FAIRFAX BAPTIST TEMPLE
DECLARATION OF FAITH
Section A. The Scriptures:
We believe in the verbal plenary inspiration of the
Scriptures (both the Old and New Testaments) and
that “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God”
(II Timothy 3:16). We believe that the original
autographs were written without error because of the
work of the Holy Spirit as He moved each man to
record the words of God (II Peter 1:20, 21). We
believe that God has supernaturally superintended
the preservation of His Word through the years. We
use the King James Version of the Bible for all
English language preaching and teaching because we
believe it to be the best of the English language
translations. Services of the Church that are
conducted in other than the English language will
use a version of the Bible appropriate to that
language and that is based on the family of
manuscripts used for the English King James Version
of the Bible.
Section B. God:
We believe in one God with three eternal
distinctions: God the Father, God the Son, and God
the
Holy Spirit. They are of the same essence (John
4:24) but separate in personalities (Matthew 3:16,
17; Matthew
28:19, 20; II Corinthians 13:14).
Section C. Jesus Christ:
We believe that Jesus Christ is God (John 10:30;
20:31) and that He is eternal (John 1:1, 2).
We believe that when Jesus Christ came to take on
the form of man (Philippians 2:6-8) that He was
conceived by
the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14;
Matthew 1:22, 23). We believe that He lived a
sinless life (II Corinthians 5:21) and that He
provided that necessary atonement for our sins
vicariously by the “sacrifice of Himself”
(Isaiah 53:4-6; Hebrews 9:26; I Corinthians 15:3).
And, we believe that after He died and was buried
that “He rose
again the third day according to the Scriptures” (I
Corinthians 15:4).
Section D. Holy Spirit:
We believe that the Holy Spirit is God and indwells
every believer (I Corinthians 6:19; Romans
8:9). We believe that the Holy Spirit convicts the
world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment
(John
16:8); that He is active in the new birth (John 3:5,
6); that He testifies of Christ (John 15:26); that
He seals the believer unto the day of redemption
(Ephesians 4:30); and, that He makes intercession
for believers (Romans 8:26).
We believe that it is essential for man to be filled
with the Spirit—or controlled by the
Spirit—(Ephesians 5:18) by
keeping sin confessed and walking in the light (I
John 1:6, 7). We believe that being filled with the
Spirit is not the
same as speaking in tongues, which is a sign gift
that is not extant for believers today.
Section E. Satan:
We believe that Satan is a real and personable being
who is void of truth (John 8:44). We believe
also that he is the god of this world (II
Corinthians 4:4) who has blinded the eyes of them
which believe not (Acts
26:18) and that he is in constant battle against
Christians (Ephesians 6:11, 12).
Section F. Creation:
We believe in and accept by faith (Hebrews 11:3) the
Genesis account of creation (Genesis
1:1, 2). We believe that God created all things
(Colossians 1:16) including man. Our belief in
creation discounts all
hypotheses of evolution.
Section G. Hell:
We believe in a literal hell of everlasting fire
(Matthew 25:41), everlasting destruction (II
Thessalonians 1:9), and everlasting punishment
(Matthew 25:46).
Section H. Heaven:
We believe in a literal heaven where Jesus is today
preparing a place for His believers (John
14:1, 2). We believe that only those who have been
saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ will be
able to
enter into heaven (Matthew 7:13, 14).
(Romans 5:12, 19) and because of this everyone is a
sinner (Romans 3:10, 23) with an inherited sinful
nature
(Psalm 51:5). Therefore, all men are under just
condemnation (John 3:19) without defense or excuse
(Romans
5:16-18).
Section J. Salvation:
We believe that salvation is of the Lord
(Philippians 1:6) on the merit of the shed blood of
Jesus Christ (Romans 3:24, 26). Salvation is a free
gift (Ephesians 2:8, 9; Romans 6:23) which excludes
any possible
merit on the basis of works (Ephesians 2:8, 9; II
Timothy 1:9; Titus 3:5). We believe that the two
essential doctrines
that must be present in every lost person that wants
to be saved are repentance (Acts 2:38) and faith
(Acts 16:31;
Romans 10:9, 10). We also believe that once a person
has been saved that there is no chance of his ever
going to
hell and that he is eternally secure in Christ (John
3:16, 36; I John 5:11-13).
Section K. Church:
We believe that the local church is a group of
professing believers in Christ, Scripturally
baptized
by immersion after salvation, who unite and
regularly assemble together to serve Christ (Matthew
28:19,
20). From this same commission, the Church also has
the responsibility of teaching, evangelizing, and
baptizing.
The local church should also provide fellowship and
worship and prayer.
Section L. Ordinances:
1. Lord’s Supper: We believe that the Lord’s Supper
symbolizes the Lord’s death (I Corinthians 11:26).
We
believe that the elements used to symbolize His
blood and body should be grape juice and crackers or
bread.
2. Baptism: We believe that baptism is a symbol of
the believer’s identification with Christ in His
death, burial
and resurrection (Romans 6:4, 5) and joins the
believer to the local church administering the
ordinance. We believe
that the only Scriptural mode of baptism is by
immersion in water by authority of the local church.
Section M. Lord’s Second Coming:
We believe in the imminent, pre-millennial, pre-tribulational,
and bodily (Acts
1:11) return of Jesus Christ (Matthew 24:42, 44) at
which time the church, existing for the first time
as the general
assembly (Hebrews 12:23), will meet Him in the air
(I Thessalonians 4:16-18).