OUR BELIEFS

THE SCRIPTURES

We believe the (66) books of the Bible were verbally, and plenary inspired by God. This Bible has been preserved for us without error in the King James Authorized Version of 1611. We believe that all other versions are perversions and corruptions and will not be used in any service, ministry, and literature of Hope Baptist Church. (Psalm 12:6,7; 119:89; Isaiah 8:20; 1Thessalonians 2:13, 5:21; 2Timothy 3:15,16; 2Peter 1:20-21)

THE GODHEAD

We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons—Father, Son and Holy Ghost—each co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections. (Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; 2Cor. 13:14; John 14:10,26)

THE PERSON AND WORK OF CHRIST

We believe that 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 (Isa. 7:14; 9:16; Luke 1:35; John 1:1–2, 14; 2 Cor. 5:19–21; Gal. 4:4–5; Phil. 2:5–8)

We believe that Christ accomplished our redemption through his death on the cross as substitutionary sacrifice; and, that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Acts 2:18–26; Rom. 3::24–25; 1 Pet. 2:24; Eph. 1:7; 1 Pet. 1:3–5)

We believe that Christ ascended to Heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor and Advocate. (Acts 1:9-10; Heb. 9:24; 7:25; Rom. 8:34; 1 John 2:1–2)


THE PERSON AND WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person 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 them and sealing them unto the day of redemption (John 16:8–11; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:12–14; 2 Cor. 3:6; Eph. 1:13–14)

We believe that the Holy Spirit 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 (Eph. 1:17–18; 5:18; 1 John 2:20, 27)

We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer.  God uniquely uses evangelists, pastors and teachers to equip believers in the assembly in order that they can do the work of the ministry (Rom. 12:3–8; 1 Cor. 12:4–11; 28; Eph. 4:7–12)

We believe that the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing, were temporary. Speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of the baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit, and ultimate deliverance of the body through 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 (1 Cor. 1:22; 13:8; 14:21–22)



THE 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; and, that man is totally depraved, and, of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. (Gen. 1:26–27; Rom. 3:22–23; 5:12; 6:23; Eph. 2:1–3; 4:17–19).




SALVATION

We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. (John 1:12; Eph. 1:7; 2:8–10; 1 Pet. 1:18–19).

We believe that Jesus Christ secures those who believe in Him and therefore are declared justified by God. We believe that justification includes the pardon of all sin, and the promise of eternal life; that it is bestowed, not through any work of righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in the blood of Jesus Christ.

We believe that sanctification is the process by which we are made partakers of His holiness, that it begins at salvation, and is carried on in the hearts of believers by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, through obeying the Word of God, self-examination, self-denial, and prayer.

We believe that all true believers are sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption; that they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. (Eph. 4:30)





SEPARATION

We believe that once a person is saved, they are called to live the life of a believer and follower of Jesus Christ, manifesting a Christ-like life in all aspects of their lives. A believer is to be separate from the world, its influences and lusts, from false religions, from secret societies, from those who embrace false doctrine, and from evil, sin, and appearance thereof. (Rom. 12:1–2; 2 Cor. 6:14–7:1; 2 Tim. 3:1–5; 1 John 2:15–17; 2 John 9–11).






THE CHURCH

We believe that Christ has ordained the local church to accomplish his purposes, and that it is made up of saved, baptized believers. We believe that the church should exist as an autonomous body, free of any external authority or control.

We believe that the only scriptural offices of the church are the offices of pastor and deacon. We believe that water baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the scriptural ordinances for the church. We believe that Christian baptism is by immersion in water in the name of the Father, the Son and Holy Ghost.

We believe that baptized believers are to commemorate together the sacrifice of Christ by observing the Lord’s Supper. We believe that the ministry of the church should be financed by the tithes and offerings of its members.  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 and free will offering as a basis for giving and should be used as the support of the church and the spread of the gospel. ( 1Tim. 3:1-13; 1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 9:6-7; Gal. 6:6; Eph. 4:28; 1 Tim. 5:17-18; 1 John 3:17).


THE SECOND ADVENT OF CHRIST

We believe in the imminent, bodily return of Jesus Christ, at which time He will rapture His church out of the earth. We believe that immediately following will be the seven-year Tribulation period, after which, the Lord will personally and visibly return with His saints, to establish His earthly Messianic Kingdom, which was promised to the nation of Israel (Psa. 89:3-4; Dan. 2:31-45; Zech. 14:4-11; 1 Thess. 1:10; 11 Thess. 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; Rev. 3:10; 19:11-26; 20:1-6).

THE ETERNAL STATE OF MAN

We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men; the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment (Matt. 25:46; John 5:28, 29; 11:25–26; Rev. 20:5–6, 12–13).

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 spirit, soul and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord (Luke 23:43; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23; 3:21; 1 Thess. 4:16–17; Rev. 20:4–6).

We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious punishment 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 (Matt. 25:41-4; Mark 9:43–48; Luke 16:19–26; 2 Thess. 1:7–9; Jude 6–7; Rev. 20:11–15).

HUMAN SEXUALITY

We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged 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 (Gen. 2:24; 19:5. 13; 26:8–9; Lev. 18:1–20; Rom. 1:26–29; 1 Cor. 5:1, 6–9; 1 Thess. 4:1–8; Heb. 13:4).

ABORTION

We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living being.  Abortion constitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life.  Abortion is murder. We reject any teaching that abortions or pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, birth or population control or the mental or physical well-being of the mother are acceptable (Job 3:16; Psa. 51:5; 149:14–16; Isa. 44:24; 49:1, 5; Jer. 1:5; 20:15–18; Luke 1:44).

LAWSUITS BETWEEN BELIEVERS

We believe that Christians are prohibited from civil lawsuits against other Christians or the church to resolve personal disputes.  We believe the church possesses all the resources necessary to resolve personal disputes between members. (1 Cor. 6:1–8; Eph. 4:31–32).

CREATION

We believe God created the heaven and the earth in six literal 24 hour days according to the scriptures (Genesis 1-2), rejecting all aspects of the evolutionary model for science, history, and human psychology and physiology.