The Statement of Faith
This Statement of Faith is by and large drawn from the revised New Hampshire Confession of Faith (1853) and the Abstract of Principles (1858), which are based on the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith.
The Scriptures
The Scriptures of the Old and New Testament were given by inspiration of God, and are the only sufficient, certain and authoritative rule of all saving knowledge, faith and obedience. They are and shall remain to the end of the age, the only complete and final revelation of the will of God to men; the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds and opinions should be judged (Ps 19:7; 2 Tim 3:15-17; 2 Pet 1:19-21; Heb 1:1-2).
God
There is but One God, the Maker, Preserver and Ruler of all things, having in and of Himself, all perfections, and being infinite in them all; and to Him all people owe the highest love, reverence and obedience (Deut 6:4; Ps 145:3; John 1:3; 1 Cor 8:4-6; 1 Tim 1:17).
The Trinity
In the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, eternally existing, as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, each with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence or being (Matt 3:16-17; 28:19; 2 Cor 13:14).
Providence
God from eternity, decrees or permits all things that come to pass, and perpetually upholds, directs and governs all creatures and all events; yet so as not in any wise to be the author or approver of sin nor to destroy the free will and responsibility of people (Isa 46:9-11; Prov 16:33; Col 1:17; Heb 1:3; Jas 1:13-15).
God’s Sovereign Grace
By God’s sovereign grace, for the display of His glory, some are chosen to eternal life through Jesus Christ, to the praise of His glorious grace. This sovereign election – taking place before the foundation of the world – is solely out of God’s free grace and love, without anything in the individual as a condition or cause moving Him to choose them, and is perfectly consistent with the free agency of man (Rom 8:28-30; 9:6-18; 1 Cor 1:27-29; Eph 1:4-5, 11; 1 Thess 1:4-5; 2 Thess 2:13; 2 Tim 1:9; 1 Pet 1:2).
The Freeness of Salvation
The blessings of salvation are made free to all by the Gospel; and nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth, but his or her own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the Gospel (Isa 45:22; 55:1; John 6:47; Acts 17:30; Rev 22:17).
The Fall of Man
God originally created man in His own image, and free from sin; but, through the temptation of Satan, he transgressed the command of God, and fell from his original holiness and righteousness; whereby his posterity inherit a nature corrupt and wholly opposed to God and His law, are under condemnation, and as soon as they are capable of moral action, become actual transgressors (Gen 1:26-27; 3:1-7; Rom 5:12-19; Eph 2:1-3).
The Lord Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is the divinely appointed mediator between God and man. Having taken upon Himself human nature, yet without sin, He perfectly fulfilled the Law, suffered and died upon the cross for the salvation of sinners. He was buried and rose again the third day and ascended to His Father, at Whose right hand He ever lives to make intercession for His people. He is the only Mediator, the Prophet, Priest and King of the Church, and Sovereign of the Universe (Isa 53:10-12; John 1:1, 14; Acts 1:9-11; Rom 3:21- 26; 8:34; 1 Cor 15:3-4; Gal 3:13; 1 Tim 2:5; Heb 1:1-3).
The Holy Spirit
We believe that God the Holy Spirit brings glory to the Father and the Son. He applies the work of Christ to believers and distributes spiritual gifts to every believer according to His sovereign good pleasure for the purpose of building up the body of Christ. He is the Comforter, the Spirit of Adoption, the Seal of our Salvation and the Guarantor of our inheritance in Christ (John 14:16-17; 16:14; Acts 5:3; Rom 8:14-17; Eph 1:13-14).
Regeneration
Regeneration is a changed heart, wrought by the Holy Spirit, Who quickens the dead in trespasses and sins, enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the Word of God, and renewing their whole nature, so that they love and practise holiness. It is a work of God’s free and special grace alone (John 3:1-8; Eph 2:1-6; Titus 3:5; 1 Pet 1:3; 1 John 5:1).
Repentance
Repentance is an evangelical grace wherein a person, being by the Holy Spirit made aware of the manifold evil of their sin, humbles themselves for it, with godly sorrow, hatred of it, and self-abhorrence, with a purpose and endeavour to walk before God so as to please Him in all things (Mark 1:15; Acts 2:37-38; 11:18; 2 Cor 7:10-11).
Saving Faith
Saving faith is the belief, on God’s authority, of whatsoever is revealed in His Word concerning Christ; accepting and resting upon Him alone for justification and eternal life. It is wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit, and is accompanied by all other saving graces, and leads to a life of holiness (Rom 3:27-28; 4:1-5, 17-25; 10:14, 17; Phil 1:29; Eph 2:8; Jas 2:14-26).
Justification
Justification is God’s gracious and full acquittal of sinners, who believe in Christ, from all sin, through the satisfaction that Christ has made; not for anything wrought in them or done by them; but on account of the obedience and satisfaction of Christ. Believers trust in Christ alone and rely on His righteousness by faith alone (Acts 13:38-39; Rom 3:21-26; 8:34; 10:3-4; 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 3:9).
Sanctification
Those who have been regenerated are also sanctified, by God’s Word and Spirit dwelling in them. This sanctification is progressive through the supply of Divine strength, which all disciples seek to obtain, pressing after a heavenly life in heartfelt obedience to all Christ’s commands (Jer 31:31-34; Ezek 36:27-27; John 17:17; Rom 8:1-17; Gal 5:13-24; 2 Pet 1:3-11).
Perseverance of the Saints
Those whom God has accepted in the Beloved, Jesus Christ, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere to the end; and though they may fall, through neglect and temptation, into sin, whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, bring reproach on the Church, and temporal judgments on themselves, yet they shall be renewed again unto repentance, and be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation (John 6:37-40; 10:28-29; Rom 8:28-39; 1 Cor 1:8-9; Phil 1:6; 1 John 2:19).
The Church
The Lord Jesus is the Head of the Church, which is composed of all His true disciples, and in Him is invested supremely all power for its government. According to His commandment, Christians are to associate themselves into particular churches; and to each of these churches He has given needful authority for administering that order, discipline and worship which He has appointed. The regular officers of a Church are elders and deacons (John 10:16; Acts 20:17, 28; Eph 1:22; 5:23; Phil 1:1; Col 1:18; 1 Tim 3:1-13; 5:17-18; Tit 1:5-9; Heb 10:25).
Baptism
Baptism is an ordinance of the Lord Jesus, obligatory upon every believer, wherein he or she is immersed in water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, as a sign of his or her fellowship with the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, of remission of sins, and of giving themselves up to God, to live and walk in newness of life (Matt 28:19; Acts 2:38; 8:38-39; Rom 6:3-5; 1 Cor 12:13).
The Lord’s Supper
The Lord’s Supper is an ordinance of Jesus Christ, to be administered with the elements of bread and the fruit of the vine, and to be observed by His churches until He comes. It is in no sense a sacrifice, but is designed to commemorate His death, to confirm the faith and other graces of Christians, and to be a bond, pledge and renewal of their communion with Him, and of their church fellowship (Matt 26:26-29; 1 Cor 10:16-17; 11:23-34).
The Lord’s Day
The Lord’s Day is a Christian institution for regular observance and should be employed in exercises of worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor 16:1-2; Col 2:16; 3:16; Heb 10:24-25; Rev 1:10).
Liberty of Conscience
God alone is Lord of the conscience and therefore the Christian is free from bondage to any doctrines and commandments of men, including those of elders and civil authorities, which are contrary to the Scriptures. Because civil authorities are ordained by God, subjection in all lawful things commanded by them ought to be yielded to by us in the Lord, not only to avoid possible punishment, but also for conscience’s sake (Matt 15:9; Acts 5:29; Rom 13:1-7; 14:4; Col 2:20-23; 1 Pet. 2:13-14).
The Resurrection
The bodies of people after death return to dust, but their spirits return immediately to God – the righteous to rest with Him; the wicked to be reserved under darkness to the judgment. At the last day, the bodies of all the dead, both just and unjust, will be raised (John 5:28-29; 1 Cor 15:12-28; 2 Cor 5:1-10; Phil 1:23).
The Judgment
Following the event in which Christ will descend from Heaven, God has appointed a day, wherein He will judge the world by Jesus Christ, when everyone shall receive according to their deeds; the wicked shall go into everlasting punishment; the righteous, into everlasting life (Matt 25:46; John 5:22, 27-29; Acts 17:31; Rom 2:6-11; 2 Cor 5:10; 2 Thess 1:7-10; 2 Tim 4:8; Rev 1:7; 7:13-17; 14:9-11).
Human Sexuality and Gender
God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person. God created the human race male and female and all conduct with the intent to adopt a gender other than one’s birth gender is immoral and therefore sin (Gen 1:27; Deut 22:5).
Marriage
Marriage has been established by God as a lifelong, exclusive relationship between one man and one woman and all intimate sexual activity outside the marriage relationship, whether heterosexual, homosexual, or otherwise, is immoral and therefore sin (Gen 2:24-25; Exod 20;14, 17; 22:19; Lev 18:22-23; 20:13, 15-16; Matt 19:4-6, 9; Rom 1:18-31; 1 Cor 6:9-10,15-20; 1 Tim 1:8-11; Jude 7).
Sanctity of Life
Children are a blessing from the Lord and all human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other state or condition from conception through to natural death. Thus, all human life is sacred and worthy of protection, even from the moment of conception (Gen 1:26-27; Ps 139:13-26).
Government Authority
All government institutions have been given authority by God to administer justice, to punish evildoers, for the public good and the glory of God. Christians are called to honour the ruling government by praying for them, paying taxes and submitting to their lawful clauses. As Christians we hold that the word of God is a higher authority than any human authority, therefore when laws contradict God’s law, then the church must continue to submit to God’s law above all else. Although the church and Government institutions find their source and authority in God, their purposes are distinct. Therefore, the church must not expect nor rely on the government to conduct the church’s work nor vice versa (Mark 12:14-17, Rom 13:1-7, 1 Tim 2:1-2; 1 Pet 2:13-17).