What We Believe

We adopt the following as the articles of our faith.

God

God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three co-equal persons: the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit. These three are one God.

Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 6:4

The Father

The Father is all powerful, all knowing, all loving, and all wise. He reigns with providential care over the universe, and the flow of human history goes according to His purposes and plan.

Psalm 19:1-3; Jeremiah 10:10; 1 Timothy 1:17

Jesus

Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is God with the Father and Holy Spirit. Jesus has eternally existed and became man at His incarnation. Born of a virgin, He lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross according to the Father's will. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven’s glory and will return again someday to the Earth to reign as King of kings and Lord of lords.

Matthew 16:16; John 1:1-18; 17:1-5; Hebrews 1:1-3

The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. He guides people into all truth; exalts Christ; convicts of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; cultivates Christian character; comforts believers; bestows spiritual gifts by which believers serve God; and seals the believer unto the day of final redemption. His presence in the lives of believers is the assurance of God to bring us into the fullness of the stature of Christ.

Genesis 1:2; Isaiah 61:1-3; John 4:24

The Bible

The Bible is God's word to us. It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for the Christian. Because it is inspired by God, it has salvation for its end and is truth without any mixture of error.

Exodus 24:4; Psalms 40:8; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 4:12

People

People are made in the image of God and are the supreme object of God's creation. All of us are marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called sin. Sin separates people from God and results in death. Only the grace of God can bring people into His holy fellowship and enable us to fulfill the creative purposes of God.

Genesis 1:26-30; Psalm 8:3-6; Acts 17:26-31

Salvation

Salvation is God’s free gift to us, but we must accept it. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin’s penalty. When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith, we are saved. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith.

John 10:9, 28-29; Romans 10:9-10, 13; Ephesians 2:8-22; Titus 2:11-14

Eternal Security

Because God gives us eternal life through Jesus Christ, the true believer is secure in that salvation for eternity. If you have been genuinely saved, you cannot “lose” your salvation. Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian. It is the grace and keeping power of God that gives us this security.

John 3:16

Eternity

People were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally in union with Him is an aspect of eternal life. To be eternally separated from God is an aspect of Hell. Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence.

Matthew 25:31-46

Baptism by Immersion

We believe that scriptural baptism is for the believers and is the first act of obedience to Christ. Baptism should be by immersion in water and represents: 1) the believer’s faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, 2) the believer’s death to sin and resurrection to walk anew in Christ, and 3) the Christian’s belief that we will die, be buried and that Jesus will resurrect us from the dead.

Mark 1:9-11

The Lord's Supper

The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby believers remember the death of the Lord Jesus and anticipate His second coming. The bread is symbolic of His body and the juice represents His blood.

Matthew 3:13-17

Tithing

At Chets Creek Church, we believe in giving the tithe - 10% of income - as the biblical minimum standard of giving. According to the Scriptures we are to give cheerfully, regularly, systematically, proportionately, and liberally for the advancement of the Redeemer’s cause on earth.

Leviticus 27:30-32; Matthew 22:15-17; 1 Timothy 5:3

Evangelism

It is the duty of every born again follower of Jesus Christ and of every church to endeavor to make disciples of all people everywhere. It is the command of Christ for every believer to seek constantly to win the lost to Christ by personal effort and by all other methods in harmony with the gospel of Christ.

Matthew 28:18-20

The Church

A New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is a local body of baptized believers who are associated by their common faith and fellowship with Jesus. A local church is to observe the two ordinances: 1) baptism, and 2) the Lord’s Supper; exercise their God-given gifts; and extend the gospel to the ends of the earth. The church is a self-governing body serving under the Lordship of Christ. All members are ministers as they serve with the scriptural leaders of the church. As each member comprises the local church, so do all local churches comprise the universal body of Christ.

Matthew 16:15-19; Colossians 1:18

Christian Unity

To live in harmony with other believers is clearly the teaching of the New Testament. It is the responsibility of each believer to endeavor to live in fellowship with each member of the congregation. As members we recognize the authority and responsibility of the local church to exercise discipline in a compassionate and restorative way. It is the purpose of church discipline to ensure harmony among members, maintain order in its practices and promote reconciliation in the event of conflict.

Matthew 18:15-20

For a further discussion of the principles of faith set forth above, see The Baptist Faith and Message.