First Baptist Church of Prosperity, SC

 STATEMENT OF FAITH  (ABBREVIATED)

1. The Holy Scriptures:
   We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the verbally inspired Word of God, the final authority for faith and life, inerrant in the original writings, infallible and God breathed.  (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Matt. 5:18; John 16:12-13).

2. The Godhead:
   We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit--co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections.  (Deut. 6:4; 2 Cor. 13:14).

3. The Person and Work of Christ:
   a. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men.  (John 1:1-2,14; Luke 1:35).
   b. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross, as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and, that our justification is made sure by His literal physical resurrection from the dead.  (Rom. 3:24-25; I Peter 2:24; Eph.1:7; I Peter 1:3-5).
   c. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate.  (Acts 1:9-10; Heb. 9:24; 7:25;Rom. 8:34; I John 2:1-2).

4. The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit:
   a.   We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and, that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling, and sealing them unto the day of redemption.  (John 16:8-11; 2 Cor. 3:6; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; Rom. 8:9; Eph. 1:13-14).
   b. We believe that He is the Divine Teacher who guides believers into all truth; and, that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit.  (John 16:13; I John 2: 20, 27; Eph. 5: 18).

5. The Total Depravity of Man:
   We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam’s sin the race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and, that man is totally depraved, and, of himself utterly unable to remedy his lost condition.  (Gen. 1:26-27; Rom. 3:22-23; 5:12; Eph. 2:1-3, 12).

6.  Salvation:
   We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins.  (Eph 1: 7; Eph. 2:8-10; John 1: 12; I Peter 1:18-19).

7. The Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers:
   a. We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever. (John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Rom. 8:1, 38-39; I Cor. 1:4-8;I Peter 1:5).
   b. We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word; which, however, clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty, as an occasion to the flesh. (Rom. 13:13-14; Gal.5:13; Titus 2:11-15).

8. The Two Natures of the Believers:
   We believe that every saved person possesses two natures, with provision made for victory of the new nature over the old nature through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit; and, that all claims to the eradication of the old nature in this life are unscriptural.  (Rom. 6:13; 8:12-13; Gal. 5:16-25; Eph. 4:22-24; Col. 3:10; I Peter 1:14-16; I John 3:5-9).

9. Separation:
   We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord; and, that separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and associations is commanded by God.  (II Tim. 3:1-5; Rom. 12:1-12; 14:13; I John 2:15-17; II John 9-11; II Cor. 6:14-7:1).

10. Missions:
    We believe that it is the obligation of the saved to witness by life and by word to the truths of the Holy Scripture and to seek to proclaim the Gospel to all mankind.  (Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8; II Cor. 5:19-20).

11. The Ministry and Spirit:
    We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowment of all His gifts; and that, the gifts of evangelists, pastors, and teachers are sufficient for the perfecting of the saints today; and, that speaking in tongues and the working of sign miracles gradually ceased and the New Testament Scriptures were completed and their authority became established. ( I Cor. 12:4-11; II Cor. 12:12; Eph. 4:7-12)

12. The Church:
    We believe that the Church, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all born-again persons of this present age.  (Eph. 1:22-23; Eph. 5:25-27; I Cor. 12:12-14; II Cor. 11:2).

13. Dispensationalism:
    We believe in the dispensation view of Bible interpretation, but reject the extreme teaching known as “Hyper-Dispensationalism:, such as, that teaching which opposes either the Lord’s Table or water baptism as a Scriptural means of testimony for the Church in this age.  (Matt.28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; 18:8; I Cor. 11:23-26).

14. The Personality of Satan:
    We believe that Satan is a Person, the author of sin and the cause of the fall; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and that he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire.  (Job 1:6-7; Isa. 14:12-17; Matt. 4:2-11; 25:41; Rev. 20:10).

15. The Second Advent of Christ:
    We believe in that “Blessed Hope”, the personal imminent, pre-tribulation, and pre-millennial coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His redeemed ones; and in His subsequent return to earth, with His saints, to establish His Millennial Kingdom.  (I Thes. 1:10; 4:13-18; 5:9; Zech. 14:4-11; Rev. 19:11-16; 20:1-6; 3:10).

16. The Eternal State:
    We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal live, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment.  (Matt. 25:46; John 5:28-29; 11:25; Rev. 20:5-6,12-13).

17. Civil Government:
    We believe that God has ordained and created all authority consisting of three basic institutions: 1) the home; 2) the church; and 3) the state.  (Rom. 13:1-7; Eph. 5:22-24; Heb. 13:17; I Peter 2:13-14).      

18. Human sexuality:
    We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity should be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.  (Gen. 2:24; Gen. 19:5,13; Gen. 26:8,9; Lev. 18:1-30; Rom. 1:26-29; I Cor. 5:1; 6:9; I Thes. 4:1-8; Heb.13:4)

19. Divorce and Remarriage:
    We believe that God hates divorce and intends marriage to last until one of the spouses dies.  Divorce and remarriage is regarded as adultery except on the grounds of fornication.  (Mal. 2:14-17; Matt. 19:3-12; Rom. 7:1-3; I Cor. 7:10-17; I Tim. 3:2,12;  Titus 1:6).

20. Abortion:
    We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being.  Abortion constitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life.  (Job 3:16; Psalms 51:5; 139:14-16;
    Isa. 44:24; 49:1,5: Jer. 1:5; 20:15-18; Luke 1:44).

21. Lawsuits Between Believers:
    We believe that Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against other Christians or the Church to resolve personal disputes.  (I Cor. 6:1-8; Eph. 4:31-32).

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