What we believe
Creation
Section I.
We believe the Genesis account of creation, and that it is to be accepted literally as the absolute account of the direct, immediate creative act of Almighty God without any form of evolutionary process; that it is to be interpreted literally as taking place in six literal twenty-four hour days;
that man was directly created in the “image” and “likeness” of God, and not from previously existing forms of life; and that all men are descended from this historical Adam and Eve, the first parents of the entire human race. (Genesis 1 & 2; Exodus 20:11; Acts 7:24; Colossians 1:16, 17; Hebrews 11:3; John 1:3; Revelation 10:6)
The Fall of Man
Section II.
We believe that man was originally created in the image and after the likeness of God; that through uncoerced disobedience Adam fell from his original state, became depraved in nature, was separated from God, and came under condemnation and the sentence of death;
that, because of the unity of the human race and the natural headship of Adam, all men (Jesus Christ the only exception) are born with sin natures and have come under the same consequences of sin. (Genesis 1-3; Romans 1:18, 5:10-21, 6:23; I Corinthians 15:45-50)
The Holy Scriptures
Section III.
We believe the Holy Scriptures to be the verbal plenary inspired Word of God, authoritative, and without error in the original manuscripts. We further believe that the Scriptures committed by God, have been supernaturally and faithfully preserved to this present generation, and remains the authoritative Word of God without error. We further believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are designed for our practical instruction in faith and conduct. (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:21)
The Godhead
Section IV.
We believe that the Godhead eternally exists in three persons; The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit; and that these three are one God. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Genesis 1:26; Matthew 28:19-20)
God the father
Section V.
We believe God the Father is the First Person of the Trinity. With one exception, Jesus always spoke of God as the Father (John 17:3). The Scriptures identify the fatherhood of God in the following areas: He is the Father of Creation (James 1:17); The Father of Israel (Jeremiah 31:9); The Unique Father of Jesus Christ (Matthew 3:17); A protective Father emphasizing His defense of the poor and oppressed (Psalm 65:8); and a Redemptive Father when one becomes a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ. (John 1:13; Romans 8:15)
The Person and Work of the Lord Jesus Christ
Section VI.
We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Spirit in a miraculous manner, born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man has ever been born or can ever be born of woman, and that He is both the Son of God and God the Son. (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; John 1:14; Hebrews 1:8)
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, came into the world that He might manifest God to men, fulfill prophecy, and become the Redeemer of a lost world. To this end, he was born of the virgin Mary, received a human body and sinless human nature without ceasing to be God. (Luke 1:30-35; John 1:1, 14, 18; Hebrews 4:15; Philippians 2:5-11)
We believe that, in infinite love for the lost, He voluntarily accepted His Father’s will and became the divinely provided sacrificial Lamb and took away the sins of the world. (Romans 3:25-35; II Corinthians 5:14; Hebrews 10:5-14)
We believe that He arose from the dead in the same body though glorified, in which He had lived and died, and that His resurrected body is the pattern of the body which ultimately will be given to all believers. (John 20:20; Philippians 3:20-21)
We believe that, on departing from the earth, He was accepted by His Father and that the Father’s acceptance is a final assurance to us that Christ’s redeeming work was perfectly accomplished. (Hebrews 1:3)
We believe that He became Head over all things to the church, which is His body, and in this ministry He does not cease to intercede and to be an advocate for the saved. (Luke 1:35; I Corinthians 15:1-3; Ephesians 1:23; Philippians 2:6-8; I Timothy 2:5; I John 2:1-2)
We believe in the bodily resurrection of Christ and in His ascension into Heaven, where He now sits at the right hand of the Father as our High Priest, interceding for us. (Matthew 28:6-7; Luke 24:39, John 20:27; I Corinthians15:4; Matthew 16:6; Acts 1:9-11; Revelation 3:21; Hebrews 8:6, 10:12, 12:2, 7:25; I Timothy 2:5; I John 2:1; Hebrews 2:17, 5:9,10)
The Holy Spirit
Section VII.
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, equal with God the Father and God the Son, and of the same nature; that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled;
that He convicts of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; that He bears witness to the truth of the gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the new birth through His calling and regenerating; that He baptizes, indwells, seals, endues, guides, teaches, sanctifies, fills and gives gifts to the believers. The temporary gifts (e.g. tongues, healings, etc.) were “sign-gifts” until the Scriptures were completed. (John 14:15, 17; Matthew 28:19; Hebrews 9:14; John 14:26; Luke 1:35; Genesis 1:1-3; John 16:8-11; Acts 5:30-32; John 3:5,6; Ephesians 1:13; Mark 1:8; Acts 11:26; Luke 24:49; Romans 8:14, 16, 26, 27, 15:19; Ephesians 4:30; Hebrews 2:4; I Corinthians 13:8)
Angels and satan
Section VIII.
We believe that God, in one act of creation, created an innumerable company of sinless spirit beings known as angels; that many of these continued in their holy state and are the ministers of God; that Lucifer (now known as Satan or the Devil) and many others rebelled against God; that these fallen angels, though defeated at the cross of Christ, still continue to oppose God and His work; that they will ultimately be judged by God and cast into the lake of fire. (Isaiah 14:12-15; Matthew 18:10; Hebrews 1:14, 12:22; II Peter 2:4; Jude 6; Revelation 20:10)
Salvation
Section IX.
Grace in the New Creation
We believe that salvation is by grace through faith alone; that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth, the one dead in trespasses and in sins receives eternal life and the divine nature, the free gift of God, in a manner beyond our comprehension, solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with the truth of the Word of God, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel; that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance, faith and newness of life. (John 3:3; II Corinthians 5:17; I John 5:1; John 3:6, 7; Acts 16:30-33; II Peter 1:4; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1, 5; Colossians 2:13; John 3:8)
Election
We believe that all men are totally depraved, without ability or desire to come to God, and are hopelessly lost, but that God, in sovereign grace and apart from any consideration of foreseen human merit or response, and in perfect consistency with human responsibility chose many before the foundation of the world to be recipients of His grace in Christ.
As the gospel is preached to all the nations, these elect ones are caused to hear it and their hearts are opened by the Holy Spirit, so that they freely and gladly receive Christ as their Savior, thus becoming children of God (Romans 3:10-19; John 6:37, 44, 65, 10:27, 28; Acts 13:48; Romans 8:29, 30, 9:8-24; Ephesians 1:4-6; Acts 16:14; John 1:12-13).
Justification
We believe that justification is the judicial act of God whereby He declares us to be righteous through faith in Christ Jesus; that justification includes the pardon of sin and imputation of Christ’s righteousness; that it is bestowed, not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done; but solely through faith in the Redeemer’s blood. (Acts 13:39; Isaiah 53:11; Zechariah 13:1; II Corinthians 5:18-21; Romans 5:1, 9; 8:1)
Sanctification
We believe that sanctification is the divine setting apart of the believer unto God, accomplished in a three-fold manner. First, an eternal act of God, based upon redemption in Christ, establishing the believer in a position of holiness at the moment he trusts the Savior. Second, a continuing process in the saint, as the Holy Spirit applies the Word of God to the life of the believer. Third, the final accomplishment of the process is when the Lord returns. (Hebrews 10:10-14, 3:1; John 17:17; II Corinthians 3:18; I Corinthians 1:30; Ephesians 5:25-27; I Thessalonians 4:3, 4; 5:23, 24; I John 3:2; Jude 24, 25; Revelation 22:11)
The Security of the Saints
We believe that all who are truly born again are eternally secure in Christ, kept by the power of God the Father, accomplished by the works of Jesus Christ, and sealed by the Holy Spirit, until the day of redemption. (Philippians 1:6; John 3:16; John 6:37; John 10:28-29; Romans 8:35-39; Ephesians 1:13-14; Ephesians 4:30).
The Church
Section X.
The Church which is His Body, made possible by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, is that chosen generation, royal priesthood, holy nation, peculiar people of this age of grace who have been born of the Spirit into the family of God (John 3:1-7; I Peter 1:22-25), baptized by the Spirit into this one Body (Galatians 3:26-27; I Corinthians 12:13), and thus are in vital union with Jesus Christ as members one of another and of Him (Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 4-25, 5:30). It was this Church which was prophetically announced by Christ (Matthew 16-18), decreed eternally in the mind and purpose of God (Ephesians 1:3-14, 3:1-12), and historically manifested during this age of Grace. This Church is pictured in the Scriptures as: the building of God (Ephesians 2:19-22; I Peter 2:1-8), the Body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22, 23, 3:1-12, 4:4, 12, 16; I Corinthians 12:12-27), the espoused Bride of Christ (Revelation 19:7, 8; Ephesians 5:29-32). This Church, not to be confused with or identified with the local church, is in existence during this age of Grace and will be finally consummated at the Rapture (I Thessalonians 4:13-18; I Corinthians 15:51-58). It is sometimes referred to as the Universal or Invisible Church. The Church which is His Body is a blessed fact emphasizing the unity of God’s people in this age. It includes all the redeemed, whether Jews or Gentiles, from Pentecost to the Rapture, whether in Heaven or on earth.
We believe that local churches, such as Dynamic Life Baptist Ministries, gather together for practical instruction in the Scriptures, for fellowship with God and with other believers, and for corporate witness to the unsaved world. Our coming spiritual goal is to grow toward Christ likeness. (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:42-47; Romans 12:5; Ephesians 4:13-16)
Church ordinances
Section XI.
Baptism and The Lord's Supper
We believe that there are two ordinances that Christ has given to the church (without saving merit) baptism and the Lord's Supper. We believe that Christian baptism is the single immersion of a believer in water to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our identification with the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, through whom we died to sin and rose to a new life; that baptism is to be performed under the authority of the local church and that it is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership.
We believe that the Lord's Supper is the commemoration of His death until He comes, and should be preceded always by solemn self-examination. We believe that the Biblical order of the ordinances is baptism first and then the Lord's Supper, and that participants in the Lord's Supper should be immersed believers. (Acts 8:36-39; John 3:23; Matthew 3:16; Romans 6:5-10; I Corinthians 11:23-28; Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:41, 42)
Separation
Section XII.
We believe in obedience to the Biblical commands to separate ourselves unto God from worldliness and ecclesiastical apostasy; that this separation is not only from apostates, but also from “so called” brothers who walk in an un-Godly or disorderly manner. (I Corinthians 5:9-11; II Corinthians 6:14-7:1; I Thessalonians 1:9, 10; I Timothy 6:3-5; Romans 16:17; II John 9-11)
Civil Government
Section XIII.
We believe that civil government was instituted of God and is still His means of maintaining peace and order among men; that believers here on earth are responsible in the area of civil government and should participate in it to promote and preserve good order in human society;
that civil governments and churches (and fellowships of churches) are distinct from each other, must be organizationally separate from each other, and neither must seek to control the other, Magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed, except in those things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the only Lord of the conscience and the coming King of Kings. (Matthew 18:15-17; Romans 13:1-7; Acts 4:19, 20, 5:29; Colossians 3:22-24; I Timothy 2:1, 3; I Peter 2:13, 14)
Israel
Section XIV.
We believe in the sovereign selection of Israel as God's eternal covenant people, separated and distinct from the Church, that she is now dispersed because of her disobedience and rejection of Christ, and that she will be regathered in the Holy Land and, after the completion of the Tribulation, will be saved as a nation at the second advent of Christ. (Genesis 13:14-17; Romans 11:1-32; Ezekiel 37)
The Rapture and the Second Coming of Christ
Section XV.
We believe that a future period of great tribulation on the earth will be climaxed by the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth; as He went in person in the clouds with power and great glory to establish His millennium kingdom. But prior to this tribulation, we believe there will be the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in the air to receive into heaven both His own who are alive and remain until His coming and also, all who have died in Christ Jesus. (I Thessalonians 4:13-17; Zechariah 14:4-11; Revelation 3:10)
Eternity
Section XVI.
We believe that at death the spirit and soul of those who have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation pass immediately into His presence and there remain in conscious bliss until the resurrection of the glorified body when Christ comes for his own, whereupon soul and body reunited shall be associated with Him forever in glory. All those who reject Jesus Christ will eternally be separated from God not to be annihilated, but they will endure His eternal wrath forever. (II Corinthians 5:8; Revelation 20:1-11, 21:1-27)