What We Believe

PURPOSE

The mission of Rumney Baptist Church is to honor God by making and growing fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.

STATEMENT OF FAITH

This statement of faith is a summary of the essential truths we hold to be foundational to the Christian faith. Our attitude is reflected in the statement: “In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things charity.”

1. The Scriptures

We believe the Old and New Testament books of the Bible are the divinely inspired word of God, without error in the original writings and the supreme and final authority for faith and practice.

[2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; John 17:17]

2. The Trinity

We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They are equal in divine nature and attributes, yet they exercise distinct offices and activity in creation, redemption and providence.

[Genesis 1:1; John 1:1-3; Deut. 6:4; John10:30; Hebrews 1:1-3]

3. God the Father

We believe in God the Father, who is perfect in holiness, justice, and love. He concerns Himself in the affairs of men, and He hears and answers prayer. He saves from sin and eternal damnation all that come to Him through faith in Jesus Christ.

[Matt. 6:6-8; Mark 14:36; John 10:30; I Peter 1:3; I John 4:8]

4. God the Son

We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, in His virgin birth, His sinless life, His miracles, His substitutionary death on the cross, His bodily resurrection from the dead, His high priestly ministry in heaven, and His personal, visible, and glorious return from heaven.

[John 3:16; Matthew 1:23-25; Acts 1:11 & 2:22; I Cor 15:20; Col 1:15-20; I Timothy 3:16; I Peter 2:21-24]

5. God the Holy Spirit

We believe in the Holy Spirit, His personality, and His work in regeneration, sanctification, and the preservation of believers. He guides them into the truth. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. His work is to glorify the Lord Jesus and to draw all people to faith in Him.

[John 14: 16-17; 15:26; 16:8-14; Gal. 4:6]

6. Humanity

We believe that mankind was made in the image of God, and though originally sinless they fell because of sin. We believe that every person is a sinner by nature and by choice and that apart from the grace of God will be eternally separated from God.

[Genesis 1:26-27; 2:7, Romans 3:23; 5:12-16; 6:23]

7. Salvation

We believe in salvation by grace, through faith in the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, and that salvation is the gift of God and not a result of human merit. All who trust in Christ stand justified before God and are eternally secure in Him.

[Romans 10:9-10; I Corinthians 15:1-6; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5]

8. Last Things

We believe in the resurrection of the saved to eternal life in heaven and of the lost to everlasting punishment in hell.

[Matthew 25:46; Phil. 3:20-21; II Peter 3:10-13; I John 3:2]

9. The Church

We believe that the church is the body of Christ of which He is the Head. All who believe in Christ, confess Him as Lord, and are baptized as believers are members of His body. The body of Christ is expressed through local assemblies of believers that are united for worship, instruction, evangelism, and service.

[Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:42-47; I Cor. 12:13; Eph. 1:22-23; 4:11-13]

10. The Ordinances of the church

We believe that Jesus Christ commanded His church to observe the Lord’s Supper and Baptism. The Lord’s Supper is a meal of remembrance symbolizing the sacrificial death of Christ by means of the bread and the cup. Baptism by immersion pictures the union of believers with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection.

[I Cor 11:23-26; Acts 2:38-47; Romans 6:3-5]

11. Christian Conduct

We believe that Christians are commanded to love God supremely and to love others as Christ has loved them. The Christian seeks to glorify God in all of life and to follow the Spirit of God into a life of holiness, and faithful service.

[Matthew 6:33 and 22:37-39; John 13:34-35; I Cor. 10:31; Romans 8:14; James 2:17; I Peter 1:16]