CONFESSION OF FAITH
of
AIRPORT BOULEVARD BAPTIST CHURCH
Article 1 – The Scriptures
We believe the Holy Bible, as originally written, was verbally inspired and the product of Spirit controlled men and therefore has truth without a mixture of error.
We believe that it is the true center of Christian union and the only infallible rule for all human conduct, creeds, and opinions (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:19-21).
Article 2 – The True God
We believe there is only one living and true God, infinite in every excellence; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three personal distinction – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – yet one in substance and equal in every divine perfection (Exodus 20:2-3; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 1 John 5:7).
We believe in the absolute Deity of the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ; that He was divine as no other man can be; being very God of very God, existing from all eternity; co-equal with the Father and the Spirit; that He never ceased to be God for one instant and that His humiliation did not consist in laying aside His deity; that as man He was miraculously begotten of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary (John 1:1-2; 1 John 5:20; Matthew 1:20; Luke 1:26-38).
We believe the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person, equal with the Father and the Son, and of the same substance and nature; that He convicts of sin, righteousness, and judgment, bears witness to the truth, is the agent of the New Birth and that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses to, sanctifies, and helps the believer, indwelling every true child of God (2 Corinthians 13:14; John 14:16-17; Romans 8:14-27).
Baptism of the Holy Spirit – relationship and standing – We believe that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit occurs one and for all at the time of regeneration. This baptism is the identification of the believer into the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13).
Filling of the Holy Spirit – fellowship and state – We believe that all born again Christians are permanently indwelled by the Holy Spirit from the moment of regeneration but are not always filled or controlled by the Holy Spirit. The filing of the Holy Spirit is experienced as the believer is submissive to the will and the Word of God (Ephesians 6:18; John 14:16-17).
Gifts of the Spirit – temporary and permanent – We believe the Holy Spirit has given spiritual gifts to the church. We believe some of the gifts are permanent and some have ceased with the fulfillment of their purpose (1 Corinthians 12-14; Romans 12:6-8; Ephesians 4:11; 1 Peter 4:10-11).
Article 3 – The Devil, or Satan
We believe in the distinct personality of Satan, that he is the unholy god of this age, author or all powers of darkness and sin, and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire (Matthew 4:1-3; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:10).
Article 4 – Creation
We believe that God created the heavens and the earth, including all life, “each after its own kind,” by direct act in six literal twenty-four-hour days and not by a process of evolution (Genesis 1-2; Colossians 1:16-17; John 1:3).
Article 5 – The Fall of Man
We believe that man, in the person of the first Adam was created in innocence, but by voluntary transgression fell into sin, thus plunging the whole race into condemnation and death, so that now all mankind is born in sin and shaped in iniquity and have become willful sinners with the first expression of personal choice, and so are without excuse before God (Genesis 3; Romans 5:10-19).
Article 6 – Redemption for Sin
We believe that the only escape from the condemnation of sin is through redemption wrought by Jesus Christ, when He voluntarily took upon Him the human form and nature, yet without sin. By His suffering, death on the cross, and resurrection from the grave, Jesus made full satisfaction to the justice of God for the sins of man; that the blessings of salvation are given to all who believe and confess, grace, to be saved. It is the immediate duty of all to accept these offers of mercy (John 1:1-3; John 1:14; John 3:1-7; Hebrews 10:4-14; Acts 16:30-33).
Article 7 – Salvation by Grace
We believe that faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation from sin and this salvation is wholly by grace; that no works, however good, make that salvation more secure (Acts 16:31; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-7; Romans 10:9-13).
We believe that all who receive Christ as their Savior are born from above and are eternally secure in Christ (John 10:28-29; Romans 8:36-39; Philippians 1:6).
Article 8 – The Church
We believe the church universal is a New Testament institution unknown to the Old Testament prophets; established by Jesus Christ, who is its sole head; revealed through the Holy Apostles; empowered and perpetuated by the Holy Spirit; Christ’s “body” for service and His “bride” for glory. It began on the Day of Pentecost, with the New Testament saints, and will be consummated at the coming of Christ in the Rapture (Matthew 18:17; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:1-13; 41-47; Acts 15:14; Romans 16:26; 1 Corinthians 12:12-28; Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:23-33; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
We believe that the church is manifested through the local church which is a congregation of saved, immersed believers, associated by covenant of faith, and fellowship of the gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; exercising the gifts, right and privileges invested in it by His Word; that its officers are Pastor and Deacons; that It has the absolute right of self-government directed by the Holy Spirit, and is answerable only to Christ, and that in all matters of membership, policy, government, discipline, and benevolence the will of the local church is final (Matthew 18:16-17; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 6:4-6; 7:17; 11:16; 1 Timothy 3:1-15).
Article 9 – The Ordinances
We believe there are two church ordinances: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism is the immersion of a believer in water and is properly called “believer’s baptism.” It sets forth in a beautiful and solemn way our faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior, with the effects of that faith in our lives as it produces death to sin and resurrection to a new life. Baptism is a prerequisite to church membership. The Lord Supper is the commemoration of our Lord’s death until He returns for His own, and represents our continual fellowship with Him, should be proceeded by baptism, and always by careful self-examination (Acts 8:36-39; Romans 6:3-6; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32).
Article 10 – The Righteous and the Wicked
We believe there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked. The righteous have been saved and are justified by faith in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and sanctified by the Spirit of God, and are truly righteous in God’s esteem; while all who continue in unbelief are in God’s sight, wicked, and under the curse of sin; and that this distinction holds among men both during life and after death, in the everlasting conscious delight of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost (Malachi 3:18; Romans 6:17-23; Matthew 25:34-41; Luke 6:25; John 8:21).
Article 11 – The Return of Christ
We believe in the bodily, personal, imminent, pretribulation, rapture of the church, Jesus will come before the seven year tribulation period to catch away His church, coming only in the air, and that He will come with His church to earth, at the close of the seven year tribulation period to judge the living nations and set up His millennial kingdom on earth (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Matthew 25:31-46; Revelation 19:11-21).
Article 12 – The Resurrection
We believe in the resurrection of the bodies of the dead; that believers who sleep in Jesus will be raised at the Rapture of the church, by Christ for His church, and will be caught up with transformed living saints to meet the Lord in the air, and that the wicked dead will be raised at the close of the millennial kingdom and stand in their bodies at the Great White Throne of judgment to receive their final judgment
John 5:21-30; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Revelation 7:9-17; 20:11-15).
