The Faith of Free Will Baptists
The Holy Scriptures
These are the Old and the New Testaments; they were written by holy men, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and are God's revealed word to man. They are a sufficient and infallible rule and guide to salvation and all Christian worship and service. Since the Bible is the Word of God, it is without error in all matters upon which is speaks, whether history, geography, matters relating to science or any other subject.
Being and Attributes of God
The Scriptures teach that there is only one true and living God, who is Spirit, self-existent, eternal, immutable, omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, independent, good, wise, holy, just, and merciful, the....Creator, Preserver, and Governor Sanctifier, and Judge of men; and the only proper object of worship.The mode of his existence, however, is a subject far above the understanding of man- finite being cannot comprehend Him. There is nothing in the universe that can justly represent Him, for there is none like Him. He is the fountain of all perfection and happiness. He is glorified by the whole creation, and is worthy to be loved and served by all intelligence.
Divine Government and Providence
1. God exercises a providential care and superintendence over all His creatures, and governs the world in wisdom and mercy, according to the testimony of His Word.
2. God has endowed man with power of free choice, and governs him by moral laws and motives; and this power of free choice is the exact measure of man's responsibility.
3. All events are present with God from everlasting to everlasting; but His knowledge of them does not in any sense cause them, nor does He decree all events which He knows will occur.
Creation, Primitive State of Man, and His Fall
Section I: Creation
1. Of the World. God created the world, and all things that it contains, for His own pleasure and glory and the enjoyment of His creatures.
2. Of the Angels. The angels were created by God to glorify Him and obey His commandments. Those who have kept their first estate He employs in ministering blessings to the heirs of salvation and in executing His judgments upon the world.
3. Of Man. God created man, consisting of a material body and a thinking, rational soul. He was made in the image of God, to glorify his Maker.
Section II: Primitive Man, and His Fall
Our first parents, in their original state, were upright. They naturally preferred and desired to obey their Creator, and had no preference or desire to transgress His will until they were influenced and inclined by the tempter to disobey God's commands. Previous to this, the only tendency of their nature was to do righteousness. In consequence of the first transgression, the state under which the posterity of Adam came into the world is so different from that of Adam that they haven't that righteousness and purity which Adam had before the fall; they are not willing to obey God, but are inclined to evil. Hence, none, by virtue of any natural goodness and mere work of their own,can become the children of God, but they are still dependent for salvation upon the redemption effected through the blood of Christ, and upon being created anew unto obedience through the operation of the Spirit, both of which are freely provided for every descendant of Adam.
Of Christ
His Divinity
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, possesses all divine perfections. As He and the Father are one, He in His divine nature, filled all the offices and performed the works of God to His creatures that have been the subjects of revelation to us. As man, He performed all the duties toward God that we are required to perform, repentance of sin excepted.
His divinity is proved from His titles, His attributes, and His works.
1. His Titles. The Bible ascribes to Christ the titles of Saviour, Jehovah, LORD of hosts, the first and the last, God, true God, great God, God over all, mighty God, and the everlasting Father.
2. His Attributes. He is eternal,unchangeable, omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, holy, and to be worshiped.
3. His Works. By Christ the world was created. He preserves and governs it. He has provided redemption for all men and He will be their final Judge.
The Incarnation of Christ
The Word, which in the beginning was with God and which was God, by whom all things were made,condescended to a state of humiliation in being united with human nature and becoming like us, pollution and sin excepted. In this state, as a subject of the law, He was liable to the infirmities of our nature, was tempted as we are, but lived our example, perfect obedience to the divine requirements. As Christ was made of the seed of David, according to the flesh, He is 'the Son of man,' and as the divine existence is the fountain from which He proceeded, and was the only agency by which He was begotten, He is ' the Son of God,' being the only begotten of the Father, and the only incarnation of the Divine Being.
The Atonement and Mediation of Christ
1. The Atonement. As sin cannot be pardoned without a sacrifice, and the blood of beasts could never wash away sin, Christ gave Himself a sacrifice for the sins of the world, and thus made salvation possible for all men. He died for us, suffering in our stead, to make known the righteousness of God, that He might be just in justifying sinners who believe in His Son. Through the redemption effected by Christ, salvation is actually enjoyed in this world, and will be enjoyed in the next by all who do not in the life refuse obedience to the known requirements of God. The atonement for sin was necessary. For present and future obedience can no more blot out our past sins than past obedience can remove the guilt of present and future sins. If God pardoned the sins of men without satisfaction for the violation of His law, it would follow that transgression might go on with impunity; government would be abrogated, and the obligation of obedience to God would be, in effect, removed.
2. Mediation of Christ. Our Lord not only died for our sins, but He arose for our justification, and ascended up to heaven, where as the only mediator between God and man, He makes intercession for us until He comes again.
3. 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 by the fall of the first Adam,and not that ant one 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.
The Holy Spirit
1. The Scriptures ascribe to the Holy Spirit the acts and attributes of an intelligent being. He guides, knows, moves, gives information, commands, forbids sends forth, reproves, and can be sinned against.
2. The attributes of God are ascribed to the Holy Spirit.
3. The works of God are ascribed to the Holy Spirit: creation, inspiration, giving of life, and sanctification.
4. The apostles assert that the Holy Spirit is Lord and God.
From the foregoing, the conclusion is that the Holy Spirit is in reality God and one with the Father in all divine perfections. It has also been shown that Jesus Christ is God -- one with the Father. Then these three -- the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -- are one God.
The truth of this doctrines also proved from the fact that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are united in the authority by which believers are baptized; and in the benedictions pronounced by the apostles, which are acts of the highest religious worship.
The Gospel Call
The call of the Gospel is co-extensive with the atonement to all men, both by the word and strivings of the Spirit, so that salvation is rendered equally possible to all; and if any fail of eternal life,the fault is wholly his own.
Repentance
The repentance which the Gospel requires includes a deep conviction, a penitential sorrow, an open confession, a decided hatred, and an entire forsaking of all sin. This repentance God has enjoined on all men; and without it in this life the sinner must perish eternally.
Faith
Saving faith is an assent of the mind to the fundamental truths of revelation, an acceptance of the Gospel, through the influence of the Holy Spirit, and a film confidence and trust in Christ. The fruit of faith is obedience to the Gospel. The power to believe is the gift of God, but believing is an act of the creature, which is required as a condition of pardon, and without which the sinner cannot obtain salvation. All men are required to believe in Christ, and those who yield obedience to this requirement become the children of God by faith.
Regeneration
As man is a fallen and sinful being, he must be regenerated in order to obtain salvation. This change is an instantaneous renewal of the heart by the Holy Spirit, whereby the penitent sinner receives new life, becomes a child of God, and is disposed to serve Him. This is called in Scripture being born again , born of the Spirit, being quickened, passing from death unto life, and a partaking of the divine nature.
Justification and Sanctification
1. Justification. Personal justification implies that the person justified has been gaily before God; and, in consideration of the atonement of Christ, accepted by faith, the sinner is pardoned and absolved from the guilt of sin, and restored Io the divine favor. Christ's atonement is the foundation of the sinner's redemption, yet, without repentance and faith, it can never give him justification and peace with God.
2. Sanctification is the continuing of God's grace by which the Christian may constantly grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Lord's Day
This is one day in seven, which from the creation of the world God has set apart for sacred rest and holy service. Under the former dispensation, the seventh day of the week, as commemorative of the work of creation, was set apart for the Lord's Day, Under the Gospel, the first day of the week, in commemoration of the resurrection of Christ, and by authority of Christ and the apostles, is observed as the Christian Sabbath. On this day all men are required to refrain from secular labor and devote themselves to the worship and service of God.
The Church
A Christian Church is an organized body of believers in Christ who statedly assemble to worship God, and who sustain the ordinances of the Gospel according to the Scriptures. Believers in Christ are admitted to this church on giving evidence of faith in Christ, obtaining consent of the body, being baptized, and receiving the right hand of fellowship. The Church of God, or members of the body of Christ, is the whole body of Christians throughout the whole world, and none but the regenerate are its members.
Tithing
Both the Old and New Scriptures teach tithing as God's financial plan for the support of His work.
Ordinances of the Gospel
1. Christian Baptism. This is the immersion of believers in water, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, in which are represented the burial and resurrection of Christ, the death of Christians to the world, the washing of their souls from the pollution of sin, their rising to newness of life, their engagement to serve God, and their resurrection at the last day.
2. The Lord's Supper. This is a commemoration of the death of Christ for our sins in the use of bread which He made the emblem of His broken body, and the cup, the emblem of His shed blood, and by it the believer expresses his love for Christ, his faith and hope in Him, and pledges to Him perpetual Fidelity. It is the privilege and duty of all who have spiritual union with Christ to commemorate His death, and no man has a right to forbid these tokens to the least of His disciples.
Second Coming of Christ
The Lord Jesus, who ascended on high and sits at the right hand of God, will come again to close the Gospel dispensation, glorify His saints, and judge the world.
The Resurrection
The Scriptures teach the resurrection of the bodies of all men, each in its own order; they that have done good will come forth to the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil to the resurrection of damnation.
Salvation
God's Plan of Salvation
The Bible says there is only one way to Heaven
Jesus said: " I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me," (John 14:6)
Good works cannot save you.
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Trust Jesus Christ today! Here's what you must do:
1. Admit you are a sinner.
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" (Romans 3:23)
"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world,, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" (Romans 5:12)
"If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." ( 1 John 1:10)
2. Be willing to turn from sin (repent).
Jesus said: "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish," (Luke 13:5)
"And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:" (Acts 17:30)
3. Believe that Jesus Christ died for you, was buried , and rose from the dead.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners. Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." (Romans 10:9)
4. Through prayer, invite Jesus into your life to become your personal Savior.
" For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:10)
"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13)
What to pray:
Dear god, I am a sinner and need forgiveness. I believe that Jesus Christ shed His precious blood and died for my sin. I am willing to turn from sin. I now invite Christ to come into my heart and life as my personal Savior.
"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:" (John 1:12)
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)
If you have received Jesus Christ as your Saviour, as a Christian you should:
1. Read your Bible every day to get to know Christ better.
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." ( 2Timothy 2:15)
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." (Psalms 119:105)
2. Talk to God in prayer every day.
" And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." (Matthew 21:22)
"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." ( Philippians 4:6)
3. Be baptized, worship, fellowship, and serve with other Christians in a church where Christ is preached and the Bible is the final authority.
" Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:" (Matthew 28:19)
"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." (Hebrews 10:25)
" All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is progitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" (2 Timothy 3:16)
4. Tell others about Christ.
" And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." (Mark 16:15)
" For though I preach the gospel, I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!" (1 Corinthians 9:16)
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth: to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." (Romans 1:16)
