what belive

What We Believe!

Southern Baptist have prepared a statement of generally held convictions called the Baptist Faith & Message. It serves as a guide to understanding who we are. Copies of the Baptist Faith and Message are available at Cornerstone upon request.

The information provided below is provided to briefly summarize What We Believe!

The Scriptures - The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God’s revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine Instruction. God is the author...2 Timothy 3:16 and 17 says...All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

God - There is only one true and living God...The eternal God reveals Himself to us as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Each have personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence or being. The Trinity...1 John 5:5-8...Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is He who came by water and blood - Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, The Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.

God the Father - God as Father reigns with Divine Providence over all His creation according to the purposes of His grace...God is Father in truth to those who become children of God through Faith in Christ Jesus. God is creator...Genesis 1:1...In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. He is the True God...Jeremiah 10:10...But the LORD is the true God; He is the Living God, the Eternal King. When He is angry, the earth trembles; the nations cannot endure His wrath.

God the Son- Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. In His incarnation as Jesus Christ, He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and in His death on the cross. He made provision for the redemption of men from sin. Born of a Virgin...Isaiah 7:14...Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. Matthew 1:18...This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit...v22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel - which means, God with us. ...Son of God...Matthew 3:17...And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.”...Matthew 17:5...While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him!”...Salvation for those who believe...John 11:25-26...Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

God the Holy Spirit - The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God - He exalts Christ. He convicts us of sin, of righteousness and of judgment. The Holy Sprit gives spiritual and intellectual insight to the believer as well as empowers the believer and the church in worship, evangelism and service. The Spirit of God...John 4:24...God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth. In the beginning...Genesis 1:2...Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. The Holy Spirit is ever present...Psalm 139:7-10...Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. He empowers the believer...Isaiah 61:1-2...The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn. Evangelism...Acts 1:8...But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

Man - Man was created by God in His own image and is the crowning work of His creation...Giving man free will or choice he sinned against God and brought sin into the human race...God created man in His own image...Genesis 1:27...So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. ...Genesis 2:7...the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being….freedom to choose...Psalm 1:1-2...Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night...Colossians 1:21-22...Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation.

Salvation - Salvation involves the redemption of the whole man and is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, who by His own blood obtained eternal redemption for the believer. In its broadest sense salvation includes regeneration, sanctification and glorification….John 3:16...For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life...God the Father gave up His Son for us. His gift of eternal life is free to us, but it
cost Him crucifixion. God loves every person with an unconditional, divine love! He created us to have fellowship with Him but the Bible says that sin and death entered the world through Adam...Romans 5:12...Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man...thus all humanity is guilty of sin. The penalty of sin is death (spiritual death - separation from God) but Jesus willingly died on the cross in our place so that we can be pardoned from the spiritual death. The Cross was the ultimate demonstration of God’s love for us!

More information pertaining to what we believe regarding Baptism, The Lord’s Supper, Evangelism and Stewardship can be obtained through the Baptist Faith and Message, or you can contact Cornerstone through the email address: strongfoundations@hotmail.com or call us at 726-7335.

What We Believe about Baptism and the Lord’s Supper

Jesus Christ has left us two symbols, or ordinances, that represent the new life we have received in Him. Salvation is personal and has already taken place in the heart. Nothing can ever take away that gift of eternal life. But salvation is not private. These two symbols, Baptism and the Lord's Supper, are the public and corporate demonstration of what Christ has done for us and what we have believed about Him. Both of these ordinances are commanded for believers. They do not confer grace, they celebrate grace. They do not save, they are for the saved.

  BAPTISM...
   Baptism is the immersion in water of a person who has believed in Christ as a step of obedience (following and not connected to salvation) to symbolize that person's belief in and identification with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. … Jesus was baptized by immersion...Matthew 3:16…As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water…Every baptism in the New Testament was by immersion…Acts 8:38-39…And he (the eunuch) gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. There is no example of, nor any command, for a sprinkling baptism or an infant baptism in the New Testament. This began approximately 300 years after the Bible was completed. The word "baptize" means to "immerse, plunge or dip" in water. Greek - Baptidzo. (Acts 2:41)

Immersion baptism best symbolizes death and resurrection…Romans 6:4…We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. We are baptized to follow Christ’s example…Mark 1:9…And it came about in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan…Jesus was not baptized to wash away sin, He was without sin, but to symbolize the new covenant in His death and resurrection. Baptism is not essential for salvation, but is essential for obedience. It is an important step of obedience. It demonstrates that I really am a believer… Every person who has believed in Christ should be baptized…Acts 2:41…Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day…Acts 18:8…Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and were baptized. Baptism is the New Testament public profession of faith. It was the way a New Testament believer identified himself as a follower of Christ.

We baptize because Christ commanded it…Matthew 28:19-20…Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

Baptism illustrates the new life as a Christian…2 Corinthians 5:17…Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!...I am now identified spiritually with His death and resurrection…Romans 6:4…We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life… We are now dead to sin…Romans 6:11…In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus…Baptism says, "I am not ashamed of Jesus Christ. I will publicly profess my faith in Him."

THE LORD'S SUPPER

   Jesus never asked His disciples to remember His birth. But He did instruct them to remember His death and resurrection. The Lord’s Supper is the second ordinance given by Christ as a reminder of His death. The Lord's Supper is an object lesson that represents a great spiritual truth for believers.

   The Lord's Supper is so called because it was instructed by the Lord Himself in the upper room with His disciples on the night before He was crucified…Matt. 26:26-29… While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until the day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom. Jesus wanted to leave His followers a visible, physical symbol of what He was about to do for them. Paul gave us specific teaching on the Lord's Supper and directs us to remember Jesus through the taking of the Supper often…1 Corinthians 11:23-26…“For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, 'This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.' In the same way He took the cup also, after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.' "…Only those who are believers should take the Lord’s Supper…1 Corinthians 11:29…For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself…As believers we prepare for the Lord’s Supper by self-examination…1 Corinthians 11:27-28…Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup…by Confessing sins…1 John 1:9…If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness…by Recommitting our life…Romans 12:1…Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, this is your spiritual act of worship…by Mending Broken Relationships…Matthew 5:23-24…Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift…The elements of the Lord’s Supper. The bread - representing His broken body…the cup - representing His shed blood… 1 Corinthians 11:24-25...and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper He took the cup saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”