Clyde River Baptist Church

The Scriptures

We believe that the Holy Scriptures are the true written record of God’s interaction with humanity (Hebrews 1:1-2). Consisting of the Old and New Testaments and containing 66 books, they are divinely inspired and reveal God’s will concerning all things necessary for salvation, a pattern for believers to follow, and are essential for spiritual maturity (2 Timothy 3:16). The Scriptures have their authority from God alone but were written by human authors as they were inspired by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21). They are authoritative, inspired, and infallible as they pertain to the spiritual development of humanity. Inspiration refers to the way in which God’s self-revelation has come to be expressed in the words of the Bible. The Holy Spirit spoke through human authors so that God could be revealed to humanity in the medium of language. The Scriptures are authoritative because God is Creator and Lord of everyone and true authority lies in God alone.

God the Father

We believe there exists one God (Deuteronomy 6:4) who is eternal (Psalm 90:2), omnipotent (Psalm 135:5-6), omnipresent (Acts 17:24-25, Psalm 139:7-12), and omniscient (Psalm 139:1-5). God is both Spirit (John 1:18) and personal (Mark 12:26-27), transcendent (Job 37:23), yet relational (John 15:14-15, James 2:23). God is the one whom human beings live and move and have existence (Acts 17:28). God is Creator and has chosen to have a relationship with those He created (Genesis 4:26). He is the holy (Exodus 15:11), loving (John 3:16-17), righteous (Psalm 19:7-9), just (Genesis 2:17, and merciful (Deuteronomy 4:31).

We believe in the Triune God whereby God exists in three persons. Although complete comprehension of the Trinity is difficult for the human mind, God is three persons yet one essence with each having distinct but harmonious roles in the process of the redemption of humanity (Matthew 28:19): Father (Matthew 11:25-27), Son (John 1:1), and Spirit (Acts 5:3).

God the Son

We believe that Jesus has always existed as part of the Triune God (John 1:1-4) and is both fully human (John 1:14) and fully divine (John 14:1-14). Because of His sacrificial death and resurrection, He is the Savior of all who believe, the only way to heaven, the basis of all truth (John 14:6), and offers full life to all persons (John 10:10). The Son came in human form, born of a virgin named Mary (Matthew 1:23). He was tempted as we are but without sin (Hebrews 4:15), suffered, and died on a cross and was resurrected three days later (1 Corinthians 15:3-8), ascended into heaven where He intercedes on behalf of the believer before the Father (Romans 8:34), and will return again to restore justice (1 Thessalonians 1:10).

God the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead. He grants specific gifts to all believers (1 Corinthians 12:8-10), demands truthfulness (Acts 5:3-4), and convicts the world of sin (John 16:8). The Holy Spirit lives inside all true believers (Ephesians 5:18) and gives power to live the Christian life (Romans 8:26).

The Fall of Humanity

We believe that human beings are God’s special creation and are created in His image (Genesis 1:26-27). As God’s prized creation, human beings were given dominion over the earth (Genesis 1:26-30). Human beings were originally sinless (Genesis 1:31) but having disobeyed God, they fell into sin and so the whole human race inherited a sinful nature (Romans 3:23). Because of sin a separation occurred between God and humanity resulting in a broken relationship that is dependent on the love and grace of God through Jesus Christ for salvation and the restoration of that relationship. (Romans 5:12-21). Sin is disobedience to God and is manifested in acts of disobedience both intentional and unintentional. Sin is both what humans do (acts of disobedience) (1 John 5:17) and what humans are (sinful by nature) (Psalm 51:5)

Salvation and Regeneration

We believe that salvation is essential because God is holy and humans are sinful. Atonement must be made for humanity’s sin and Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, became the perfect sacrifice and the only mediator between God and humanity (1 Timothy 2:5). There is only one name under heaven whereby we can be saved (Acts 4:12). Salvation was completed once for all, for those who through repentance and faith accept God’s provision of a substitution of punishment (Romans 6:10). On the part of humanity, we need to acknowledge our sin and have a desire of true repentance of sin in order for the Holy Spirit to begin the process of regeneration through His indwelling presence. Salvation has been purchased with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and our acceptance of this salvation when we repent (Romans 10:9-10). In regeneration new life begins upon hearing and accepting the word of truth that leads to obedience, service, and discipleship.

The Church (including The Ordinances)

We believe that the Church is comprised of regenerate believers, chosen and sanctified (2 Corinthians 6:16-17). The Church is the Body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23). Christ is the Head of the Church, the Bride of Christ (Revelation 19:7), and the Temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16). The Church includes all Christians past, present and future from all nations who have accepted the love of God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The Church is one, holy, universal, and apostolic (Ephesians 4:4-6) existing as both local congregations of baptized believers serving Christ together, as well as broader Church associations, extending to the Church universal.

We believe that the Church should practice the two ordinances as established by Jesus Christ in the New Testament. These two are Baptism (Matthew 28:18-20, Romans 6:3-4) and the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

The Mission of the Church

We believe that Jesus gave the Church its mission in some of his last words to the disciples in the great commission (Matthew 28:19-20), whereby we are commanded to go and make disciples of all nations baptizing and teaching them to obey all that God has commanded. It is the mission of the Church to reach to a lost and dying world with the gospel of Jesus Christ calling humanity to repentance and salvation through the work of the Holy Spirit. The Church’s mission includes the edification of believers through fellowship and education (Ephesians 4:12), the addressing of social concerns (Matthew 25:40), and living a Christian witness before the world (Matthew 5:13-16).

Evangelism

Evangelism is a specific part of the mission of the Church, Christ entrusted believers with the great commission as expressed in (Matthew 28:18-20). Evangelism should be a natural expression of the faith that we have received so that, as Christ’s followers, we desire to share the gospel with a lost world proclaiming that Jesus Christ is Savior of all, Lord of Heaven and earth (Revelation 17:14). We believe that evangelism is accomplished through the Holy Spirit and He uses the lives of believers to speak to humanity both through words and Spirit-filled lives that develop meaningful relationships with others.

Second Coming

We believe that at the end of time Jesus will return as was promised when he left this earth (Acts 1:11) to fulfill God’s plan (1 Corinthians 15:23-28). He will judge the living and the dead (Acts 10:42, 1 Peter 4:5) and grant everlasting life to all who have believed (John 6:40). He will come on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory (Matthew 24:30) and will have full reign over all things and all people. We do not know when Christ will return but we do know that he will come like “a thief in the night” (1 Thessalonians 5:1-2). Everyone will proclaim Jesus as Lord (Philippians 2:11).

At death our bodies return to dust while our souls live on (Ecclesiastes 3:20). When Christ returns our bodies will be resurrected (Romans 8:23, 1 Corinthians 15:42-44). There will be a judgement for both believers and nonbelievers based on our acceptance of rejections of Christ. Those who have rejected Christ will receive eternal punishment and separation from God in hell. Those who have accepted Christ will receive eternal life and be judged on what they did for Christ while on earth and receive rewards according to what they have done (2 Corinthians 5:10, Romans 14:10). Those who have accepted Christ are immediately with the Lord following death (2 Corinthians 5:6-8) and those who are without Christ remain in Hades until the final judgement when they are cast into hell (Revelation 20:11-15). There will be a new heaven and earth and it will be a time when God and his people will be able to have the relationship He intended before sin entered the world (Revelation 21:1-3).

Baptist Beliefs

The Primacy of Scripture

We believe that we must start with a commitment to the Bible as the primary source for individual and corporate Christian living. As Baptists we are to be people of the Book, not only to study it but also to live out its teachings. Scripture must be the sole authority for our faith because it comes from God. In the past the Holy Spirit was involved in the composition of the Scripture which we call the Holy Spirit was involved in the composition of the Scripture which we call inspiration (2 Timothy 3:16-17). In the present, the Holy Spirit is involved in the understanding and application of the Scripture which we call illumination (John 16:13, John 14:26). The Holy Spirit directs the Christian community by speaking through the pages of the Bible. The Holy Spirit speaking through the Bible must always be given pre-eminence in Christian living. Although tradition, reason, and experience are not to be discounted, no individual or council of churches should supersede the Bible.

The Lordship of Jesus Christ

All Baptist beliefs stem from the basic fundamental belief of Jesus as Lord as outlined in the Bible (Colossians 1:15-18). Salvation comes from Christ alone who brings human beings into the Church. Jesus is the head of the Church and must be Lord of the programs and practices of local congregations. All are accountable to Christ and under the direction of Christ (Ephesians 1:22). Christ’s authority is clearly acknowledged, evident, and revealed in Scripture (Philippians 2:9-11, John 13:13, Matthew 28:18).

Regenerate Church Membership

We believe that because the Bible is the authority and Jesus is Lord, then those who are members of His Church are those who have been born again by the Holy Spirit. The Church is a gathering of people not a building or organization. The Church consists of a people standing in voluntary covenant with one another and with God, so Church membership is limited to those persons who are true believers. While it is impossible to know for certain who is a true believer, it is important to carefully consider the testimony of those desiring membership. Church membership is to follow, not precede personal faith and baptism (Acts 2:41), for those who have responded to God’s call.

Baptism

We believe that those who have accepted Christ as Savior should be peptized in obedience to Christ (Matthew 28:18-20). It is one of the first significant acts through which the believer proclaims personal faith in Christ and is initiated into Church life and ministry. There is no saving virtue in water; rather it symbolizes what has already taken place in the believer’s life. Therefore, baptism alone does not guarantee salvation but should take place as a public confession of our faith and as an act of obedience to Christ. Baptism by immersion most clearly pictures what baptism represents, the burial and resurrection of Jesus and the severing of ties with the old life in order to seal a covenant with God and public confession of personal faith (Romans 6:3-4).

Priesthood of All Believers

We believe that individuals are competent in religious affairs. We have direct access to God who gives to each believer grace and forgiveness. The Church is comprised of believers standing together in covenant with one another and with God. God’s call is to the individual, and each one must respond and accept responsibility for all personal actions since each is judged individually by God. Each believer has priestly privileges and responsibilities (Revelation 1:4-6, 1 Peter 2:9) and stands directly before God with no need for intermediaries (1 Timothy 2:5). Every Christian is a priest before God and to the world. Each one is called by God to a ministry within the world.

Local Church Autonomy

We believe as Baptists that each local congregation has autonomy which declares the Lordship of Christ over His Church (Acts 2:42-44). The corporate community of believers is competent to seek the will of Christ (Colossians 1:18, Acts 4:16-20). The key is what God wills, and the independence of the local church should be exercised under the lordship of Christ and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Autonomy does not give freedom to do whatever one pleases but is to be balanced by a sense of corporate identity including the participation on a voluntary basis in Associations. Interdependence with others in Associations provides fellowship with other churches to maintain uniformity of faith and practice and to cooperate in broader ministries.

Separation of Church and State

We believe in the right of individuals to determine their religious convictions. This means that government should not interfere in Church affairs or determine the nature of the Church’s message. This is not intended to eliminate religion from national life nor to silence the Church’s voice in government (Acts 5:29). God established the church and the government (Matthew 22:21). Religious liberty and decisions about faith and one’s relationship with God are up to the individual, not the government.

Inter-denominationalism

We believe that there is one Church, the Body of Christ, expressed in many denominations. In the Bible Jesus prays for the unity of the Church (John 17:23). There exists one Body and one Spirit whether or not individuals recognize this truth (Ephesians 4:4-6). We can do much for the cause of Christ and the sharing of the gospel as the world sees believers cooperate with other denominations, fellowshipping with them, not competing with them. We are to encourage one another to achieve love and good works (Hebrews 10:24).