Sovereign Grace Bible Church of Flagstaff
(Click Here for a link to the 1646 London Baptist Confession of Faith)
Our Statement of
Faith
1. We believe in one all-powerful, sovereign God, who is present in three distinct, yet united, persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. He spoke the universe into existence and has superintended the history of this fallen world to bring glory to His name. Psalms 97, 103:19, John 1:1-4, 14, John 14:15-17,
2.
We believe
God created
spiritual beings called angels.
Some of these angels rebelled against God under the headship
of Satan who, in the form of a serpent, led man into sin and
rebellion. Because of
this rebellion, God, in His Holy intolerance of sin and for His
greater glory, has created a realm of eternal punishment called
Hell, reserved for all who are His enemies.
Genesis 3, Isaiah 14:12-15, 55:8, Matthew 11:23, 2 Peter
2:4-22, Revelation 12:7-9,
3.
We believe
that man was
created in God’s image, but rebelled against God and continues in
that fallen state.
Man’s fellowship with God is thus broken, making him an enemy of
God, unwilling and unable to save himself. Genesis 1:27, Romans
1:18-20, 3:10-12, James 4:4
4.
We believe
that God, in His
mercy, purposed to restore that fellowship by giving new life
through His Son, Jesus Christ, who, being without sin, suffered the
wrath of God in the place of sinners.
He arose from the grave on the third day after His death on
the cross, giving eternal life to all that believe. John 3:16,
Philippians 2:8, Mark 8:31, Romans 4:24-25, 1 Corinthians 15:3,4
5.
We believe
in God’s sovereign grace, teaching that God is sovereign—especially
in salvation. Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in
Christ alone, and not by any works of man. John 14:6, Acts 4:12,
Romans 8:28-32, Ephesians 1:3-12, 2:4-10
6.
We believe
God has revealed
Himself in His Word, the 66 books of the Holy Bible.
This Word of God is without error, inspired by the Holy
Spirit, and our only authority. Deuteronomy 4:2, 2 Timothy 3:16, 17,
Revelation 22:18,19
7.
We believe
the church is
the people who have been born again through the work of the Holy
Spirit. He dwells
within each believer, opening that believer’s eyes to see his fallen
state, opening his ears to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, opening
his heart for him to believe and to grow in the grace and knowledge
of Jesus Christ. John 3:3, John 6:37, 63
8.
We believe
God’s purpose
for the local church is to glorify God by building one another up in
the faith, by instruction of the Word, by fellowship, by obeying the
two ordinances (baptism and communion), and by preaching the gospel
to all mankind until the end of this age. Matthew 28:18-20,
Acts 2:42
9.
We believe
that Christ is the Head of the church and that the policies,
practices, and worship of the church are ordered by Him, the Word of
God. The instruction of God revealed in His Word must regulate
church life. All
teaching must be grounded in and tested by the Word.
Isaiah 29:13,14, Acts 17:11,
Ephesians 1:22-23,
1 Timothy 3:15
2 Timothy 3:16,17,
10.
We believe
Christ
instituted two ordinances for His church.
The first is baptism where, in obedience to Christ's command
and as a testimony to God, the Church, oneself and the world, a
believer must be immersed in water. Water baptism is simply a
visible demonstration of a person's union with Christ in the
likeness of his death and resurrection.
The second is the Lord’s Supper, to be observed only by those
who are genuine followers of Christ. This ordinance symbolizes the
giving of Christ’s body and the shedding of His blood, as a new
covenant for His people, and is to be observed repeatedly by the
church until He returns. Matthew 28:18-20, Luke
22:19-20, 1 Corinthians 11:23-29
11. We believe God has instituted three structures of authority, each with a distinct jurisdiction for governing mankind: the family, with a man as the head; civil government, with certain men called to be leaders; and, the church, with qualified men called elders as the leaders. In each case God requires that those leaders are to be honored and submitted to by those under their charge, they being wives and children in the family, citizens of a civil society and members (by household) of a church.. Genesis 3:16, Proverbs 31, Romans 13:1-8, Ephesians 5:22-6:4, 1 Timothy 2:11-13, 3:1-15, Titus 1:5-10, Hebrews 13:17