A biblical church is a family of people connected by common faith. So beliefs are really important. First of all, in the Faith Bible family, we are all about Jesus. We believe that Jesus, the Son of God and Savior, is the central figure of the Scriptures and the heart of the gospel. His sacrificial death and resurrection accomplished all that was necessary for our forgiveness and freedom. Eternal life is a free gift of God’s grace based on personal faith in Jesus Christ. We also hold fast to the Trinity, the inspiration and inerrancy of God’s Word and the transformational power of God’s grace. Below are two statements of faith that dive more into specific beliefs for our church family.
The Foundational Statement of Faith lays out what we believe are the basics of biblical Christian faith. These statements also form the foundation of membership at Faith Bible Church.
The Expanded Statement of Faith goes deeper into important areas of theology and teaching such as assurance of salvation, eternal security and grace. This statement guides the teaching and writing of church leadership.
The Foundational Statement of Faith lays out what we believe are the basics of biblical Christian faith. These statements also form the foundation of membership at Faith Bible Church.
The Expanded Statement of Faith goes deeper into important areas of theology and teaching such as assurance of salvation, eternal security and grace. This statement guides the teaching and writing of church leadership.
Foundational Statement of Faith
The Bible
The Bible is God’s message to man, recorded without error in the original manuscripts.
God
God exists in three distinct persons who are the same in nature, but distinct in function: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Mankind
Man is created in the image of God, yet he is fallen in his sinfulness.
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God who was born of a virgin and literally rose from the dead and ascended to heaven. He is undiminished deity and perfect humanity permanently united in one person. It was through His sacrificial death on the cross that He removed once and for all the barrier of sin between God and man.
Salvation
Salvation is the unearned gift from God to any man who will receive in dependence the provision that Christ’s death is the sufficient and necessary requirement for eternal life.
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the person of the Godhead who permanently indwells every believer from the moment of salvation. He provides every believer with gifts for service and with the fullness of God’s power to make him adequate for living. As the believer acts in dependence upon the Spirit, he will progressively grow into maturity.
The Universal Church
The Universal Church is the visible expression of God’s kingdom in this age and is distinct from Israel. Membership in it is based solely upon a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
The Local Church
The Local Church is an assembly of believers gathering together in communion with each other to give visible expression of Jesus Christ’s body to their community and to stimulate growth in each others lives.
The Ordinances
The Ordinances are to be observed commemorating Christ’s works for the church: Baptism and The Lord’s Supper. Baptism is practiced by individuals as a symbolic expression of personal identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. The Lord’s Supper is practiced corporately as a symbolic reminder of His provision for salvation.
History
History is controlled by the sovereign rule of God and will culminate in the establishment of His kingdom upon the earth, a kingdom ruled by His Son and those who have placed their faith in Him.
Expanded Statement of Faith
Scripture
Both the individual words and the whole (66 books), are inspired by God through human authors. (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21) The Scriptures all find their fullest significance in the person and work of Jesus Christ and are useful for teaching, correction, encouragement, and training in righteousness. (Romans 15:4; Deut. 32:47)
Man
Man is created in the image of God yet is a fallen creature, born into this world without any hope of salvation or eternal life apart from the provision of God’s grace, available only through the finished work of Jesus on the cross. (Gen. 1:26; Psalm 51:5; Romans 3:10-19; 8:6-8)
Mankind
Humans, both male and female, were created in God's image for His glory. The first humans, Adam and Eve, were created without sin and appointed as caretakers of the rest of God's creations.
Free Grace
Salvation is a free gift of God’s grace that comes only through faith in Christ. At the moment of salvation, the believer is granted the perfect righteousness of Christ, declared righteous of all sin, past, present and future, made a new creation and indwelt by the fullness of the Holy Spirit. (John 5:24; Gal. 6:15; Romans 5:9; 1 Cor. 6:11) Changes in lifestyle, surrender to Christ as Lord and the bearing of fruit are results of salvation and are not conditions for gaining or keeping God’s free gift.
(John 6:47)
(John 6:47)
Eternal Security
The eternal security of a believer’s salvation is a clear teaching of Scripture. Once an individual places faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ, their eternal salvation cannot be lost due to sinfulness or changes in personal belief. (John 10:27-30; Romans 8:29; Hebrews 7:25)
Assurance
Assurance of salvation is available to every believer and is based on the promise of God’s Word. The believer’s relationship with God is held secure by the perseverance of the Holy Spirit of God within the believer. The believer’s fellowship with God may change based on the obedience they enjoy. (2 Peter 1:10-11)
Sanctification
Growth in Christ-likeness is God’s will for each believer and is progressive in nature because we retain the sinful nature. (1 Thess. 4:3; John 17:17; 2 Cor. 3:18; 1 Thess. 5:23) Progressive sanctification is accomplished by God’s grace. (Titus 2:11-13)
The Second Coming of Christ
God will fulfill His promises to Israel and establish a literal thousand-year kingdom of Christ on earth. (1 Thess. 5:1-6; Rev. 20:1-3)