Pleasant View Baptist Church Statement of Faith
THE WORD OF GOD – We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, fully inspired and without error in the original manuscripts, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and that it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct. (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Peter 1:20-21)
THE TRINITY – We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons: that these are equal in every divine perfection, and that they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence and redemption. (Genesis 1:1, 1:26; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 3:16-17; Acts 2:32-33; 1 Corinthians 2:10-16; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 4:5-6; 1 Peter 1:1-2)
GOD THE FATHER – We believe in God, the Father, an infinite, personal spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and love. We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. (Matthew 6:9; John 5:19-24, 17:1-5; Ephesians 1:3-6)
JESUS CHRIST – We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles and teachings. We believe in His substitutionary, atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people and His personal, visible return to earth. (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; John 1:14-18; Romans 3:25, 9:5; 1 Corinthians 15; Titus 2:13)
THE HOLY SPIRIT – We believe in the Holy Spirit who came forth from the Father and the Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Christ, and that He is an abiding helper, teacher and guide. (John 3:1-8, 15:16, 16:4-15; 1 Corinthians 3:10-13, 12; Ephesians 1:13-14; Galatians 5:16-25)
REGENERATION – We believe that all men are sinners by nature and by choice and are, therefore, under condemnation. We believe that those who repent of their sins and trust in Jesus Christ as Savior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit. (John 3:5-7; Romans 3:23-26, 8:9-17; 2 Corinthians 3:4-6; Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 3:5; James 1:18, 1 Peter 1:23)
THE CHURCH – We believe in the universal church, a living spiritual body of which Christ is the head and all regenerated persons are members. We believe in the local church consisting of a company of believers in Jesus Christ, baptized on a credible profession of faith, and associated for worship, work and fellowship. We believe that God has laid upon the members of the local church the primary task of giving the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world. (Matthew 16:13-28; Acts 2:41-47; 1 Corinthians 12:14; Hebrews 10:24-25)
CHRISTIAN CONDUCT – We believe that a Christian should live for the glory of God and the well being of his fellow men; that his conduct should be blameless before the world; that he should be a faithful steward of all his possessions; and that he should seek to realize for himself and others the full stature of maturity in Christ. (Matthew 25:31-46; John 5:28-29; 2 Corinthians 5:6-10; Ephesians 2:10, 4:17-5:21; Philippians 2:1-18)
THE ORDINANCES – We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has committed two ordinances to the local church: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We believe that Christian Baptism is the immersion of a believer; that the Lord’s Supper was instituted by Christ for commemoration of His death. We believe that these ordinances should be observed and administered until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 8:36-40, 10:47-48, 18:8; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 11:23-28, 12:13)
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY – We believe that every human being has direct relations with God, and is responsible to God alone in all matters of faith; that each church is independent and must be free from interference by an ecclesiastical or political authority; that, therefore, Church and State must be kept separate as having different functions, each fulfilling its duties free from the dictation or patronage of the other. (Matthew 22:21; 1 Timothy 2:1-2; Acts 4:19)
CHURCH COOPERATION – We believe that local churches can best promote the cause of Jesus Christ by cooperating with one another in a denominational organization. Such an organization, whether a regional or district conference, exists and functions by the will of the churches. Cooperation in a conference is voluntary and may be terminated at any time. Churches may likewise cooperate with the interdenominational fellowships on a voluntary basis. (Acts 15:22-31)
THE LAST THINGS – We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of His kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the eternal felicity of the righteous and endless suffering of the wicked. We believe in the future rapture of the church. (Matthew 24; 2 Corinthians 5:6-10; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17; 1 John 3:2)
SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER – We believe that because God gives eternal life through Jesus Christ, the true believer is secure in that salvation for eternity. If someone has been genuinely saved, they cannot “lose” their salvation. Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian. It is the grace and keeping power of God that gives believers this security. (John 10:29, 2 Timothy 1:12, Hebrews 7:25, 10:10, 10:14, 1 Peter 1:3-5)