfillment of Daniel’s 70th week, the latter half of which is the time of Jacob’s
trouble, also know as, the Great Tribulation (Dan. 9:27; Jer. 30:7;Matt. 24:15-21;
Rev. 6:1-9).
13. THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST: We believe that the Great Tribulation will be climaxed
by the pre-millennial return of the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth to set up His
kingdom (Zech. 14:4-11; Matt. 24:15-25, 46; 2 Thess. 1:10; Rev. 1:7; Isa. 2:1-4,
65:17-25).
14. THE PERSONALITY OF SATAN AND HIS ANGELS: Satan is a fallen angel, and the author of
sin. Satan and his fallen angels (demons), are the declared enemies of God and man.
They have been judged by the death of Christ, defeated in the name of Christ, and
shall be eternally doomed to the lake of fire. Satan and his demons recognize God’s
authority and power, and cannot indwell a believer.
The Scriptures clearly forbid the worship or exaltation of angels, fallen or
otherwise. Furthermore, the exercise of witchcraft, horoscope, astrology, psychic
readers, and all such occult practices are also forbidden (Ezek. 28:15-17; Isa.
14:12-15; Rev. 12:1-10; James 4:7; 1 Jn. 4:4; Eph. 6:11-17; John 8:44, 14:30; Matt.
18:18; Luke 10:17-20).
15. SPIRITUAL GIFTS: The moment a person is saved (repents and trusts Christ), he is
indwelt with the Holy Spirit, and is equipped for Spiritual service. The believer upon
salvation is given two or more Spiritual gifts with which to serve God. It is the
responsibility of each believer to discover and exercise his Spiritual gifts with
love, and only for the purpose of edifying the body of Christ.
We further refute the modern day charismatic movement that exalts the gifts above the
giver, and that equates gifts, such as speaking in tongues, with spirituality and/or
salvation.
The gift of tongues was the ability to speak in a language that you presently do not
know. Tongues is not now, nor has ever been for the purpose of proving ones salvation
or spirituality.
The gift of healing is the ability to pray and believe God for the healing of another.
It is not always God’s will to heal a believer (1 Pet.4:10; Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor.
chapters 12 & 13; Eph. 4:7-16).
16. CHRISTIAN RESPONSIBILITY: It is every Christians privilege and duty to make clear
God’s message of salvation wherever and whenever possible.
It is the Christian’s privilege and duty to study God’s Word, believe, and obey it.
Moreover, the Christian is to communicate with God regularly in prayer for his own
needs, and for the needs of others.
The Christian should not forsake the assembling of believers together for fellowship
and instruction; and is to support the Lord’s work through tithes and offerings; given
to and through the local church.
All members should seek to walk in such a way as to not bring reproach upon our
Savior. Separation from worldly pleasures, and practices is commanded (Mark 16:16;
Rom. 12:1-2; 2 Tim. 2:15; John 8:31-32, 16:24; 1 Thess. 5:17; Heb. 10:25).
17. RECOGNITION OF MARRIAGE: beWe believe that marriage is the union of one man and one
woman. Homosexuality of any kind is strictly forbidden by the Bible. All sexual
perversions including but not limited to bestiality, pedophilia, and sodomy are an
abomination to God, and must be disapproved by the Church (Lev. 18:22-24, 20:13-16;
Romans 1:24-32; 1 Cor. 6:9-11; 1 Tim, 1:8-11).
18. SCRIPTURAL DEFINITION OF MALE AND FEMALE: We hold to the Scriptural definition of Man
and Woman. A man is a person who was born a biological male, complete with the anatomy
of a biological male. A man is born without a womb and can not get pregnant. A woman
is a person who was born a biological female, complete with the anatomy of a
biological female. A woman is born with a womb and can become pregnant (Gen 1:27-28;
Gen 2:21-24; Gen. 4:1-2).
THIS IS THE CONCLUSION OF OUR DOCTRINAL STATEMENT