full text on the =
issue=20
discussed is also available on this website.=20
The Scriptures
The Holy Bible was =
written by=20
men divinely inspired and is God's revelation of Himself to man. =
It is a=20
perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, =
salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, =
for its=20
matter. Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. =
It=20
reveals the principles by which God judges us, and therefore is, =
and will=20
remain to the end of the world the true center of Christian union, =
and the=20
supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious =
opinions should be tried. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, =
who is=20
Himself the focus of divine revelation.
God
There =
is one and=20
only one living and true God. =85The eternal triune God reveals =
Himself to=20
us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal =
attributes, but=20
without division of nature, essence, or being.
God the Father
God as Father =
reigns with=20
providential care over His universe, His creatures, and the flow =
of the=20
stream of human history according to the purposes of His grace. =
=85God is=20
Father in truth to those who become children of God through faith =
in Jesus=20
Christ.
God the Son
Christ is the =
eternal Son of=20
God. In His incarnation as Jesus Christ, He was conceived of the =
Holy=20
Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. =85He honored the divine law =
by His=20
personal obedience, and in His substitutionary death on the cross, =
He made=20
provision for the redemption of men from sin.
God the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, =
fully divine.=20
=85He exalts Christ. He convicts men of sin, of righteousness and =
of=20
judgment. =85He enlightens and empowers the believer and the =
church in=20
worship, evangelism, and service.
Man
Man is =
the special=20
creation of God, in His own image. He created them male and female =
as the=20
crowning work of His creation. =85By his free choice man sinned =
against God=20
and brought sin into the human race. =85 The sacredness of human =
personality=20
is evident in that God created man in His own image, and in that =
Christ=20
died for man; therefore every person of every race possesses =
dignity and=20
is worthy of respect and Christian love.
Salvation
Salvation=20
involves the redemption of the whole man, and is offered freely to =
all who=20
accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, who by His own blood =
obtained=20
eternal redemption for the believer. In its broadest sense =
salvation=20
includes regeneration, justification, sanctification, and=20
glorification.
God's Purpose of Grace
Election is the gracious purpose of God, =
according=20
to which He regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies =
sinners.=20
=85All true believers endure to the end. Those whom God has =
accepted in=20
Christ, and sanctified by His Spirit will never fall away from the =
state=20
of grace, but shall persevere to the end.
The Church
A New=20
Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomous local=20
congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the =
faith=20
and fellowship of the gospel, observing the two ordinances of =
Christ,=20
governed by His laws, exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges =
invested in them by His Word, and seeking to extend the gospel to =
the ends=20
of the earth. Each congregation operates under the Lordship of =
Christ=20
through democratic processes. In such a congregation each member =
is=20
responsible and accountable to Christ as Lord. Its scriptural =
officers are=20
pastors and deacons. While both men and women are gifted for =
service in=20
the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by =
Scripture.
Baptism & the Lord's Supper
Christian baptism is the immersion of a =
believer in=20
water. =85It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer's =
faith in a=20
crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, the believer's death to sin, =
the=20
burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of =
life in=20
Christ Jesus.
The Lord's Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby =
members =85=20
memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second=20
coming.
Evangelism & Missions
It is =
the duty=20
and privelege of every follower of Christ and every church of the =
Lord=20
Jesus Christ to endeavor to make disciples of all nations... to =
seek=20
constantly to win the lost to Christ by verbal witness undergirded =
by a=20
Christian lifestyle, and by other methods in harmony with the =
gospel of=20
Christ.
The Lord's Day
The=20
first day of the week is the Lord's Day. =85It commemorates the =
resurrection=20
of Christ from the dead and should be employed in exercises of =
worship and=20
spiritual devotion.
Last Things
God, in=20
His own time and in His own way, will bring the world to its =
appropriate=20
end. =85Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly=85the dead =
will be=20
raised; and Christ will judge all men in righteousness. The =
unrighteous=20
will be consigned to Hell. =85The righteous=85 will receive their =
reward and=20
will dwell forever in Heaven with the Lord.
Education
The cause of=20
education in the Kingdom of Christ is co-ordinate with the causes =
of=20
missions and general benevolence =85 there should be a proper =
balance=20
between academic freedom and academic responsibility. =85The =
freedom of a=20
teacher in a Christian school, college, or seminary is limited by =
the=20
pre-eminence of Jesus Christ, by the authoritative nature of the=20
Scriptures, and by the distinct purpose for which the school=20
exists.
Stewardship
God is the=20
source of all blessings, temporal and spiritual; all that we have =
and are=20
we owe to Him. Christians have a spiritual debtorship to the whole =
world,=20
a holy trusteeship in the gospel, and a binding stewardship in =
their=20
possessions. They are therefore under obligation to serve Him with =
their=20
time, talents, and material possessions.
Cooperation
Christ's=20
people should =85 organize such associations and conventions as =
may best=20
secure cooperation for the great objects of the Kingdom of God. =
Such=20
organizations have no authority over one another or over the =
churches.=20
=85Cooperation is desirable between the various Christian =
denominations.=20
The Christian & the Social =
Order
All Christians are under obligation to =
seek to make=20
the will of Christ supreme in our own lives and in human =
society... in the=20
spirit of Christ, Christians should oppose racism, every form of =
greed,=20
selfishness, and vice, and all forms of sexual immorality, =
including=20
adultery, homosexuality, and pornography. We should work to =
provide for=20
the orphaned, the needy, the abused, the aged, the helpless, and =
the sick.=20
We should speak on behalf of the unborn and contend for the =
sanctity of=20
all human life from conception to natural death...
Religious Liberty
Church and state should be separate. The =
state owes=20
to every church protection and full freedom in the pursuit of its=20
spiritual ends. =85A free church in a free state is the Christian =
ideal.=20
Family
God =
has=20
ordained the family as the foundational institution of human =
society. It=20
is composed of persons related to one another by marriage, blood =
or=20
adoption.
Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant =
commitment=20
for a lifetime. ... The husband and wife are of equal worth before =
God,=20
since both are created in God's image. A husband is to love his =
wife as=20
Christ loved the church. He has the God-given responsibility to =
provide=20
for, to protect, and to lead his family. A wife is to submit =
herself=20
graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the =
church=20
willingly submits to the headship of Christ. She, being in the =
image of=20
God as is her husband and thus equal to him, has the God-given=20
responsibility to respect her husband and to serve as his helper =
in=20
managing the household and nurturing the next generation... =
Children, from=20
the moment of conception, are a blessing and heritage from the =
Lord.=20
Parents are to demonstrate to their children God's pattern for =
marriage.=20
http://www.sbc.net/aboutus/basicbeliefs.asp =
| Copyright =
=A9 1999-2010,=20
Southern Baptist Convention. All Rights Reserved.=20
=
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