Statement Of Faith

We believe that the Scripture of the Old and New Testaments as originally written were verbally inspired and the product of the Spirit-controlled men.
Therefore, are wholly without error, infallible and God-breathed. We believe the Bible is the supreme revelation of God’s will for man and is our only rule for faith and conduct. We believe that the translation of the Scriptures known as the ‘King James Version (KJV)’ or the ‘Authorised Version (AV)’ is a true and reliable translation of the Scriptures. All the Articles of Faith and any Scripture references within this Constitution are using the KJV Bible. II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:19-21

We believe in one Triune God, who is the Creator of heaven and earth, and manifesting Himself in three persons—The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. They are equal in power and glory and are executing distinct and harmonious offices in the great work of Redemption. Genesis 1:26, 11:7-8; Matthew 28:19; II Corinthians 13:14

We believe that the six days of Creation as stated in Chapter 1 of Genesis are to be understood as literal days of 24 hours and not representing long periods of time. Also, we do not believe in a gap of time between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2 wherein a prehistoric age existed. The testimony of Holy Scripture is that death came by Adam as a result of his sin-Romans 5:12, 1 Corinthians 15:20-21. This Biblical truth directly contradicts the theory of evolution and the assumption in the gap theory that death prevailed for ages before Adam.

The Book of Genesis (genesis means “origin”) is no mere collection of myths and legends; it is the actual, factual record of real events and real people at the very beginning of history.

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin, Mary, in a supernatural manner. He is the one and only God, being “God manifest in the flesh” (1 Timothy 3:16). He lived a life of absolute sinlessness, and in His death, He made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins–dying not a martyr’s death, but as a voluntary substitute in the sinner’s place. He rose again from the dead on the third day and ascended bodily into heaven. Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; John 1:1,14; I Peter 2:22, 3:18

His Current Ministry: In Heaven He is exalted at the right hand of God the Father, where as the Great High Priest for His church, He fulfils the ministry of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate. Romans 8:34; I John 2:1-2; Hebrews 5:14-19, 9:24, 7:25

His Second Coming: He is coming again. This coming will be two-fold:

A. The Rapture will be Christ coming in the clouds to receive His church. This coming will be imminent, personal, and pre-tribulation (followed by 7 years of tribulation).

B. The Revelation is the coming of Christ to the earth to establish His kingdom and to set up His rule. This coming will be personal and pre-millennial (which is after the 7 years of tribulation and is the start of His 1,000-year kingdom). Matthew 24:29-31; Acts 15:16; I Thessalonians 1:9-10, 4:13-18, 5:1-11; Jude 14-15; Revelation 3:10, 5:10, 19:11-16

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Divine person, possessing all the attributes of personality and of deity. He is equal with the Father and with the Son and is of the same nature. His relation to the unbelieving world is that He convicts of sin, righteousness, and judgement. His work among believers is that He indwells them, baptises them into the body of Christ, seals them unto the day of redemption and fills (controls) the yielded–guiding and teaching them the ways of righteousness. John 14:16-17, 26; I Corinthians 6:19; 12:13; Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30; 5:18; Hebrews 9:14

We believe that the Scripture teaches that man was created by God in innocence. But by voluntary transgression, he fell from his sinless state.  In consequence of which, all men are now sinners by nature and by choice, and therefore, are under just condemnation to eternal punishment in the Lake of Fire without defence or excuse.  Genesis 1:27; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:23, 5:12-19; Rev. 20:15, 21:8

We believe the Scripture teaches that salvation of sinners is wholly of grace through the mediatory work of Jesus Christ.  Which means it is wholly apart from personal works and is upon the sole condition of repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  The sinner is now said to be saved, being regenerated by the power of the Holy Spirit and becoming the recipient of a new nature, whereupon Jesus referred to this as being born again.  This great Gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is called justification, which includes pardon of sin and the imparting of the Divine nature solely through faith in the Redeemer’s work of shedding His blood for our sins. Thus, having exercised personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ by a sincere prayer of repentance and receiving Christ into one’s life, the believer is completely justified and is in possession of a salvation which is eternally secure. Simply, Salvation is the gift of God when one accepts Jesus Christ as their Saviour.  John 3:3-6, 10:28-29; Acts 13:39; Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; I Peter 1:4-5

The blessings of salvation are made free to all by the Gospel. It is the immediate duty of all to accept the gift of salvation, which is Jesus Christ and His blessings by a cordial, penitent and sincere faith. Nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but his/her own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the Gospel, which rejection involves him/her being under condemnation to eternal punishment in the Lake of Fire. Isaiah 55:1; Matthew 11:28; John 6:37; Romans 8:29; Colossians 3:12; I Thessalonians 1:4; I Peter 1:2; Rev. 20:15, 21:8

We believe that the Scripture teaches the obedient, visible church of Christ is a congregation of baptised-by-immersion believers, observing the ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws, and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges vested in them by His Word. Its two (2) Scriptural offices are: Pastors (or Bishops or Elders) and Deacons. Qualifications, claims, and duties are defined in the epistles to Timothy and Titus. Matthew 26:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; I Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9

We believe Scripture teaches believer’s baptism. The baptism by immersion in water of a believer shows his/her faith in the crucified, buried, risen Saviour including the symbolic identification of our death to sin and resurrection to a new life. It is prerequisite to church membership. The ordinance of Baptism shall be observed as often as there are converts who request baptism. Matthew 28:19; Acts 8:36-39

We believe it is the commemoration of His death until He comes and should be preceded by solemn self-examination. The frequency of the Lord’s Supper shall be determined by agreement between the Pastor and Deacons. If the Pastor and Deacons cannot come to an agreement, it will be decided by a 2/3 congregational vote. Romans 6:3- 5; I Corinthians 11:23-28

We believe the Scripture teaches that all those who through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ will spend eternity in full enjoyment of God’s presence in Heaven and that those who through rejection and unbelief refuse to accept God’s offer of mercy and forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ will spend eternity in everlasting punishment–the Lake of Fire.  Psalm 16:11; Matthew 25:26,41; John 14:2; Revelation 20:15

We believe the Scripture teaches that there is a personal devil who is the god of this age, who is the prince of the power of the air, who is full of all subtlety and who seeks continually to frustrate the purposes of God and to ensnare the souls of men. II Corinthians 4:4, 11:13-15; Ephesians 2:2; Revelation 12:9

We believe that all the saved should live in such a manner as to not bring reproach upon the name of our Lord and Saviour (I Thessalonians 5:22) and that separation is three-fold:

A. Separation from all Religious Apostasy (II Corinthians 6:1-17, 7:1; I Timothy 4:1-3; II Timothy 3:1-5; II John 7-11 )

B. Separation from certain sinful practices and associations as dictated in the Word of God. (Psalm 101:3-5; Proverbs 6:17-19; Romans 12:1-2; Galatians 5:19-21; I Thessalonians 5:22)

C. Separation in wedding vows. Believers are commanded to marry believers and forbidden to marry unbelievers in Scripture (II Corinthians 6:14-17).

“We believe that the term ‘marriage’ has only one meaning and that is marriage sanctioned by God which joins one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. Genesis 1:27-28, 2:18-25; Matthew 19:4-6, Ephesians 5:22-33, 1 Peter 3:1-7

“We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to only occur between a man and a woman who are married to each other. We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. Exodus 20:14; Proverbs 6:32,Ephesians 5:3

“We believe that any form of sexual immorality, such as adultery, fornication, homosexuality, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, pornography or any attempt to change one’s sex, or disagreement with one’s biological sex, is sinful and offensive to God. Leviticus 18:22-23, 20:13, Romans 1:24-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Galatians 5:16-21; Hebrews 13:4

”We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of the church as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a biblical role model to the church members and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by the church in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, should abide by and agree to this Statement on Marriage and Sexuality and conduct themselves accordingly.

“We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and renounce their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. II Chronicles 7:14: I Corinthians 6:9-11

“We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. Hateful and harassing behaviour or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with scripture nor the doctrines of Bethany Baptist Church.” Romans 13:8

“We will in accord with our stated Scriptural belief in Marriage not allow any wedding ceremonies or related functions to be held on or in church properties that are not in total agreement with our conviction concerning what is Marriage.”