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Articles of Faith of the John Thomas Association of Freewill Baptists of
which Splashdam FWBC is a member:
1. We believe that there is but one living, true and eternal God the Fatber,
of whom all things from everlasting to everlasting glorious and immutable
in. all His attributes.-I Cor. 8:6; lsa. 40:28.
2. We believe that there is one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom all things, the
only begotten Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary, who God freely sent into
this world, because of the great love wherewith He loved the world: and
Christ as freely gave Himself a ransom for all, tasting death for every
man: who, was buried and rose again the third day, and ascended into
Heaven, from whence we look for him the second time in the clouds of heaven
at the last Day to judge both the quick and the dead.- I Tim. 2:5,6; Heb.
2:9; John 3: 16; Rev. 1: 17; Acts 24:15; 1 John 2:2.
3. We believe that there is one Holy Ghost, the precious gift of the Father
through his dear Son, unto the World, who quickeneth and draweth sinners
home to God.- John 16:7, Acts 2:2; Eph. 2: 1, Epli 4:4-6.
4. We believe in the beginning God made man upright, and placed him in a
state of glory without the least mixture of misery, from which he
voluntarily by transgression fell, and by means brought on himself a
miserable and moral state subject to death.- Gen-2:l7; 3:19.
5. We believe that God is not willing that any should perish, but that all
should come to repentance and the knowledge of truth, that they might be
saved; for which end Christ hath commended the Gospel to be preached among
all nations and to every creature.-Mark 16: 15; Luke 24:47; John 3: 15- 17;
Tim. 2:4.
6. We believe that no man shall suffer in hell for want of a Christ who
died for him, but as the Scripture has said for denying the Lord that
brought them; because they believed not in the name of the only begotten
Son of God. Unbelief, therefore, being the cause why the just and the
righteous God of Heaven will condemn the children of men, it follows
against all argument that all men, at one time or another are found in such
capacity as that through the grace of God they may be eternally saved.-
Acts 17:30; Mark 6:6; Heb. 3: 10; I John 5: 1 -10.
7. We believe that all people reaching the years of accountability must be
born again. Then by trusting His promise and keeping His commandments until
the end of life, we shall be saved.- II Tim. 4:7; John 3:3.
8. We believe the whole Scriptures are infallibly true and that they are
the only rules of faith and practice. 11 Tim. 3: 16, 17.
9. We believe in the doctrine of General provision made of God in Christ,
for the benefit of all mankind, who repent and believe in the gospel. -
Luke 14:16-20; Matt. 28:19,20; Luke 13:3,5; Acts 3:19; Mark 1: 15.
10. We believe that sinners drawn to God the Father of the Holy Ghost,
through Christ His Son and that the Holy Ghost offers His divine aid to all
the human family-, so as they might be happy; would they give place to His
divine; whereas, such who do not receive the divine impressive of His
Spirit, shall at a future day, own their condemnation just and charge
themselves with their own damnation, for willfully rejecting the offers of
sovereign grace. - Matt. 11: 17, John 6:6-45,65; Ps. 1: 1; Tit. 2:11,12.
11. We believe that men, not considered simply as men, but ungodly men,
were of old ordained to condemnation, considered such who turn the grace of
God into them, and therefore, shall bring upon themselves swift
destruction; but we observe that they, and such the Apostle saith because
they receive not the love of the truth, that they might be saved,
therefore, the indignation and wrath of God is upon every soul of man that
doeth evil, living and dying therein; for there is no respect of persons
with God. - Jude 1: 4; II Peter 2: I,ll Thess. 2:1 1, Rom. 2:10-21.
12. We believe that all children dying in infancy, having not actually
transgressed against the law of God, in their own persons, are only subject
to the first death, which was brought on them by the fall of the first
Adam, and that none of them dying in that state shall suffer punishment in
hell by the guilt of Adam's sin for "of such is the kingdom of God." - I
Cor. 15:22; Matt. 18: 2-5; Mark 9: 36-37; Matt. 19:14.
13. We believe that good works are the fruits of saving faith and that in
the use of the means of grace and not out of the use of those means,
eternal life is promised to men. Rev. 22:14,15. Isa. 1:19,20; Matt 7:8; Jer.
6:16.
14. We believe that no man has any warrant in the Holy Scriptures for
justification before God through his own works, power or ability, which he
has in and of himself, only as he by grace is made able to come to God
through Jesus Christ; believing the righteousness of Jesus Christ to be
imputed to all believers for their eternal acceptance with God.- Rom. 4:24;
Acts 8:20, 2 1; Eph.2:8-9.
15. We believe that all things are foreseen in the wisdom of God, so that
God knoweth whatsoever can or cannot come to pass upon all supposed
conditions; yet not as having decreed any person to everlasting life, out
of respect of mere choice further that He hath appointed the godly unto
life, and the ungodly, who die in sin, unto death.-Heb. 4:13; Provo 8:22-3
1; Matt. 25:31-46.
16. We believe as teaching Gospel ordinances, in believer's baptism, laying
on of hands, receiving of the sacrament in bread and the fruit of the vine,
washing the saints' feet, anointing the sick with oil in the name of the
Lord, fasting, prayer, singing praise of God and the public ministry of the
Word, with every institution of the Lord we shall find in the New
Testament.- Mark: 15-16; Acts 8: 17; Acts 19:6; Luke 22: 19.20; John
13:5-7; James 5: 14; Eph. 2:8,9.
17. We believe the Gospel mode of baptism is by immersion, and that
believers are the only subjects
for baptism. -Matt. 3:16; Mark 1:9, 10; Acts 2:38,39; Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12.
18. We believe in a general resurrection of the dead and a final judgment
at the last day.-John 5:28,29; II Cor. 5: 10.
19. We believe the happiness of the righteous is eternal and the torments
of the wicked are endless.- Matt. 25:46.
20. Freewill Baptists understand the Bible teaches the following fact: on
the Day of Pentecost believers spoke in distinct foreign languages which
were readily understood by the nationalities present.- Acts 2:4,8,1 1.
Tongues were given as a special gift to the early church as only one sign
which confirms the witness of the Gospel to believers. 1 Cor. 14: 140; Heb.
2:4. While tongues were bestowed by the sovereign will of God on some
believers, all did not speak with tongues. 1 Cor. 12: 10,30. When this gift
was abused, it became a source of disturbance in the congregational
meetings. To eliminate confusion and correct the error, Paul set aside
particular guidelines for the Christian church to follow. (I Cor.
14:18,19,23,33). The gift of tongues was neither an evidence of the baptism
of the Holy Spirit, nor does it bring bout sanctification. 1 Cor. 12:13. We
believe that speaking in tongues as a visible sign of the baptism of the
Holy Spirit is an erroneous doctrine to be rejected. Any implication of a
'second work of grace" has never been tolerated in our fellowship of
churches, and will not be attended. We teach and preach the fullness of the
Holy Spirit and heed the scriptural admonition, "Be filled with the Spirit;
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and
making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all
things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Eph.
5:8-20.
GAMBLING:
We not wishing to conform to the practice of gambling pledge to abstain
from the sale or use of all devices constructed for the purpose of
gambling- a lottery, games of chance, or any numbered system for which
there are odds given for gain or loss, whether it be associated with a
person, place, or thing, spoken or unspoken. - Col.3:5; 11 Peter 2:3; Ez.
33:3 1; Eph. 5:3; 1 Cor. 6:19; Rom. 1:28- 29; l Tim. 6: 10; Prov.28:l6.
Reference:
Minutes of the 79th session of the John Thomas Association of Freewill
Baptists. September 7-8, 2001.
If you have additional questions about salvation, baptism, or other beliefs
of the church, please refer them to the pastor, deacons, or a member of the
church. |
