What We Believe

Statement of Faith

Our statement of faith is a modified version of The New Hampshire Baptist Confession of 1853, originally drawn up in 1833 by the Rev. John Newton Brown, D. D. of New Hampshire, first published in the Baptist Church Manual by the American Baptist Publication Society, Philadelphia.

1. Of the Scriptures

We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired, and is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction; ¹ that it has God for its author, salvation for its end, ² and truth without any mixture of error for its matter; ³ that it reveals the principles by which God will judge us, ⁴ and therefore remains the true center of Christian unity ⁵and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tested.⁶

2. Of the True God

We believe that there is only one living and true God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit whose name is Yahweh, the maker and supreme ruler of Heaven and earth;⁷ inexpressibly glorious in holiness,⁸ and worthy of all possible honor, trust, and love;⁹ that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit;¹⁰ equal in every divine perfection,¹¹ and executing distinct and harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.¹²

3. Of the Fall of Humanity

We believe that human beings were created in the image of God in holiness under the law of their maker;¹³ but by willful transgression fell from that holy and happy state;¹⁴ of which all people are now sinners by choice,¹⁵ being by nature utterly void of that holiness required by the law of God, positively inclined to evil; and therefore under just condemnation to eternal ruin,¹⁶ without defense or excuse.¹⁷

4. Of the Way of Salvation

We believe that the salvation of sinners is all of grace¹⁸ through the work of the Son of God as mediator,¹⁹ who was sent by the Father to take our nature upon himself freely, yet without sin,²⁰ to fulfill God’s law by his personal obedience,²¹ and to make a full atonement for our sins by his death;²² that having risen from the dead, he is now enthroned in heaven,²³ and uniting in his wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfections, he is every way qualified to be a suitable, compassionate, and all-sufficient Savior.²⁴

5. Of Justification

We believe that the great gospel blessing which Christ²⁵ secures for those who believe in him is justification;²⁶ that justification includes the pardon of sin,²⁷ and the promise of eternal life on principles of righteousness;²⁸ that God justifies us not because of any works of righteousness we have done, but solely through faith in the redeemer’s blood;²⁹ that by this faith his perfect righteousness is freely imputed to us by God;³⁰ that it brings us into a state of most blessed peace and favor with God, and secures every other blessing needful for time and eternity.³¹

6. Of the Freeness of Salvation

We believe that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the gospel;³² that it is the immediate duty of all to receive the gospel by a sincere, repentant, and obedient faith;³³ and that nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinners on earth but their own inherent depravity and willful rejection of the gospel.³⁴

7. Of Grace in Regeneration

We believe that, in order to be saved, sinners must be regenerated, or born again;³⁵ that regeneration comes by the Holy Spirit creating a new heart filled with holy love for God;³⁶ that regeneration happens in a manner beyond our understanding as the Spirit uses God’s Word to secure our willful obedience to the gospel;³⁷ and that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance, faith, and newness of life.³⁸

8. Of Repentance and Faith

We believe that repentance and faith are sacred duties and inseparable graces worked in our souls by the regenerating Spirit of God;³⁹ whereby we turn to God with sincere contrition, confession, and supplication for mercy,⁴⁰ being deeply convinced of our guilt, danger, and helplessness, and of the way of salvation in Christ,⁴¹ while eagerly receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as our prophet, priest, and king, and relying on him alone as our only and all-sufficient savior.⁴²

9. Of God’s Purpose of Grace

We believe that election is the eternal purpose of God, according to which he graciously regenerates, sanctifies, and saves sinners;⁴³ that being perfectly consistent with the free agency of humans, it includes all the means in connection with the end;⁴⁴ that it is a most glorious display of God’s sovereign goodness, being infinitely free, wise, holy, and unchangeable;⁴⁵ that it utterly excludes boasting and promotes humility, love, prayer, praise, trust in God, and active imitation of his free mercy;⁴⁶ that it encourages the use of the means of grace in the highest degree;⁴⁷ that it is shown by its effects in the lives of all who truly believe the gospel;⁴⁸ that it is the foundation of Christian assurance;⁴⁹ and that to be sure of it in ourselves demands and deserves the utmost diligence.⁵⁰

10. Of Sanctification

We believe that sanctification is the way God makes us sharers in his holiness;⁵¹ that it is a progressive work;⁵² that it starts in regeneration⁵³ and continues in the hearts of believers by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, the sealer and comforter, as we continue to use the appointed means of grace, especially the Word of God, self-examination, self-denial, watchfulness, and prayer.⁵⁴

11. Of the Perseverance of Saints

We believe that true believers are only those who endure to the end;⁵⁵ that their persevering attachment to Christ is the grand mark which distinguishes them from superficial professors;⁵⁶ that a special Providence watches over their wellbeing;⁵⁷ and they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.⁵⁸

12. Of the Harmony of the Law and the Gospel

We believe that the Law of God is the eternal and unchangeable rule of his moral government;⁵⁹ that it is holy, just, and good;⁶⁰ that the inability which the Scriptures ascribe to fallen humans to fulfill its precepts arises entirely from their love of sin;⁶¹ and that our deliverance from sin and our restoration through a mediator to sincere obedience to the holy Law is the great goal of the gospel and of the means of grace connected with the upbuilding of the visible church.⁶²

13. Of a Gospel Church

We believe that a visible church of Christ is a congregation of baptized believers,⁶³ committed to each other by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel,⁶⁴ observing the ordinances of Christ,⁶⁵ governed by his laws,⁶⁶ and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by his Word;⁶⁷ that its offices are Pastors and Deacons,⁶⁸ whose qualifications, claims, and duties are defined in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus.

14. Of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper

We believe that Christian Baptism is the immersion in water of a believer⁶⁹ into the name of the Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit,⁷⁰ as a solemn pledge and beautiful emblem of our faith-union with the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, with its outworking in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life;⁷¹ that baptism is required for the privileges of church membership and for sharing the Lord’s Supper,⁷² in which the members of the church are to examine themselves solemnly and, by the sacred use of the bread and cup, commemorate together the dying love of Christ.⁷³

15. Of the Lord’s Day

We believe that the first day of the week is the Lord’s day⁷⁴ and is to be kept sacred for observing all the means of grace⁷⁵ and for preparing our hearts for the eternal rest that remains for the people of God.⁷⁶

16. Of Civil Government

We believe that civil government is appointed by God for the interests and good order of human society;⁷⁷ and that government officials are to be prayed for, honored, and obeyed,⁷⁸ except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ⁷⁹ who is the only Lord of our conscience, and the prince of the kings of the earth.⁸⁰

17. Of the Righteous and the Wicked

We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked;⁸¹ that only those who are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus through faith, and sanctified by the Spirit of our God, are truly righteous in his esteem,⁸² while everyone who continues in unrepentance and unbelief are in his sight wicked and under the curse;⁸³ and this distinction holds among people both in and after death.⁸⁴

18. Of the World to Come

We believe that the end of the world is approaching;⁸⁵ that at the last day Christ will descend from heaven⁸⁶ and raise the dead from the grave for final judgment;⁸⁷ that a solemn separation will then take place;⁸⁸ that the wicked will be adjudged to endless punishment, and the righteous to endless joy;⁸⁹ and that this judgment will fix forever the final state of men in heaven or hell on principles of righteousness.⁹⁰