LIGHTHOUSE BAPTIST CHURCH STATEMENT OF FAITH

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We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the verbally and plenary inspired Word of God. As such, the Scriptures are inerrant, infallible, God-breathed, and divinely preserved. They are, therefore, the final authority for faith and life. The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament are a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction and are the complete revelation of God to man. It has the salvation of all men as its purpose, truth as its matter, and shall remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union and the Supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried. The Scriptures shall be interpreted according to their normal grammatical-historical meaning. The King James Version of the Bible shall be the official translation used by the church. We believe it alone to be the only proper representation in English of the divinely preserved text (known as the  Masoretic Text [OT] and the Textus Receptus [NT]) that currently exists (2 Tim. 3:16-17; Isaiah 8:20, Psalm 119, 1 Thessalonians 5:21; 2 Pet. 1:20-21).

We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit - each co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections (Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; John 14:10,26).

Known as the 1st person of the Trinity, the author of creation, the God of Israel, The LORD God Jehovah, & designer of salvation. (Matt. 7:21, Matt. 11:27, John14:6, Eph.2:13-18)

A. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man (having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary) without ceasing to be God so that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men (Isa. 7:14; 9:6; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-2,14; 2 Cor. 5:19-21; Gal. 4:4-5; Phil. 2:5-8).

B. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through his death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; that the forgiveness of sins was made possible by the shedding of his blood, and that the atonement for our sins was an unlimited atonement making salvation the gift of God to all men who would believe; that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Acts 2:18-36; Rom. 3:24-25; 1 Peter 2:24; Eph. 1:7; 1 Peter 1:3-5).

C. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate (Acts 1:9-10; Heb. 9:24; 7:25; Rom. 8:34; 1 John 2:1-2).

A. We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, indwelling and sealing believers unto the day of redemption (John 16:8-11; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; 2 Cor. 3:6; Eph. 1:13-14).

B. We believe that He is the Divine Teacher who assists believers to understand and appropriate the Scriptures and that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit (Eph. 1: 17-18; 5:18; 1 John 2:20, 27).

C. We believe God is sovereign in the bestowing of spiritual gifts to every believer. God uniquely uses evangelists, Pastors, and teachers to equip believers in the assembly so they can do the work of the ministry (Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-11. 28; Eph. 4:7-12).

D. We believe that the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing, were temporary. We believe that speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of the baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit and that ultimate deliverance of the body from sickness or death awaits the consummation of our salvation in the resurrection, though God frequently chooses to answer the prayers of believers for physical healing (I Cor.1:22; 13:8; 14:21-22).

We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam's sin, the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and that man is totally depraved, and, of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition (Gen. 1:26-27; Rom. 3:22-23; 5:12; 6:23; Eph. 2:1-3; 4:17-19).

We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ: that nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but his own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the Gospel, which rejection involves him in an aggravated condemnation before God (John 1: 12; Eph. 1:7; 2:8- 10; I Pet.1: 18-19).

We believe that the great Gospel blessing, which Christ secures to those who believe in Him, is justification. Justification includes the pardon of sin, removal of guilt, and the promise of life eternal; it is bestowed not in consideration of any sanctifying work that God has done on the sinner's behalf before the moment of faith, which some (Calvinism) would advocate, nor of any works of righteousness which the sinner himself has done, but only through faith in the Redeemer's blood, by virtue of which faith, His perfect righteousness is freely imputed to the believer by God; that justification brings us into a state of most blessed peace and favor with God and secures every other blessing (a new heart and mind) needful for time and eternity. (John 1:16; Acts13:39; Romans 5:9; Romans 4:4-5; Romans 5:1-2).

A. We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ forever. In contrast to those who would advocate that one can be saved and later forfeit their salvation by some willful act of disobedience (Arminianism), we believe salvation

is a finished work and cannot be lost, for that would make salvation a matter of works! Furthermore, we believe the believer is indwelt by God Himself in the Person of the Holy Spirit, that the believer has been sealed unto the day of redemption, that the Father's purpose is to keep us despite everything to His own Glory, that God therefore sees the believer as predestined to be conformed to the image of His dear Son, justified before God and glorified (John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Rom. 8:1, 38-39; 1 Cor. 1:4-8; Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Pet. 1:4-5).

B. We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God's Word, which, however, clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh (Rom. 13:13- 14; Gal. 5:13; Titus 2:11-15).

A. We believe that a New Testament church is a local and visible congregation of individuals who have been saved and Scripturally baptized; that it is identified in Scripture as the body of Christ; that this assembly is associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the Gospel, that it is governed by God's laws and exercises the gifts, rights and privileges vested in them by God's Word; that its true mission is found in the Great Commission and that for it to exhibit the success of the Church in Acts 1, the members must be in "one accord," dependent upon the power of the Holy Spirit; that New Testament churches are corporately best defined as an institution and as such is the espoused bride of Christ (Acts 2:1; 41-42; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; 2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 1:22-23; 5:25-27).

B. We believe that the church of the first century, as defined by its doctrinal parameters, was promised perpetuity by our Lord and that churches of like faith and practice have always existed and still exist to this present day. We believe that the establishment and continuance of local New Testament churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures. 

(Mat 16:18; 28:20; Acts 14:27; 20:17, 28-32; Eph. 3:21; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11).

C. We believe in the autonomy of the local church free of any external authority or control (Acts 13:1-4; 15:19-3 1; 20:28; Rom. 16:1, 4; 1 Cor. 3:9, 16; S:4-7, 13; 1 Peter 5:1-4).

D. We recognize water baptism and the Lord's Supper as Scriptural ordinances of obedience for the church in this age. We believe baptism is to be administered by the proper authority of a New Testament Church alone and that it must be by single immersion after salvation and in

the name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe that communion is symbolic and should be received by believers only as members in good conscience and standing in a local church body (closed communion); that it should be preceded by a time of solemn self-examination and that the proper elements are unfermented grape juice and unleavened bread; that its intent beyond the commemoration of the death of Christ is to maintain the purity of conduct within the local body of Christ. (Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 2:41- 42; 18:8; 1 Cor. 11:23-29).

We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord; and that separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices, and associations is commanded of God (Rom. 12:1-2; 14:13; 2 Cor. 6:14- 17: 2 Tim. 3:1-5; 1 John 2:15-17; 2 John 9-11).

We believe in that "blessed hope," the personal, imminent return of Christ Who will rapture His Church before the seven-year tribulation period. At the end of the Tribulation, Christ will personally and visibly return with His saints to establish His earthly Messianic Kingdom, which was promised to the nation of Israel (Ps. 89:3-4; Dan. 2:31-45; Zech. 14:4-11; I Thess.1: 10;  1 Thess. 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; Rev. 3:10; 19:11-16; 20:1-6).

A. We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment (Matt. 25:46; John 5:28, 29; 11:25-26; Rev. 20:5-6,12-13).

B. We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss, they await the first resurrection, when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord (Luke 23:43; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23; 3:21; 1 Thess. 4:16-17; Rev. 20:4-6

C. We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious punishment and torment until the second resurrection when with soul and body reunited, they shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment and torment (Matt. 25:41-46; Mark. 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-26; 2 Thess. 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Rev. 20:11-15).

We believe that Satan is a created being, the author of sin and the cause of the Fall of Man; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and that he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire (Job 1:6-7; Isa. 14:12-17; Matt. 4:2-11; 25:41; Rev. 20:10).

We believe that God created the universe in six literal, 24-hour periods. We reject evolution, the Gap Theory, the Day-Age Theory, and Theistic Evolution as unscriptural theories of origin (Genesis 1-2; Ex. 20: 11).

We believe that Sunday is the first day of the week, that it is representative of the rest we have in Christ, and that it is referred to in the New Testament as the Lord's Day. It is to be kept sacred to religious purposes; that believers are to consistently gather themselves together for the worship of God & fellowship, that on this day, we are not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. (Acts 20:7, Psalm 118:24, Hebrews 4:3-11, 10:25)

We believe that God has ordained and created all authority consisting of three basic institutions: 1) the home; 2) the church; and 3) the state. Every person is subject to these authorities, but all (including the authorities themselves) are answerable to God and governed by His Word. God has given each institution specific Biblical responsibilities and balanced those responsibilities with the understanding that no institution has the right to infringe upon the other. The home, the church, and the state are equal and sovereign in their respective Biblically assigned spheres of responsibility under God (Rom. 13:1-7; Eph. S:22-24; Heb 13:17; 1 Pet. 2:13-14).

A. When referring to the sexes, it is understood that man/men refers to a natural-born male and that woman/women refers to a natural-born female.

B. We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a legitimate marriage. We believe that any form of sodomy (homosexuality), lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery, and pornography are sinful perversions of God's gift. (Gen. 2:24; Gen. 19:5,13; Gen. 26:8-10; Lev. 18:1-30; Rom 1: 26-29; 1 Cor. 5:1; 6:9; 1 Thess. 4:1-8; Heb. 13:4).

C. We believe that the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one natural-born man and one natural-born woman. (Gen. 2:24; Rom. 7:2; 1 Cor. 7: 10; Eph. 5:22-23).

We believe that we should demonstrate love for others, not only toward fellow believers but also toward those who are not believers, those who oppose us, and those who engage in sinful actions. We are to deal with those who oppose us in a Biblical manner. (Lev.19:18; Matt. 5:44-48; Luke 6:31; John 13:34-35; Rom. 12:9-10, 17-21; 13:8-10; Phil. 2:2-4; 2 Tim. 2:24-26; Titus 3:2; 1 John 3:17-18).

We believe that God hates divorce and intends marriage to last until one of the spouses dies. Divorce and remarriage is regarded as adultery except on the grounds of fornication or desertion by an unbelieving spouse. Divorced and remarried persons or divorced persons may hold positions of service in the church. They may not be considered for the offices of Pastor, evangelist, or Deacon. (Mal. 2: 14-17; Matt. 19:3-12; Rom. 7:1-3; 1 Tim. 3.2,12; Titus 1:6).

We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being. Abortion constitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life. Abortion is murder and, therefore, is a direct violation of the Sixth Commandment. We reject any teaching that abortions of pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, birth or population control, or the mental well-being of the mother are acceptable (Job 3:16; Psalms 51:5; 139:14-16: Isa. 44:24; 49:1, 5; Jer. 1:5; 20:15-18; Luke 1:44).

We believe that God has given the church a great commission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations so that there might be a great multitude from every nation, tribe, ethnic group, and language group who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. As ambassadors of Christ, we must use all available means to reach lost both in our nation and in the foreign nations and not wait for them to come to us (Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1: 8; 2 Cor. 5:20).

We believe that every Christian, as a steward of that portion of God's wealth entrusted to him, is obligated to support his local church financially. We believe that God has established the tithe as a basis for giving, but that every Christian should also give other offerings sacrificially and cheerfully to the support of the church, the relief of those in need, and the spread of the Gospel. We believe that a Christian relinquishes all rights to direct the use of the tithe or offering once the gift has been made (Gen. 14:20; Prov. 3:9-10; Acts 4:34-37; 1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 9:6-7; Gal. 6:6; Eph, 4:28; 1 Tim. 5:17-18; 1 John 3:17).

The statement of faith does not exhaust the extent of our faith. The Bible itself is the sole and final source of all we believe. We do believe, however, that the foregoing statement of faith accurately represents the teaching of the Bible.

All literature used in/by the church shall be in agreement with the statement of faith.