What We Believe

CONSTITUTION AND BY LAWS

Article I - NAME:

The name of this organization shall be the Calvary Baptist Church, St. Charles, Madison County, Iowa.

Article II - PURPOSE:

To establish and maintain an independent, fundamental. Bible believing Baptist Church for the duration of the life of the incorporation, to preach and teach the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ as the only Saviour of men; to further the cause of biblical missions at home and abroad; to maintain a program of instruction to train children, youth, and adults to be good witnesses for Jesus Christ, and faithful stewards of biblical doctrine to own and hold real estate, and personal property necessary and proper for a place of public worship, and for schools and parish house; to carry on educational and charitable work under rules and regulations of this constitution.

Article III - AFFILIATIONS:

This church shall not be affiliated with any organization, group, association, or person not in full agreement with the Constitution and By Laws and Articles of Faith of this church, or that would endanger the sovereignty of its doctrine or property.

Article IV - ARTICLES OF FAITH

1. THE SCRIPTURES

We believe that the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were verbally inspired and are the product of Spirit Controlled men, and therefore, is truth without any admixture of error for its matter. We believe the Bible to be the true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds. and opinions, shall be tried. [ Luke 24:44; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21]

2. OF THE TRUE GOD

We believe there is one and only one living and true God, and infinite Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth; inexpressibly. glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love, that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons. the Father the Son, and the Holy Ghost, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. [ Exodus 20:2-3; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 11:25; Matthew 28:18-19; Mark 12:29; John 1:1; Acts 17:29; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Colossians 2:9; 1 John 5:7; Revelation 4:11]

3. GOD THE SON

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal son of God (John 1:1) became man (John 1:14) without ceasing to be God (John 10:30) having been supernaturally conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary in order that He might reveal God and redeem man (John 3:16). We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical, resurrection from the dead (Romans 4:25; 2 Corinthians 5:21) We believe the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where as our High Priest, (Hebrews 2:17; Hebrews 5:5-6). He fulfills the ministry of intercessor and advocate. [ Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:20; Romans 5:8; Phillipians 2:5-8; Hebrews 1:3-4; Hebrews 9:12; 1 Peter 2:24; Mark 16:19; Acts 1:9-11; Acts 7:55-56; Romans 8:34; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Hebrews 4:14-15; Hebrews 8:1]

4. HOLY SPIRIT

We believe that the Holy Spirit is co-equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same divine nature; (1 John 5:7-8) that He was active in the creation; (Genesis 1:2) that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God's purpose is fulfilled; (2 Thessolonians 2:7-8) that He convicts of sin, of righteousness. and of judgment; (John 16:7-13) that He bears witness to the Truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; and He is the agent in the New Birth; that He seals, baptizes, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the believer. [ Luke 3:16; Luke 24:49; John 1:33; John 3:5-6; Acts 1:16; Romans 8:26-27; Romans 8:14-16; Ephesians 1:13-14; Ephesians 4:30; Ephesians 5:9]

5. SATAN

We believe in the distinct personality of Satan, that he was created perfect but because of pride and rebellion against God he became the originator of sin and later caused the fall of man. He is the prince of the world and has great power. He blinds the minds of unbelievers, opposes and accuses the believers. In the final judgment, Satan and his angels are destined to an eternal justice in the lake of fire. [ Isaiah 14:12-17; Ezekiel 28:11-19; Matthew 4:1-3; John 8:44; John 16:11; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 6:11-12; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6; Revelation 20:1-3; Revelation 20:10]

6. OF THE CREATION

We accept the Genesis account of creation and believe that man came by direct creation of God and not evolution. See Genesis 1, Genesis 2; John 1:3; Ephesians 3:9; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2.

7. OF THE FALL OF MAN (DEPRAVITY)

We believe that in Adam's sin the race fell, and inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and that all man is totally depraved, and of himself utterly unable to remedy his lost condition. [ Genesis 1:26-27; Genesis 1:31; Genesis 3:1-6; Romans 3:23; Romans 5:10-19; Romans 11:32; Ephesians 2:1-3; Galatians 3:22]

8. OF THE VIRGIN BIRTH

We believe that Jesus was begotten of the Holy Spirit in a miraculous manner; born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born, or can be born of woman, and that he is both God, and God in the flesh. [ Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:35; John 1:14; 2 Corinthians 5:9; Colossians 2:9]

9. THE ATONEMENT FOR SIN

We believe that Christ's Atonement for sin was a voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner's place, the Just dying for the unjust; having risen from the dead, is the only one qualified to be the sinner's substitute. [ Isaiah 53:4-10; Matthew 18:11; John 3:l6; Romans 3:24-25; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Phillipians 2:5-8; Hebrews 2:9; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Peter 3:18]

10. SALVATION

We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed an Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins. [ John 3:7, John 3:16-18, John 3:36; Acts 4:12, Acts 16:31; Acts 20:2l; Romans 6:23, Romans 10:9-10; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-7]

11. JUSTIFICATION

We believe that through faith in Christ, His righteousness is imputed to the believer, making him justified before God. [ Acts 13:38-39; Romans 3:21-28, Romans 4:22, Romans 5:1; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Phillipians 3:9]

12. SANCTIFICATION

We believe we are sanctified by the Holy Spirit when we are born again, We are Pleasing to God and others see our sanctification as we study God's Word and are yielded to the Holy Spirit. we will be completely sanctified when Christ appears. [ John 17:17; Romans 15:11; Ephesians 5:25-26; 1 Thessolonians 5:23-24; 2 Thessolonians 2:13-14; Hebrews 2:11; Hebrews 10:10; Hebrews 13:12; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 Peter 3:15]

13. SEPARATION

We believe that all saved should live in such a manner as not to bring reproach upon their Saviour and Lord; and that separation from all religious apostasy (departure from the Bible faith), all worldly and sinful pleasures. practices and associations is commanded of God. [ Isaiah 52:11, Romans 2:12-17; Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 6:14-17; 2 Timothy 2:20-21; 2 Timothy 3:l-12; 1 John 4:15-17; 2 John 1:9-11]

14. OF THE RIGHTEOUS AND WICKED

We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that such only as through faith are justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and sanctified by the Spirit of our God are truly righteous in His esteem; while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked, and under the curse; and this distinction holds among man both in and after death, in the ever- lasting joy of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost. [ Genesis 18:23; Proverbs 14:32; Matthew 25:34-41; Luke 6:25; John 8:21; Romans 6:17-18, Romans 6:23; Romans 7:6; 1 John 5:19; Revelation 20:10-15]

15. THE BELIEVER'S TWO NATURES

We believe that every saved person possesses two natures, with provision made for victory of the new nature over the old nature through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, and that all claims to the eradication of the old nature in this life are unscriptural. [ Romans 6:13, Romans 7:15-26; 1 Corinthians 10:13; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:9-11; 1 Peter 1:14-16; 1 John 3:5-7.]

16. THE MINISTRY OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS

We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowment of all His gifts, and, that the gifts of evangelists, pastors, and teachers are sufficient for the perfecting of the saints today; and, that speaking in tongues and working of sign miracles gradually ceased as the New Testament scriptures were complete and their authority became established. [ 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; 2 Corinthians 12:12; Ephesians 4:7-12] We believe that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith, In accord with His own will, for the sick and afflicted. [ John 15:7, James 5:14-16, 1 John 5:14-15]

17. ETERNAL LIFE AND ASSURANCE OF BELIEVERS

We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ forever. It is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God's Word; which, however, clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to sin. [ Isaiah 32:17; John 3:36, John 5:24; John 6:37; John 10:28-29; Romans 6:1-2, Romans 8:35-39; Ephesians 1:13, Ephesians 4:30; Phillipians 1:6; Hebrews 5:9; 1 Peter 1:5; 1 John 5:11-13; Jude 24-25.]

18. THE CHURCH

THE TRUE CHURCH: We believe the true church which is the body of Christ, consists of all believers in Christ from Pentecost to the Rapture. [ Matthew 16:16-18; Acts 2:l-13; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13, 1 Corinthians 15:52; Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 2:14-15; 1 Thessolonians 4:13-18]

THE LOCAL CHURCH: We believe that a local church is a congregation of true believers in Christ associated by covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word; that its officers are elders and deacons whose qualifications, claims and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures. We believe the true mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as we have opportunity. We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government. free from the interferences of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that the one and only superintendent is Christ, through the Holy Spirit; that it is scriptural for fundamental churches to co-operate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel; that each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its co-operation; on all matters of membership, of polity, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final. [ Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:41-43, Acts 2:47; Acts 15:13-18, Acts 20:17-28; 1 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 4:11-16, Ephesians 5:23-24; 1 Timothy 3:17; Colossians 1:18; 1 Peter 3:15.]

19. ORDINANCES

We believe that there are two church ordinances; Baptism and the Lord's Supper.

BAPTISM: We believe that baptism (Greek immersion) is the immersion of a believer in water and is properly called "Believer's Baptism." It portrays in a beautiful and solemn way our faith in a crucified, buried and risen Saviour, with its effects in our lives of death to sin and resurrection to a new life. [ Matthew 3:13-17; Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:41, Acts 8:35-39; Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12.]

LORD'S SUPPER: We believe that the Lord's Supper is the commemoration of His Death until He comes, and should be preceded always by solemn self-examination and should be partaken of by believers only. [ Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-34.]

20. THE DISPENSATIONS

A dispensation is a period of time during which man is tested in respect of obedience to some specific revelation of the will of God. We believe that In all dispensations men were saved only by grace through faith in Christ. Each dispensation begins with a covenant and ends with a judgment from God.

The Seven Dispensations are:

21. OF CIVIL GOVERNIDENT

We believe that civil government is of divine appointment, for the interest and good order of human society, that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored, and obeyed, except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the coming Prince of the Kings of the earth. [ 2 Samuel 23:3; Daniel 3:17-18; Matthew 22:21; Romans 13:l-7; Acts 4:19-20; Acts 5:20-29; Acts 23:5; 1 Timothy 2:1-3; 1 Peter 2:13-20.]

22. OF THINGS TO COME

We believe that the Scriptures do foretell certain future events among which are the following:

RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH: We believe that Jesus Christ will return to the atmosphere of this earth, that the dead in Christ will rise first, then believers who are still living will be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air and to ever be with the Lord; that the Rapture is the next event on the revealed calendar and that no prophecy need be fulfilled before it occurs. [ 1 Corinthians 15:51-54; 1 Thessolonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:13.]

TRIBULATION: We believe that the Rapture of the church will be followed on earth by Israel's seventieth week; that, though there will be salvation, this will be a time of great judgments, the latter part being known as the great tribulation. [ Daniel 5:26-27; Revelation 7:4, Revelation 9, Revelation 14, Revelation 13:6-17]

SECOND COMING : We believe that following the tribulation Christ will return to the earth with His glorified saints to establish the millennial kingdom; that during the 1,000 years of peace and prosperity, Satan will be bound and Christ will reign with a rod of iron; that at the end of the millennium Satan will be released for a short time, deceive many and lead them in final rebellion but will be destroyed with his armies. [ Psalm 2; Isaiah 26:20; Daniel 9:24, Daniel 12:1; Revelation 20:l-10.]

THE ETERNAL STATE

Doctrinal Statement:

A. We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment. [ Matthew 25:46; John 5:28, John 11:25-26; Revelation 20:5-6, Revelation 12-13.]

B. We believe that the soul of the redeemed are, at death absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await the first resurrection, when spirit, soul and body are united to be glorified forever with the Lord. [ Luke 23:43; 1 Corinthians 5:8; Phillipians 3:20, 21; 1 Thessolonians 4:l6-18; Revelation 20:4-6.]

C. We believe the souls of the unbelievers remain, after death. in conscious misery until the second resurrection. when the soul and body will be reunited and they shall appear before the Great White Throne of Judgment, and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment. [ Matthew 25:4l-46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-26; 2 Thessolonians 1:7-9, 2 Peter 2:40, Jude 6-7; Revelation 20:11-15.]

Article V - CHURCH COVENANT:

Having been led, as we believe, by the Spirit of God, to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour, and on profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, we do now, in the presence of God, angels, and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another as one body in Christ, to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called.

We promise by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to forsake the paths of sin and to walk in the ways of holiness all the days of our lives. With this in view we engage to strive together for the advancement of this church in knowledge, holiness and comfort; to promote its prosperity and spirituality; to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline, and doctrines; to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church and the relief of the poor, and the spreading of the gospel throughout the nations.

We also engage to maintain family and personal devotions and to train up our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. To seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances, to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings and faithful in our engagements; to be exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all tattling, backbiting, and excessive anger; to abstain from the use and sale of intoxicating liquors as a beverage; to be zealous in our efforts to advance the Kingdom of our Saviour, to make Christ first in all things both spiritual and temporal.

We further engage to walk together in Christian lave and watchfulness, giving and receiving admonition with meekness and affection to remember each other in prayer and to aid each other in case of sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling, and courtesy in speech; to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation, and mindful of the rules of our Saviour, to secure it without delay.

We moreover agree that when we remove from this place, we will as soon as possible unite with some other church of like faith, where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God's Word.

<-- Top