What We Believe

Big Darby Baptist Church Statement of Faith

5 Solas of the Reformation (From the Cambridge Declaration of 1996)

Sola Scriptura

We reaffirm the inerrant Scripture to be the sole source of written divine revelation, which alone can bind the conscience. The Bible alone teaches all that is necessary for our salvation from sin and is the standard by which all Christian behavior must be measured. We deny that any creed, council or individual may bind a Christian's conscience, that the Holy Spirit speaks independently of or contrary to what is set forth in the Bible, or that personal spiritual experience can ever be a vehicle of revelation.

Solus Christus

We reaffirm that our salvation is accomplished by the mediatorial work of the historical Christ alone. His sinless life and substitutionary atonement alone are sufficient for our justification and reconciliation to the Father. We deny that the gospel is preached if Christ's substitutionary work is not declared and faith in Christ and his work is not solicited.

Sola Gratia

We reaffirm that in salvation we are rescued from God's wrath by his grace alone. It is the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit that brings us to Christ by releasing us from our bondage to sin and raising us from spiritual death to spiritual life. We deny that salvation is in any sense a human work. Human methods, techniques or strategies by themselves cannot accomplish this transformation. Faith is not produced by our unregenerated human nature.

Sola Fide

We reaffirm that justification is by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone. In justification Christ's righteousness is imputed to us as the only possible satisfaction of God's perfect justice. We deny that justification rests on any merit to be found in us, or upon the grounds of an infusion of Christ's righteousness in us, or that an institution claiming to be a church that denies or condemns sola fide can be recognized as a legitimate church.

Soli Deo Gloria

We reaffirm that because salvation is of God and has been accomplished by God, it is for God's glory and that we must glorify him always. We must live our entire lives before the face of God, under the authority of God and for his glory alone. We deny that we can properly glorify God if our worship is confused with entertainment, if we neglect either Law or Gospel in our preaching, or if self-improvement, self-esteem or self- fulfillment are allowed to become alternatives to the gospel.

God/Trinity

God is One in essence and yet three in person, (Deuteronomy 6:4, Matthew 28:19) the Father, the Son, and The Holy Spirit who are coeternal, uncreated, and all possess the same attributes. (Acts 5:3-4, Acts 20:28, Psalm 110:1) He is eternal, sovereign, omniscient, knowable, merciful, just, loving, holy, omnipotent, righteous, benevolent, and immutable. He providentially oversees all things. (1 Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 11:1; Daniel 4:34-35; Psalm 139:1-4; Matthew 10: 29-31; Exodus 34:6; Acts 17:31; 1 John 4:8; Revelation 4:8; Psalm 147:5; Romans 8:28)

Scripture

The Bible is the Word of God. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) It is inerrant, infallible, authoritative, and fully sufficient for matters of faith and practice. (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21) The Bible was given in the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, not any modern language. Therefore, we reject a popular false teaching known as King James Onlyism. The Bible was not originally given in English; however, we have faithful translations of the Word of God in our English language for the use of the Church. These are properly called the Word of God. We hold to a protestant canon of Scripture, rejecting the deuterocanonical and apocryphal books as authoritative.

Creation

The earth was made in 6 literal days. (Genesis 1-2; Exodus 20:11) God made all that there is ex nihilo, which means, out of nothing. We reject both nontheistic and theistic evolution. We reject the gap theory, day-age theory, and the like. God can do whatsoever He pleases and is in no way bound or limited by His creation. He is sovereign. (Psalm 115:3)

Fall/Original Sin

We believe that Adam and Eve brought the whole human race into sin through their disobedience. (Genesis 3) Every human being born since then is sinful, born with a sin nature. (Romans 5:12-21) We reject the heresy that man is basically good. (Romans 3:9-24) We recognize the Biblical truth that man is depraved and in need of a Savior, Jesus, who perfectly obeyed the law and went to the cross to pay for the sin of His people. (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 3:18; Mark 10:45; Mark 14:24) God the Father must draw us to Christ. (John 6:44)

Person and Work of Jesus Christ

We believe Jesus is the promised Messiah, fully God and fully man, the perfect representation of the Father’s character, Savior of His people, Lord over all, begotten not made. He was crucified for us under Pontious Pilate, He suffered, died, was buried, and rose again on the third day bodily, according to the Scriptures, ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father, from which He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead, whose kingdom will never end. We believe that Jesus’ work of substitutionary atonement is the only way God has provided for fallen, sinful people to be forgiven and made right with a holy God. (John 14:6, 2 Corinthians 5:21)

Salvation

We believe that we are justified by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Jesus is the ONLY way to the Father. (John 14:6) There is no other way to be made right with a holy God, except through Jesus. All who reject the Son are doomed. (John 3:18) This means that every other “religion” on earth, outside of Biblical Christianity is false and futile. Man is hopelessly depraved and is lost without hope apart from Christ. (Romans 1-3) The Lord Jesus rescues the sinner from this predicament. (Romans 4-5) Salvation is not accomplished on the basis of anything in man, but instead, it is entirely a work of God. (Ephesians 2:1-10) We are called to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus. Even these are gifts from Him. (Ephesians 2:8-9; 2 Timothy 2:25)

Holy Spirit

We believe the Holy Spirit, working through the word, supernaturally regenerates the hearts of God’s people by making alive what was spiritually dead. (Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:23) The Spirit causes us to grow in holiness (2 Cor. 3:18), seals us for the day of redemption that we might be assured of our salvation (Eph. 1:13-14) and equips us with spiritual gifts for the building up of the body. (1 Cor. 12:7)

Church

We believe that God has called out a people for Himself. (Ephesians 2:11-22) His church serves as His ambassadors on the earth, called to testify of His Gospel until He comes again. (2 Corinthians 5:18-21) This people are comprised of all who have trusted the Lord Jesus no matter their location on earth. (Revelation 5:9-10) It is also known as the “Universal” or “Invisible Church.” We believe that God has called all His people to gather in local assemblies for His worship, these are called the visible church. We reject “lone wolf” Christianity. (Hebrews 10:25)

Ordinances

We believe in only two sacraments, or ordinances: baptism and the Lord’s supper. (Matthew 28:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26) These are exclusively for believers. They do not save by themselves. The Lord Jesus forgives and pardons sinners on the basis of His grace. However, He commands the observation of both ordinances. We reject the heresy of baptismal regeneration. We reject transubstantiation in the Lord’s Supper.

Marriage

We believe that marriage is an institution that God has given and may not be altered by man, that is only designed for one man and one woman, with no exceptions. (Genesis 2:18-25) Homosexuality and transsexuality (so-called) are truly sinful. (Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11) We do not affirm or support them in any way. We believe that God only blesses the marital union of a single man and single woman, and that any other iteration is false.

Eschatology

We believe in the premillennial return of Jesus. (Revelation 20:1-10) He will return bodily as the King of Kings to conquer His enemies, subduing them under His feet. (Revelation 19:11-21) We believe that He will at His return judge the living and the dead. (Revelation 20:11-15) Those who are not Christ’s will be damned, sentenced to eternal torment in the lake of fire. Those who are His will be eternally and joyfully in the presence of the Lord. (Revelation 20:11-15) The Lord Jesus will usher in the New Heavens and New Earth, for which, according to His promise, we look forward to. (2 Peter 3:13)

For a fuller development of the many of these doctrines, see the 1689 2nd London Baptist Confession of Faith.