What We Believe
Maranatha Baptist Church
Bible: Consisting of the Old and New Testaments- we believe that the bible is the verbally inspired word of God and that it is of supreme and final authority in all matters of faith and practice. II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:21. Specifically, we use only the King James translation.
Trinity: We believe in one God existing in three co-equal and eternal persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Deuteronomy 6:4; Genesis 1:26; John 10:30; 4:24; Matthew 28:19; II Corinthians 13:14.
Jesus Christ: We believe in the absolute deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, that he was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, that he is truly God and truly man! He is now seated at the right hand of the Father and that he is the only mediator between God and man. Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:35; John 1:1, 14, 18; I Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 1:8
Man: We believe that man was created in the image of God, but in Adam, he was tempted and fell into sin, thereby incurring not only physical death but also that spiritual death which is separation from God. All human beings are born with a fallen sinful nature and are hopelessly sinful in themselves apart from the grace of God. Genesis 1:26-27; 3:6-19; Romans 5:12; 3:23.
Salvation: We believe that Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again and that Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life.” No person cam come to God except through him. John 14:6. The only way to be saved is by faith in his death and resurrection and all who believe in him are justified on the basis of his shed blood. We believe in the eternal security of the believers. Romans 4:5; II Corinthians 5:21; John 10:27-30; Acts 4:12; 113:38-39; I Corinthians 15:3-4.
Holy Spirit: We believe the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead. He regenerates, indwells, baptizes, and seals all true believers in Christ and fills those yielded to God. Some gifts of the spirit such as speaking in tongues and miraculous healing, given to the Apostolic Church temporarily are not an evidence of spirituality. John 3:5-6; I Corinthians 2:12-13; 6:19; 12:13; Romans 8:9;; Ephesians 4:30; Titus 3:5; I Corinthians 13:8-10; 14:12, 19.
The Church: We believe that the church is the body of Christ and all who accept the Lord Jesus Christ as personal savior become members of the body and are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. I Corinthians 12:12-13, 27; Ephesians 1:22-23; Acts 2:1, 4.
Ordinances: We believe that baptism and the Lord’s supper are the only scriptural ordinances that Christ desires his disciples to observe in this age. Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41; 8:36-38; 10:47; I Corinthians 11:23-26; Luke 22:19.
Christian Life: We believe Christians are called to a holy life of service and testimony in the power of the Holy Spirit which service includes the propagation of the gospel message to the whole world. There is promised reward in heaven for faithfulness in such service. I Peter 1:15-17; Matthew 28:19-20; I Peter 2:9; Acts 1:8; I Corinthians 3:12-15; Ephesians 2:10; II Corinthians 5:10-11
Satan: We believe Satan is a person. He is the author of sin and the cause of the fall. He is the open and declared enemy of God and man. He is a created being. He shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire. Job 1:6-7; Isaiah 14:12-17; Matthew 4:1-11; Revelation 20:10; I Peter 5:8.
Second Coming: We believe in the imminent pre-millennial return of Christ. The saints of God will be caught up to meet him in the air at his return and the wrath of God will be poured out upon the earth before Christ’s millennial reign. I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Zechariah 14:4-11; Revelation 20:1-6; Daniel 9:24-27; Jeremiah 30:7-10.
Eternal State: We believe in the bodily resurrection of all people. The to eternal life and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting conscious punishment in the Lake of Fire. Matthew 25:41-46; Luke 16:19-16; John 5:28-29; Revelation 20:6, 12-15.
