Beliefs

The family of Bethel Baptist Church holds to the following core beliefs:

The Bible We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God; without error in its original manuscripts; has been reliably handed down to us; and is the final authority in matters of faith and conduct.

(2Timothy 3:16-17; 2Peter 1:20-21; 2Timothy 1:13; Psalm 119:105, 160; Proverbs 30:5)

God We believe in one God, creator of all things. Holy, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in three equally divine persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

(Genesis 1:1, 26-27; 3:22; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; 1Peter 1:2; 2Corinthians 13:14)

Jesus Christ We believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, His virgin birth, sinless life, sacrificial death, burial, bodily resurrection, His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and His personal future victorious return in power and glory.

(Matt. 1:22-23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5, 14:10-30; Acts 7:55-56; Hebrew 4:14-15;

I Corinthians 15:3-4; Romans 1:3-4; Acts 1:9-11; I Timothy 6:14-15; Titus 2:13)

Salvation We believe in the sinfulness of man, his inability to save himself, and in salvation only by grace through faith in the shed blood of Christ as satisfactory payment for our sins, making atonement with God.

(Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 14:6, 1:12; Titus 3:5, Galatians 3:26; Romans 5:1)

Holy Spirit We believe the Holy Spirit is sent by the Father and the Son, lives within each believer, and guides, equips, teaches, and empowers us for godly living and service.

(2Corinthians 3:17; John 16:7-13, 14:16-17; Acts 1:8; 1Corinthians 2:12, 3:16;

Ephesians 1:13-14; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 5:18)

Resurrection We believe in the resurrection of the dead, the believer to life everlasting in the new heaven and new earth, and the unbeliever to judgment and eternal punishment in hell.

(Daniel 12:2; John 5:28-29; 11:25,26; Acts 24:15; 1Corinthians 15:12-58; 1Peter 1:3-5; Revelation 20:4–21:8)

The Church We believe that the true church is the Body of Christ, comprised of all who have been justified by God’s grace through faith in Christ alone. United by the Holy Spirit in one body, we are the Bride of Christ.

(John 14:1-3; Romans 12:4-5; I Corinthians 12:12-13, 24-27; Ephesians 4:4-6; 5:23-24; 1Thessalonians 4:16-17)

Ordinances We believe in two ordinances given by Jesus for the church:

1) Water baptism by immersion, while not bringing salvation, is commanded by Jesus as a step of obedience for all believers, demonstrating outwardly the inward reality of repentance and the new life God has given them.

(Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38; 16:30-34; Romans 6:3-11; Colossians 2:12)

2) The Lord’s Supper (Communion) is a tangible means for all believers of remembering Christ’s death and of celebrating together the new life we have in Him.

(Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:14-21; 1Corinthians 11:20-34)

In order to effectively live out these beliefs and carry out God's mission for his church, the organizational structure and practices of Bethel Baptist Church are detailed in our Church Constitution.