WHAT WE BELIEVE | CBCBostic

ABOUT THE BIBLE & SALVATION & LIFE

The Bible

We believe the Scriptures of the Old Testament and New Testament are inspired by God and inerrant in their original writings (Psalm 119:97-104, 160; Matthew 5:18; John 5:46-47; 10:35; 2 Timothy 3:15-16). We believe the 66 books of the OT and the NT are God's complete and sufficient revelation and therefore carry God's authority for our lives. We believe the Scriptures are infallible in their instruction (Proverbs 6:32; 2 Peter 1:19), sufficient for counsel in every area of life (Psalm 19:14-17; 2 Timothy 3:16), and eternal in duration (Isaiah 40:8; 1 Peter 1:23-25).

Salvation

We believe man and woman were created in innocence under the law of their Creator, but by voluntary disobedience, fell from their sinless and happy state (Genesis 3:1-6). Consequently, all mankind is sinful, not only by inheritance, but also by each person’s own choice (Romans 3:10-19). We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice (Romans 5:8; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4). We believe each person who by faith receives Him as personal Savior and Lord is justified on the basis of Jesus' shed blood on the cross, escaping the wrath due for their sin and instead receiving eternal life in heaven (Colossians 2:13-14). Therefore, each person who receives Christ as personal Savior and Lord is born again by the Holy Spirit and becomes eternally secure as a child of God (John 3:3-8; Romans 8:37-39; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22).

Heaven, Hell and the Second Coming of Christ

We believe in the personal, visible, and bodily return of the Lord Jesus Christ and His return has a vital bearing on the life and service of every believer (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). We believe both the saved and the lost will be resurrected. The saved are raised to eternal life in heaven (Matthew 25:34; John 14:2; 2 Corinthians 5:1; Revelation 2:7) and the lost are raised to eternal torment in hell separated from God (Matthew 8:11; 10:28; 13:49-50; Luke 12:5; Revelation 21:8).

Sanctity of Life

We believe that all human life is sacred and created by God in His image (Gen. 1:27). Human life is of incalculable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, elderly, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life. (Psalm 139 & Jer. 1:5)

ABOUT GOD

We believe in the only true creator God (John 17:3), the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. He exists eternally in three persons and these three are one God, having the same nature, attributes, and perfections, worthy of the same worship and obedience (Mark 12:29; John 1:1-4; Matthew 28:19- 20; Acts 4:3-4). He created all things (Revelation 4:11) and upholds all things by His word and power (Hebrews 1:3). He is loving, holy, all-knowing, all-powerful, and ever present (Acts 17:28).

We believe in the total deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the manifestation of God in the flesh (John 1:1-18; 14:8-11). He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary — fully God and fully man (Luke 1:26-38). He was sent by the Father into the world to save sinners (John 3:16). He lived a sinless life on earth and sacrificed Himself on a cross for our sins (2 Corinthians 5:21). He was bodily raised from the dead and ascended to the Father in heaven where He is the head of the church and intercedes for believers (Mark 8:31; Acts 1:9; 1 Timothy. 3:16). He is coming again to earth personally, visibly, and bodily to reign as Lord (Acts 1:11; Romans 8:34).

We believe that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ (John 16:14). The Holy Spirit regenerates the sinner upon belief in Christ, baptizing the believer into the body of Christ. The Holy Spirit indwells, guides, instructs, fills, comforts, and empowers believers for godly living (Mark 13:11; John 14:26; 16:13; Romans 5:5; 1 Corinthians 3:16). The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, of God’s righteousness, and of coming judgment (John 16:8-11).

ABOUT THE CHURCH

We believe upon accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, a believer becomes part of His body, the church. There is one church universal which is composed of all those throughout the world who follow Christ, but many, many local churches. The Scriptures command believers to gather in order to devote themselves to worship, prayer, teaching of the Word, observance of the ordinances, fellowship, service, and outreach (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:41-46; 1 Corinthians 14:26; Ephesians 4:11-16; Hebrews 10:24-25).

Baptism & The Lord’s Supper
We believe Christian BAPTISM is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the FATHER, the SON, and the HOLY SPIRIT. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer’s faith in a crucified, buried, and risen SAVIOR, the believer’s death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in CHRIST JESUS. It is a testimony to his/her faith in the final resurrection of the dead.

We believe the LORD’S SUPPER is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members of the Church, through partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming. (Matt. 3:13-17; 26:26-30; Luke 3:21-22; 22:19-20; Acts 8:35-39; 16:30-33; Rom. 6:3-5; 1 Cor. 11:23-29; Col 2:12)