ABC Statement of Faith
This statement of faith does not explain our beliefs exhaustively. The Bible itself is the sole and final source of all that we believe. We reserve the right to restrict those whom we bring or keep in church membership or employ or use in areas of ministry to those whose beliefs are consistent with this Statement of Faith, to preserve the unity of Ambassador Baptist Church.
Biblical Christianity: Truths that must be believed in order to be a Christian
THE BIBLE
God has spoken about himself in the Bible (Genesis 1:1), both the Old and New Testaments, through human authors (2 Peter 1:21). Since the Bible is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16-17), without error in the original writings (John 17:17), we must believe what God promises and obey what God requires in his word (1 Peter 1:3).
GOD
God is one, existing eternally in three distinct persons – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – with unique roles but a united purpose: God’s glory (Matthew 3:16-17, 28:18-19; Deuteronomy 6:4/Mark 12:29–30; Acts 5:3-4; II Corinthians 13:14; Hebrews 1:1-3; 1 Peter 1:2).
God the Father is the creator and supreme ruler of heaven and earth (Genesis 1:1; Daniel 4:34-35; Proverbs 16:1, 4, 33). Though God is holy and exalted, he draws near to his people in goodness and loving loyalty (Isaiah 55:9; John 17:3; Genesis 32:10, Exodus 15:13, 34:6-7; Deuteronomy 7:9-12, Micah 6:8).
God the Son was instrumental in creation (John 1:1-3, Colossians 1:16) and sustains the universe today (Colossians 1:17). As God the Son, Jesus Christ is both fully God (John 1) and fully man (1 Timothy 3:16). Christ lived without sin (Hebrews 4:15), provided redemption and forgiveness for God’s people by his atoning death, rose from the dead in victory over sin and death, and will return to reign in glory. He intercedes for God’s people before the Father in heaven (1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 4:14-16).
God the Spirit is an actual person (Ephesians 4:4-6) who has worked through common grace and the conviction of sin (John 16:8) throughout history. In the church he gives new life to and dwells in God’s people (Titus 3:5, 1 Corinthians 12:13, 1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19, 2 Corinthians 6:16).
MAN/CREATION
God made all things for his glory (Revelation 4:11; Psalm 8, 19; Romans 1). He created man in his image, both male and female (Genesis 1:26-27, Genesis 3:20), and called all his creation very good (Genesis 1:31). Therefore, all human life has value and must be protected (Psalm 139, Genesis 9:6). God designed marriage to be one biological man and one biological woman joined together as a new family (Genesis 2:24), for helpful companionship (Genesis 1:18), for sexual intimacy only with each other (Hebrews 13:4, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10), and to picture Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:22-33).
SIN
Sin is disobeying God. Man fell when Adam sinned (Genesis 3; Romans 5:12-21). As a result, each person is born in sin, willingly commits sin, and is enslaved to sin (Psalm 51:5; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 1:18-32, 2:1-16). Apart from God’s work in salvation through Jesus Christ (John 14:6; Acts 4:12), every person is spiritually dead (Romans 3:9-18; Ephesians 2:1-10) and faces God’s eternal wrath (Revelation 20).
ANGELS
God made angels to serve as messengers and servants (Luke 1:5-38; Genesis 3:24). The greatest of the angels was Lucifer, also called Satan, who turned away from God and led some of the angels in a failed rebellion against God. Satan still attempts to interfere with God’s plan and tempt God’s people, but he will not ultimately succeed (Genesis 3:15). He and the rest of the fallen angels have been set aside for judgment (Ezekiel 28; Isaiah 14; Revelation 20). The rest of the angels continue to serve God faithfully.
SALVATION
Because of sin, each person needs God’s forgiveness to escape God’s punishment (Romans 6:23) and to receive eternal life (John 3:16-21, 36). God’s forgiveness comes only by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3:21-31; Romans 4:5; Titus 3:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21). The Triune God accomplishes this salvation by the plan of the Father, through the life-giving work of the Spirit, on the basis of the righteous life, death, and resurrection of God the Son made human (1 Peter 1:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17; Romans 3:21-31; 2 Corinthians 5:21), so that a person turns to God from sin in repentance and faith (1 Thessalonians 1:8-10, 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17).
A person who has turned to God in faith continues to repent of sinful ways of thinking, wanting, and doing as he grows in obedience to God's commands by the help of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Ephesians 4:17-32; 5:1-20; Galatians 5:16; 1 John 2:15-17; Ephesians 2:10). In this way, God's people become more and more like their Savior and show what God is like to those around them (2 Corinthians 3:18).
God’s people continue in faith throughout life (Ephesians 1:13-14; John 10:27-30; Romans 8:28-39) and will spend eternity with God. Those who lack true faith will receive eternal judgment from God (John 3:36; 1 John 2:19; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9; Matthew 13).
THE CHURCH
God established the church under Christ as a gathering of those who believe the gospel message (Matthew 16:13-20; Acts 1:8, 2:1-47, 16:5; Colossians 1:18). Until Christ returns, the church does God’s work by making disciples through evangelism and missions (Matthew 28:18-20), by teaching and maturing those who believe (Titus 2:11-14), by doing ministry and enjoying fellowship (John 13:34; 17:17; Romans 14:19, 15:14; Galatians 6:2; Ephesians 4:32, 5:19; 1 Thessalonians 4:18; Hebrews 10:24; James 5:16), and through private and public worship (John 4:24, Acts 2:42-47). The church gathers in unity (1 Corinthians 12:13) to be equipped and goes out to do God’s work (Ephesians 4:11-16), showing God to the world (Ephesians 5:22-33).
END TIMES
Christ will return to gather his people, reign in glory, and spend eternity with them (Revelation 19:7-10; 20:4; 22:5).
ABC Distinctives: Truths that must also be believed to become a member of Ambassador Baptist Church
THE BIBLE
We strive to interpret the Bible literally in its historical and grammatical context so that we do not misuse God’s Word (2 Timothy 2:15). We use modern translations that fit our goal to interpret the Bible accurately. We use them so that people will understand what is written (1 Corinthians 14:6-12).
MAN/CREATION/CHURCH
God spoke the universe into existence out of nothing in six days and rested on the seventh as a pattern for man’s week and to look forward to future rest (Genesis 1:1-13, 2:1-3; Hebrews 3, 4:1-11).
Though equal in value, men and women have different roles in marriage and the church (Genesis 2:24, Psalm 8:3-8, Ephesians 5:22-33, 1 Peter 3:1-7, 1 Corinthians 11:3, 1 Timothy 2). God has called men to lead as pastors (1 Timothy 3).
SALVATION
God the Father is sovereign in salvation. He chooses who will be saved (Ephesians 1:4, 1 Peter 1:2), draws those people to himself (John 6:35-40, 44, 65), and gives them to God the Son (John 10:27-30). God’s people cannot lose their salvation because it is God who secures them (Ephesians 1:13-14). The Christian life is a process of putting off sin and putting on holiness (Ephesians 4:22-24) but no one can achieve perfection until he arrives in God’s presence (1 John 1:8-10).
THE CHURCH
The church consists of those who have believed and are then baptized by immersion (Acts 2:42-47, 8:26-40; Ephesians 1:22-23), gathering in local assemblies to read the Scriptures and pray (1 Timothy 2:1-8, 4:13), being shepherded by pastor(s) (1 Timothy 3, Titus 1) and served by deacon(s) (1 Timothy 3), practicing the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Table (Acts 2:38, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, 12:13; Romans 6:1-23), and caring patiently for members by admonishing the unruly, encouraging the fainthearted, and helping the weak (2 Thessalonians 3, Matthew 18:15-17, 1 Corinthians 5:5, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15; 1 Thessalonians 5:14).
END TIMES
Christ will return to rescue his church, to establish a millennial kingdom, to fulfill God’s promises to Israel, and to judge the righteous and the wicked before enjoying eternity with his people in the new heaven and new earth (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 20:1-15, Romans 11:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10; Revelation 21:1-27, 22:1-5). Since Christ can return at any time, God’s people ought to be living in holiness and watching for him (Matthew 24:36; 2 Peter 3:11).
If you would like to learn more about our church, we would welcome you to visit us for one of our regular services or contact us for further information.