Immanuel Baptist Church           

1. OF THE SCRIPTURES

We believe that the Holy Bible is that collection of sixty-six books from Genesis to Revelation, which as originally written was verbally and plenarily inspired, the product of God through Spirit-controlled men; that it has truth without any admixture of error for its matter;
that it not only contains and conveys the Word of God, but IS the very Word of God: that it is and shall remain to the end of the age, the only complete and final revelation of the will of God to man; that it is the true center of Christian unity and the supreme and only
authority by which all human-conduct, creeds and opinions shall be tried.

2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:19-21: Acts 1:16: Acts 28:25;
Psa. 119:160; Psa. 119:105: Psa. 119:130: Luke 24:25-27: John 17:17; Luke 24:44-45; Psa. 119:89: Prov. 30:5-6: Rom. 3:4: 1 Pet. 1 :23; Rev. 22:19: John 12:48; Isa. 8:20; Eph. 6:17: Rom. 15:4; Luke 16:31; Psa. 19:7-11: John 5:45-47; John 5:39: Eph. 4:3.

2. OF THE TRUE GOD

We believe that there is one, and only one, living and true God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit, the Creator and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth: inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love; that in the unity of the Godhead
there are three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.

Ex. 20:2-3; Gen. 17:1: 1 Cor. 8:6; Eph. 4:6: John 4:24:
Psa. 147:5; Psa. 83:18; Psa. 90:2; Jer. 10:10: Ex. 15:11: Rev. 4:11: 1 Tim. 1:17: Rom. 11:33; Mark 12:30: Matt. 28:19; John 15:26; 1 Cor.12:4-6: 1 John 5:7: John 10:30: John 17:5. Acts 5:3-4: 1 Cor. 2:10-11: Phil. 2:5-6: Eph. 2:18: 2 Cor. 13:14.

3. OF JESUS CHRIST

We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Spirit in a miraculous manner; born of Mary, a virgin, and that He is both the Son of God, and God, the Son.

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 penal and vicarious atonement for the sins of the elect. We believe that Christ's death is of such infinite value that it is fully sufficient to save all men should God have chosen so to do, and that His power to save is in no sense limited.. We further believe that
the sacrifice of Christ was not merely provisional but was an actual substitution for those chosen in Him before the foundation of the world, this substitutionary sacrifice making full satisfaction to God for their sins and infallibly securing their salvation by grace,
through faith in Him; such faith being produced in them by the Holy Spirit through the preaching of the Word of God, the Gospel of Jesus Christ; this faith being the result of God's choice and not the cause of it.

Gen. 3:15; Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18-25; Luke 1:35; Mark 1:1; John 1:14; Psa. 2:7; Gal 4:4; 1 John 5:20; 1 Cor. 15:46. Eph. 2:8; Acts 15:11; Rom. 3:24; John 3:16; Matt. 18:11; Phil. 2:7; Heb. 2:14; Isa. 53:4-7; Rom. 3:25; 1 John 4:10; 1 Cor. 15:3; 2 Cor. 5:21; John 10:18; Phil. 2:8; Gal. 1:4; 1 Pet. 2:24; 1 Pet. 3:18; Isa. 53:11; Heb. 12:2; 1 Cor. 15:20; Isa. 53:12; Heb. 9:12-15; Heb. 7:25; 1 John 2:2.

4. OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature: that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God's purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; that He bears
witness to the truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the new birth; that He seals, endues. guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the believer.

We believe that the Scriptures teach that in the opening days of the church age the Holy Spirit gave gifts which were revelatory in character to individual believers (1 Corinthians 12:4-11. 28-31). Among these was the gift of tongues (1 Corinthians 12:11). The exercise of this gift was never to prove that the one speaking in tongues was saved but that the Word of God might be preached with "other tongues" (Acts 2:4-13). Tongues and other gifts of the Holy Spirit were given to confirm the spoken word (Hebrews 2:3,4) until the canon of Scripture was complete and all sixty-six books had been written (1 Corinthians 13:8-10). With the completion of the Bible, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which were partial and temporary, Here no longer exercised. We have God's complete and final revelation
in the Holy Scriptures and need no other manifestation.

John 14:16-17; Matt. 28:19; Heb. 9:14; John 14:26; Luke 1:35; Gen. 1:1-3; 2 Thess. 2:7; John 16:8-11; John 15:26-27; Acts 5:30-32; John 3:5-6; Eph. 1:13-14; Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33; Acts 11:16; Luke 24:49; John 16:13; John 14:26; Rom.
8:14; Rom. 8:16; 2 Thess. 2:13; 1 Pet. 1:2; Rom. 8:26-27.

5. OF MAN

We believe in the Genesis account of creation, and that it is to be accepted literally, and not allegorically or figuratively; that man was created directly in God's own image and after His own likeness; that man's creation was not by evolution or evolutionary change of species
or development through interminable periods of time from lower to higher forms; that all animal and vegetable life was effected by special creation, and God's established law was that they should bring
forth only "after their kind".

We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of His Maker. but by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy state, in consequence of which all mankind are now sinful, and are sinners not by constraint but of choice; and therefore under just
condemnation without defense or excuse; and that man in his natural state is in a condition of total depravity, by which we mean his natural utter incapacity to receive the things of the Spirit of God apart from the regenerating grace of the Holy Spirit.

Gen. 1:1; Ex. 20:11; Acts 4:24; Col. 1:16-17; Heb. 11:3; John 1:3; Rev. 10:6; Rom. 1 :20; Acts 17:24; Jer. 10:13; Neh. 9:6; Gen. 1:26-27; Gen. 2:21-23; Gen. 1:11; Gen. 1:24. Gen. 3:1-6, 24; Rom. 5:12; Rom. 5:19; Rom. 3:10-19; Eph. 2:1,3; Rom. 1:1-18; Ezek 18:19-20; Rom. 1:32; Rom. 1:20; Rom. 1:28; Gal. 3:22.

6. OF SALVATION BY GRACE

A. OF GRACE IN THE NEW CREATION

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 saving faith and newness of life.

John 3:3; 2 Cor. 5:17; Luke 5:27; 1 John 5:1; John 3:6-7; Acts 2:41; Acts 16:30-33; 2 Pet. 1:4; Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:1; 2 Cor. 5:19; Col. 2:13; John 3:8; John 1:12-13; Gal. 5:22; Eph. 5:9.


B. OF REPENTANCE AND FAITH

We believe that repentance and faith are solemn obligations, and also inseparable graces, wrought
in our souls by the regenerating Spirit of God; thereby, being deeply convinced of our quilt, danger, and helplessness, and of the way of salvation by Christ, we turned 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.

Mark 1:15; Acts 11:18; Eph. 2:8; 1 John 5:1; Acts 20:21; 2 Tim. 2:25, 26; Luke 13:3; Acts 3:19; 2 Cor. 7:10; John 16:8; Acts 2:37, 38; 16:30, 31; Psa. 38:4; Acts 24:25; 1 Cor. 14:25; Job 33:27, 28; Luke 18:13;
15:18, 24; James 4:7, 10; Rom. 10:12, 13; Acts 20:21; 5:31; Rev. 11 :15; Heb. 5:6; 4:14, 16.

C. OF JUSTIFICATION

We believe that the great gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is justification; (a) that justification includes the pardon of sin, and the gift of eternal life on principles of righteousness; (b) that justification is bestowed not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but, that His righteousness is imputed to us solely through
faith in the Redeemer's blood.

Acts 13:39; Isa. 53:11; Zech. 13:1; Rom. 8:1; Rom. 5:9; Rom. 5:1; Titus 3:5-7; Rom. 1:17; Heb. 2:4; Gal. 3:11; Rom. 4:1-8; Heb. 10 : 38.

D. OF SANCTIFICATION

We believe that sanctification is that work whereby the believing sinner is set apart to God from sin; that it involves three aspects which may be termed positional, progressive, and final; that positional sanctification is the setting apart once and for all, by means of the blood of Christ, the believing sinner as God's own possession, so that in his standing he is reckoned
holy; that progressive sanctification is the present work of God whereby the believer, in his experience, is progressively set apart from sin and brought toward perfection by the work of the Holy Spirit through the continual use of the appointed means, especially the Word of God, self-examination, self-denial, watchful-ness and prayer; that final sanctification is the work
in the future wherein God will wholly finish the process of perfection at the coming of Christ with His saints.

Heb. 13:12; Acts 26:18; 1 Cor. 6:11; Heb. 10:14; 1 Cor. 1:30; Eph. 1:4; 1 Thess. 4:3; Rom. 6:22; John 17:17; Eph. 5:26; 2 Cor. 3:18; 2 Cor. 7:1; Col. 1:10-12; Eph. 4:11-13; Phil. 3:12-16; Rom. 12:1-3; 1 Pet. 2:1-3; Matt. 26:41; Eph. 6:18; Eph. 4:30-32; Phil. 1:6; 1 Thess.
5:23; 1 John 3:2; 1 Thess 3:12, 13.

E. OF THE PERSEVERANCE AND SECURITY OF THE SAINTS

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, and they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.

John 8:31; Psa. 37:24, 28; 1 John 3:9; 2:27; 5:18; Heb. 3:14; 1 John 2:19; John 17:12; Job 17:9; Rom. 8:28; Matt. 6:30; Psa. 121:3-5; 125:1, 2; 73:24; 138:8; Jer.
32:40; Luke 10:42; 22:31, 32; John 6:37-39; 10:28, 29; Rom. 8:33, 34; 11:29; 1 Cor. 1:8, 9; 2 Cor. 1:21, 22; Phil. 1:6; 2:12;, 13; Jude 24, 25; 2 Kings 6:16; Heb. 13:5; 1 John 4:4; 2 Tim. 1:12; 4:18; 1 Peter 1 :4, 5; John 4:14; 5:24.

F. OF THE ETERNAL PURPOSE OF GOD IN ELECTION

We believe that election is the eternal purpose of God, according to which He graciously regenerates, sanctifies, and saves sinners; that being perfectly consistent with the free agency of man, it comprehends all the means in connection with the end; that it is a most glorious display of God's sovereign goodness,
being infinitely free, wise, holy, and unchangeable, that it utterly excludes boasting, and promote humility, love, prayer, praise, trust in God, and active imitation of his free mercy; that it encourages the use of means in the highest degree; that it may be ascertained by its effects in all who truly believe the gospel; that it is the foundation of Christian assurance, and that to ascertain it with regard to ourselves demands and deserves the utmost diligence.

We believe that all men are totally depraved, without ability to come to God, and are hopelessly lost, but that God, in sovereign grace, and apart from any consideration of foreseen human merit or response, and in perfect consistency with human responsibility, chose some before the foundation of the world, to
be recipients of His grace in Christ. As the Gospel is preached to all the nations, these elect ones are caused to hear it and their hearts are opened by the Holy Spirit, so that they freely and gladly receive the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour, thus becoming children of God.

2 Tim. 1:8,9; Eph. 1:3,4; 1 Pet. 1:1-5; Rom. 11:4-6;
1 John 4:19; Hosea 12:9; Rom. 8:14, 15, 19, 24;2 Thess. 2:13, 14; Acts 14:48, 49; 15:14-16; Josh. 24:3; Psa. 119:173, 173; Luke 10:42; Heb. 11 :24, 27; Rev.
22:17; Exod. 33:19; Eph. 1:11, 13; Rom. 9:23, 24; Jer. 1:3, 5; James 1:17, 18; Rom. 11:35, 36; John 3:16; 1 Cor. 4:7; Rom. 3:27; 1 Thess. 2:12,13 1 Pet. 2:9; Luke 18:7, 8; John 15:16; Eph. 1 :16, 19; 1 Thess. 2:11, 12; 2 Tim. 2:10; 1 Cor. 9:22; Rom. 8:28-30; John 6:37, 40; 2 Pet. 1 :10, 11; Rom. 10:14, 15; 11 :13, 14; 2 Cor.1:10, II; 1 Thess. 1:4, 10; Eph. Eph. 2:10; James 1:18, 21; Rom. 8:33-39; Col. 2:2, 3; Heb. 10:20, 22; 1 John 4:10, 13; Phil.3:12; Heb. 4:11; 1 John 3:2; Psa. 4:3, 4; Rom. 8:16, 17; Isa. 12:2;1 John 5:13; 1 Cor. 6:15; 2 Cor. 13:5.

G. OF THE FREENESS OF SALVATION

We believe in God's electing grace; that the blessings of one salvation are made free to all by the gospel; that it is the a immediate duty of all to accept them by a cordial, penitent and obedient faith; 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.

1 Thess. 1:4; Col. 3:12; Rom. 8:29,30; Titus 1:1; Matt. 11:28; Isa. 55:1; Rev. 22:17; Rom. 10:13; John 6:37; Isa. 55:6; Acts 2:38; Isa. 55:7; John 3:15, 16; 1 Tlm. 1:15; 1 Cor. 15:10; Eph. 2:4, 5; John 5:40; John 3:36.

7. OF THE CHURCH

We believe in the unity of all true believers in the church which is the body of Christ, which was established on the Day of Pentecost, and that all believers, from Pentecost to the Rapture, both Jews and Gentiles, are added to this church by the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

We believe that a local church is a congregation of immersed believers, associated by covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ (believer's baptism and the Lord's Supper);
governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His Word; that its officers are pastor (or elder or bishop) and deacons, whose qualifications, claims and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures; that the true mission of the church is found in the Great Commission; that the local church has the absolute right of self-government free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; 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 the furtherance of the Gospel and in contending for the faith, and that every church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation; that on
all matters of membership, of policy, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final.

Matt. 18:17; 1 Cor. j:2; Acts 5:11; 11:22; 8:1; 1 Cor. 1:13; Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12; Rom. 16:1, 5, 23,; 1 Cor. 4:17; 14:23; 3 John 9; 1 Tim. 3:5; Acts 2;41,42; Phll. 1:5; 1 Cor. 11:2; 2 Thess.3:6; Rom. 16:17-20; Matt. 18:15-18; Matt. 28:20; John 14:15; 15:12; 14:21; 1 Thess. 1:1 1 (comp. 1 Thess. 4:2); 2 John 6; Gal. 6:2; 1 John 2:4; 1 Cor. 14:12; phil. 1:27; 1 Cor.12:1, 12; 1:4, 8: Phil. 1:1; Acts 14:23; 1 Tim. 3:1; 3:8; Titus 1:5-7.


8. OF BAPTISM AND THE LORD'S SUPPER 

We believe that Christian baptism is the single immersion in water of a believer into the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, by the authority of a true New Testament 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 privilege of a church relation and to the Lord's Supper; that the Lord's Supper is the commemoration of His death until He comes, and should be preceded always by solemn self-examination.

Mark 1:5, 9; Acts 8:36-39; Matt. 3:5, 6; John 4:1, 2; 3:22; Mark 16:16;Acts 1:21, 22; Acts 2:41; 16:32-34; 18:8; 8:12; Matt. 28:19; Acts 10:47, 48; Gal. 3:26-28; Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12; Acts 22:16; Rom. 6:5;Matt. 28:19, 20; 1 Cor. 11:26; Matt. 26:26-30; Mark 14:22-24; Luke
22:14-20; 1 Cor. 11:28; 5:8; 10:16, 21; 11:17-29.


9. OF 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, and sanctified by the Spirit of our 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 holds among men both in and after death in the everlasting felicity of the saved and the everlasting conscious
suffering of the lost.

Mal. 3:18; Prov. 12:26; Gen. 18:23; Jer. 15:19; Rom. 6:16; 2:2, 11; Prov. 10:6; 16:25; 12:7; 13:21; 21:15; Rom. 1:16, 17; 1 John 2:28, 29; 3:3, 8; Rom. 6:18-22; 1 Cor. 1 :30; 1 Pet. 4:17, 18; Gal. 3:10; 1 John 5:19; John 3:36; Isa. 57:21; Psa.10:4; Isa. 55:6, 7; John 16;8; 2 Thess. 2:10, 12; Prov. 14:32; Luke 16:25; John 8:24; Prov. 10:24; Luke 12:5; 9:25, 26; John 12:26; Eccles.3:17.

10. OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT

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.

Rom. 13:1-7; Deut. 16:18; 2 Sam. 23:3; Exod. 18:21-23; Jer. 30:21 ; Acts 26:2; 5:28, 29; Matt. 10:28; Dan. 3:15-18; 6:7-10; Acts 4:17-20; Matt. 23:10; Rom. 14:3, 4; Rev. 19:16; Psa. 72:11; 2:10, 11; Rom.14:11; 1 Tim. 6:15; Rev. 17:14.

11. OF SEPARATION

We believe in being obedient to the Biblical command to separate entirely from worldly and sinful pleasures, practices, and associations. We believe in separation from all forms of religious and ecclesiastical apostasy. The believer should live so as not to bring reproach upon his Saviour and Lord. 

Deuteronomy 22:10; Romans 12:1, 2; 14:13; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:11;  2 Timothy 3:1-5; John 2:5, 17; 2 John 9-12.

12. OF 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 during the second advent of Christ.

Genesis 13:14-17; Romans 11:1-32; Ezekiel 37.


13. OF THE DEVIL, OR SATAN

We believe that Satan is a person; that he was once holy, and enjoyed heavenly honors, but through pride and ambition to be as the Almighty, fell and drew after him a host of angels; that he is now the malignant
prince of the power of the air, and the unholy god of this world; that he is man's great tempter, the enemy of God and His Christ, the accuser of the saints, the author of all false religions, the chief power back
of the present apostasy, the lord of the anti-Christ, and the author of all the powers of darkness; that he is limited in his activity by the wisdom and power of God; that he is destined to final defeat at the hands of God's Son, and to the judgment of an eternal justice in the
lake of fire, a place prepared for him and his angels.

Rev. 12:9; Ezek, 28:14-17; Isa. 14:12-15; Luke 22:3, 4;
2 Cor. 11:13-15; Mark 13:21, 22; 1 John 4:3; 2 John 7;
John 2:22; Rev. 13:13-14; 2 Thess. 2:3-11; Rev. 19:11, 16, 20; Rev.7-9; Rev. 20:1-3; Rev. 20:10; Matt. 25:41;
Jude 6; 2 Pet. 2:4; Eph. 2:2.


14. OF THE RESURRECTION AND IMMINENT RETURN OF CHRIST AND RELATED EVENTS

We believe that Christ rose bodily from the grave "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 which is taken up from you in heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven," bodily, personally and visibly; that His return is composed of two aspects--His coming in the air for His saints prior to the Day of the Lord, in which the "dead in Christ shall rise first" and the living saints "shall be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye," and later, at the end of the Great Tribulation, He shall come with His saints to the earth to set up the Throne of David; that He shall reign upon the earth a thousand years in
righteousness until He shall put all enemies under His feet.

Matt. 28:6-7; Luke 24:39; John 20:27; 1 Cor. 15:4; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:2, 4-6; Acts 1:11; Luke 24:51; Mark 16:19; Rev. 3:21; Heb. 8:1; Heb. 12:2; Heb. 8:6; 1 Tim. 2:5; 1 John 2:1; Heb. 2:17; Heb. 5:9-10; John
14:3; Acts 1:11; 1 Thess. 4:16; Matt. 24:27; Matt. 25:13; James 5:8; Matt. 24:42; Heb. 9:28; 1 Thess. 4:16; 1 Cor. 15:42-44; 1 Cor. 15:51-53; 1 Thess. 4:17; Phil. 3:20-21; Luke 1:32; Isa. 9:6-7; Acts 9:29-30;
1 Cor. 15:25; Isa. 32:1; Isa. 11:4-5; Psa. 72:8; Rev. 20:1-4; Rev.20:6.