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Coastal Baptist Church
Statement of Faith & Covenant
SECTION 1 - STATEMENT OF FAITH
A. The Holy Scriptures
We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments
to be the verbally and plenarily inspired Word of God. The
Scriptures are inerrant, infallible, and God-breathed; and
therefore are the final authority for faith and life. The
sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments are the complete
and divine revelation of God to Man. The Scriptures shall be
interpreted according to the normal grammatical-historical
meaning. The King James 1611 Version of the Bible shall be the
official and only translation used by the Church
(II Timothy 3:16-17, II Peter 1:20 & 21).
B. Dispensationalism
We believe that the Scriptures interpreted in their natural,
literal sense reveal divinely determined dispensations or rules
of life which define man's responsibilities in successive ages.
These dispensations are not ways of salvation, but rather are
divinely ordered stewardships by which God directs man
according to His purpose. Three of these dispensations--the
age of Law, the age of the Church, and the age of the
Kingdom--are the subjects of detailed revelation in Scripture
(Genesis 1:28; I Corinthians 9:17; II Corinthians 3:9-18;
Galatians 3:13-25; Ephesians 1:10, 3:2-10; Colossians 1:24, 25,
& 27; Revelation 20:2-6).
C. The Godhead
We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three
persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each co-eternal in being,
co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having
the same attributes and perfections. These three are one.
(Deuteronomy 6:4; II Corinthians 13:14; John 1:14, 14:10 &
26; Mathew 12:29; I Timothy 3:16; Matthew 28:19 & 20; I John 5:7).
D. The Person and Works of Christ
1. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of
God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been
conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in
order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men
(Isaiah 7:14, 9:6; Luke 1:35; John 1:1 & 2; II Corinthians
5:19-21; Galatians 4:4 & 5; Philippians 2:5-8).
2. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our
redemption through His death on the cross as a representative,
vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and that our justification
is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the
dead (Acts 2:18-36; Romans 3:24 & 25; I Peter 2:24;
Ephesians 1:7; I Peter 1:3-5).
3. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven
and is now exalted at the right hand of God the Father, where,
as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative,
Intercessor, and Advocate (Acts 1:9 & 10; Hebrews 9:24,
7:25; Romans 8:34; I John 2:1 & 2).
E. The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
1. We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third person of
the Trinity, 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
(John 16:8-11; Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 12:12-14; II
Corinthians 3:6; Ephesians 1:13 & 14, 4:30).
2. We believe that He is the Divine Teacher Who assists
believers to understand and appropriate the Scriptures and that
it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with
the Spirit (Ephesians 1:17 & 18, 5:18; I John 2:20 & 27).
3. We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowal of
spiritual gifts to every believer. God uniquely uses
evanglists, pastors, apostles, prophets, and teachers to equip
believers in the assembly in order that they can do the work of
the ministry (Romans 12:3-8; I Corinthians 12:4-11, 28;
Ephesians 4:7-12)
4. We believe that the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit, such
as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing, were temporary.
We believe that speaking in tongues was never the common or
necessary sign of the baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit and
that ultimate deliverance of the body from sickness or death
awaits the consummation of our salvation in the resurrection,
though God frequently chooses to answer the prayers of
believers for physical healing (I Corinthians 1:22, 13:8,
14:21 & 22).
F. The Total Depravity of Man
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of
God; but that in Adam's sin the human race fell, inherited a
sinful nature, and became alienated from God. We believe that
man is totally depraved, and of himself utterly unable to
remedy his lost condition. We believe the eternal punishment
of those who reject Christ is eternal damnation in a literal place
called Hell (Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 3:22-23, 5:12, 6:23;
Ephesians 2:1-3, 4:17-19; Psalm 9:17; John 3:36; I John 5:12;
Revelation 20:11-15).
G. Salvation
We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man
by grace and received by repentance and personal faith in the
Lord Jesus Christ, Whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for
the forgiveness of our sin (John 1:12; Ephesians 1:7, 2:8-10; I
Peter 1:18 & 19; Luke 13:3-5; Matthew 9:13; Acts 20:21).
H. The Eternal Security and Assurance of Believers
1. We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, 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; I Corinthians 1:4-8; I Peter 1:4
& 5; Ephesians 4:30.
2. We believe that evidence of true salvation is a sincere
attempt to obey the commandments of God and to live a separated
life (Article J). We believe that an essential part of the
doctrine of eternal security is the teaching and preaching of
the necessity of repentance. Repentance is a change of heart
toward God and sin. Repentance is not a continual confession
to God for habitual sin. We do not believe in sinless
perfection. (John 14:21; I John 3:19-24; II Corinthians
6:14-18; Matthew 3:7-11; II Corinthians 7:8-11;
Romans 7:7-25).
3. We believe that it is the privilege of believers to
rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the
testimony of God's Work, which, however, clearly forbids the
use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh
(Romans 13:13 & 14; Galatians 5:13; Titus 2:11-15).
4. We believe that Heaven is the prepared place for the
blessing of a prepared people, who are washed in the blood of
the Lamb (John 14:2; Hebrews 11:10).
I. The Church
1. We believe that the local church, which is the body and
the espoused bride of Christ, is solely made up of born-again
persons (John 3:3-7; I Corinthians 12:12-14; II Corinthians
11:2; Ephesians 1:22-23, 5:23-27).
2. We believe that the establishment and continuance of
local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New
Testament Scriptures (Acts 14:27, 20:17 & 28-32; I Timothy
3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11).
3. We believe in the autonomy of the local church free of
any temporal, external authority or control (Acts 13:1-4,
15:19-31, 20:28; Romans 16:1 & 4; I Corinthians 3:9 & 16,
5:4-7 & 13; I Peter 5:1-4).
4. We recognize water baptism by immersion and the Lord's
Supper as the Scriptural ordinances of obedience for the Church
in this age (Matthew 3:16, 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42, 8:38 & 39,
18:18; I Corinthians 11:23-26).
J. Separation
We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner
as not to bring reproach upon their Saviour and Lord; and, that
separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful
pleasures, practices, and associations is commanded of God
(Romans 12:1 & 2, 14:13; II Corinthians 6:14-18; II Timothy
3:1-5; I John 2:15-17; II John 9-11).
K. The Second Advent of Christ
We believe in the "blessed hope", the personal, imminent
return of Christ, Who will rapture His Church prior to the
seven-year tribulation period. At the end of the Tribulation,
Christ will personally and visibly return with His saints to
establish His earthly Messianic Kingdom for 1,000 years
(Psalm 89:3 & 4; Daniel 2:31-45; Zechariah 14:4-11; John 14:3;
I Thessalonians 1:10, 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; Revelation 3:10,
19:11-16, 20:1-6).
L. The Eternal State
1. We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the
saved to eternal life and the unsave to judgment and everlasting
punishment (Matthew 25:41-46; John 5:28 & 29, 11:25 & 26;
Revelation 20:5 & 6, 12, & 13).
2. We believe that the souls of the redeemed are, at death,
absent from the body and present with the LORD, where in
conscious bliss they await the first resurrection, when the
spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever
with the Lord in the air (Luke 23:43; II Corinthians 5:8;
Philippians 1:23, 3:21; I Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation
20:4-6).
3. We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain, after
death, in a conscious punishment and torment until the second
resurrection, when with soul and body reunited they shall
appear at the Great White Throne Judgment, and shall be cast
into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer
everlasting conscious punishment and torment for refusing God's
plan of salvation (Matthew 25:42-46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke
16:19-26; II Thessalonians 1:7-9; Jude 6 & 7; Revelation
20:10-15).
M. The Personality of Satan
We believe that Satan is a created being, the fallen angel
Lucifer, the father of sin and the cause of the Fall of Man;
that he is the open and 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;
John 8:44; Revelation 20:10).
N. Creation
We believe that God created the universe in six literal,
24 hour periods. We reject evolution, the Gap Theory, the
Day-Age Theory, and Theistic Evolution as unscriptural theories
of origin (Genesis 1:1 & 2; Exodus 20:11).
O. Civil Government
We believe that God has ordained and created all authority
consisting of three basic institutions: 1) the home; 2)
the church; and 3) the state. Every person is subject to these
authorities, but all (including the authorities themselves) are
answerable to God and governed by His Word. God has given each
institution specific Biblical responsibilities and balanced
those responsibilities with the understanding that no
institution has the right to infringe upon the other. The
home, the church, and the state are equal and sovereign in
their respective Biblicatlly assigned spheres of responsibility
under God (Romans 13:1-7; Ephesians 5:22-24; Hebrews 13:17;
I Peter 2:13 & 14).
P. Human Sexuality
We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual
activity should be engaged in outside of a marriage between a
man and a woman. We believe that any form of homosexuality,
lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication,
adultery, and pornography are sinful perversions of God's gift
of sex (Genesis 2:24, 19:5 & 13, 26:8 & 9; Leviticus 18:1-30;
Romans 1:26-29; I Corinthians 5:1, 6:9; I Thessalonians 4:1-8;
Hebrews 13:4).
Q. Divorce and Remarriage
We believe that God intends marriage to last until one of
the spouses dies. We believe that divorced and remarried
persons, or divorced persons may hold positions of service in
the church and be greatly used of God for Christian service.
They, however, may not be considered for the offices of bishop
or deacon (Matthew 19:6; I Timothy 3:2 & 12; Titus 1:6).
R. Abortion
We believe that human life begins at conception and that the
unborn child is a living human being. Abortion consistutes the
unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life. Abortion
is murder. We reject any teaching that abortions of
pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender
selection, birth or population control, or the mental well-being
of the mother are acceptable (Job 3:16; Psalm 51:5, 139:14-16;
Isaiah 44:24, 49:1 & 5; Jeremiah 1:5, 20:15-18; Luke 1:44).
S. Missions
We believe that God has given the church a Great Commission
to proclaim the Gospel to all nations so that there might be a
great multitude from every nation, tribe, ehtnic group, and
language group who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. As
ambassadors of Christ, we must use all available means to go to
the foreign nations and not wait for them to come to us
(Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:14; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts
1:8; II Corinthians 5:20).
T. Giving
We believe that every Christian, as a steward of that
portion of God's wealth entrusted to him, is obligated to
support his local church financially. We believe that God has
established the tithe as a basis for giving but that every
Christian should also give other offerings sacrificially and
cheerfully to the support of the church, the relief of those in
need, and the spread of the Gospel. We believe that a
Christian relinquishes all individual rights to direct the use
of the tithe or offering once the gift has been made
(Genesis 14:20; Proverbs 3:9 & 10; Acts 4:34-37; I Corinthians
16:2; II Corinthians 9:6 & 7; Galatians 6:6; Ephesians 4:28; I
Timothy 5:17 & 18; I John 3:17).
SECTION 2 - AUTHORITY OF STATEMENT OF FAITH
The Statement of Faith does not exhaust the extent of our
faith. The Bible itself is the sole and final source of all
that we believe. We do believe, however, that the foregoing
Statement of Faith accurately represents the teaching of the
Bible, and therefore is binding upon all members.
SECTION 3 - COVENANT
Having been led, as we believe, by the Spirit of God, to
receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour, and on profession
of our faith, having been baptized in the name of our Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, we do now, in the
presence of God, angels, and this assembly, most solemnly and
joyfully enter into covenant with one another, as one body in
Christ.
We engage, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to walk
together in Christian love; to strive for the advancement of
this church in knowledge, holiness, and comfort; to promote its
prosperity and spirituality; to sustain its worship,
ordinances, discipline, and doctrines; to give it a sacred
preeminence over all institutions of human origin; to
contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the
ministry, the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor,
and the spread of the Gospel through all nations.
We also engage to maintain family and private devotions; to
religiously educate our children; to seek the salvation of our
kindred, acquaintances, and all others; to walk circumspectly
in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful to our
engagements, and exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all
tattling, backbiting, and excessive anger. To abstain from all
intoxicating drinks as a beverage; the use of destructive
drugs; and to be zealous in our efforts to advance the kingdom
of our Saviour.
We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love,
to remember each other in prayer; to aid each other in sickness
and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and
courtesy of speech; to be slow to take offense, but always
ready for reconciliation, and mindful of the rules of our
Saviour, to secure reconciliation without delay.
We moreover engage, that when we remove from this place, we
will as soon as possible unite with some other church of like
faith, where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and
principles of God's Word.
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