Emmanuel Baptist Fellowship Core Beliefs

Bible

We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the inspired, infallible, inerrant Word of God. It alone is the final authority in determining how followers of Jesus should live their lives.

Matthew 5:17-18; Psalm 119:9, 11; John 10:35; 17:17; Romans 16:25-26; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Peter 3:15-16

God

We believe in one God, Creator of all, holy, sovereign, eternal, existing in three equal Persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Genesis 1:1-3; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-3, 14; Colossians 2:9; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 Timothy 1:17

Jesus Christ

We believe in the absolute and essential deity of our Lord Jesus Christ

• In His eternal existence, with the Father in pre-incarnate glory
• In His work of creation, in His virgin birth, sinless life, substitutionary death and bodily resurrection
• In His triumphant ascension, mediatorial ministry and personal return

The Holy Spirit

We believe in the absolute and essential deity, and in the personality of the Holy Spirit

• Who convinces of sin, of righteousness and of judgment
• Who regenerates, indwells, seals, sanctifies, illuminates and comforts those who believe in Jesus Christ
• Who baptizes believers at conversion into the Body of Christ and bestows upon them His gifts sovereignly as He wills and fills those yielded to Him

Mankind

We believe humans were created in the image of God and placed in a sinless paradise to have fellowship with Him. However, because of disobedience to God’s Word, sin entered the world, and fellowship with God was broken and the relationship between humans became strained. Humans, through their own efforts, cannot restore this brokenness.

Genesis 1:26-27, 31; 3:1-8; 11:1-9; Romans 3:9-10, 23; 5:12-14; Ephesians 2:1-3

THE GOSPEL

We believe in the Gospel: that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God and that He was crucified on a cross for our sins, and that He was raised from the dead three days later.

Matthew 16:16; Mark 10:45; Acts 26:23; 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, 20; Galatians 1:4; Colossians 1:15; 2:13-14; 1 Peter 2:24; Revelation 1:5

SALVATION

We believe that all who believe the Gospel are born again by the Holy Spirit and become children of God and heirs of eternal life. Thus, eternal life is totally a work of grace, a gift of God, and not a result of any good works or human efforts on our part.

John 3:3, 5, 16; Romans 3:23-28; 5:1; 6:23; Galatians 2:16; 4:4-7; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

We believe in the ongoing process of spiritual growth of the Christian through the Holy Spirit and God’s Word. Each person is to grow in their knowledge of God’s Word and in developing and employing their spiritual gifts through the Church so that others may come to know Christ and the Church be built up into maturity.

John 8:31-32; 14:16-17; 16:13; 17:17; Romans 12:4-8; 1 Corinthians 12-14; Galatians 5:22-23; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 5:11-14

THE CHURCH

We believe the Church is the Body of Christ, which is made up of all Christ-followers. Its mission is to glorify God and make Him known to the lost world. Every Christ-follower is an integral part of the Church, creating a spiritual unity of brothers and sisters. The initial evidence for joining the Church is water baptism, and the continual evidence of unity with the church is the Lord's Supper (communion).

Matthew 26:26-29; John 17:11, 20-23; 1 Corinthians 28:18-20; Acts 2:38; 8:12; 1 Corinthians 10:16; 11:23-25; 12:12-14; Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:19-22

THINGS TO COME

We believe that Jesus Christ will return physically to earth to set up His Kingdom. This will occur at a time no one knows except the Father. At His return, the resurrection of Christ-followers and non-Christ-followers will take place. Heaven will be the eternal dwelling place for all Believers in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The devil, who is working in the world to destroy the souls of people, along with all his angels, and all who do not receive Christ as their Savior, will eternally perish in the lake of fire, which is Hell.

Matthew 4:1-11; 5:3, 12; 6:20; 24:30; 25:34, 41; Mark 9:43-48; John 8:24, 44; Acts 1:9-11; Hebrews 9:27 Revelation 14:9-11; 20:1-15; 21-22