Valley Baptist Church, Eureka, Montana
ARTICLE I – Of the Scriptures
We believe that God is author of the Holy Bible and that He used men to write His word. The resulting Scriptures were supernaturally inspired and are, therefore, inerrant and infallible. They are and shall remain to the end of the age, the only complete and final revelation of the will of God to man; the true center of Christian union and the only standard by which all human conduct, creeds and opinions should be tried.
By “The Holy Bible” we mean the collection of sixty six books from Genesis to Revelation. These Scriptures do not only contain and convey the Word of God but are the very Word of God. By “inspiration” we mean that the books of the Bible were written by holy men of old, as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, in such a definite way that their writings were supernaturally, verbally and plenarily inspired.
(Matthew 5:18, John 17:17, Phil. 4:9, II Timothy 3:16-17, II Peter 1:19-21)
ARTICLE II – Of the true God
We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; that these three are one in essence, equal in holiness, every divine attribute and perfection. (Ex. 20:2-3, Deut. 6:4, Matt. 28:19, I Cor. 8:6, II Cor. 13:14, I Jn. 5:7)
We further believe in God’s direct creation of the universe, without the use of pre-existing material in six literal 24 hour days and apart from any process of evolution what-ever, according to the Genesis account. (Gen. 1:1-31, Ex. 20:11, Jn. 1:1-3, Col. 1:16, Heb. 11:3)
We believe that God the Father is an infinite, personal spirit who is perfect in holiness, wisdom, justice, power and love. We believe that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men, that He hears and answers prayer and that He saves from sin and death all that come to Him through Jesus Christ. He is the supreme ruler of Heaven and Earth and is worthy of all possible honor, confidence, love and worship.
(II Chron. 7:14, Psalm 20:6, Isa. 6:3, Jn. 3:16-17, Jn. 4:24, Eph. 4:6, Rev. 4:8-11)
ARTICLE III – Of the Lord Jesus Christ
We believe in the absolute Deity of God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of Mary, a virgin, and is true God and true man. He is co-equal with God the Father and God the Spirit and was God’s instrument in creation and redemption. He lived a sinless life and died for our sins according to the Scriptures as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice, and that all who believe in Him are justified on the grounds of His shed blood.
We believe in His literal atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into Heaven and exaltation at the right hand of God as our mediator, intercessor, priest, and advocate. We believe in His immanent, personal, visible return to earth.
(Isa. 7:14, Lk. 1:35, Jn 1:1-14, Acts 1:11, Rom. 5:1-9, 8:34, II Cor. 5:19-21, Gal. 4:4, Col. 1:16-17, I Thes. 4:13-18, Heb. 1:1-3, 9:14-15, I Jn. 2:1-2, 5:20)
ARTICLE IV – Of the Holy Spirit
We believe that God the Holy Spirit was active in the creation of all things, restrains evil in this world and convicts men of sin, righteousness and judgment. He bears witness to the truth of the Scriptures and the Gospel. He is the divine agent in the new birth of any one who places faith in Jesus Christ and baptizes the Believer into the Body of Christ at the moment of salvation. He seals, indwells, guides, teaches, sanctifies, comforts and empowers Believers for holy living. The Holy Spirit sovereignly bestows gifts to Believers enabling them for works of service. We believe that the miraculous sign gifts which were active in the age of the Apostles ceased with the completion of the Bible and are not given by the Holy Spirit today.
(Gen. 1:1-3, Mk. 1:8, Jn. 3:3-8, 14:16-17 & 26, 16:7-14, Acts 1:8, 5:32, Rom. 8:9, 16, 26, 12:6-8, I Cor. 6:19, 12:1-13, 13:8-13, Eph. 1:13)
ARTICLE V – Of the Fall of Man and Sin
We believe that man was formed in the image of God, in innocence and holiness by God Himself, but by voluntary transgression fell from that holy and happy state. Because of the initial sin by Adam, all human beings are born with a sin nature. We are sinners, not only by constraint, but of choice, and thereby under just condemnation without defense or excuse. Therefore, prior to the New Birth, mankind is by nature, spiritually dead, corrupted throughout and unable to secure his own salvation.
(Gen. 1-3, Rom. 1:18-23, 3:9-23, 5:12-19, 6:23, Eph. 2:1-3)
We believe that sin is universal to all men. Sin is not only rebellion against God, transgression of the law and of the Devil but also includes the neglect to do good. In short, all unrighteousness is sin. We must confess, forsake and repent of sin.
(Prov. 24:9, Isa. 55:7, Acts 17:30, Rom. 3:23, James 4:17, I John 1:8-10, 3:8, 5:17)
ARTICLE VI – Of Redemption and Salvation
We believe that the only escape from the condemnation of sin is through the redemption wrought by the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, when He voluntarily took upon Himself a human body and nature, yet without sin, and by His suffering, death and resurrection made full satisfaction to the justice of God for the sin of man. The blessings of this salvation are given on the grounds of grace to all who believe, confessing their sin, in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that this faith alone, apart from any form of works, is the only condition of salvation. We believe in the eternal security of the believer, that it is impossible for anyone who is truly born again of God to ever be lost.
(Isa. 53:11, Jn. 1:12-14, 3:16, 6:39, 10:27-29, Acts 16:31, Rom. 3:24-25, 5:9, 8:38-39, 10;9-13, Eph. 2:8-9, Titus 3:5-7, Heb. 9:22, 10:10-14,
I Peter 2:21-24)
ARTICLE VII – Of Angels and Satan
We believe that God created a company of Angels who are personal, spirit beings. The Angels, who have remained faithful and obedient to God, stand before Him in worship, protect and deliver His people, execute God’s judgments and will accompany the Lord Jesus Christ upon His return to earth.
(Ps. 91:11, 148:1-5, Isa. 6:1-3, Mt. 18:10, Heb. 1:6-14, 12:22, I Pt. 1:12, Rev. 12:7-9, 20:1-3)
We believe that out of the original number of Angels some chose to rebel against God. They were led by Satan, are the enemies of God, and desire to corrupt and destroy men. Satan and his demons will be judged by God and cast into the Lake of Fire where they will remain in eternal torment.
(Job 1 & 2, Isa. 14:12-17, Mt. 25:41, Jn. 8:44, II Cor. 4:3-4, I Thes. 2:18, I Pt. 5:8, II Pt. 2:4, Jude 6, Rev. 12:9-10, 20:10)
ARTICLE VIII – Of the Righteous and Wicked
We believe that there is an immediate and eternal difference between the righteous and the wicked. Only those who have placed saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ are truly righteous in God’s esteem, while those who continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked and under the curse and condemnation of sin.
(Prov. 15:29, 29:27, Mal. 3:18, Jn. 3:16-19, Luke 16:19-31)
We believe that the Bible clearly teaches the resurrection of the bodies of the dead. The righteous, which have died in Christ, will be raised at the return of the Lord for his Church and will be caught up, with the transformed living saints, to meet the Lord in the air and will “ever be with the Lord”. The wicked dead will be raised at the close of the Millennial Kingdom and stand in their bodies at the Great White Throne, where they will be judged and condemned to eternal punishment in the Lake of Fire.
(Jn. 5:28-29, Acts 24:15, I Cor. 15:51-54, I Thes. 4:13-18, Rev. 20:11-15)
ARTICLE IX – Of the Church
We believe that the church which is “the body of Christ” (universal) is a New Testament institution, was unknown to the Old Testament prophets and is completely distinct from Israel. It was established by Jesus Christ, who is “the Head of the church”, began on the day of Pentecost and will be consummated by the coming of Christ at the Rapture.
(Mt. 16:18, Acts 2:1-4, 42-47, Col. 1:18, 24, I Thes. 4:13-18)
We believe that the universal church is manifest through the local church which is a congregation of Believers who have been immersed upon a credible profession of faith and are banded together for worship, prayer, fellowship, service, observance of the ordinances, instruction in the Word of God and the worldwide proclamation of the Gospel. The local church has the absolute right to self-government (autonomy) and is to be congregational in polity. The two Scriptural offices for the local church are pastor and deacons. It should be the privilege of every Believer to join a local church where one can serve through its ministries.
(Mt. 28:18-20, Acts 1:8, 2:41-47, 6:1-7, Rom. 12:4-16, Eph. 4:11-16, I Tim. 3:1-13)
ARTICLE X – Of the Ordinances
We believe that there are two ordinances for the local church; Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. These two were instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ and practiced by the Apostles and New Testament churches. Baptism is the immersion of a Believer in water and is properly called “Believer’s Baptism”. It sets forth in a beautiful and solemn way our faith in the crucified, buried and risen Savior, with the effects of that faith in the picture of death to sin and resurrection to a new life. For the Believer, Baptism is a matter of obedience to the Word of God and is a prerequisite to the privileges of church membership. The observance of the Lord’s Supper is a commemoration of the Lord’s death until He comes again and should be preceded always by solemn self-examination and obedience to God’s Word. These ordinances are to be performed only under the authority of the local church.
(Mt. 28:19-20, Acts 2:41-47, 8:25-39, Rom. 6:3-5, I Cor. 11:23-32, Col. 2:12)
ARTICLE XI – Of Christian Conduct
We believe that true Christians have Biblical privileges and responsibilities in several areas. One of the great privileges and commands for the Believer is to be evangelistic in outreach. We are to take the Gospel to those who have not believed, both locally and abroad. We are to maintain an active, personal, daily prayer life with God. We are to live uprightly, honorably and respectfully in the home, fulfilling our responsibilities and obligations. We are to pray for and honor those in authority over us, recognizing that civil government is ordained of God, and be obedient to such except in things contrary to the revealed will of God in His Word. Believers are to be obedient to the Biblical command to separate entirely from worldliness and ecclesiastical apostasy unto God.
(Ps. 55:16-17, Mt. 28:19-20, Lk. 18:1, Acts 1:8, 4:18-20, Rom. 13:1-7, II Cor. 6:14 – 7:1, Eph. 5:20 – 6:9, I Thes 5:17, II Thes. 3:6, II Jn. 9-11)
ARTICLE XII – Of Marriage and Human Relationships
We believe the Bible teaches that no intimate physical or sexual activity be engaged in outside of the marriage relationship between one man and one woman. Marriage is designed and blessed by God for life, and “what therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.” (Mark 10:9). We therefore reject, as sinful, any deviation from that design and do not recognize it as legitimate, including: polygamy, homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, adultery, incest, fornication and pornography. We also believe that God disapproves and forbids any attempt to alter one’s gender. The Bible teaches that masculine and feminine roles are ordained by God as part of His created order. (Gen. 2:24, 19:4-5 & 13, Lev. 18:6-30, Mark 10:4-12. Rom. 1:26-32, 1 Cor. 6:9, Eph. 5:3 & 21-33, Heb. 13:4)
ARTICLE XIII – Of Dispensations and Israel
We believe that the Bible is to be studied, preached, taught and applied in a literal manner, taking into account the context, genre, grammatical structure and the normal or natural meaning of the words. When we interpret Scripture literally, we rightly divide “the word of truth” and come to dispensational conclusions. We believe that the dispensations are not ways of salvation (that has always been “by grace through faith”) but stewardships by which God administers His purpose on earth through man under varying responsibilities. Though several dispensations cover the entire history of mankind, we must keep them distinct, whereby Israel and the Church are never to be intermingled or confused. This present age is that of grace, or the church age, and will end when Christ returns for the church prior to the Tribulation. We also believe in the literal fulfillment of the Bible prophecies concerning the future restoration of Israel as a nation and the fulfillment of God’s covenants with them.
(Gen 13:14-17, Neh. 8:8, Ezek. 37, Jn. 1:17, Eph. 1:10, 2:8-9, 3:2, I Cor. 9:17, II Tim. 2:15)
ARTICLE XIV – Of Last Things
We believe in the literal fulfillment of the prophecies and promises of the Scriptures. Therefore, we believe in the personal, imminent, pre-tribulational, pre-millennial, return of the Lord Jesus Christ, in the air, to catch up His Bride the church, followed by seven years of tribulation on earth, the visible return of the Lord with power and great glory to establish His Millennial Kingdom, His defeat of Satan and those who follow Satan, and His Great White Throne judgment at the end of the Millennium. We believe that only the holy angels and Believers from all ages will enter the eternal state of heaven where Jesus Christ will reign forever as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
(Zech. 14, Mt. 25:31, Jn. 14:1-3, Acts 1:11, I Cor. 15:51-57, I Thes. 4:13-18, I Tim. 6:14-16, Rev. 17:14, 19:1 – 22:5)
