Bethel Baptist Church
Bethel Baptist Church welcomes Christians and those who seek to understand Christianity in the Amherst area. Our aim is to make contact with and encourage others to join us in our life-enhancing Christian journey.
Bethel Baptist Church at Amherst, Virginia is a friendly Christian community where we welcome others to join us in our worship and service to God. Our emphasis is on learning and understanding the Bible and following the example of Jesus and his followers.
The vision of Bethel Baptist Church is to make an impact for God, here in Amherst, Virginia by helping people understand the enriching messages of eternal hope given to us by Jesus Christ through His words and deeds. Come just as you are - we'd love to get to know you better.
Bethel Baptist Church at Amherst, Virginia is a friendly Christian community where we welcome others to join us in our worship and service to God. Our emphasis is on learning and understanding the Bible and following the example of Jesus and his followers.
The vision of Bethel Baptist Church is to make an impact for God, here in Amherst, Virginia by helping people understand the enriching messages of eternal hope given to us by Jesus Christ through His words and deeds. Come just as you are - we'd love to get to know you better.
Statement of Faith
1. The Scriptures
We believe in the verbal, plenary (full, entire, complete) inspiration of the Bible, which is the Word of God, that in its truthfulness and completeness, it is the only criterion and authority of both church and individual for faith and practice. II Peter 1:19-21; II Timothy 3:16.
2. God
We believe that there is one God eternally existing, manifesting Himself to us in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Genesis 1:1; John 9:35, 10:30, 14:16-26.
3. The Person and Work of Jesus Christ
We believe in the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ; His virgin birth; His sinless life: His substitutionary death on the cross for our sins; His bodily resurrection from the grave; His ascension to the right hand of God, where He ever liveth to make intercession for believers; and His personal, visible, imminent, and pre-millennial return to the earth at the end of this age. Matthew 1:18; John 1:4; Acts 1:11; I Thessalonians 4:16, 17.
4. The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is very God, possessed of all the distinctive Divine attributes. We believe that He is the Administrator of the things of God concerning sin, revealing truth, energizing believers for prayer and service, and restraining evil” until he be taken out of the way”. Psalms 139:7-10; II Thessalonians 2:7; John 16:8-13.
5. Satan
We believe in the reality and personality of Satan; that he is a created being, once known as the “anointed cherub that covereth”; that through pride he fell: that he is the “god of this world” and the “prince of the power of the air”; that the judgment already passed on him will be executed at the Revelation of Jesus Christ; and that ultimately he will be cast into the lake of fire. Matthew 13:19; John 8:44; Ephesians 2:2; Revelation 20:10; Ezekiel 28:13-15.
6. Man
We believe that man was created by God in His own image, not by evolution, but by a special act of creation, and that this creative act of God was separate and distinct from any other work of God. We believe the Scripture record of the fall of man through his own disobedience, bringing the whole human race under sin and death; that man is totally depraved and hopelessly lost apart from the grace and salvation of God. Genesis 1:26; 2:7; 3:16; Romans 3:23; 5:12; Galatians 3:22.
7. Salvation
a. We believe that salvation is by grace through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ; that it is instantaneous and wholly apart from Human merit; that every individual is a sinner by practice and by choice and therefore must exercise personal faith in the redeeming work of Christ on Calvary and receive Him as Savior in order to be saved. Ephesians 2:8, 9; Titus 3:5; Psalm 51:5; Romans 3:23; 10:9, 10. b. We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in full assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word, but that the same Word clearly forbids the use of our liberty as an occasion to the flesh. Romans 13:14; Galatians 3:15; Titus 2:11-15. c. We believe that salvation is eternal – that all who are truly born again are kept by God the Father for The Lord Jesus Christ. John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; I Corinthians 1:4-8; I Peter 1:5; Philippians 1:6; Romans 8:35-39; Jude 1.
8. The Church
a. The Mystical Church – We believe that every born-again believer is, by the mystical act of God, accorded a place in the body of Christ and that this body is Biblically identified as the “church”. Ephesians 3:3; Colossians 1:24-27; I Corinthians 12:12, 13. b. We believe that a local church is a congregation of immersed believers, associated together by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel; that is has the absolute right of self-government, directed by the Holy Spirit and answerable only to Christ; that in all matters of membership, polity, government, discipline, and benevolences the will of the church is final. Acts 2:41, 42; I Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22, 23; 5:23, 24; Colossians 1:18.
9. Separation of Church and State
We believe in the absolute separation of church and state. Matthew 22:21.
10. Personal Separation
We believe that all “who name the name of Christ” as their Savior should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon His name. We believe also that separation from all religious apostasy as well as worldly and sinful pleasures and associations is commanded by Him. II Timothy 3:1-5; Romans 12:1,2: 14:13; I John 2:15-17; II John 9-11; II Corinthians 6:14 to 7:1, inclusive.
11. The Two Natures
We believe that every saved person has two natures, with full provision made by God for victory of the new 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. Romans 6:13; 7:17 to 8:1, inclusive, 8:12, 13; Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:10.
12. Civil Governments
We believe that civil governments are of Divine appointment for the interests of good order of human society; that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed except in things opposed to the will of God as expressed in His Word and interpreted in the light of this constitution and confession of faith. Romans 13:1-7; Titus 3:1; I Peter 2:13, 14; I Peter 2:17.
13. The Lord’s Return
We believe in the bodily, personal, imminent, pre-millennial return of our Lord Jesus Christ; that He will come before the great tribulation to catch away His bride, the church; that all who are His shall then be caught up to meet Him in the air; that at the end of the tribulation, He will come with His church to the earth to judge the living nations and set up His kingdom. I Thessalonians 4:13-16; Matthew 25:31-45; Revelation 19:11-21.
14. 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 exercise saying faith in Jesus Christ are righteous in His sight, while all who continue in impenitence and unbelief are wicked in His sight and under His wrath; and that this distinction holds both in and after life, in the everlasting felicity of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost. Malachi 3:18; Genesis 18:23; Romans 6:17, 18;
Luke 16:25; Matthew 25:34-41; John 8:21; Luke 9:21; Matthew 7:13, 14.
We believe in the verbal, plenary (full, entire, complete) inspiration of the Bible, which is the Word of God, that in its truthfulness and completeness, it is the only criterion and authority of both church and individual for faith and practice. II Peter 1:19-21; II Timothy 3:16.
2. God
We believe that there is one God eternally existing, manifesting Himself to us in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Genesis 1:1; John 9:35, 10:30, 14:16-26.
3. The Person and Work of Jesus Christ
We believe in the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ; His virgin birth; His sinless life: His substitutionary death on the cross for our sins; His bodily resurrection from the grave; His ascension to the right hand of God, where He ever liveth to make intercession for believers; and His personal, visible, imminent, and pre-millennial return to the earth at the end of this age. Matthew 1:18; John 1:4; Acts 1:11; I Thessalonians 4:16, 17.
4. The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is very God, possessed of all the distinctive Divine attributes. We believe that He is the Administrator of the things of God concerning sin, revealing truth, energizing believers for prayer and service, and restraining evil” until he be taken out of the way”. Psalms 139:7-10; II Thessalonians 2:7; John 16:8-13.
5. Satan
We believe in the reality and personality of Satan; that he is a created being, once known as the “anointed cherub that covereth”; that through pride he fell: that he is the “god of this world” and the “prince of the power of the air”; that the judgment already passed on him will be executed at the Revelation of Jesus Christ; and that ultimately he will be cast into the lake of fire. Matthew 13:19; John 8:44; Ephesians 2:2; Revelation 20:10; Ezekiel 28:13-15.
6. Man
We believe that man was created by God in His own image, not by evolution, but by a special act of creation, and that this creative act of God was separate and distinct from any other work of God. We believe the Scripture record of the fall of man through his own disobedience, bringing the whole human race under sin and death; that man is totally depraved and hopelessly lost apart from the grace and salvation of God. Genesis 1:26; 2:7; 3:16; Romans 3:23; 5:12; Galatians 3:22.
7. Salvation
a. We believe that salvation is by grace through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ; that it is instantaneous and wholly apart from Human merit; that every individual is a sinner by practice and by choice and therefore must exercise personal faith in the redeeming work of Christ on Calvary and receive Him as Savior in order to be saved. Ephesians 2:8, 9; Titus 3:5; Psalm 51:5; Romans 3:23; 10:9, 10. b. We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in full assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word, but that the same Word clearly forbids the use of our liberty as an occasion to the flesh. Romans 13:14; Galatians 3:15; Titus 2:11-15. c. We believe that salvation is eternal – that all who are truly born again are kept by God the Father for The Lord Jesus Christ. John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; I Corinthians 1:4-8; I Peter 1:5; Philippians 1:6; Romans 8:35-39; Jude 1.
8. The Church
a. The Mystical Church – We believe that every born-again believer is, by the mystical act of God, accorded a place in the body of Christ and that this body is Biblically identified as the “church”. Ephesians 3:3; Colossians 1:24-27; I Corinthians 12:12, 13. b. We believe that a local church is a congregation of immersed believers, associated together by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel; that is has the absolute right of self-government, directed by the Holy Spirit and answerable only to Christ; that in all matters of membership, polity, government, discipline, and benevolences the will of the church is final. Acts 2:41, 42; I Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22, 23; 5:23, 24; Colossians 1:18.
9. Separation of Church and State
We believe in the absolute separation of church and state. Matthew 22:21.
10. Personal Separation
We believe that all “who name the name of Christ” as their Savior should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon His name. We believe also that separation from all religious apostasy as well as worldly and sinful pleasures and associations is commanded by Him. II Timothy 3:1-5; Romans 12:1,2: 14:13; I John 2:15-17; II John 9-11; II Corinthians 6:14 to 7:1, inclusive.
11. The Two Natures
We believe that every saved person has two natures, with full provision made by God for victory of the new 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. Romans 6:13; 7:17 to 8:1, inclusive, 8:12, 13; Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:10.
12. Civil Governments
We believe that civil governments are of Divine appointment for the interests of good order of human society; that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed except in things opposed to the will of God as expressed in His Word and interpreted in the light of this constitution and confession of faith. Romans 13:1-7; Titus 3:1; I Peter 2:13, 14; I Peter 2:17.
13. The Lord’s Return
We believe in the bodily, personal, imminent, pre-millennial return of our Lord Jesus Christ; that He will come before the great tribulation to catch away His bride, the church; that all who are His shall then be caught up to meet Him in the air; that at the end of the tribulation, He will come with His church to the earth to judge the living nations and set up His kingdom. I Thessalonians 4:13-16; Matthew 25:31-45; Revelation 19:11-21.
14. 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 exercise saying faith in Jesus Christ are righteous in His sight, while all who continue in impenitence and unbelief are wicked in His sight and under His wrath; and that this distinction holds both in and after life, in the everlasting felicity of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost. Malachi 3:18; Genesis 18:23; Romans 6:17, 18;
Luke 16:25; Matthew 25:34-41; John 8:21; Luke 9:21; Matthew 7:13, 14.