Purpose

This doctrinal statement expresses the beliefs of First Baptist Muenster and is one basis for qualifications for service and leadership in and for this body.

Authority of Scripture

We believe in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as verbally inspired of God and without error in the original writings. The exact meaning of the Scriptures is essentially unchanged in any important respect in the widely accepted English translations. The Scriptures are authoritative and without error in any category of knowledge, including science and history, and are of supreme and final authority in all matters about which they speak. We believe the Scriptures are to be interpreted in a normal and literal way and that they are understood as the believer is guided by the Spirit of God. Reference: Matt. 5: 17-18; 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:20-21; 1 Cor. 2: 9-16; John 16:12-15

The Trinity

We believe in one God eternally existing in three equal persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Reference: Genesis 1: 1; Duet. 6: 4; John 14: 8-11; Heb.1:8; Acts 5: 3, 4; 2 Cor. 13: 14; 

Matt 28: 18-19

Pre-eminence of Jesus Christ

We believe that God the Son became flesh in the person of Jesus Christ, who was begotten by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, and who is true God and true man. Reference: 

John 1: 14; Matt. 1: 18-25; Heb. 2: 14-15; Matt. 26: 38; John 8: 40; John 11: 33; Acts 18: 28; Luke 24: 27

Atonement

We believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins as a substitutionary sacrifice and that all who believe in Him are declared righteous on the basis of His shed blood. Reference: Mark 10: 45; Rom. 3: 21-26; Rom. 5: 8-9; 1 Pet. 3: 18; 2 Cor. 5: 14

Resurrection

We believe in the bodily resurrection of Christ, in His ascension into heaven, and in His present life there for us. Jesus now serves as high priest, intercessor, and advocate on our behalf with the Father. Reference: Matt. 28: 5-7; John 20: 25-27; Rom. 1: 4; I John 2:1; Heb. 7:25; Mark 16:19; Acts 1:9-11

The Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person, possessing all the distinctively divine attributes. He is God. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He regenerates, seals, and sets apart the believer to a holy life. At regeneration, He baptizes the believer into the body of Christ and comes to indwell him permanently. Reference: 1 Cor. 2: 9-16; 12:11-13; Ps. 139: 7; Titus 3: 4-6; John 3: 5-7; 14:16-17; 16: 5-16; Eph. 1: 13-14; 2 Thess. 2:13; Rom. 8:9

Sin

We believe that man was created in the image of God and that he sinned and consequently experienced not only physical death but also spiritual death (which is separation from God). The consequences of this sin affect the entire human race. All human beings are born with a sinful nature, and in the case of those who reach moral responsibility, become sinners in thought, word, and deed. Reference: Gen. 1: 26, 27; 2: 16-17, 3: 6; Rom. 5: 12-19; Eph. 2: 1-3, 4:18; Mark 7: 20-23; John 2: 24,25

Salvation

We believe that whoever by faith receives Jesus Christ as their Savior becomes a child of God. This salvation is not the result of any human effort or merit. Reference: John 1: 12-13; Eph. 2: 8-9; Rom. 3: 28

Baptism

We believe baptism by immersion is one of the two ordinances of the church. We believe baptism is not a requirement for salvation, but is a symbolic act of obedience to Christ following the new birth. We believe that Jesus both demonstrated and commanded water baptism as a result of salvation. Reference: Mark 1: 9-10; Matthew 28: 18-19

Eternal Security

We believe that all true believers are kept eternally secure by the power of God through the new birth, the indwelling and sealing of the Holy Spirit, and the intercession of Christ. Reference: John 10: 28-30; 1 Pet. 1: 23; Eph. 4: 30; 1 John 2: 1; Rom. 8: 38-39; 1 Timothy 2: 5

Victory

We believe that all believers still possess a sinful nature in this life, but that God has made full provision for believers to overcome this sinful nature and to live for God through identification with Christ, knowledge of the Scriptures, and by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Reference: Rom. 7:15-21; 6:1-11; 8:11-13; Eph. 2:10

Healing

We believe that God heals, with or without means in answer to prayer offered in faith and in accord with His sovereign will. Reference: James 5:13-16; 1 John 5:14-15

The Church

We believe that the church in its invisible form is universal, the true body of Christ. All believers from the day of Pentecost until the church is caught up to heaven are members of the universal church regardless of organizational affiliation. We believe that Christ ordained the observance of two ordinances; water baptism and the Lord's Supper until He returns. Reference: Col. 1: 18; Eph. 4: 4-6; Acts 1: 5, 11:15-16; 1 Cor. 12: 13, 11:23-26; 1 Thess. 4:13-17; Matt. 16: 17-19;

Matthew 28: 18-19

We believe that the purpose of the church, in addition to building up every member of the body, is to make Christ known to the whole world. Every member of the body shares in this purpose. In relation to the world, believers are sent by Christ to communicate to unsaved people that God is reconciling the world to Himself in Christ. Reference: Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; 2 Cor. 5:18-20; John 17:18-20; Acts 1:8; Rom. 10:12-15; Is. 45:22, 49:6

The Lord’s Supper

We believe the Lord’s Supper is one of two ordinances of the Church. We believe that Jesus Christ demonstrated its observance and commanded it be observed by His Church until He returns. We believe that the Lord’s Supper is for baptized believers in Jesus Christ. Reference: Matt 26: 26-30; Mark 14: 22-26; Luke 22: 17-20, 1 Corinthians 11: 17-34

Bodily Resurrection

We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men. Believers are resurrected to enjoy life with God. Unbelievers are resurrected to experience judgment and then eternal suffering apart from God. Reference: 1 Cor. 15: 51-52; 1 Thess. 4: 16; Rev. 20: 4-6; John 5: 28-29; Dan. 12: 2;

Rev. 21: 1-8

Satan

We believe in the reality and personality of Satan, and that when given the opportunity, he attempts to defeat Christians. However, we believe Christians can overcome Satan's schemes by applying Scriptural truth. Reference: Eph. 6:10-19; Luke 10:18; Job 1:6-12; John 8:44; 1 Peter 5: 8-9; Rev. 12: 10

The Return of Christ

We believe in the imminent, pre-tribulation, personal return of Christ for the church. All members of the body of Christ, living and dead, will at that time be caught up to be with the Lord forever. Reference: 1 Thess. 4: 13-18; 1 Cor. 15: 51-53; Titus 2:13; Matt. 24: 29-31

Eschatology

We believe in the personal, bodily, visible, and pre-millennial return of Jesus Christ in the glory of His Father to set up on the earth a kingdom in which He shall reign in righteousness and peace. Reference: Acts 1: 11; Matt. 24: 30; Rev. 20: 4-6; Is. 9: 6-7; Is. 11: 2-5

Tongues

We believe that all believers are to give attention to becoming spiritually mature in order to function in the body of Christ. The emphasis of Scripture for individuals is on the qualities of Christian maturity. For the corporate body of Christ, Scripture underscores the development of faith, hope, and love. Realizing that differences of opinion exist on the issue of tongues, for the sake of unity, First Baptist Muenster asks all who worship here to refrain from exercising tongues at any First Baptist Muenster gathering. Reference: 1 Cor. 14