TRINITY BAPTIST CHURCH
WILLISTON, VERMONT
DOCTRINAL STATEMENT

Excerpted from the Constitution of Trinity Baptist Church

INTRODUCTION

This Doctrinal Statement is to be used as a guideline for faith and practice at Trinity Baptist Church.

A. SCRIPTURES

We believe in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as verbally inspired of God, and inerrant in the original writings, and that they are of supreme and final authority in faith and life. II Peter 1:21; II Timothy 3:16-17; Prov. 30:5, 6.

B. GOD

We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Gen. 1:1; John 10:30; Matt. 28:19

C. JESUS CHRIST

We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the second person of the Triune God, the Eternal Word, and only Begotten Son; that without any change in His divine Person, He became man by the miracle of the Virgin Birth, thus to continue forever as both true God and true man, one Person with two natures; that as man He was tempted in all points as we are yet without sin; that as the perfect Lamb of God He gave Himself in death upon the cross, becoming there the sin of the world: and suffering its full penalty of divine wrath in our stead; that He arose bodily from the grave and was glorified: that as our great High Priest He ascended into Heaven, there to appear before the face of God as our Advocate and Intercessor. Isaiah 7:14; Matt. 1:18-25; Col. 2:9.

D. HOLY SPIRIT

We believe in the Holy Spirit; who is the third person of the Trinity and the divine agent in nature, revelation, and redemption; that He convicts the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment; that at salvation He regenerates, indwells, seals, and anoints all who become children of God through Christ; that he further empowers, guides, teaches, sanctifies, and fills believers who daily surrender to Him. John 7:38-39; 14:16-17; 15:26; 16:13-14; I Cor. 3:16; Acts 1:8; Rom. 8:9; Phil. 3:3; Eph. 1:13-14.

E. SATAN

We believe that Satan is a real being, the fallen angel, the god of this world, the prince and power of this world, the author of all that is wicked and sinful, the one whom God will judge and cast into the Lake of Fire. Rev. 20:1-10; Eph. 2:1-4; II Cor. 4:4.

F. FALL OF MAN

We believe all men are by nature and choice sinful and lost; that man was the direct creation of God, and in His image and likeness; that by personal disobedience to the revealed will of God, Adam became a sinful creation, and father of the fallen race which is universally sinful in both nature and practice, thus alienated from the life and family of God, under the righteous judgment and wrath of God, and has within himself no possible means of salvation. Gen. 1:26, 27; 3:7-13; 6:5; 6:11-13; Ps. 51:2-5; Rom. 5:12-18; Eph. 2:2-5.

G. SALVATION

We believe in salvation by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ; that salvation is the free gift of God, neither merited nor secured in part or in whole by virtue of the work of man, but received only by personal repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom all true believers have as a present possession the gift of eternal life, a perfect righteousness, sonship in the family of God, deliverance and security from all condemnation, every spiritual resource needed for life and godliness, and divine guarantee that they shall never perish; that this salvation affects the whole man; that apart from Christ there is no possible salvation. John 3:3-7, 16; Eph. 2:8, 9; Rom. 3:20-26; 4:24, 25; 5:1, 9, 19, 20, 21; II Cor. 5:19-21; Eph. 1:5-7; I Pet. 1:23; 2:24.

H. RAPTURE

We believe in the imminent rapture of the Church before the Tribulation. Christ will return in the clouds. The dead in Christ will rise and the saved who are yet alive will be taken out of this world to live in Heaven with Christ. Mark 13:32-37; I Cor. 15:51-53; I Thess. 4:16-18.

I. THE SECOND COMING

We believe that the Second Coming of Christ to this earth in power and glory will occur at the end of the Tribulation. He will come with the armies of Heaven to destroy the armies of Satan (Hell) and to rule and reign. Rev. 19:1-16.

J. FUTURE LIFE, RESURRECTION, JUDGMENT

We believe that the spirits of the saved at death go immediately to be with Christ in Heaven, that their words shall be brought before the Judgment Seat of Christ for the determination of rewards which will take place at the time Christ comes for His own; that the spirits of the unsaved at death descend immediately into Hell, where they are kept under punishment until the final day of judgment at which time their bodies shall be raised from the grave, that they shall be judged and cast into the Lake of Fire, the place of final and everlasting judgment. Isa. 14:12-14; Ezek. 28:12-15; II Cor. 11:13, 14; Rev. 20:20; Ps. 9:17.

K. THE CHURCH

We believe in the divine institution of the LOCAL CHURCH as God's organization for the spread of the Gospel in this age; that a true New Testament church is a local assembly of born-again (saved), baptized believers, who have agreed to unite together for the purposes of practicing the New Testament ordinances of baptism and communion, worship, prayer, fellowship, teaching, and spreading of the Gospel. Acts 2; Matt. 28:19-20.

We believe in the UNITY of the true church, which is composed of all true believers, and which constitutes the invisible body of Christ, who is the Head of the church. Eph. 1:22-23; 2:14-22; 5:25-27.

We believe in the INDEPENDENCE AND AUTONOMY OF THE LOCAL CHURCH. Each New Testament church is self-governing and independent with regards to its own affairs. It is answerable to no ecclesiatical body, but is directly accountable to God. The Holy Scriptures are the source of faith and practice for the local church. Each local church should cooperate with, and encourage other churches and believers of like precious faith as the Holy Spirit leads. Matt. 18:15-20; Eph. 5:23.

We believe in the SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE, each having definite and distinct spheres of responsibility.

L. ORDINANCES

The ORDINANCES OF THE LOCAL CHURCH ARE BAPTISM AND THE LORD'S SUPPER, as commanded in the New Testament. As ordinances, these practices do not have nor are intended to have any power to save a person's soul. For a believer, BAPTISM is an outward sign of obedience to and identification with our Lord Jesus Christ.Baptism is to be by immersion in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, thus portraying the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The LORD'S SUPPER (Communion) is the partaking of the bread and cup (juice) in remembrance of the broken body and shed blood of Jesus Christ. We believe that the Lord's Supper is to be taken by obedient, baptized believers, who are members of a New Testament church, as each one is personally responsible before God. Acts 2:38; Romans 6:3-5; I Cor. 11:23-32.

M. SANCTIFICATION AND SEPARATION

We believe that scriptural SANCTIFICATION for the believer is setting apart one's self unto a holy purpose; that it is progressive for the consecrated believer through the Word of God and the work of the Holy Spirit. I Cor. 1:2, 30; Heb. 10:10; II Cor. 7:1; I Cor 6:9-11; I Peter 1:2; II Thess. 2:13; I Thess. 5:23-24; 3:13; Eph. 5:25-27.

We believe that all believers are called unto a life of SEPARATION from the world. We believe that this separation is in at least two areas: personal and ecclesiastical.

Personal: The believer is to live in the world, but is to separate himself/ herself from worldly practices, ideas, and goals that detract from his/her testimony of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. We are commanded to perfect holiness in the fear of God and to be clean in body and mind. II Cor. 7:1; 10:15.