VBC DOCTRINAL STATEMent

I. We believe that salvation is by grace, through faith, and not of works. This means that salvation cannot be earned by any work (church attendance, baptism, repenting of your sins, etc.). Salvation is putting your faith in Jesus Christ and trusting that his death, burial, and resurrection from the grave is all that is needed to pay for your sins. You receive salvation by simply calling upon the Lord Jesus Christ to save you.

[Ephesians 2:8-9, John 3:16, Romans 10:9-10, Romans 10:13]

II. We believe in the Eternal Security of the believer (this means once you are saved, you are always saved). Just like there is nothing you can do to earn salvation, there is nothing you can do to lose it once you have it.

[John 5:24, John 10:27-29, Ephesians 1:13]

III. We believe that Baptism is the first step in the discipleship process of a new believer. We believe that baptism is a symbolic picture of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ and the future resurrection of all believers. We reject the teaching that baptism is required for salvation.

[Acts 8:36-38, Acts 16:30-31, Romans 6:3-5]

IV. We believe that the The Doctrine of the King James Bible of the Bible is the inspired and preserved Word of God for English speaking people. We reject all modern Bible translations.

[Psalm 12:6-7, Psalm 119:89, Matthew 24:35, 1 Peter 1:23]

V. We believe that Jesus is God in the flesh. He was completely God and completely man.

[1 Timothy 3:16, 1 John 3:16, 1 John 5:20]

VI. We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary and we believe that Mary did not remain a virgin, but went on to have other children that the scripture mentions.

[Matthew 1:23, Matthew 13:55-56]

VII. We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person, with a body, will, intellect, emotion and ability to communicate. We believe that the Holy Spirit is God and reject the teaching that the Holy Spirit is simply a force, power or energy.

[John 15:26, Act 5:3-4, Romans 8:11, 1st Corinthians 15:44, Ephesians 4:30]

VIII. We believe in the Trinity, which is the belief that there is one God that exists in three persons. The three persons or members of the Godhead are the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The three members of the Godhead are distinct and separate persons, each possessing their own body, intellect and will. The three are all equally God and eternal, meaning that they have eternally existed as three persons. The three members of the Godhead voluntarily submit themselves under a chain of command. We acknowledge that each member of the Godhead is not partially God or a part of God but believe that each member is all God and all of God. We reject partialism (the belief that each member of the Godhead is a part of God that comes together to make up one God). We reject polytheism (the belief that each member of the Godhead is a separate god). We reject oneness (the belief that each member of the Godhead is the same person playing different roles).

[Genesis 1:26-27, John 1:1-3, Colossians 2:9, 1 John 5:7]

IX. We believe in the autonomy of the local church. This means that we are independent of all denominations, conventions, and fellowships. We have Jesus Christ and the Bible as the head of our church and the pastor as the human leader of our church must submit himself to the Word of God. We reject any leader that usurps the authority of Christ as the head of any church like a Pope, Prophet, President, a Board of Elders or Board of Directors.

[Acts 14:23, Acts 20:28, 1 Peter 5:1-3]

X. We believe that Christ established “local” New Testament churches. We believe that a church is an assembly or congregation of local believers banding together under the leadership of a pastor for the purpose of fulfilling the Great Commission. We reject the teaching of all believers making up a “universal church”.

[Matthew 28:18-20, Ephesians 4:16, Titus 1:5]

XI. We believe that church membership is a privilege and not a right and church members are subject to be removed from membership (Church Discipline) and can be denied the right to attend the church services and activities, if they violate the qualifications of church membership as set forth in the Holy Scriptures (and the by-laws of Verity Baptist Church).

[Matthew 18:15-18, 1 Corinthians 5:9-13]

XII. We believe in a literal, physical hell. We believe that the unsaved will spend eternity tormented in hell and the Lake of Fire in the presence of God. We reject the teaching that Hell is simply separation from God. We reject the doctrine of Annihilation which teaches that hell is a temporary place where people are annihilated and cease to exist. We reject the belief that hell is symbolic and not literal.

[Mark 9:43-48, Luke 16:22-24, Revelation 14:10, Revelation 20:10, Revelation 20:14-15]

XIII. We reject the teaching of Calvinism and specifically all five points of the Tulip teaching. We believe that God desires for everyone to be saved and offers salvation to all men.

[1 Timothy 4:10, Titus 2:11, 1 John 2:2]

XIV. We believe that abortion is murder and oppose all forms of birth control that end life after conception (fertilization).

[Genesis 1:28, Jeremiah 1:5]

XV. We are Non-dispensational. We reject the teaching of dispensationalism.

[Matthew 5:17-18, 2 Timothy 3:16]

XVI. We oppose worldliness and believe in holy, separated living.

[James 4:4, 1 John 2:15-16]

XVII. We take a stand against the Charismatic and Ecumenical movement of our day.

[Acts 2:8, 1 Corinthians 14:33]

XVIII. We believe in the post-tribulation and pre-wrath rapture of all believers. We believe that the tribulation will be a period of trouble and persecution from the world for believers and that tribulation is different and separate from the wrath of God that will be poured out in this world. We reject the teaching of the pre-tribulation rapture.

[Matthew 24:29-31, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3]

XIX. We believe that sodomy (homosexuality) is a sin and an abomination before God which God punishes with the death penalty. No one involved in any unnatural sin (homosexuality, pedophilia, bestiality, etc.) will be allowed to attend or join Verity Baptist Church.

[Leviticus 20:13, Romans 1:32]

XX. This is not an all-inclusive list. We believe anything and everything found and taught in the King James Version of the Bible.

[2 Timothy 3:16]