Statement of Faith

The Bible

We believe the Bible is God’s inspired word, consisting of 66 books written by men, but directed and inspired by God through the Holy Spirit. It is without error in the original writings, and is the complete, final, and only authority in all matters of faith and conduct. (John 17:17, 2 Tim 3:16-17; 1 Thes 2:13; 2 Pet 1:20-21)

The Godhead

We believe in one God, creator of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, these being the same in substance, equal in power and glory. (John 15:26; Mark 1:10-11)

Father

We believe there is one God, who has revealed Himself as our Father, in His Son Jesus Christ, and as the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is God manifested in flesh. He is both God and man. (Deut 6:4, Eph 4:4-6, Col 2:9, 1 Tim 3:16, 1 Cor 8:6; John 1:1)

Jesus Christ

We believe Jesus is the Son of God, God Himself, and that He became completely man. Conceived through the power of the Holy Spirit, He was born of the Virgin Mary. Jesus lived a sinless life, and chose to die as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people. He was bodily resurrected from the dead and appeared to many people. He now sits at the “right hand of God” (the highest place of honour and power), interceding for the sins of His people (those who accepted Him as Saviour and Lord). He will come in glory to righteously judge all people based on their acceptance or rejection of Him. Jesus is the only way to bridge the gap of sin between God and people; He is the only way to have a relationship with God now, and eternal life with God in heaven. (Matt 16:16-17; Matt 25:31- 46; Mark 14:61-62; Luke 1:34-35;Luke 2:7; John 1:1; John 1:14; John 5:22-30; John 10:30; John 14:6; Acts 4:12; 1 Cor 15:3-8; Heb 4:15; 1 Pet 2:22-24, Luke 1:26-35; John 15:26; 2 Cor 5:21; 1 Pet 3:18; 1 Cor 15:20; Heb 9:11-12; 1 John 2:1)

Holy Spirit

We believe the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and, that He is the agent in restoration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them for the day of redemption. (John 15:26; John 16:7-11; Rom 8:9-11; 1 Cor 12:12-13; Eph 1:13-14, Matt 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33; 1 Cor 12:13).

We believe the Holy Spirit empowers the believer to live the spiritual life with the evidence of his indwelling being the fruit of the Spirit - "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control". (Gal 5:22-23).

Creation

We believe the perfect creation of matter and time was a supernatural act of God by which He brought the universe into existence in six successive days through the mediation of Jesus Christ and the operation of the Holy Spirit, and on the seventh day He rested and this creation was completed directly without evolutionary processes. (Gen.1, 2)

Man and Sin

We believe mankind was created in the image of God and given rule over all the earth. Man forfeited everything when he chose to disobey God (in the Garden of Eden) in spite of warnings regarding the consequences for doing so. As a result sorrow, tears, pain, sickness, death, and all that is “not good” came into existence. This was never God’s intention. All of the people who lived since that time have also sinned, for which the penalty is death. (Gen 1:26-27; Rom 3:23-24; Rom 6:23)

The atoning death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ provide the only grounds for justification and salvation and only those who believe on Him as Saviour - receiving Him by faith - are born of the Holy Spirit and so become the children of God. (John 14:6; Rom 3:23; Rom 5:8; John 3:3-18; John 1:10-14, Rom 5:1)

Salvation

We believe salvation is a gift of God brought to man by grace and received only by individual repentance of sin and by personal faith in the living sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ, who bore our sins in His own body on the cross (1 Pet 2:24) and whose precious blood was shed for the forgiveness of our sins. (Eph 1:7, Eph 2:8-10; 1 John 1:9; 1 Pet 1:18-23).

Resurrection

We believe in the personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ, the dead will be resurrected and the final judgment of all people by the Lord Jesus Christ will happen (2 Thes 1:6-10, Heb 9:27-28, Rev 20:1-6, Dan 12:1-2; John 5:21-30). We believe Jesus Christ is coming again for His church. The righteous will inherit eternal life and the unrighteous eternal death. (1 Thes 4:14-17; Rev 20:11-15). 

Baptism and the Lord’s Supper

We believe Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the only two ordinances, which were given by Jesus Christ, as recorded in Scripture, to be observed by the Church till His return. The two ordinances are not to be regarded as necessary to salvation or the means of receiving it, but rather as the way the Bible commands that this salvation should be outwardly declared and remembered.

Baptism is a public declaration of a person’s faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour in accordance with New Testament Scripture. (Acts 2:41, Acts 8:12, Acts 10: 47-48; Rom 6:3-4) It should be administered wherever possible by total immersion that symbolizes the believer’s identification with Christ in death, burial and resurrection. (John 3:23; Mark 1:5; Mark 1:9-10) It also symbolizes the remission of sin and the believer’s dedication of himself to God to live and walk in newness of life. In instances of advanced disability or illness the practice of baptism by full immersion may be varied.

The Lord’s Supper is a remembrance of and thanksgiving for the sacrifice of the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is to be regularly practiced until He comes again. It relates to forgiveness of sin, and the way the believer shows they honour and glorify Jesus Christ and is a sign of the believer’s continuing fellowship in the body of Christ, the Church. (Matt 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:14-20; 1 Cor 11:23-34; Acts 2:42; Matt 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:36-38)

Church

We believe in one holy, universal and apostolic Church, composed of all such persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and are united together in the body of Christ, of which He is head. (1 Cor 12:27; Eph 4:4-6; I Pet 2:5-10)

Priesthood of all Believers

We believe through Christ each Christian has been given direct access to God. God is equally accessible to all the faithful, and every Christian has equal potential to minister for God. (1 Tim 2:5; Heb 4:14-16)

Family Unit

We believe that God has sanctioned marriage between one man and one woman. We believe in heterosexual relationships between a natural man and a natural woman within the confines of lawful matrimony. (Gen 1:27-28; Gen 2:18-24; Eph 5:31) Chuwar Baptist Church Constitution