Cement City Baptist Church Congregational Doctrinal Statement

 
1 – The Bible:

The 66 books of the Old and New Testament Scriptures were written by men and inspired by God so that they are infallible and inerrant in their original manuscripts.  As the Word of God, the Bible is authoritative and the only perfect and sufficient rule of faith and practice.

2 – God:

God is eternally existing and has revealed Himself as the Trinity in three distinct persons yet one in essence:  God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  He is all powerful, all-knowing, and everywhere present, the creator and sustainer of all, and the all-satisfying treasure of all who seek Him in truth!

3 – Jesus Christ:

Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity, did willingly submit to the Father’s will to come and take upon himself a human nature, was conceived of the Holy Spirit and was born of the virgin Mary.  He lived a perfect and righteous life, thus fulfilling all the righteous requirements of God’s law.  Although He is fully God, Jesus is also fully man.  He was “delivered up by the predetermined plan of God,” into the hands of wicked men who crucified Him.   He voluntarily laid down His life to become the only perfect and acceptable sacrifice for our sin.  He died for our sins, was buried and rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures.  He has ascended to the right hand of God the Father and is exalted in glory and will one day come again with power and great glory to judge the living and the dead.

4 – The Holy Spirit:

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity.  The Holy Spirit is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Son.  He works to exalt Christ and convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment.  The Holy Spirit enables people to repent and believe in Christ, and then indwells them, empowers them to serve the body of Christ, and guarantees their final salvation.

5 – Mankind:

God made man in His own image, male and female, and very good in every way.  Man left to his own will, did freely choose to disobey God and so came under the penalty and power of sin.  All of their descendants inherited a sinful nature, and are by nature hostile toward God and bent on living their own way, which is the essence of sin.  Those who repent of sin and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are justified before God, and will eventually be fully redeemed and made like Christ in a glorified state.

6 – Salvation:

God is tremendously rich in mercy, and He has provided a great salvation through Jesus Christ for all who will trust Him!  Salvation from the wrath of God is granted by God on the basis of His grace alone.  Salvation is only possible through faith in Jesus Christ, and it is for the glory of God alone.

7 – God’s Design in All of Creation:

Because God alone, is infinitely excellent and glorious, it is His supreme passion to magnify His glory and greatness in all that He does.  The great plan of God in the creation of the world, is to display His glory.  It is the duty of all persons, and the delight of all Christians, to make the glory of God their ultimate and highest goal in everything they do.

8 – The Church:

The church is made up of all those who are chosen by God to be effectually called, justified, and glorified, by the redemption that is in Jesus Christ.  God’s aim in all of history is to magnify Himself in Christ especially by working for the benefit of His people --- the church!  It is therefore the greatest of all privileges to be a part of this group of people known as the church.  As members of Christ’s church we ought always to seek to glorify God in all that we do and strive to live according to His Word.  As members of Christ’s church we are commanded to work with God to advance the gospel to the ends of the earth.  Christians are to be committed to the encouragement and strengthening of other believers in a local church.  There they come under the spiritual authority of the appropriate leaders.  There they also receive the instruction of the Word and the administration of the ordinances of believer’s baptism and the Lord’s supper.  God has appointed certain offices (elders and deacons) within the church.

9 – The Last Things:

God is moving all history to one great judgment and revelation of the glory of Jesus Christ. The day certainly is drawing closer when Jesus Christ will come again in great power and glory to bring judgment upon all the earth and to finally save His people.  There will be a resurrection of the wicked and the righteous.  The wicked will go into everlasting torment and fire while the righteous will inherit the kingdom of joy with God that He has been preparing for them before the world was made.