1. We believe the Bible is God’s Word given by divine inspiration, the record of God’s revelation of Himself to humanity
(II Timothy 3:16). It is trustworthy, sufficient, without error—the supreme authority and guide for all doctrine and conduct (I Peter
1:23-25; John 17:17; II Timothy 3:16-17.) It is the truth by which God brings people into a saving relationship with Himself and leads
them to Christian maturity (John 20:31, I John 5:9-12; Matthew 4:4; I Peter 2:2).
2. We believe in the one living and true God, perfect
in wisdom, sovereignty, holiness, justice, mercy and love (I Timothy 1:17; Psalm 86:15; Deuteronomy 32:3-4). He exists eternally in
three coequal persons who act together in creation, providence and redemption (Genesis 1:26; I Peter 1:2; Hebrews 1:1-3).
a. The Father reigns with providential care over all life and history in the created
universe. He hears and answers prayer (I Chronicles 29:11-13; Matthew 7:11). He
initiated
salvation by sending His Son, and He is Father to those who by faith
accept His
Son as Lord and Savior (I John 4:9-10; John 3:16; John 1:12;
Acts 16:31).
b.
The Son became man, Jesus Christ, who was conceived of the Holy Spirit and
born of
the Virgin Mary (John 1:14; Matthew 1:18). Being fully God and fully man, He
revealed
God through His sinless life, miracles and teaching (John 14:9; Hebrews
4:15; Matthew 4:23-24).
He provided salvation through His atoning death in our
place and by His bodily resurrection
(I Corinthians 15:3-4; II Corinthians 5:21;
Romans 4:23-25). He ascended into
heaven where He rules over all creation
(Philippians 2:5-11). He intercedes for all
believers and dwells in them as their
ever-present Lord (Romans 8:34; John 14:23).
c.
The Holy Spirit inspired men to write the Scriptures (II Peter 1:21). Through this
Word, He
convicts individuals of their sinfulness and of the righteousness of Christ,
draws them to
the Savior, and bears witness to their new birth (James 1:18; John
16:7-11; I Thessalonians 1:5-6;
Romans 8:16). At regeneration and conversion, the
believer is baptized in the Holy Spirit
(I Corinthians 12:13). The Spirit indwells, seals
and gives spiritual gifts to all believers
for ministry in the church and society (Romans
8:9-11; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 12:5-8;
I Peter 4:10). He empowers, guides,
teaches, fills, sanctifies and produces the fruit of
Christlikeness in all who yield to Him
(Acts 4:31; Romans 8:14; I Corinthians 2:10-13; Ephesians
5:18; II Thessalonians
2:13; Galatians 5:16; 22-23).
3. We believe God created an order of
spiritual beings called angels to serve Him and do His will (Psalm 148:1-5; Colossians 1:16). The holy angels are obedient spirits
ministering to the heirs of salvation and glorifying God (Hebrews 1:6-7; 13-14). Certain angels, called demons, Satan being their
chief, through deliberate choice revolted and fell from their exalted position (Revelation 12:7-9). They now tempt individuals to
rebel against God (I Timothy 4:1; I Peter 5:8). Their destiny in hell has been sealed by Christ’s victory over sin and death (Hebrews
2:14; Revelation 20:10).
4. We believe God created man in His own image to have fellowship with Himself and to be steward over His
creation (Genesis 1:26-28). As a result, each person is unique, possesses dignity and is worthy of respect (Psalm 139:13-17). Through
the temptation of Satan, Adam chose to disobey God; this brought sin and death to the human race and suffering to all creation (Genesis
3; Romans 5:12-21; 8-22). Therefore, everyone is born with a sinful nature and needs to be reconciled to God (Romans 3:9-18, 23).
Satan tempts people to rebel against God, even those who love Him (Ephesians 4:27; II Corinthians 2:11; Matthew 16:23). Nonetheless,
everyone is personally responsible to God for thoughts, actions and beliefs and has the right to approach Him directly through Jesus
Christ, the only mediator (Romans 14:12; I Timothy 2:5).
5. We believe salvation is redemption by Christ of the whole person from sin
and death (II Timothy 1:9-10; I Thessalonians 5:23). It is offered as a free gift by God to all and must be received personally through
repentance and faith in Jesus Christ (I Timothy 2:4; Ephesians 2:8-9; Acts 20:21). An individual is united to Christ by the regeneration
of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 2:20; Colossians 1:27). As a child of God, the believer is acquitted of all guilt and brought into a
new relationship of peace (Romans 5:1). Christians grow as the Holy Spirit enables them to understand and obey the Word of God (II
Peter 3:18; Ephesians 4:15; I Thessalonians 3:12).
6. We believe the Church is the body of which Christ is the head and all who believe
in Him are members (Ephesians 1:22-23; Romans 12:4-5). Christians are commanded to be baptized upon profession of faith and to unite
with a local church for mutual encouragement and growth in discipleship through worship, nurture, service and the proclamation of
the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world (Acts 2:41-42, 47; Luke 24:45-48). Each church is a self- governing body under the lordship
of Christ with all members sharing responsibility (Acts 13:1-3; 14:26-28). The form of
government is understood to be congregational
(Matthew 18:17; Acts 6:3-6; 15:22-23).
The ordinances of the church are baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism is the immersion of
a believer in water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:18-20). It is an act of obedience
symbolizing the believer’s identification with the death, burial and resurrection of the Savior Jesus Christ (Romans 6:3-5). The Lord’s
Supper is the partaking of the bread and of the cup by believers together as a continuing memorial of the broken body and shed blood
of Christ. It is an act of thankful dedication to Him and serves to unite His people until He returns (I Corinthians 11:23-26).
To
express unity in Christ, local churches form associations and a conference for mutual counsel, fellowship and a more effective fulfillment
of Christ’s commission (Acts 15; I Corinthians 6:1-3).
7. We believe religious liberty, rooted in Scripture, is the inalienable right
of all individuals to freedom of conscience with ultimate accountability to God (Genesis 1:27; John 8:32; II Corinthians 3:17; Romans
8:21; Acts 5:29). Church and state exist by the will of God. Each has distinctive concerns and responsibilities, free from control
by the other (Matthew 22:21). Christians should pray for civil leaders, and obey and support government in matters not contrary to
Scripture (I Timothy 2:1-4; Romans 13:1-7; I Peter 2:13-16). The state should guarantee religious liberty to all persons and groups
regardless of their religious preferences, consistent with the common good.
8. We believe Christians, individually and collectively,
are salt and light in society (Matthew 5:13-16). In a Christlike spirit, they oppose greed, selfishness and vice; they promote truth,
justice and peace; they aid the needy and preserve the dignity of people of all races and conditions (Hebrews 13:5; Luke 9:23; Titus
2:12; Philippians 4:8-9; I John 3:16-17; James 2:1-4).
We affirm the family as the basic unit of society and seek to preserve its integrity
and stability (Genesis 2:21-25; Ephesians 6:1-4).
We believe the Bible teaches that marriage refers to the covenant relationship exclusively
between
one man and one woman, as instituted by God in the beginning (Genesis 2:20b-24; 1 Corinthians 7:2; Hebrews 13:4).
9. We believe God,
in His own time and in His own way, will bring all things to their appropriate end and establish the new heaven and the new earth
(Ephesians 1:9-10, Revelation 21:1). The certain hope of the Christian is that Jesus Christ will return to the earth suddenly, personally
and visibly in glory according to His promise (Titus 2:13; Revelation 1:7; 3:11; John 14:1-3). The dead will be raised, and Christ
will judge mankind in righteousness (John 5:28-29). The unrighteous will be consigned to the everlasting punishment prepared for the
devil and his angels (Matthew 25-41, 46; Revelation 20;10). The righteous, in their resurrected and glorified bodies, will receive
their reward and dwell forever with the Lord (Philippians 3:20-21; II Corinthians 5:10; I Thessalonians 4:13-18).
Adopted by the North
American Baptist Conference delegates, August 10-15, 1982, Niagara Falls, NY. Section 8 amended by the delegates, July 15-19, 2009,
Winnipeg, MB. North American Baptists • 1219 Pleasant Grove Blvd • Roseville, CA 95678
Ph: (916) 797-NABC (6222) • E-mail:
serve@nabconf.org •
www.nabconference.org
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