What We Believe – New Life Baptist Fellowship

What We Believe

THE VERBAL INSPIRATION OF THE BIBLE

We believe the Holy Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments. to be verbally inspired of God in the original documents, infallible and God- breathed, a perfect rule of faith and practice. (II Timothy 3:16-17; I Corinthians 1:13; II Peter 1:16-21)
THE TRINITY

We believe in the holy Trinity; that there are three distinct Persons in one Godhead. The Trinity of God in His tri – personal existence as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19; Matthew 3:13-17)
GOD THE FATHER

We believe that God is an Eternal Person, having no beginning and no ending, and that He is Creator of all, infinite and infallible. (John 4:24; Luke 3:22)
GOD THE SON

We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and God the Son. We believe that: He is the only savior of mankind. (Acts 4:12) He God incarnate in human flesh. (Romans 8:3) He is Very God of Very God, for Whom and by Whom all things were created. (Colossians 1:16) He is the Mediator between God and men. (I Timothy 2:5) We believe in His Virgin birth, His holy sinless life, His vicarious death and bodily resurrection. (John 3:16; John 1:13; Hebrews 1:8; Colossians 1:15-19)
GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe that the Holy Spirit is Very God of Very God. (Acts 5:3-4) That He baptizes all believers into the Body of Christ. (I Corinthians 12:13) That He indwells all believers. (Romans 8:9) That He fills the obedient and is the believer’s guide into the truth. (John 16:7-15) That He furnishes the Gifts of the Spirit for the edifying of the Body of Christ. We believe the Sign Gifts, Matthew 10:8; Mark 16:17-18) and the Revelatory Gifts, (I Corinthians 13:8-10) were temporary, and no longer given by the Holy Spirit.
MAN

We believe that man was created in the likeness and image of God. (Genesis 1:27) Through the sin of Adam, man fell from his sinless state, (Romans 5:12) is born totally depraved, (Psalm 51:5) and is alienated from God, (Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:23)
SALVATION

We believe that man is justified by faith in the shed blood of Christ, (Romans 5:1-19; Hebrews 9:22; I John 1:7) and that he is born again by grace through faith apart from works. (Ephesians 2:8-9; Galatians 2:16)
A PERSONAL DEVIL

We believe that satan is a person, that he is a fallen angel, (Ezekiel 28:13-14) that he is the deceiver of mankind, and that some day God will cast him into the Lake of Fire. (Revelation 20:10; Revelation 12:9-10; Matthew 25:41)
HEAVEN AND HELL

We believe that Heaven is a place prepared for all born again believers. (John 14:1-6) We also believe Hell is a real place prepared for the devil and his angels, (Matthew 25:41) and those who die in unbelief. (Luke 16:19-31; Revelation 21:8)
BAPTISM AND COMMUNION

We believe that baptism by immersion is the only scriptural mode. We believe that baptism does not save. It is an act of obedience to the command of Christ and is a testimony to the world of the believer’s faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. (Romans 6:1-5; Matthew 28:19-20) We believe that the Communion (The Lord’s Supper) is a symbolic ordinance, picturing Christ’s body broken for our sins and His blood shed for our redemption. It is not a saving ordinance, but helps us remember His death, and inspires us, while looking forward to His coming. (I Corinthians 11:23-24) It is to be observed by regenerate, obedient believers.
ETERNAL SECURITY

We believe that one a person is born again, he cannot lose his salvation, that he is eternally secure in the Lord Jesus Christ. (John 10:27-29; Romans 8:28-28; Colossians 3:3; Ephesians 4:30)
THE CHURCH

We believe in the universal Church, the Body of Christ, which is composed of all born again believers of this age, and that Christ is the only Head of that Church. (Colossians 1:18; I Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:22-23)
THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH AND THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST

We believe in the imminent Rapture of the Church when Christ will remove His people from the earth. He will then pour out the righteous judgments of God upon the unbelieving world. We believe when Christ returns, it will be personal, visible, and glorious. He will then establish His Kingdom over all nations for one thousands years, (John 14:3; Acts 1:1-11; I Thessalonians 4:16-17, Revelation 20)
RESURRECTION

We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust. (John 5:28-29; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 20:11-15; Job 19:25-27)
SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE

We believe in the separation of Church and State. We believe that the State does not control the Church’s beliefs. We believe that civil government is of divine appointment, and that governors of states and nations should be obeyed when the laws they seek to enforce are not in conflict with the Bible. (Romans 13:1-7; Matthew 22:21; Acts 4:19-20)