Shiloh Missionary Baptist District Association
WHAT WE BELIEVE
SECTION 1. The Scriptures.
We believe in the plenary, verbal inspiration of the original writings of the sixty-six books of the Bible, the Word of God, and that it is the full and complete revelation of God's will for man, the supreme and final authority in all matters of faith and practice (II Timothy 3:16,17; II Peter 1:20,21; Jude 3).
SECTION 2. The Godhead.
We believe in one God, eternally existing in three Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections (Deuteronomy 6:4; II Corinthians 13:14; Matthew 28:18,19).
SECTION 3. The Person and Work of Christ.
A. 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 that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men (John 1:1,2,14,18; Luke 1:35).
B. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our complete redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, propitiatory, and substitutional sacrifice, a redemption made sure to us by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Romans 3:24,25; 5:8-10; I Peter 2:24; Ephesians 1:7).
C. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God the Father where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor and Advocate (Acts 1:9-11; Romans 8:34; I Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 1:3; 6:19,20; 7:24,25; 9:24; I John 2:1,2).
SECTION 4. The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit.
A. We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, possessing all the attributes of deity; and that; in essence, He is equally God (Acts 5:3,4; II Corinthians 13:14).
B. We believe that the Holy Spirit is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration and sanctification, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling equally and permanently with every believer, and sealing them unto the day of redemption (Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 6:11; 12:12-14; Ephesians 1:13,14; 4:30).
C. We believe that every unregenerate person, the moment he exercises faith in Christ as Savior, immediately possesses the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; Galatians 4:6; I Thessalonians 4:8).
D. We believe that He is the Divine Teacher who guides believers into all truth; that He sovereignly bestows spiritual gifts upon believers; and that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled (controlled) with the Spirit (John 16:13; I Corinthians 12:4-7; Ephesians 5:18).
SECTION 5. The Total Depravity of Man.
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God but through Adam's sin the whole race fell, became alienated from God and inherited a sin nature, is totally depraved, possesses no spark of divine life, and of himself, is utterly helpless to remedy his lost condition apart from the grace of God (Genesis 1:25-27; Romans 3:22,23; 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-3, 12).
SECTION 6. Salvation.
We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to sinful man by grace and received solely by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ who accomplished complete redemption by His substitutionary death and shedding of His precious blood (John 3:18; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8,9; Philippians 3:4-9; Titus 3:5; I Peter 1:18,19).