Doctrinal Statement

We believe the Holy Bible ( KJV ) to be the inspired, inerrant, infallible word of the Living God, and therefore is the final authority for faith, practice, and life. The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament are the complete divine revelation of God to man, and contain the entire Word of God. The Holy Scriptures were written by holy men of God as they were inspired of the Holy Spirit, and is the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions shall be tried. ( Psalms 119:140 II Timothy 3:15-17 Hebrews 4:12 II Peter 1:21 Titus 1:9 )

We believe in the one True Triune God of the Holy Bible. The Almighty, Creator, and Supreme Ruler of Heaven and earth. Inexpressibly glorious in His Holiness, and is worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love. God is omnipotent (All powerful), omniscient (All knowing), and omnipresent (Present in All places at All times). Who eternally exists in three persons; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each person within the Godhead is co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections. Executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. ( Deuteronomy 6:4 Matthew 28:19 John 14:10, 26 II Corinthians 13:14 )

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the second person of the Godhead became man without ever ceasing to be God. The eternal Son of God did not divest himself of one attribute of deity when born of a virgin, and is therefore fully God and fully man. ( Isaiah 7:14; 9:6 Luke 1:35 John 1:1-2, 14 II Corinthians 5:19-21 Galatians 4:4-5 Philippians 2:5-8 ) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead. ( Acts 2:18-36 Romans 3:24-25 I Peter 1:3-5; 2:24 Ephesians 1:7 ) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God the Father. And as our High Priest fulfills the ministries of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate. ( Acts 1:9-10 Hebrews 7:25; 9:24 Romans 8:34 I Johns 2:1-2 )

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, and indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption. ( John 16:8-11 Romans 8:9 I Corinthians 12:12-14 II Corinthians 3:6 Ephesians 1:13-14 ) We believe that He 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. ( Ephesians 1:17-18 5:18 I 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 church. ( Romans 12:3-8 I Corinthians 12:4-11, 28 Ephesians 4:7-12 ) We believe that the gifts of the Holy Spirit; such as speaking in tongues and the gifts of healing were temporary. Though God frequently chooses to answer the prayers of believers for physical healing. These gifts were a sign to the nation of Israel during the apostolic age, and are no longer the norm but the exception. We believe that speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of the baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit. ( I Corinthians 1:22 13:8 14:21-22 )

We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam's sin the human race fell. Thus, man inherited a sinful nature and became alienated from God. All men are sinners by birth and by choice, and is utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. ( Genesis 1:26-27 Romans 3:22-23 5:12 6:23 Ephesians 2:1-3 4:17-19 )

We believe that salvation is all of grace through the substitutionary work of Jesus Christ Who paid the full redemptive price, fully satisfied God's righteous demands by suffering the death penalty for man's guilt, and imputed to man His righteousness reconciling him to God; that salvation is made effective to man only upon his exercise of personal faith in Jesus Christ, which faith is not a meritorious work but is possible only by the grace of God. Salvation is the gift of God, and is freely offered to all who accept by faith JESUS CHRIST as Lord and Savior. Whose precious BLOOD was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins. We believe that salvation includes justification, regeneration, adoption into the family of God, sanctification (positional, progressive, and final), and glorification; that on who is truly born again will, by the grace of God, persevere and be kept saved forever.

We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ forever. We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God's Word. However, it clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to sin.

We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men. The saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgement and everlasting punishment. We believe that the soul 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. We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain after death in conscious punishment and torment until the second resurrection when, with soul and body reunited, they shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgement and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment and torment.

We believe in the literal and imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Who will rapture His church prior to the seven-year tribulation period (pre-tribulational). At the end of the Tribulation, Christ will personally and visibly return with His saints to establish His earthly Messianic Kingdom (pre-millennial); which was promised to the nation of Israel. We reject the teachings of Mid-Tribulation, Post-Tribulation, Pre-Wrath, Partial Rapture, Preterist, Amillennialism, and Post-millennialism.

We believe that the local church, which is the body and espoused bride of Christ, is composed of all true believers (those who have been born-again through a personal acceptance of Christ as Savior) from Pentencost to the rapture. Christ is the supreme Head and every member has direct access to Him and is responsible to seek His will. We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures. Where the saints of God gather for the purpose of worship, fellowship, administration of the ordinances (baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper), edification, discipline, evangelism, and the teaching and preaching of the gospel. The local church's membership should be limited to those who are born again, and desire to follow Christ in obedience and faith. We believe in the autonomy of the local church, free of any external authority or control. The only offices recognized in such New Testament churches are those of pastor and deacon. The local church is responsible directly to Christ and not to some other church, organization, or association. We do see value in fellowship and cooperation with other local churches of like mind and convictions.

We believe that all the saved should live in a manner that does not bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord; and that separation from all religious apostasy, all sinful pleasures, practices, and associations is commanded of God. The First Baptist Church of Healdsburg does NOT accept the philosophy, position, or practice of the National Council of Churches in America, the Evangelical Environmental Network, the National Association of Evangelicals, the Association of Welcoming & Affirming Baptists, Baptist World Alliance, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, and the World Council of Churches. Furthermore, we are opposed to Liberalism, Modernism, Postmodernism, Neo-Orthodoxy, Ecumenism, Neo-Evangelicalism, Modalism, the Charismatic Movement, and the Faith Movement. We also reject humanistic philosophies such as Relativism, Moral Relativism, Fatalism, Naturalism, and Existentialism.

We believe the Genesis account of creation; that God created the universe in six-literal 24-hour days. We reject the Theory of Evolution, the Big Bang Theory, the Gap Theory, the Day-Age Theory, and Theistic Evolution as unscriptural theories of origin. We also reject Darwinism, Neo-Darwinism, Social Darwinism, and Punctuated Equilibrium (giant-leaps within evolution).

We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being. Abortion constitutes the unjustified, inexusable taking of unborn human life. Abortion is murder. We reject any teaching that abortions of pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, birth or population control, or the mental well-being of the mother are acceptable. We believe in the right to life and also reject suicide, infanticide, euthanasia, or any other ungodly acts human government may legalize; and that are contrary to God's word.

We believe that God has given the church a great commission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations so that there might be a great multitude from every nation, tribe, ethnic group, and langauge group who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. As ambassadors of Christ we must use all available means to go to the foreign nations and not wait for them to come to us.

As we trust we have by Divine Grace been brought to embrace the Lord Jesus Christ, and by the influences of His Spirit to give ourselves up to Him; so we do now solemly covenant with each other (as God shall enable us) to walk together in brotherly love, that we will exercise a Christian care and watchfulness over each other, and faithfully warn, rebuke and admonish our bretherens as the case may require. That we will not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, nor omit the great duty of prayer, both for ourselves and others. That we will parcicipate in each other joys, and endeaver with tenderness and sympathy to bear each others burdens and sorrows. That we will seek Divine aid to enable us to walk circumspectly and watchfully in the world, denying ungodliness and every worldly lust. That we will strive together for the support of a faithful and evangelical ministry among us. And to spread the Gospel abroad. That we will through life, amidst evil report, and good report, seek to live to the Glory of Him who hath called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.