Statement of Faith

At Salem Baptist Church, we joyfully affirm the doctrines outlined in the Baptist Faith and Message (2000) as our statement of faith.

The following summarizes what we believe, organized according to the BFM’s structure. These beliefs shape our preaching, teaching, and ministry practice.

To access a copy of the Baptist Faith and Message, please click here.

BFM Document

I. The Scriptures

We believe the Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God’s revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth without any mixture of error for its matter. Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. It is the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried.

Exodus 24:4; Deuteronomy 4:1-2; 17:19; Joshua 8:34; Psalms 19:7-10; 119:11,89,105,140; Isaiah 34:16; 40:8; Jeremiah 15:16; 36:1-32; Matthew 5:17-18; 22:29; Luke 21:33; 24:44-46; John 5:39; 16:13-15; 17:17; Acts 2:16ff.; 17:11; Romans 15:4; 16:25-26; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2; 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 1:19-21.

II. The Triune God

We believe There is one and only one living and true God. He is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being, the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe. God is infinite in holiness and perfection. The eternal triune God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes but without division of nature, essence, or being. God as Father reigns with providential care over His universe, His creatures, and human history according to the purposes of His grace. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-loving. The Christ is the eternal Son of God. In His incarnation as Jesus, He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. Jesus perfectly revealed and did the will of God, taking upon Himself human nature, identifying Himself completely with mankind, yet existing without sin. His substitutionary death on the cross made provision for the redemption of men from sin. He was raised from the dead with a glorified body and appeared to His disciples as the person who was with them before crucifixion. He ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where He is the One Mediator, fully God, fully man, in whose Person is effected the reconciliation between God and man. He will return in power and glory to judge the world and to consummate His redemptive mission. He now dwells in all believers as the living and ever present Lord. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, fully divine who inspired men to write the Scriptures. He enables men to understand truth. He exalts Christ. He convicts men of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He calls men to the Savior, and effects regeneration. At the moment of regeneration, He baptizes every believer into the Body of Christ. His presence in the Christian is the guarantee that God will bring the believer into the fullness of the stature of Christ. He enlightens and empowers the believer and the church in worship, evangelism, and service.

Genesis 1:1–2; 2:7; 18:1; Exodus 3:14; 6:2–3; 15:11ff; 20:1ff ;Leviticus 22:2; Deuteronomy 6:4; 32:6; 1 Chronicles 29:10; Job 26:13; Psalms 2:7ff; 19:1–3; 51:11; 110:1ff; 139:7ff; Isaiah 7:14; 43:3,15; 53:1–12; 61:1–3; 64:8 ;Jeremiah 10:10; 17:13; Joel 2:28–32; Matthew 1:18–23; 3:16–17; 4:1; 6:9ff; 7:11; 8:29; 11:27; 12:28–32; 14:33; 16:16,27; 17:5; 27; 28:1–6,19; Mark 1:1,9–12; 3:11; Luke 1:35; 4:1,18–19,41; 11:13; 12:12; 22:70; 24:46,49; John 1:1–18,29; 4:24; 5:26; 10:30,38; 11:25–27; 12:44–50; 14:6–13,16–17,26; 15:26; 16:7–16,28; 17:1–8,21–22; 20:1–20,28; Acts 1:7–9; 2:1–4,22–24,38; 4:31; 5:3; 6:3; 7:55–56; 8:17,39; 9:4–5,20; 10:44; 13:2; 15:28; 16:6; 19:1–6; Romans 1:3–4; 3:23–26; 5:6–21; 8:1–3,9–11,14–16,26–27,34; 10:4; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2:2,10–14; 3:16; 8:6; 12:3–11,13; 15:1–8,24–28; 2 Corinthians 5:19–21; 8:9; Galatians 4:4–6; Ephesians 1:13–14,20; 3:11; 4:6–10,30; 5:18; Philippians 2:5–11; Colossians 1:13–22; 2:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:14–18; 5:19; 1 Timothy 1:17; 2:5–6; 3:16; 4:1; 2 Timothy 1:14; 3:16; Titus 2:13–14; Hebrews 1:1–3; 4:14–15; 7:14–28; 9:8,12–15,24–28; 11:6; 12:2,9; 1 Peter 1:17; 2:21–25; 3:22; 1 John 1:7–9; 3:2; 4:13–15; 5:6–7; 2 John 7–9; Revelation 1:10,13–16; 5:9–14; 12:10–11; 13:8; 19:16; 22:17.

III. Man

We believe Man is the special creation of God, made in His own image. God created male and female as the crowning work of His creation. Therefore, we believe the gift of gender is part of the goodness of God’s creation. We acknowledge that in the beginning man was innocent of sin and was endowed by his Creator with freedom of choice. Yet by his free choice, man sinned against God and brought sin into the human race, passed down through generations. From the moment individuals become capable of moral understanding, they become transgressors and fall under condemnation. We believe that only the grace of God can restore man into fellowship with Him. The sacredness of human personality is evident in that God created man in His own image, and in that Christ died for man; therefore, every person of every race possesses full dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love.

Genesis 1:26-30; 2:5,7,18-22; 3; 9:6; Psalms 1; 8:3-6; 32:1-5; 51:5; Isaiah 6:5; Jeremiah 17:5; Matthew 16:26; Acts 17:26-31; Romans 1:19-32; 3:10-18,23; 5:6,12,19; 6:6; 7:14-25; 8:14-18,29; 1 Corinthians 1:21-31; 15:19,21-22; Ephesians 2:1-22; Colossians 1:21-22; 3:9-11.

IV. Salvation

We believe Salvation involves the redemption of the whole person and is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It includes regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification. Regeneration is a work of God’s grace whereby believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus. It is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of grace. Justification is God’s gracious and full acquittal upon principles of His righteousness of all sinners who repent and believe in Christ. Justification brings the believer unto a relationship of peace and favor with God. Sanctification is the experience by which the believer is set apart and is enabled to progress toward moral and spiritual maturity through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Growth in grace should continue throughout the regenerate person’s life.

Genesis 3:15; Exodus 3:14-17; 6:2-8; Matthew 1:21; 4:17; 16:21-26; 27:22-28:6; Luke 1:68-69; 2:28-32; John 1:11-14,29; 3:3- 21,36; 5:24; 10:9,28-29; 15:1-16; 17:17; Acts 2:21; 4:12; 15:11; 16:30-31; 17:30-31; 20:32; Romans 1:16-18; 2:4; 3:23-25; 4:3ff.; 5:8-10; 6:1-23; 8:1-18,29-39; 10:9-10,13; 13:11-14; 1 Corinthians 1:18,30; 6:19-20; 15:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17-20; Galatians 2:20; 3:13; 5:22-25; 6:15; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-22; 4:11-16; Philippians 2:12-13; Colossians 1:9-22; 3:1ff.; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24; 2 Timothy 1:12; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 2:1-3; 5:8-9; 9:24-28; 11:1-12:8,14; James 2:14-26; 1 Peter 1:2-23; 1 John 1:6-2:11; Revelation 3:20; 21:1-22:5.

V. Grace

We believe that Election is the gracious purpose of God according to which He regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners. It is consistent with the free agency of man and comprehends all the means in connection with the end. Those whom God has accepted in Christ, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never fall away from the state of grace, but shall persevere to the end. Believers may fall into sin through neglect and temptation, whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, and bring reproach on the cause of Christ; yet they shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. All true believers endure to the end.

Genesis 12:1-3; Exodus 19:5-8; 1 Samuel 8:4-7,19-22; Isaiah 5:1-7; Jeremiah 31:31ff.; Matthew 16:18-19; 21:28-45; 24:22,31; 25:34; Luke 1:68-79; 2:29-32; 19:41-44; 24:44-48; John 1:12-14; 3:16; 5:24; 6:44-45,65; 10:27-29; 15:16; 17:6,12,17-18; Acts 20:32; Romans 5:9-10; 8:28-39; 10:12-15; 11:5-7,26-36; 1 Corinthians 1:1-2; 15:24-28; Ephesians 1:4-23; 2:1-10; 3:1-11; Colossians 1:12-14; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14; 2 Timothy 1:12; 2:10,19; Hebrews 11:39–12:2; James 1:12; 1 Peter 1:2-5,13; 2:4-10; 1 John 1:7-9; 2:19; 3:2.

VI. The Church

We believe a New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ, 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 of the earth. It operates under the lordship of Christ and is governed by His Word. Its scriptural officers are pastors and deacons. While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, we believe the office of pastor/elder/overseer is limited to men as qualified by Scripture. The church’s mission is to worship God, disciple believers, and evangelize the world.

Matthew 16:15-19; 18:15-20; Acts 2:41-42,47; 5:11-14; 6:3-6; 13:1-3; 14:23,27; 15:1-30; 16:5; 20:28; Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 3:16; 5:4-5; 7:17; 9:13-14; 12; Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:19-22; 3:8-11,21; 5:22-32; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:18; 1 Timothy 2:9- 14; 3:1-15; 4:14; Hebrews 11:39-40; 1 Peter 5:1-4; Revelation 2-3; 21:2-3.

VII. Baptism and The Lord's Supper

Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe it is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer's faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, the believer’s death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. Being a church ordinance, it is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership and to the Lord’s Supper. The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act of obedience where members partake of the bread and the fruit of the vine to memorialize Christ’s death and anticipate His return.

Matthew 3:13-17; 26:26-30; 28:19-20; Mark 1:9-11; 14:22-26; Luke 3:21-22; 22:19-20; John 3:23; Acts 2:41-42; 8:35-39; 16:30- 33; 20:7; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 10:16,21; 11:23-29; Colossians 2:12.

VIII. The Lord's Day

We believe that the first day of the week is the Lord’s Day. It is a Christian institution for regular worship and spiritual devotion. Activities on this day should be consistent with the Christian's conscience under the Lordship of Jesus.

Exodus 20:8-11; Matthew 12:1-12; 28:1ff.; Mark 2:27-28; 16:1-7; Luke 24:1-3,33-36; John 4:21-24; 20:1,19-28; Acts 20:7; Romans 14:5-10; I Corinthians 16:1-2; Colossians 2:16; 3:16; Revelation 1:10.

IX. The Kingdom

We believe that the Kingdom of God includes both His general sovereignty over the universe and His reign in the hearts of believers. The full realization of the Kingdom awaits the return of Jesus Christ and the end of this age.

Genesis 1:1; Isaiah 9:6-7; Jeremiah 23:5-6; Matthew 3:2; 4:8-10,23; 12:25-28; 13:1-52; 25:31-46; 26:29; Mark 1:14-15; 9:1; Luke 4:43; 8:1; 9:2; 12:31-32; 17:20-21; 23:42; John 3:3; 18:36; Acts 1:6-7; 17:22-31; Romans 5:17; 8:19; 1 Corinthians 15:24-28; Colossians 1:13; Hebrews 11:10,16; 12:28; 1 Peter 2:4-10; 4:13; Revelation 1:6,9; 5:10; 11:15; 21-22.

X. Last Things

We believe that God, in His own time and way, will bring the world to its appropriate end. Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly; the dead will be raised; and Christ will judge all men in righteousness. The righteous will experience eternal life in resurrected and glorified bodies, and the unrighteous will experience eternal punishment in Hell.

Isaiah 2:4; 11:9; Matthew 16:27; 18:8-9; 19:28; 24:27,30,36,44; 25:31-46; 26:64; Mark 8:38; 9:43-48; Luke 12:40,48; 16:19- 26; 17:22-37; 21:27-28; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:11; 17:31; Romans 14:10; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 15:24-28,35-58; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Philippians 3:20-21; Colossians 1:5; 3:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18; 5:1ff.; 2 Thessalonians 1:7ff.; 2; 1 Timothy 6:14; 2 Timothy 4:1,8; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 9:27-28; James 5:8; 2 Peter 3:7ff.; 1 John 2:28; 3:2; Jude 14; Revelation 1:18; 3:11; 20:1-22:13.

XI. Evangelism and Missions

We believe it is the duty and privilege of every believer and every church to endeavor to make disciples of all nations. We consider missionary effort essential to the spread of the gospel, and we acknowledge it is expressly and repeatedly commanded in the teachings of Christ. We believe it is the duty of every child of God to seek constantly to win the lost to Christ by verbal witness undergirded by a Christian lifestyle, and by other methods in harmony with the gospel of Christ.

Genesis 12:1-3; Exodus 19:5-6; Isaiah 6:1-8; Matthew 9:37-38; 10:5-15; 13:18-30, 37-43; 16:19; 22:9-10; 24:14; 28:18-20; Luke 10:1-18; 24:46-53; John 14:11-12; 15:7-8,16; 17:15; 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2; 8:26-40; 10:42-48; 13:2-3; Romans 10:13-15; Ephesians 3:1-11; 1 Thessalonians 1:8; 2 Timothy 4:5; Hebrews 2:1-3; 11:39-12:2; 1 Peter 2:4-10; Revelation 22:17.

XII. Education

The cause of education in the Kingdom of Christ is to be under the Lordship of Christ and rooted in Scripture. We believe that true Christian education is a means of discipling believers and equipping them to think and live biblically in every sphere of life.

Deuteronomy 4:1,5,9,14; 6:1-10; 31:12-13; Nehemiah 8:1-8; Job 28:28; Psalms 19:7ff.; 119:11; Proverbs 3:13ff.; 4:1-10; 8:1-7,11; 15:14; Ecclesiastes 7:19; Matthew 5:2; 7:24ff.; 28:19-20; Luke 2:40; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31; Ephesians 4:11-16; Philippians 4:8; Colossians 2:3,8-9; 1 Timothy 1:3-7; 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:14-17; Hebrews 5:12-6:3; James 1:5; 3:17.

XIII. Stewardship

We believe that God is the source of all blessings, and that Christians are under obligation to serve Him with their time, talents, and material possessions. According to Scripture, believers should contribute cheerfully, regularly, systematically, proportionately, and liberally to advance the gospel and support the work of the church.

Genesis 14:20; Leviticus 27:30-32; Deuteronomy 8:18; Malachi 3:8-12; Matthew 6:1-4,19-21; 19:21; 23:23; 25:14-29; Luke 12:16- 21,42; 16:1-13; Acts 2:44-47; 5:1-11; 17:24-25; 20:35; Romans 6:6-22; 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 4:1-2; 6:19-20; 12; 16:1-4; 2 Corinthians 8-9; 12:15; Philippians 4:10-19; 1 Peter 1:18-19.

XIV. Cooperation

We believe that members of New Testament churches should cooperate with one another in carrying forward missionary, educational, and benevolent ministries for the extension of Christ’s Kingdom. We believe that cooperation is desirable between various Christian bodies when the faith and mission of the Gospel are not compromised.

Exodus 17:12; 18:17ff.; Judges 7:21; Ezra 1:3-4; 2:68-69; 5:14-15; Nehemiah 4; 8:1-5; Matthew 10:5-15; 20:1-16; 22:1-10; 28:19- 20; Mark 2:3; Luke 10:1ff.; Acts 1:13-14; 2:1ff.; 4:31-37; 13:2-3; 15:1-35; 1 Corinthians 1:10-17; 3:5-15; 12; 2 Corinthians 8-9; Galatians 1:6-10; Ephesians 4:1-16; Philippians 1:15-18.

XV. The Christian and the Social Order

We believe the gospel is the ultimate solution to all personal and societal sin. Christians are to seek justice and righteousness in every area of life. They should oppose racism, greed, abuse, and every form of sexual immorality, including adultery, homosexuality, and pornography, as contrary to God’s design. We should work to provide for the orphaned, the needy, the abused, the aged, the helpless, and the sick. We should speak on behalf of the unborn and contend for the sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death. We believe that all people are worthy of compassion, truth, and dignity. In order to promote these ends Christians should be ready to work with all men of good will, always being careful to act in the spirit of love without compromising their loyalty to Christ and His truth.

Exodus 20:3-17; Leviticus 6:2-5; Deuteronomy 10:12; 27:17; Psalm 101:5; Micah 6:8; Zechariah 8:16; Matthew 5:13-16,43-48; 22:36-40; 25:35; Mark 1:29-34; 2:3ff.; 10:21; Luke 4:18-21; 10:27-37; 20:25; John 15:12; 17:15; Romans 12–14; 1Corinthians 5:9- 10; 6:1-7; 7:20-24; 10:23-11:1; Galatians 3:26-28; Ephesians 6:5-9; Colossians 3:12-17; 1 Thessalonians 3:12; Philemon; James 1:27; 2:8.

XVI. Peace and War

We believe it is the duty of Christians to seek peace with all men and pursue biblical reconciliation. While the state has the right to wage war to protect its people, the gospel calls believers to be peacemakers. The true remedy for war is the gospel. The supreme need of the world is the acceptance of His teachings in all the affairs of men and nations, and the practical application of His law of love. Christian people throughout the world should pray for the reign of the Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 2:4; Matthew 5:9,38-48; 6:33; 26:52; Luke 22:36,38; Romans 12:18-19; 13:1-7; 14:19; Hebrews 12:14; James 4:1-2.

XVII. Religious Liberty

We believe that God alone is Lord of the conscience, and that it should not be bound by human teachings or commands that go against—or are not found in—His Word. We believe that the church and state should be separate, each having distinct responsibilities. The state owes to every church protection and full freedom in the pursuit of its spiritual ends. In providing for such freedom no ecclesiastical group or denomination should be favored by the state more than others. We believe that civil government is established and ordained by God, and that as Christians, we are called to show faithful obedience in all matters that do not conflict with God’s revealed will. We believe that a free church in a free state reflects the Christian ideal, and that every person has the right to approach God freely and to hold and express their religious beliefs without interference from the government.

Genesis 1:27; 2:7; Matthew 6:6-7,24; 16:26; 22:21; John 8:36; Acts 4:19-20; Romans 6:1-2; 13:1-7; Galatians 5:1,13; Philippians 3:20; 1 Timothy 2:1-2; James 4:12; 1 Peter 2:12-17; 3:11-17; 4:12-19.

XVIII. The Family

We believe that God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. It is composed of persons related by marriage, blood, or adoption. Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. It is God’s gift to reveal the union between Christ and the Church and to provide for companionship, sexual intimacy within God’s design, and the procreation of children. The husband and wife are of equal worth before God, since both are created in God’s image. The marriage relationship models the way God relates to His people. A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. He has the God-given responsibility to provide for, to protect, and to lead his family. A wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ. As an image-bearer of God, the wife is equal in value to her husband and has been entrusted with the responsibility to respect and support him as a partner in leading the household and raising the next generation. We believe that children are a blessing from the Lord from the moment of conception. Parents are to teach their children to know and love the Lord.

Genesis 1:26-28; 2:15-25; 3:1-20; Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Joshua 24:15; 1 Samuel 1:26-28; Psalms 51:5; 78:1-8; Psalms 127; Psalms 128; 139:13-16; Proverbs 1:8; 5:15-20; 6:20-22; 12:4; 13:24; 14:1; 17:6; 18:22; 22:6,15; 23:13-14; 24:3; 29:15,17; 31:10-31; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; 9:9; Malachi 2:14-16; Matthew 5:31-32; 18:2-5; 19:3-9; Mark 10:6-12; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 7:1-16; Ephesians 5:21-33; 6:1-4; Colossians 3:18-21; 1 Timothy 5:8,14; 2 Timothy 1:3-5; Titus 2:3-5; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Peter 3:1-7.

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