Confession of Faith

The following Confession of Faith is largely based upon the New Hampshire Confession of Faith drawn up by the Rev. John Newton Brown, D. D., of New Hampshire about 1833, and was adopted by the New Hampshire Convention, and widely accepted by Baptists, especially in the Northern and Western States, as a clear and concise statement of their faith. It is in harmony with the doctrines of older confessions and we believe it represents the outline of our beliefs in brief. To download a copy as a PDF file, click here.

1. Of the Scriptures

We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired, and is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction (1); that it has God for its author, salvation for its end (2), and truth without any mixture of error for its matter (3); that it reveals the principles by which God will judge us (4); and therefore is, and shall remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union (5), and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried (6).
1.   2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:19-21; Psa. 19:7-8
2.   2 Tim. 3:15-16; 1 Pet. 1:10-12; Rom. 1:16
3.   Prov. 30:5-6; John 17:17; Psa. 119.160
4.   Rom. 2:12-16; John 12:47-48; Psa. 119:118, 137-138; Heb. 10:30
5.   Col. 3:16; Acts 2:42
6.    Isa. 8:16-20; Acts 17:11-12; Jude 3; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:19-21

2. Of the True God

We believe that there is one, and only one, living and true God, an eternal, intelligent Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of Heaven and earth (1); inexpressibly glorious in holiness (2), and worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love (3); that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (4); equal in every divine perfection (5), and executing distinct and harmonious offices in the great work of redemption (6).
1.    John 4:24; Psa. 83:18; Heb. 3:4; Rom. 1:20; Jer. 10:10; Isa. 44:24
2.   Exod. 15:11; Isa. 6:3; 1 Pet. 1:15-16; Rev. 4:6-8
3.   Matt. 22:36-38; Rev. 4:11; Matt. 10:37; 1 Cor. 16:22
4.   Matt. 28:19; John 15:26; Matt. 3:16-17; 2 Cor. 13:14
5.    John 10:30; 5:17-18; 14:23; 17:5, 10; Acts 5:3-4; 1 Cor. 2:10-11; Phil. 2:5-6
6.   Eph. 1:17; 2:18; Rev. 5:9; Acts 15:8-9; 1 Cor. 6:11

3. Of the Fall of Man

We believe that man was created in holiness, under the authority and commandment of his Maker (1); but by voluntary transgression  fell from that holy and happy state (2); in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners (3), not by constraint, but choice (4); being by nature utterly void of the holiness, godliness and righteousness required by God, positively inclined to evil; and therefore under just condemnation to eternal ruin (5), without defense or excuse (6).
1.   Gen. 1:27, 31; 2:16; Eccl. 7:29
2.   Gen. 3:6-24; Rom. 5:12
3.   Rom. 3.9; 5:15-19; 8:7; Psa. 14:2-3
4.    Isa. 53:6; Gen. 6:5, 12; Rom. 3:10-18
5.   Eph. 2:1-3; Rom. 1:18, 32; 2:1-16
6.   Rom. 1:20; 3:19; 11.32; Gal. 3:22

4. Of the Way of Salvation

We believe that the salvation of sinners through faith in the Gospel is all of grace (1), through the mediatorial office of the Son of God (2); who by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin (3); and by His death made a full atonement for our sins (4); that having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in heaven (5); and uniting in His wonderful Person the most tender sympathies with divine perfections, He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, compassionate, and an all-sufficient Savior (6).
1.   Eph. 2:5, 8-9; 1 John 4:10; Acts 15:11; 2 Tim. 1:8-9
2.    John 3:16; Heb. 4:14-16; 12:24
3.   Phil. 2:6-7; Heb. 2:9, 14; 2 Cor. 5:21
4.    Isa. 53:4-5; Rom. 3:21-26; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; Heb. 9:13-15
5.   Heb. 1:3; 8:1; 10:12; Col. 3:1-4
6.   Heb. 7:25-26; Col. 2:9; Heb. 2:14-18

5. Of Justification

We believe that the great gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is justification (1); that justification includes the pardon of sin (2), and the promise of eternal life on principles of righteousness (3); that it is bestowed, not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in Christ Jesus (4); by virtue of which faith His perfect righteousness is freely imputed to us of God (5); that it brings us into a state of most blessed peace and favor with God, and secures every other blessing needful for time and eternity (6).
1.   Rom. 5:1, 16, 18; 8:1, 30
2.   Rom. 5:9; Zech. 13:1; Acts 10:43
3.    John 5:24; Rom. 5:17, 21; 1 John 2:25
4.   Rom. 4:4-5; Phil. 3:7-9; Gal. 2:16; Titus 3:5-6; Col. 2.10-12
5.   Rom. 3:24-26; 4:1-2, 23-25; 5:19
6.   Rom. 5:1-3, 11; 1 Cor. 1:30-31; 1 Tim. 4:8; Eph. 1.3-8

6. Of the Freeness of Salvation

We believe that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the gospel (1); that it is the immediate duty of all to receive the gospel by a cordial, penitent, and obedient faith (2); and that nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth but his own inherent depravity and voluntary rejection of the gospel (3); which rejection involves him in an aggravated condemnation (4).
1.    Isa. 55:1; Rev. 22:17; Matt. 11:28; John 6:37; Acts 1.8
2.   Mark 1:15; Rom. 1:15-17; Acts 2:38; 17:30-31; 2 Cor. 5:18-6:2
3.    John 5:39-40; Matt. 23:37; Prov. 1:24-25; Acts 13:46; Rom. 1:20-21; John 3:19-20
4.   2 Thess. 1:6-9; Luke 13:28; 2 Pet. 2:4-9

7. Of Grace in Regeneration

We believe that, in order to be saved, sinners must be regenerated, or born again (1); that regeneration consists in giving a holy disposition to the mind (2); that it is effected in a manner above our comprehension by the power of the Holy Spirit, in connection with divine truth (3), so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel (4); and that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance, faith, love of God and brethren, and newness of life (5).
1.    John 3:3, 6-7; 1:12-13; Titus 3:5; 1 Pet. 1:3; Eph. 2:4-6
2.   Ezek. 36:26; Rom. 2:28-29; Heb. 8.10
3.    John 3:8; James 1:16-18; 1 Cor. 1:30
4.   1 Pet. 1:22-25; Eph. 4:20-24; Col. 3:9-11
5.   Eph. 4.23-32; 5:8-10; Rom. 6:5; 8:9-16; Gal. 5:16-23; Matt. 3:8-10

8. Of Repentance and Faith

We believe that Repentance and Faith are sacred duties, and also inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the regenerating Spirit of God (1); whereby being deeply convinced of our guilt, danger, and helplessness, and of the way of salvation by Christ (2), we turn to God with unfeigned contrition, confession, and supplication for mercy (3); at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as our Prophet, Priest, and King, and relying on him alone as the only and all-sufficient Savior (4).
1.   Acts 11:18; Eph. 2:8; Acts 20:21
2.    John 16:8; Acts 2:37-38; 16:30-31
3.   Luke 18:13; 15:18-21; 2 Cor. 7:10
4.   Rom. 10:9-11; Acts 3:22-23: Heb. 4:14; Psa. 2:6-7

9. Of God’s Purpose of Grace

We believe that Election is the eternal purpose of God, according to which He graciously regenerates, sanctifies, and saves sinners (1); that being perfectly consistent with the free agency of man, it superintends all the means in connection with salvation of the sinner (2); that it is a most glorious display of God’s sovereign goodness, being infinitely free, wise, holy, and unchangeable (3); that it utterly excludes boasting, and promotes humility, love, prayer, praise, trust in God, and active imitation of His free mercy (4); that it encourages the use of means in the highest degree (5); that it may be ascertained by its effects in all who truly believe the gospel (6); that it is the foundation of Christian assurance (7); and that to ascertain it with regard to ourselves demands and deserves the utmost diligence (8).
1.   2 Tim. 1:8-9; Eph. 1:3-14; 1 Pet. 1:1-2; Rom. 11:5-6; John 15:16
2.   2 Thess. 2:13-14; Acts 13:48; 16:31
3.   Exod. 33:18-19; Eph. 1:11; Rom. 9:23-24: Jer. 31:3; Rom. 11:28-29; 2 Tim. 1:9
4.   1 Cor. 4:7; 1:26-31; Rom. 3:27; Col. 3:12; 1 Thess. 2:12
5.   2 Tim. 2:10; 1 Cor. 9:22;; 2 Pet. 1:5-10
6.   1 Thess. 1:4-10; Matt. 13:23; col. 1:10
7.   Rom. 8:28-30; Rom. 5:1-2; Eph. 3:11-12
8.   2 Pet. 1:10-11; Phil. 3:12; Heb. 6:11-12

10. Of Sanctification

We believe that Sanctification is the process by which, according to the will of God, we are made partakers of His holiness (1); that it is a progressive work (2); that it is begun in regeneration (3); and that it is carried on in the hearts of believers by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, the Sealer and Comforter, in the continual use of the appointed means-especially the Word of God, the ministry of the Body of Christ, self-examination, self-denial, watchfulness, and prayer (4).
1.   1 Thess. 4:3-7; 2 Cor. 7:1; Eph. 1:4; Heb. 3.14
2.   Prov. 4:18; 2 Cor. 3:18; 2 Pet. 1:5-8; Phil. 3:12-16
3.   Rom. 8:5; John 3:6; Phil. 1:9-11
4.   2 Pet. 3:18; 2 Cor. 13:5; Luke 9:23; Matt. 26:41; Eph. 6:10-18

11. Of the Perseverance of Saints

We believe that all genuine believers will endure until the end in the faith of the Gospel (1); that their persevering attachment to Christ is the grand mark which distinguishes them from superficial professors (2); that a special Providence watches over their welfare (3); and they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation (4).
1.    John 8:31; Matt. 10:22; 24:13; 2 Tim. 2:12; Heb. 10:36-39; 2 Peter 2.20-21
2.   1 John 2:19; Matt. 13:20-23; John 6:66-69
3.   Rom. 8:28-30; Matt. 6:30-33; Jer. 32:40
4.   Rom. 5:8-11; 6:4-7; 8:29-39; Eph. 1:3-14; 2:5-10; Jude 24-25; 1 John 4:4

12. Of the Old Covenant

We believe that the Old Covenant, with the Law of Moses as its core (1), was established with the nation of Israel (2), promising earthly blessings for obedience (3), and threatening curses for disobedience (4); its purpose was never to offer eternal life (5), but rather to govern the life and worship of the Old Testament nation of Israel (6), to reveal the extent of man’s depravity (7), and to foreshadow Christ and the New Covenant (8); the Old Covenant’s purpose was gracious as it was designed to lead to the knowledge of the need for repentance from self-righteous works and to express faith solely in the righteousness of the Messiah (9).
1.   Exo. 19:4-5; 20:1-17; 31:18; 32:15-16; 34:28-29; Deut. 4:13; 5:1-22; 1 Kings 8:9,21; Heb. 9:4
2.   Deut. 4:7-8; Rom. 3:1-2
3.   Deut. 7:12-22; 11:13-15; 28:1-14
4.   Deut. 11:16-17; 28:15-68
5.    John 5:39; Rom. 3:19-21; 10:1-4; Gal. 2:16; 3:19-23; Heb. 7:19
6.   Deut. 4:5-6; 6:1-3; 10:12-13
7.   Rom. 3:20; 5:20; 7:7-11; Gal. 3:21-22
8.   Deut. 18:15-19; Acts 3:14-24; 7:37, 51-53; Luke 24:44; John 5:39; Heb. 9:1-14; 10:1; 1 Pet. 1:10-12
9.   Rom. 3:20; Gal. 3:15-29

13. Of the New Covenant

The New Covenant, established through the Person and redemptive work of Christ (1), provides eternal blessings which are acquired by grace alone through faith alone, in Christ alone (2); the Old Covenant was fulfilled in Christ, thus becoming obsolete (3); and God’s final word of revelation, given through Christ and His New Testament apostles and prophets (4), have become the authority concerning Christian conduct, and the interpretive lens through which the Old Testament must be understood and applied (5).
1.   Matt. 26:27-28; 1 Cor. 5:7; Heb. 7:22; 8:6; 9:11-26; 13:20
2.   Rom. 4:1-25; 6:14; Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:4-7
3.   Matt. 5:17-20; Rom. 7:4, 6; 10:4; 2 Cor. 3:2-11; Gal. 3:24-25; 4:21-31; Eph. 2:14-16; Col. 2:13-14; Heb. 7:11-12,18-19,22; 8:1-13; 10:9b
4.    John 1:17-18; 13:34-35; 1 Cor. 2:1-12; Eph. 2:20; 3:5; John 16:12-13
5.   Deut. 18:15-19 (cf. John 12:49); Isaiah 42:1-4; Matt. 5:22, 28, 32, 34, 39, 44; 28:20; John 13:34-35; 14:15,21,23; 15:10,14; Acts 15:5,10,22-29; Rom. 14:5-6; 1 Cor. 9:21; Eph. 2:20 (cf. 3:5 and John 16:12-14); Eph. 6:2-3 (cf. Deut. 5:16); Col. 2:16-17 (cf. 2 Chron. 2:4; 8:13; 31:3; Neh. 10:33); Col. 3:1-17; Heb. 7:12; 10:28-29 (cf. Deut. 18:19; John 12:47-49)

14. Of the Church

We believe that the Body of Christ is composed of all born-again believers redeemed by the blood of Christ (1); that we are united with these believers across the boundaries of politics, geography, and time (2); the Body of Christ will be presented spotless and blameless to Christ himself, and for His glory, at the end of the Age (3); therefore, until the final consummation of the Church, we believe that Scripture teaches the necessity of local congregations, comprised of baptized believers in the faith and fellowship of the gospel (4); observing the ordinances of Christ (5); governed by His laws found in the Holy Scriptures (6), and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word (7); that its only scriptural officers are Elders or Pastors, and Deacons, whose qualifications, claims, and duties are defined in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus (8).
1.   Eph. 1:18-23; 2:13-16; 1 Cor. 1:24
2.    John 10:16; 17:20-21; Gal. 3:26-29
3.   Rev. 19:7-8; 3:5
4.   Acts 2:41-47; 15:41; 1 Cor. 1:2; 1 Thess. 1:1; Philemon 1:2
5.   1 Cor. 4:17; 11:2, 23-25; 2 Thess. 3:6; Matt. 28:18-20
6.   Matt. 28:20; John 14:15, 21; 15:12; 1 John 4:21; 1 Thess. 4.2
7.   Eph. 4:7; 1 Cor. 14:12; Phil. 1:27
8.   Phil. 1:1; Acts 14:23; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:6-9; Acts 6:1-6

15. Of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper

We believe that Christian Baptism is the immersion in water of a believer (1), into the name of the Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost (2); to show forth, in a solemn and beautiful emblem, our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life (3); that it is prerequisite to the privileges of a Church relation; and to the Lord’s Supper (4), in which the members of the Church, by the sacred use of bread and cup, are to commemorate together the dying love of Christ for His Bride (5); preceded always by solemn self-examination, discernment of the Body of Christ, and the joy of salvation (6).
1.   Acts 8:36-39; Matt. 3:5-6; John 3:22-23; Acts 22:16
2.   Matt. 28:19; Acts 10:47-48
3.   Rom. 6:3-4; Col. 2:12
4.   Acts 2:41-42; Matt. 28:19-20
5.   1 Cor. 11:26; Matt. 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:14-20
6.   1 Cor. 11:27-34; 5:1, 8; 10:21; 11:17-32

16. Of Civil Government

We believe that civil government is of divine appointment, for the interests and good order of human society (1); and that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed (2); except only in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ as revealed in the Holy Scriptures (3) who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the Prince of the kings of the earth (4).
1.   Rom. 13:1-7
2.   Matt. 22:21; Titus 3:1; 1 Pet. 2:13; 1 Tim. 2:1-2
3.   Acts 5:29; Matt. 10:28; Dan. 3:15-18; 6:7-10; Acts 4:18-20
4.   Matt. 23:10; Rev. 19:16; Psa. 72:11; Psa. 2; Rom. 14:9-13

17. Of the Righteous and the Wicked

We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked (1); that such only as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and sanctified by the Spirit of our God, are truly righteous in His esteem (2); while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked, and under the curse (3); and this distinction holds among men both in and after death (4).
1.   Mal. 3:18; Prov. 12:26; Isa. 5:20; Rom. 6:16-22; 8:1-15
2.   Rom. 1:17; 3.21-28; 4.22-5.2; 7:6; 1 John 2:29; 3:7
3.   Gal. 3:10; John 3:18-20, 36; Isa. 57:21; Psa. 10:4; Isa 55:6-7
4.   Prov. 14:32; Luke 16:25; John 8:21-24; Eccl. 3:17; Matt. 13:41-43

18. Of the World to Come

We believe that the end of the world is approaching (1); that at the last day Christ will descend from heaven (2), and bodily raise the dead from the grave to final retribution (3); that a solemn separation will then take place (4); that the wicked will be adjudged to endless punishment, and those made righteous by the blood of Christ to endless joy and life as God redeems His choice possession sealed for redemption by the Holy Spirit (5); and that this judgment will fix forever the final state of men in heaven or hell, on principles of righteousness (6).
1.   1 Cor. 15:23-26; Matt. 24:35; 1 John 2:17; Rev. 21:3-4; 22:3-5
2.   Acts 1:11; Heb. 9:28; 1 Thess. 4:13-5:11
3.   Acts 24:15; 1 Cor. 15:12-59; 2 Cor. 5:10; Dan. 12:2; John 5:28-29
4.   Matt. 13: 37-43, 49; 24:30-31; 25:31-33; 2 Peter 2.2-10
5.   Matt. 25:35-41; 1 Cor. 6:9-10; Jude 1:7; Matt. 13:41-43; John 11:25; Eph. 1.13-14; Col. 3:3-4
6.   2 Thess. 1:6-12; Matt. 25:41, 46