We do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord...
2 Corinthians 4:5a
Notus Baptist Church
Doctrinal Statement
Overview
Doctrinal Statement:
1. The Scriptures
We believe in the authority and sufficiency of the Holy Bible, consisting of the sixty- six books of the Old and New Testaments, as originally written; that it was verbally and plenarily inspired by God through spirit-controlled men and, therefore, is infallible and inerrant in all matters of which it speaks. We believe theBible to be the true center of Christian unity and the supreme standard by whichall human conduct, creed and opinions shall be tried.
2. The True God
We believe there is one and only one living and true God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of Heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holi- ness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love; that in unity of the God- head there are three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.
3. The Devil, or Satan
We believe in the personality of Satan, that he is the unholy god of this age, and the author of all the powers of darkness, and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire.
4. The Creation
We accept the Genesis account of creation and believe that man came by direct creation of God and not by evolution.
5. The Fall of Man
We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker, but that he by voluntary transgression, fell from his sinless and happy state in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, both by constraint, and by choice, and are therefore under just condemnation, without excuse or defense
6. The Virgin Birth
We believe that Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit in a miraculous manner, born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born or can ever be born of woman, and that He is both the Son of God, and God the Son.
7. The Atonement for Sin
We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace; through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God, who by appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin, honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and by His death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins; that His atonement was a voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place, the Just dying for the unjust; Christ, the Lord, bearing our sins in His own body on the tree; that having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in Heaven, a compassionate and an all- sufficient Savior.
8. Justification
We believe that justification is that judicial act of God whereby He declares the believer to be righteous upon the basis of the imputed righteousness of Christ, without consideration of any work of righteousness which we have done, but solely through our faith in the Redeemer’s shed blood.
9. Sanctification
We believe that sanctification is the divine setting apart of the believer unto God accomplished in a threefold manner; first, an eternal act of God, based upon redemption in Christ, establishing the believer in a position of holiness at the moment he trusts the Savior; second, a continuing process in the saint as the Holy Spirit applies the Word of God to the life; third, the final accomplishment of this process
at the Lord’s return.
10. Faith and Salvation
We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace through faith alone, in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins.
11. The Local Church
We believe that a local church, in accord with New Testament practice, is a congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws and exercising gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word and that its officers, also addressed by various other New Testament terms, are pastors and deacons, whose qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures. We believe that the true mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as we have opportunity. We hold that the local church has the absolute right to self-government free from the interferences of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; that its one and only Superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit; that it is scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel; that each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation; and that on all matters of membership, policy, government, discipline, and benevolence, the will of the local church is final.
12. Gender, Sexuality, and Marriage
A. Gender:
We believe God created two Genders that are identified as Male and Female at or before birth, according to DNA, with immutable biological traits. Thus, we do not acknowledge transgender existence, nor do we condone the performing or receiving of gender reassignment procedures.
B. Sexuality:
God, who created us Male and Female as described above in point A, approves and blesses the intimate contact between husband and wife. However, any sexual or sensual contact outside the realms of a heterosexual, legal, binding marriage is perverse and displeasing to God, as is any use of pornography.
C. Marriage:
This church defines marriage as the exclusive covenantal union of one Man and one Woman, as defined in section A, in which such union is a lifetime commitment. A civil government’s sanction of a union will be recognized as a legitimate marriage by the church only to the extent that it is consistent with the Word of God.
D. Adherence:
Pastors, Staff, and Church Members will NOT perform or officiate a marriage ceremony or celebration, nor will the church building, or property be used contrary to the statements in Section 12 of this Constitution. Furthermore, all Church Members are highly discouraged from participating in ceremonies/events that do not conform to the scriptures and/or the doctrine of this assembly.
13. Baptism and the Lord's Supper
We believe that Christian baptism is the single immersion of a believer in water to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our identification with the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, through Whom we died to sin and rose to a new life; that baptism is to be performed under the authority of the local church; and that it is an essential act of obedience for every believer in Christ. We believe that the Lord’s supper is the commemoration of His death until He returns.
14. The Security of the Saints
We believe that all who are truly born again are kept by God the Father for Jesus Christ.
15. The Righteous and the Wicked
We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that such only as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, sanctified by the Spirit of God, are truly righteous in His esteem; while all such as continue unrepentant and in unbelief in His sight are wicked and under the curse; and this distinction holds among men both in and after death, in the everlasting joy of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost in the lake of fire.
16. Civil Government
We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interest and good of human society; that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored, and obeyed, except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the only Lord of the conscience and the coming King of Kings.
17. Israel
We believe in the sovereign selection of Israel as God's eternal covenant people, that she is now dispersed because of her disobedience and rejection of Christ, and that she will be regathered in the Holy Land; and after the completion of the Church, will be saved as a nation at the second advent of Christ.
18. The Resurrection; and Personal, Visible, Imminent, Pre-Millenial Return of Christ