Statement of Faith

Statement of Faith Statement of Faith 1.There is one God in three persons: Father, Son (Jesus Christ) and Holy Spirit 2.The entire Bible is the inspired Word of God and it was written by men of God who were “moved by the Holy Spirit”. Thus the Bible is without error. 3.God the Father is the first person of the Trinity and is the eternal, unchanging all-powerful, all-knowing, all-wise, all-loving, completely just and perfectly holy, sovereign Ruler and Sustainer of the universe. 4.Jesus Christ, God the Son, was miraculously conceived by the Holy Spirit; born of the Virgin Mary; lived a sinless life; died on the cross as the substitutionary, all-sufficient atoning sacrifice for all of the sins of all men of all time; was buried; bodily rose from the dead; physically ascended into heaven in His glorified, resurrected body; is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will return in the air to claim His bride the church; and will come again to earth in bodily form. 5.The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity who came to the world in the day of Pentecost to convict men of their sinful nature, enable men to appropriate salvation and to direct and control those believers who are yielded to Him. 6.Man was created in the image of God by direct act of God and did not come into being as the result of evolution. Man was created to glorify God, worship and serve Him, and have fellowship with Him. Man fell through sin by disobeying God, thus incurring both physical and spiritual death, which alienated him from God. 7.Satan is the instigator of evil and a real spirit being, not simply the personification of evil. He is a fallen angel who, under the sovereign permission of God, has been given temporary rulership of the earth. 8.Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone. Salvation cannot be secured by man’s works or personal merit. Salvation is only appropriated by a person placing his faith in the finished work of Christ as He died on the cross to pay for the sins of mankind. 9.Every Christian should live for Christ and not for himself and should, allow Christ to manifest His life through him to God’s glory. By ever increasing obedience to the Word of God, each believer should mature and progressively become more like Jesus. In the power of the Spirit, each believer should live a holy life. 10.The church is the body of Christ of which Jesus is the Head and whose members are those who have truly received Christ by faith. The local church is a tangible expression of the body of Christ in a particular location particular location. The purpose of the church is to make Christ known to lost men and to make disciples, and glorify God on earth. * Based on Statement of Faith of First Baptist Church of Atlanta.