First Union Missionary Baptist Church’s Belief Statement
God’s Word
The Bible is the inspired Word of God, a revelation from God to man, the infallible rule of faith and conduct, and is superior to conscience and reason, but not contrary to reason. (2 Timothy 3:15-17; 1 Peter 1:23-25; Hebrews 4:12). It is true without any mixture of error and is the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried. Scripture, God’s word is the supreme and final authority.
God Our Father
We believe that there is one living and true God, Who is worthy of all possible honor, worship, and praise. God eternally existing in one essence, yet co-equal persons call the Triune Godhead. The triune Godhead is comprised of three (3) separate and distinct personalities, The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit, who are eternally self-existent, self-revealed and function as one entity.
Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
We believe Jesus Christ is true God and true man, the living Word, who became flesh, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He died on the cross, the complete and final sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures. Further, He arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, where, at the right hand of the Majesty on High, He is now our High Priest and Advocate.
The Holy Spirit
The ministry of the Holy Spirit continues to reveal and glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and during this age. We believe in the personality and deity of the Holy Spirit Who regenerates unbelievers and the believing sinner, the evidence of which is repentance, faith, newness of life. We believe He indwells believers, convict men of sin, guide, instruct, and empower the believer for godly living and service, transforming them to the likeness of Christ, and keeping them by power of God until the day of Jesus Christ.
Humanity
We believe that man was created in the image of God and was intended to have fellowship with God. However, since Adam, all men are sinners. Man, by voluntary transgression, fell and his only hope of redemption is in Jesus Christ the Son of God. (Genesis 1:26-31, 3:1-7; Romans 5:12-21) .
Salvation
We believe salvation of man is wholly a work of God’s free grace and not the work, in whole or in part, of human works or goodness or religious ceremony. The shed blood of Jesus Christ and His resurrection provide the only ground for justification and salvation for all who believe, and only such as receive Jesus Christ by faith are born of the Holy Spirit and thus become children of God. For by grace, we are saved through faith. We believe that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone, Who is the only and all-sufficient Savior and the only Mediator between God and man; and that the Gospel of salvation should be shared with every person in the world. God imputes His righteousness to those who put their faith on Christ alone for their salvation, and thereby justified them in His sight.
The Church
We believe that the Church, the Body of Christ, is a group of baptized believers whose mission it is to preach the Scriptures to the entire world, all of its endeavors being guided by godly leadership and supported by the wise stewardship of God’s people.. God admonishes His people to assemble together for worship, for participation in two ordinances, Baptism by immersion in water and the Lord's Supper, for edification through the Scriptures and for mutual encouragement. The church is the body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of her great commission. Each believer, born of the Spirit, is an integral part of the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven. (Ephesians 1:22; 2:19-22; Hebrews 12:23). The true Church is composed of all such persons, who through saving faith in Jesus Christ, has been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and are united together in the body of Christ of which He is the head.
Our Blessed Hope
Jesus is coming again to gather all His Saints to heaven. There will be a bodily resurrection of all the dead; of the believer to everlasting blessedness and joy with the Lord, and of the unbeliever to judgment and everlasting conscious punishment. (1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; 2 Thessalonians 2:1)
Baptism and Communion
Water baptism by immersion soon after accepting Christ as personal Savior, is a testimony of death to sin and resurrection to a new life. The Lord's Supper is a memorial service setting forth in sacred and symbolic manner the death of the Lord Jesus Christ; all true believers and only believers should share in it.