1.  THE SCRIPTURES: We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men controlled by the Holy Spirit; that it has truth without any admixture of error for its matter; and therefore is, 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 supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds and opinions should be tried.

2.  THE TRUE GOD: We believe that there is one, and only one, living and true God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit, the maker and supreme ruler of heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.

3.  THE LORD JESUS CHRIST: We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Ghost in a miraculous manner; born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born or can ever be born of woman, and that He is both the Son of God, and God, the Son. We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God, Who by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin, honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and by His death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins; that His atonement consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was the voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner's place, the just dying for the unjust. Christ, the Lord, bearing our sins in His own body on the tree, that, having risen from the dead. He is now enthroned in heaven, and uniting in His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection. He is every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate and an all-sufficient Saviour.

4.  THE HOLY SPIRIT: We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person; equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the Evil one until God's purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of judgment and of righteousness; that He bears witness to the Truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the New Birth; that He seals, baptizes, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the believer. We believe that the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance) is the evidence of His indwelling rather than the speaking in tongues and other spectacular demonstrations.

5.  THE DEVIL OR SATAN: We believe that Satan was once holy, and enjoyed heavenly honors; but through pride and ambition to be as the Almighty, fell and drew after him a host of angels; that he is now the malignant prince of the power of the air, and the unholy god of this world, We hold him to be man's great tempter, the enemy of God and His Christ, the accuser of the saints, the author of all false religions, the chief power back of the present apostasy; the Lord of the anti-Christ, and the author of all powers of darkness-destined however to final defeat at the hands of God's Son and to the judgment of an eternal justice in hell, a place prepared for him and his angels.

6.  CREATION: We believe in the Genesis account of creation, and that it is to be accepted literally, and not allegorically or figuratively; that man was created directly in God's own image and after His own likeness; that man's creation was not a matter of evolution or evolutionary change of species, or development through interminable periods of time from lower to higher forms; that all animal and vegetable life was made directly and God's established law was they should bring forth only "after their kind."

7.  FALL OF MAN: We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy state, in consequence of which, all mankind are now sinners, not by constraint, but of choice; and therefore under just condemnation without defense or excuse.

8.  GRACE IN THE NEW CREATION: We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth the one dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension, not by culture, not by character, nor by the will of man, but wholly and solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel; that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life.

9.  FREENESS OF SALVATION: We believe in God's electing grace; that the blessings of salvation are made free to all through the gospel; that it is the immediate duty of all to accept them by a cordial, penitent and obedient faith; and that nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but his own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the gospel; which rejection involves him in an aggravated condemnation.

10.  REPENTANCE AND FAITH: We believe that Repentance and Faith are solemn obligations, and also inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the quickening Spirit of God; thereby, being deeply convicted of our guilt, danger and helplessness, and of the ways of salvation by Christ, we turn to God with unfeigned contrition, confession and supplication for mercy; at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ and openly confessing Him as our only and all-sufficient Saviour.

11.  JUSTIFICATION: We believe that the great gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is Justification; that Justification includes the pardon of sin, and the gift of eternal life on principles of righteousness; that it is bestowed not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done; but solely through faith in the Redeemer's blood. His righteousness is imputed unto us.

12.  SANCTIFICATION: We believe that Sanctification is the divine setting apart of the believer unto God accomplished in a threefold manner; first, an eternal act of God based upon redemption in Christ, establishing the believer in a position of holiness the moment he trusts the Saviour, second, a continuing process in the saint as the Holy Spirit applies the Word of God to the life; and third, the final accomplishment of this process at the Lord's return.

13.  PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS: We believe that such only are real believers as endure unto the end; that their persevering attachment to Christ is the grand mark which distinguishes them from superficial professors; that a special-Providence watches over their welfare; and that they are kept by the power of God through faith unto eternal salvation.

15.  THE ORDINANCES: We believe that the New Testament expresses only two ordinances, which are commands from Christ as the Head of His Church. They convey no saving grace, but rather, are to be observed and obeyed as under the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that Christian Baptism is The believer's immersion in water; Into the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; To show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried and risen Saviour, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; That in Scriptural order it (baptism) precedes the privileges of church membership and is the public recognition of the Lordship of Jesus Christ; The Lord's Supper is a memorial service in which the elements of bread and wine remind us of the love of God in Christ Jesus, "Who spared not His own Son but delivered Him up for us all." that this ordinance is to be observed in anticipation of His coming and preceded always by solemn self-examination.

17.  ECCLESIASTICAL SEPARATION: We believe the Scriptures teach that the believer should be separated from apostasy as exemplified in ecclesiastical organizations which include radicals, liberals and those who sanction theological compromise. This doctrine is based upon God's eternal principle of division between truth and error and His specific command to be separate from unbelievers and disobedient brethren. We believe this truth is to be practiced with an attitude of devotion to God, humility, compassion, and yet with conviction, to create the proper condition and atmosphere for the main objective, i.e., the salvation of the lost through the gospel of God. We believe ecumenical evangelism which involves apostates violates the principles taught in God's Word. 18.  CIVIL GOVERNMENT: We believe that civil government is of divine appointment, for the interests and good order of human society; that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed; except only in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ; Who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the coming Prince of the kings of the earth.

14.  THE CHURCH: We believe that a church of Christ is a congregation of baptized believers associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His word; that its scripturally designated officers are pastors and deacons, whose qualifications, claims and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures; we believe the true mission of the church is found in the great commission: First, to make individual disciples; Second, to baptize them; Third, to teach and instruct, as He has commanded. We do not believe in the reversal of this order; we hold that the local church has the absolute right of self government, free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that the one and only superintendent is Christ, through the Holy Spirit; that it is Scriptural for true churches to co-operate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the gospel; that every church is the sole and only judge of the measure and method of its cooperation; on all matters of membership, of polity, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final. We believe the "church which is His body" is the entire company of believers in Christ, whether Jew or Gentile, regardless of denominational affiliation and present position in heaven or on earth.

19.  ISRAEL: We believe in the sovereign selection of Israel as God's eternal covenant people, that she is now dispersed because of her disobedience and rejection of Christ, and that she will be regathered in the Holy land and, after the completion of the church, will be saved as a nation at the second advent of Christ.

16.  PERSONAL SEPARATION: We believe the Scriptures teach that every believer should be separated unto God from the world, and by the aid of the Holy Spirit, should walk in Christian love and holiness, exhibiting qualities of honesty, integrity, forgiveness and loving kindness. We also believe the Scriptures admonish every believer not to love the world or the things in the world, but rather to flee evil desires, avoid every kind of evil and refrain from questionable practices which destroy one's testimony, offend one's brother and fail to glorify God.

20.  THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED: We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that such only as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and sanctified by the Spirit of our God, are truly righteous in His esteem; while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked, and under the curse; and this distinction holds among men both in and after death, in the everlasting happiness of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost.

21.  THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH: We believe in the "Blessed Hope", the personal, imminent, pretribulation and premillennial appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ to rapture His redeemed ones of the church.

22.  THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST: We believe that every saved person of the church age will appear before the "Judgment Seat" to be judged by the Lord in regard to his service and receive rewards according to his works.

23.  THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM: We believe that Christ will return to earth after the tribulation with His saints to establish the Millennial Kingdom, which literally will be on the earth and will be ruled by Christ from the Throne of David.

24.  THE ETERNAL STATE: We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment in the Lake of Fire. 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 new body are reunited to be forever glorified with the Lord. The souls of the unbelievers after death remain in conscious misery until the second resurrection, when with spirit, soul and body reunited they shall appear before the Great White Throne Judgment and shall be cast in the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment.

71 Greene Street Pawtucket, RI 02860 ~ (401) 727-2288 ©2009 Immanuel Baptist Church