What We Believe…
Statement of Faith
We believe that a careful study of the Bible will clarify the need for a unified Statement of Faith. True fellowship and union can be realized only on the basis of truth. Therefore, the believers of Calvary Baptist Church are admonished to be in agreement with each other and avoid divisions concerning our stand on, and practice of, the doctrines of the faith.
– 1 Corinthians 1:10 (Psalm 133:1; Jeremiah 32:39; John 17:23; Acts 4:32; Romans 15:5-6; Philippians 1:27; 2:1-2)l 1 Timothy 3:15; see Section: The Church
The Scriptures
– Psalm 12:6-7; Matthew 5:17-18 (Matthew 24:35; 1 Timothy 6:3-5); Romans 15:4 (Proverbs 30:5-6; 1 Corinthians 10:11; 1 Peter 2:2); 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21 (2 Samuel 23:2; 2 Peter 3:15-16)
The True God
We believe that there is one, and only one, living and true God, an infinite, intelligent spirit, perfect in all His attributes, one in essence but eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
– Exodus 20:11; Deuteronomy 6:4 (Exodus 20:2-3); Deuteronomy 6:4 (John 10:30); Psalm 145:3; Jeremiah 10:10; Nehemiah 9:6 (Genesis 1:1-2; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 11:3); Matthew 5:48; 28:19-20 (Genesis 1:26; Isaiah 6:8; Matthew 3:16-17; 2 Corinthians 13:14); John 4:24; 1 Thessalonians 1:9; 1 Timothy 6:20
The Father
We believe in the Fatherhood of God because He is the Creator of mankind and everything living. In a special sense, He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who took on flesh and blood to become the sacrifice for sins. In a spiritual sense, we believe that all those who are saved by grace through faith in Christ alone are called children of God.
– Acts 17:26-28 (1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 4:6); Galatians 3:26; 2 Peter 1:17 (Matthew 3:16-17; Hebrews 2:14)
The Son
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, is the Son of God, is fully God and fully man, who is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father. We believe that Christ was virgin born, and that His human nature was begotten by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the virgin. Christ was therefore sinless in nature as well as in deed. We believe that the death of Christ and the shedding of His blood on the cross was voluntary, substitutionary and redemptive. We believe that upon the basis of that death, the believing sinner is freed from punishment, declared righteous, given eternal life, and admitted to the family of God. We believe that Christ rose from the dead with a body of flesh and bones on the third day, and after forty days ascended bodily to the right hand of the Father, where He is now ministering as Advocate and High Priest on behalf of believers. We believe in the personal, imminent, and bodily return of Christ for His Church.
– Luke 1:26-35 (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; John 8:46); 24:38-39 (Luke 24:1-6); John 1:1, 14 (Micah 5:2; John 5:17-18, 23; John 10:28-33; 14:8-10; 19:7; Colossians 2:9); John 3:16; John 5:24 (Romans 8:1); 10:17-18; Acts 1:9-11 (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18); Romans 4:24 (Romans 5:1); 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (1 Peter 2:24; 3:18; John 10:15); Galatians 3:13 (Ephesians 1:7); Ephesians 2:19; Philippians 3:20-21 (1 Thessalonians 1:10; James 5:8; Titus 2:13); Hebrews 4:15 (2 Corinthians 5:21; 2 Peter 2:22); 7:25 (Hebrews 4:14-16; 9:24; 1 John 2:1); 1 Peter 3:22; Revelation 19:7-20:10 (Acts 1:9-11)
The Holy Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit is a Person of the Godhead because He possesses all the attributes of personality and of deity. He is equal with the Father and the Son and is of the same nature. He convicts unbelievers of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He is the agent of the new birth who immediately places (baptizes) the new believer into the Body of Christ.
We believe that believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise and indwelt by Him at the moment of salvation, and that He is the believer’s guarantee of eternal life and inheritance. All believers are commanded to be filled with the Holy Spirit which is accomplished in the believer continuously as he is yielded to the Spirit and empowered by Him. The Holy Spirit guides and teaches believers the ways of righteousness.
We believe that God is sovereign in bestowing spiritual gifts to every believer. God uniquely uses evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip believers in the assembly in order that they can do the work of the ministry.
We believe that the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing, were temporary. Speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of the baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit, and that ultimate deliverance of the body from sickness or death awaits the consummation of our salvation in the resurrection, though God frequently chooses to answer the prayers of believers for physical healing.
– Genesis 1:2, 26 (Hebrews 9:14); John 3:6 (Titus 3:4-7); 14:16-17 (Romans 8:9, 11; 1 Corinthians 2:12; 6:19; Colossians 3:2; 2 Timothy 1:14); 14:26; 15:26; 16:7-11, 13-14; Romans 12:4-8; Ephesians 4:11-12 (1 Corinthians 12:4-13, 28-31; Ephesians 4:7-12); 1 Corinthians 12:13; 13:8 (1 Corinthians 14:21-22); 2 Corinthians 1:22 (Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30); Ephesians 5:18 (Acts 4:8; 6:3-5; 11:22-24; 13:9-10, 52; Micah 3:8); James 5:14-15
Man
We believe the Scriptures teach that man was created by a direct act of God on the sixth day of creation week. He was created good, living in a state of innocence without any compulsion to sin. By voluntary disobedience man fell from his state of innocence, and incurred the penalty of spiritual and physical death. The consequence of that sin passed to man’s descendants and thus all men are now sinners by nature, totally depraved, devoid of spiritual life, with no redemptive powers to enable them to recover themselves from this condition. We believe that all men are totally without the holiness required by God’s standard, are positively inclined to evil, are defiled, and therefore are without defense or excuse under just condemnation to a literal eternal punishment and to everlasting existence separated from God.
– Genesis 1:26-27; 1:31; 2:7 (Genesis 1:31; 2:18, 21-23); 3:6-7 (Genesis 3:1-19); 3:8, 19; Jeremiah 17:9 (Genesis 6:5); Mark 7:21-23; John 8:34 (Jeremiah 13:23); Romans 1:18-20 (Romans 1:21-32; 2:1); 3:18, 23 (Psalm 14:1-3; Romans 3:10-12); 5:12 (Psalm 51:5; Romans 5:12-19; 1 Corinthians 15:22); Ephesians 2:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Matthew 25:41, 46 (Matthew 25:31-46; John 5:28-29; Revelation 21:8; 20:11-15)
Salvation
We believe the salvation of sinners is deliverance from the bondage and penalty of sin and death, and that salvation is divinely initiated, wholly by grace and accomplished only through the shed blood of the Son of God. Salvation is wholly apart from works and comes only through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. In order to be saved the sinner must believe the gospel, and receive Christ, through which one is born again.
– John 1:12-13; 3:3 (John 3:3-18; I Peter 1:21-22); Acts 16:31 (John 6:29; Romans 1:16-17; 10:9-13; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Ephesians 1:13); Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-9 (Hebrews 4:2); Titus 3:5 (Romans 4:5; Galatians 6:15); 2 Timothy 1:9 (Romans 8:29-30; 1 Timothy 2:5-6); 2 Peter 1:4; 2 Timothy 1:10 (Galatians 1:3-4; Ephesians 2:1-5; Romans 6:6-12)
We believe that various aspects and elements of salvation are comprehended under the following doctrines: Regeneration, Election, Justification, Sanctification, and Security.
A. Regeneration
We believe that regeneration is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit by which the divine nature and divine life are communicated. It is instantaneous and is accomplished solely by the power of the Holy Spirit through the instrumentality of the Word of God, so as to secure voluntary obedience to the gospel. Regeneration will be manifested by repentance, faith and newness of life.
– John 5:24; 14:21 (Ephesians 2:10; 1 John 3:22-24); Acts 20:21 (Romans 1:16, 17; 1 Peter 1:3-9, 21); 2 Corinthians 5:17; 7:10 (Acts 26:18-20; 1 Thessalonians 1:9); Titus 3:5-6; 1 Peter 1:4 (1 Corinthians 12:12-13); 1:23
B. Election
We believe that the sinfulness and rebellion of man is so complete that if left to himself he would never seek God nor come unto Christ. We believe that election is the merciful and sovereign act of God, whereby He chooses unto salvation whom He will according to His purpose and foreknowledge.
– John 5:40 (Luke 19:14; John 15:16); Romans 3:11 (Luke 19:10; Romans 10:20); Ephesians 1:4-9; 1:11 (Daniel 4:34-35); 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2
C. Justification
We believe that justification is the legal (judicial, lawful) act of God whereby He declares that the one who believes on Christ is righteous apart from works; that it involves the imputation of our sins to Christ and the imputation of God’s righteousness to us. This means that for a man to be lawfully righteous, God, Who has all authority and is the highest court of justice, declares the repentant sinner righteous because the sentence against him, which is death and eternal hell, has been fully paid by the suffering and death of Christ.
– Romans 3:22 (Romans 10:3-4); 3:28; 5:1 (Acts 13:39; Romans 3:26, 28; 4:5; 5:9-11, 19); 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 2:16; 1 Peter 2:24 (Romans 5:9; Hebrews 9:28)
D. Sanctification
We believe that every true believer who is justified is also sanctified, meaning that at the moment of salvation he is separated from the reign of sin, consecrated and set apart for God; and that every believer is called a saint. We believe experiential sanctification is the work of God by which the believer’s condition of holiness is progressively brought to a closer conformity to the image of Christ. We do not believe that the attainment of the sinless state in this life is taught in Scripture.
– Romans 6:6-7; 8:29 (2 Peter 3:18); 1 Corinthians 1:2; 6:11; Hebrews 10:10 (Romans 6:13, 19, 22); 1 John 1:8
E. Security
We believe all who are truly born again are fully saved and eternally kept, and that the security of the believer is based totally on the character and promises of God.
– John 10:27-29 (John 3:36; 6:47, 54; 1 Peter 1:3-5); Titus 1:2 (John 3:14-17; 5:24; 6:37; Romans 8:1, 29-39; 1 John 5:9-13); Hebrews 7:25 (Philippians 1:6; Colossians 2:10; Hebrews 10:14; Jude 24)
The Church
We believe the Scriptures teach that the Church of Jesus Christ was inaugurated at Pentecost and must be considered in two aspects: the local church and the Church which is His body. We believe that there are two Christian ordinances: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which are symbolical not sacramental, and that they do not have any saving merit. These ordinances must be observed under the authority of the local church.
– Acts 2:41-42
A. The Local Church
We believe the New Testament local church is a congregation of baptized believers, associated together in the faith and fellowship of the gospel, observing the ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws as revealed in the Scriptures, and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His Word. We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government, free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations. The one and only superintendent is Christ who directs His church through Holy Scriptures. It is scriptural for true churches to co-operate with each other for the preservation and propagation of the faith; however, each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its co-operation on all matters of membership, polity, discipline, benevolence, and government in general. The will of the local church is final, and that its relationship with other ecclesiastical bodies is one of fellowship without becoming obligated in any way whatsoever.
– Acts 2:41, 42, 46; Ephesians 1:22-23
B. The Ordinances: Baptism
We believe Christian baptism is the single immersion of a believer in water in the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit; and that it sets forth in a solemn and beautiful picture of our faith in the crucified, buried and risen Savior, and our union with Him in death to sin and resurrection to a new life. We further believe that baptism is prior to membership and privileges in a local church.
– Matthew 3:16 (John 3:23); 28:19; Acts 2:41; 8:36-39; Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 2:12
C. The Ordinances: the Lord’s Supper
We believe the Lord’s Supper is the commemoration and proclamation of His death to be observed until He comes; that the elements, the bread and the fruit of the vine, are only symbols of His broken body and shed blood; and that our observance of it is a pictorial testimony of the believer’s fellowship with the crucified Savior. The Lord’s Supper should be preceded always by solemn heart-searching and self-judgment. Observance of the Lord’s Supper is for believers only.
– Acts 2:41-42; 1 Corinthians 10:16; 11:23-24, 26, 28
Satan
We believe in the existence of a personal devil whose name is Satan, who is “the god of this world” and “the prince of the power of the air.” Satan is full of all deception, who continually seeks to frustrate the purposes of God, to ensnare the sons of men and blind their minds to the gospel of Christ. Satan was conquered by Christ on the cross and condemned to suffer everlasting punishment in the lake of fire.
– 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 (Matthew 4:1-11; 1 Peter 5:8); 2 Corinthians 11:13-15; Ephesians 2:2; Hebrews 2:14 (Colossians 2:15); Revelation 12:9; 20:1-3, 10 (Isaiah 14:12-17)
Eternity
We believe that physical death involves no loss of consciousness for the individual, but a separation of soul and body, the believer going at once to be with Christ, and the unbeliever into a state of conscious suffering in hell. We believe that there will be a resurrection of all the dead unto either judgment or reward. The reward of the righteous will be eternal life. The recompense of the wicked will be eternal punishment.
– Matthew 25:46; Luke 16:19-31 (Hebrews 9:27); 2 Corinthians 5:6-9 (Philippians 1:21-23; Luke 16:19-31); Revelation 20:4-5, 12
Personal Separation
We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord. God commands His people to separate from all religious apostasy, to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to never put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a fellow believer. Believers are not to be unequally yoked together with unbelievers; therefore, believers should only marry believers. Believers are commanded to glorify God in their body and in their spirit which belong to God. We stand against any and all worldly philosophies that seek to destroy or undermine the truth of Biblical Christianity.
– Romans 12:1-2; 14:13; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 2 Corinthians 6:14 (2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1); Titus 2:11-13 (Psalm 1:1-6); 2 Timothy 3:1-5; 1 John 2:15-17; 2 John 9-11
Civil Government
We believe that God has ordained and created all authority consisting of three basic institutions: 1) the home, 2) the church, and 3) the state. Every person is subject to these authorities, but all (including the authorities themselves) are answerable to God and governed by His Word. God has given each institution specific Biblical responsibilities and balanced those responsibilities with the understanding that no institution has the right to infringe upon the other. The home, the church, and the state are equal and sovereign in their respective Biblically assigned spheres of responsibility under God. We believe that we must obey the state unless it requires us to act contrary to our faith at which time we must obey God rather than the state.
– Matthew 22:15-22; Acts 5:29; Romans 13:1-7; Ephesians 5:22-24; Titus 3:1-2; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 2:13-14
Human Sexuality
We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage bond which is a holy covenant between one naturally-born man and one naturally-born woman. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery, and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex. We believe that God disapproves of and forbids any attempt to alter one’s gender by surgery or appearance. We believe that the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one naturally-born man and one naturally-born woman.
– Genesis 2:24 (Genesis 26:8-9; Romans 7:2; 1 Corinthians 7:10; Ephesians 5:22-23; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7); 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (Genesis 19:5, 13; Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans 1:26-29; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8); Hebrews 13:4
Family Relationships
We believe that men and women are spiritually equal in position before God but that God has ordained distinct and separate spiritual functions for men and women in the home and the church. The husband is to be the leader of the home, and men are to be the leaders (pastors and deacons) of the church. Accordingly, only men are eligible for licensure and ordination by the church.
– Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:18; 1 Timothy 2:8-15; 3:4-5, 12
We believe that God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. The husband is to love his wife as Christ loves the church. The wife is to submit herself to the Scriptural leadership of her husband as the church submits to the headship of Christ. Children are an heritage from the Lord. Parents are responsible for teaching their children spiritual and moral values and leading them, through consistent lifestyle example and appropriate discipline, including Scriptural corporal correction (not abuse).
– Genesis 1:26-28; Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Psalm 127:3-5; Proverbs 19:18; 22:15; 23:13-14; Mark 10:6-12; 1 Corinthians 7:1-16; Ephesians 5:21-33; 6:1-4; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Peter 3:1-7
Abortion
We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being. Abortion constitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life. Abortion is murder. Any teaching that abortions of pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, birth or population control, or the physical or mental well being of the mother are rejected and unacceptable.
– Job 3:16; Psalm 51:5; 139:14-16; Isaiah 44:24; 49:1, 5; Jeremiah 1:5; 20:15-18; Luke 1:44
Love
We believe that we should demonstrate love for others, not only toward fellow believers, but also toward those who are not believers, those who oppose us, and those who engage in sinful actions. We are to deal graciously, gently, patiently, and humbly with those who oppose us. God forbids the stirring up of strife, the taking of revenge, or the threat or use of violence as a means of resolving personal conflict or obtaining personal justice. Although God commands us to abhor sinful actions, we are to love and pray for any person who engages in such sinful actions.
– Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 5:44-48; Luke 6:31; John 13:34-35; Romans 12:9-10, 17-21; 13:8-10; Philippians 2:2-4; 2 Timothy 2:24-26; Titus 3:2; 1 John 3:17-18
Lawsuits Between Believers
We believe that Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against other Christians or the church to resolve personal disputes. We believe the church possesses all the resources necessary to resolve personal disputes between members. We do believe, however, that a Christian may seek compensation for injuries from another Christian’s insurance company as long as the claim is pursued without malice or slander.
– Matthew 18:15-17; 1 Corinthians 6:1-8; Ephesians 4:31-32
Giving
We believe that every Christian, as a steward of that portion of God’s wealth entrusted to him, is obligated to financially support his local church. We believe that God has established the tithe as a basis for giving, but that every Christian should also give other offerings sacrificially and cheerfully to the support of the church, the relief of those in need, and the spread of the gospel. We believe that a Christian relinquishes all rights to direct the use of his tithe or offering once the gift has been made.
– Genesis 14:19-20; Proverbs 3:9-10; Acts 4:34-37; 1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 9:6-7; Galatians 6:6; Ephesians 4:28; 1 Timothy 5:17-18; 1 John 3:17
Missions
We believe that God has given the church a great commission to proclaim the gospel to all nations so that there might be a great multitude from every nation, tribe, ethnic group, and language group who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. As ambassadors of Christ, we must use all available means to go to the foreign nations, personally and by supporting missionaries, and not wait for them to come to us.
– Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 5:20
This statement of faith was adopted February 21, 2021, superseding the statement of faith adopted April 30, 1963.
