The Statement of Faith of the Seventh Day Baptist Church does not have coercive power over churches and/or individuals. We consider freedom of thought, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, as essential to Christian faith and practice. Therefore, we encourage individual study and open discussion of the Holy Scriptures and defend the freedom of individual conscience to seek to understand and obey God's will. It is for this reason that we do not have any mandatory creed to which members must submit ("Non-Creed Principle"), except for the Bible, and no creed test, except for the evidence of a heart regenerated by the Holy Spirit, repentance from sins, confession of Jesus as Lord and Savior, baptism by immersion, observance of the moral law, and a Christian life rooted in the Holy Scriptures. However, we believe that certain doctrinal beliefs are supported by the Holy Scriptures and are common to all true and faithful followers of Christ.
With this conviction in mind, we present our Statement of Faith, derived from our understanding of the Bible, as an expression of our common faith.
GOD AND THE HOLY TRINITY
We believe in one God, infinite and perfect, creator and sustainer of the universe, who eternally coexists in three persons as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and who desires to share His love personally with each one. We believe in God the Father, who is sovereign over all, manifesting His great love and justice, both forgiving the repentant and condemning the unrepentant. We believe in God the Son, manifested in the flesh in the person of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. He gave Himself on the cross as a complete and final sacrifice for sin. As our risen Lord, He is the mediator between God the Father and humankind. We believe in God the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, who brings about spiritual birth, lives in believers, and empowers them for witness and service. He inspired the Scriptures, convicts humankind of sin, and instructs believers in truth and righteousness.
THE HOLY SCRIPTURES
We believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God and is our final authority on matters of faith and Christian practice. We believe that Jesus Christ, in His life and teachings, as recorded in the Bible, is the supreme interpreter of God's will for humankind.
HUMANITY
We believe that humankind was created in the image and likeness of God and is the noblest work of all creation. We believe that human beings have moral responsibilities and were created to enjoy fellowship with God and with other human beings as God's children.
FALL AND REDEMPTION
We believe that sin is disobedience to God's law and failure to live according to His will. Because of sin, all people are separated from God. We believe that, as sinners, we need a Savior. We believe that salvation from sin and eternal death is a gift from God, who manifested His love through the redemption provided by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and it is received only through faith and repentance in Him. We believe that all who repent of sin and accept Christ as Savior will not face punishment in the final judgment but will enjoy eternal life.
ETERNAL LIFE
We believe that eternal life begins with knowing God through a covenant with Jesus Christ. We believe that Jesus rose from the dead, lives eternally with the Father, and will return again with power and great glory. We believe that, because He died and rose from the dead, the resurrection is a gift from God to all believers.
THE CHURCH
We believe that the church of God is made up of all believers united by the Holy Spirit into one body, of which Christ is the head. We believe that the local church is a community of believers organized in a covenant relationship for worship, fellowship, and service, practicing and proclaiming common convictions while growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We believe in the priesthood of all believers and the autonomy of the local church, while seeking to work together for a more effective witness.
BAPTISM
We believe that the baptism of believers, in obedience to the command of Christ, is a testimony that we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We believe in baptism by immersion as a symbol of dying to sin and being born again to a new life in Christ.
THE LORD'S SUPPER
We believe that the Lord's Supper commemorates the passion and death of the Redeemer of humankind until He returns and is a symbol of Christian fellowship and a pledge of renewed loyalty to our risen Lord.
THE HOLY SABBATH
We believe that the seventh day of the week, the Sabbath, is a sacred time, a gift from God for all people, instituted at creation, affirmed in the Ten Commandments, and reaffirmed in the teachings and example of Jesus and the apostles. We believe that resting on the Sabbath day is an experience of God's eternal presence with His people. We believe that, in obedience to God and in loving response to His grace in Christ, the Sabbath should be faithfully observed by all saints as a day of rest, worship, and celebration.
EVANGELISM
We believe that Jesus Christ commissions us to proclaim the Gospel, make disciples, baptize them, and teach them to observe all that He commanded. We believe that we are called to be faithful witnesses of Christ in all the world and in all human relationships.
CHRISTIAN STEWARDSHIP
We believe in God's sovereignty and in accepting our responsibility as stewards of life and possessions, managing them in accordance with God's will. We understand that the Christian is only a steward and acknowledge that our Father is the provider and Lord of all things.
THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST
We believe, preach, and teach the doctrine of the Second Coming of Christ, in glory and majesty. Committed to the Bible, grounded in it, and in tune with its prophetic revelations, we understand that no human (man or woman), church, or even an angel has divine authorization to set a date for this extraordinary and apocalyptic event. The Lord Jesus left in the Holy Book the indicative signs of the nearness of His coming. The return of Jesus to this earth is real, visible, and corporeal. 'Every eye shall see Him.' We also believe that the system of evil (sin) will be definitively banished from the Universe. Finally, we believe that at the time of this much-awaited event, the Church of the Lord will know its final and glorious triumph.
