RBMacale Web Designer Statement Of Faith   We, the undersigned, do hereby agree and endorse the following doctrinal provisions since the same are consistent with Biblical principles. We, therefore, without fear of criticism or retribution, do hereby declare: THE TERM BAPTIST That, we believe, a true Baptist is one who believes in a supernatural Bible, which tells of a supernatural Christ, Who had a supernatural birth, Who spoke supernatural words, Who performed supernatural miracles, Who lived a supernatural life, Who died a supernatural death, Who rose in supernatural power, Who ascended in supernatural splendour, Who intercedes as a supernatural priest and Who will, one day, return in supernatural glory to establish a supernatural kingdom on the earth. THE SCRIPTURES That, we believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are verbally and plenarily inspired Word of God. The Scriptures are one-hundred percent error-free, inerrant, infallible and God- breathed, and therefore are the final authority for faith, practice, and life. The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments are the complete and divine revelation of God to man. The Scriptures shall be interpreted according to their normal grammatical-historical meaning. That, we believe the King James Version (Authorized Version 1611) of the Bible is one-hundred percent accurate, preserved, inspired, authoritative, and true Word of God in the English language, and shall be the official and only translation used by the Church. We reject all other English versions and translations of the Bible as corruptions and perversions because they remove the pure meaning of redemption, pervert the absolute Deity of Jesus Christ, and corrupt all other doctrines of the Scriptures. (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:19-21; Psa. 119:89; Heb. 4:12; Isa. 8:20; Rom. 15:4). THE TRUE GOD That, we believe, there is one and only one living and true God; an infinite, intelligent Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness and worthy of all possible honour, 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. Ex. 3:14; 20:2,3; Gen. 1:26,27; 17:1; 1 Cor. 8:6; Eph. 4:6; John 4:24; 8:58; 10:30; 17:5; Heb. 1:8-10. THE HOLY SPIRIT That, we believe, the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person, equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; that He was active in creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God's purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of judgement and of righteousness; that He bears witness of the truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the New Birth; that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies, and helps the believer. John 14:16- 17; Matt. 28:19; Heb. 9:14; John 14:24. THE DEVIL OR SATAN That, we believe, Satan was once holy, and enjoyed heavenly honours; but through pride and ambition to be as the ALMIGHTY, fell and drew after him a host of angels; that he is now the malignant prince of the power of the air, and the unholy god of this world. We hold him to be man's great tempter, the enemy of God and Christ, the accuser of the saints, the author of all false religions, the chief power back of the present apostasy, the lord of the anti-Christ and the author of all the power of darkness - destined, however, to final defeat at the hands of God's own Son, and to the judgement of an eternal justice in hell, a place prepared for him and his angels. Gen. 3:1-15; Isa. 14:12-17; Ezek. 28:14-19; Rev. 12:9; 2 Pet. 2:4. CREATION That, we believe, in the Genesis account of creation and that it is to be accepted literally, and not allegorically or figuratively; that man was created directly and distinctly in God's own image and after His own likeness; that man's creation was not a matter of evolution or evolutionary change of species, or development through interminable periods of time from lower to higher forms; that Darwinism and all its forms and modifications are theories that are bereft of proofs; that all animals and vegetable life were made directly and God's established law was that they should bring forth only after their kind. Gen. 1-2; Ex. 20:11; Acts 4:24; Col. 1:16-17; Heb. 11:3. THE FALL OF MAN That, we believe, man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy state, in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, not by constraint but by choice; and therefore under just condemnation without defence or excuse. Gen. 3:1--24; Rom. 5:12; 5:19; 3:10-19, 23. THE VIRGIN BIRTH AND DEITY OF CHRIST That, we believe, the Lord Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Ghost in a miraculous manner; born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born or can ever be born of woman, and that He is both the Son of God and God the Son. Gen. 3:15; Isa. 7:14; Mat. 1:1-25; Luke 1:35; Mark 1:1. THE ATONEMENT FOR SIN That, we believe, the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God, Who by appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin, honoured the divine law by His personal obedience and by His death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins; that His atonement consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was the voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner's place, the just dying for the unjust, Christ the Lord, bearing our sins in His own body on the tree; that, having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in heaven and uniting in His wonderful Person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection, He is every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate and an all-sufficient Saviour. Eph. 2:8,9; John 14:6; 3:16; Acts 15:11; Rom. 3:24; Mat. 18:11. THE GRACE IN THE NEW CREATION That, we believe, in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth the one dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God; the new creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension, not by culture, not by character, nor by the will of man, but wholly and solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the Gospel; that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life. John 3:3,7; 2 Cor. 5:17; Luke 5:27,28; 1 John 5:1; 3:7. THE FREENESS OF SALVATION That, we believe, in God's electing grace; that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the Gospel; that it is the immediate duty of all to accept them by a cordial, penitent and obedient faith; and nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but his own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the Gospel; which rejection involves him in an aggravated condemnation. 1 Thes. 1:4; John 5:40; 6:37,39; 10:27-29; 1 Pet. 1:2; Titus 1:1; Rom. 8:29-30; 2 Pet. 3:9. THE SOVEREIGN GRACE OF GOD That, we believe, in God's Sovereign Grace. By Sovereign we mean that God is free to act and to choose according to His own will; that He has the absolute right and prerogative; that man has no right to question God even if he has not fully comprehended His sovereignty but just to believe Him (Rom. 9:12-33). By Grace we mean the goodness of God manifested toward the ill-deserving so that He authored the plan of Salvation for sinful man. We often call this the "unmerited favour of God." By Sovereign Grace, therefore, we mean the act of God without influence or the merit of man and cooperation but according to the good pleasure of His will. In simple words, it is safe to say, "He favours and chooses whom He wills." We do not accept this belief as that of Calvin who was not a Baptist. This is, rather, Bible doctrine. John 5:21; 6:37,39; Rom. 9:6-24; 8:28-30; Eph. 1:4-14; 2:1-10. JUSTIFICATION That, we believe, that the great gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believing in Him is justification; that justification includes the pardon of sin, acquittal from guilt and condemnation, declaration of the believer's holiness, and the gift of eternal life on principles of righteousness; that it is bestowed not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done; but solely through faith in the Redeemer's blood, His righteousness is imputed to us. Acts 13:39; Isa. 53:11; Zech. 13:1; Rom. 8:1; 5:1,9; 3:24. REPENTANCE AND FAITH That, we believe, repentance and faith are solemn obligations and also inseparable graces in our souls by the quickening Spirit of God; thereby, being deeply convicted of our guilt, danger, and helplessness, and of the way of salvation by Christ, we turn to God with unfeigned contrition, confession and supplication for mercy at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ and openly confessing Him as our only and all-sufficient Saviour. Acts 20:21; 2:37-38; Mark 1:15; Luke 13:3,5; 18:13; Rom. 10:13. THE CHURCH That, we believe, the New Testament church is an organised congregation of born again, scripturally baptised people associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the Gospel, observing the ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws, exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His Word; that, its only offices are pastor and deacon(s) whose qualifications, claims, and duties are clearly defined in the Scriptures; that, we believe the true mission of the church is found in the great commission; first, to evangelize, second, to baptise the converts, third, to teach and instruct as He has commanded. That, we do not believe in the reversal of this order; we hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government, free from the interference of any hierarchy or individuals or organisations; and that the one and only superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit; that, it is Scriptural for the churches of like faith to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel; that, every church is the sole and only judge of the measure and method of its cooperation; that, on all matters of membership, of policy, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will and decision of the local church is final. That, we believe the true New Testament church is a Baptist church, local, visible, self-governing, and independent of external control; that, the Baptist church is the Bride of Christ. Mat. 28:18-20; Acts 2:41; 1 Cor. 11:2, Eph. 1:22-23; 4:11; John 3:29; Rev. 19:7-9; 21:2,917. The Foundation of New Testament church is characterised by its:  1. Founder – the Lord Jesus Christ, Mat. 16:18; 1 Cor 3:11 2. Time – during His personal earthly ministry, Mat. 18:15-17; Acts 1:4, 23-26; 2:41-47; 15:4 3. Place – started first in Jerusalem, Acts 1:8; 2:41-47 4. Kind – Baptist kind, local, and visible, John 1:6; Mat. 3: 13- 17; 16:18 5. Mission – in irreversible order, Mat. 28: 18-20: a. Preach the Gospel b. Baptise those who believe c. Teach members the whole counsel of God for them to observe 6. Government – Theocracy, God rules through His servant, by His Word, Eph. 5:23; Col. 1:13-18 7. Ordinances – Baptism and Lord's Supper, Mark 16:16; Luke 22:19,20 8. Leader – the Pastor, 1 Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9 Acts 2:41; Acts 2:42; 1 Cor. 11:2, Eph. 1:22-23; Eph. 4:11.   CHURCH OFFICERS AND GOVERNMENT That, we believe, the Bible teaches the following are the only offices of the Church, and should be held by men only: Pastor, and Deacon(s). That, we believe the Pastor, and the Deacon(s) must be males whose lives are beyond Scriptural reproach. That, I also believe in the complete independence and autonomy of the local church from external control and influences, and in the Biblical obligation of congregational government through pastoral leadership. 1 Tim. 2:12; 3:1-16; 5:17; Acts 5:1-41; 13:2-4; Heb. 13:17. BAPTISM AND THE LORD'S SUPPER That, we believe, Christian baptism is the immersion in water of a believer, in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, with the authority of the local church, to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem of his faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, with its effect in his death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that, it is a prerequisite to the privileges of a church relation and to the Lord's Supper, in which only the members of the Church, by the sacred use of unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine, are to commemorate together the substitutionary death of Christ once every year, preceded always by solemn self examination. Acts 8:36-39; Mat. 3:6,16; John 3:23; Rom. 6:4-5. THE SECURITY AND PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS That, we believe, the saved will NEVER be lost. Real believers do endure to the end; that their persevering attachment to Christ is the grand mark which distinguishes them from superficial professors; that a special Providence watches over their welfare and that they are kept by the power of God through faith unto eternal salvation. John 10:27-29; 8:31-36; Col. 1:21-23; 1 John 2:19; Mat. 13:18-23. THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED That, we believe, there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that such only as through faith are justified 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 men both in and after death, and the everlasting felicity of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost. Mal. 3:18; Gen. 18:28; Rom. 6:17-18; Prov. 11:31. MISSION That, we believe, the command to preach the gospel to the world is clear and unmistakable and this Commission was given to the churches: Matt 28:18-20: And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. THE CIVIL GOVERNMENT That, we believe, the civil government is of divine appointment for the interest and good order of human society; that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honoured and obeyed, except only in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ Who is the only Lord of conscience, and the coming Prince of the kings of the earth. Rom. 13:7; 2 Sam. 23:3; Ex. 18:21-22; Acts 23:5; Mat. 22:21. SEPARATION That, we believe, all the saved are called into a life of separation. This separation is in at least four areas: moral, personal, ecclesiastical, and political.   Moral The Old Testament Moral Law is God's perfect standard for a perfect man. Christians are commanded to perfect holiness in the fear of God. The Law directs us to Christ for Salvation and Christ directs them back to the Law for Regulation, thus, Holy living is required of every member of His church. Gal. 3:24; 2 Cor. 7:1.  Personal The Bible teaches old-fashioned standards of personal separation. It refrains from smoking, drinking, attending worldly amusements, dressing in immodest clothing, inappropriate haircut, and listening to worldly music, including much of what is now called contemporary Christian. It abhors any compromise with worldly standards. 2 Cor. 6:17; Rom. 12:2; Col. 1:10; 1 Cor. 10:31; 14:8; 1 Thes. 5:22.  Ecclesiastical While recognising the unity of all true believers in Christ, it is also evident that unbelief and error in many organized fellowships have developed to the point where recognised and indisputable apostasy exists. We therefore disavow the position of the World Council of Churches, the National Association of Evangelicals, and any other association or fellowship that would be in sympathy with them. We stand in opposition to the Ecumenical Movement, Neo-Orthodoxy, New Evangelicalism, and Cooperative Evangelistic programs between churches and people not of like precious faith and practice. 2 Cor. 6:14-18; Eph. 5:11-12; Luke 12:51.  Political The separation of church and state shall be maintained. We believe that God created governments, and that as a creation of God, it is the believer's duty to honour His governments, and those who govern over them. However, if the government ever demands that we do that which is contrary to my understanding of the teaching of my faith, we are commanded by God to obey Him. As we are accountable to a higher authority than mere men, if we must choose, we will obey God rather than men. Rom. 13:1-7; John 24:15; Acts 5:29. That, there is nothing in the aforementioned principles that teaches legalism. Legalism must be distinguished from obedience to God. Legalism is observance of man's customs or traditions, rules or laws, instead of God's Words, or a mixture of these two. While obedience to God is observance of God's Words after his heart has been brought to the saving knowledge of the Truth through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Legalism is motivated by pride. Whereas, obedience to God is motivated by love. Mat. 15: 1-9; 1 Cor. 2:14; John 3:3,5,16; 14:15; 1 Sam. 15:22. THE GIFTS OF HEALING AND TONGUES That, we believe, the healing and tongues movement of today is unscriptural and contrary to sound doctrine and that those who believe and practice these are absolutely in error. This includes the so-called speaking in tongues, neo-Pentecostalism, Toronto blessing, laughing revival, slain in the spirit, Charismatics, new age, and other movements, sects, cults, secular or religious organisations of similar sorts whose teachings and practices are based on spirit, signs, or similar things other than the Scriptures; that, these have now spread amongst Roman Catholics, Protestants, Baptists, educational institutions, private and public entities, and other religious or secular organisations. We believe when the Bible says, tongues shall cease (1 Cor. 13:8-10), they did. We do not believe that tongues are a sign to the believer, but to the unbeliever (1 Cor. 14:22). We believe that the practice of so- called unknown tongues causes confusion, and God is not the author of confusion (1 Cor. 14:33). We believe that in the church of Jesus Christ all things should be done decently and in order, and the practice of speaking in tongues brings disorder (1 Cor. 14:40) rather than edifies the saints. THE RESURRECTION AND PREMILLENIAL RETURN OF CHRIST AND RELATED EVENTS That, we believe, the sacred Scriptures upon these subjects at their face and full value. Of the resurrection, we believe that Christ rose bodily the third day according to the Scriptures; that He ascended to the right hand of the throne of God; that He alone is my merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God; that this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven - bodily, personally and visibly; that the dead in Christ shall rise first; that the living saints shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump; that the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David; and that Christ shall reign a thousand years in righteousness until He hath put all enemies under His feet. Mat. 28:6-7; Luke 24:39; John 20:27; Mark 16:6; 1 Thes. 4:13-18; 5:1- 11; 1 Cor. 15:4,51-58. THE GRACE OF GIVING That, we believe, Scriptural Giving is one of the fundamentals of the faith. That, it is commanded by God for the purpose of the support of His works and the furtherance of the Gospel. That, it is also the great basis of God's blessings. Scriptural Giving comprises of:  Tithes – the minimum standard of giving.  Love and Faith offerings for missions.  Freewill offerings.  First Fruits and Thanksgiving offerings. Mal. 3:10; 1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 8:1-8; Prov. 3:9-10; Neh. 10:35; Ezra 3:5. The local church is the storehouse and the disbursing agent of all offerings, the Pastor being the chief steward, Acts 4:34-37. In WITNESS whereof, and in testimony of full assent to the above doctrinal provisions the undersigned has hereunto affixed its signature this 5^th day of June, 2007.   Metropolitan Bible Baptist Church Prayer Requests  1. Souls for salvation 2. Pastor’s health 3. Members’ faithfulness 4. A man of God to replace     Pastor R. Macale’s     mission work in     Kalgoorlie, WA, Australia www.mbbc.com.au Copyright@2010 by RBMacale RBMacale Web Designer Interesting Articles Bible separation Bible standards Legalism Is it right to judge? Baptist name abandoned Wanted: True New Testament Baptists Speaking in tongues Big Bang theory Lordship salvation Easy believism Baptist brideism Euthanasia Raising Delinquent Children   Breaking News 1. Letter of homosexuality not     hate speech - judge rules 2. Climate Change ‘Faud’ 3. Muslims ‘Honour kiliings’ 4. Sudan’s indecent standards 5. Modern Youth Ministry      Unbiblical 6. Communists crushed      Christian churches 7. Christians sent to labour     camps 8. Pastor shot dead in Somalia 9. Forced to hide in prayer 10. Obama omittted God       in Thanksgiving 11. Obama sent from God 12. Godless holiday campaign 13. Pastor departs on       homosexuality 14. Good God presentation 15. Inconvenient lie exposed