THE WORD OF GOD (THE BIBLE)

We believe that the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, is God's Word, that it was divinely inspired by God and written down by men, that it was given without error, is infallable in it's original writings, and has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct. 

THE TRIUNE GOD

We believe in one God, Creator of all things. God exists eternally in three equally divine Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 

GOD THE FATHER

God the Father is perfect in holiness, infinite in wisdom, and measureless in power. We rejoice that He concerns Himself mercifully with the affairs of men, that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.   

GOD THE SON, JESUS CHRIST

We believe that Jesus, the eternal son of God, became man without ceasing to be God. He was fully God and fully man. We believe in His virgin birth as Israel’s promised Messiah, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His substitutionary atoning death, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to Heaven, and in His future personal, visible return in power and glory.  

GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the eternally existing Trinity. He proceeds from the Father and is sent by Jesus Christ to convict people of sin and guilt, regenerate sinners, and baptize those who believe into union with Christ, forming one spiritual body. He indwells every true believer in Christ and is an abiding helper, teacher, guide and Holy Comforter. He is the source of all acceptable worship and service, and gives spiritual gifts to each believer. The Holy Spirit is given as God’s promised seal, securing a believer’s eternal salvation. We believe Christians are to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in their lives. 

ANGELS

We believe God created an order of spiritual beings, called angels, to serve Him and do His will. The holy angels are obedient spirits ministering to the heirs of salvation and glorifying God. Certain angels called demons, Satan being the chief, through deliberate choice revolted and were therefore cast down from their exalted position. They now tempt individuals to rebel against God. Their destiny in hell has been sealed by Christ’s victory over sin and death.                                                                                                 

SATAN

We believe in the existence of Satan, the devil who was cast out of heaven and is now at work endeavoring to counteract the work of Christ in building His church. His nature is to deceive by lying, destroy through attacking, and attempt to blind everyone from believing in God’s salvation. He also seeks to thwart the work of believers and righteous men. We believe it is every believer’s responsibility to resist Satan and to war against him with the proper weapons. 

FALL OF MAN

We believe that man was originally created in God's own image and, when tempted by Satan, fell from this sinless state by voluntary transgression. Beginning with Adam, all people are now sinners by nature and sinners by choice . They are therefore spiritually dead, and under God’s wrath receiving just condemnation. 

SALVATION

We believe that sinful man is regenerated by being born again of God, through the convicting work of the Holy Spirit. We believe salvation from sin cannot be gained by any external act of man such as through good works or baptism. Each person must turn from sin and self to God, through faith, by trusting in and receiving the free gift of the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, who shed His blood on the cross of Calvary for the remission of sin. By God’s grace, the regenerated man becomes a new creation with new power and new spiritual abilities, since he now stands before God clothed with righteousness and forgiveness. We believe that once a person is saved, he is saved permanently and has knowledge and peace of salvation.

CHURCH & ORDINANCES

We believe the overall purpose of God is the formation of His universal church, a living spiritual body of which Christ is the head and all regenerated people are members. We believe that a local church is a congregation of believers, voluntarily associated for worship, world evangelization, and fellowship. We believe that every believer has direct relationship with God. We believe that each local church is autonomous and self-governing and must be free from interference by any ecclesiastical or civil authority. The local church is given two ordinances that are to be perpetually observed until Jesus returns. Believer’s water baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, to show forth in symbol the believer’s union with the crucified, buried, and risen Savior. We believe that baptism is a command to be obeyed prior to the privileges of Bethel Baptist Church membership. We believe that the Lord’s Supper was instituted by Christ for commemoration of His death and it is properly observed by born again believers partaking of bread and the fruit of the vine. 

CHRISTIAN LIVING

We believe that the Christian should lead an exemplary life before God and all men through pure and righteous personal conduct, and by being loving in all relations with others. He should be a faithful steward of all with which God has entrusted him, evidenced by a willingness to share with the poor. We believe a Christian should refrain from all habits, attitudes, associations and secret organizations which might in any way compromise one's Christian testimony. Exemplary living includes obedience to the Great Commission. Each believer is to actively share the Gospel message everywhere and when asked, to gently and respectfully give reasons for why they believe. We believe that all believers commit to ongoing worship and fellowship through regular times of worship together.

CHRIST'S RETURN

  We believe in the personal, bodily, pretribulational, premillennial, and imminent return of Jesus Christ. This event known only to God is our “Blessed Hope”. This hope causes believers to wait for His return with expectancy and motivates believers to live godly lives.

HEAVEN & NEW EARTH

We believe heaven to be a real place, prepared for those who have trusted in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Believers, who have died, shall dwell with the Lord until He returns. Upon concluding Jesus’ millennial reign, God will destroy this present earth and create a new heaven and earth for all of His believing people to live forever in His presence, reaping their rewards and the crown of life. 

HELL

We believe hell to be a real place of torment, made for Satan and his angels, and those who refuse to obey the Gospel message of Christ. They shall spend eternity in just punishment, receiving God’s wrath because they refused to repent and believe the Gospel message that was able to save them.

THE ETERNAL STATE

At death, those who have trusted Christ for salvation pass immediately into His presence and never die spiritually. They will be reunited with their bodies at the coming of Christ for His church and will be given new eternal, glorified bodies. All who have not trusted in Christ will be raised at the second resurrection, at the close of the millennium, where they will appear at the great white throne judgment and receive their sentence to the lake of fire, where they will endure eternal, conscious punishment with Satan and his demons.