Mt Shiloh Baptist Church Doctrinal Statement
1. The Holy Scriptures
We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments (66 books) to be the infallible, inherent, verbally and plenarily inspired Word of God. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction, the final authority for faith and life, inerrant in the original writings and God-breathed. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth without any mixture of error for its matter. It is the supreme standard by which all human conduct, doctrine, and matters of faith and practice should be tried. (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Matthew 5:18; John 16:12-13; Exodus 24:4; Deuteronomy 4:1-2; 17:19; Joshua 8:34; Psalms 19:7-10; 119:11,89,105,140; Isaiah 34:16; 40:8; Jeremiah 15:16; 36:1-32; Matthew 22:29; Luke 21:33; 24:44-46; John 5:39; 17:17; Acts 2:16ff.; 17:11; Romans 15:4; 16:25-26; Hebrews 1:1-2; 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 1:19-21.)
2. The Godhead
We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—coeternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one in substance, the same in essence and perfect in every divine attribute, yet varied in office. He is the one and only living and true God, an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being, the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe. God is infinite in holiness and all other perfections. To Him we owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience. (Deuteronomy 6:4; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Genesis 1:1; Isaiah 43:3,15; 64:8; Jeremiah 10:10; 17:13; Matthew 6:9ff.; 7:11; 23:9; 28:19; Mark 1:9-11; John 4:24; 5:26; 14:6-13; 17:1-8; Acts 1:7; Romans 8:14-15; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 4:6; Colossians 1:15; 1 Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 11:6; 12:9; 1 John 5:7.)
A. God the Father
We believe God as Father reigns with providential care over all His creation, His creatures, and the flow of human history according to the purposes of His grace. He is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, all loving, and all wise. God is eternal, infinite, invisible, and immutable. (Genesis 1:1; 2:7; Exodus 3:14; 6:2-3; 15:11ff.; 20:1ff.; Leviticus 22:2; Deuteronomy 6:4; 32:6; 1 Chronicles 29:10; Psalm 19:1-3; Isaiah 43:3,15; 64:8; Jeremiah 10:10; 17:13; Matthew 6:9ff.; 7:11; 23:9; 28:19; Mark 1:9-11; John 4:24; 5:26; 14:6-13; 17:1-8; Acts 1:7; Romans 8:14-15; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 4:6; Colossians 1:15; 1 Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 11:6; 12:9; 1 Peter 1:17; 1 John 5:7.)
B. God the Son
We believe the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God, fully God and fully man, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men. He was sinless, perfectly revealed and did the will of God, taking upon Himself human nature yet without sin. He died on the cross for all mankind as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice, and the sufficiency of this atoning sacrifice to accomplish redemption and justification is assured by His literal, physical, bodily resurrection from the dead. He ascended to heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God, whereas our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate. He is the head of the Church, His body. He will return in power and glory to judge the world and consummate His Kingly mission and kingdom. (John 1:1-2,14; Luke 1:35; Romans 3:24-25; 4:25; 8:34; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Timothy 4:10; Hebrews 2:9; 1 Peter 1:3-5; 2:24; 2 Peter 2:1; Acts 1:9-10; Hebrews 9:24; 7:25; Genesis 18:1ff.; Psalms 2:7ff.; 110:1ff.; Isaiah 7:14; 53; Matthew 1:18-23; 3:17; 8:29; 11:27; 14:33; 16:16,27; 17:5; 27; 28:1-6,19; Mark 1:1; 3:11; Luke 1:35; 4:41; 22:70; 24:46; John 10:30,38; 11:25-27; 12:44-50; 14:7-11; 16:15-16,28; 17:1-5,21-22; 20:1-20,28; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2:2; 8:6; 15:1-8,24-28; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21; 8:9; Galatians 4:4-5; Ephesians 1:20; 3:11; 4:7-10; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:13-27; 2:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 3:16; Titus 2:13-14; Hebrews 1:1-3; 1 John 1:7-9; 2:1-2; 3:2; 4:14-15; 5:9; 2 John 7-9; Revelation 1:13-16; 5:9-14; 12:10-11; 13:8; 19:16; 20:1-6.)
C. God the Holy Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit is a person of the Godhead who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and that He is the supernatural agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption. He exalts Christ, calls men to the Savior, cultivates Christian character, comforts believers, teaches believers truth, and bestows spiritual gifts by which they serve God through His Church. His presence assures bringing the believer into the fullness of the stature of Christ. It is the privilege and duty of all believers to walk in and be filled with the Spirit in daily life. He strengthens believers for evangelism, and service. (Genesis 1:2; Judges 14:6; Job 26:13; Psalms 51:11; 139:7ff.; Isaiah 61:1-3; Joel 2:28-32; Matthew 1:18; 3:16; 4:1; 12:28-32; 28:19; Mark 1:10,12; Luke 1:35; 4:1,18-19; 11:13; 12:12; 24:49; John 4:24; 14:16-17,26; 15:26; 16:7-14; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4,38; 4:31; 5:3; 6:3; 7:55; 8:17,39; 10:44; 13:2; 15:28; 16:6; 19:1-6; Romans 8:9-11,14-16,26-27; 1 Corinthians 2:10-14; 3:16; 12:3-11,13; Galatians 4:6; 5:16-17; Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30; 5:17-21; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; 1 Timothy 3:16; 4:1; 2 Timothy 1:14; 3:16; Hebrews 9:8,14; 2 Peter 1:21; 1 John 2:20-27; 4:13; 5:6-7; Revelation 1:10; 22:17.)
3. Man
We believe man was created in the image and likeness of God. He created them male and female as the crowning work of His creation. The gift of only two genders is thus part of the goodness of God's creation. Man was innocent of sin and endowed with freedom of choice but by Adam’s sin the race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God. Through the temptation of Satan, man transgressed God’s command and fell from original innocence, whereby man is totally depraved and utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. Only the grace of God can bring man into a full and holy relationship with Himself. (Genesis 1:26-30; 2:5,7,18-22; 3; 9:6; Psalms 1; 8:3-6; 32:1-5; 51:5; Isaiah 6:5; Jeremiah 17:5; Matthew 16:26; Acts 17:26-31; Romans 1:19-32; 3:10-18,23; 5:6,12,19; 6:6; 7:14-25; 8:14-18,29; 1 Corinthians 1:21-31; 15:19,21-22; Ephesians 2:1-22; Colossians 1:21-22; 3:9-11.)
4. Salvation
We believe salvation has been provided by the substitutionary death and the shed blood of Jesus Christ for all sinners, is given to man by grace, and is received by personal faith in Jesus Christ (Isaiah 53:4-12; John 1:12; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-10; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 2:24). All the redeemed are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever (John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Romans 8:1, 38-39; 1 Corinthians 1:4-8; 1 Peter 1:4-5). Salvation includes justification (Romans 4:1-5, 25;5:1, 18-19), forgiveness of sin (Acts 10:43; Ephesians 1:7; 4:32; Colossians 1:14; 2:13; 1 John 2:12), adoption (Romans 8:15; Gal. 4:5; Ephesians 1:5), sanctification (1 Corinthians 1:2, 30; 6:11; Hebrews 10:10, 14), and glorification (Romans 8:30; 1 Corinthians 15:43; Philippians 3:20; Colossians 3:4).
We believe sanctification has three aspects. First, in positional sanctification the believer is given a perfect standing before God (Acts 26:18; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 6:11; Hebrews 10:10, 14). Second, in present sanctification the believer is cleansed of the daily defilement of sin and is in the process of being brought into conformity to the image of Christ (John 13:10; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:23). Third, in final sanctification the believer will be fully conformed to the image of Christ, and sin will be eliminated forever from his experience (Philippians 3:21; 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13; Hebrews 9:28; 1 John 3:2; Jude 24). We believe that every saved person possesses two natures, with provision made for victory of the new nature over the old nature through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit; and that all claims to the eradication of the old nature in this life are unscriptural.
We believe election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates (Titus 3:4-7), sanctifies, and glorifies sinners. It is consistent with man's free agency and comprehends all means in connection with the end. It is a glorious display of God’s sovereign goodness—infinitely wise, holy, and unchangeable—excluding boasting and promoting humility. Believers may fall into sin through neglect and temptation, grieving the Holy Spirit, impairing graces and comforts, and bringing reproach and temporal judgments, yet they shall be kept by God’s power through faith unto salvation. It is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through God’s Word, which forbids using Christian liberty as an occasion for the flesh. (Romans 13:13-14; Titus 2:11-15; Genesis 12:1-3; Exodus 19:5-8; 1 Samuel 8:4-7,19-22; Isaiah 5:1-7; Jeremiah 31:31ff.; Matthew 16:18-19; 21:28-45; 24:22,31; 25:34; Luke 1:68-79; 2:29-32; 19:41-44; 24:44-48; John 3:16; 5:24; 6:44-45, 65; 10:27-29; 15:16; 17:6,12,17-18; Acts 20:32; Romans 5:9-10; 8:28-39; 10:12-15; 11:5-7,26-36; 1 Corinthians 15:24-28; Colossians 1:12-14; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14; 2 Timothy 1:12; 2:10,19; Hebrews 11:39–12:2; 1 Peter 1:2-5,13; 2:4-10; 1 John 1:7-9; 2:19; Romans 6:13; 8:12-13; Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:10; 1 Peter 1:14-16; 1 John 3:5-9.)
5. Separation
We believe all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior Jesus Christ or His body the Church. Separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices, and associations is commanded by God. We believe that sexual intimacy is a wonderful gift of God that is only to be expressed between one man and one woman (as genetically defined), within the love and bonds of marriage. Therefore, we believe that any other form of sexual intimacy is both immoral and a perversion of God’s gift. (Genesis 2:24-25; Leviticus 18:1-30; Proverbs 6:32; Matthew 19:4-6; Romans 1:26-27; 12:1-2; 14:13; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8; 2 Timothy 3:1-5; Hebrews 13:4; 1 John 2:15-17; 2 John 9-11)
6. The Church
We believe the Church, which is the body and espoused bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all born-again persons of this present age. The establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures. We believe in the autonomy of the local church, free of any external authority or control. A New Testament church is a local body of baptized believers associated by covenant in faith and fellowship of the gospel, observing the ordinances, committed to Christ's teachings, exercising gifts and privileges, and seeking to extend the gospel. It operates through the leadership of the two biblical offices of pastor/elder and deacon. The church functions by democratic processes under Christ's Lordship, with members equally responsible. (Matthew 16:15-19; 18:15-20; 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-47; 5:11-14; 6:3-6; 13:1-3; 14:23,27; 15:1-30; 16:5; 18:8; Romans 16:1-4; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 3:16; 5:4-5; 7:17; 9:13-14; 11:23-26; 12; Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:19-22; 3:8-11,21; 5:22-32; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:18; 1 Timothy 3:1-15; 4:14; Titus 1:5-11; 1 Peter 5:1-4.)
A. Baptism and the Lord's Supper
Christian baptism is the single immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer’s faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior, the believer’s death to sin, burial of the old life, and resurrection to newness of life. It is a testimony to faith in the final resurrection and prerequisite to church membership.
The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act whereby believers partake of bread and fruit of the vine to memorialize Christ’s death and anticipate His second coming. (Matthew 3:13-17; 26:26-30; 28:19-20; Mark 1:9-11; 14:22-26; Luke 3:21-22; 22:19-20; John 3:23; Acts 2:41-42; 8:35-39; 16:30-33; 20:7; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 10:16,21; 11:23-29; Colossians 2:12.)
B. Stewardship
God is the source of all blessings; all we have and are we owe to Him. Christians are obligated to glorify God with time, talents, and possessions in order to bless others. Christians should contribute cheerfully, regularly, systematically, proportionately, and liberally for advancing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The local church is God’s primary institution for Christian giving. (Genesis 14:20; Leviticus 27:30-32; Deuteronomy 8:18; Malachi 3:8-12; Matthew 6:1-4,19-21; 19:21; 23:23; 25:14-29; Luke 12:16-21,42; 16:1-13; Acts 2:44-47; 5:1-11; 17:24-25; 20:35; Romans 6:6-22; 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 4:1-2; 6:19-20; 12; 16:1-4; 2 Corinthians 8-9; 12:15; Philippians 4:10-19; 1 Peter 1:18-19.)
C. The Ministry and Spiritual Gifts
We believe God is sovereign in the bestowment of all His gifts; and that the gifts of evangelists, pastors, and teachers are sufficient for the perfecting of the saints today; and that speaking in tongues and the working of sign miracles gradually ceased for the Church Age as the New Testament Scriptures were completed and their authority became established. The biblical offices of pastor/elder and deacon in the church, or their equivalents, are restricted to biblically qualified men. God hears and answers the prayer of faith, in accord with His will, for the sick and afflicted. (1 Corinthians 12:4-11; 2 Corinthians 12:12; Ephesians 4:7-12; 1 Timothy 2:12; 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9; John 15:7; 1 John 5:14-15.)
D. Evangelism and Missions
We believe it is the obligation of the Church to witness by life and word to the truths of the Holy Scriptures and to proclaim the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ which is the Gospel provided for all mankind. It is the duty and privilege of every follower of Christ and every church to endeavor to make disciples of all nations. Every child of God should seek to win the lost by personal effort and methods in harmony with the Gospel. (Matthew 9:37-38; 10:5-15; 13:18-30, 37-43; 16:19; 22:9-10; 24:14; 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 10:1-18; 24:46-53; John 14:11-12; 15:7-8,16; 17:15; 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2; 8:26-40; 10:42-48; 13:2-3; Romans 10:13-15; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; 2 Corinthians 5:19-20; Ephesians 3:1-11; 1 Thessalonians 1:8; 2 Timothy 4:5; Hebrews 2:1-3; 11:39-12:2; 1 Peter 2:4-10; Revelation 22:17.)
E. The Lord's Day
The first day of the week is the Lord’s Day, a Christian tradition for regular observance. It commemorates Christ’s resurrection and should be employed in worship and spiritual devotion, both public and private. (Matthew 12:1-12; 28:1; John 4:21-24; 20:1,19-28; Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2; Colossians 2:16; 3:16; Revelation 1:10.)
7. The Family
God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. It is composed of persons related to one another by marriage, blood, or adoption. Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman (genetically defined) in covenant commitment for a lifetime. It is God's unique gift to reveal the union between Christ and His church and to provide for the man and the woman in marriage the framework for intimate companionship, the channel of sexual expression according to biblical standards, and the means for procreation of the human race.
The husband and wife are of equal worth before God, since both are created in God's image. The marriage relationship models the way God relates to His people. A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. He is the he head of the home and has the God-given responsibility to provide for, to protect, and to lead his family. A wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ. She, being in the image of God as is her husband and thus equal to him, has the God-given responsibility to respect her husband and to serve as his helper in managing the household and nurturing the next generation.
Children, from the moment of conception, are living human beings, a blessing and heritage from the Lord. We believe parents are solely accountable for the education of their children. This God given responsibility stands above any educational or religious institution. Parents are to teach their children spiritual and moral values. Parents are to lead them by a consistent lifestyle example and teach them to make choices based on biblical truth. Children are to honor and obey their parents. Parents should lovingly discipline their children. (Genesis 1:26-28; 2:15-25; 3:1-20; Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Joshua 24:15; 1 Samuel 1:26-28; Psalms 51:5; 78:1-8; 127; 128; 139:13-16; Proverbs 1:8; 5:15-20; 6:20-22; 12:4; 13:24; 14:1; 17:6; 18:22; 22:6,15; 23:13-14; 24:3; 29:15,17; 31:10-31; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; 9:9; Malachi 2:14-16; Matthew 5:31-32; 18:2-5; 19:3-9; Mark 10:6-12; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 7:1-16; Ephesians 5:21-33; 6:1-4; Colossians 3:18-21; 1 Timothy 5:8,14; 2 Timothy 1:3-5; Titus 2:3-5; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Peter 3:1-7; 1 Timothy 1:3-7; 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:14-17; Hebrews 5:12-6:3; James 1:5; 3:17)
8. Cooperation
Fellowships, Associations and Organizations have no authority over churches but are voluntary and advisory, designed to elicit, combine, and direct energies effectively. Churches should cooperate in missionary, educational, and benevolent ministries. Cooperation with associations is desirable when justified and without compromising loyalty to Christ and Scripture. (Exodus 17:12; 18:17ff.; Judges 7:21; Ezra 1:3-4; 2:68-69; 5:14-15; Nehemiah 4; 8:1-5; Matthew 10:5-15; 20:1-16; 22:1-10; 28:19-20; Mark 2:3; Luke 10:1ff.; Acts 1:13-14; 2:1ff.; 4:31-37; 13:2-3; 15:1-35; 1 Corinthians 1:10-17; 3:5-15; 12; 2 Corinthians 8-9; Galatians 1:6-10; Ephesians 4:1-16; Philippians 1:15-18.)
9. Religious Liberty
God alone is Lord of the conscience. Church and state should be separate; the state owes protection and full freedom to churches. No denomination should be favored. Civil government, ordained of God, deserves loyal obedience in matters not contrary to God’s Word. The church should not use civil power because the Gospel uses spiritual means. The state has no right to penalize religious opinions or impose taxes for religion. A free church in a free state is the ideal, implying free access to God and right to form and propagate religious opinions without interference. (Genesis 1:27; 2:7; Matthew 6:6-7,24; 16:18, 26; 22:21; John 8:36; Acts 4:19-20; Romans 6:1-2; 13:1-7; Galatians 5:1,13; Philippians 3:20; 1 Timothy 2:1-2; James 4:12; 1 Peter 2:12-17; 3:11-17; 4:12-19.)
10. Hermeneutics
We believe the Scriptures be read and interpreted in their natural, contextual, literal, grammatical, and historical sense. This hermeneutic best understands the Biblical covenants: Noahic, Abrahamic, Priestly, Land, Davidic, and the New Covenant, in their original context and their current or future fulfillment for Israel. The Bible reveals divinely determined dispensations or rules of life which define man’s responsibilities in successive ages. These dispensations are not ways of salvation, but divinely ordered stewardships by which God directs man according to His purpose. Some of these—the ages before The Law, the age of The Law, the age of the Church, and the age of the Millennial Kingdom—are the subjects of detailed revelation in Scripture. (Genesis 1-11; 12:1-3; 15:1-6; Numbers 25:11-13; Ezekiel 36-39; 44:15; Deuteronomy 30:1-9; 2 Samuel 7; Isaiah 4:1-1-6; 11:1-16; Jeremiah 30:1-24; 31:23-40; John 1:17; 1 Corinthians 9:17; 2 Corinthians 3:9-18; Galatians 3:13-25; Ephesians 1:7-10; 3:1-7; Colossians 1:24-25; Hebrews 1:1-4; 7:19; 8; Revelation 20:2-6.)
11. The Personality of Satan
We believe Satan is a uniquely created spiritual being. He has personhood with a will and intellect. He is the author of sin and the cause of the fall. He is openly active today and the declared enemy of God and man; and that he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire. (Job 1:6-7; Isaiah 14:12-17; Matthew 4:2-11; 25:41; 2 Corinthians 4:3-4; Ephesians 6:10-20; 1 Peter 5:8; Revelation 20:10.)
12. Last Things
We believe in the "Blessed Hope," the personal, imminent, pre-tribulational and premillennial coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His bride, the Church. We believe in the literal bodily return of Jesus Christ and a literal millennial reign of Christ on the earth after the 7 year tribulation. We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life and the unsaved to judgment resulting in everlasting punishment. The souls of the redeemed, at death, are absent from the body and present with the Lord, awaiting the first resurrection when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever.
The souls of unbelievers remain in conscious misery until the second resurrection, when they appear at the Great White Throne Judgment and are cast into the Lake of Fire to suffer everlasting conscious punishment, not annihilation. (Isaiah 2:4; 11:9; 24; Zechariah 14:4-11; Matthew 16:27; 18:8-9; 19:28; 24:27,30,36,44; 25:31-46; 26:64; Mark 8:38; 9:43-48; Luke 12:40,48; 16:19-26; 17:22-37; 21:27-28; John 11:25-26; 14:1-3; Acts 1:11; 17:31; Romans 14:10; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 15:24-28,35-58; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Philippians 3:20-21; Colossians 1:5; 3:4; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 5:9; 4:13-18; 2 Thessalonians 1:7; 2; 1 Timothy 6:14; 2 Timothy 4:1,8; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 9:27-28; James 5:8; 2 Peter 3:7-13; 1 John 2:28; 3:2; Jude 14; Revelation 1:18; 3:10-11; 19:11-16; 20:1-13; 21 & 22)
Covenant of Faith
In subscribing to this doctrinal statement, we by no means set aside or undervalue any of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments; but we deem the knowledge, belief, and acceptance of the truth as set forth in our doctrinal statement to be essential to sound faith and fruitful practice.
