Clearfork Baptist Church Statement of Faith
STATEMENTS THAT EXPRESS OUR COMMON BIBLICAL BELIEFS
Our core beliefs are centered in Christ and His message, found and supported in the Bible. Rather than rooted in tradition or speculation, ours is a biblical theology. Throughout church history there have been segments of His church devoted solely to the Bible for matters of faith and practice, and this is where we stand at Clearfork Baptist Church.
THE BIBLE
The sole basis of our belief is the Bible, the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments. We believe Scripture in its entirety originated with God, and was revealed to chosen authors. Scripture speaks with the authority of God while reflecting the backgrounds, styles, and vocabularies of its human authors. The Scripture, in its original manuscripts, has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its message. The Scripture is the full and final authority on all matters of faith and practice. There are no other writings similarly inspired by God.
GOD
There is one and only one living and true God. He is the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe. To Him we owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience. The eternal God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being.
JESUS THE CHRIST
Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the promised one in the Old Testament. Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus perfectly revealed and carried out the will of God. He led a sinless life, and offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. Jesus was a great teacher, leader, and example for all to follow. But He is much more than these; He is God the Son, co-equal with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. After the crucifixion, He rose again to demonstrate His power over sin and death, and sealed forever the eternal security of His followers. After His resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven, and He will return again to earth to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
MANKIND
As the crowning work of His creation, man was created by a special act of God. Through the temptation of Satan man rebelled against the commandment of God, and brought sin into the human race. Sin separates man from the fellowship/closeness he was designed to have with God, and this separation can only be bridged by the work and grace of God – which He accomplishes through Jesus Christ alone. The sacredness of human personality is evident in that God created man in His own image, and in Christ dying for man; therefore every person possesses dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love. The grace of God, and salvation through faith in Christ, is for every person who chooses to believe in Jesus, receive His grace, and become one of His followers.
THE CHURCH
All who acknowledge and follow Jesus Christ as Savoir and Lord are members of His body, the one true church. Scripture commands believers to gather for worship, prayer, fellowship, and the teaching of the Word; to observe Baptism and Communion as established by Jesus Christ; to offer service to the body through the development and use of talents and gifts, and for outreach to the world.