Beliefs of Journey Baptist

Receiving by faith, the Lord Jesus for our salvation; believing the Bible to be the divinely inspired, plenary, infallible, and authoritative Word of God; accepting the historic distinctive Baptist principles, and knowing that all things should be done decently and in order; we, therefore band ourselves together as a body of immersed believers in Jesus Christ.  WE BELIEVE IN… 

1. HOLY SCRIPTURES

We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are verbally inspired of God, and preserved in the King James Bible 1611 for the english speaking world. That the Scriptures are inerrant, infallible, and are the supreme and final authority for faith and practice. (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21; Acts 1:16; 28:25; Psalms 119:105, 160; Luke 24:25-27; John 17:17; Luke 24:44, 45; Psalms 119:89; Proverbs 30:5-6; Romans 3:4; 1 Peter 1:23; Revelation 22:19; John 12:48; Isaiah 8:20; Ephesians 6:17; Romans 15:4; Luke 16:31; Psalms 19:7-11; John 5:45; John 5:39)

We believe that the Bible is the complete and sole revelation of God to man and that all modern pretence of revelation through tongues, prophecy, dreams, knowledge, visions, special people or angels, or churches are unscriptural.
(Psalm 119:89; Jude 3; Proverbs 30:6; Revelation 22:19, 19; Isaiah 8:20; Deuteronomy 18:20; Jeremiah 23:28-36).

The Masoretic Text of the Old Testament and the Received Text of the New Testament (Textus Receptus) are those texts of the original languages we accept and use.  The King James Bible is the only English version we accept, use, or endorse.  The Bible is our sole authority for faith and practice.

2. TRIUNE GODHEAD

We believe in only one God existing in three persons, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are co-equal in power and glory as well as co-eternal. (Exodus 20:2, 3; Genesis 17:1; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 4:6; John 4:24; Psalm 147:5; 83:18; 90:2; Jeremiah 10:10; Exodus 15:11; Revelation 4:11; 1 Timothy 1:17; Romans 11:33; Mark 12:30; Matthew 28:19; John 15:26; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; 1 John 10:30; John 17:5; Acts 5:3-4; 1 Corinthians 2:10-11; Philippians 2:5-6; Ephesians 2:18; 1 Corinthians 13:14).

3. INCARNATION

We believe that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God, conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. We believe in the eternal Sonship of Christ, meaning that He always has been the Son of God, and always will be.

4. HOLY SPIRIT

We believe the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Triune Godhead, convicts the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment. He indwells the believer and empowers the preaching and teaching of the Gospel. (John 14:16, 17; Matthew 28:19; Hebrews 9:14; John 14:26; Luke 1:35; Genesis 1:1-3; 2 Thessalonians 2:7; John 16:8:11; John 15:26, 27; Acts 5:30-32; John 3:5, 6; Ephesians 1:13-14; Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; John 1:33; Luke 24:49; John 16:13; John 14:26; Romans 8:14, 16; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2; Romans 8:26, 27).

5. MAN AND HIS SINFUL NATURE

We believe that man, created in the image of God sinned, and thereby incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death, which is separation from God, and that all human beings are born with a sinful nature. Every born again believer possesses two natures (the old man and the new man). All claims as to the eradication of the old nature are heretical. We will never lose the sin nature until we go to be with Christ. We believe in the total depravity of man, and that while all men may not be as bad as they could be, all are as bad off as they can be; for all are dead in trespasses and sins; there may be degrees of sinfulness, but there are no degrees of deadness. Thus man is utterly helpless to redeem his lost condition apart from the grace of God.

(Genesis 3:1-6, 24; Romans 5:12; Romans 5:19; Romans 10:3-19; Ephesians 2:1, 3; Romans 1:18; Ezekiel 18:19-20; Romans 1:32; Romans 1:20; Romans 1:28; Galatians 3:22; Colossians 2:13; Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8, 9).

6. BLOOD ATONEMENT OF JESUS CHRIST

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our Sins according to the Scriptures as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice and that all who believe in Him are justified by, His blood. (Romans 3:24; Romans 10:13; Luke 13:3, 5; Revelation 2:22; Mark 6:12; Acts 3:19; Acts 16:31; Romans 8:1; Jude 24; Romans 8:38, 39; John 10:28, 29; 1 Peter 1:18, 19).

7. RESURRECTION, ASCENSION, ADVOCACY

We believe in the literal resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, His ascension into Heaven and His present life there as High Priest and Advocate for us.

8. SALVATION

We believe that salvation is by the grace of God, received as a free gift by a repentant sinner who in faith trusts Christ as Lord and Saviour. Salvation was accomplished by Christ’s death and most importantly through His sinless shed blood upon the cross. Without His shed blood salvation could never be possible. Salvation is solely upon the merit of what Christ has done for us, including His resurrection from the dead on the third day. Once redeemed we are kept by the power and grace of God, eternally secure in Christ. We can never lose our salvation under any condition. This is NOT a license to sin, but liberty to please the Lord Jesus Christ who has saved us FROM sin and not IN sin. (Ephesians 2:8; Acts 15:11; 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; 1 Corinthians 5:21; John 10:18; Philippians 2:8; Galatians 1:4; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Peter 3:18; Isaiah 53:11; Hebrews 12:2; 1 Corinthians 15:20; Isaiah 53:12; Hebrews 9:12-15; Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 2:2; 1 Timothy 2:5; Romans 8:3; Hebrews 4:15) (Acts 13:39; Ephesians 1:6, 7; Romans 8:33, 34; 1 Corinthians 15:52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17). (John 1:12; John 5:24; John 10:28, 29; Romans 6:23; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:8, 9; 1 John 5:17; Romans 8:19-23; 1 John 3:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:7-9; Hebrews 9:27; 2 Peter 2:9; Revelation 20:12-15; Revelation 21:8, 27; John 3:36; John 5:29; Psalms 9:17).

9. ESCHATOLOGY

We believe in that blessed hope, the personal pre-tribulation, pre-millennial and imminent return of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

10. FUTURE STATE

All men shall receive a bodily resurrection; the saved to eternal life and unsaved to eternal damnation. Prior to the resurrection death holds the presence of God for the believer in soul and spirit, with the body resuming to the grave, asleep, and awaiting the future resurrection We believe that the spirits of the saved at death go immediately to be with Christ in heaven; that their works shall be brought before the Judgment Seat of Christ for the determination of rewards.

(2 Corinthians 5:8-10; 1 Corinthians 3:13-15). For the unbeliever, death means the departure of the soul and spirit into hell-fire, with the body also awaiting a future resurrection, at which time death and hell shall be cast into the Lake of Fire . (1 Thessalonians 5:2-9; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; Acts 1:11; Titus 2:13; Mark 13:32-37; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Matthew 24:21; Jude 14, 15; Revelation 19:11-16; Zechariah 14:4-21; Revelation 20:1-9; Isaiah 9:6-7) (Daniel 12:2; Luke 16:19-31; 2 Peter 1-9; Jude 6, 7; Revelation 20:11-15; Revelation 21:8; Mark 9:43-48).

11. SATAN AND THE FALLEN ANGELS

We believe in a personal devil, Satan, the old deceiver, a liar from the beginning; who is still working in the world to destroy the souls of men, and that he will be cast, with all his angels and all who will not receive Christ as Saviour and Lord, in to the Lake of Fire, to be eternally tormented. We believe that Satan was once holy, and enjoyed heavenly honors, but through pride and ambition to be as the Almighty, fell and drew after him an host of angels; that he is now the malignant prince of the power of the air, and the unholy god of this world. We hold him to be man’s great tempter, the enemy of God and His Christ, the accuser of the saints, the author of all false religions, the chief power behind the present apostasy; the lord of the antichrist, and the author of all the powers of darkness; that he is destined to final defeat at the hands of God’s own Son, and to the judgment of an eternal justice in the Lake of Fire, a place prepared for him and his angels.

(Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:14-17; Revelation 12:9; 2 Peter 2:4; Ephesians 2:2; John 14:30; 1 Thessalonians 3:5; Matthew 4:1-3; 1 Peter 5:8; 1 John 3:8; Matthew 13:25, 37-39; Luke 22:3, 4; Revelation 12:10; 1 Corinthians 11:13-15; Mark 13:21, 22; 1 John 4:3; 1 John 2:22; Revelation 13:13, 14; 2 Thessalonians 2:8-11; Revelation 19:11, 16, 20; Revelation 12:7-9; 20:1-3; 20:10; Matthew 25:41)

12. DOCTRINE OF CHURCH

We believe that a Christian Church is a congregation of regenerated persons, baptized by immersion on a profession of faith in Christ; united in covenant for the observance of Christian ordinances, for worship, for instruction, for edification, and for the evangelization of the world; recognizing and accepting Christ as its Supreme Head, Lord and Lawgiver, and taking His Word as its only sufficient rule of faith and practice in all matters of conscience and religion; said Church being understood to be the pillar, ground, and propagator of the Truth.

(Acts 2:41-42; 6:5-6; 20:17-28; 1 Corinthians 12:4, 8-12; 1 Timothy 3:1-13).

That the church, which is the body of Christ, whose mission is given in Matthew 28:19, 20. “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” All of the church’s endeavors should be supported by God’s financial plan of tithes, offerings, and faith promise. Each local church is to be independent and autonomous and free from political authority or ecclesiastical hierarchy, the Lord Jesus being the only Head.

A.) CHURCH OFFICERS

We believe that its officers of ordination are pastors and deacons whose qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures. We believe that the titles pastor, elder, and bishop refer to different aspects of the same office.
(Acts 20:17, 28; Titus 1:5-7).

B.) SELF GOVERNMENT

 We believe that the local church has the absolute right of self government, free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that the one and only superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit. We believe that in all matters of membership, of policy, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final.

(Matthew 18:15-20)

C.) OBSERVANCES OF CHURCH ORDINANCES

BAPTISM

We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion in water of a believer in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, with the authority of the local Church, to show forth in a solemn and beautiful way our faith in the crucified, buried and risen Saviour. We believe it symbolizes our death to sin and resurrection to a new life in Christ. Baptism has no merit in salvation, but is a step of obedience by the saved person.

(Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:41; 8:12, 36-39; 10: 47, 48; 16:30-34; John 3:23; Matthew 3:6; Matthew 3:16; Romans 6:4, 5; Mark 16:16; Colossians 2:12)

THE LORD’S SUPPER

The Lord’s supper should be done often as a memorial of what Christ has done for the believer. As clearly taught in the Bible, the wine is unfermented and therefore new, and the bread is unleavened symbolic of the pure and spotless life of Christ. The Lord’s Supper should be observed as a remembrance of Christ until He comes. We believe that in no sense is the Lord’s Supper a sacrifice or continuation of the sacrifice of Christ or that there is any change in the nature of the elements during their administration. Observance of the Lord’s Supper is for believers only and should be preceded by solemn self-examination.

(Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:15-20; Acts 2:42, 46; 1 Corinthians 10:16; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34)

D.) CHURCH COVENANT

Having been led, as we believe, by the Spirit of God, to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior and on the profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, we do now in the presence of God, angels, and this assembly, most 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 doctrine; to give it a sacred pre-eminence 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 secret devotions; to religiously educate our children; to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances; to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements and exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all tattling, backbiting and excessive anger; and to abstain from the use of intoxicating drinks. 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 in speech; to be slow to take offence, but always ready for reconciliation, and mindful of the rule of our Savior to secure it without delay.

We moreover, engage that when we remove from this place we will as soon as possible unite with some other Church, where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word.

E.) BIBLICAL SEPARATION

We believe in the believer’s separation from the world and in his striving for the holiness unto which God has called His children. The believer should “abstain from all appearance of evil.” The Bible, in principle, clearly teaches us to separate from all apostasy and heresy, including Liberalism, Modernism, Ecumenism, Neo-Evangelicalism, Pentecostalism, Charismatics, Amillenialism, Post-millenialism and all other movements not in agreement with the holy word of God.