STATEMENT OF FAITH

We the congregation of Temple Fundamental Baptist Church present the following articles as a
statement of those basic truths taught in the Bible which are common to our Christian faith and
practice:
1. The Bible: We believe in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as verbally inspired by
God, as inerrant in the original writings, and as the supreme and final authority in faith and life. II
Timothy 3:16-17; Psalm 19:7; Isaiah 8:20; II Peter 1:21.
2. The One True God: We believe in one God who eternally exists in three persons: Father, Son, and
Spirit. Isaiah 45:21-25; Luke 1:26-38, 2:1-7; John 1:1-14; Galatians 4:4; I Timothy 2:5.
3. The Lord Jesus Christ: We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten by the Holy Spirit, was born of
the Virgin Mary, and is true God and true man, and is the only mediator between God and man.
Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38, 2:1-7; John 1:1-14; Galatians 4:4; I Timothy 2:5.
We believe in the vicarious death of the Lord Jesus Christ as a substitutionary sacrifice for our sins,
and that all who believe in Him are justified on the ground of His shed blood. I Peter 1:18-19, 2:24;
Acts 16:31; Ephesians 1:7, 2:13; I John 1:7; Revelation 1:5, 12:11.
We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, in His ascension into heaven, and in
His present life there for us as High Priest and Advocate. Psalm 16:10; Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24;
John 20, 21; Acts 2:22-36; I Corinthians 15; Acts 1:10-11; Hebrews 5:1-10, 7:23-28; I John 2:1.
4. The Holy Spirit: We believe in the Holy Spirit, His personality, His role as Comforter, Convicter of
Truth, His deity, and His work in each believer. John 16:7-15, 14:17, 26; Acts 5:3-4. We believe in His
baptism and indwelling at the moment of regeneration, and His filling to empower each believer for
Christian life and service. I Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 3:16, 5:18; Romans 8:9; Acts 1:8; Galatians
5:22-23.
5. Man: We believe that man was created in the image of God; that he sinned and thereby incurred
physical and spiritual death, which is separation from God. Genesis 1:27, 31, 2:7, 16-17, 3:1-24; I
Corinthians 15:21; Romans 6:23.
6. Salvation: We believe that all who receive the Lord Jesus Christ by faith are born again of the
Holy Spirit and thereby become children of God. All such are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and
baptized by Him into that spiritual body (the Church) of which Jesus Christ is the Head. John 1:12- 13,
3:3-7, 14:16-17; I Corinthians 12:12-13; Colossians 1:18, 24. We believe in the eternal security of all who
trust in our Lord Jesus Christ. John 3:16, 36, 10:28-29; Romans 8:35-39; II Timothy 1:12; Jude 1.
7. The Church: We believe that a local New Testament church consists of a company of baptized
believers who have voluntarily associated themselves for worship, instruction, and service, for our
Lord. Acts 2:41; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:2. We believe that a local New Testament church is a self-
governing body and must be free from interference by a convention or any other ecclesiastical or
political authority. Therefore, the Church and State must be kept separate as they have different
functions. Each fulfills its duties free from the dictates or patronage of the other. We believe that
every human being is directly responsible to God in matters of faith and life, and that each should
be free to worship God according to the dictates of his conscience. Acts 4:19-21, 5:29, 6:3-6, 13:2-4,
15:2, 22-31.
8. Second Coming: We believe in (a) “that blessed hope” (rapture) and in (b) the personal and
visible return of our Lord Jesus Christ to the earth to establish His kingdom. (a) Rapture ̶Titus 2:11-13;
John 14; I Thessalonians 4:13-18. (b) Return to earth – Psalm 24; Isaiah 9:6, 24:22-23; Zechariah 14:4;
Acts 1:10-11; Jude 14-15; Revelation 20.
9. Future Life: We believe in the bodily resurrection of the saved and lost. The saved will appear in
Heaven at the Judgment Seat of Christ to receive rewards and to dwell with Him for all eternity. The
lost will be judged at the Great White Throne and be cast into eternal hell. John 5:29; I
Thessalonians 4:13-18; Ephesians 2:8-9; I Corinthians 3:11, 15; Luke 16:19-31; Revelation 20:11- 15.
10. Ordinances: We believe that baptism is the immersion of a believer in water, in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, setting forth the essential facts of redemption – the
death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Baptism also sets forth the essential facts in the experience
of the believer – death to sin and resurrection to newness of life. We believe that the Lord’s Supper
is a commemoration of the Lord’s death until He comes. Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 8:34-39, 16:30-33;
Romans 6:1-11; Matthew 26:26-29; I Corinthians 11:20-34.
11. Marriage: We believe marriage is a union between one man and one woman ordained by God.
It was first instituted by God in the early chapters of Genesis, codified in the Levitical law, and
compared to a relationship between God and his people in the Old Testament prophets. Examples
of marriage are in the historical narratives, and the wisdom literature discusses the unique unity of
this marriage relationship. Jesus explained the original intention and core elements of marriage,
and several New Testament Epistles give explicit instructions on this union. Marriage is a typology
of Christ and the Church. As such, the Church views marriage as a profound spiritual institution
established by God. Due to the importance of marriage in the biblical witness, this church adheres
to this concept of biblical marriage (Genesis 2:24, 25; Matthew 19:4, 5; Romans 7:2).
 Statement of Faith

We the congregation of Temple Fundamental Baptist Church present the following articles as a
statement of those basic truths taught in the Bible which are common to our Christian faith and
practice:

The Scriptures
We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the Bible, “as it is in truth, the
Word of God…” (I Thessalonians 2:13). We believe in verbal, plenary inspiration in the original
writings, and God’s preservation of His pure words to every generation (II Timothy 3:16, Psalms 12:6-
8).

The Godhead
We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, co-
eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes
and perfections (Deuteronomy 6:4; II Corinthians 13:14).

The Person and Work of Christ

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be
God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, in order that He might
reveal God and redeem sinful men (John 1:1-2, 14; Luke 1:35; Isaiah 9:6; 7:14; Philippians 2:5-8;
Galatians 4:4-5).
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His finished work on
the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and that our justification is made
sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Romans 3:24-25; I Peter 2:24; Ephesians 1:7; I
Peter 1:3-5).

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven, and is now exalted at the right hand of
God, where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate
(Acts 1:9-10; Hebrews 9:24, 7:25; Romans 8:34; I John 2:1-2).

The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is the Person who reproves the world of sin, of righteousness, and of
judgment; and that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, indwelling all believers and
sealing them unto the day of redemption (John 16:8-11; II Corinthians 3:6; Romans 8:9; Ephesians
1:13-14).
We believe that the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing,
were temporary. We believe that speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of
the baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit and that ultimate deliverance of the body from sickness or
death awaits the consummation of our salvation in the resurrection, though God frequently
chooses to answer the prayer of believers for physical healing (II Corinthians 12:12; I Corinthians
13:8; Hebrews 2:3-4; Mark 16:17-20; I Corinthians 1:22, 14:21-22).
Man
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam’s sin the race
fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and that man is totally depraved,
and, of himself, utterly unable to remedy his lost condition
(Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 3:22-23; Ephesians 2:1-3, 12).
The sacredness of human personality is evident in that God created man in His own image and is
mindful of him, and in that Christ died for man; therefore every individual possesses dignity and is
worthy of respect and Christian love. (Psalm 8:4-9; Colossians 3:9-11).

The Way of Salvation

We believe that the clear message of salvation is “repentance toward God and faith toward our
Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21). We believe that salvation is “by grace” plus nothing minus nothing.
We believe that men are justified by faith alone and are accounted righteous before God only
through the merit of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 2:8-10; John 1:12; I Peter 1:18-19)
We believe that all the redeemed, once saved are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ
forever. We believe that eternal life is the present possession of every believer (John 6:37-40, 10:27-
30; Romans 8:1, 38-39; I Corinthians 1:4-8; I Peter 1:4-5; Jude 1, 2).

The Church
We believe that the New Testament church is a local assembly of baptized believers who have
voluntarily joined themselves together to carry out the Great Commission. The Lord is doing His
work in this world through local churches. The establishment and continuance of local churches is
clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures (Acts 14:27; 20:17, 28-32; I Timothy 3:1-
13; Titus 1:5-11).
We believe in the autonomy of the local church free of any external authority or control. Christ is
the only head of the church (Acts 13:1-4, 15:19-31, 20:28; Romans 16:1, 4; I Corinthians 3:9,16; 5:4-7,13;
I Peter 5:1-4).

The Ordinances of the Church

We recognize the ordinances of baptism by immersion in water and the Lord’s Supper as a
Scriptural means of testimony for local churches in this age (Matthew. 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42, 18:18; I
Corinthians 11:23-26).

Biblical Separation
We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Savior
and Lord; and, that separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices
and associations is commanded of God (II Timothy 3:1-5; Romans 12:1, 2, 14:13; I John 2:15-17; II John
9-11; II Corinthians 6:14-7:1).

The Return of Christ

We believe the “Blessed Hope” of our Lord’s return is literal, personal, visible, imminent,
premillennial, and pre-tribulational. Believers will caught up to be with the Lord prior to the seven
years of tribulation, and at the end of the tribulation Christ will return with His saints to establish
His thousand-year reign on the earth. (I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; I Thessalonians 1:10;
Revelation 3:10; Zechariah 14:4-11; Revelation 19:11-16, 20:1-6; Psalm 89:3-4)

Our Eternal State

We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to
judgment and everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:46; John 5:28, 29, 11:25-26; Revelation 20:5-6, 12-
13).
We believe that the souls 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 (Luke 23:43; Revelation 20:4-6; II Corinthians 5:8;
Philippians 1:23, 3:21; I Thessalonians 4:16-17).

We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain, after death, in conscious misery until the second
resurrection, when with soul and body reunited they shall appear at the Great White Throne
Judgment, and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting,
conscious punishment (Luke 16:19-26; Matthew 25:41-46; II Thessalonians 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Mark 9:43-
48; Revelation 20:11-15).
 We believe in. . .

 The verbal, plenary inspiration of the Old and New Testaments

 God in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; the new birth in Christ alone
 Baptism by immersion for believers only
 The eternal security of the believer
 The Lord’s Supper as a memorial
 Six creation days of twenty-four hours each
 The bodily resurrection of Christ and His bodily ascension into heaven where He now intercedes
for believers
 The pretribulation rapture of all believers
 The premillennial return and millennial reign of the Lord Jesus Christ
 The judgment
 The reality of heaven and hell
 The local church as God’s institution to carry out the Great Commission
 The obligation of every believer to live a holy life and witness to the lost of the saving power of
Christ.
 Statement of Faith
Without reservation, the members of this church subscribe to the doctrines of the historic faith as
expressed, or revealed, in the Scriptures, including:

The supernatural, verbal, and plenary inspiration of the Scriptures. (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:19-21)

The Holy Trinity.  (John 16:12-15; Matthew 28:19)

The deity of Christ. (Romans 1:3-4; John 10:30; 1 John 3:16, Acts 20:28)

The virgin birth of Christ. (Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:35; John 1:14)

The personality of the Holy Spirit. (John 16:7-15; Luke 3:22)

The substitutionary and blood atonement. (Hebrews 9:22; 1 Peter 1:18-20)

The necessity of the new birth for salvation. (John 3:3-5, 7, 16-18)

The maintenance of good works. (Ephesians 2:8-10; John 15:16; Titus 3:8,14)

The literal, bodily, pre-millenial return of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)

The resurrection of the saved and the lost. (Revelation 20:4-6; John 5:28-29)

The reality and personality of Satan. (Luke 4:1-13; Genesis 3:1-5; Revelation 20:9-10)

The endless punishment of unbelievers in Hell. (John 8:24; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Revelation 14:10-11)

The endless blessedness of true believers. (John 5:24, 14:1-6; Romans 8:18)

Christian ordinances:

(a) Baptism by Immersion (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 8:38; Romans 6:1-5)

(b) The Lord’s Supper (Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-31)

Opposing modernism, liberalism, communism, idolatrous and false religions and cults and
apostasy in doctrine and practice. (2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1)
Refraining from unchristian conducts, actuations and utterances in the guise of fundamentalism
and separatism which hurt the body of Christ and church of God. (Acts 20:28; 1 John 3:16; Romans
15:1-6; Ephesians 6:12)