PRIMITIVE BAPTIST
ARTICLES OF FAITH
ARTICLE I
¾
WE BELIEVE in only one true and living God and the trinity of persons in the
God-head, Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost, and yet there are not three, but
one God. Reference Scripture:
Deuteronomy 6:4
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
Matt. 3:16-17,
16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the
water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of
God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
17
And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my
beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and
teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost:
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and
dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten
of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
John 1:16 And of his fulness have all we
received, and grace for grace.
2 Corinthians 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus
Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with
you all. Amen.
1 Peter 1:2 Elect according to the
foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto
obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and
peace, be multiplied.
1 John 5:7 For there are three that
bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these
three are one. .
ARTICLE II
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WE BELIEVE the Scriptures of Old and New Testaments are the Word of God, and
the only rule of faith and practice.
Isaiah 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if
they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in
them. {no...: Heb. no morning}
2 Peter 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old
time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the
Holy Ghost. {in old time: or, at any time}
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is
given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof,
for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17
That the man of God may
be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. {throughly...: or,
perfected}
Romans 1:19-21 Because that which may
be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. {in
them: or, to them} 20
For the invisible things of him from the
creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that
are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without
excuse: {so...: or, that they may be}
21 Because that, when they knew God,
they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in
their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. .
ARTICLE III
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WE BELIEVE in the doctrine of eternal and particular election of a definite
number of the human race and chosen in Christ before the foundation of the
world, that they should be holy and without blame before Him in love.
John 13:18-19 I speak not of you all: I
know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that
eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.
19
Now I tell you before it
come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he. {Now: or,
From henceforth}
Acts 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this,
they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were
ordained to eternal life believed.
Romans 11:5 Even so then at this present time
also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
1 Thessalonians 5:9 For God hath not appointed
us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
2 Timothy 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us
with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own
purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world
began,
Ephesians 1:1-4
1 Paul,
an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at
Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace
be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly
places in Christ: {places: or, things}
4
According as he hath
chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy
and without blame before him in love:
Revelation 20:15 And whosoever was not
found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. .
ARTICLE IV
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WE BELIEVE in a covenant redemption between God the Father, and God the Son.
Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee
and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head,
and thou shalt bruise his heel.
Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity;
and in sin did my mother conceive me. {conceive...: Heb. warm me}
Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin
entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men,
for that all have sinned: {for that: or, in whom}
1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all
die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. .
ARTICLE V
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WE BELIEVE in the fall of man and the communication of Adam’s sinful nature
to his posterity by ordinary generation and their impotency to recover
themselves from the fallen state they are in by nature by their own free
will and ability.
Jeremiah 13:23 Can the Ethiopian change his
skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are
accustomed to do evil. {accustomed: Heb. taught}
John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the
Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through
faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short
of the glory of God;
1 Thessalonians 1:10 And to wait for his Son
from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us
from the wrath to come.
ARTICLE VI
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WE BELIEVE that all chosen in Christ shall hear the voice of the Son of God
, and are effectively called, regenerated and born again.
Psalm 37:28 For the LORD loveth judgment, and
forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the
wicked shall be cut off.
John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life;
and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my
hand.
Acts 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to
your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our
God shall call.
Colossians 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life
is hid with Christ in God.
Jude 1 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and
brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and
preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:
ARTICLE VII
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WE BELIEVE that those born again are justified in the sight of God alone by
the righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed to them by faith.
Jeremiah 33:6
6
Behold, I will bring it
health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the
abundance of peace and truth.
2 Corinthians 5:21
21
For he hath made him to
be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of
God in him.
Galatians 2:16
16
Knowing that a man is
not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ,
even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the
faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the
law shall no flesh be justified.
Acts 13:39 And by him all that believe are
justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law
of Moses.
ARTICLE VIII
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WE BELIEVE that faith is the gift of God, and good works the fruit of faith,
that justify us in the sight of men and angels as evidences of our gracious
state.
Acts 13:37 But he, whom God raised again, saw
no corruption.
Romans 3:20-24
20
Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his
sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
21 But
now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed
by the law and the prophets; 22
Even the righteousness of God which is by
faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is
no difference: 23
For all have sinned, and come short of the
glory of God; 24
Being justified freely by his grace through
the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no
condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the
flesh, but after the Spirit.
James 2:18-19
18 Yea,
a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without
thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. {without: some copies
read, by} 19
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also
believe, and tremble.
James 2:22
22
Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made
perfect? {Seest...: or, Thou seest}
Hebrews 13:20-21
20 Now
the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that
great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
{covenant: or, testament} 21
Make you perfect
in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing
in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever.
Amen. {working: or, doing}
1 John 2:3
3And
hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
1 John 2:5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him
verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
ARTICLE IX
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WE BELIEVE that all the Saints of God justified by the righteousness of
Christ shall preserve in grace, and none of them finally fall away so as to
be lost.
Deuteronomy 32:6 Do ye thus requite the LORD, O
foolish people and unwise? is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath
he not made thee, and established thee?
Psalm 12:5 For the oppression of the poor, for
the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him
in safety from him that puffeth at him. {puffeth...: or, would ensnare him}
John 10:27-29
27
My sheep hear my voice, and I
know them, and they follow me:
28
And I give unto them eternal
life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of
my hand. 29
My Father, which
gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of
my Father's hand.
Romans 3:24-25
24 Being
justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus: 25
Whom God hath set forth
to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his
righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the
forbearance of God; {set forth: or, foreordained} {remission: or, passing
over}
1 Peter 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God
through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very
thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the
day of Jesus Christ: {perform: or, finish}
2 Timothy 2:19
Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord
knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ
depart from iniquity. {sure: or, steady}
1 John 2:19
19 They
went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they
would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be
made manifest that they were not all of us.
Ephesians 1:14
14
Which is the earnest of
our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the
praise of his glory.
Ephesians 4:30
30
And grieve not the holy
Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
ARTICLE X
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WE BELIEVE in the general judgment, both of the just and the unjust, and
that joys of the righteous shall be eternal and the punishment of the wicked
shall be everlasting.
Ecclesiastes 12:14 For God shall bring every
work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether
it be evil.
Psalm 16:9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my
glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. {rest...: Heb. dwell
confidently}
Isaiah 26:19
19
Thy dead men shall live,
together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell
in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out
the dead.
John 5:28
Marvel not at this: for the
hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his
voice,
Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and
great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was
opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those
things which were written in the books, according to their works.
ARTICLE XI
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WE BELIEVE that the visible Church of Christ is a congregation of Baptized
Believers in Christ adhering to a special covenant, which recognizes Christ
as their on lawgiver and ruler, and His word their exclusive guide in all
religious matters. It is complete in itself and independent under Christ of
every other church organization. it is alone a religious assembly, selected
and called out of the world by the doctrine of the Gospel to worship the
true God according to His Word.
Acts 2:41-42
41
Then they that gladly
received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them
about three thousand souls.
42
And they continued
stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of
bread, and in prayers.
1 Corinthians 1:13 Is Christ divided? was Paul
crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?
Ephesians 4:7 But unto every one of us is given
grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is the head of
the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of
the body.
Ephesians 5:27 That he might present it to
himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing;
but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Ephesians 5:32 This is a great mystery: but I
speak concerning Christ and the church.
Colossians 1:18 And he is the head of the body,
the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all
things he might have the preeminence. {in...: or, among all}
Revelation 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him
hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I
give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of
God.
Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That
thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of
hell shall not prevail against it. {Peter: this name signifies a rock}
ARITCLE XII
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WE BELIEVE that the Scriptural officers of the church are: Pastor and
Deacon, whose, qualifications and duties are defined in the Epistles of
First Timothy 3rd chapter and Titus 1st chapter.
Philippians 1:1 Paul and Timotheus, the
servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at
Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
Acts 20:17 And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus,
and called the elders of the church.
Acts 20:21 Testifying both to the Jews, and
also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus
Christ.
Hebrews 13:17 Obey them that have the rule over
you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must
give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is
unprofitable for you. {have...: or, guide}
ARTICLE XIII
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WE BELIEVE that Baptism is immersion of believer in water by a proper
administrator in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
Matthew 28:19
19
Go ye therefore, and
teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost: {teach...: or, make disciples, or, Christians of all
nations}
Mark 16:12-16
12 After
that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went
into the country. 13
And they went and told
it unto the residue: neither believed they them.
14
Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided
them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not
them which had seen him after he was risen. {at meat: or, together}
15 And
he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every
creature. 16
He that believeth and is
baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Acts 8:36
36
And as they went on
their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is
water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
Acts 8:39
39
And when they were come
up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the
eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
Romans 6:3-4
3 Know
ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized
into his death? {were: or, are} 4
Therefore
we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised
up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in
newness of life.
Colossians 2:12
12
Buried with him in
baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the
operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
ARTICLE XIV
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WE BELIEVE that no Minister has a right to administers the ordinances of the
gospel only such as have been regularly baptized, called and come under the
imposition of a Presbytery by the majority of the Church of Christ.
Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake
unto them, saying,
All power is given unto me in
heaven and in earth.
Ephesians 4:11-14 11 And he gave some,
apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and
teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry,
for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of
the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto
the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: {in: or, into}
{stature: or, age} 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and
fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men,
and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Acts 9:15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy
way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles,
and kings, and the children of Israel:
Acts
13:1-2 1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain
prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and
Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the
tetrarch, and Saul. {which...: or, Herod's foster brother} 2 As they
ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me
Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
Acts 14:23 And when they had ordained them
elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to
the Lord, on whom they believed.
ARTICLE XV
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WE BELIEVE that none but regularly baptized and orderly Church Members have
a right to communion at the Lord’s Table. Reference: Matthew 26; Mark 14;
Luke 22;
1 Corinthians 14:24-26 24 But if all prophesy,
and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced
of all, he is judged of all: 25 And thus are the secrets of his heart made
manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report
that God is in you of a truth.
26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together,
every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a
revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
ARTICLE XVI
¾
WE BELIEVE in the washing the Saints’ Feet in a Church capacity immediately
after the Lord’s Supper. Reference: John 13.