Freedom Bible Baptist
Beliefs

We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace; through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God, who by the 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 consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was the 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 and uniting in His wonderful person the tenderest of sympathies with divine perfection, He is every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate and an all-sufficient Savior.

We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth the one dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension, not by culture, not by character, nor by the will of man, but wholly and solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the Gospel; that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life.

We believe in God's electing grace; that the blessings of Salvation are made freely to all by the Gospel; that it is the immediate duty of all to accept them by a cordial, penitent and obedient faith; and that nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but his own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the Gospel, which rejection involves him in an aggravated condemnation.

We believe that great Gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is Justification; that Justification includes the pardon of sin and the gift of eternal life on principles of righteousness; that it is bestowed, not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in the Redeemer’s blood. His righteousness imputed unto us.

Death in Adam, Life in Christ Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)

We believe that Repentance and Faith are solemn obligations, and also inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the quickening Spirit of God; thereby, being deeply convicted of our guilt, danger, and helplessness, and the way of salvation by Christ, we turn to God with unfeigned contrition, confession and supplication for mercy; at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ and openly confessing Him as our only and all-sufficient Savior.

We believe that Sanctification begins at the moment a person is born again, when, by the will of God, we are made partakers of His holiness; that it is a progressive work; that it is carried on in the hearts of believers by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, the Sealer and Comforter, in the continual use of the appointed means --- especially the Word of God, self-examination, self-denial, watchfulness, and prayer; that it will not be completed until we are changed into the likeness of Christ in the heavenly world.

We believe that such only are real believers as endure unto the end, that their persevering attachment to Christ is the grand mark which distinguishes them from superficial professors; that a special providence watches over their welfare; that they are kept by the power of God through Faith unto eternal salvation.

We believe that a church of Jesus Christ is a congregation of baptized believers associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His Word; that its officers of ordination are pastors or elders and deacons; whose qualifications, claims and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures. We believe that the true mission of a Church is found in the Great Commission; First, to make individual disciples; Second, to build up the Church; Third, to teach and instruct as He has commanded. We do not believe in the reversal of this order; we hold that the local Church has the absolute right of self-government, free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that the 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 every Church is the sole and only judge of the measure and method of its co-operation; on all matters of membership. Of polity, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the Church is final. We believe in the Priesthood of the believer.

We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion in water of a believer in Jesus Christ in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, with the authority of the local Church, to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried and risen Savior, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that it is a prerequisite to the privileges of Church membership and to the Lord’s Supper; in which members of the Church, by the sacred use of bread and the fruit of the vine are to commemorate together the dying love of Christ; preceded always by solemn self-examination.

The command to give the Gospel to the world is clear and unmistakable and this Great Commission was given to the Churches.

Scriptural giving is one of the fundamentals of the faith. We are commanded to bring our gifts into the storehouse (common treasury of the Church) upon the first day of the week.

We believe that civil government is of divine appointment, for the interests and good order of human society; that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed; except only in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ; who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the coming Prince of the kings of the earth. We believe in the separation of Church and State, and religious liberty.

We believe in and accept the sacred Scriptures upon these subjects at their face value. We believe that after Christ rose bodily “the third day according to the Scriptures,” that “He ascended to the right hand of the throne of God;” that He alone is our “merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God;” that this same Jesus shall return in like manner as He was taken up into Heaven – bodily, personally and visibly; that the “dead in Christ shall rise fist;” that the living saints “shall be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump;” that “the Lord God shall give to Him the throne of His Father David;” and that “Christ shall reign a thousand years in righteousness until He has put all enemies under His feet.”

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 and sanctified by the Spirit of God are truly righteous in His esteem; while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked, and under the curse, and this distinction hold among men both in and after death, in the everlasting felicity of the saved in Heaven, and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost in Hell.