Statement of Faith
Adopted by Bethany Bible Church
March 19, 2023
I. THE SCRIPTURES.
We affirm the plenary, verbal inspiration of the sixty-six books of the Protestant Bible.
By this, we mean that the Holy Spirit not only inspired the thoughts of the human biblical writers, but also guided the very word structure into which those thoughts were cast; with the result that all of the Holy Scriptures are thoroughly divine in authority, inerrant in truth, and infallible in affirmation.
1 Corinthians 2:12-13, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:19-21
We affirm that the Holy Bible, accurately translated and interpreted (that is, with humble dependence upon the Holy Spirit and on the basis of objective, sound, normal, historical, grammatical principles) is the only authoritative rule of faith and conduct for the individual believer. We affirm that in it is revealed God’s purpose, practices, and priorities for His church.
Psalm 1:1-3; Ephesians 2:19-20; Colossians 3:16; 1 Timothy 3:14-15
II. THE GODHEAD.
We affirm that there is but one God—the living and true God—who exists eternally in three Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Though we recognize a distinction of the Persons of the triune Godhead with respect to their mutual submission and individual roles, we affirm that all three share the same essence, are eternal in being, are identical in full deity, are equal in power and glory, possess the same attributes, and enjoy a relationship together of perfect love.
Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 3:16-17; John 17:20-23; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 John 4:8
III. HUMANKIND’S CREATION AND FALL.
We affirm that, on the sixth day of creation as described in Genesis 1, humankind was made by God in His own image as the crowning act of His creative work. We affirm that God made humankind male and female as to design, and innocent as to original moral condition.
Genesis 1:26-31; 2:18-25; Psalm 8:3-8
We affirm that, through the sin of disobedience in the garden of Eden, the first man and woman fell into a state of alienation from their Creator, acquired a sinful nature, brought the judicial sentence of death upon themselves and upon all their offspring, and rendered the earth to be under a curse.
Genesis 3:1-19; Romans 3:9-20, 23; 5:12; 8:19-22; Ephesians 2:1-3
IV. THE PERSON AND WORK OF JESUS CHRIST.
We affirm that the Lord Jesus Christ existed eternally as the Son of God; and that without setting aside His divine nature, permanently took full human nature to Himself by being conceived in the womb of the virgin Mary through the Holy Spirit. We affirm that He was thus born as a sinless member of the human family who could reveal God to, and serve as the Redeemer of, fallen humankind.
Matthew 1:20-25; Luke 1:26-37; John 1:1-5, 9-18; Philippians 2:5-8; Hebrews 1:1-3; 2:14-18
We affirm that the Lord Jesus Christ fully atoned for our sins through His death on the cross as a propitiatory and substitutionary sacrifice; and that our justification is made sure to us by His resurrection from the dead in the identical, though glorified, body in which He was crucified. We affirm that He is now exalted in heaven at the right hand of God the Father; where, as our perfect High Priest, He serves as our Representative, Intercessor and Advocate.
Romans 3:23-26; 8:34; Ephesians 1:7; Philippians 2:9-11; Hebrews 7:24-27; 9:24; 1 Peter 1:3-5; 1 John 2:1-2
We affirm the physical return of our Lord Jesus Christ to earth for all His redeemed saints at the end of this present age; at which time He will commence a literal thousand-year reign upon the earth.
Daniel 7:13-14; Zechariah 12:10; 14:4-11; Matthew 24:29-31; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 3:10; 20:6
V. THE HOLY SPIRIT.
We affirm that the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the triune Godhead, was sent by the Father and by the risen Lord Jesus Christ to indwell all those who trust in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, to baptize them into the Body of Christ, and to seal them for Christ unto the day of redemption. We affirm that the Holy Spirit’s indwelling and empowering presence is the gracious possession of all genuine believers in Christ in this present age; and that every believer is therefore commanded by the Scriptures to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
John 14:15-18, 25-26; 15:26; 16:7; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14; Ephesians 1:13-14, 5:18-21
We affirm that the Holy Spirit manifests His influence in the individual believer’s life primarily through a lifestyle that is characterized by a witness for Christ, repentance from sin, godliness of character, and obedience to the commands of Scripture.
Acts 1:8; Romans 8:12-14; Galatians 5:16-26; Colossians 3:16; 1 John 2:24-27
VI. SALVATION.
We affirm that salvation is the gift of God offered to humankind by grace alone; and that it is received only through a personal, conscious, abiding faith in the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. We affirm that a true saving faith shows itself subsequently through works that are pleasing to God.
Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 2:11-14; James 2:14-26; 2 Peter 3:14-18
We affirm that all true believers, once saved, shall be preserved by God in that salvation forever.
John 10:27-30; Romans 8:1, 38-39; 1 Corinthians 1:4-9; Jude 24-25
VII. THE CHURCH.
We affirm that the church—the Body of Christ—is a spiritual organism that is built upon the profession of faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, was brought into existence by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and is composed in this age of all persons who have been redeemed by the blood of Christ irrespective of their affiliation with Christian denominations or organizations.
Matthew 16:16-19; Acts 2:1-4; Romans 10:8-10; Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:19-22; 5:25-27; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13
We affirm that two ordinances have been committed to the church—baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Communion). We affirm that baptism is the immersion of a believer into water, in the name of the triune God, upon the profession of a personal faith in Christ; and that a genuine believer needs to be publicly baptized only once. We affirm that the Lord’s Supper was instituted by Christ to regularly commemorate His atoning death on the cross. We affirm that the church is to observe these two ordinances faithfully until the Lord Jesus returns.
Matthew 28:16-20; Luke 22:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; 10:47-48; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29
We affirm that it is the command of God that each believer faithfully and regularly assemble with other believers. We affirm that such assemblies are to proclaim Jesus Christ as the Son of the living God, fulfill the Great Commission to make disciples, advance the cause of Christ’s Spirit-empowered witness through local and world missions, encourage and facilitate the ministry of the saints to one another, preach and teach God’s revealed truth faithfully from the Bible, and promote the grateful worship of God our Savior.
Matthew 16:16-19; Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Timothy 3:15; Hebrews 10:24-25; 1 Peter 2:9
We affirm that, with the biblical exceptions of the office of elder and of teaching in such a way as to hold spiritual authority over men, ministry in all areas of the local church is the equal privilege of spiritually qualified believers of both genders.
Acts 18:25-26; Romans 16:1-15; 1 Corinthians 11:3; 1 Timothy 2:11-12; 3:1-7
VIII. SATAN.
We affirm that Satan is a literal created being who is fallen in sin, who is the author of sin on earth, who accuses the brethren, who blinds the minds of the unbelieving, and who is the enemy of God and humankind.
Genesis 3:1-5; Isaiah 14:12-15; John 8:44; 2 Corinthians 4:3-4; 1 Peter 5:8-9; Revelation 12:10
We affirm that the Lord Jesus Christ has triumphed over Satan at the cross; and that Satan is now destined to eternal punishment in the lake of fire and brimstone.
Genesis 3:15; Romans 16:20; Colossians 2:13-15: 1 John 3:8; Hebrews 2:14-15; Revelation 12:11; 20:10
IX. THE FINAL STATE.
We affirm that after the thousand-year reign of our Lord, this present heaven and earth will be dissolved and replaced with a new heaven and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. We affirm that the abode of the redeemed will be the New Jerusalem; where glorified, they will enjoy the presence of and serve the Lord Jesus forever and ever.
2 Peter 3:10-13; Revelation 21:1-22:5
We affirm that the final retribution and misery of the lost, and the glorification and blessedness of the redeemed, are both conscious and everlasting.
Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-31; 23:42-43; Revelation 20:14-15, 22:3-5
X. CONCLUSION.
We affirm that this statement of faith constitutes a sacred trust to be diligently preserved and taught. Support of any other organization, fellowship, or mission board shall be limited to those groups that are in agreement with it. All who serve within this church family, and all ministers from outside this church who provide occasional preaching or pastoral services to it, shall submit a written statement of agreement to be filed in the church records.