LANDMARK
BAPTIST Statement of Faith and Practice
A
DECLARATION OF THOSE THINGS MOST SURELY BELIEVED AMONG US – Luke 1:1
We
believe in....
THE
SCRIPTURES
The divine verbal, plenary inspiration and
infallibility of the Holy Scriptures of both the Old and New Testaments;
their inerrancy, perspicuity, full authority, and sufficiency in every area of
faith and life, the Holy Spirit having deposited and preserved there all
necessary revelation. Isa.8:20; Jn.5:39; Gal.1:8-9; 6:16; 1 Thess.2:13; 2
Tim.3:16-17; 2 Pet.1:21
THE
BEING OF GOD
One only living and true God, one in being,
existing eternally in three distinct yet equal beings each having the
attributes of persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, inseparably united in the
essence of the divine being; and by whom, of His own pleasure and for His own
glory, all things were created. Ex.20:2-3; Deut.6:4; Isa.43:7; Matt.28:19;
Jn.1:1-13; 2 Cor.13:14; 1 Tim.1:17; 1 Jn.5:7; Rev.4:11
CREATION
AND THE FALL OF MAN
All things were created immediately by God out
of nothing in six literal days. We therefore believe in the Genesis account of
creation. The creation of man in the image of God, but that he sinned and all
his posterity in him; this bringing about the fall and the total human
depravity of all mankind. The universal sinfulness and guilt of the human race,
rendering all subject to the condemnation and wrath of God, from which there is
no deliverance but by the blood of Jesus Christ. Gen.1:1, 26-27, 31; Ps.9:17;
51:5; Matt.25:46; Jn.1:1-3; Acts 4:12; Rom.5:12, 19; 7:18; 1 Thess.1:10
THE
LORD JESUS CHRIST
The Lord Jesus, eternal God, eternally Son of
God, and of one substance and equal with the Father. He received a human body,
took upon Himself man's nature yet without sin, being conceived by the Holy
Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, (Matthew
1:20) these distinct natures were inseparably joined in one person. His
death on the cross as the Son of man and Lamb of God and His bodily
resurrection and ascension to the right hand of the Father, being given all
authority in heaven and earth. Isa.9:6; Matt.28:18; Lk.1:34-35; Jn.1:1; 1
Cor.15:3-4; 2 Cor.5:21; Phil.2:6-11; Col.1:15-19; 1 Tim.2:5; Heb.2:9; 4:15; 1
Pet.2:22
SALVATION
That salvation is wholly by grace through a
God-given faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on Calvary. The
propitiatory sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, the only ground of
salvation, accomplishing once and for all time redemption from the guilt and
power of sin for all who truly turn from sin and believe in Him. We believe in
particular redemption; the justification of the redeemed, alone by the
righteousness of Christ imputed to them by faith and not by works of
righteousness performed by them. We believe that Christ kept the law and died
for His elect a sinless Lamb; that the righteousness of Christ is imputed or
credited to our account for righteousness (Romans 4:3-9); That Christ is
our righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30). We believe that the new nature
implanted within the believer is sinless and does not sin (1John 3:9),
this being our standing in Christ. We believe that the believer in Christ has
two natures and that the old nature can and does continue to sin, but if we
confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us (1 John 1:5-10). We
believe in the eternal security of the true believer in Christ; the
perseverance in that salvation to which we were chosen in Him before the
foundation of the world. Mk.10:45; Jn.10:28; 14:3; Acts 13:39; Rom.3:20-26;
4:25; 1 Pet.1:5, 18-19; 3:18; Rev.3:21. We therefore hold to the doctrines
of sovereign grace, in the absolute sovereignty of God in all things; in God’s
decree, in foreknowledge, predestination, and election – Ephesians 1:4-11; 1
Peter 1:2; Romans 8:28-30; Romans 11:5
THE
WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The necessity of regeneration by the Holy
Spirit, making the death of Christ effective to the individual sinner,
convicting of sin, granting repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ,
indwelling every child of God from the moment of regeneration enabling all to
live a godly life and to serve Him. Jn.16:7-11; Tit.3:5; Rom.8:9; Eph.1:13;
4:30. We believe the Holy Spirit to be the divine administrator of the Lord’s
churches – Acts 1:1-2; that he not only indwells but fills the church with
power to do the work of Christ on earth – Acts 1:8; Ephesians 5:18.
THE
CHURCH
A Scriptural Church is a visible assembly of
baptized believers, covenanted together under New Testament law for the purpose
of the worship of God, and the carrying out of the Great Commission, which
churches have an unbroken history from the personal ministry of Jesus Christ on
earth to this day. This assembly of believers gives regular attention to the
preaching and teaching of God's Word, and observing such ordinances and
discipline as enjoined by Christ. There are two ordinances: Baptism by
immersion, by authority of a true New Testament (Baptist) Church of those who
make a personal profession of faith in Jesus Christ as both Lord and Savior;
And the Lord's Supper in which His love in suffering and dying for the sins of
His people are commemorated. Matt.26:26-27; 28:19-20; Acts 8:35-38; Rom.6:4;
1 Cor.11:22-28; Eph.5:25; that the Lord’s Supper is restricted to saved,
baptized members of the local church partaking of it – Acts2:41-42. We
do not believe in the modern practice of open communion.
THE
LAST THINGS
The visible, personal, bodily, and premillennial
return of the Lord Jesus Christ. The bodily resurrection of the just and the
unjust, the unjust to the fire of conscious eternal punishment and the just to
everlasting blessedness. Dan.12:2; Jn.5:28-29; Acts 1:11; Rev.5:4-6, 11-15
In two resurrections separated by the Great tribulation and the literal reign
of Jesus Christ upon the throne of David for a thousand years (the millennial
reign)- 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 20:4-5; Revelation 20:11-14.
OF
MISSION WORK AND EVANGELISM
We hold what true Baptists have ever held; That
the Great Commission is given to the churches only; that in kingdom activities
the church is the only unit in associated work; that each church should
exercise equal authority; and that churches should meet their responsibilities
according to their several abilities. All co-operating bodies, such as
associations, conventions, boards, committees, etc. are and properly should be
servants of the churches. – Matthew 20:25-28. A New Testament Church is
local and sovereign as the Body of Christ in any particular location. We
believe it to be the solemn responsibility of every believer, as empowered and
directed by the Spirit of God, to bear witness to the saving grace of God in
Christ in the proclamation of the Gospel to every creature and to live sacrificially to this end. We have no
difficulty accepting the plain meaning of Scripture: "As I live saith
the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the
wicked should turn from his way and live" (Ezk.3:11). We fervently
believe that God "commandeth all men everywhere to repent" (Acts
17:30) and so confidently commend Christ to all men without exception as
the only way of escape from the wrath of God. At the same time, we receive the
apostolic assurance that "as many as were ordained to eternal
life" believe (Acts 13:48).
GENERAL
STATEMENTS OF PRACTICE:
We believe that co-operation in the
work of the God with those who deny or compromise the Gospel in any way to
be forbidden in Scripture; we are therefore not ecumenical or neo-evangelical.
(2 Cor.6: 14, 17; Rev.18: 4) (See our article below under mission work.)
We believe the Charismatic/Pentecostal
Movement to be apostate; its
claims and behavior are a misrepresentation of the truth, identifiable with the
deceivers and antichrists of the last days.
Belonging exclusively to Christ, all believers
are to keep themselves unspotted from the world, living a life of godly
separation from all that is sinful,
being not unequally yoked together with unbelievers, giving no appearance of
fellowship with darkness. Contemporary 'Christian' music (CCM), and so-called
'Christian' rock music, violate this injunction and have no place in the
worship of a thrice-holy God.
The Scriptures prohibit believers from
pursuing fellow-believers through the secular courts. Those
who do such things walk disorderly and we are to avoid such practice- see - (1
Cor.6: 1-12).
WITH REGARD TO MISSION WORK: We believe in, and practice the principle of local
church sponsored missions and churches only. We believe in the absolute
sovereignty of each local church and will support only such missions and
churches and not boards, conventions or associations. We will work together
with churches of like faith and practice regardless of their affiliation on a
local church level. All missions should seek to be organized into churches at
the earliest possible convenience. We do not endorse the idea of church
properties being registered in the name of the pastor or any one or two
individuals, but in the name of the local church only. We will not support
church building and land purchases if the official deed is not registered in
the name of the local church. We take responsibility to see as best we can that
all funds designated to a missionary or church project are used as they are
designated.
We believe the Authorized Version (King James Bible)
of 1611 to be the best translation of
the inspired Word of God in the English language. This is the version used in our
pulpit and in our Bible Institute lessons. Modern translations we have found to
be variously perverse and defective, and often confusing especially to new
Christians.
(Adopted by Landmark Baptist
Church-Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada – June 26th 2005)