Weston Baptist Church

Statement of Faith - Summarized

SECTION 1. OF THE SCRIPTURES

     We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men supernaturally inspired: that it has truth without any admixture of error for its matter; and therefore is, and shall remain to the end of the age, the only complete and final revelation of the will of God to man; the true center of Christian union; and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried.

1. By "The Holy Bible" we mean that collection of sixty-six books, from Genesis to Revelation, which, as originally written and preserved by God through the ages, does not only contain and convey the Word of God but IS the very Word of God. We believe that the King James Version is the true, perfect, and preserved Word of God for the English-speaking people and is equal in authority to the original manuscripts.

2. By "inspiration" we mean that the books of the Bible were written by holy men of old as they were moved by the Holy Spirit in such a definite way that their writings were supernaturally and verbally inspired and free from error, as no other writings have ever been or ever will be inspired.

II Tim. 3:16-17;II Pet. 1:19-21; Acts 1:16; Acts 28:25; Psa. 119:160; Psa. 119:105; Psa. 119:130; Luke 24:25-27; John 17:17; Luke 24:44-45; Psa. 119:89; Prov. 30:5-6; Rom. 3:4.

SECTION 2. OF THE TRUE GOD

     We believe that there is one, and only one, living and true God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit, the maker and supreme ruler of heaven and earth, inexpressibly glorious in holiness and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.

Ex. 20:2-3; Gen. 17:1; I Cor. 8:6; Eph. 4:6; John 4:24; Psa. 147:5; Psa. 83:18; Psa. 90:2; Jer. 10:10; Ex. 15:11; Rev. 4:11; I Tim. 1:17; Rom. 11:33; Mark 12:30; Matt. 28:19; John 15:26.

SECTION 3. OF THE CREATION

     We believe in the Genesis account of creation, and that it is to be accepted literally, and not allegorically or figuratively; that man was created directly in God's own image and after His own likeness; that man's creation was not a matter of evolution or development through interminable periods of time from lower to higher forms; that all animal and vegetable life was made directly, and God's established law was that they should bring forth only "after their kind."

Gen. 1:1; Ex. 20:11; Acts 4:24; Col. 1:16-17; Heb. 11:3; John 1:3; Rev. 10:6; Rom. 1:20; Acts 17:23-26; Jer. 10:12; Neh. 9:6; Gen. 1:26-27; Gen. 2:21-23; Gen. 1:11; Gen. 1:24. 

SECTION 4. OF THE FALL OF MAN

     We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy state, in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, not by constraint, but of choice and therefore under just condemnation without defense or excuse.

Gen. 3:1-6, 24; Rom. 5:12; Rom. 5:19; Rom. 3:10-19; Eph. 2:1, 3; Rom. 1:18; Ezek. 18:19-20; Rom. 1:32; Rom. 1:20; Rom. 1:23; Gal. 3:22.

SECTION 5. OF THE VIRGIN BIRTH

     We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Ghost in a miraculous manner; born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever or can be born of woman; and that He is the Son of God, and God the Son.

Gen. 3:15; Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:18-25; Luke 1:35; Mark 1:1; John 1:14; Psa. 27; Gal. 4:4; I John 5:20; I Cor. 15:47.

SECTION 6. OF SALVATION

     We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace through the mediatory office of Jesus Christ the Son of God, who, by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin, honored the divine law by His personal obedience; and by His death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins; that His atonement was the voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner's place, the Just dying for the unjust, Christ, the Lord, bearing our sins in His own body on the tree; that, having risen from the dead, conquered death and is now enthroned in heaven on the right hand of God.

       We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ and His atoning work. This new birth is instantaneous and not a process. Salvation cannot be lost and is evidenced by a changed life showing forth good works and spiritual fruit, as such which distinguishes one from superficial professors. 

John 8:31-32; Col. 1:21; I John 2:19; Matt. 13:19-21; Rom. 8:23; Matt. 6:30; Psa. 121:3; Heb. 1:14; I Pet. 1:5; Phil. 1:6; John 10:28; John 10:29; John 16:8; Rom. 8:35-39. Eph. 2:8; Acts 15:11.

SECTION 7. OF THE CHURCH

      We believe that a church of Christ is a congregation of baptized believers associated together by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the gospel: observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word; that its officers of ordination are pastors or elders and deacons whose qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly defined in the scriptures; we believe that the true mission of the church is found in the Great Commission; First, to make individual disciples; Second, to build up the church; Third, to teach and instruct as He has commanded. We do not believe in the reversal of this order; we hold that the local church has the absolute right of self government, free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that the one and only superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit; that it is scriptural for true churches to co-operate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the gospel; that every church is the sole and only judge of the measure and methods of its cooperation; on all matters of membership, of policy, of government, of discipline, and of benevolence. The will of the local church is final.

Acts 2:41; Acts 2:42; I Cor. 1:2; Eph. 1:22-23; Eph. 4:11; I Cor. 12:4, 8-11; Acts 14:23; Acts 6:5-6; Acts 15:23; Acts 20:17-28; I Tim. 3:1-7; I Tim. 3:8-13; Matt. 28:19-20; Col. 1:18.

SECTION 8. OF BAPTISM AND THE LORD'S SUPPER

     We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion in water of a believer in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost under the authority of the local church to show forth, in a solemn and beautiful emblem, our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Saviour with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that it is prerequisite to the privileges of a church relation and to the Lord's Supper in which the members of the church, by the sacred use of bread and unfermented wine (grape juice), are to commemorate together the dying love of Christ, preceded always by solemn self-examination.

Acts 8:36-39; Matt. 3:6; John 3:23; Rom. 6:4-5; Matt. 3:16; Matt. 28:19; Rom. 6:3-5; Col. 2:12; Acts 2:41-42; Matt. 28:19-20; I Cor. 11:23-28.

SECTION 9. OF THE DEVIL OR SATAN

     We believe that Satan was once holy and enjoyed heavenly honors; but through pride and ambition to be as the Almighty, fell and drew after him a host of angels; that he is now the malignant prince of the power of the air, and the unholy god of this world. We hold him to be man's great tempter, the enemy of God and His Christ, the accuser of the saints, the author of all false religions, the chief power back of the present apostasy, the lord of the anti-Christ, and the author of all the powers of darkness-destined however to final defeat at the hands of God's Son and to the judgment of an eternal justice in hell, a place prepared for him and his angels.

Isa. 14:12-15; Ezek. 28:14-17; Rev. 12:9; Jude 6; II Pet. 2:4; Eph. 2:2; John 14:30; I Thes. 3:5; Matt. 4:1-3; I Pet. 5:8; Zech. 1:3; I John 3:8; Matt. 13:25, 37-39; Luke 22:3-4; Rev. 12:10.

SECTION 10. OF THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED

     We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that such only as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and sanctified by the Spirit of our God, are truly righteous in His esteem; while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked, and under the curse and this distinction holds among men both in and after death, in the everlasting felicity of the saved in heaven and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost in the lake of fire.

Mal. 3:18; Gen. 18:23; Rom.6:17-18; Prov. 11:31; I Pet. 4:18; Rom. 1:17; I Cor. 15:22; Acts 10:34-35; I John 2:29; I John 3:7; Rom. 6:16; I John 5:19; Gal. 3:10; Rom. 7:6; Rom. 6:23.

SECTION 11. OF THE RESURRECTION AND RETURN OF CHRIST AND RELATED EVENTS.

     We believe in and accept the sacred Scripture upon these subjects at their face and full value. Of the Resurrection, we believe that Christ rose bodily "the third day according to the Scriptures," that He ascended "to the right hand of the throne of God," that He alone is our "merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God," "that this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into Heaven"-bodily, personally and visibly; that the "dead in Christ shall rise first;" that the living saints "shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump;" "That the Lord shall give unto Him the throne of His Father David;" and that "Christ shall reign a thousand years in righteousness until He hath put all enemies under His feet."

      We believe the second coming of Christ, which has yet to occur, will result in the rapture of the saved and will be immediately followed by the Great Tribulation, at the end of which Christ will setup His kingdom to reign a thousand years. Satan, bound during this time, will be released at its closure and will be cast forever into the lake of fire along with all unsaved persons. God, at the consummation of this age, will then usher in the New Heaven, New Earth, and New Jerusalem.

Matt. 28:6-7; Luke 24:39; John 20:27; I Cor. 15:4; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:2, 4-6; Acts 1:9; Acts 1:11; Luke 24:51; Mark 16:19; Rev. 3:21; Heb. 8:1; Heb. 12: 2; Heb. 8:6; I Tim 2:5; I John 2:1.

SECTION 12. OF MISSIONS

     The command to preach the gospel to the world is clear and unmistakable, and this Commission was given to the churches. It is the solemn duty of the local church to evangelize its local community (its Jerusalem) and support mission work across the world (its uttermost parts of the earth).

Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15;  John 20:21;  Acts 1:8;  Rom. 10:13-15.

SECTION 13. OF THE GRACE OF GIVING

      Scriptural giving is one of the fundamentals of the faith. We are commanded to bring our gifts into the storehouse (common treasury of the local church) upon the first day of the week. Under grace we give, not pay, the tithe to the local church. We believe the tithe is the minimum a child of God needs to give to one's local church to support God's work. Giving in abundance, poverty, and through faith is also expected as God works and leads each individual.

II Cor. 8:7; I Cor. 16:2; Lev. 27:30; Mal. 3:10;  Acts 4:34, 35, 37.