Statement of Faith

 

We believe there is but one true God who is infinite, all-knowing, everywhere present, all powerful, the creator of the earth and all there is in the heavens, inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor. God expresses himself in three ways, commonly called “persons,” Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who execute distinct but harmonious offices or functions.

The Bible, composed of the Old and New Testaments, was given and has been preserved for us under the inspiration and direction of God as the supreme standard by which all human conduct, all theology and statements of faith shall be measured. It is the revelation of God’s eternal truth and can be read and understood by all who seek to know its teachings.

We believe the Bible teaches the creation of man as a distinct being with a living soul and that he chose to transgress the law of his Creator and thus is in need of restitution, which he cannot accomplish of himself.

We believe redemption is entirely by the grace of God and is offered to all who believe in Him to the point of complete surrender to the teachings of Jesus which means receiving a new nature through faith in His sacrificial death and atonement on behalf of sinful mankind.

We believe the Bible teaches a witness to this commitment through faith in a way that portrays complete surrender to a Power greater than ourselves. We call this witness “believer’s baptism.” We further believe that this witness by immersion in water should precede membership in the local church.

We believe the local church is the specially commissioned group of believers that God has ordained to help mature and encourage His newborn children in their work for the advancement of His Kingdom.

We believe each local congregation should be independent and self-governing as well as being interdependent with others of like mind for the sake of accomplishing together what could not be done singularly.

We believe the local church should be separate from the political dominance of government, while the members of the church should feel totally free to take part in secular and governmental activities.

We believe in the virgin birth, sinless life, death, burial and bodily resurrection of Jesus. We believe in His ascension to the right hand of the Father to make intercession for us and that He will, at the appointed time, return visibly. There will be a time of final judgment and accounting that will separate the believers from the non-believers and result in an eternal state of glory with God, or an eternal state of suffering and rejection with Satan totally apart from God.

While rejecting all creeds that require a commitment that deprives the individual of total freedom to follow the teaching of the Bible, we do gladly accept a “covenant” as a general guide for our life together at The Sunnyside Baptist Church.