Articles of Faith
- We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were written by men divinely inspired; that they are the only infallible rule of faith and practice and are the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried.
- We believe that there is only one true and living God, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth, inexpressibly glorious in holiness and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love; that in unity of Godhead there are three persons: The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit, equal in every divine perfection and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.
- We believe that man was created in holiness, but by voluntary transgression fell from that holy and happy state, in consequence of which all human beings are now sinners, not by constraint but by choice; being by nature utterly void of that holiness required by the law of God, they are positively inclined to be evil and therefore, under just condemnation to eternal ruin without defense or excuse.
- We believe that the salvation in wholly of grace by faith in the mediatorial office of the Son of God, who freely took upon Himself our nature, yet without sin; honored the divine law by His personal obedience and by His death made a full atonement for our sins; that having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned and is in every way qualified to be the only suitable, compassionate and all-sufficient Savior.
- We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be regenerated or born again; that regeneration consists of giving a holy disposition to the mind; that it is effected in a manner above our comprehension by the power of the Holy Spirit, in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel; and that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruit of repentance and faith and newness of life.
- We believe that repentance and faith are sacred duties of every man and also inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the regenerating Spirit of God; whereby, being deeply convinced of our guilt, danger and helplessness and of the way of salvation by Christ, we turn to God in humility, godly sorrow, confession and supplication for mercy; at the same time heartily receiving Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord and relying upon Him alone for justification, sanctification and eternal life.
- We believe that those who have been truly regenerated are also sanctified; that sanctification is God’s will; that it is a progressive work; that it is begun in regeneration and is carried on in the hearts of believers by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in the continual use of the appointed means, especially the Word of God, self-examination, self-denial, watchfulness and prayer.
- We believe that only those who endure unto the end are true believers; that their persevering attachment to Christ is the mark which distinguishes them from superficial professors of faith; that a special Providence watches over their welfare and that they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.
- We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the church, who, as His body, is composed of all His true disciples and in Him is invested supremely all power for its government. According to His commandment, Christians are to associate themselves by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel; to observe the ordinances of Christ; to be governed by His laws; and to exercise the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His Word; that the only scriptural officers of the church are pastors and deacons.
- We believe that the two scriptural ordinances of the church are baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism is the immersion in water of a believer in the name of the Father and Son and Holy Spirit, to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried and risen Savior; that it is obligatory upon every believer; and that it is a sign of the believer’s fellowship with the death and resurrection of Christ and of his giving Himself up to God for remission of sin and to live and walk in newness of life; that the Lord’s Supper is to be administered with the elements of bread and fruit of the vine and is to be observed by His church until the end of the world; that it is in no sense a sacrifice; but it is designed to commemorate His death; that it calls for and is to be preceded by the most solemn self-examination.
- We believe that the first day of the week is the Lord’s Day; that it is a Christian institution for regular observance; that it should be kept sacred to religious purposes and should be employed in exercises of worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private.
- We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interest and good order of human society; that civil authorities are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed except, in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ; that God alone is Lord of the conscience and He has left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men which are contrary to His Word or not contained in it.
- We believe that after death human bodies return to dust, but that their spirits return immediately to God- the righteous to rest with Him; the wicked to be reserved under darkness to the judgment. At the last day the bodies of all the dead, both the just and the unjust, will be raised.
- God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring the world to its appropriate end. According to His promise, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth; the dead will be raised; and Christ will judge all men in righteousness. The unrighteous will be consigned to Hell, the place of everlasting punishment. The righteous in their resurrected and glorified bodies will receive their reward and will dwell forever in Heaven with the Lord.
- Marriage has been ordained (or established or instituted) by God. It is God’s unique gift to reveal the union between Christ and His church and to provide for the man and women in marriage the framework for intimate companionship, the channel for sexual expression according to biblical standards, and the means of procreation for the human race. This church defines marriage as the exclusive covenantal union of one man and one women which such union is a lifetime commitment. A civil government’s sanction of a union will be as a legitimate marriage by the church only to the extent to which it is consistent with the definition of marriage found in these Articles.
(taken predominantly from the New Hampshire Confession of Faith of 1853 and the Abstract of Principles of 1859)
Affiliations
Yellow Creek Baptist Church is in cooperation with the following: