What We Believe
The Palm Beach Baptist Church statement of faith summarizes our beliefs as a church. Anyone familiar with historic Christian doctrine will find that these statements fall in the center of evangelical theology (“evangelical�? means theology derived from the evangel, or the Gospel; in other words, it’s biblical theology rather than speculative theology or theology rooted in tradition). We want our core beliefs to be centered in Christ and His message as found in and supported by the clearest passages of Scripture. More obscure doctrine or teachings with less support are left to individuals to reflect upon—we take no official position in these areas.
- The Scriptures
- We believe that the Holy Bible as originally written was verbally inspired and the product of Spirit-controlled men, and therefore has truth without any admixture of error for its matter. We believe the Bible to be the true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions, shall be tried (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21).
- The True God
- We believe there is one, and only one, living and true Ruler of Heaven and Earth; inexpressively glorious in love; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption (Exodus 20:2-3; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Revelation 4:11; 1 John 5:7).
- The Holy Spirit
- 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; that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the believer (John 14:16-17; 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 1:13-14; Mark 1:8; John 1:33; Acts 11:16; Luke 24:49; Romans 8:14; Romans 8:16; Romans 8:26-27).
We believe that, in this age, certain well-defined ministries are committed to the Holy Spirit, and that it is the duty of every Christian to understand them and to be adjusted to them in his own life and experience. These ministries are the restraining of evil in the world to the measure of the divine will; the convicting of the world respecting sin, righteousness, and judgment; the regenerating of all believers; the indwelling and anointing of all who are saved, thereby sealing them unto the day of redemption; the baptizing into the one body of Christ of all who are saved; and the continued filling for power, teaching, and service of those among the saved who are yielded to Him and who are subject to His will (John 3:6; 16:7-11; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 4:30; 5:18; 2 Thessalonians 2:7; 1 John 2:20-27).
We believe that some gifts of the Holy Spirit such as speaking in tongues and miraculous healings were temporary. We believe that speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of the baptism nor of the filling of the Spirit, and that the deliverance of the body from sickness or death awaits the consummation of our salvation in the resurrection (Acts 4:8, 31; Romans 8:23; 1 Corinthians 13:8). - The Devil, or Satan
- We believe in the personality of Satan, that he is the unholy god of this age, and the author of all the powers of darkness, and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire (Matthew 4:1-3; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:10).
- The Creation
- We accept the Genesis account of creation and believe that man came by direct creation of God and not by evolution (Genesis 1 & 2; Colossians 1:16-17; John 1:3).
- The Fall of Man
- We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy state in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners; not only by constraint, but of choice, and therefore under just condemnation without defense or excuse (Genesis 1:27; Genesis 1:31; Genesis 3:6-24: Romans 5:12; Romans 3:19).
- The Virgin Birth
- We believe that Jesus was begotten of the Holy Spirit in a miraculous manner, born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever 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; Luke 1:35; John 1:14).
- The Atonement for Sin
- We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace; through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God, who by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin, honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and by His death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins; that His atonement consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was a voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place, the Just dying for the unjust; Christ, the Lord, bearing our sins in His own body on the tree; that having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in Heaven, and uniting His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection, He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate, and all-sufficient Savior (Ephesians 2:8; Acts 5:11; Romans 3:24; John 3:16; Matthew 18:11; Philippians 2:7; Hebrews 2:14; Isaiah 53:4-7; Romans 3:25; 1 John 4:10; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
- Grace in the New Creation
- We believe 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 is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension, solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel; that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life (John 3:3; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 John 5:1; John 3:6-7; Acts 16:30-33; 2 Peter 1:4; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1; 2 Corinthians 5:19; Colossians 2:13; John 3:8).
- Justification
- We believe that the great gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is justification:
- That justification includes the pardon of sin, and the gift of eternal life on principles of 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. His righteousness is imputed to us (Acts 13:39; Isaiah 53:11; Zechariah 13:1; Romans 8:1; Romans 5:9; Romans 5:1).
- Faith and Salvation
- We believe that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation (Acts 16:31).
- The Local Church
- We believe that a local church is a congregation of immersed believers, associated by covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word; that its officers are Pastors, and Deacons whose qualifications, claims, and duties, are clearly defined in the Scriptures; we believe the true mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as we have opportunity.
We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government, free from interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that the one and only superintendent is Christ, through the Holy Spirit; that is Scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel; that each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation; on all matters of membership, of policy, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final (Acts 2:41-42; 1 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 4:11; Acts 20-17-28; 1 Timothy 3:17; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 5:23-24; Acts 15:13-28). - Baptism and the Lord’s Supper
- We believe that Christian Baptism is the immersion of a believer in water to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that it is prerequisite to the privileges of a church relation. We believe that the Lord’s Supper is the commemoration of His death until He come, and should be preceded always by solemn self-examination (Acts 8:36-39; John 3:23; Romans 6:3-5; Matthew 3:16; Colossians 2:12; 1 Corinthians 11:23-28).
- The Security of the Saints
- We believe that all who are truly born again are kept by God the Father for Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6; John 10:28-29; Romans 8:35-39; Jude 1).
- The Righteous and the Wicked
- We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that such only as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and sanctified by the Spirit of our God, are truly righteous in His esteem; while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked, and under the curse; and this distinction holds among men both in and after death, in the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost (Malachi 3:18; Genesis 18:23; Romans 6:17-18; 1 John 5:19; Romans 7:6; Romans 6:23; Romans 1:17; Proverbs 14:32).
- Civil Government
- We believe that civil government is of divine appointment, for the interests and good order of human society; that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored, and obeyed; except in things opposed to the Will of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the only Lord of conscience, and the coming Prince of the Kings of the Earth (Romans 13:17; 2 Samuel 23:3; Exodus 18:21-22; Acts 23:5; Matthew 22:21; Acts 5:20; Acts 4:19-20; Daniel 3:17-18).
- The Resurrection, Return of Christ, and Related Events
- We believe in the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:6-7; Luke 24:39; John 20:27; 1 Corinthians 15:4; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:2-6).
- We believe in the Ascension of Jesus Christ (Acts 1:9-11; Luke 24:51; Mark 16:19; Revelation 3:21; Hebrews 12:2).
- We believe in the High Priesthood of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 8:6; 1 Timothy 2:5; 1 John 2:1; Hebrews 2:17; Hebrews 5:9-10).
- We believe in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ (John 14:3; Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; James 5:8; Hebrews 9:28).
- We believe in the Resurrection of the Righteous Dead (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:42-44; 1 Corinthians 15:52).
- The Change of the Living in Christ (1 Corinthians 15:51-53; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Philippians 3:20-21).
- We believe in the Throne of David (Luke 1:32; Isaiah 9:6-7; Acts 2:29-30).
- We believe in the Millennial Reign (1 Corinthians 15:25; Isaiah 32:1; Psalm 72:8; Revelation 20:6, 14).
