Our Beliefs

What we believe.

Lifeway Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist Church. What makes us distinct is our stand on the Bible. Because we believe that the Bible is God’s inspired, perfect, preserved Word for all people, naturally it dictates everything we do at Lifeway. It’s what makes us a Baptist Church. Our message and our beliefs are grounded in Bible truth. What we believe is found briefly below. Certainly this is not a comprehensive list. I’d be happy to answer any other Bible questions you might have via e-mail: pastor@lifewaybaptist.church

The Bible

We believe that the Bible is God’s Word to mankind. It is supernaturally inspired, supernaturally perfect, and supernaturally preserved for us today. The Bible, composed of 66 Books from Genesis to Revelation, is authoritative in doctrine and our final authority for faith and practice. We use the King James Version for all our services because we believe it to be the preserved Word of God in the English language (Psalm 12:6-7; II Timothy 3:15-17; I Peter 1:23-25; II Peter 1:19-21).

God

We believe in one God, who is eternal, immortal, infinite, and unchangeable. We believe He has one nature, one essence, and one substance, yet manifests Himself to man in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 6:4; Malachi 3:6; I Timothy 1:17; James 1:17; I John 5:7).

Jesus 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).

Jesus became a man and took on all the physical characteristics of humanity, yet retained all the characteristics of His deity. While on earth, Jesus remained perfect, holy, and sinless. The purpose for which He came was to die on the Cross and bring redemption to mankind. He was crucified and died for sinful man. He was buried and rose again the third day, proving that He was indeed God and the Christ. Having given the Great Commission to His church, He ascended into heaven, where He is now seated at the right hand of the Father (Psalm 2:7-9; Isaiah 7:14, 9:6, 43:11; Micah 5:2; Matthew 1:25; Luke 1:26-35; John 1:1, 1:3, 14, 18, 29; Romans 3:19-25; Romans 5:6-15; Philippians 2:5-11; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; I Timothy 2:5; I Timothy 3:16; Titus 2:10-15; Hebrews 7:26, 9:24-28; I Peter 1:19, 2:2; I John 1:3; Revelation 20:1-6).

The Holy Spirit

We believe the Holy Spirit of God is a person, possessing all the attributes of Deity. We believe the Holy Spirit was active in Creation and has been active in the world throughout its history. We believe that it is the ministry of the Holy Spirit today to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit was also sent to regenerate, sanctify, seal, and fill all who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:5-6; John 14:16; Acts 1:5; Acts 11:15; I Corinthians 3:16; I Corinthians 6:19-20; I Corinthians 12:13).

Sin & Salvation

We believe that man was created in the image of God, without sin. Because of Adam’s sin, all men are born with an inherited sin nature and are alienated from God. Because of this fallen condition, all men sin, are guilty before God, and deserving of God’s Judgment.

Salvation is and has always been by grace through faith. It is freely offered to “whosoever” will believe the Gospel and call upon the name of the Lord. Salvation cannot be earned by good works, but must be received by repentance and faith towards God. The cross satisfied God’s wrath and atoned for man’s sin. Nothing prevents any man from being saved other than his own rejection of God’s free gift (Genesis 1:26-27, John 3:15; Acts 4:19; Acts 16:31; Romans 3:10-23; Romans 5:6-12; Romans 6:23; Romans 10:9-10; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-6; John 1:12, 1 Peter 1:18-23, Philippians 3:9, 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 1:4-5).

Eternal Security

At the moment of salvation, the believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, Who seals the eternity of the believer. The believer is in the hand of the Father and no man can pluck him out of the Father’s hand. Life that is eternal can never be lost (Ephesians 1:13; John 10:28-29).

The Church

We believe the church began with the calling out of the twelve apostles by Jesus Christ and was fully established and commissioned before His ascension. We believe that on the day of Pentecost, the church received the gift of the Holy Spirit, empowering it for its mission and equipping it for its ministries.

We believe that the church is a local congregation of baptized believers who have been led by the Spirit to voluntarily join themselves together to evangelize the world and edify one another. We believe the local church is an organized body, divinely established for the purpose of carrying out His works in the world today.

Christ is the head of the church; it is self-governing and free from any organizational or governmental control (Matthew 16:16-18; Acts 1:15, Acts 2:1-4, Acts 2:41-42, Acts 13:1-4; 1 Corinthians 12:1-7; Ephesians 1:22-23, Ephesians 4:7-16; Ephesians 5:25-27; Colossians 1:15-18).

Church Ordinances

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.

Baptism pictures the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, identifies the believer with the body of truth of the church, is a step of obedience to Christ, and is the door to church membership.

The Lord’s Super is a memorial of the death of Christ to be taken only by the members of a local church after solemn self-examination. The elements of the Lord’s Supper, the bread and the fruit of the vine, picture the Lord’s body and blood and commemorate His death until He comes (Matthew. 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42, 18:18; I Corinthians 11:23-26).

Separation and Christian Growth

We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as to not bring reproach upon their Saviour and Lord; and, that separation from all religious apostasy, all sinful pleasures, practices and associations is commanded of God. God’s predestined purpose for every believer is for them to be made into the image of His Son. This process begins at salvation when the believer is made a new creature in Christ Jesus. Sanctification is to continue throughout the Christian life, but will only be complete when he is glorified in heaven. As long as man is in a mortal body he will not be perfect, yet God desires believers to become mature saints (Romans 8:29; Philippians 1:6; Titus 2:14; Ephesians 4:13-15; 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).

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